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VOL.  V.— No.  53. 


FRIDAY,   FEBRUARY    17,    1905. 


THREEPENCE. 


<r^ 


Gold   in  the  Sea—A   Natural  Corollary? 


MR.  GOLDSTEIN   (sinking  for  the  third  time):  "Go  'vay,  man      I   die  a  loffly  death  ! 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


February  i  7,  1905 


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*  * 


*  CONTENTS, 


CARTOON  :  VQoto  IN  THE  SEA  "     A  NATURAL  COROLLARY  ? 

MARITIME  MURMURS 

I 
SHIPBUILDING       •   ... 


1 

2 
9 


WORKS   OF.  SUPERERROGATION  ! 


AGAIN.  THOSE  LIGHT  DUES 


11 


CARDIFF  (AND  OTHER)  COAL        .........  •••  12 

COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES  ..................  14 

MARITIME  (AND  OTHER)  MONEY  MATTERS        ............  15 

SEVERN  SEA  SPRAY          .............  ........  16 


PATENTS  AND  TRADE  MARKS 
.....  ...  .. 


MARITIME    MURMURS. 


__         DOCKS.  CARDIFF. 

Thursday  Afternoon. 

THE  stranding  of  the  triple-propellered  French  cruiser 
Sully  at  Along  Bay  -Gulf  of  Tonkin,  in  French  Indo-China 
-  has  been  the  cause  of  some  straight  talk  on  the  part  of 
our  contemporary,  the  Matin.  Our  Gallic  friends  are 
worrying  about  the  fact  that  if  Sully  breaks  in  two  and 
sinks,  there  will  be  a  loss  to  France,  running  into  a  million 
pounds  sterling,  to  say  nothing  of  the  serious  reduction  to 
her  Naval  power.  "  as  such  a  vessel  could  not  be  replaced 
in  less  than  five  years!"  Eh?  Five  years  to  build  a 
cruiser !  But  in  all  probability,  the  statement  is  as  near 
to  truth  as  makes  but  little  difference,  and  we  are  glad  to 
note  that  the  French  writer,  has  pluck  enough  to  face  the 
situation  as  he  finds  it :  not  as  he  would  pretend  it  is.  The 
latter  tactics  are  left  for  the  Briton  !  In  discussing  the 
possible  causes  of  the  stranding,  the  Matin  remarks  that 
Along  Bay  is  a  well-known  sheet  of  water,  and  that  its  rocks 
and  shoals  have  been  carefully  charted.  With  this  in  mind. 
and  wishing  to  be  generous  to  the  unfortunate,  it  was  sug- 
gested that  Sully  had  plumped  on  to  one  of  the  pinnacle 
rocks  for  which  that  part  of  the  world  is  famous :  rocks 
which  favour  the  submerged  monolith  idea  :  dangers  which. 
unless  the  sounding  lead  drops  fair  on  to  it,  will  lurk  there 
for  ages  or  until  some  steamer  "  sounds "  it  with  her 
bottom  plating. 

fi?  $5 

BUT  the  "  generous  "  interpretation  of  the  catastrophe  is 
destroyed  :  is  wiped  away  :  is  knocked  on  the  head  :  for  a 
telegram  from  the  seat  of  the  trouble  if  we  may  put  it 
thus-  declares  that  Sully  has  struck  upon  a  charted  rock. 
which  bears  the  name  of  Canot.  Leaving  out  the  French 
pronunciation,  and  taking  the  rock  in  plain  English,  we  are 
constrained  to  repeat  that  old  jape  anent  "  What's  in  a 
name?"  The  rock  should  be  re-named  at  once  for  it 
can  !  Can  muss  up  a  million  pounds'  worth  of  French 
cruiser !  Still  wishing  to  be  magnanimous.  Matin  is  of 
opinion  that  Sully's  helm  failed  to  act  at  the  crucial  moment, 
even  while  admitting  that  such  an  explanation  is  {res 
difficile  for  the  comprehension  of  a  sailorman.  You  see. 
there  were  three  propellers  to  wear  and  haul  on.  and  with  a 
ship  dodging  into  a  crib  like  Along  Bay.  you  may  be  sure 


that  she  wasn't  emulating  her  conduct  on  the  measured 
mile.  Not  by  a  long  chalk !  You  may  take  it  for  granted 
that  Sully  was  creeping  in.  in  exactly  the  same  fashion  that 
would  be  adopted  by  the  veriest  old  crock  afloat?  The 
conditions  would  be  all  in  favour  of  "three  turns  ahead, 
and  two  broa.dside  "  as  the  Yankee  sailing  ship  skipper 
remarked,  when  first  put  in  charge  of  a  "  smoke  stack"  ! 

&*  9<a 

S?     tc3 

UNDER  the  circumstances,  therefore,  we  are  not  inclined 
to  believe  that  the  stranding  occurred  through  any  direct 
mishap  to  the  steering  gear.  The  helm  might  have  struck 
duty,  but  there  were  still  those  "  bucking  screws  "  to  fall 
back  on  ?  Furthermore,  if  the  navigating  officer  had  a 
fairly  clear  idea  whither  his  ship  was  proceeding,  he  would 
also  know  that  the  Canot  rock  was  adjacent  to  the  partic- 
ular rhumb  affected  on  this  occasion !  In  this  case,  it 
would  have  been  "  astern,  all  " — when  the  helm  jibbed  :  or 
"ahead,  port:  astern,  starboard,"  or  vice  versa,  which- 
ever was  demanded  for  the  purpose  of  complying  with 
Cocker.  Of  course,  we  are  prone  to  admit  that  it  is  easy 
enough  to  steer  the  Sully  into  Along  Bay  ( or  anywhere 
else)  at  this  distance  therefrom  ;  theoretically,  you  know. 
Also  that  it  might  sound  very  much  like  presumption  on  our 
part,  to  suggest  that  a  highly-trained  French  Naval  officer 
didn't  know  enough  to  get  in  out  of  the  wet.  when  a  crisis 
faced  him.  But  then,  we  are  sailors,  and  have  more  than  a 
nodding  acquaintance  of  how  these  things  are  worked.  We 
also  realise  that  if  the  helm  had  gone  wrong .  and  if  two 
propellers  out  of  the  three  had  struck,  right  at  the  psycho- 
logical moment :  there  was  still  a  chance  of  screwing  the 
Sully  out  of  her  tight  corner  with  the  remaining  propeller. 

G#  Xa 

t&     o3 

WHEN  a  poor  old  shipmaster  of  the  British  persuasion 
brings  his  steamer  across  from  the  United  States,  and 
cannot  reverse  his  engines  in  time  of  need  because  their 
brasses  have  worn  down  so  badly  in  a  twenty  days'  run. 
that  a  reversing  is  impossible  :  well.  "  off  with  his  head  " 
is  the  verdict.  It  is  useless  for  the  Old  Man  to  plead  the 
impossibility  of  the  circumstances.  He  might  state  that 
So-and-so's  engine  brasses  are  noted  for  this  san:e  kind  o 
conduct :  that  after  a  long  run.  the  derned  things  will 
never  reverse.  It  is  all  the  same,  though.  It  will  be 


February   17,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


intimated  to  him  that,  in  the  interests  of  law  and  order. 
and  as  became  the  dignities  and  responsibilities  of  a  self- 
respecting  shipmaster  :  he  should  have  stopped  his  old 
crock,  somewhere  outside  of  Scilly  :  should  have  seen  that 
the  Chief  had  put  a  few  "  liners  "  under  those  brasses  : 
that  after  this  was  safely  engineered,  he  should  have 
backed  and  filled  for  twenty  minutes  :  and  being  then  satis- 
fied that  everything  was  according  to  the  book,  he  could 
have  proceeded,  in  safety,  up  Channel.  It  will  further  be 
impressed  on  him  that  if  he  had  dodged  about  in  this 
amiable  manner,  it  would  have  given  the  steamer  with 
which  he  ultimately  collided,  a  half-day's  chance  to  be 
somewhere  else,  when  his  old  crock  crossed  her  line  of 
progression. 

tff'fc 

MIND  you.  the  worthy  folk  who  propound  nautical  quiffs 
for  the  benefit  of  Board  of  Trade  inquiries,  might  not  put 
the  matter  exactly  in  our  words.  Indeed,  we  have  serious 
doubts  as  to  whether  they  would  be  able  to.  But  their 
"  verdict  "  will  work  out  to  the  same  length,  on  each 
occasion.  It  is  ever  a  case  of  "  Why  didn't  you  use  the 
lead?"  "  1  dkj.  sir  !  "  "Then,  what  the  hangment  did  you 
do  it  for  ?  This  was  an  instance  of  where  you  would  have 
been  better  employed  than  you  were  in  flopping  around  with 
a  deep  sea  lead-line,  whose  marks  and  deeps  were  quite 
four  inches  out  of  truth.  Off  with  his  head!"  And  the 
operation  is  carried  out.  according  to  law  !  But.  lordy  us  ! 
We  have  got  away  from  that  Sully  affair  !  Never  mind,  'tis 
no  trouble  to  get  back  to  it.  again,  so  in  company  with  the 
Matins  nautical  man.  we  will  dismiss  the  thought  of 
jammed  helms  :  broken-down  screws  :  and  things  of  like 
nature  :  even  as  we  give  you  the  French  writer's  words  on 
the  subject.  He  expresses  grave  doubts  if  the  right  man 
is  put  in  the  right  place  :  suggests  that  these  big  jobs  are 
not  always  entrusted  to  officers  who  are  "  capable  of 
bearing  the  crushing  responsibility  of  commanding  a  modern 
warship  which  is.  at  the  same  time,  a  factory  and  a 
fortress."  At  least,  that  is  how  the  Times  translates  the 
phrase—  and  you  are  safe  in  accepting  it  as  o.k. 


IN  other  words,  the  French  Navy  is  conducted  in  no 
happier  manner,  than  is  the  glorious  one  of  Britain  !  It  is 
all  very  well  to  pretend  that  they  manage  those  things 
better  in  France  !  'They  don't.  Real  working  navies  have 
not  been  long  enough  in  existence,  to  convince  everybody 
that  what  was  good  enough  a  hundred  years  ago.  is  not 
good  enough  to-day.  We  have  <  most  of  us  at  any  rate  < 
heard  the  old  jape  that  "  the  fool  of  the  family  was  good 
enough  for  the  Church,  the  Army,  or  the  Navy."  and  the 
saying  might  have  been  true,  when  it  was  manufactur 
Times  have  changed,  however,  and  the  nation  which 
doesn't  change  with  them,  will  rapidly  gravitate  toward  the 
exact  spot  where  it  ceases  to  be  a  nation.  Is  anybody 
going  to  believe,  that  the  crop  of  accidents  which  eventuate 
among  the  relatively  few  units  of  the  Navy,  at  manoeuvre 
time,  are  unavoidable  ?  Or  that,  if  real  working  seamen 
were  in  charge,  those  accidents,  to  a  large  extent,  would 
not  be  obviated  ?  Certainly  not.  In  the  old  days,  when 
time  was  no  object  :  when  a  man  joined  the  Navy  merely 
for  kudos,  and  as  a  means  of  killing  time  and  "totties:" 
it  didn't  much  matter  what  kind  of  stuff  was  pitchforked 
into  epaulettes  and  things.  Especially  as  the  probable 
enemy,  in  those  days,  adopted  the  same  methods  of 
procedure. 

fi?  *? 

BUT  even  as  times  have  changed,  the  "  probable  enemy  " 
has  changed  with  them  :  has  seen  to  it  that  while  Britain, 
the  "  mistress  of  the  seas."  is  giving  all  her  attention  to 
ships  and  hang  the  personnel:  that  enemy  is  attending  to 
both  ships  and  men.  The  result  is  that  although  Mr. 


Enemy  has  but  a  small  fleet-  again  relatively— it  is  manned 
by  fellows  who  have  taken  to  the  business  as  a  means  of 
earning  a  decent  living.  Not  for  the  mere  "fun  of  the 
thing."  Britain  has  become  altogether  too  vast  an 
undertaking,  to  be  able  to  afford  the  foolish  tactics  which 
obtained  'way  back.  If  the  "  gilded  youth  "  of  the  country 
is  honestly  fit  for  his  job,  well  and  good  :  give  him  an 
opportunity  of  showing  that  he  wasn't  made  for  ornament, 
alone.  On  the  other  hand,  if  a  tallow-chandler's  son  is  a 
probable  Nelson,  is  there  any  sense,  reason,  or  anything 
else  to  the  point,  in  keeping  him  back  as  a  "warrant" 
^unless  you  make  it  understood  that,  in  times  of  crisis  and 
terrible  stress,  his  words  are  to  stand :  an  obvious  absurdity! 
We  have  no  quarrel  with  these  "  curled  darlings,"  merely 
because  they  are  the  sons  of  political  wire-pullers  :  if  they 
are  "  fit."  then,  allow  the  universal  law  to  operate  with 
them  :  but  don't  risk  breaking  up  the  combination,  simply 
because  they  must  have  a  soft  job. 

To  put  the  thing  in  a  few  words,  it  would  pay  the  nation 
to  pension  off  these  dilettante  "  sailors "  :  to  keep  them 
ashore  in  idleness,  at  so-much  per  annum.  In  that  case,  the 
country  would  know  exactly  what  the  luxury  was  going  to 
cost.  As  things  are  at  present,  and  as  they  have  been  for 
a  long  time  past,  nobody  is  quite  clear  as  to  whether  the 
Pinafore  will  come  out  of  the  manoeuvres,  "clean  and  tidy": 
if  she^ill  sink  the  Apronpiece :  or  if  she  will  merely  run 
aground  and  stay  there  until  the  fun  is  over.  Indeed,  and 
in  view  of  the  comparative  fewness  of  fighting  ships  that 
are  about,  it  must  be  admitted  that  the  "  accidents  "  are  all 
too  frequent  thereon.  If  a  similar  state  of  affairs  existed 
with  the  Mercantile  Marine  :  if  the  per  centage  of  serious 
mishaps  were  on  a  par  with  that  ruling  with  our  First  Line 
of  Defence,  then,  Britain  would  have  ceased  to  exist,  long 
since.  Insurance  rates  would  have  been  so  high,  that 
enterprise  would  have  been  killed.  Consider  the  clock- 
work-like regularity  with  which  our  big  liners  make  their 
passages  !  Think  of  the  high  tension  that  is  in  evidence 
( although  her  sailors  are  too  well-trained  to  allow  that 
tension  to  be  seen )  from  start  to  finish. 


WITH  it  all.  think  of  the  immunity  from  disaster  that 
obtains  with  this  class  of  vessel.  Having  thought,  bethink 
you  of  what  happens,  directly  a  few  warships  are  mustered 
together  for  the  purpose  of  playing  at  war  !  Why  the  crop 
of  "  breakdowns  "  is  larger  than  a  probable  enemy  dare 
hope  to  inflict,  if  out  on  the  war-path  in  real  earnest.  In 
fact,  we  have  heard  foreigners  jeeringly  remark,  that  if 
war  eventuated  with  Britain  :  playing  the  "  waiting  game  " 
would  beat  her,  hands  down  !  If  the  enemy  were  to  stand 
off.  for  a  while,  there  wouldn't  be  any  fighting  to  speak  of, 
because  the  British  Fleet  would  have  succeeded  in  either 
burning  all  its  boilers  :  smashing  each  other  up  in  collision  ; 
or  running  aground  !  We  know  it  would  not  be  as  bad  as 
that  :  but  there  can  be  no  gainsaying  the  fact  that  matters 
would  be  considerably  worse  than  the  country  has  a  right 
to  expect  remembering  the  handsome  manner  in  which 
the  shekels  are  thrown  around.  Looked  at  from  any  stand- 
point. there  is  a  quantity  of  sound  sense  in  the  Matin's 
doubts  as  to  whether  its  nation's  warships  are  entrusted  to 
men  "capable  of  bearing  the  crushing  responsibility  of 
commanding  a  modern  warship."  Unfortunately,  the  same 
thing  applies  on  this  side  of  the  Silver  Streak. 


YET  the  country  has  any  quantity  of  men  eligible  for  the 
work  that  the  nation  demands  :  but  their  fathers  haven't 
"  pull  "  enough  to  secure  a  Home  Office  nomination  for  the 
boys  !  Is  the  country  to  be  sacrificed  to  this  political 
Moloch  :  must  we  all  go  on  "in  the  steps  our  fathers  trod;" 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


February  17,   1905 


and  regardless  of  the  fact  that  if  our  poor  old  fathers  were 
about  now.  they  would  wish  to  be  excused  from  comment- 
ing on  what  most  of  us  are  pleased  to  term  "  the  march  o 
civilisation."      You  have  seen  ships  brought  home  fror 
foreign  stations,  so  that  "  their  crews  might  be  eligible  for 
'  efficient '  ships  in  Home  waters  ?  "    That  is.  the  personnel 
-or  its  lack    of  the  Navy,  is  just  as  big  a  danger  as  is  that 
in  the  Mercantile  Marine :  but  it  is  fashionable  to  pretend 
that  "  all's  well : "  that  it  is  silly  to  admit  the  rottenness  of 
things  nautical,  as  then,  the  wicked  foreigner  would  know 
equally  as  much  about  the  subject  as  we  do.    The  unfor- 
tunate part  is.  that  the  foreigner  knows  a  dashed  sight 
more  about  it  than  does  the  average  Briton  :  moreover,  the 
said  foreigner  makes  his  plans  accordingly.    The  German 
hangs  up  photographs  of  Britain's  "  possibly  effectives" 
the  ward-rooms  of  his  fleet :  gives  every  point  about  them 
that  is  worth  having— even  as  we.  on  this  side,  elect  to 
believe  that  everything  is  exactly  as  it  should  be. 

THE  fact  of  the  matter  is.  the  country  needs  a  commercial 
man  at  the  head  of  affairs.  A  sort  of  national  Managing 
Director :  one  with  brains  and  power  enough,  to  ensure 
that  the  greatest  nation  on  earth  is  managed  on  commercial 
lines.  With  such  a  man  as  this  in  charge  of  the  "shop." 
the  politicians  could  pursue  the  merry  tenour  of  their  way. 
feeling  sure  that  when  the  necessity  arose,  the  M.D.  would 
roll  them  in  a  bit.  As  things  are  at  present,  every  depart- 
mental head  puts  his  time  in.  hunting  for  some  other 
departmental  head  on  whom  to  saddle  a  given  responsibility. 
These  heads,  are  all  for  honour  as  if  a  show  the  size  of 
Britain  could  be  successfully  run  on  such  lines !  It  cannot! 
That  is  being  evidenced,  daily.  And  unless  there  is  an 
awakening  very  soon,  you  will  have  cause  to  remember 
that  your  business  has  been  entrusted  to  folk  who  are  not 
"capable  of  bearing  the  crushing  responsibility  of  com- 
manding a  modern  "  nation.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the 
responsibility  to  an  efficient  man—  is anythingbut  crushing : 
it  is  only  to  the  play-at-governing  person,  that  the  task  is 

6?  « 

WE  have  already  given  some  extended   consideration  to 
the  Navy  League  and  its  doings,  but  that  is  no  reason  why 
we  should  not  record  the  latest  development  in  connection 
with  this,  more  or  less,  august  assemblage  ?   If  the  objects  of 
the  League  were  merely  political,  instead  of  national,  we 
could  understand  the  newest  phase  of  its  alleged  endeavour, 
and  should  dismiss  it  from  our  thoughts.     Anyhow,  here  it 
is  "  at  the  suggestion  of  the  executive  committee  of  the 
Navy  League  a  woman's  branch  has  been  formed,  which 
will  enable  women  to  take  their  part  in   the   movement. 
The  annual  subscription  of  members  is  one  guinea,  and  of 
associates.  5s."      We   had   an   idea  that  the  "nautical" 
combination  would  come  down  to  that,   eventually!     We 
are  not  sure,  but  we  believe  that  the  "  softer "  element 
would  be  well-employed   in   attending  to  the  stewardess 
side  of  the  show.     It  is  absolutely  certain  that  they  will  be 
of  negative  use  in  really  nautical  questions.     In  sizing-up 
the  arrangement  for  this  occasion,  we  are  mbre  convinced 
than  ever,  that  Britain  will  receive  but  precious  little  help 
from  this  particular  association  of  philanthropists.     When 
an    alleged    business   concern   inaugurates   a    "  women's 
branch."  it  is  as  well  to  say  "  Fare  ye  well.  Killavey.  dear." 
even  as  one  sadly  thinks  of  the  might-have-been  ! 

HOLD  on  a  bit  though  !  "Which  will  enable  women  to 
take  their  part  in  the  movement."  What  will  "their  part 
In  the  movement "  consist  of  ?  A  fairly  extended  sea- 
career,  merely  gave  us  one  instance  of  wfiere  a  women  had 


"  female  cabin  boy,"  and  tradition  is  somewhat  rmxed  as  to 
her  "  movement."  Our  nautical  friends  will  remember  the 
old  yarn,  and  possibly,  the  song  that  was  afflatussed  in 
honour  thereof?  On  the  face  of  it.  the  heroine  of  this 
occasion  must  have  served  on  a  man-of-war,  because  there 
was  a  doctor  on  board  :  the  men  slept  in  hammocks  ;  and 
yet  the  captain  had  his  better-half  along.  We  are  clear  on 
this  latter  point,  for  the  reason  that  the  come-all-ye  says  : 
"The  Captain's  lady  being  on  board 

And    seemed    to    enjoy. 
The  fact  that  Captain  had  engaged 

This  handsome  cabin-boy  !  " 

V%O       Qf-w 
ET«»  kT3 

THAT   the  men   hung-out  in  hammocks  is  exemplified 

by  the   following  : 

••  As  through  the  Bay  of  Biscay. 
The  gallant  ship  did  plough, 

One  night  among  the  sailors 
•There   was   a  jolly    row ; 

They  bundled  from  their  hammocks 
And  did  their  rest  destroy. 

For  they  swore  about  the  groanings  of 

The    female    cabin-boy." 

Obviously,  the  lady  was  sea-sick  ?  At  least,  we  hope  she 
was.  although  we  could  never  see  where  the  joke  came  in. 
really,  for  the  song  assures  us  that  "  The  doctor  ran  with  all 
his  might.  And  smiled  well,  at  the  fun.  To  think  a  little 

sailor-boy,  Should  have  a "  but  never  mind.     That  is 

the  only  instance  in  which  history,  or  tradition,  speaks  of 
a  woman  sailor  !  At  least,  we  believe  it  is.  And  throwing 
our  thoughts  back  yet  a  bit  more,  we  are  of  opinion  that 
this  "female  cabin-boy"  was  merely  a  partial  success. 
Personally,  and  leaving  tradition,  we  trust  the  new 
departure  of  Navy  Leaguism  will  prove  a  complete  success : 
but  we  hae  oor  doots— especially  as  we  have  ever  con- 
sidered that  there  were  already  a  sufficient  number  of  old 
women  in  the  combination.  Of  course,  the  new  idea  might 
be  for  the  initiation  of  young— as  well  as  middle-aged 
women,  in  which  case  the  Navy  will  soon  be  in  good 
fettle. 

HARKING  along  on  this  "women's  branch  "  idea,  we  next 
note  that  the  Kensington  Branch  of  the  Women's  Liberal 
Unionist  Association  has  been  having  a  field-day,  for  the 
purpose    of  discussing    alien    immigration.      A    Mr.    Leo 
Maxse—  a  name  with  a  delightfully  British  ring  about  it  ? 
—presided,  while  one  of  the  women  associates  (by  the  way, 
should  we  write  "  one   of  the  lady  associates  ?  "     We   do 
not    wish    to    give   offence,   and    merely  wrote    "  woman 
associates,"     because     the     arrangement     is    styled    the 
"Women's  Liberal  Unionist  etc.")   a  Miss   Hyams  (more 
British    ring?),    spoke    with    personal  knowledge   of   the 
Russians  and  Poles  in  the  East-end.     The  lady  in  question 
maintained  that  "  the  standard  of  living  was  not  so  low  as 
had  been  made  out,"  and  we  are  glad  to  know  it.     If  that 
standard  were  only  half  as  bad  as  is  made  out,  then,  it  is 
bad  enough.     Miss  Hyams  declared  that  "it   was   only   on 
the    aliens'    first    arrival    that    the    standard    was  low." 
Exactly !      That  is  about  the  whole  of  the  claim  against 
these  gentlemanly  (and  ladylike)  immigrants.     They    come 
across  to  free  and  happy  England  as  dead-beats  ;    with   a 
"  standard  "  that  is  so  low  that  the  native  would  break  his 
neck  trying  to  peer  down  at  it ;    but  in  a  short  period.   Mr. 
Alien  has  raised  that  "standard"    'way  up— with  ooftish 
which  he  has  gathered  at  the  expense  of  the  Briton. 


FOR  instance,  this  Miss  Hyams  declared  that  the  aliens 
who  are  now  in  England  are  a  benefit  to  the  country  which 
has  sheltered  them.  We  hate  to  appear  to  split  straws  on 
such  a  subject,  but  while  we  are  proud  to  acknowledge 
that  the  aliens  are  of  benefit  to  the  country :  they  are 


a  hand  in  the  proceedings.     The  lady  in  question,  was  a       exactly    the    reverse,    in    connection   with  the   country's 


February  17.   i  )  ,5 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


native  population.  This  is  whjre  the  trouble  eventuates. 
The  country,  itself,  is  too  tough  a  combination  to  be 
hurled  by  any  number  of  aliens  :  it  is  the  native  population 
which  suffers  :  and  they  have  no  right  to  suffer — seeing 
that  they  and  their  fathers  have  paid  up  '  in  blood  and 
treasure)  to  make  Britain  whit  it  is.  at  present.  The  fact 
is.  the  gentle  alien  stays  at  home,  until  he  notices  that 
soms  other  country  has  spant  a  deal  of  blood  and  money  in 
making  a  high-class  residence :  then,  the  alien  friend 
"  comes  down,  like  a  wolf  on  the  fold:"  under-sells  the 
native :  reaps  where  he  hasn't  sowed :  gathers 
where  he  hasn't  strewn  :  and  raises  his  "  standard  "  to 
the  skies  !  It  is  all  very  pretty,  and  enjoyable  -if  you 
are  built  that  way.  If  you  are  not  constructed  on  the 
suggested  lines,  then,  the  alien  is  exactly  the  portion  of  the 
community  which  you  can  do  without. 

5?  fc 

CONSIDER  the  nautical  alien.  Is  he  a  benefit  to  the 
country  which  shelters  him  ?  Nary  a  benefit,  for  he  is  a 
big  curse.  He  comes  across  to  Britain,  with  a  wardrobe 
that  is  extended  enough  to  admit  of  dusting  a  fiddle  there- 
with if  the  fiddle  is  not  too  big.  Unkempt,  unwashed, 
unhonoured  and  unsung  :  with  a  knowledge  of  English  that 
admits  of  his  saying  "  Nix.  fershtan'."  to  Ze  Shippins 
Maestro  :  with  a  vague  idea  as  to  which  end  of  a  ship  really 
goes  first :  but  withal,  a  look  that  is  child-like  and  bland :  your 
alien  is  snapped  up  at  from  a  sovereign  to  ten  shillings 
per  month  below  the  Briton's  wage  rate.  The  gentlemanly 
renegade  makes  about  three  steamer  voyages,  and  if  he 
hasn't  been  jaw-locked  by  that  time,  will  have  as  much  old 
guff  to  the  folk  who  are  working  him.  as  would  be  honestly 
sufficient  for  ten  Britons.  If  you  wish  to  put  him  to  work, 
you  must  leave  everything  else  to  attend  to  itself,  or  the 
"  benefiting "  shentlemans  will  nonchalantly  insinuate  his 
shibboleth  "  Nix  fershtan'."  every  time  you  demand  why 
the  — .  how  the .  where  the  — ,  he  didn't  do  so-and- 
so.  By  the  same  time.  too.  he  will  have  annexed  enough 
clothing  '  for  an  alien  •.  to  enable  him  to  start  a  clodin' 
shtore  ! 

fi?*J 

FURTHERMORE,  he  will  make  use  of  your  own  paternal 
Government  and  its  quiffs,  to  the  extent  of  sending 
"  seamen's  money  orders  "  to  mein  bruder.  und  fader,  und 
coosins.  zo  dat  dey  all  across  might  come,  to  England. 
You  cannot  tell  us  about  the  beauties  <  or  otherwise  >  of  the 
alien,  for  we  have  had  too  much  to  do  with  him.  We  do 
not  like  to  be  rude  to  a  woman  <  er  a  lady,  that  is ) :  all 
the  same,  we  must  record  our  disagreement  with  that  Miss 
Hyams.  when  she  maintains  that  the  festive  alien  is^aT 
benefit  to  the  country  which  shelters  him.  He  is  not.  Miss, 
and  that  is  written  emphatically.  The  only  benefit  which 
hangs  about  your  alien  friend  to-day,  is  that  he  will  engage 
at  work  for  starvation  wages,  thereby  ousting  the  Briton 
who  has  to  "go  on  the  rates."  Rates  which,  by  nature  of 
the  cheap  lodgings  affected  by  alien,  are  benefited  to  a 
very  inappreciable  extent  through  any  rent  of  his  :  he  will 
not  be  satisfied  in  finding  a  "  home  from  home"  for  himself. 
as  he  may  be  depended  on  to  bring  as  much  of  his  family  as 
is  able  to  travel,  to  share  in  the  blessings  of  his  new-found 
Golconda.  And  so  the  game  continues. 

tifto 

WE  have  ever  maintained  that  the  American  Brother  may 
be  depended  on  to  do  the  right  thing  at  the  right  time. 
Proofs  that  this  is  so.  come  across  the  Pond  frequently 
enough  for  all  practical  purposes.  The  latest,  is  connected 
with  the  General  Slocum  disaster,  in  June  last.  A  Bill  has 
passed  the  United  States  House  of  Representatives,  fixing 
the  liability  of  steamer  managers  in  so  far  as  their  manage- 
ment is  concerned.  On  this  side  of  the  Ferry,  it  is  the 


shipmaster  who  has  to  take  the  blame  :  "  over  there  "  they 
see  things  differently.  If  a  Briton  goes  to  sea  with  an 
obviously  unseaworthy  vessel,  and  trouble  eventuates,  the 
unfailing  result  is.  "Off  with  his  head."  No  matter  what 
the  Old  Man  pleads,  he  alone,  is  to  blame.  His  compasses 
might  be  a  gigantic  farce  :  his  charts  might  have  done  duty 
with  old  Father  Noah  :  his  ballast  might  be  expressed  by 
the  letter  x  ;  his  bunker  coal  might  be  unburnable.  and  four- 
days-whack-less-than-is-necessary  in  quantity:  a  southerly 
wind  might  have  set  in.  for  keeps,  in  his  bread  locker:  his 
crew  might  not  be  able  to  understand  or  speak  one  solitary 
word  of  English  :  and  his  funnel  might  have  a  canvas  patch 
on  the  fore  side  of  it. 

5?  & 

THE  owner  might  know  all  about  these  little  matters : 
might  have  had  the  items  trotted  out  to  him  in  writing  : 
but  if  the  Old  Man  is  convinced  that  "  If  you  do  not  care  to 
sail  with  our  steamer.  Captain  Blank  will  gladly  relieve  you" 
meets  the  case  :  if  thereafter  "  our  steamer "  sails  and 
returns  as  a  mechanical  wreck  :  what  ho  !  The  Board  of 
Trade  will  instruct  its  solicitors  to  prepare  a  case  against 
thfs  foolish  Old  Man  :  the  bromlie-kites  will  meet :  will  ask 
all  manner  of  irrelevant  questions :  will  trot  out  the 
traditional  platitudes  :  and  will  give  the  professional  ruin  to 
the  skipper,  even  as  "  our  steamer "  is  handed  over  to 
another  old  whale  to  sail  again,  and  be  again  undone  !  Not 
so  with  the  American  friend.  He  might  not  have  had  a 
tremendous  pile  of  shipping  experience  --principally  because 
he  doesn't  hanker  after  it.  But  he  has  a  good  grip  on 
everything  which  appertains  to  human  nature.  Moreover, 
he  has  a  happy  knack  of  fixing  responsibility  on  the  res- 
ponsible shoulders :  won't  have  any  trade  with  the 
scape-goat  idea  :  and  we  honour  him' for  it.  At  the  same 
time,  we  could  wish  that  the  Briton  would  take  a  leaf  out 
of  his  book,  and  thereby  tend  toward  the  saving  of  a 
situation  which  has  become  parlous. 

0* 

THE  good  people  of  Truro.  are  concerning  themselves 
with  the  wickednesses  of  their  river  and  its  silting-up 
propensities.  Time  was.  and  that  not  so  long  ago,  when 
there  was  room  for  five  or  six  vessels  to  ride  in  Malpas 
Pool :  to-day,  alas,  there  is  room  for  but  one  to  swing ! 
Mind  you.  this  is  not  so  much  on  account  of  the  natural 
cussedness  of  the  river,  as  it  is  because  of  original  sin  on 
the  part  of  shipbuilders.  The  last  mentioned  have  a  lot  to 
answer  for  !  On  that  point,  there  can  be  no  two  opinions. 
Why.  twenty  years  ago.  three  vessels  of  thirteen  feet 
draught  could  lay  afloat  <  Royal  Cornwall  Gazette  declares 
that  they  could  lie  afloat)  off  the  Ship  Hotel  at  dead  low 
water,  whereas  to-day,  that  precise  spot  is  "all  dry"  at 
four  hours  ebb  !  The  natural  effect  on  the  shipping  trade, 
is  disastrous,  for  "  during  the  last  ten  years  many  large 
steamers  and  vessels,  which  usually  chartered  for  Malpas. 
have  discharged  their  cargoes  at  Falmouth  Docks"  and 
the  matter  will  have  to  be  seen  into.  You  see.  the  trouble 
up  at  Malpas.  at  the  present  time,  is  that  the  same  number 
of  the  same-sized  vessels  would  now  touch  "  ground  at  low 
water,  and  lay  across  each  other's  decks." 

fi?%3 

EVERYBODY  knows  that  it  is  a  serious  matter  when  a 
number  of  vessels  decide  on  laying  across  each  other's 
decks  :  but  a  thousand  times  more  so  if  they  "  touch 
ground  "  in  a  place  that  is  "all  dry"  at  four  hours  ebb. 
Good  heavens  !  It  makes  us  watery-eyed,  when  we  con- 
template the  evil  days  upon  which  poor  old  Malpas  Pool 
has  fallen.  It  does,  indeed,  for  away  back  in  the  days  that 
have  gone  beyond  recall,  we  sailed  up  to  Malpas  Pool.  At 
least,  we  sailed  up  when  the  wind  served :  on  other 
occasions,  ourselves  and  another  mariner  two-thirds  of 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW 


February   17,    1905 


the  crew,  that  is-  got  in  a  boat,  and  towed  the  geewillikin 
old  crock  "up  along."  But  our  troubles  were  as  nothing. 
when  compared  with  those  of  other  unfortunate  sailormen. 
"Only  recently,  a  large  t  ye  gods  !  a  large  steamboat  up  at 
Malpas!>  steamboat  from  Liverpool  lay  so  unevenly  that 
the  flange  of  the  pipe  connecting  the  ballast  tank  burst,  and 
the  forehold  was  flooded  and  the  cargo  damaged."  it  was. 
This,  in  itself,  was  bad  enough.  But  there  was  worse'n  more 
of  it  to  follow.  The  nasty,  wicked  "  insurance  companies 
refused  to  allow  the  vessels  to  discharge  at  Malpas.  and 
the  Liverpool  trade  is  being  diverted  to  Falmouth  Docks." 

tf  fc 

SEE  ?  Not  only  have  shipbuilders  got  a  lot  to  answer  for. 
The  insurance  companies  are  in  the  same  boat.  So,  for 
that  matter,  are  the  Falmouth  Docks'  people,  and  the 
sooner  all  three  of  them  are  talked  at  properly,  the  better 
will  it  be  for  Malpas.  Putting  the  sad  affair  into  figures. 
we  are  gravely  informed  that  "  the  loss  in  revenue  (Malpas 
revenue,  you  know  )  is  something  like  £20.000  a  year,"  and 
although  there  was  nobody  about  with  sufficient  courage  to 
ejaculate.  "  Now.  then,  al-tew-gether—  W-h-h-h-a-a-a-at  a 
something  cuffer  !  "  we  rather  wonder  at  the  absence.  We 
do.  really  !  However,  there  is  a  good  time  coming.  Sir 
Allen  Young  is  represented  as  having  said,  when  he  was 
"down  along"  on  a  visit.  "  that  it  was  high  time  the  proper 
authorities  should  be  made  acquainted  with  the  fact  that  a 
natural  harbour  was  being  gradually  lost  through  the 
neglect  of  the  local  authority."  We  shouldn't  like  to  be 
that  "  local  authority."  now  that  the  "  proper  authorities  " 
have  had  their  attention  called  to  the  heinous  fact.  Of 
course,  it  may  be  that  "only  in  the  event  of  a  formal 
complaint  in  writing  will  the  Trinity  Board  take  action  ;" 
if  so.  we  are  wondering  who  is  going  to  have  pluck  enough 
"  to  put  it  in  writing."  Poor  old  Malpas  ;  poorer  Truro. 
Our  compassion  is  with  you  both,  and  we  forgive  that 
towing  job  of  our  youth.  We  do.  indeed  ! 


THE  Canadian  Government  is  awakening  in  good  style. 
We  have  remarked  on  the  fact  before,  and  have  pleasure  in 
reiterating  it.  You  all  remember  about  that  scheme  which 
is  going  to  keep  the  St.  Lawrence  open  in  winter  ?  The 
ice-breaking  job  that  is  contemplated  ?  It's  a  big  thing, 
ain't  it  ?  A  colossal  undertaking,  and  all  that  :  and  the 
only  drawback  to  the  enterprise  is.  that  nobody  seems  to 
have  decided  as  to  the  best  methods  of  removing  the  debris 

if  we  may  put  it  thus.  Mind  you,  those  ice-chunks  are 
merely  a  circumstance  :  we  admit  it.  A  simple  detail—  as 
long  as  you  are  not  a  shipowner,  a  shipmaster,  or  a  ship- 
f  you  are  either  of  the  parties  mentioned,  you 
might  be  inclined  to  use  swear-words  when  you  toboganed 
into  one  of  the  ker-chunks  of  frozen  water  which  had  been 
detached  by  the  ice-breaker.  However,  you  cannot  expect 
to  have  everything  your  own  way-  especially  if  you  con- 
template carrying  on  a  trade  with  the  Canuck.  You  can't, 
But  going  further  with  the  awakening  idea,  we  note 
that  the  Canadian  Government  is  considering  a  scheme  for 
the  carrying  out  of  improvements  in  the  harbour  of  St. 
John's.  New  Brunswick,  so  as  to  make  the  said  harbour 
"  more  available  for  ocean  steamers."  No  rude  remarks, 
please  !  They  are  in  earnest,  this  time  ! 

5?  &         . 

BY  the  way.  the  fiscal  policy  as  connected  with  British 

shipping  continues  to  claim   the  interest  of  many  good 

people.     We  are  told  that  "  under  the  policy  of  free  imports 

r  shipping  trade  and  shipbuilding  has  prospered  marvel- 

t  has.  and  that  is  one  of  the  queerest  things 

So  queer,  in   point  of  fact,   that  although  most 


thinking  individuals  are  convinced  that  the  prosperity  is  in 
spite  of  this  free  trade  :  but  few  of  them  appear  to  get 
down  to  the  reason  therefor.  The  amusing  part  of  the 
business  is,  that  when  the  antagonists  of  Protection  wish 
to  clinch  their  arguments,  they  invariably  point  a  meta- 
phorical -but  warning—  finger  to  Uncle  Sam.  The  poor 
old  chap  is  their  "fearful  example."  But  nary  a  one  of 
them  all,  appears  to  remember  that  "  Protectioned  "  Ger- 
many is  the  only  rival  on  the  face  of  the  waters  which  we 
have  any  need  to  fear.  How  is  it.  think  you  ?  It  is  all 
very  fine  to  prate  of  Germany's  absolute  increase  in 
shipping  as  being  filled  with  "misleading  percentages." 
The  percentages  do  not  alter  the  fact  that  the  German  has 
gone  ahead  by  leaps  that  have  been  ever  so  much  bigger 
than  Britain's  at  a  similar  period  in  her  history,  and  when 
she  hadn't  a  rival  on  earth  to  fear. 


TALK  is  cheap  enough  ;  but  you  cannot  get  away  from 
the  fact  that  Germany  is  getting  closer  aboard  of  us  at 
each  year  end  ;  neither  can  you  pretend  that  Germany  is 
other  than  "  Protectioned."  It  is  a  common  phrase,  that 
which  treats  of  "  cheap  cost  of  construction  "  and  the 
"  absolute  freedom  of  our  shipbuilders  to  purchase  their 
raw  material  in  the  cheapest  market."  As  if  "  Protection" 
would  alter  either  of  these  items  !  Under  any  circum- 
stances, the  shipbuilder  could  still  purchase  in  the  cheapest 
market,  couldn't  he  ?  And  there  is  a  lot  of  controversial 
matter  in  the  statement  that  because  shipping  is  cheap,  it 
is  good  for  the  nation.  For  the  particular  few  —  compara- 
tively speaking  —  cheap  ships,  to  a  given  point,  are 
desirable  ;  after  that  point  is  reached,  it  is  a  moot  point 
whether  cheap  shipping  is  good  or  otherwise.  Certainly, 
cheap  shipping  has  made  low  freights,  and  that  ought  to 
be  good  for  the  nation.  On  the  other  hand,  seeing  that  the 
nation's  money  is  invested  in  those  same  ships,  it  is  a 
questionable  policy  which  makes  them  find  the  wherewithal 
for  cheap  rates  to  "  the  other  fellow."  Again,  if  the  cheap 
freights  were  confined  to  the  Briton,  alone,  there  would, 
perhaps,  be  less  to  jib  about  in  the  matter. 


UNFORTUNATELY,  however,  the  low  freights  favour  the 
foreigner  every  bit  as  much  as  they  do  the  Briton.  There- 
fore, our  native  cheap  shipbuilding  talent  is  by  way  of  a 
free  gift  to  our  natural  enemies,  and  out  of  the  shipping 
investors'  pocket.  The  point  which  appears  to  be  over- 
looked by  these  exponents  of  the  alleged  beauties  which 
have  surrounded  Free  Trade,  is  that  Britain  is  the  carrier 
for  the  world--  -practically.  As  a  natural  consequence,  the 
world  has  the  use  of  all  Britain's  invested  shipping  capital, 
and  in  effect,  for  nothing.  It  cannot  be  gainsaid  that  at 
present.  British  shipping  is,  to  all  intents  and  purposes, 
carrying  stuff  about  the  world  at  cost  price.  Anyhow,  the 
bulk  of  shipping  is  leaving  very  little  return  in  the  shape 
of  dividends.  Very  well,  then.  The  Briton  puts  up 
£50,000  for  a  steamer  ;  accepts  a  freight  that  will  barely 
cover  expenses  ;  and  carries  a  cargo  of  raw  material  to 
Hamburg,  say.  Who  is  the  winner,  here  ?  Why.  the 
German  !  Yet  those  with  most  at  stake,  appear  to  forget 
this  little  side  of  the  deal.  All  you  have  to  say  to  them  is 
"  cheap  ships."  and  they  are  off  on  their  hobby.  Want  to 
jam  it  down  your  neck  that  it  is  all  because  of  Free  Trade. 


To  our  mind,  if  Free  Trade  is  really  responsible  for  the 
conditions,  then,  the  sooner  it  is  thrown  overboard,  the 
better  will  it  be  for  all  hands.  We  do  not,  personally,  object 
to  having  a  cheap  loaf  at  the  expense  of  the  shipping  share- 
holder -if  he  is  built  that  way  ;  but  we  are  dead  against 


February    i  ;,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


seeing  the  German,  or  the  Frenchman,  or  other  nation's 
population,  receiving,  out  of  British  capital,  the  same 
blessings  that  are  vouchsafed  to  us.  "  We  build  the 
cheapest  ships  in  the  world.  Even  Germany,  with 
considerably  cheaper  labour,  could  not  beat  us  here,  and 
the  difference  in  first  cost  between  a  ship  built  in  Great 
Britain  and  in  the  United  States  is  anything  from  30  to  60 
per  cent."  That  is  a  quotation.  Whence,  it  doesn't 
matter,  for  a  thousand  people  have  used  practically  the 
same  words.  And  there  is  no  getting  away  from  the  first 
part  of  the  claim.  We  do  build  the  cheapest  ships  in  the 
world,  and  then  hire  them  to  the  foreigner  for  nothing  ! 
Clever  folk,  aren't  we  ?  Great  financiers!  What  incentive 
ib  there  for  the  American  to  give  up  his  "  notion  "  factories. 
for  the  purpose  of  going  into  steam  shipping,  when  he  can 
hire  as  many  British  boats  i  cheap  builders'  boats)  as 
pleases  him.  for  a  price  that  works  out  at  cost  :  cheap 
builders'  cost  ?  None,  is  there  ? 


THE  foregoing  reminds  us  of  a  "  Yankee  yarn  "  that  was 
current  in  our  youth.  It  concerned  the  presidents  of  two 
rival  railroad  lines  in  'Murrica.  Both  of  those  president 
gentlemen  were  as  keen  as  thty  made  them,  even  in  those 
days,  and  Jim  and  John  might  have  been  their  names. 
To-day.  Jim  would  lower  his  freight  rates  to  the  extent  of 
five  cents  a  ton  :  to-morrow.  John  would  retaliate  by  lower- 
ing his  ten  cents.  This  lowering  process  kept  up.  day  after 
day.  until  John's  line  had  got  down  to  the  irreducible 
minimum,  and  Jim  appeared  to  be  "  licked."  Anyhow,  his 
railroad  was  carrying  absolutely  nothing,  while  John's  was 
congested,  abominably.  This  went  on  for  quite  a  time,  and 
John  developed  swelled  head.  Concluded  that  he—  and 
one  more  were  about  the  only  two  men  on  earth.  Jim 
played  Brer  Rabbit.  As  a  matter  of  fact.  Jim  continued  to 
play  Brer  Rabbit,  and  principally  because  he  could  well 
afford  to  !  How  was  that  ?  Was  his  line  really  bested  ? 
Not  by  a  long  chalk.  Jim  was  simply  accepting  all  the 
freight  he  could  lay  his  hands  on.  and  was  sending  it 
humming  along  over  John's  line.  See  the  point  ?  You  do. 
then  perhaps  you  will  not  be  surprised  to  know  that. 
eventually.  Jim  was  shot.  However,  there  are  other  kinds 
of  Jims  and  Johns,  save  the  two  we  have  written  about. 
The  same  applies  to  the  smart  Briton,  don't  forget. 

tf  fc 

THE  "Conciliation  Board"  has  met:  the  masters  have 
tabled  their  demand  for  the  8*4  per  cent,  reduction 
wages:  one  of  the  "vice-presidents"  of  the  men's  com- 
bination has  asked  if  the  owners'  side  were  really  in 
earnest  :  and  well,  the  independent  chairman  has  to 
come  in  !  Frankly,  this  pretence  at  conciliation  is  one  of 
the  funniest  arrangements  in  the  industrial  world.  We  are 
prone  to  admit  that  scarcely  a  body  believed  that  a  different 
working  of  the  thing  would  eventuate  :  but  even  so.  the 
fact  does  not  remove  the  Gilbertian  element,  does  it  ?  On 
February  4.  the  masters  give  notice  that  they  intend 
asking  for  a  given  reduction,  as  per  terms  of  charter-party 
—no.  conciliation  board  :  a  duly  convened  meeting  to 
consider  this  matter  is  held,  some  ten  days  later  :  and  the 
men  s  "  president  "  has  the  calm  effrontery  to  ask.  if  the 
owners  are  really  in  earnest  !  Eh  ?  Couldn't  there  be  a 
lovely  farce  engineered  out  of  the  situation  ?  Rather  ! 
But  then,  it  is  all  of  a  piece  with  what  we  have  claimed 
right  through  the  business.  There  is  no  more  conciliation 
in  connection  with  this  "  board  "  thing,  than  there  are 
natural  feathers  upon  a  pig.  It  is  all  a  bluff,  and  every 
time  the  opposing  sides  come  together,  the  farcicality  of 
the  business  is  again  exemplified. 


REALLY,  the  time  has  passed  when  these  bits  of  bluff 
should  be  allowed  to  pass  without  action.  There  is 
absolutely  nothing  conducive  to  the  dignity  which  one  has 
a  right  to  expect,  where  such  an  important  industry  as  the 
South  Wales  coal  trade  is  concerned.  The  methods  of 
procedure  at  these  latter-day  meetings  between  masters 
and  men.  have  deteriorated  into  a  sham  :  a  make-believe. 
On  the  one  hand,  if  the  men  ask  for  a  rise  in  wages,  the 
masters  make  a  counter  demand  for  a  reduction,  thereby 
hoping  that  the  status  quo  will  continue  :  if  the  masters 
have  pluck  enough  to  seek  the  reduction  which  is  their 
due.  the  men  retaliate  by  putting  in  for  a  rise—  if  there  is  a 
possibility  of  working  the  thing  on  these  lines  ;  if  not,  the 
men  as  represented  by  their  "  president  "satisfy  them- 
selves. by  suggesting  that  the  masters  are  merely  "guying" 
them,  and  that  the  whole  trouble  and  expense  of  calling  a 
meeting,  was  merely  by  way  of  a  joke.  The  spectacle  is 
pitiable,  no  matter  how  you  look  at  it.  and  for  our  part,  we 
are  sincerely  sorry  that  a  number  of  employers  of  labour 
should  submit  to  being  made  such  exhibitions  of.  That  is 
all  it  amounts  to.'  view  it  as  you  will. 


TRUE,  on  this  particular  occasion,  the  masters  appeared 
to  be  disinclined  to  "  argue  the  matter  out"  small  blame 
to  them.  In  the  words  of  an  up-town  scribe,  Mr.  Fred.  L. 
Davis  "contented  himself  with  a  bald  statement  of  what 
the  owners'  demand  was."  We  suppose  it  is  alright,  and  a 
bald  statement  is  as  valuable  as  a  hairy  one  —  where  the 
other  side  has  decided  to  have  none  of  it  ?  And  anyhow. 
of  what  use  is  it  to  pass  around  a  number  of  flowers  of 
rhetoric,  for  the  use  of  a  concatenation  of  humans  who 
appear  to  think  they  have  mustered  at  an  Arcadian  music  hall: 
an  entertainment  for  which  they/ire  paid  to  attend,  instead  of 
having  to  pay  which  is  the  cream  of  the  situation,  to  the 
workmen's  "  representatives."  If  we  had  been  in  Mr. 
Davis'  place,  we  should  have  emulated  the  hairless  speech 
idea.  We  should,  indeed  unless  we  had  suddenly  become 
religious,  and  revivaled  :  in  which  case  we  might  have 
hunted  through  the  Good  Book,  for  bits  of  proverbial 
philosophy  dealing  with  pearls  and  things.  Next  account 
we  shall  hear,  will  be  that  the  "  conciliation  board  "  has 
gone  in  for  a  large  consignment  of  Snatcho-for-the-Skin 
(  of  the  head  ».  After  that,  will  come  the  millennium  ! 

5?  & 

BUT  the  "  Bo%rd  "  must  be  getting  into  the  contemptuous 
stage,  you  know  !  Here  are  "  the  workmen's  representa- 
tives." themselves,  declaring  that  it  is  absurd  to  style  the 
arrangement  a  "  conciliation  board."  when  an  opportunity 
fo  r  negotiation  is  denied.  Now.  if  the  men's  "  leaders  "  are 
convinced  that  the  "board"  is  an  absurdity—  especially 
when  we  remember  what  the  men  have  made  out  of  it  -the 
whole  combination  must  have  sunk  very  low.  So  low. 
indeed,  that  it  is  high  time—  if  the  interests  of  the  com- 
munity are  to  count,  at  all—  that  the  whole  thing  were  put 
lower  still,  and  then  covered  over,  for  good  and  all.  You 
see.  the  "  bald  statement  "  was  the  outcome  of  bitter 
knowledge  gleaned  in  past  encounters  with  the  "leaders" 
of  the  Sacred  Cause.  The  men  had  already  shown  that 
they  were  not  going  to  accept  the  reduction  :  had  convinced 
the  masters  that  any  discussion  was  fore-doomed  to  be 
abortive  :  so  where  was  the  sense  of  trotting  out  the 
masters'  case,  only  to  find  it  being  brought  up  against  them 
as  evidence,  when  Sir  Michael  Hicks-Beach  foregathered 
for  his  thankless  task?  And  with  it  all,  the  employers 
cannot  or  say  they  cannot  see  the  weaknesses  of  thib 
Conciliation  Board,  with  its  beautiful  opportunities  for 
adding  shekels  to  the  banking  accounts  of  the  professional 
agititors.  who  thus  justify  their  existences. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


February   17,   1905 


WITH  the  Sliding-scale.  the  question  of  this  "conciliation 
nonsense,  justified  itself  automatically.  There  was  nee 
for  no  argument :  no  meetings :  no  days'  pay  to  this.  that. 
or  the  other  "  labour  leader."  And  thus  it  came  about. 
that  "  leader  "  was  dissatisfied  therewith.  Having  plenty 
of  time  on  his  hands,  "  leader  "  had  ample  opportunities  of 
thinking  up  new  dodges.  Sliding-scale  didn't  amount  1 
much  in  the  matter  of  "  expenses,  look  you ! "  Conciliation 
Board  would.  First  there  would  be  the  initial  meeting  at 
which  the  masters'  demands  would  be  tabled.  Expenses  ! 
Next  there  might  bean  "adjourned  meeting"  or  so, 
worked  up.  Expenses!!  Then  would  come  the  meeting 
at  which  the  independent  chairman  would  preside. 
Expenses  ! ! !  Bless  us.  'tis  all  a  case  of  heads  I  win.  tails 
you  lose-  with  the  agitating  fraternity,  and  we  are  surprised 
that  to-date.  every  section  of  trade  hasn't  worked  up  a 
"  conciliation  board  "  of  its  very  own.  It  is  fairly  well 
understood,  that  the  hard-working  collier  has  but  little  time 
—or  inclination— to  fuss  around  with  these  little  items  of 
alleged  policy.  All  he  wants,  is  to  be  let  alone.  And  if 
Dai  This,  or  Shon  That  can  manage  to  hoodoo  the  Boss 
without  bothering  the  collier,  well  and  good. 


AGAIN,  with  the  masters.  They  have  but  little  time  in 
which  to  fool  around  with  these  indefinitely  adjourned 
meetings— if  they  hope  to  keep  Cardiff's  coal-trade  where 
they  have  succeeded  in  placing  it.  That  is.  if  the  said 
trade  is  to  be  made  the  butt  of  every  industrial  "  tired 
Tim  "  and  "weary  Willie"  who  has  nothing  to  recommend 
him  but  a  quantity  of  old  buck,  then,  the  genuine  workers 
will  eventually  find  their  occupations  gone.  This  is  an 
absolute  certainty.  The  master  must  feel  that  he  has 
some  continuity  of  purpose  connected  with  his  business,  or 
that  business  will,  ultimately,  fizzle  out.  When  a  man  is 
harassed  with  the  thought  as  to  how  the  independent 
chairman  is  going  to  view  the  matter :  how  he  is  going  to 
decide  as  to  the  lines  on  which  a  number  of  men  are  to 
carry  on  their  legitimate  businesses  ;  well,  it  doesn't  need 
a  large  amount  of  the  prophetic  spirit,  to  successfully 
decide  on  the  end  of  the  undertaking.  Does  it.  now  ?  Of 
course  it  doesn't.  Therefore,  we  are  surprised  that  the 
masters  should  have  stooped  to  such  paltry  tactics,  in  the 
the  first  place :  and  are  more  surprised  that  they  should 
continue  that  stooping,  after  all  the  examples  of  utter 
indifference  to  the  welfare  of  the  community  which  have 
been  laid  at  their  feet,  through  the  action  of  "  labour 
leader." 

5?  33 

'Tis  never  too  late  to  mend  !  That  is  a  truism — appar- 
ently !  Really,  it  is  nothing  at  all  of  the  sort.  It  is  too  late 
to  mend,  if  the  whole  garment  has  gone  to  that  bourne 
where  mending  is  prohibited.  All  the  same,  the  masters 
would  appear  to  be  desirous  of  trying  some  kind  of 
mending  -ere  it  is  too  late.  When  the  chairman  on  the 
masters'  side  leads  off  with  a  "  bald  statement,"  it  ought 
to  be  realised  that  the  point  of  disintegration  is  perilously 
near.  How  near,  is  exemplified  by  the  remarks  of  those 
"  labour  leaders  "  who  jib  at  the  absurdity  of  naming  an 
arrangement  "  conciliation  board,"  when  "  no  opportunity 
for  negotiation  is  afforded."  That  is  what's  the  matter. 
In  all  probability,  the  "  leaders  "  know,  perfectly  well,  that 
the  claimed  reduction  is  necessary  :  is  as  it  should  be  :  and 
ought  to  pass  without  running  up  more  expenses.  But 
then,  "conciliation  board"  was  instituted  with  a  very 
perfect  understanding  as  to  where  the  blessed  word 
"  expenses  "  would  eventuate  :  so  of  what  use  is  it  to  split 
straws  on  the  matter  ?  None,  is  there  ?  The  Sliding-scale 
was  too  cheap  :  too  efficient :  and  too  silent  in  its  working; 
to  admit  of  its  finding  favour  among  the  mob  whose  sole 


reason  of  existence  is  to  hear  itself  speak— for  "ex- 
penses." By  and  bye,  sense  will  return  ;  so  will  the 
Sliding-scale. 

5?%? 

HERE  it  is!  The  Admiralty  are  meaning  to  get  up-sides 
with  the  wicked  colliery  people  who  sweated  the  nation 
during  the  Boer  War !  Coal  prices  at  that  time,  went  up 
to  sweetly  suggestive  figures :  suggestive  of  large  profits, 
and  consequently  fat  banking  accounts!  When  those 
prices  were  "up"  the  Admiralty  pretended  not  to  notice 
the  matter— but  it  did.  all  the  same.  As  a  step  in  the 
direction  for  stopping  any  such  wickednesses  in  future, 
there  is  to  be  a  large  oil-depot  constructed  at  Portsmouth. 
Gasoline  is  to  be  the  stuff  on  tap ;  so  when  the  dogs  of 
war  again  become  unleashed,  the  South  Walian  coalowners 
will  have  the  go-by  given  them,  altogether  —perhaps  !  You 
cannot  go  on  sweating  a  Government  for  ever,  you  know  : 
neither  may  you  always  make  a  virtue  out  of  its  necessities. 
Dear  us !  When  that  oil-dep6t  is  an  accomplished  fact, 
poor  old  Wales  will— will— well,  it  will  amble  along  in  its  old 
sweet  happy  way.  you  bet ! 

$'*& 

A  BOOK  which  we  can  strongly  recommend  to  our  nautical 
readers  is  entitled  Hints  to  Young  Shipmasters,  and  is  from 
the  able  pen  of  Captain  J.  W.  Anderson,  Head  of  Navigation 
Department,  Marine  School.  S.  Shields.  Exactly  why  the 
author  has  named  his  treatise  "Hints  to  Young  Shipmasters." 
we  cannot  say.  One  thing  we  are  sure  of.  Many  an  old 
shipmaster  (if  the  cult  ever  really  becomes  old )  will  find 
"  points  "  of  interest,  and  of  value,  contained  within  the  100 
pages  of  information  which  may  be  purchased  for  2s.  nett., 
and  which  is  entitled  as  set  out  above.  We  have  gone 
carefully  through  the  little  book — noticing,  by  the  way,  a 
familiar  name  on  the  model  of  a  "(B.B.)"  which  is  inset 
between  pages  44  and  45  !— and  must  candidly  confess  that 
to  the  "  old  shipmaster  "—no  less  than  to  his  "young" 
confrere — Captain  Anderson's  latest  screed  is  an  eye- 
opener.  This  is  as  it  should  be,  for  after  all,  the  man  who 
writes  from  personal  knowledge,  as  against  mere  hearsay, 
may  be  depended  on.  every  time.  To  particularise  as  to 
the  varied  features  contained  within  this  veritable  multum 
in  parvo.  would  be  unfair  to  the  author.  The  best  advice 
we  can  offer  on  the  subject  is  :  Don't  take  our  word  for  it. 
Flutter  two  shillings,  you  " young  (and  in  the  prime)  ship- 
masters." after  which,  we  know  that  you  will  thank  us  for 
putting  you  on  to  a  good  thing.  The  publishers,  are 
Messrs.  James  Brown  and  Sons,  "The  Nautical  Press." 
Pollokshields.  Glasgow,  E. 

§?%> 

ON  Tuesday,  the  14th  inst.,  Messrs.  C.  W.  Kellock  and 
Co.,  offered  for  sale  by  auction,  at  the  Baltic  Mercantile 
and  Shipping  Exchange,  London,  the  steel  screw  steamer 
Restitution.  3,290  tons  gross.  Built  and  engined  by 
Messrs.  Wigham.  Richardson  &  Go..  Newcastle.  Dimen- 
sions, 340ft.  x  43ft.  4in.  x  23ft.  4in.  :  carries  4.650  tons 
deadweight :  with  engines  29in..  44in.,  <T4in.  x  48in.  stroke. 
£7.000  was  the  highest  bid.  at  which  she  was  withdrawn, 
the  reserve  price  not  being  reached.  The  steamer  is 
owned  by  Messrs.  R.  Condway  &  Co.,  Liverpool. 

PATENTS. 


26,350  04     VOJACEK — Machine  for  breaking  coal  and  the 
like. 

This  coal  crushing  machine  consists  of  a  casing  fitted 
with  or  containing  a  pair  of  rollers  which  rotate  in  opposite 
directions  at  equal  speeds.  These  rollers  are  each  fitted 
with  alternately  long  and  short  spikes.  A  long  spike  on 
the  one  coming  opposite  a  short  one  on  the  other.  The 
spikes  are  interchangeable  by  having  conical  roots  which 
fit  into  conical  sockets  in  the  rollers. 


February    17,  ni«>5 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


I  SUPPLEMENT 


********************************************************************************************; 

'»"#' '»' '»" V  '••  #"»'  '*'  '*' '»' 

==^==== 

•:«»•>»»  <        •       * 


•" 


I'KIVATK     AX1>     CONFIDENTIAL! 


one  ! 


HIS  is  our  first  birthday,  so  we  feel  that 
you  will  be  patient  with  us.  if  for  a 
brief  space,  we  gossip  a  little  concerning 
the  happenings  of  the  past  year  in  as  far 
as  they  affect  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW. 
True  to  our  motto  of  openly  and  fear- 
lessly, we  will  admit  that,  in  February 
last,  certain  "knowing  ones"  predicted 
for  us,  the  life  which  is  usually  assigned 
to  the  Piccadilly  girl— a  short  and  merry 
Sundry  animated  "knowledge-boxes"  grud- 
gingly admitted  that  our  little  effort  might  survive 
to  its  third  issue;  others,  more  grudgingly,  avowed, 
that  six  weeks  would  probably  elapse  before  its 
demise  ;  yet  others,  most  grudgingly,  declared,  that  if  it 
"hung out"  for  thirteen  weeks,  then,  something  was 
going  to  happen  :  But  there  is  always  a  number 
of  self-constituted  critics  about:  folk  who  are  so  busy 
in  setting  the  world  outside  their  own  limited  sphere 
-  right,  that  they  have  little  time^  (and  less  ability)  to 
put  themselves  any  nearer  "right."  than  is  expressed 
by  the  words  "  a  square  feed,"  and  which  has  been 
secured  through  the  kindness  of  a  philanthropic  friend  ! 
You  know  the  kind  of  critic  to  which  we  have  alluded  '.' 
The  chappie  who  would  be  wealthy,  at  once,  were  it  not 
for  his  too  pronounced  ideas  of  scrupulosity  :  at 
least,  that  is  what  he  pretends !  Really,  he  would 
be  rich,  if  he  had  but  sense  enough  to  succeed  at  his 
business.  However,  we  do  not  wish  to  mar  THE 
MARITIME  RE- 
VIEW'S birthday 
greetings  with  a 
tale  of  woe  con- 
nected with  the 
"man  who  knows" 
everything  out- 
side of  the  best 
fashion  in  which 
to  manage  his 
own  affairs, 
lather  would  we 
discuss  the  con- 
tan  t  increase  in 
r  measure  of 
access;  the  con - 
inual  adding  of 
end  after  friend 
to  a  list  that  long 
since  passed  the 
limit  to  which  we. 
in  our  most  san- 
gumely  expectant 
hours.  ever 
dared  aspire. 

OUR  success  has 
been  gradual  and. 
we  are  fain  to 
hope,  is  the  out 
come  of  some  little  merit.  Certain  is  it  that 
we  have  thrown  around  no  posters  artistic  or 
otherwise  filled  with  home-made  claims  to  superiority: 
we  have  never  declared  that  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW 
is  "  the  great  organ  "  of  this,  that,  or  the  other  branch 
of  industry  ;  have  not  even  bothered  you  with  pressing 
claims  to  your  consideration  and  help.  Wrrli  hy  w»«h 
we  have  given  you  in  return  for  your  threepenej^^ 
plain,  unvarnished  tale  concerning  ships  and  shipping 
and  you  have  been  pleased  with  our  efforts ;  have 
helped  us  in  a  manner  for  which  we  are  honestly 
grateful.  That  further  effort  on  our  part  will  con- 
tinue, you  may  take  for  granted  :  for  as  we  have  won 
your  esteem,  be  sure  that  we  mean  to  keep  it  if  a 
continuance  of  the  tactics  which  won.  will  also  retain. 

WE  have  never  tried  to  fill  you  with  the  pretence 
that  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW  "  is  now  the  best 
paper."  and  principally  because  we  realise  that  you. 
yourselves,  are  the  best  judges  of  that  little  matter. 
Neither  have  we  impertinently  claimed  that  ours  is 
"  th<;  largest  circulation  "  on  earth  or  elsewhere. 
That  our  circulation  is  more,  perhaps,  than  we 
have  deserved,  the  accompanying  illustration  will 
amply  demonstrate.  That  little  picture  was  the  out- 
come of  a  happy  thought  at  least,  we  believe  that 
such.  'Tis  like  this.  Last  week,  after  our  first 
edit, on  had  gone  to  post,  it  suddenly  dawned  on  us 
that  the  next  issue  would  be  our  "  birthday  number  !  " 

EVEN  as  the  thought  illumined  our  weary  minds,  the 
second  edition  of  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW   wns   "loaded 
nd  ready  for  post.     Here  is  the   thought    which 


SECOND     EDITION      BOUND     FOR     THE     POST    OFFICE 


eventuated  :  "  Why  not  take  a  photograph  of  that 
'little  lot?'  It  will  show,  far  better  than  a  quantity 
of  old  guff,  what  our  weekly  tale  amounts  to.  Deeds, 
not  words,  are  what  the  keen  business  men  for  whom 
we  cater,  desire."  Thus  it  comes  about,  that  you 
have  an  opportunity  of  gazing  at  the  "  second  posting" 
of  the  journal  which,  with  that  issue,  completed  its 
first  twelve  months  of  strenuous  endeavour.  That  is 
fair  enough,  n'esr-ce-pas?  Is  just  the  kind  of  proof 
which  you,  yourselves,  would  offer  under  similar 
circumstances'? 

WE  know  it  is,  and  therefore,  have  great  pleasure 
in  offering  you  a  visible  example  of  what,  in  our  quiet 
way,  we  are  achieving.  Any  two-cent.  "  news  sheet  " 
can  claim  a  superiority  which  its  "  conductors  "  know, 
only  too  well,  they  may  never  dare  hope  to  attain  ; 
but  when  you  get  the  thing  put  before  you  in  concrete 
form,  well,  you  can  believe  ?  Furthermore,  we  wish 
you  to  understand  that  every  copy  represented  in  the 
picture,  is  paid  for  :  there  is  nothing  of  the  "  com- 
plimentary." the  "specimen  copy,"  the  "just-to-let- 
you-see-what-our-rag-is-like "  idea  about  the  natty 
little  illustration,  which  is  dropped  into  the  middle  of 
this  particular  page.  It  is  a  genuine  picture,  which 
truthfully  portrays  the  "second  posting"  of  our  last 
.week's  issue  of  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW. 

THE  first  posting  went  off  ere  we  had  "tumbled  "  to 
the  notion,  or  we  might  have  given  you  that,  as  well. 
However,  there  it  is.  and  comforting  (to  us)  as  the  "little 

lot  "  undoubtedly 
is.  we  are  by  no 
means  satisfied  to 
rest  on  any  laurels 
that  might  gravi- 
tate, or  otherwise 
grow,  around  it  ! 
On  the  contrary 
rather,  for  wit 
the  advent  of 
THE  MARITIME 
REVIEW'S  secon 
birthday,  we  tru( 
that  we  shall 
able  to  give  you 
equally  good  illu 
tration  of  ou 
"fourth  posting!" 
WeareCardiffian, 
and  as  a  conse- 
quence, we  recog- 
ni  sc  that  the 
coping-stone  of  to- 
day, must  be  the 
starting  point  of 
to-morrow.  The 
tame  business  man 
finds  no  abiding- 
place  in  Cardiff. 
so  it  is  highly  improbable  that  a  tame  journal  will  be 
better  circumstanced  ! 

THE  moral  is,  to  see  that  nothing  of  the  "  tame  " 
notion  gets  around  you?  It  won't,  where  we 
are  concerned,  you  bet!  There  have  been  "tame" 
journals  in  the  dear  old  past :  but  they  e;ther  died, 
or  developed  measles:  in  both  instances  tirey  didn't 
count !  Touching  on  the  business  side  of  our 
undertaking,  this  could  have  been  made  much  bigger 
if  we  had  been  willing  "to  hold  a  candle  to  the 
devil."  We  are  not  built  that  way,  yet  the  business 
side  will  increase,  you'll  find.  There  are  a  number  of 
really  decent  people  in  the  world  ;  many  more  than 
of  the  other  kind.  The  former  do  not  always  "  rise  " 
to  every  new  quiff  that  is  offered  ;  festina  lente  is 
their  motto  until  they  realise  that  if  you  cannot 
altogether  command  success,  you  can  deserve  it  ? 
That  is  the  position  in  which  the  decent  ones  have 
been  good  enough  to  place  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW  : 
with  what  result,  you  will  notice,  later  on. 

IN  conclusion,  we  wish  particularly  to  offer 
our  sincere  thanks,  to  the  many  kind  friends 
who  gave  us  their  assistance  and  encouragement,  at  a 
time  when  both  were  most  earnestly  needed  :  that  is. 
when  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW  was  merely  a  journal- 
istic toddler.  At  the  moment,  she  is  "quite  grown 
up."  please,  but  she  hasn't  outgrown  a  becoming  sense 
of  the  gratitude  that  is  due  the  staunch  supporters 
who,  in  her  baby-hood,  declared  that  they  meant  to 
see  her  through  :  aye.  right  into  the  hair-up-and  long 
frock  stage!  For  more  of  this  "private  and  confi 
dential."  please  see  her  next  birthday  number. 


' 


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THE     MARITIME    REVIEW. 


February  17,  1905 


AS    OTHERS    SBB    US. 


ON  the  preceding  page,  we  have  passed  a  few  remarks 
on  our  first  year's  work,  and  there  is  a  probability 
that  the  hypercritical  might  be  inclined  to  sniff  a 
bit.  even  as  he  remarks.  "  Oh,  yes !     It  is  all  very 
easy  to  work  off  a  paean  of  praise  on  your  own  merits,  real 
or  assumed:  but  is  such  a  claim  justified  by  fact?     Has 
anybody  else  given  expression  to  similar  remarks  ?"    To 
such  person— or    persons    we    would    reply,  that    many 
discriminating  folk  saw  good  in  our  efforts,  long  before  we 
dared  adopt  a  similar  attitude.     As  a  matter  of  fact,  in  the 
early  days  of  our  struggle  to  force  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW 
to  the  front,  we  were  altogether  too  busy  to  afford  time  for 
a  contemplation  of  our  wake :  all  our  attention  was  con- 
centrated on  the  course,  ahead  !     We  knew  that  we  had 
come  through  water  that  was  deep  enough  for  our  flotation : 
our  anxiety  was  for  the  water,  ahead.     We  could  see  that 
there   was  plenty   of   it.  there  :   but  true  to  our   nautical 
training,  we  were  intent  on  getting  the  necessary  sound- 
ings which  should  convince  us  that  the  said  water  was  not 
too  much  spread  out !      We  realised  that  we  did  not  need  a 
tremendous  expanse  of  the  hypothetical  fluid  ;  we  hankered 
after  depth—  like  all  true  sailormen.   Looking  for  that  depth, 
and  dodging  the  discoloured  patches,  kept  us  too  busy  to 
note  what  the  world  was  likely  to  say  about  us.     All  the 
same,  the  world  was  watching  us— as  we  found,  later  on  ; 
was  reporting  on  our  progress  ;   was  offering  us  words  of 
encouragement  for  which — now  that  we  have  dodged  the 
shoals,  and  have  the  increasing  time— we  are    grateful. 
Moreover,  our  gratitude  is  none  the  less  sincere,  for  the 
reason  that  we  never  expected  to  be  favoured  with  such 
cheering  expressions  of  opinion.     True,  we  laid  ourselves 
out  to  do  our  best,  and  hoped  to  pass  through  with  the 
crowd  !    That  is  all !      Foremost  among  the  encourage- 
ment to  which  we    have    alluded,    is   that    which   came 
from     the    general     Press     of    the     country— that    in- 
stitution   without    which,    dear    old    Britain     would     be 
no  better  off  than  is  Russia.     In  perusing  the  Press  notices 
which  we  are  proud   to  reproduce  herewith,  the  patient 
reader  will  probably  imagine  that  we  have  been  discourteous 
in  not  giving  them  an  opportunity  of  reading  the  remarks — 
eulogistic  or  otherwise    which  have  emanated  from  the 
local  units  of  the  Fourth   Estate?    So!    Then  you  are 
condemning  us  without  cause.     Probably  those  local  units 
have   not  had  sufficient  time  to   realise  that  we  are  in 
existence,  for  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW  is  but  twelve  months 
old.  as  yet !     By  and  bye— when  Mr.  Lloyd  George  and  the 
Revival  King  have  given  place  to  other  sensations    those 
units  might  ( we  do  not  say  they  will,  as  that  would  be 
daring  too  much  !  )  find  time  to  notice  what  their  contem- 
poraries recognised,  many  months  ago ;   might   recognise 
that    but  please  read  it  for  yourselves: 

The  Financier.  LONDON.  March  3.  1 904.  "  Cardiff  seems  to  be 
developing  importance  as  a  publishing  centre,  and  a  recent  production 
gives  the  impression  tiiat.  in  respect  of  craftsmanship  and  resources, 
the  Welsh  metropolis  has  little  or  nothing  to  learn  of  London.  The 
latest  newcomer  from  there  in  the  way  of  trade  journalism,  is  THE 
MARITIME  REVIEW,  which  is  an  able  and  very  attractive  publication. 
Its  cover  in  blue  and  red  is  very  striking,  the  type  in'which  the  text  is 
set  whilst  unconventional,  is  remarkably  clear,  and  the  taste  exempli- 
fied in  letterpress  and  illustrations  is  matched  by  the  brightness  with 
which  technics  matter  is  treated  in  the  editorial  columns." 


British-Canadian  Review,  LONDON,  MARCH  5,  1 904.—"  .  .  .  The 
get-up  of  the  paper  is  novel  and  attractive,  and  it  is  written  in  a 
breezy  style  that  will  doubtless  recommend  it  to  the  enterprising  citi- 
zens of  Cardiff.  We  wish  our  new  contemporary  every  success." 


The  African  Review.  LONDON,  March  5.  1 904.—"  .  .  .  There  is  no 
call  for  an  apology.  No  industry  is  the  worse  for  plenty  of  com- 
petition among  its  trade  papers.  The  new  paper  is  very  attractively 
got  up,  and  the  articles  in  the  first  number  are  readable,  and  obviously 
by  writers  who  are  more  than  superficially  acquainted  with  maritime 
affairs.  Some  admirable  photographs  and  good  reading  matter  are 
contained  in  an  article  comparing  old  with  new  Cardiff." 


Western  Mercury,  PLYMOUTH,  MARCH  7.  1904.—".  .  .  It  is  full  of 
bright  promise,  and  comes  in  very  able  guise,  with  an  abundance  of 
illustrations,  and  with  dainty  little  sketches  as  title  heads  throughout, 
an  unusual,  and  yet  very  pleasing  feature  for  a  business  journal.  A 
maritime  organ  of  some  kind  has  long  been  wanted  in  the  metropolis 
of  Wales,  the  centre  of  a  very  populous  and  growing  community, 
whose  principle  interest  is  shipping.  .  .  .  Judging  from  the  very  ex- 
cellent maiden  number,  there  is  every  reason  for  the  fulfilling  of  the 
editor's  hope  that  his  journal  may  soon  'become  one  of  the  elect.'  We 
can  certainly  promise  that  it  will  be  well  read." 


Liverpool  Journal  of  Commerce,  March  8.  1904.—".  .  .  As  may 
be  gathered  from  its  title,  it  proposes  to  concern  itself  with  all  that 
relates  to  our  premier  industry.  The  initial  numbers  are  a  distinct  credit 
to  those  responsible  for  its  production  ;  it  is  admirably,  not  to  say  un- 
usually artistically,  printed  and  produced,  while  its  information  is  well 
written  and  full  of  sound  sense.  We  cordially  welcome  the  advent  of 
THE  MARITIME  REVIEW,  and  beg  to  wish  for  it  just  that  measure  of 
success  which  it  itself  hopes  to  obtain." 


Liverpool  Mercuty,  March  16,  1904.— "Under  the  title  of  'A 
Grave  National  Danger,'  the  question  of  Britain's  maritime  decline  is 
discussed  in  a  capital  article  which  is  embraced  in  Cardiff's  latest 
journal,  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW.  The  paper  is  illustrated,  and  contains 
many  excellent  features." 


Glasgow  Herald,  March  18,  1904. — "THE  MARITIME  REVIEW  is  a 
new  shipping  weekly,  published  at  Cardiff.  The  first  numbers  are  very 
creditable  productions,  smartly  written  and  brightly  illustrated.  Coal 
naturally  requires  a  good  deal  of  space,  but  apart  from  this,  the 
leading  industry  of  the  great  Welsh  port.  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW  pro- 
mises to  cover  very  well  the  whole  of  the  shipping  industry." 


Eastern  Morning  News,  HULL,  March  19,  1904. — "THE  MARITIME 
REVIEW  is  the  title  of  a  very  attractive  publication  hailing  from  Cardiff 
As  its  title  indicates,  it  is  devoted  to  shipping  matters,  and  should 
prove  a  welcome  volume  to  the  shipping  community.  "  Advance 
Australia  "  is  worthy  of  mention,  as  also  is  the  article  on  "  Cardiff." 


Shields  Daily  Gazette  and  Shipping  Telegraph,  March  26,  1904.— 
..."  Is  well  written  and  admirably  illustrated,  and  from  a  typo- 
graphical point  of  view,  is  unique  for  the  beauty  and  clearness  of  the 
type  in  which  it  is  printed." 


Merchant  Service  Review.  LIVERPOOL,  March  26,  1 904.—"  We  hail 
the  advent  of  a  new  shipping  contemporary,  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW, 
whose  birthplace  and  permanent  (we  hope  extremely  permanent) 
residence,  is  the  Welsh  metropolis.  If  an  extremely  smart  get  up, 
print  and  paper  of  the  best,  bright  writing  and  commonsense  opinion 
can  command  success,  its  originators  may  calmy  contemplate  the 
future  of  their  enterprise.  ...  We  may  mention  that  the  current 


February    17,    1905. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


[SUPPLEMENT. 


number  contains  the  concluding  instalment  of  a  series  of  powerful 
articies  on  •  Britain's  Maritime  Decline.'  The  writer  has  the  courage 
of  his  convictions,  and  his  boldness  is  the  more  to  be  admired,  in  that 
the  port  which  is  the  birthplace  of  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW,  is  not  the 
least  guilty  of  permitting  and  encouraging  some  of  these  conditions  in 
shipping  and  on  shipboard  of  which  he  complains.  We  wish  our  con- 
temporary long  life  and  much  success." 

Dundee  Courier.  April  1.  1904.  "In  these  strenuous  times  of 
business  competition,  a  magazine  devoted  to  shipping  and  commerce. 
with  reliable  data,  and  advancing  sound  comment,  cannot  come  amiss. 
It  is  for  this  reason  that  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW  will  be  welcomed. 
An  excellently-produced  journal  in  respect  of  printing,  it  has  special 
qualifications  to  appeal  to  the  shipping  world  particularly,  as  well  as 
to  the  business  world  in  general.  Issued  from  one  of  the  great 
British  hives  of  industry— Cardiff  the  news  in  regard  to  coal  and 
freights,  receives  special  attention.  .  .  .  "THE  MARITIME  REVIEW 
ought  to  succeed." 

Barry  Doc*  News.  April  1.  1904.— "THE  MARITIME  REVIEW,  to 
which  we  have  already  drawn  the  favourable  notice  of  the  readers  of 
the  Barry  Dock  News,  is  an  excellent  trade  production  issued  at 
Cardiff,  it  is  capitally  printed  on  good  paper :  the  illustrations  are  well 
chosen  and  excellently  produced,  and  the  reading  matter  throughout 
is  well  written  and  of  special  interest  to  the  maritime  world  of  the 
Bristol  Channel." 

Limerick  Leader.  April  6.  1 904.  ...  "A  new  illustrated  high- 
class  publication.  .  .  .  which  it  is  needless  to  state,  is  devoted  to 
shipping  and  marine  affairs.  It  is  beautifully  printed  and  its  illustrations 
are  excellent.  ...  is  published  at  threepence,  should  be  of  much  value 
to  those  who  take  an  interest  in  any  of  the  branches  of  business 
that  come  within  the  scope  of  maritime  affairs  generally." 

Newcastle  Weekly  Journal.  April  9.  1904.  .  .  .  •  If  the  promise 
of  the  early  numbers  be  fulfilled,  there  need  be  no  fear  of  its  continued 
publication,  for  the  contents  so  far  have  been  alike  attractive  and 
up-to-date.  The  latest  issue  suggests  enterprise  and  a  knowledge  of 
the  kind  of  reading  those  associated  with  shipping  look  for  .  .  .There 
are  informative  notes  on  shipbuilding,  the  coal  trade,  money  specu- 
lations, and  other  matters  of  maritime  interest." 


THUS  far.  you  have  the  comments  of  the  general  Press 
of  the  country  :  comments  for  which  we  are  grateful,  in 
that  they  came  as  words  of  encouragement :  as  incentives 
to  "  keep  the  lead  going  !  "  Furthermore,  you  will  observe 
that  the  notices  which  we  have  reproduced,  are  thoroughly 
representative,  and  from  scattered  centres  of  industry. 
True,  they  are  neatly  all  from  non-nautical  sources  :  but 
their  values  are  by  no  means  impaired  on  that  account. 
Indeed,  to  our  mind,  those  values  are  increased,  for  our 
ambition  is  to  convince  the  non-nautical  mind  that  we  write 
solely  of  what  we  know  :  that  supposition  has  no  chance  in 
the  pages  of  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW  :  that  as  long  as  you 
see  a  statement  in  our  columns,  then,  you  may  believe  that 
"  it  is  so."  The  nautical  mind  already  realises  this.  It's 
like  this.  If  you  had  spent  the  major  portion  of  a  life-time 
at  sea  :  had  sampled  every  kind  of  crock,  as  well  as  the 
decent  sorts  of  shipping;  had  worked  for  owners,  and 
"  owners  :  "  had  seen  log-books  faked  up  so  that  their  own 
mothers  wouldn't  know  'em  :  and  in  the  course  of  the 
years,  had  visited  most  of  the  desirable  places  of  the  earth 

as  well  as  quite  a  number  that  are  undesirable  :  wouldn't 
you  consider  that  you  were  justified  in  writing  on  nautical 
matters  ?  Of  course,  you  would  !  So  is  it  with  us.  for  we 
have  done  as  suggested.  That  the  nautical  profession 
agrees  with  us.  is  amply  evidenced  by  The  Guild  Gazette. 
and  The  Scottish  Shipmaster  official  organs  of  two  Societies 
numbering  between  them,  some  twenty-thousand  certificated 
sailor-men.  With  a  remembrance  that  a  sailor  is.  after  all. 
the  best  judge  of  a  nautical  production,  please  read  : 

The  Guild  Gazette.  August.  1 904.  "  A  nautical  paper  edited  by  a 
nautical  man.  ...  is  the  very  thing  to  appeal  to  our  readers.  ...  In 
THI  MARITIME  REVIEW  we  have  a  journal  got  up  in  a  most  tasteful. 
even  elaborate,  manner,  and  evidently  no  expense  has  been  spared  in 
making  it  of  the  most  approved  type.  But  after  all  we  must  go 
beneath  the  surface,  and  careful  examination  of  the  contents  must 
convince  any  thinking  man  that  here  is  an  opportunity  which  must -not 
be  lost  Every  page  is  chock-full  of  real  practical  views,  expressed 
in  a  most  racy  and  readable  style. .  .  .  Empty  "  puffs"  find  no  place  in 


these  columns.  We  recommend  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW  simply 
because  it  promises  to  be  a  most  valuable  adjunct  to  the  cause. 
When  a  man  has  really  experienced  what  he  writes  there  is  no 
mistaking  his  facts,  and  the  public  are  able  to  see  things  as  they 
really  are.  and  not  through  the  rose-coloured  spectacles  provided  by 
organs  having  other  interests  at  stake.  We  hope  then  that 
members  of  the  Guild  will  ••  take  the  current  when  it  serves  "  and 
become  active  supportersof.  and  subscribers  to.  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW." 


The  Scottish  Shipmaster.  December.  1904.— "Scotsmen  are 
proverbially  said  to  be  cannie,  and  invariably  bear  the  reputation 
of  knowing  a  good  thing  when  they  see  it.  Well,  that  may 
or  may  not  be  the  case,  but  our  Committee  think  they  do,  and  as  the 
old  lady  told  her  son  though  what  one  person  says  may  not  be  true, 
what  everyone  says  must  be  true,  we  may  take  it  that  our  Committee 
were  right  in  their  assumption  that,  at  the  time  the  first  copy  of  "THE 
MARITIME  REVIEW  "  was  placed  before  them,  they  had  dropped  across 
a  good  thing  :  indeed,  the  very  thing  that  they  had  long  been  looking 
for— namely,  a  weekly  publication  written  for  shipmasters  and  officers 
by  someone  who  knew  something  about  the  life  led  by  shipmasters  and 
officers  :  and  promptly  instructed  our  Secretary  to  have  "THE  MARI- 
TIME REVIEW  "  regularly  placed  on  our  news-room  table,  for  the 
benefit  of  our  members.  No  one  knows  better  than  the  Editor 
himself  an  ex-shipmaster  the  disadvantages  under  which  masters 
and  officers  labour,  and  no  one  is  more  fearless  than  he  in  letting  his 
opinions  in  this  respect  be  known,  or  in  championing  the  cause  of  the 
shipmaster  and  his  mates.  The  language  used  in  his  columns  is  straight 
and  to  the  point  without  any  "  hunker-sliding  "  about  it.  no  reference 
to  an  agricultural  implement  when  a  common  or  garden  spade  is  the 
article  meant.  The  publication  throughout  is  most  interesting  to  all 
seafarers,  and  is  decidedly  well  got  up.  Now  then,  ye  skippers  and 
ye  mates,  support  those  who  support  you  and  advocate  your  rights. 
We  know  you  want  a  good  weekly  dealing  with  your  profession 
specially,  so  plank  down  your  threepenny  pieces,  and  see  what  THE 
MARITIME  REVIEW  has  got  to  say  for  or  against  you.  for  you  may  take 
it  from  us  that  the  Editor,  like  ourselves,  is  no  flatterer,  and  if  you 
deserve  a  'slating.'  you  may  bet  your  bottom  dollar  that  you  are 
going  to  get  it." 

THERE  it  is !  We  are  no  flatterers,  and  if  you  deserve  a 
"  slating."  you  are  likely  to  receive  it  in  which  case,  you 
muit  kiss  the  rod.  even  as  you  declare  that,  never,  again, 
will  you  deserve  it !  Having  got  through  with  the  literary 
side  of  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW,  we  can  do  no  harm  by 
referring  to  the  work  of  our  Printer  and  his  staff  of  able 
assistants.  That  both  Printer  and  staff  are  able,  is 
evidenced  by  the  statement  made  by  the  doyen  of  British 
Printerdom.  The  British  Printer,  to  wit.  Even  as  is  the 
case  with  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW  in  connection  with  the 
shipping  and  allied  industries,  so  is  it  with  our  contemporary 
as  regards  printing.  If  you  have  earned  encomiums,  the 
B.P.  will  cheerfully  grant  them  to  you  :  if  you  are  in  need 
of  honest  though  uncomfortable  advice,  B.P.  is  just  as 
ready  to  oblige.  For  those  reasons,  we  value  the  opinions 
of  The  British  Printer,  and  are  unfeignedly  glad  that  the 
man  who  is  doing  his  best  to  hound  us  into  a  premature 
grave  through  his  voracious  appetite  for  "  copy "  drat 
him  has  earned  the  following  : 

The  British  Printer.  Aug. -Sept..  1904.  "From  the  manager, 
printing  department,  of  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW.  LTD.,  Cardiff,  comes 
a  copy  of  the  current  issue  of  the  REVIEW.  This  is  a  24-p.p. 
journal,  in  covers  with  design  in  colour,  well  illustrated  and  an 
admirable  example  of  magazine  production.  A  couple  of  small  jobs 
nicely  worked  out  in  a  couple  of  printings,  and  a  quarto  circular. 
.  .  .  We  learn  that  fifteen  months  since  there  was  no  sign  of  the  land 
now  housing  the  office  building  being  used  for  that  purpose,  yet  now  a 
very  complete  and  literally  up-to-date  establishment  is  in  operation 
there.  The  office  is  evidently  well  equipped  for  high-class  work, 
and  the  samples  show  that  such  is  being  well  carried  out. 


ERE  leaving  the  merry  theme,  we  might  be  forgiven  if  we 
impress  upon  the  minds  of  our  Cardiff-and-district  friends, 
that  in  deed  and  truth.  "  The  office  is  ...  well  equipped 
for  high-class  work  :  "  that  if  any  doubt  as  to  the  asser- 
tions of  The  British  Printer  is  experienced,  it  is  merely 
necessary  to  send  along  a  trial  order,  to  be  convinced  that 
when  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW.  LIMITED,  tells  you  that  a  job 
is  impossible  then,  you  had  better  modify  your  demands, 
for  they  are  absolutely  that  way  ! 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW 


February  17,    i9°5 


February  i  7,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


5?     SHIPBUILDING. 


VERY  few  orders  for  new  tonnage  have  been  placed 
during  the  last  few  days,  but  the  builders  have  sufficient 
work  on  hand  for  months  to  come,  and  it  is  just  as  well 
that  the  re-action  is  setting  in. 

+  +  + 

THECAMPBELTOWN  SHIPBUILDING  COMPANY,  have 
contracted  to  build  a  steamer  of  about  2.000  tons  dead- 
weight, for  Scandinavian  owners.  The  machinery  will  be 
supplied  by  Messrs,  J.  C.  Kincaid  <$  Co.,  of  Creenock. 

•f   +   + 

MESSRS.  R.  CRACCS  &  SONS,  LTD..  Middiesborough. 
have  contracted  to  build  two  cargo  steamers,  each  of 
5,500  tons  dead-weight,  for  Messrs.  Fernie  &  Sons, 

Liverpool. 

+  -f  •»• 

MESSRS.  MURDOCH  &  MURRAY.  Port  Glasgow,  have 
received  an  order  to  build  a  passenger  and  cargo  steamer 
for  service  on  the  River  Amazon. 

+  «••«• 

MESSRS.  JOHN  PRIESTMAN  &  Co.,  Sunderland,  have 
contracted  to  build  a  cargo  steamer  of  about  6,500  tons 
dead-weight,  for  Norwegian  owners. 

+  ••••»• 

MESSRS.  WM.  HAMILTON  &  Co..  Port  Glasgow,  are 
reported  to  have  booked  another  order  for  Liverpool 
owners,  and  we  understand  they  now  have  14  building 
contracts  on  hand,  most  of  them  for  steamers  to  carry 

7,000  tons  dead-weight. 

•»•  -f  «• 

THE  CLYDE  SHIPBUILDING  AND  ENGINEERING 
COMPANY,  are  reported  to  have  booked  an  order  for  a 
cargo  steamer,  and  have  been  entrusted  with  the  re- 
pairing of  the  damaged  steamer  Stromboli. 

*••••»• 

THE  KING  LINE.  LTD.,  London,  who  recently  sub- 
mitted tenders  to  builders  for  a  7.000  tonner.  have,  we 
understand,  contracted  at  about  £39.000. 


WHEN  the  shipbuilding  returns  for  1904  were  reported, 
the  greatest  surprise  was  the  low  position  held  by  Messrs. 
Harland  &  Wolff.  Ltd.,  Belfast.  Their  return  only 
showed  31.842  tons,  as  against  1  10.463  tons  for  1903,  and 
naturally  the  depression  was  felt  very  keenly  in  Belfast 
during  the  last  year  The  industrial  situation  has 
changed  at  Queen's  Island,  as  Messrs.  Harland  &  WAlff 
have  now  plenty  of  work  on  hand,  and  the  works  are  in 
full  swing,  giving  employment  to  all  the  old  hands.  They 
have  a  liner  as  large  as  the  Baltic  in  frame,  for  the  White 
Star  Line,  and  as  big  a  ship,  the  America,  nearly  ready 
for  launching,  for  the  Hamburg-American  Line  ;  a  liner 
of  about  12,000  tons  gross,  for  the  Holland  American 
Line  ;  a  sister  ship  to  the  Worcestershire,  for  the  Bibby 
Line  .  two  steamers,  each  of  about  12,000  tons  gross,  for 
the  Royal  Mail  Steam  Packet  Company  ;  a  steamer  of 
420  feet,  for  the  Italian  service  of  the  Hamburg-Amer- 
ican Line  ;  a  cross-channel  steamer  for  the  London  and 
North  Western  Railway  Company  ;  and  four  steamers, 
each  about  490  feet  long  for  the  Brocklebank  Line.  This 
work  is  estimated  to  reach  at  least  120.000  tons  gross, 
and  in  addition,  must  be  added  the  engines  for  a  dock- 

yard-built battleship. 

•f   -f   -f 

THE  other  Belfast  shipbuilding  firm.  Messrs.  Work- 
man, Clark  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  are  also  in  full  swing,  having 
eight  steamers  on  the  stocks  m  their  two  shipyards,  and 
we  understand  they  have  at  least  nine  more  to  lay  down. 


In  addition,  their  turbine  steamer  Virginian,  for  the 
Allan  Line,  is  fitting  out  alongside  the  Antrim  yard. 

+   +   -f 

YES,  the  revival  has  reached  Belfast,  and  when  the 
shipbuilding  returns  are  issued  at  the  end  of  this  year, 
these  two  celebrated  firms  will  probably  be  found 
amongst  the  three  largest  tonnage  producers  for  the 

year  1 905. 

+   +   + 

MESSRS.  RAEBURN  &VEREL,  of  Glasgow,  have  sold  a 

new  steamer  which  they  have  building  by  Messrs. 
Napier  &  Miller,  Ltd.,  Glasgow,  to  the  Hamburg  South 
American  Steamship  Company,  Hamburg.  Her  dimen- 
sions are,  385ft.  6in.  x  48ft.  Sin.  x  29ft.  9in.  Dead-weight 
about  7,000  tons  on  23ft.  9in.  draft.  Machinery  by  Messrs. 
D.  Rowan  &  Co.;  engines  27in.,  44in.,  73in.  x  48in.  stroke. 
We  understand  the  price  paid  is  about  £45,000. 

*   -f   -f 

THE  HAMBURG  SOUTH  AMERICAN  COMPANY,  have 

also  purchased  a  new  steamer  building  by  Messrs.  A. 
McMillan  &  Sons,  Ltd.,  Dumbarton.  Her  dimensions  are 
365ft.  x  50ft.  x  26ft.  Dead-weight  about  6,300  tons,  on 
22ft.  6in.  Machinery  by  Messrs.  Dunsmuir  &  Jackson  ; 
engines  26in.,  42in..  70in.  x  48in.  stroke.  We  understand 
the  price  paid  is  about  £42,500. 

+  -f   -f 

THE  Union-Castle  liners  reported  sold,  in  our  last 
issue,  to  the  Vestindiske  Kompagne,  of  Copenhagen,  are 
the  Dunolly  Castle  and  the  Ragland  Castle.  They  were 
both  built  and  engined  by  Messrs.  Barclay,  Curie  &  Co., 
Glasgow,  in  1897.  The  Dunolly  Castle  is  4,167  tons  gross  ; 
dimensions  368ft.  x  46ft.  Sin.  x  27ft.  5in.;  with  engines 
26 '2  in..  44in..  70in.  x  48in.  st*>ke.  The  Ragland  Castle 
is  4.324  tons  gross;  dimensions  383ft.  5in.  x  46ft.  3in.  x 
27ft.  5in.;  with  engines  26'2in.,  44in.,  70in.  x  48in.  stroke. 

+  «••»• 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Car/ton,  lately  owned  by 
Messrs.  R.  Chapman  &  Son,  Newcastle,  has  been  bought 
by  Messrs.  James  Mclntosh  &  Co.,  London,  for  the 
Bombay  and  Persia  Steam  Navigation  Company,  Ltd., 
of  Bombay.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  Ropner  &  Son, 
Stockton,  in  1894.  Dimensions  301ft.  x  42ft.  5in.  x  29ft. ; 
3.085  tons  gross;  machinery  by  Messrs.  Blair  &  Co.,  Ltd., 
with  engines  23m..  37'2in.,  61 '2in.  x  39in.  stroke.  The 
steamer  will  be  renamed  Firoozi. 

•f   -f  + 

THE  steamer  English  King,  recently  reported  sold,  has 
been  renamed  Montblanc.  The  new  owners  are  Messrs. 
C.  Eitzen  <&  Co.,  of  Christiania. 

•»•  +   -f 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Omba,  lately  owned  by 
Messrs.  Wright  Bros.  &  Co.,  London,  has  been  sold  to 
Mr.  Heinrich  Diederichsen,  of  Kiel.  She  was  built  by 
Messrs.  J.  LaingA  Co.,  Sunderland,  in  1894.  Dimensions 
320ft.  x  41ft.  8in.  x  26ft.;  2,950  tons  gross ;  with  engines 
23in.,  38in.,  62in.  x  42in.  stroke,  by  Messrs  George 
Clark,  Ltd. 

+  -f  -f 

MR.  C.  ANDERSEN,  of  Hamburg,  is  the  purchaser  of 
the  steamer  Waikato,  reported  sold  in  our  last  issue. 
We  understand  the  price  paid  is  about  £22,500.  The 
steamer  has  been  renamed  Augustus. 

•»•   4   -f 

THE  Hamburg-American  Company's  twin  screw  fast 
liners  Deutschland  and  Hamburg,  are  reported  sold  to 
the  Russian  Government  for  £700,000  and  £400,000 
respectively.  The  negotiations  have  been  conducted 
through  a  private  firm  in  St.  Petersburg,  as  in  the  case 
of  the  Furst  Bismarck.  Columbia,  Belgia  and  Auguste 
Victoria,  which  were  sold  in  the  early  part  of  last  year. 


10 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


February  17,   1905 


FRIDAY.  FEBRUARY  17.  1905. 
WORKS  OF  SUPEREROGATION  ! 


1  T  is  highly  probable  that  if  a  man  were  to  erect 
at  the  back— or  other  -end  of  his  dining-room. 
a  steam-hammer  having  a  striking  capacity  of 
ten  tons,  and  the  whole  of  which  had  to  be 
used  solely  for  the  purpose  of  cracking  nuts 
well,  if  his  sorrowing  friends  didn't  call  in  the 
doctors,  they  ought  to  ?     You  can  realise  the 
ridiculousness  of  the  whole  idea,  can't  you  ?    Can  assimilate 
the  fact,  that  such  a  man  would  be  a  menace  to  the  public 
peace,  and  for  the  simple  reason  that  you  would  never 
know  where  his  little  peculiarities  would  next  break  out  ? 
Indeed,  if  you  happened  to  occupy  a  villa  residence  adjoin- 
ing to  the  steam-hammer-gentleman,  this  would  be  a  case 
of  another  "  desirable  messuage,"  going  cheap  ?    Certainly 
—to  all  the  queries.     But  then,  you  might  be  inclined  to 
suggest  that  no  sane  man  ever  got  to  such  a  height  of 
supererogation,  as  is  implied,  by  the  instance  we  have  quoted. 
Perhaps  not.  in   so  far  as  the  actual  steam-hammer  is 
concerned  :  but  then,  it  is  by  no  means  essential  to  build 
steam-hammers  for  nut-cracking  purposes,  if  you  honestly 
wish  to  fix  up  an  example  of  a  work  of  supererogation. 
There  are  numbers  of  such  examples  about,  and  in  directions 
where  they  are  least  understood.      As  a  matter  of  fact, 
there  is  no  difficulty  in  finding  these  works  in  the  shipping 
industry— or  hanging  on  to  the  fringe  thereof.     For  instance, 
will  any  person  who  has  given  the  subject  consideration, 
declare  that  the  establishment  of  these  so-called  training 
ships  are  other  than  works  of  the  kind  we  have  suggested  ? 
We  submit  that  the  person  alluded  to,  will  not    True,  the 
comparison  might  not  be  quite  on  a  par  with  the  steam- 
hammer  idea — although,  in  view  of  the  relative  cost  of  the 
hammer  as  against  that    of    the    training    ship    and    its 
continued  administrative  charges,  there  is  room  for  much 
interesting  argument.     The  truth  of  the  matter  is.  that  the 
good  folk  who  bother  their  poor  heads  with  this  training 
ship  craze,  commence  at  the  wrong  end  of  the  business: 
they  merely  follow  on.  where  their  fathers  left  off  !     Time 
was.  and  training  ships  were  all  very  well  ;  were  essential 
to  the   interests  of  the  community  :  and  were  worth  the 
money  which  they  cost.     So.  for  that  matter,   were  yew 
bows,  and  "  cloth-yard  "  arrows.     Looking  back  on  it  from 
this  late  date.  Locksley  was  a  pretty  good  chap  at  hitting 
the  mark,   and   we  can   admire  him    for   his   pluck    and 
pertinacity.     At  the  same  time,  we  should  none  of  us  care 
to  issue  an  insurance  policy  on  his  life — supposing  it  were 
possible    if  he   and  his  "  cloth  yard  "  arrangement  were 
detailed  for  war.  out  East,  at  present  ?    Not  likely.     It 
would  be  quite  a  thousand-to-one  chance  that  Locksley  got 
any  nearer  to  the  real  seat  of  disaffection,  than  is  expressed 
by  the  range  of  the  modern  rifle  :  and  that  is  a  power 
possessing  a  greater  "all-embracingness"  than  belongs  to 
the  "cloth-yard."     With  Naval  training  ships,  and  on  this 
particular  occasion,  we  have  no  concern.  The  sample  which 
deals     partly— with  the  Mercantile  Marine,  is  quite  large 
enough  forgone  screea.    And  here,  again,  is  another  bit  of  the 
supererogation  to  which  we  have  referred.    The  training 
ship  which  is  alleged   to  be  as  good   to    train   a  Naval 
neophyte  as  a  Mercantile  marvel  is,  after  the  fashion  of 
all     hermaphrodites,    of    questionable   virtue.      There    is 
absolutely  no  similarity  between  the  needs  of  the  Services. 
so  where  is  the  sense  in  pretending  that  the  training  which 
has  leen  rr.ct'd  cut  en  ore  ard  the  same  plane,  is  going  to 


be  of  utility  in  diametrically  opposite  professions?     Leaving 
the    hypothetical    portion   of   the   argument,   and   coming 
down  to  actual  fact,  let  us  consider  that  off-shoot  of  the 
Navy    League-  the    Lancashire   Sea-Training   Home.     In 
April  next,  the  Surrey  County  Council  is  going  to  flutter  a 
portion  of  the  money  which  has  been  allotted  to  them   for 
educational  purposes,  in  founding  six  annual  scholarships, 
valued  at  £25  each,  so  that  the  winners   thereof   may  be 
trained  for  the  Mercantile  Marine,  at  the   Navy  League's 
cram-shop  at  Liscard.      Presumably,  the   County   Council 
gentlemen  will  have  a  mortage  on  the  lives  of  the  successful 
scholars  ?      That,  under  no  circumstances,   will  the  latter 
be  enabled  to  back  out  of  the  contract,  at  the  expiration 
of  their  three   years'   of  training— or  at  any   subsequent 
period  of  their  nautical  careers  ?      True,  these  favoured 
lads  will  "do  "  but  eighteen  months  at  Liscard,  after  which, 
an  eighteen  months'  sojourn  in  the  Navy,  or   "  in    selected 
ships  in  the  Mercantile  Marine,"  will  round  up  the  job.     It  is 
right  here  that  the  supererogative  part  of  the  undertaking 
comes  in  !     By  placing  your  sucking  skippers  in  "  selected 
ships  in  the  Mercantile  Marine."  you  fill  them    with  false 
ideas  of  what  to  expect,  when   their  wet-nursed  period   is 
finished.     The  inevitable  result  is,  that  when  they  have  to 
dodge  around  the  scrap-heap  in  an  endeavour  to  catch  a 
vacancy  on  a  non-selected  ship,  there  is  another  "  highly- 
trained  seaman  "  driven  ashore  !     Meanwhile,  the  scarcity 
of  British  blood  in  British  vessels  continues ;    the    British 
Mercantile  Marine  meanders  along  the  road  which  leads  to 
Nirvana  :    for  even  as  to-day,  you  have   but  few    British 
sailors,  so  to-morrow,  will  you  have  just  as  few  navigators. 
You    will    not  listen,  and  you  are   not  altogether  to   be 
blamed.      It  has  been   left   to   private   philanthropy — this 
handling  of  the  manning  question— although  it  is  about  the 
gravest  national  problem  which  confronts  the  Government. 
Not  only  has  the  subject  been  left  to  private  philanthropy, 
for  it  has  been  allowed  to  drop  into  the  hands  of   persons 
who     no  matter  how  well-meaning  they   might   be — know 
positively  nothing  of  the  subject.     Persons  whose  nautical 
knowledge— save  the  name  —has  been  either  gleaned  on  a 
warship  (where  fifty  men  are  detailed  for  what  is  honestly 
the  work  of  one):  or  has  been   assimilated  on   a   pleasure 
yacht   -where  all  the  work  is  carried  out  at  the  end  of  a 
cruise,  and  in  the  builders'  yard.     What   can  such   people 
possibly  know  of  the  needs  of  a  problematical  Merchant 
sailor  ?     Moreover,  with  a  whole-souled  disregard  of   the 
true  inwardness  of  the  situation,  these  otherwise  estimable 
people    spread    themselves    on    what    they     contend     is 
necessary  :    plead  for  additional  help  in  the  way  of  more 
capital :    and  honestly  believe  all  that  they  preach.     How- 
ever, we  find  that  the    Liscard   school   was.  brought  into 
existence  in  August.  1903  :    has  at  the  present  time,    106 
boys  on  its  register:  and  of  those  who  have  passed  through 
its  curriculum — which  is  rather  a  nice  way  of  putting  the 
matter? — 16  have  entered  the  Navy,  while  36  have  gone 
off  in  " selected  vessels "  in  the  M.M..    "with   every   pros- 
pect of  becoming  Royal  Naval  Reserve  men."      Yea  lor'. 
but  it's  a  great  result  to  achieve,  out   of  a  place   which 
costs  we  don't-know-how-much,  and  which  has  a  curriculum 
-and    other    things — upon    the     premises  ?        Fifty-two 
possible  sailormen,  since  August.    1903!      Why   will   not 
these  people  face  the  situation  in  a   manner  that  will   be 
calculated  to  do  some  good  ?     Why  wander  along  in  a  fools' 
paradise   of  their  own  making  ?      Out  of  an    experience 
that  reaches  over  more  years  than  this  Liscard  school  does 
months,    we    say,    emphatically  that  the   whole   idea  as 
exemplified  in  the  modern  training  ship  is  wrong  ;    utterly 
wrong.     There  would  be  no  difficulty   in   getting  as   many 
men  as  could  be  needed  under  any  circumstances,  if  a  sea- 
life  were  put  upon  the  level  of  a  similar  grade  of  livelihood 
on    shore.      Every    prospect    of    becoming   Royal   Naval 
Reserve  men.  forsooth.      Practical  experience  has  taught 
us  that  every   one   of  those  36  lads  have    a    far    better 
prospect  of  figuring  out  as  'longshore  clerks,    by   the  time 
they  are  twenty-one— and   then   where   does   the   County 


February  i  7,  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


1 1 


Council  scholarships  come  in  ?     It   is   useless   pretending 
any  longer  :    the  circumstances  have  become  too  serious. 
You  can  get  any  number  of  lads  to  start  away  on  a  sea- 
life  :    but  you  can  get  but  mighty  few  to  stay  there,  after 
making  one  voyage.     Furthermore,  the  higher  the  education 
you  give  the  lads  before  starting,  the  sooner  will   they  be 
disabused  and  disgusted  at  what  they  meet,  when  once  the 
"  selected  ship  "  is  a  thing  of  the  past.     Let  us  ask.  in  all 
seriousness,   what  does  the  Navy  League   know,   at  first 
hand,  of  the  miseries  to  be  met  with  on  the  tramp  of  com- 
merce :    is  there  a  man  among  that  whole  "  League."  who 
has    experienced    the    utterly  hopeless  and  demoralising 
existence  that  is  meted  out  to  those   who  yet   remain   to 
uphold  the  departing  majesties  of  the  Red  Ensign  ?     No. 
sirs,  or  they  would  not  be   so  foolish   as  to   sit  down    at 
conferences,    and    board    meetings,    for  the    purposes  of 
mutual  admiration.     We  are  willing  to  admit   that  "  with 
the  decision  of  the  Surrey  County  Council  a  new  era  of 
prosperity  for  the  scheme  appears  to  have  opened."    The 
scheme,  as  such,  is  alright :    but  as  a  means  of  recruiting 
for  either  branch  of  the  sea-service,  you  may  safely  write 
it  all  down  as  piffle.      We   are  further  assured   that  "  the 
scheme  is  a  good  one.  and  one  which  promises  to  form  a 
valuable  reserve  for  the  Fleet,  while,  apart  from  that,  it  is 
undoubtedly    of  service  to  the   Mercantile   Marine,   etc." 
Fudge !     It  will  neither  "  form  a  valuable  reserve  for  the 
Fleet."  nor  will  it  ever  be  worth  twopence-halfpenny  to  the 
Mercantile  Marine.     If  you  secure  36.00O    instead  of  the 
paltry  36— lads  for  the  Mercantile  Marine  merely  through  the 
agency  of  training  ships,  you  may  take  it  as  an  indisputable 
fact  that  not  more  than  an  inappreciable  percentage  thereof 
will  stay  in  the  merchant  service,  any  longer  than  is  required 
to    assimilate    its    miseries    and    hopelessness.      If    the 
Navy  League  is  serious  in  hunting  up  a  personnel  for  both 
services,  let  it  set  about  putting  both  of  them  on  a  par  with 
modern   deas.  and  we  will  help  by   every  means  in  our 
power.    Give  up  twaddling  :  leave  the  tactics  which  might 
have  been  workable  in  the  neolythic  age  :  start  in  on  up- 
to-date  movements    and  we  are  with  you  :  can  offer  you 
no  end  of  practical  advice  for  the  reason  that  we  have 
"been  there"     and  left  it  because  of  the  impossibility  of 
living  as  a  Briton  should  live.     Ask  yourself  in  all  sincerity, 
if  you  think  it  possible  for  a  well-educated  lad  to  grope 
along  under  the  conditions  prevailing  at  sea.  in  this  present 
year  of  grace  :  to  receive  some  £4  per  month  for.  possibly, 
eight  months  in  the  year  :  to  be  fed  worse   than  a  dog  ; 
housed  worse  than  a  pig  :  worked  worse  than  a  slave  :  and 
to  be  thrown  aside  at  forty,  there  or  thereabout,  because  he 
is  "  too  old."     We  have  seen  good  sailormen  laugh,  at  a 
recital  of  the  Navy  League's  doings    and  have  envied  the 
poor  old  salts  their  humorous  development.     For  ourselves, 
we  are  too  sad  to  laugh.     We  are  constantly  hearing  JacV- 
ask  for  bread,  and  see  the  "gentlemen  of  England  "  reply- 
ing with  a  stone.     Jack  asks  for  an  opportunity  of  leading 
a  fairly  moral  life  as  a  sailor :  that  is.  he  seeks  a  chance  of 
earning  enough  wages  to  enable  him  to  marry,  and  rear  a 
family  for  the  good  of  the  nation  :  the  philanthropist  replies 
by  throwing  "curriculum"  at  him  :  by  fitting  out  swagger 
training  ships  with  contributed  cash  :  training  ships  which 
made  a  continuance  of  life  at  sea  impossible  :  and  as  a 
result.  Jack  is  really  allowed  to  wander  along  in  any  kind  of 
wickedness  that  comes  his  way.      Why  do  not  the  Navy 
Leaguers  start  a  training  ship  for  the  "  rotters  "  in  ship- 
ownerdom  ?    That  would  be  starting  in  the  right  direction. 
We  are  personally  acquainted   with   shipowners  here,  at 
Cardiff,  who  would  willingly  pay  the  sailor  a  fair  wage,  and 
give  him  fair  conditions  of  life  :  but  they  may  not  do  so  as 
long  as  their  grasping  competitors  would  make  a  virtue  of 
the   sailor's   necessity,   by   offering  him  thirty  shillings  a 
month,  and  make  him  victual  himself  out  of  that.     Here  is 
the  chance  for  the  County  Council  men.     Use  that  money 
in  eradicating  the  "  sweaters  "  that  have  placed  Britain  in 
her  present  parlous  state,  and  you  will  have  no  trouble  in 
obtaining   recruits.     THE   MARITIME  REVIEW  will  help  you, 
free,  gratis  and  for  nothing. 


AGAIN,  THOSE  LIGHT  DUES. 

NCE    more    the    shipowning    fraternity     have 
fruitlessly  approached  the  gentleman  who  has 
to    find    the    money    for    the    liquidation    of 
Empire's     demands.       Personally,     we     are 
wondering  if    last   week's  deputation     really 
hoped   to  get  the    unjust  light  dues  removed  from   their 
patient  shoulders?     Of  course.   Mr.  Austen  Chamberlain 
the   liquidating    gentleman    referred    to— was    courtesy 
personified :    so  was    his    "  friend,  the   President   of    the 
Board  of  Trade,"  for  that  matter !     We  suppose  it  is  rude 
of  us.  but  the  whole  affair  appeared  to  savour  of  the  Dan 
Lenj  business.     It  was  anything  but  a  question  of  bare- 
faced   robbery,    versus    legitimate    taxation.     The    thing 
resolved  itself  into  "  I  am  afraid  it  is  true  that  recently  the 
shipping  industry  has  not  been  enjoying  a  very  prosperous 
season:"  all  the  same  you  ought  to  pay  up  and  look  big! 
Shipping  "  has  had    its   ups  and   downs  like  many  other 
industries  "     eh  ?    what  ?— "  ...  but   you  must,  after  all, 
average  out  a  result  over  a  series  of    years!"      This  is 
where  the  Dan  Leno  part  of  the  argument  came  in  ?    It  is 
not  a  question  of  an  unjust  tax  :  that  is   admitted.     But 
seeing  that  it  is  unjust :  that  you  have  to  pay  it :  then  "you 
must  take  the  lean  years  with  the  fat."  in  which  case  the 
"look  big"  notion  will  come  off  alright?    However,  it  is 
useless  going  through  the  whole  lot  of  talkee-talkee  which 
grew  out  of  the  deputation.     When  a  Chancellor  of   the 
Exchequer  deigns  to  meet  a  number  of  well-meaning  ship- 
owning  gentlemen,  you  may  depend  on  receiving  little  else 
but  polite  verbiage  ?     Of  course,  the  "  wicked  partner  "    is 
introduced     in  this  instance,  he  was  Mr.  Gerald  Balfour: 
and  the  deputation  is  referred  to  him !     Before  being  passed 
over  to   the  tender,  and    amiable   treatment  for  which   the 
President  of  the  Board    of  Trade   is  famous,  Mr.  Austen 
Chamberlain    summed    up    his  ,  side    of    the    wickedness 
which    hangs    around    the   light    dues :     "  It    would    be 
much  pleasanter  for    me    to    give    way    on    this,    as    on 
many   other  occasions:  but   1  have  to  consider  what  the 
effect    of    this    would    be  on  the   taxpayer  and   on    the 
House    of    Commons,   which    so  lightly   passes  a  Bill  of 
this  sort  on  a  Friday  afternoon."     Here,  breathe,  even  as 
you  conjure  up  "  lightly   passes "  and   unlucky    Fridays  ! 
Having  breathed,  let  us  continue :  "The  House  of  Commons 
is  apt  to  separate  its  two  functions  of  approving  expenditure 
ana  providing  the  ways  and  means "     so  a  nimble  Chan- 
cellor has  to  join  up  the    two  functions  by  robbing   the 
shipowner,  for  the  good  of  the  remainder  of  the  community? 
When  the   Head  of  the  Board  of  Trade  had  his  innings, 
the    old.  old  tale  of  paying    without    having    a    word    to 
say  as    to    how    it    shall    be    spent    was    re-raked    over. 
The    advisory  committee    was  brought  in  ;    so    was    Mr. 
Courtney's    committee  :    and    several   other    items ;    but 
the    whole   thing   fizzled    out  according  to  Cocker.      We 
do  not  suppose  that  anybody   present  believed    it  would 
be  otherwise.      The    light    dues  question  has  become  a 
hardy  annual ;    has  degenerated  into  a  cut-and-dried  cate- 
chism between  the  shipowners  and  the  Government,  and 
well,  and  there  you  are  !     Shipowner  will  go   on    paying 
his  £500.000  light  tax  :    his  £150,000  coal  tax  ;    his— at 
least— £100,000   coal-trimming    tax     (.although    in     this 
latter  instance,  the  Government  gets  but  mighty  little  of 
the   imposition:    not  even  in  Income  Tax!);    and  a   few 
other  items  which  need  not   be   enumerated.     He   is  told 
that  he  must  take  the  fat  and  lean  years  in  conjunction  :  in 
effect,  must  feel  pleased  that  he  is  allowed  to  run  steamers, 
anyhow  ;     and   he   leaves   the  Treasury   with  a  gratified 
feeling  that  his  atmosphere  is,  as  yet.  free  !     True,  he   will 
not  make  an  undue  fuss  about  the  latter  item,  or  he  might 
find  himself  on  a  sliding-scale  arrangement.     One  that  will 
give  him  six  breaths  per    minute,  free  ;    for  over  six   and 
under  nine,  £3  per  annum  :     over  nine  and    under  twelve, 
£5   IDs.;    for  twelve  and  over,  £4!     And  then  what  a  time 
the  "wheezy  "  old  fellows  would  have!     Really,   you  can- 
not treat  this  matter  seriously. 


i .- 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


Februarv  i  7,  1905 


CARDIFF     (AND    OTHER)     COAL. 


CARDIFF.  February  15th.  1905. 

THI  coal  market  since  our  last  time  of  writing,  has  undergone  but 
little  change,  for  there  continue*  to  be  something  of  a  quietness  in 
most  branches  of  the  premier  industry.  True,  the  general  tone  of 
business  is  steadier,  although  during  the  past  few  days,  prices 
•specially  for  prompt  shipment  have  been  easier.  Collieries  have 
been  disposed  to  concede  a  little,  in  order  to  keep  their  arrangements 
up  to  the  necessary  pitch  ;  but  it  must  not  be  imagined  that  this  is 
the  prevailing  condition.  It  is,  just  here,  and  there  ;  but  in  the  main. 
there  is  a  somewhat  reassuring  steadiness  about  Of  course,  there  is 
a  reason  for  this  jubilant  state  !  Chartering  has  been  fairly  active. 
and  as  the  bulk  thereof  has  been  for  this  month's  loading,  stemming 
has  been  active,  too.  Furthermore,  the  "  paper  stems "  are  un- 
doubtedly good,  in  the  majority  of  instances. 

AOAIN.  there  has  been  a  pleasing 

Improvement  in  tonnage 

supplies  which  is  ever  a  happy  condition,  for  coalowner  ;  providing, 
of  course,  that  he  participates  therein  !  When  this  eventuates,  you 
may  always  depend  on  receiving  from  those  quarters  the  smile  that 
is  cherubic  and  bland.  Yards  of  it !  Why  ?  Simply  because  good 
tonnage  supplies  have  the  happy  little  knack  of  keeping  the  colliery 
arrangements  up  to  the  pitch  alluded  to.  'way  back.  With  colliery 
arrangements  up  to  pitch,  available  supplies  are  usually  of  a  limited 
order  ;  when  limited  order  is  in  the  market  buyer  is  constrained  to 
feel  that  this  is  not  exactly  a  fitting  time  to  attempt  to  rush  his  very 
dear  friend,  the  seller.  Seller  will  merely  smile,  if  that  attempt  is 
made  :  while  if  buyer  as  much  as  dares  suggest  "  concession." — well. 
there  is  always  a  lady  possessed  of  a  dog  with  which  coalowner  might 
have  an  interest :  or  some  other  item  which  calls  him  away  from 
temptation. 

YES.  sirs  !     Under  the  circumstances '   conditions  ;  state  of  affairs  ; 
what  you  will :  the 

Poor  down -trodden    buyer 


has  ever  to  admit  his  inferiority  ;  his  clay-like  propensities  ;  his  get- 
off-the-earth  attributes  ;  his  won't-you-buy-my-pretty-flowers  state. 
If  he  doesn't  then,  you  can  take  it  from  us  that  seller  will  jolly  soon 
make  him  !  And  that's  a  fact !  On  the  other  hand,  when  the  tide  is 
in  buyer's  favour  phew  !  Won't  he  get  some  of  his  own.  and  a  large 
chunk  of  the  other  fellow's  back  ?  He  will,  then  !  But  never  mind. 
We  have  remarked  that  the  market  is  certainly  steadier.  But  that  is 
no  reason  why  you  should  suppose  that  there  has  been  any  material 
improvement  in  prices.  There  hasn't.  Rather  the  contrary,  although 
the  variation  between  this,  and  last  week's  prices,  do  not  amount 
to  much. 

THERE  is.  too.  the  same  restricted  amount  of  new  business  in 
evidence.  Or.  rather,  there  is  but 

Very  little  of  the  new  and   strange 

at  all.  We  have  been  continually  promised  "  new  accumulations,"  but 
to-date.  these  form  merely  a  vista  in  the  background,  and  from  the 
middleman's  point  of  view,  trade  is  dull.  Poor  old — or  young  middle- 
man '.  You  will  have  noticed  that  he  always  has  our  sympathy  ? 
Well,  he  deserves  it  for  unless  he  is  an  awful  bounder,  we  could  none 
of  us  do  without  the  gentle  middleman.  Of  course,  we  realise  that 
it  is  fashionable  in  some  circles  to  everlastingly  anathematise  the 
poor  unfortunate  ;  but  don't  you  believe  the  swears  ;  never  a  bit. 
The  middleman  is  more  often 

The  saving  grace  to  the  trade 

than  otherwise,  for  take  it  as  you  will,  there  are  a  number  of  colliery 
people  who  would  be  better  employed  in  running  a  revival  meeting, 
than  but  never  mind  ;  this  is.  we  have  been  told.-THE  MARITIME 
REVIEW'S  birthday  number:  under  the  circumstances,  therefore.it 
would  be  unseemingly  to  pass  rude  remarks  anent  colliery  people.  We 
could,  an'  we  would,  however.  One  of  these  days,  we  probably 
shall  ! 

THE  Belgium  affair ?  Oh  yes  !  But  what  about  it?  It  has  been 
responsible  for  no  undue  raising  of  demands,  either  for  Smalls,  or  for 
any  other  grade.  Moreover,  we  are  of  opinion  that  it  never  will  be. 
Strikes  may  come,  and  strikes  may  go.  but  Welsh  coal  goes  on  for 
•»«r-  even  if  Professor  Boyd  Dawkins.  and  the  coal-tax  man.  would 
aver  otherwise ' 

Mind  you,  there  is  a  reason 

assigned  for  the  scarcity  of  Belgium  business  en  the  local  market  ; 
prices  are  too  high.  So  they  would  be.  if  the  stuff  sold  were  merely 
Belgium  qualifies.  But  remembering  that  coal  hereaway  is  Welsh 


coal  well,  the  prices  are  not  too  high.  The  other  fizzle — the  West- 
phalian  wrangle  has  about  disappeared,  and  sad  to  say.  the 
anticipations  of  the  "bulls"  have  not  fructified. 

THE  conditions  of  that  Italian  Marine  Contract  (shove  it  in  caps, 
please)  have  been  amended.  Merchants  are  now  asked  to  tender  for 
the  supply  of  80.000  tons  of  Admiralty  coal,  for  delivery  within  the 
next  two  months.  While  we  believe  that  it  is  now  considered  essential 
to  wrap  each  separate  cob  in  tissue  paper :  to  tie  it  with  parti-coloured 
ribbon  ;  and  seal  the  ends  with  green  wax  ;  we  yet  are  convinced  that 
the  clauses  relating  to  ash,  small,  etc..  remain  as  before.  Even  so. 
there  is  a 

Very  keen  competition 

among  the  cult,  and  the  "cutting"  will  be  close  and  fine,  ere  that 
consignment  is  trotted  off  to  the  Mediterranean.  Writing  of  contracts 
reminds  us  that  there  is  an  enquiry  about,  for  some  10.000  tons  of 
Admiralty  coal,  for  Kiel — no  less  a  place.  Prompt  delivery  is 
stipulated  for,  here,  and  it  is  unnecessary  for  us  to  remark  that  this  is 
von  Sherman  pit  ov  peesniss. 

BEST  CARDIFF  ADMIRALTYS  have  been  ruling  along  steadily  at 
13s.  9d.  and  as  far  as  the  top  sorts  are  concerned,  there  is  no 
disposition  exhibited  to  entertain  anything  less,  in  price.  Certainly, 

The    position  of  this   grade 

is  a  favourable  one.  even  supposing  there  is  not  an  undue  amount 
of  really  active  business  about.  In  any  case,  the  quotation  is  firmly 
maintained.  There  has  been  considerably  more  enquiry,  here, 
during  the  past  few  days  ;  but  to  the  time  of  writing,  the  tactics 
most  favoured  by  the  intending  buyer,  is  the  hold  off  trick  ;  the 
I'm-going-to-wait-a-bit-dear-boy,  dodge ;  and  you  can  hardly 
blame  him,  can  you  ?  Even  if  the  price  does  not  come  down,  and 
the  poor  chap  has  to  reach  out  more,  rather  than  less  shekels, 
ultimately — well,  he  will  still  have  had  an  opportunity  of  showing 
that  he  isn't  to  be  rushed  by  a  mere  colliery  man. 

And   that's   a   fine    feeling 

in  some  instances  ! 

SECOND  CARDIFF  ADMIRALTYS,  too,  continue  steady  at  about  13s. — a 
shade  above,  or  below,  as  the  case  (and  pertinacity  of  buyer  or  seller) 
determines.  Collieries  here,  are  fairly  busy,  and  contractors  have  been 
stemming  up  their  requirements  pretty  regularly.  As  a  consequence, 
there  is  no  undue  abundance  of  the  stuff  obtainable,  at  the  moment. 
Mind  you,  the  open  demand  for  this  grade  has  been  nothing  abnormal ; 
but  prices,  nevertheless,  are  maintained  at  quoted  figures — which  are 
also  those  ruling  for  any  forward  business. 

ORDINARIES,  on  the  other  hand,  are  quiet,  and  but  little  business  is 
passing  in  this  branch  of  the  industry.  Generally  considered,  collieries 
are  on  the  "  easy  "  line,  with  the  natural  result  that,  where  ouyers 
have  really  meant  to  trade,  they  have  been  enabled  to  do  it  at  figures 
below  former  quotations.  For  instance,  prompt  coals  can  be  had  at  as 
low  as  12s.  3d.  True, 

In  exceptionally  well-positioned  cases, 

as  high  as  12s.  6d.  has  been  paid,  but  the  odd  threepence  is  the 
general  figure  appertaining  to  ORDINARIES,  at  the  time  of  writing. 

DRYS  continue  to  be  favoured  with  a  good  enquiry,  consequently  the 
grade  may  be  marked  up  as  a  steady  commodity.  For  prompt  ship- 
ment, too.  stems  remain  satisfactory,  so  that  sellers  have  been  enabled 
to  obtain  recent  figures  for  all  that  they  have  to  spare— these  being 
12s.  9d.  Inferiors  are  hanging  out  for  12s.  6d.  and  getting  it! 
Ahead,  there  is  very  little  doing,  and  therefore,  the  tendency  in  this 
direction  is  toward  easiness. 

MONMOUTHSHIRE  COALS  have  been  by  no  means  an  active  market. 
Stems  for  prompt  shipment  are  still  slack,  and  prices  are  largely 
governed  by  the  state  of  the  colliery  implicated,  and  the  date  which 
buyers  can  give  for  shipment.  Certainly,  a  few  of  the 

Collieries  are  busy, 

and  the  quotations  with  them  fluctuate  between  12s.  3d.  and  12s.  6d. ; 
but  the  majority,  as  we  have  said,  are  slack,  and  BEST  BLACK  VEINS 
can  be  negotiated  without  undue  trouble,  at  12s.  t'other  fellows 
prices  (or  quotations)  notwithstanding  ;  possibly  a  bit  under  the  figures 
given  !  At  the  time  of  writing,  the  prices  quoted  are  top  values. 
Naturally,  there  is  enquiry  :  there  always  is  ;  but  buyers  are  holding 
off  as  much  as  possible,  in  the  belief  that  the  present  weakness  will 
have  the  inevitable  result. 


February 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


ORDINARIES  are  not  troubled  with  a  great  demand,  and  what  is  doing. 
is  going  at  an  average  price  represented  by  the  figures  lls.  6d. — in 
individual  cases,  lls.  7  ^d.  Collieries  are  fairly  well  off  in  the 
matter  of  stems,  but  for  prompt  shipment,  quotations  are  all  toward 
easiness. 

SECONDS  have  shown  but  little  movement  since  our  last,  and  prices 
are  about  maintained. 

Prompt  stems  are  well-filled 

thanks  to  past  orders    and  current  figures  are  from  1  Os.  9d.  to  1  Is. 

RHONDDA  No.  3's  are  unchanged,  and  their  position  continues 
satisfactory.  Indeed,  the  collieries  are  busy,  and  present  engagements 
are  likely  to  keep  them  so  for  some  time  ahead.  In  addition  thereto. 
the  demand  is  good,  and  with  but  little  coal  obtainable,  sellers  have 
been  freely  booking  at  14s.  THRO'S  remain  at  12s.  with  SMALLS 
from  10s.  to  10s.  3d. 

RHONDDA  No.  2's  are  also  difficult  to  obtain  for  anything  approach- 
ing prompt  shipment.  In  consequence  of  this  scarcity,  prices  keep 
firm  at  10s.  9d.  for  immediate  business.  True,  the  pressure  of  stems 


is  gradually  :easing.  so  that  the  chances  are  all  in  favour  of  a  three- 
penny drop  in  the  near  future  ! 

SMALLS,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  are  unchanged  ;  if  any  difference 
obtains,  it  is  that 

Prices  tend  toward  easiness. 

Sellers  have  been  maintaining  their  quotations  :  but  they've  caught 
no  fish,  so  to  speak  !  Up-the-sleeve  is  only  good  for  after-dinner 
conjuring,  generally  speaking.  The  trouble  is  that  the  other  fellow 
has  a  sleeve,  and  thus  when  the  game  of  diamond-cut-diamond 
begins  well,  both  of  them  get  chipped  a  bit,  if  they  are  only  black 
diamonds  ? 

PATENT  FUELS  have  slumped  somewhat,  in  sympathy  with  their 
yoke  fellows  of  the  SMALLS  persuasion.  Present  figures  are  represented 
at  13s.  13s.  3d.,  at  which  makers  claim  to  be  firm.  They  are 
— sometimes  :  again,  sometimes  they  are  not ! 

PITWOOD  is  weak,  supplies  being  in  excess  of  the  small  demand  of 
the  moment  Quotations  are  at  16s.  6d..  but  prompt  quantities  can 
be  secured  at  less  than  this. 


APPROXIMATE     FIGURES     FOR    THE     WEKK.     ARE     AS     FOLLOW  ; — 

t  All  quotations  J.o.b.  at  the  respective  ports  of  shipment./ 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Best  Cardiff  Ad'altj  Urge 

139.  9d-.  149.  od. 

133.  gd. 

i  -,~  gd. 

i  ;-  vd.,  I3s.  gd. 

133.  /Jd. 

135.  6d. 

Second         Ditto. 
Other  Second  Cardiff     ... 

3d. 
6d. 

I3s-  3J- 

1-'-   6d. 

!   i~    Od. 

IM    ;l..j2v  61. 

I3s.  od.,  I3s.  3d. 

I2S.  4.\d. 

138.  od. 
I2s.  6d. 

i2s.  gd.,  135.  3d. 

I2S.  Ci  I. 

Drys 

.-•-9.1. 

12s.  gd. 

us.  6<!  ,  I2S.  gd. 

I2S.  Oil. 

I2S.  6cl.,   I2S.  g-1. 

Best  Newport 

129.  od..    12-.  6(1. 

I2S.  31). 

IM  3d. 

I2S.  Od. 

I2S.  Od. 

i2s.  od.,  i2s.  3d. 

Ordinary  Bests 
Seconds 

1  1-  91!. 
1  1     od. 

lis.  gd. 
us.  od. 

IIS.  7.Jd. 
ios.  yd. 

its.  (*!..  us.  gd. 
los.  gd. 

iis.  7id. 
ios.  gd.,  us.  ol. 

us.  6d.,  us.  gd. 
los.  io',d. 

Best  House  Coal 

169.  6-1..  ios.  gd. 

163.  6d. 

61. 

l6s.  gd. 

i6s.  gd. 

It-.   0.1.' 

No.  3  Rhondda 

oil. 

MS.  ol. 

I3s.  gd.,  i4s.  3,1. 

143.  od. 

135.  gJ.,  I4s.  o-J. 

145.  ...I. 

v.i    _•          Ditto. 

10*.  6d  ,  ios.  91). 

los.  gd. 

ios.  gd. 

ios.  7jd. 

ios.  7jd. 

ios.  6d. 

Rhondda  3  ••  Thro." 

1  1  »   g<l. 

us.  gd. 

12^.  od. 

I2S.  Od. 

us.  gd. 

us.  gd. 

2 

99.  od.,  99.  6d. 

gs.  3d. 

9*   3  I- 

.-••:.•,-     ; 

99.  od. 

99.  od. 

Smalls: 

Best  Cardiff 

8s.  od  .  8s.  3d 

8s.  ol. 

89.0.1. 

73.  gd..  8s.  od. 

73.  gd. 

7s.  9/1. 

Seconds 

1  .  7*.  oil. 

7s.  6d. 

7-  6d. 

7s.  3d.,  7s.  6d. 

7*  od. 

7s.  3d.,  75.  6d. 

Ordinaries 

r~  ?d 

79.  3d 

7s.  od.,  7«i.  31!. 

7*.  3d. 

73.  3d. 

7s.  od.,  73.  3d. 

Best  Newport 

7*.  3d. 

79.  od. 

79.  od. 

6s  gd. 

6s.  gd. 

Seconds 

6v  gd. 

6s.  9.!. 

64 

6s.  6d. 

i,^    jd.,  os.  g;l. 

6s.  od. 

Rhondda  No.  2 

o-l. 

69.  gd. 

od. 

73.  od. 

gd. 

6s.  gd. 

No.  3 

9*  od. 

93.  gd. 

gs.  6d..  ios.  od. 

.-       ,          IOS.  0,1 

')s.  g;l 

os.  gd. 

Foundry  Coke  : 

Special 

21*.  C4l.   22^    ol 

2is.6d. 

sifcfcL 

2i-.  od. 

Jls    ol. 

2  IS.  O(l.,  22S.  0:1. 

Ordinary 

od. 

180.  6d. 

189.  6d. 

l8s.  o:..  iSs.  6:1. 

lfe.3-1. 

Furnace  Coke 

16*.  od..  los.  6d. 

(Ml. 

16s.  3d. 

od. 

i6s.  <xl. 

158.  gd.,  i6s.  od. 

Patent  Fuel 

-I. 

139.  nd. 

i  ;-.  3d. 

1  ;-.    ;d. 

HS.  ol..    1  }s.   }.l. 

135.  od. 

I'll  «(><><]    t\  ship 

IOS.    V!   •    1"-     ^J 

i6s.  od. 

l6s.  v'.,  I0s.  6d. 

All.  less  2'7 

per  cent,  discount,  with  payment  at  thirty  days,  except 

where  otherwise  stated. 

All  quotations 

for  large  Coals  imply 

Colliery  Screened. 

SWANSEA.  February  15.  1905. 

THI  market  at  Swansea  ha*  been  more  active  this  week,  and  the 
tone  it  somewhat  steadier.  Arrivals  of  tonnage  have  been  better, 
which  has  made  Collieries  somewhat  busier  :  but  in  view  of  the 
limited  amount  of  new  business  coming  on  the  market  there  is  no 
improvement  in  prices,  generally. 

ANTHRACITE  LARGE  quotations  are  ruling  at  about  last  levels,  and 
are  steadier.    There  is  not  such  a  quantity   of  prompt  Coal  offering. 
Collieries  being  fairly  busy,  and  as  the  demand  has  been  of  'n£["***jlB 
proportions.  Sellers  are  now  firmer  in  their  quotations.      RED  VZH^S 
selling  at  about  1  Os.  to  1  Os.  6d..  according  to  the  position  and  grade. 

MACHINE  MADE  COALS  are  experiencing  a  good  enquiry,  and  prices 
hereaway  have  undergone  no  change  that  is.  they  rule  steady.  PEAS 
are.  however,  a  trifle  weaker,  the  demand  not  being  so  great  as 


recently.     Figures  quoted  are.  on  average.    1  Os.  6d.  for  the  ordinary 
sorts,  with  Bests  somewhat  higher. 

RUBBLY  CULM  may  be  regarded  as  an  improved  section  of  the 
market,  for  there  has  been  better  enquiry,  and  this  has  resulted  in 
increased  stems,  all  'round.  Indeed,  collieries  have  been  filling  up 
their  stems  rapidly,  and  seeing  that  the  quantity  available  for  prompt 
shipment  has  been  somewhat  limited,  prices  for  this  position  have 
become  firmer  at  4s.  9d. 

STEAMS  are  an  easy  market,  and  there  is  very  little  doing  at  the  moment. 
Bests  are  at  13s.  9d..  Seconds  about  12s.  6d.  to  12s.  9d.  The  others 
you  will  find  in  the  list 

PATENT  FUELS  keep  busy,  and  Makers  are  enabled  to  keep  prices 
ruling  at  lls.  9d.  There  is  a  satisfactory  demand,  and  this  section 
can  be  ticketted  sound. 


BELOW,  we  give  the  average  prices  for  the  week  :— 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY.                  SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY.         |       WEDNESDAY. 

Anthracite: 

Best    Hand    Picked 

Malting  Urge 

208.  6(1,  2IS.  Oil. 

2OS.  Od.                               2OS.  O.I. 

2OS.  ;  i. 

20S.  3d.                     20-.  0  1.,  20S.  6(1. 

Seconds    do. 

183.  od..  igs.  od. 

iSs.  6d.                 i.Ss.  cxl..  iSs.  6d. 

i8s.  3d. 

I8s.  3d.                i8s.  ol.,  i8s.  3d. 

Big  Vein  Urge 

12*.  od. 

133.  Od. 

us.  gd.,  I2s.  od. 

us.  gd. 

I2s.  o  1.                iis.  gd.,  i  j-  o  1. 

Red    .. 

ios.  3d. 

IOS.  3  1.                             ios.  0:1. 

ios.  o.l. 

gs.  gd.,-  ios.  3d.    ;      gs.  gd.,  ios.  od. 

Machine  Made  Cobhles    ... 

6d 

173.  Oil.                173.  6  1.,  I7s.  gd. 

173.  gd. 

173.  6d.                        173.  ol. 

.,    Nuts 

173.  6<l.  .  i.Ss.  od. 

l8s.  od.                        i8s.  od. 

I7s.  gJ. 

173.  6d.,  i8s.  ol.        I7s.  6d.,  i8s.  od. 

..     Peas 

ios.  IM!..  io«.  '.I 

ios.  vl 

IOS.    }  1. 

IOS.  O.I. 

ios.  6d.                  ios.  od.,  ios.  od. 

kubhly  culm 

49.  6d..  43.  od. 

43.  ''1 

4-S.  6:1. 

49.  gd. 

4*.  gd. 

4s.  61..  4s  gd. 

Ml 

3*.  6.!. 

3»-  3'1  •  .1- 

;  •!.,  3s.  6d. 

38.  6  1. 

3s.  6-1. 

Patent  Fuel: 

119.  gd..  12s.  od. 

'      ' 

lls.gd. 

lis.  gd. 

its.  od.,  I2s.  od. 

us.  od.,  us.  gl. 

i  is.  9  1. 

Steam: 

• 

lot    Urge 

cxl. 

139.  6d. 

•  3s.  31!.,  I3s  od. 

133.  3d. 

133.  ol.,  133.  6d. 

'3s-  31'- 

Second*  .. 

139.  od. 

139.  o1. 

I2s.  gd.,  ijs.  od. 

\2<.  gd. 

123.  g  1. 

12s.  6d.,  I2s.  o  1. 

Hunker    .. 

lls.  6d.,  us.  gd. 

Its.  6d. 

us.  6d. 

1  is.  9  I. 

us.  gd. 

us.  6d. 

Thro   and  Thro 

gs.  oil 

6:1.                           9s-  4-Jd. 

gs.  4jd. 

gs.  6:1. 

gs.  oJ. 

THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


February   17,   1905 


COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES 


CARDIFF  Febrtary  IS,  1905. 

Fa*  one*.  w«  will  depart  from  our  usual  custom   of  discussing 
EASTIRN  raUs  as  a  commencement  to  our   weekly   freight   repor 
Principally  because  there  is  nothing  bound   to   that  quarter  of 
workl  OM    is  worthy  of  discussion  !     The  Eastern  market  .s  hung  up  : 
it  closed  for  alterations  and  repairs;    is   non-existent  pro  tern.;    i 
anything-you-like.  for  the  sake  of  peace. 

WESTWARD,  however,  we  find  that  rates  are  well-maintained  with 
7s.  9d  as  current  figures  for  the  Lower  Ports.  PLATE-WARDS.  Then. 
Rio  o«  JANE.RO  keeps  fairly  steady  at  8s  9d.-  there  or  thereabout: 
for  the  ISLAMOS,  there  is  nothing  save  a  lifeless  spectacle  to  contempla 

No  there  is  but  little  doing  anywhere  outside  of  the  MEDITERRANEAN. 
Indeed,  this  latter  branch  of  shipping  trade  has  been  the  feature  ot 
week  about  all  the  freight-feature  the  week  has  had.  for  tne 
matter  of  that !  ITALY  has  been  "taking  it "  as  if  her  continuance  as 
a  nation  depended  on  the  amount  of  good  Welsh  coal  she  could 
assimilate,  in  a  given  time  ! 

FOR  GENOA.  SAVONA  and  SPEZZIA.  shipping  to  the  tune  of  seventy- 
five  thousand  tons  has  been  "taken  up"  since  our  last  confidence  witn 
you  Naturally,  one  wonders  where  all  the  tonnage  is  coming  from  ; 
what  the  Italians  are  going  to  do  with  the  stuff ;  if  there  is  anything 
"  behind  "  this  mad  rush  ;  and  anyhow,  what  it's  all  about  generally. 
Mind  you  we  do  not  insinuate  that  there  is  a  natural  scarcity  of  ships 
about  If  the  Italian  friend  needed  four  times  as  many  tons  of 
cargo  space  in  the  same  time,  he  could  have  it  and  there  would 
still  be  a  few  tons  left  over  among  the  unemployed. 

For  the  remainder  of  the  little  deal    is  it  not  in  the  list,  below  ? 

Week  Ending,  (Wednesday),  February  IS,  1905. 

N    denotci   Newport.   (8)  Swantem.   ;P.  T.)   Port   T«lbot,   loading. 

EASTERN. 

Aden,     Steamer,  73. 

Batavia,     Steamer,  5,000  tons,    8s.   April. 

Singapore,     Hillbrook,  2,546  n.r.   8s. 

WESTWARD,     Etc. 

Rio  de  Janeiro,     Roddani,  3,000  tons,   8s.  gd. 
River  Plate.     Dartmouth,   4,000  tons,    73.  6d. 

Steamer,  4,700  tons,    73.  gd.  (N). 

tit-na,  3,000  tons,    78.  gd. 

Steamer,  *,8oo  tons,    73.  3d. 

Middltton,  3,600  tons,   75.  6d. 

/  'iilain,   3,900  tons,    75.  gd. 

I ,-rra,  3,000  tons;  Meadowfield,  3,500  tons;  both  73.  gd. 
Las  Palmas,  Frulera,  800  tons,  55.  7jd.  option  Teneriffe 
Teneriffe,  Steamer,  2,000  tons,  55.  gd. 

MEDITERRANEAN,     Etc. 

Port  Said,    Stan  field,  5,000  tons.  <  >. 
A'-x1-'"'.  4. zoo  tons,  6s.  6d. 

mrr,  6,000   tons,     55.  gd. 
Afonn'fn,    4,300  tons,    6s. 
Genoa,     Wentbridge,  4,000   tons,    6s=.  gd. 

(n-.'fitlry,  2,000  tons,  75.  i^d.   option  Savona  Leghorn 

(spot). 
Htrnifo,  3,700  tons  ;  Bona,  2,800  tons  ;  Vera,  3,200  tons, 

Karma,  5,000  tons  ;  Tre ,  3,000  tons  ;  Huelva, 

3,300  tons;  Steamer,  5,500  tons;  Llanberis, 
3,300  tons  ;  Steamer,  3,500  tons  ;  Steamer,  3,000 
tons,  all  7*. 

Steamer,   3,500  tons,    73.   option   Naples. 
riifiillio,   2,300  tons,    -js.  coal,    73.  gd.  fuel,  (s). 
I'nldlni,  2.700  tons,   75.  i  jd.   option    Savona. 
Efiiclmrcli,  4,000  tons,    6s.  io^d. 
Abbazia,  3,500  tons,    6s.  gd. 
>/;/-/yV; /«//,    3,300  tons,   6s.  gd.    spot. 
El/rida,  3,000  tons,    6s.  gjd. 
Riiitliinoor,   4,000  tons,   6s.  6d. 

.imer,    2,300  tons,   6s.  7^d. 
(ieorgr  Fisher,   1,500  tons,    75. 
Steamer,    2,600  tons,   6s.  6d. 
Olvwfio,  i, 800  tons,    6s.  gd.   (s).  -ii? 

Bari,     Guiivppe,  2,100  tons,  73.  6d.  coal,  8s.  3d.  fuel,    (s). 
Alexandria,     n'ingnnv,  4,000  tons,   6s.  ijd.  700  delivery. 
Naples,     Ewutgttiiu,   4,800   tons,    6s.  gd.  option  Leghorn 
Etonian,    5,300  tons,  6s.  gd. 
Lydie,  3,600  tons,    7*.  option   Torre. 
Girgenti,  2,700  tons,  6s.  6d. 
Venice,     Steamer,  2,800  tons,    75.  6d. 

Linwood,  2,100  tons,  8s.  coal,  8s.  gd.  fuel,   (s). 
Steamer,   3,000  tons,    75.  6d.  (N). 
AV-//M,  4,000  tons,    78.  6d.    option  Ancona. 
Allws  Romano*,  3,100  tons,    75.  7$d.   option  Ancona. 
Ruprrra,  5,800  tons,    7*.  3d. 

Steamer,    5,400  tons,    73.  3d.  option   Ancona.  (N). 
Torre,     ("/M.S.  T.  Jones,     3,000  tons,    73.  3d. 


Marseilles,     Netlierbv,    2,500  tons,   8  francs,    (s). 
Steamer,   3,700  tons,     8  francs. 
St.  Wandrille,  2,400  tons,    8  francs. 
I  sic  of  Kent,    3,900  tons,    7-50  francs. 
Anna  Eugenie,  3,000  tons,    7-5°  francs. 
If nny,  2,700  tons,    7-25  francs. 
Algiers,     Petunia,    2,200  tons,    7-50  francs. 

Rlrio,  3,500  tons,    7  fcs.  option  Marseilles,  7-50  fcs. 
Cette,   IValen'ille,  2, 500  tons,  8  francs. 
Oran,     IVestergate,  2,000  tons,    7-50  francs. 
Elinville,  2,200  tons,   7-50  francs.    (N). 
Deutscher  Kaiser,   1,600  tons,    7-50  francs,   (s). 
Barcelona,   Clymene,  1,800  tons,  73.  3d. 
Allmla,    2,100  tons,  6s.  gd. 
Steamer,    2.300  tons,    6s.  6d. 
Bencroy,  3,200  tons,    6s.  7£d.  coal,  73.  4,|d.  fuel. 
Acuba,  2,200  tons,  6s.  gd. 
Palermo,     Treniaton,   3,000  tons,    73. 

Marima,   i, goo  tons,  6s.  nd.   coal,    73.  8d.   fuel, 
Malta,     Hazeldene,  2,900  tons,   6s.  6d.  fuel,  (Admiralty  a/c). 
Hillfarn,  4,000  tons,   53.  6d. 
Rowtor,  2,800  tons,    55.  3d. 
Valencia,     Minna  Horn,    1.200  tons,   6s.  iojd. 

Alassio,    1,300  tons,  6s.  gd.  coal,  73.  6d.  fuel,   (s). 
Steamer,    1,000  tons,    6s.  gd. 
Lisbon,     Saltwick,  2,000  tons,   43.  7|d. 
Gwendoline,   i, goo  tons,  45.  7jd.    spot. 
Jersey,    2,000  tons,   43.  gd. 
Cassia,    1,450  tons,   48.  gd. 
Cairnlyon,   i, 800  tons,   45.  7^d. 
Gibraltar",     Glemvood,   2,500  tons,   53.  3d.   (Admiralty  a/c). 

Jeanie,  2,300  tons,    53.  3d.  „  „ 

Tana,    1,600  tons,    53.  4jd. 
Bona,     Eshcolbrook,  2,600  tons,    7  fcs. 
Constantinople,     Meggie,  2,100  tons,  6s.  4^d. 
Phillippeville,     Henry,   2,200  tons,    7-25  francs. 
Piraeus,     Leo,  2,500  tons,    6s. 
Civita  Vecchia,     Raylton  Divoti,  2,100  tons,   73.  3d.   coal, 

8s.    fuel.   (s). 

Tunis,     Dalbealtie,   i, 600  tons,   g  francs, 
Cagliari,    John  Marvclittrch,  1,800  tons,  6s.  gd.  coal,  73.  6d. 

fuel,   (s)." 
Seville,    Steamer,   1,400  tons,    53.  gd. 

BAY,     Etc. 

La  Rochelle,     Iiigoldsby,     1,600  tons,   4-25  francs. 

Baliiqite,    1,700  tons,    4-62^  francs,    (s). 
Nantes,     Ahertay,  1,200  tons,    5  fcs, 
St.   Nazaire,     Skeldon,   1,750  tons,   4-37!  francs. 

Criindon,   2.100  tons,    4-37^   francs,   (s). 
Bayonne,     Enii/ie,    1,100  tons,    5-25  francs. 
Sables,     Peter  Hainrc,   1,400  tons,   4-30  francs,  (s). 
Bordeaux,     Cederic,   1,500  tons,    4^75  francs. 

Rosneatli,   2,300  tons,    4-75  francs,   (s). 

BALTIC,  Etc. 

Koenigsberg,     Alverton,  750  tons,    6s.  7id.  (s). 

COASTING,     Etc. 

Caen,     Carlslon,  780  tons,    43.  gd.   (s). 
Odin,   1,300  tons,    45.  3d.    (s). 

Bremerhaven,     Dyle,  2,100  tons,  43.  74d. 
Cerent,  2,900  tons,    45.  4^d. 

Emden,     Mannaxa,   2,000  tons,    43.  ,6d. 

Bremen,     Occident,  950  tons,    53.  6d.  (&). 

Berehaven,    Jeanie,    2,200   tons;     Clonlee,     1,300  tons; 
Grans/ia,    1,50010113;   all   35.30^   free   dis- 
charge,   (Admiralty  a/c). 
.     Chatham,    Wallscnd,  1,250  tons,  43.  usual,  (Admiralty  a/c). 

Sheerness,     Curran,  1,400  tons,  43. 3d.  usual 
Sinbad,  1,150  tons,  45. 3d.       ,, 
Sphene,   850  tons,  45.  3d.      „ 

Devonport,    Pearl,  700  tons,    35.  4^d.      ,, 
Skeldon,  1,700  tons,  33.  3d.     ,, 

Honfleur,     Iron  King.  520  tons,   43.  gd.   (s). 

Rouen,     Steamer,    1,000  tons,   43.  gd.   (s). 

St.  Malo,     Eastcheap,    1,500  tons,  33.  gd. 

Brest,     Speedwell,    1,200  tons,  33.  iojd. 

HOMEWARD. 

Bilbao  to  Cardiff,    Steamer,   2,000  tons,    33.  io|d.  ore 
Bilbao  to  Briton  Ferry,   Trafalgar,  2,000  tons,  45.  4|d.  ore 


February   17,  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


Maritime, 

and  other 

Money ,  , 
Matters, 


c 


'HERE  ought  to  be 
a  panic  in  the 
local  money 
market — but  there  isn't! 
Why  ought  there  to  be? 
Haven't  you  heard  the 
dread  news?  The  dire 
intelligence '.'  Great 
Scott !  What  possesses 
you?  The  real  Revival- 
ist is  not  coming  to 
Cardiff:  it's  too  wicked: 
without  wishing  to 

appear  irreverent  "  the  Spirit "  has  forbidden  that  you, 
and  you,  and  you,  sirs,  shall  be  saved  from  the  results  of 
your  own  wickedness.  You  have  to  wallow  along,  for 
yet  a  year  or  two  longer,  in  the  mire  of  sin  !  Under  the 
circumstances,  therefore,  oughtn't  there  to  be  a  panic  in 
the  local  money  market  ?  Rather !  We  always  had  an 
idea  that  some  parts  of  Cardiff  were  pretty  bad.  but,  dear 
us.  we  never  thought  it  would  drop  to  that  extent !  Did 
you  ?  •»•  -f  •*• 

JUST  when  you  had  been  "  newspapered "  into  a 
beatific  state  of  expectant  belief,  too!  It's  positively 
bad.  Personally,  we  are  sorry,  in  the  extreme,  and 
gazing  at  the  subject  from  any  point  that  is  left  us,  we 
can  only  advise  you  to  hang  on  to  your  shekels  -like  a 
bromhe-kite  is  supposed  to  hang  on  to  a  dead  nigger. 
Don't  part  with  a  single  copper,  until  such  time  as  you 
see  whether  a  reconsideration  of  salvation  is  allowed 
you.  No.  we  do  not  mean  to  be  wicked.  Our  remarks, 
to-day,  are  merely  on  a  par  with  those  which  appeared 
in  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW,  a  week  or  so  ago.  We  are 
not  emotional :  have  been  brought  up  in  too  hard  a 
school  :  flatter  ourselves  that  we  can  see  a  hole  in  a 
ladder,  as  easily  as  most  folk  ;  easier  than  a  number ! 

•f    4-    -f 

BUT  stay  !  You  needn't  hang  on  to  quite  all  your  odd 
coppers.  There  is  a  chance  for  you.  even  at  the  eleventh 
hour.  There  is.  indeed !  The  Head  Revivalist  is  a 
quietly  unassuming  gentleman :  we  had  it  at  second 
hand— from  a  very  estimable  Docks  person.  Beside,  we 
know,  from  personal  observation,  that  the  something- 
short-of- Divine  young  man  really  is  unassuming;  were 
he  not  so.  there  would  have  been  newspaper  articles  and 
puffs  of  all  descriptions  concerning  his  habits  of  life  ; 
what  he  eats,  drinks  and  avoids :  his  oh,  you  know, 
without  our  particularising,  too  much.  What  is  that? 
Where  does  your  chance  come  in  ?  And  what  is  the 
chance  composed  of?  Bless  us.  we  have  been  so  ker- 
flummixed  in  thinking  up  the  happy  deliverance  wtrtBff 
you  have  had  :  of  the  shekels  you  will  now  save  through 
being  careful,  and  realising  that  Cardiff  is  a  wicked  place: 
that  we  forgot  all  about  that  chance  ! 

•f   -f   * 

WE  did.  indeed.  However,  it  is  never  too  late  to  mend 
—either  in  your  case,  or  in  ours.  The  chance  !  Well, 
you  wish  to  go  to  heaven  when  you  die,  of  course.  All 
good  men-  -and  most  good  women  wish  that,  so  there 
is  nothing  unique  in  your  wishing  it.  You  cannot  have 
the  real  Simon  Pure  of  "  revivalism,"  we  admit ;  but  you 
have  the  chance  alluded  to.  Read  this  carefully,  please. 
You  can  purchase  a  "revival  button"  for  a  penny;  a 
ditto  handkerchief-  fora  copper  or  so  ;  a  cameo'd  post 
card  for  another  penny  :  and  a  real  "  revivaled  "  post 
card  for  the  same  amount.  So !  When  your  time 
comes,  you  will  be  wise  to  take  these  along  with  you, 
and  if  St.  Peter  should  ask  any  awkward  questions  about 
the  length  of  years  in  which  you  patronised  Cardiff;  just 
lay  out  the  articles  enumerated  on  the  head  of  the  turn- 
style,  mention  the  Western  Mail,  and  well,  there  you  are, 

friends ! 

4-  +  + 

WHILE  on  the  subject,  we  feel  that  it  is  but  just  to  all 
of  you,  to  set  out  what  we  have  heard  you  declare,  all 


through  the  miserable  chaos.  That  there  has  been  too 
much  of  the  man,  and  too  little  of  his  Master  in  all  this 
linotyped  flap-dash  of  nonsense.  You  are  right,  and  we 
have  often  wondered  why  the  matter  was  not  pointed  out 
in  the  quarters  where  you  have  a  right  to  expect  it. 
According  to  the  "  real  revival,"  at  least,  as  far  as  we 
can  read  it,  there  is  no  need  to  consider  the  Master;  He 
is  completely  overshadowed  by  the  mere  man.  If  not  in 
the  man,  himself,  then,  by  the  persons  who  are  exploiting 
him  in  button-making,  post-card  printing,  "revival 
paragraphing,"  and  fakes  of  a  like  nature.  Has  not  the 
time  come,  when  a  sea-serpent  should  be  dished  up:  or 
a  big  gooseberry— seeing  the  weather  is  so  mild;  or  even 
the  appearance  of  the  cuckoo  would  be  an  agreeable 
change  from  the  absolute  rot  with  which  the  district  has 
been  inundated,  for  the  past  month  or  so. 

•f  -f  4- 

THUS  far,  the  spiritual  dry  dock.  Turn  we  now  to 
the  material  ditto.  Have  you  any  money  in  the  latter 
kind?  You  have?  Then  you  might  be  lucky  or  unlucky 

as  the  fates  direct !  If  your  money  is  out  on  mortgage 
and  you  work  the  oracle  as  do  some  of  the  financial 
giants  of  which  we  could  write  whole  reams — then,  you 
will  figure  as  lucky  investors.  Put  £50,000  on  for  a  year, 
at  5i  per  cent,  interest,  and  see  that  "the  usual"  24  per 
cent,  is  paid  your  hobby-horse — for  you,  of  course.  At  the 
end  of  the  year,  the  poor  little  dry  dock  cannot  pay  back 
the  £50,000,  but  can  pay  your  interest.  You  renew,  again 
seeing  that  24  percent,  brokerage  commission  is  paid 
your  own  poet  laureate  (which  is  a  nice  method  of  writing 
"bucket shop  keeper ").  +  +  + 

ALLOW  this  little  bit  of  "finance"  to  continue  for  a 
year  or  two ;  then  get  rorty.  As  a  result,  threaten 
foreclosure,  the  bums,  sudden  death,  bubonic  plague— or 
anything  that  will  frighten  tf)e  souls  out  of  the  hard- 
working folk  who  are  trying  to  drag  the  little  property 
out  of  the  hands  of  the  modern  Shy  lock.  If  you  frighten 
them  hard  enough,  you  might  succeed  in  buying  out  the 
mortgaged  property  at  prices  which  are  popularly 
supposed  to  rank  for  old  songs;  again,  you  mightn't.  In 
the  alternative,  you  may  continue  with  the  renewable- 
mortgage-plus-the-everlasting-2i-commission  until  the 
clap  of  doom  or  the  summons  from  the  Old  'Un,  which- 
ever materialises  first.  There's  money  in  dry  docks, 
don't  forget.  Sometimes,  the  money  is  clean — but 

there's  always  money,  there ! 

4-  +  4- 

WHEN  all  is  said,  however,  this  is  a  very  common  and 
ancient — manner  of  playing  the  game  of  finance.  It  is 
merely  on  a  par  with  the  "  nautical  pawn-shop."  An 
.  embryo  "  shipowner  "  launches  himself  -and  a  few  con- 
fiding friends-  on  the  giddy  seaof  "shipowning."  Matters 
go  exactly  opposite  to  the  schedule,  and  the  baby  concern 
is  in  Queer  Street.  Shy  lock—  in  this  instanca,  a  non-con- 
formist gentleman,  say —comes  along;  possesses  a  phil- 
anthropic desire  to  help  the  youth;  puts  up  enough  cash 
(on  a  mortgage)  to  enable  the  next  voyage  to  be  entered 
on;  then,  sits,  down  to  smile.  Voyage  ends;  expenses 
have  increased  ;  mortgagee's  ooftish  cannot  be  returned 
—  neither  can  the  interest  thereon. 

4-4-4- 

SHYLOCK  smiles  —in  adeprecating  manner  -even  as  he 
instructs  his  minion  to  foreclose.  Foreclosure  eventuates: 
Shylock  thus  secures  the  use  of  a  £30,000  steamer  for 
£2,000.  But  why  make  a  fuss  about  it?  You  knew  all 
this,  years  ago.  Could  "  give  him  a  name,"  at  any  portion 
of  the  period  indicated.  Yet  you  go  on  "putting  up"  your 
money  on  the  same  conditions-  Is  it  any  wonder  that 
you  are  supposed  to  be  beyond  the  means  of  grace  '  Or 
that  a  boss  revivalist  means  to  keep  clear  of  you  ?  Don't 
you  fash  yourself  with  the  belief  that  the  b.r.  feels  that 
he  couldn't  "  stuff  "  you  quite  as  easily  as  the  man  up 
the  hills.  If  you  do,  you  will  be  wrong.  All  that  is  ne- 
cessary, hereaway,  is  a  good  tale,  and  bless  you,  you  are 
to  be  depended  on  for  the  stamps,  and  things ! 


16 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


February   17,   1905 


CHINOS  are  not  always  what  they  seem,  even  if 
visions  are  not  about,  and  I.  for  one,  sincerely  hope 
that  our  respected  Chief  has  not  developed  revivals 
for  the  disease,  judging  by  recent  examples,  is 
considerably  worse  than  dysentry !  It's  like  this.  Last 
night,  before  packing  up.  he-who-mus-but  you  know? 
Anyhow,  the  question  was.  "  Seen  all  this  rant  about  the 
hard  time  which  is  in  store  for  us  ?  This  with-holding  of 
the  manna  from  the  hungering  souls  at  Cardiff  ? " 
course.  1  admitted  the  soft  impeachment,  and  then  had  to 
sit  down  to  listen  to  a  most  soul-harrowing  tale  of  fervour 
and  finance.  The  yarn  was  a  good  one.  So  good,  that  I 
have  half-a-mind  to  trot  it  out  here.  I  hate  to  keep  all  the 
good  things  to  myself.  But  perhaps  you  will  have  observed 
my  generosity  in  this  respect,  in  which  case,  it  is  unneces- 
sary for  me  to  write  thereon  ? 

BUT  the  yarn  ?    Yes.  yes  !     I'm  coming  to  that,  directly. 
although  with  birthday  screeds,  revivals,  and  unrevivals 
good  lor'  it  would  be  no  wonder  if  a  self-respecting  sailor 
man  took  his  sextant  out  of  -er— away  from  the  respected 
Hebrew  shentlemans  who  has  kindly  consented  to  attend 
to  its  tangent  screw— and  other  parts    for  a  little  consider- 
ation running  into  some  twenty-five  per  cent,  on  the  mon 
but  there  !     Mind  you.  this 


is  not  a  revival  tale.  True, 
it  has  to  do  with  a  Chapel : 
but  it  is  in  the  regular 
profession,  this.  Nothing 
of  the  freak  about  it.  Really, 
I  forget  the  man's  name 
i  and  I  don't  like  to  ask  the 
Chief :  want  to  sort  of 
spring  this  on  him  ! )  but  if 
I  write  him  down  as  HE,  1 
shall  not  be  far  out.  because 
I  know  the  person  wore 
pants. 

HE.  then,  was  a  highly 
respected  shipowner  man. 
and  carried  on  business— 
1  believe  in  the  Bristol 
Channel.  In  addition  to 
being  "a  highly-respected 
shipowner  man."  HE  was 
by  way  of  becoming  a 
FINANCIER  (all  in  capi- 
tals). Indeed,  in  this  little 
yarn,  you  will  recognise 
traces  of  haut  finance  :  but 
nothing  to  some  of  those 

which  I  may  explain  to  you.  later  on.  Outside  of  the  fact 
that  HE  was  a  shipowner  and  FINANCIER,  he  was  what 
the  world  styles  a  "good  living"  man.  1  don't  mean  in  so 
far  as  his  table  stuff  was  concerned,  m  that.  HE  was 
most  abstemious.  Didn't  believe  in  any  ostentatious 
display  and  things  of  that  sort :  and  personally,  I  honour 
him  for  it.  Come  to  think  of  it.  there  is  altogether  too 
much  of  that  ostentation  idea  about  among  shipowner  folk  : 
at  least,  among  some  of  them.  But  this  is  a  deuce  of  a 
yarn  to  slip  out  of  hand  ? 

HOWEVER,  having  given  you  all  that  I  remember  of  his 
name :  having  told  you  of  some  of  his  attributes :  1  had 
better  particularise  to  the  extent  of  saying  that  HE  was 
foster-father  along  with  some  other  estimable  "good 
livers  "—to  a  brand-new  Chapel,  or  Church  I  am  not  sure 
what  this  particular  sect  style  their  meeting  place.  Twas 
a  nice  chapel-  or  church,  as  the  case  might  be.  Was 
built  of  stone,  and  had  a  slate  roof  :  none  of  your  corru- 
gated iron  touches,  with  match-board  linings,  and  things  of 
that  sort.  Why.  it  was  lighted  with  electric  light-  unfor- 
tunately, as  you  will  recognise,  further  along.  The  place 
had  rather  a  swagger  entrance  :  cathedral  glass  fakes  in 
the  windows,  and— oh.  heaps  of  up-to-date  notions,  and 


Spray ! 


things.  The  only  thing  it  didn't  have,  at  the  time  when 
this  yarn  eventuated,  was  a  pastor  who  was  on  a  par  with 
the  internal  (and  external)  economy  of  the  chapel  or 
church. 

THIS  absence  of  pastor  was  the  fly  in  the  ointment,  and 
HE.  good  man.  set  himself  the  task  of  supplying  this  very 
necessary  adjunct  to  successful  Worship.  That  is.  if  HE 
didn't  quite  set  himself  the  task  of  supplying  the  pastor, 
HE  undertook  to  arrange  matters  so  that  his  stay  would  be 
permanent — as  chapels  (or  churches)  go.  Anyhow,  and 
for  the  purpose  of  cutting  a  long  story  short,  there  was  an 
applicant  for  the  created  vacancy ;  a  really  high-class 
person  :  one  that  it  would  be  rude  to  offer  less  than  a  five 
pound  note  on  the  weekly  pay  night ;  and  HE  was  laying 
himself  out  to  attend  to  the  matter.  There  appeared  to  be 
a  doubt  as  to  the  offertory — I  think  it  is  styled  — mounting 
up  to  the  required  limit  that  should  cover  salary  and 
incidentals ;  so.  in  a  sudden  burst  of  transient-induced 
magnanimity,  HE  declared,  in  a  most  gentlemanly  manner, 
that  if  the  revenue  from  all  sources,  stopped  below  the 
necessary  limit,  then,  HE  would  guarantee  the  difference, 
for  quite  a  number  of  years. 

NATURALLY,   the   assembled   people  said  it  was  kind  of 

HE;  equally  naturally  HE 
said,  "Not  at  all."  Also 
that  he  was  proud  to  do  it, 
etc.,  and  so  on.  But  this 
was  in  the  glare  of  the 
afternoon's  setting  sun  (bit 
poetical  that,  don't  you 
think)  ;  or  it  might  have 
been  in  the  electric  lights' 
glare ;  I  rather  think  it  was 
the  latter,  and  hence  the 
"unfortunately"  which  I 
dropped  in  above.  Anyhow, 
it  was  either  in  the  fading 
sunlight,  or  in  Electra's 
thrall,  and  the  guarantee 
was  a  straight  affair.  Of 
that,  there  can  be  no  doubt. 
We  do  not  insinuate  that 
HE  sat  there  with  a  beatific 
look  on  his  striking  front- 
ispiece :  wouldn't  suggest 
that  HE  even  looked  smug, 
and  ultra  respectable. 
Principally,  because  we  do 
not  know.  All  that  we 
remember  is.  that  HE 

posed  as  a  guarantor  to  the  pastor's  fund,  and  that  later  on, 
the  congregation  dispersed-- feeling  as  if  somebody  had 
left  them  a  legacy,  and  that  they  could  get  their  preaching 
now.  for  an  occasional  threepenny  piece.  Not  two 
occasional  you  know  ;  but  just  occasional  enough  ! 

FOR  the  sake  of  euphony,  I  will  suppose  that  it  was  on 
the  next  morning  that  HE  wished  to  hedge  a  bit  on  his 
rash  promise  of  the  night  before.  It  might  not  have  been 
next  morning :  but  that  is  good  enough.  HE  did  try  to 
hedge,  and  that  is  the  main  point.  With  this  idea  in  front, 
HE  visited  another  worthy  shipowner.  Name  of  HIM.  I 
believe.  It  doesn't  really  matter,  you  know,  but  HE  said  to 
HIM— well.  HE  stated  the  facts,  and  asked  HIM  to  under- 
write the  guarantee  to  the  extent  of  a  thick  'un,  weekly. 
HIM  wasn't  having  any.  In  fact,  HIM  was  rude.  Awfully 
so  !  Said  "  Seems  to  me  you  want  to  run  that  pastor  as  a 
sort  of  limited  company.  One  in  which  you  will  be 
promoter,  managing  director,  and  everything  but 
FINANCIER.  You  get  all  the  kudos,  eclat,  prayers  of  the 
people,  and  all  the  rest  of  it.  Go  away,  sir.  and  pray  for 
it."  He  is  still  praying  for  it,  but  you  will  admit  that 
the  dear  old  chap  is  something  of  a  FINANCIER — even 
as  'tis  admitted  by  PETREL. 


February    i  7,    1 905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


'7 


> 


' 


PATENTS  &  TRSDE  MSRKS 

Relating    to    SHIPPING   and    the    COAL    TRADE. 


Specifications  published  on  February  2,  1905,  together 
with  an  indication  of  their  subject  matter,  the  title 
being  printed  in  Italics. 

401  04— THOMPSON  —  Improvements    in    and    relating    to 
conveyors. 

This  is  a  conveyor  for  shifting  coal  in  bulk.  It  con- 
sists of  chains  ouilt  up  of  flat  plate  links  across  which 
other  plates  with  lateral  flanges  are  mounted.  The 
chains  are  fitted  with  rollers  at  intervals  and  are  guided 
in  the  usual  manner.  To  prevent  the  lateral  flanges 
from  buckling  a  transverse  web  may  connect  the  two. 

664  04  —  DREARER—  Improvements  in   the   manufacture  of 
hemp  or  other  fibre  ropes. 

This  improvement  consists  in  embedding  one  or  more 
wires  in  each  strand  of  a  fibre  rope. 

5,513  04— CLERY     Improved    means  for  propelling  ships 
and  boats. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  method  of  propulsion  of 
vessels  by  means  of  a  collapsible  cone  carried  on  the 
end  of  a  reciprocating  shaft.  Two  shafts,  one  on  each 
side  of  the  rudder,  are  guided  so  as  to  project  beyond 
the  stern  of  the  vessel.  These  shafts  are  continuations 
of  the  piston  rods  of  fluid-pressure  cylinders  arranged 
inside  the  vessel.  A  collapsible  cone  is  fitted  to  the 
end  of  each  shaft.  On  the  stern  ward  stroke  of  the  rods 
the  cones  open  out  and  on  the  forward  stroke  they 
collapse. 

5,687  04     MANCO-SCHNURER     An  improved  device  for 
saving  life  at  sea. 

This  device  consists  of  one  or  more  flexible  bags  cr 
pouches  in  connection  with  a  capsule  of  compressed  or 
liquified  gas.  such  as  carbon  di-oxide.  The  capsule  is 
fitted  with  a  valve  which  is  adapted  to  be  opened  by  a 
plunger.  The  end  of  the  stem  of  the  plunger  is  split 
and  headed  so  as  to  spring  outward  and  engage  behind  a 
shoulder  forming  the  valve  seat  and  hold  the  valve  open 
against  the  gas  pressure,  for  the  purpose  of  discharging 
the  gas  from  the  capsule  into  the  bags. 
6,022  04  TEALE  Improvements  in  rope  haulage  clips. 

This  clip  consists  of  a  casing  in  which  a  pair  of  jaws 
are  adapted  to  slide.  The  upper  jaw  slides  m  under  cut 
guides  in  the  side  of  the  casing  and  is  hooked  at  the  top 
to  embrace  the  rope.  The  side  or  guide  portion  of  this 
jaw  is  provided  with  an  opening  through  which  passes  a 
spindle  with  a  cam.  This  spindle  and  cam  is  adapted  to 
be  turned  by  a  handle  to  close  the  upper  jaw  and  is 
fitted  with  a  catch  whereby  it  is  held  in  the  closed 
position.  The  lower  jaw  slides  in  a  slot  in  the  casing 
and  is  pressed  upwards  against  the  rope  by  springs —  A- 
cam-lever,  connected  to  the  load  by  a  rope,  also  presses' 
this  lower  jaw  upwards  when  in  use. 

6,057  04     JAGGER     An  improved  rowlock. 

This  improvement  consists  in  fitting  a  flat  spring  in 
a  recess  in  the  shank  of  a  rowlock,  so  that  the  end  of 
the  spring  projects  and  prevents  accidental  displacement 
of  the  rawlock. 

6,06704     GRU BY—  Improvements   in  connection   with  the 
adjustment  of  magnetic  compasses. 

This  invention  relates  to  devices  for  facilitating  the 
magnetic  adjustment  of  compasses.  These  devices 
consist  of  frames  for  containing  magnets  secured  to 
and  inside  the  binacle  casing.  Each  frame  consists  of 
two  notched  brass  strips  pivotted  to  the  binacle  casing  at 
their  bottoms  and  secured  by  a  screw  at  the  top.  The 
notches  for  the  reception  of  the  magnets  are  inclined 
upwards  and  their  mouths  are  on  the  inner  or  casing 
side.  Angle  bars,  secured  to  the  casing,  form  flanges  for 
preventing  the  magnets  from  falling  out  endways. 
6.111  04  Sir  w  G.  ARMSTRONG.  WHITWORTH  A  Co., 
LTD.  Improved  apparatus  for  tipping  coal  or  other  materials. 

This  invention  relates  to  double  deck  hoists  for  rail- 
way waggons  in  which  the  waggons  on  either  deck  can 
be  tipped  at  will  by  the  same  mechanism.  For  this 
purpose  the  tipping  rope  instead  of  being  secured  to  the 


hoist,  has  its  ends  secured  one  to  each  tipping  frame, 
and  is  led  around  pulleys  of  a  hydraulic  ram  and 
cylinder.  On  one  frame  being  locked  and  the  ram 
actuated  the  other  frame  is  tipped. 

7,500/04 — HUNTER — Improvements  in  lifting  jacks  for 
mine  timbering. 

This  jack  consists  of  an  upright  fitted  with*  spikes 
at  the  top  and  a  screw  adjustable  spike  at  the  bottom 
for  holding  it  against  the  roof  and  floor  of  the  mine 
passage.  The  upright  is  built  up  of  three  members 
adjustable  in  length  to  form  a  narrow  open  fronted  box 
inside  which  slides  the  end  of  a  hook  shaped  carriage  or 
support  for  a  timber.  The  upright  is  fitted  with  a  pulley 
at  the  top  over  which  a  cord  from  the  carriage  is  led  to 
a  drum  mounted  with  a  handle  and  gearing  near  the 
bottom  of  the  upright. 
24,761/04 -  BROWN—  Improvements  in  life  boats. 

This  invention  relates  to  that  class  of  life  boats  in 
which  an  inner  carriage  remains  in  equilibrium  indepen- 
dently of  the  rolling  of  the  outer  hull,  and  consist  in 
providing  these  boats  with  propelling  and  steering 
mechanism  operated  from  the  inner  carriage  which  will 
remain  submerged  independent  of  the  movement  of  the 
outer  hull  and  to  various  other  improvements. 

25,178/04  — NELSON     Improvements  in  tip  wagons. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  means  for  tipping  railway 
wagons  which  are  too  large  to  be  tipped  by  hand.  Ac- 
cording thereto,  the  wagon  is  pivotted  to  one  side  of  the 
under  frame  and  a  hand-operated  screw-threaded 
spindle  is  connected  by  a  collar  with  gudgeons  to  the 
underframe  and  is  carried  through  a  nut  and  sleeve 
connected  to  the  wagon  body  by  gudgeons. 
25,51 1/04— NORMAND — Improvements  in  screw-propelling 
vessels. 

In  order  to  obtain  the  most  efficient  propulsive  effect 
in  vessels  propelled  by  a  single  shaft  fitted  with  a  screw 
or  screws,  the  shaft  should  be  arranged  at  as  small  an 
angle  as  possible  with  the  direction  of  the  stream  of 
water.  According  to  this  invention  this  is  attained  by 
arranging  the  shaft  in  a  small  hull  below  the  main  hull 
or  in  a  small  extention  thereof.  The  shaft  is  driven  by 
a  reciprocating  engine  with  its  cylinders  arranged  above 
the  shaft  in  the  main  hulls  and  the  cranks  and  connecting 
rods  in  the  small  lower  portion. 

27,101/04  WESTLE  Improvements  in  and  connected  with 
steering  propellers. 

A  number  of  revoluble  shafts  are  fitted  fore  and  aft; 
and  if  desirable  at  the  sides  of  the  vessel.  These  shafts 
are  fitted  with  blades  which  are  adapted  to  be  turned 
around  their  axles  by  cam  sectors. 


These  applications  for  patents  are,  until  March  18,1905, 
open  to  opposition  by  any  person  having  a  statutory 
right  to  oppose. 

Copies  of  the  specifications  may  be  obtained  from  the 
Sale  branch  of  the  Patent  Office  or  through  the  under- 
named. 


TRADE   MARKS. 


The  following  application  for  the  registration  of  Trade 
Mark  relating  to  the  shipping  and  coal  trades  was 
advertised  on  February  8,  and  is  open  to  opposition  by 
interested  parties  within  the  period  ending  March  8. 

Class  4  —  Including  coal. 

No.  268,928  30th  December,  1904  ECORC1TE— for: 
Partly  prepared  vegetable,  animal  and  mineral  substances 
used  in  manufactures  not  included  in  other  classes. 

Caeser  Marter,  No.  6  Phillip  Street,  Islington,  London, 
N.,  Engineer  and  Manufacturer. 

Compiled  by  Messrs.  PHILLIPS  &  LEIGH,  Chartered  Patent 
Agents,  22,  Southampton  Buildings,  Chancery  Lane,  London, 
W.C.  Local  Consultant  :  Mr.  S.  W.  ALLEN,  Engineer,  of  Cardiff 
Exchange,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


!•"<  In  uar}-   17,  1905 


• 


OUR  MARITIME  DIRECTORY. 


CARDIFF. 


Colliery    Proprietor*. 

("DRY  BROS.  &  Co..  LTD..  Cardiff  and 
London.    Depots  at  all  the  principal 
Coaling  Stations  in  the  World. 

"CORY.  CARDIFF"  ; 
"Cony.  LONDON." 


INSOLE.  GEORGE  &  SON.  Cardiff.   Sole 
Shippers  of  Cymmer  Steam    Coal. 
Windsor  Steam  Coal,  and  Insoles  No.  2 
Rhondda  Coal. 

Telegrams    "INSOLES.  CARDIFF." 


JEWIS    MERTHYR    CONSOLIDATED  COL- 
LIERIES. LTD..  Proprietors  and  Ship- 
pers  of    "Lewis  Merthyr"   Navigation 
Steam  Coal. 

Tetazram*  •    'Lewis  MERTHYR.  CARDIFF"; 
"LEWIS  MERTHYR.  LONDON." 

MARQUESS  OF  BUTE  COLLIERIES. 
Aberdare.  Hirwain.  and  Rhondda 
Valley.  Shipping  ports:  — Bute  Docks. 
Cardiff :  Penarth  Dock  :  Swansea : 
Briton  Ferry:  and  Newport  (Won.) 

Telegrams  :  "  SCMA.  CARDIFF." 

QCEAN    (MERTHYR)    COAL  Co.,   LTD., 
1  1.  Bute  Crescent.  Cardiff,  proprie- 
tors of  Ocean  (Merthyr)  Steam  Coal. 


UNIVERSAL  STEAM   COAL  Co..  LTD., 
Bute  Docks.  Cardiff.  Proprietors  of 
"  Universal  Steam  Coal." 

Telegram*  :  "  VERSATILE.  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF     Continued. 


VIVIAN.   H.   C.   &  Co..    Bute   Docks. 
Cardiff.     Sole  European  Agents  for 
"  The  Puritan  Coal  Mining  Co.,  Phila- 
delphia. U.S.A." 

Telegrams  :  "VIVIAN.  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF     Continued 


miscellaneous. 


WATTS.    WATTS  *  Co.,   Cardiff    and 
London.  Contractors  for  the  supply 
of  Coals  at  all  DeptHs  abroad. 

Telegrams  :  "  WATTS.  CARDIFF." 

Dock   Owners. 


J^EWIS  &  TYLOR.  Bute  Docks.  Cardiff 
Sole  patentees  and  manufacturer 
of  "  Gripoly."  a  patent  woven  belting 
and  "  Burals,"  a  semi-metallic  packing 

Telegrams  :  "  BELTING  CARDIFF."        Telephone,  Nat.  23] 


VHE  CARDIFF  RAILWAY  COMPANY,  Bute 
Docks.  Cardiff. 


Ship  Repairers. 


^HEARMAN,  JOHN  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff, 
and  at  Barry  Dock. 


THE  BUTE  SHIPBUILDING.  ENGINEERING, 
AND   DRY    DOCK   COMPANY,    LIMITED. 
Roath  Basin.  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:   "CAISSON.  CARDIFF." 


T'HE  CARDIFF  CHANNEL  DRY  DOCKS  AND 
PONTOON    Co.,    LTD.,    Cardiff    and 
Barry  Dock. 

Telegrams 


Steamship    Owners. 

[)AN.   JENKINS    &     Co..    Steamship 
Owners  and  Brokers.  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "Stonewall,  Cardiff." 
Nat.  Telephone  :  1318. 


BARRY. 


Dock  Owners. 


"  Entrance.  Cardiff." 
"  Channel.  Barry." 


XHE  BARRY  RAILWAY  Co..   Barry. 


"THE    MERCANTILE    PONTOON   Co.,  LTD.. 
Roath  Dock.  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:   "MERCANTILE.  CARDIFF' 


Ship  Repairers. 

RARRY  GRAVING 
U     Co.,  LTD. 


DOCK  &.  ENGINEERING 


Telegrams:   "  BARDOCK,  BARRY." 
National  Telephone  No.  7.         Post  Office  Telephone  No.  7 


To    the    Proprietors    of 


•  • 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW," 


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FRIDAY,   FEBRUARY   24,   1905. 


THREEPENCE. 


IN     THE     TOILS! 


VOH  TOOTH  :     "  'It  'im  von  udder,  mein  friendt.     I  'im  vill  'it.  bime  by.  yah  ! 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


February  '24,  1905 


NOTICES.*** 


CONTENTS.**" 


CARDIFF. 


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""""i  :  :  : 

AMERICA'S  MERCANTILE  MARINE 
LLOYD'S  STATISTICAL  TABLES  FOR  1904 


the  Editor  nor  the  Publishers  will  accept 


for  the 


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19 
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addressed  envelopes  are  sent 

Corrwpondence  :  The  Editor  does  not  necessarily  identify  himself 
with  the  opinions  expressed  by  Correspondents.  ™S**&£gl 
in  everv  instance  be  accompanied  by  the  name  and  address  (if  r 
publication  then  as  evidence  of  eood  faith),  of  the  writer,  and  must  be 
written  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only. 


CARDIFF  (AND  OTHER)  COAL       

COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES  ... 

MARITIME  (AND  OTHER)  MONEY  MATTERS 

SEVERN  SEA  SPRAY 

PATENTS  AND  TRADE  MARKS      3^ 


MARITIME    MURMURS. 


DOCKS.  CARDIFF, 

Thursday  Afternoon. 

ANOTHER  Act  in  the  working  of  the  Welsh  coal  trade  has 
come  and  gone.  The  Conciliation  Board  has  met:  Sir 
Michael  Hicks-Beach  has  graciously  listened  to  the  alleged 
argument  from  both  sides  of  the  fence :  has  inclined  his 
ear  to  the  Sacred  Cause,  even  as  he  dropped  in  his  vote  on 
the  workmen's  side  of  the  bag  of  mystery.  Presumably, 
the  combatants  are  "conciliated,"  for  they  went  their 
respective  ways  without,  as  far  as  we  can  see.  asking  each 
other  if  the  demand  for  a  reduction  was  really  made  in 
earnest.  From  the  men's  side,  emanated  a  claim  that  they 
were  entitled  to  take  into  consideration  the  volume  of  trade 
which  had  been  large.  Apparently,  their  title  in  this— as 
in  every  other  respect— was  allowed,  and  thus  it  happens 
that  the  men,  once  more,  are  enabled  to  decide  for  the 
masters,  what  the  latter  shall  be  allowed  to  pay  for  their 
labour :  in  other  words,  how  they  shall  be  allowed  to  run 
their  own  particular  businesses— by  the  grace  of  God,  and 
the  Welsh  collier.  Of  course,  the  sliding-scale  was  referred 
to.  It  always  is !  The  contending  parties  elect  to  declare 
that  they  will  have  none  of  that  sliding-scale  ;  but  we  doubt 
if  there  has  been  one  meeting  of  this  euphemistically-named 
Conciliation  Board,  where  sliding-scale  has  not  been  the 
largest  factor  toward  settlement. 

0fc 

OH  this  particular  occasion,  "  Mabon  "  (who  is  back  from 
America,  you'll  remember)  brought  in  "  volume  of  trade," 
plus  "the  reduction  in  certain  charges  (which  is  sort  of 
vague  ? )  affecting  the  price  f.o.b."  While  on  this  phase  of 
the  pow-wow,  the  same  authority  pointed  out  that  "the 
sliding-scale  would  have  been  without  a  maximum,  etc." 
See !  The  much-abused  sliding-scale  is  brought  in  as  a 
very  real  factor  in  the  settlement  of  these  little  matters. 
In  other  words,  the  colliers  appear  to  be  willing  to  accept 
the  working  conditions  of  the  sliding-scale -providing  the 
"  expenses "  accruing  through  the  establishment  of  the 
Conciliation  Board,  is  given  to  their  "  leaders."  Really,  the 
subject  is  a  most  pitiable  one  ?  Here  we  have  a  spectacle 
of  employers  who  are  responsible  for  the  ^working  of  a 
colossal  industry,  and  who  yet  are  willing  to  allow  their 
methods  of  working  to  be  placed  in  the  hands,  and  at  the 


mercy—more  or  less  tender— of  a  number  of  professional 
agitators,  who  have  all  to  gain  and  absolutely  nothing  to 
lose,  according  to  which  way  the  cat  jumps.  On  the  one 
hand  is  a  group  of  employers  with  millions  at  stake  ;  on  the 
other,  is  a  group  of  what  the  world  has  aptly  styled 
"  stormy  petrels." 

jO?    9tg 

$G     i3 

THE  constructional  parts  of  the  Conciliation  Board,  too, 
are  merely  a  caricature  of  commercial  methods.  You  have 
an  equal  number  of  employers  and  of  workmen's  delegates; 
the  former  have  been  engaging  in  the  coal  business—  that 
is,  the  business  of  finding  markets  for  their  commodity,  and 
of  regulating  the  supply  in  accordance  with  the  demand 
and  value  thereof — all  their  lives  ;  have,  in  consequence, 
learned  all  there  is  to  know  concerning  the  financial,  as 
well  as  the  labouring  side  of  the  undertaking  ;  and  on  their 
efforts,  depends  the  despatching  of  that  black  bag  of 
sovereigns  which  goes  up  the  hills,  fortnightly  !  The  other 
side  of  the  combination  has  positively  no  interest  in  the 
undertaking,  outside  of  a  day's  pay — when  they  care  to 
work.  In  the  event  of  their  declining  to  work,  the 
community,  in  the  ordinary  way  of  trade,  would  be  effected 
nothing  at  all ;  for  there  are  a  hundred  applicants  for  each 
man's  job — directly  there  is  a  vacancy.  All  this  notwith- 
standing, the  two  sides  referred  to  sit  down  and  haggle 
about  prices ;  fail  to  agree ;  summon  an  outsider  who  is 
merely  one  man,  who  has  to  be  biassed — for  that  is  what  it 
really  amounts  to — toward  one  side  or  the  other  ;  and  on 
his  individual  decision,  the  welfare  of  the  community  hangs! 

5?^ 

WE  are  quite  willing  to  admit  that  Sir  Michael  will,  on 
each  occasion,  do  what  he  conscientiously  believes  to  be 
right  and  proper  ;  but  even  so,  it  is  placing  the  staple 
industry  of  South  Wales  in  an  awfully  dangerous  position. 
If  the  independent  chairman  could  be  depended  on  to  give, 
at  all  times,  the  correct  trend  to  the  disputed  course,  all 
would  be  well.  But  Sir  Michael  is  merely  a  man,  as  we 
have  already  remarked,  and  therefore,  is  by  no  means 
infallible.  Furthermore,  is  it  to  be  seriously  pretended  that 
the  gentleman's  knowledge  of  the  coal  trade  is  such,  that 
it  is  safe  to  entrust  to  his  wisdom,  the  decisions  which  may 
mean  life  or  death  to  the  industry  ?  Mind  you,  we  are  not 


February  24,  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


,20 


unmindful  of  the  fact  that  Sir  Michael  has  had  experience— 
of  a  sort  with  coal  and  coal  people  :  he  engineered  the 
coal-tax,  and  consequent  on  that  piece  of  iniquity,  was 
brought  in  close  contact  with  numerous  deputations  from 
coal-land.  However,  we  are  disinclined  to  admit  that 
because  a  man  succeeded  in  putting  a  tax  on  an  already 
sorely-tried  undertaking,  that  he  is,  therefore,  the  very  man 
to  come  down  and  settle  all  other  disputes.  Beside,  the 
principle  of  the  thing  is  wrong.  What  sense  is  there  in 
laying  the  welfare  of  a  whole  community  open  to  the 
decision  of  one  man  supposing  he  were  as  good  as  General 
Jackson  ? 

5?*? 

YET  this  is  all  that  the  Conciliation  Board  amounts  to  ! 
Its  destinies  are  given  over  to  the  care  of  an  outsider. 
whose  principal  recommendation  lays  in  the  fact  that  he 
was  willing  to  take  the  breach,  when  other— and  probably 
more  coal  experty- men,  declined.  There  is  no  getting 
away  from  this  fact,  is  there  ?  The  mere  notion  that  a 
number  of  colliery  owners  and  colliery  workers  meet 
together  to  discuss  the  pros  and  cons  of  their  business,  and 
failing  to  agree,  bring  in  an  outsider,  is  no  guarantee  that  a 
correct  decision  will  be  arrived  at  ?  Indeed  the  whole 
arrangement  is  strongly  suggestive  of  "  blind  man's  buff." 
in  which,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  the  independent 
chairman  is  "  blind  man  !  "  He  comes  along  to  the  meeting 
and,  metaphorically,  is  set  adrift  among  the  two  opposing 
sides :  he  gropes  around  :  catches  an  idea  ( or  a  man  !  >  : 
and  straightway  takes  off  his  figurative  eye-cover !  In  the 
words  of  the  local  folk.  Sir  Michael  has  given  his  decision, 
and  the  world  is  conciliated  !  Is  not  the  whole  affair  of  a 
pitiable  nature,  as  we  have  suggested  to  you.  ere  this  ? 
Of  course,  it  is  but  right  and  proper  that  a  cordial  vote  of 
thanks  be  accorded  the  gentleman,  or  that  it  be  proposed 
by  the  president  of  the  losing  side.  We  have  no  quarrel 
with  Sir  Michael  qua  Sir  Michael  :  our  contention  is.  that 
an  industry  the  size  of  the  South  Wales  coal  trade  has  no 
right  to  be  laid  open  to  the  caprice  of  a  one  man  decision 
for  that  is  all  the  Conciliation  Board  (its  cost  notwithstand- 
ing) amounts  to. 

5?%} 

WE  hardly  know  whether  to  be  glad  or  sorry  !  We  mean 
in  connection  with  the  revolution  that  is  due  in  steam 
shipping  in  1915  !  It  appears  that  a  London  "daily"  has 
fallen  across  a  genius  who  is  going  to  fit  out  a  steamer  or 
steamers,  we  presume  with  a  "  row  of  propellers  on  each 
side  of  the  vessel."  In  addition  to  all  this  multiplicity  of 
"  screws."  the  shafts  actuating  them  are  to  "slant  forward, 
inward  and  upward  at  about  30  degrees."  From  this  you 
will  realise  that  the  inventor  knows  something  about  the 
business?  Just  think  what  would  have  been  bound  to 
follow  if  those  shafts  slanted  aft.  and  outwards  and  down- 
wards at  the  same  angle  !  Great  Nelson,  why.  the  steamer 
would  have  gone  astern  when  her  commander  meant  her  to 
go  ahead  :  pointing  outwards  they  would  have  played  the 
very  deuce  with  the  poor  inoffensive  fish  :  while  if  they  had 
pointed  downward  no  we  cannot  contemplate  the  disasters 
that  would  surely  have  followed.  It's  awful,  and  in  the 
year  of  grace  exemplified  by  the  figures  1915.  we  shouldn't 
care  to  be  a  fish.  The  risk  of  meeting  a  Daily  Express 
"  side-screwed  "  steamer  would  be  too  great.  Of  course, 
there  is  a  secret  to  this  invention  :  but  as  it  has  been  im- 
parted to  the  "  daily  "  alluded  to.  we  see  no  reason  why  we 
should  suppose  that  it  is  meant  to  be  of  a  private  and 
confidential  nature. 

5?  S3 

THE  secret,  then,  is  "  in  securing  the  rise  of  the  vessel  " 

whatever  that  is.  Especially  when  she  is  "going  fast." 
In  our  sea-days,  if  a  vessel  were  "fast."  she  was  supposed 
to  be  tied  up  in  such  a  manner  that  she  couldn't  "  rise  "  for 
Father  Peter.  But  let  it  pass.  Especially  as  "  the  pro- 


pellers then  by  one  movement  of  the  water  (Eh?  Don't 
know.  Ask  D.E.)  force  her  forward,  push  the  water  from 
the  sides  and  bow,  and  give  her  the  rising  buoyancy,  and 
thereby  she  has  only  half  the  water  to  displace  that  an 
ordinary  steamer  has."  Yea,  lor',  but  it's  awful !  It  is 
really.  Still,  you  don't  need  to  wonder  much,  after  that,  as 
to  why  the  general  public  are  so  much  in  the  dark  con- 
cerning the  sea  and  sea-life  ?  The  wonder  would  be  if 
they  were  not.  However,  present-day  shipowners  need  not 
fall  over  each  other  in  their  mad  desires  to  sell  out  existing 
tonnage,  that  they  may  be  enabled  to  go  in  for  the 
"  revolutioniser."  Nary  a  need.  We  are  willing  to  admit 
that  the  inventor  is  a  genius  ;  a  very  real  one  :  but  he  can 
make  up  his  mind  that  his  ambitious  scheme  will  never 
catch  on !  The  gentleman  has  overlooked  one  point,  at 
least.  What  is  going  to  happen  when  this  monster  of  the 
deep  attempts  to  come  alongside  a  dock  or  wharf — that  is, 
supposing  the  remainder  of  the  quiff  were  possible,  which 
it  ain't? 

5?*>5 

IN  fancy,  we  can  hear  the  rude  words  on  shore,  and  on  the 
steamers  deck,  directly  she  brought  her  multiplicity  of  pro- 
pellers along  the  new  South  Dock  at  Cardiff,  say.  Wouldn't 
there  be  a  rending  and  a  grinding  of  good  metal  ;  and 
wouldn't  there  be  joy  in  the  hearts  of  our  friends  at  the 
local  dry  docks?  Rather!  Talk  about  that  one  move- 
ment of  the  water  forcing  her  forward  ?  Why  she  would 
be  forced  in  a  number  of  directions  other  than  forward  ! 
Push  the  water  from  her  sides  and  bow,  forsooth  !  Of 
course,  in  such  a  brain  as  would  successfully  think  up 
these  all-in-a-row  propellers,  it  is  highly  probable  that 
some  sort  of  rigging-in  appliances  is  connected  with  the 
fake  ?  That  is.  as  soon  as  the  vessel  goes  alongside,  the 
rigger-in  will  be  brought  into  operation,  and,  hey,  presto, 
the  propellers  will  fold  up  against  the  steamer's  side. 
Nothing  is  impossible  to  a  ma/  who  will  fit  propellers  so 
that  their  shafts  slant  forward,  inward,  and  upward:  is  there, 
now  ?  One  other  item  must  not  be  forgotten.  Those 
shafts  are  going  to  "pass"  out  through  "a  very  massive  steel 
girder,"  which  will  "add  enormously  to  the  strength  of  the 
vessel."  It  will !  And  is  ever  so  much  better  than 
putting  the  shafts  out  through  a  square  of  ginger-bread. 

tf%3 

TRULY  is  there  a  quantity  of  shrieking  on  the  subject  of 
Sir  John  Fisher's  salary  going  about.  As  if  anybody  ever 
expected  a  sailorman  to  be  paid  anything  of  a  decent 
character,  by  way  of  wages  or  salary  !  Why,  people,  the 
sailor  is  the  one  man  on  earth  who  is  willing  to  work  for  the 
honour  of  the  thing.  What  matters  it  that  Sir  John  is  bringing 
order  out  of  chaos :  that  he  is  giving  the  nation  value 
for  money ;  what  odds,  again,  is  it  if.  by  implication,  his 
predecessors  have  merely  fobbed  their  salaries  for  fun  ;  the 
sea-dog  who  is  doing  everything  that  man  may  do  is  merely 
a  sailor.  Let  the  fact  not  be  forgotten.  Cease  this  wild 
shrieking  about  his  paltry  £1,500  per  annum.  If  you  were 
to  try  to  pay  him  for  his  honest  value,  you  would  bankrupt 
the  nation.  And  anyhow,  he  is  getting  quite  as  much  as  a 
manager  of  a  brewery  :  or  the  boss  of  a  colliery  office  ;  so 
what  is  the  use  of  cackling  about  the  thing.  Beer  and 
coal  is  satisfied  with  the  same  "  honorarium."  so  why 
should  it  be  supposed  that  Sir  John — who  is  saving  the 
nation  millions — is  deserving  of  a  higher  rate  of  pay  ? 
Beside,  the  gentleman  has  passed  no  remarks  on  the 
subject,  himself  ?  Not  he,  and  principally  because  he 
is  a  sailor ! 

5?  $9 

WELL,  the  miners'  delegates  from  the  coal  districts  of 
England,  Scotland  and  Wales,  have  had  their  little  "Treasury 
day,"  and  the  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer  has  patiently 
listened  to  their  growl  anent  the  iniquitous  coal-tax.  No. 
that  is  wrong!  Mr.  Austen  Chamberlain  didn't  patiently 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


February  24,   1905 


listen,  for  he  did  the  thing  "  carefully."  As  a  matter  of 
fact  the  gentleman  does  all  his  work  carefully.  See  how 
careful  he  was  with  the  shipowning  people  when  they 
undertook  to  give  him  points  concerning  light  dues  !  He 
was  even  more  so  with  the  miners,  and  principally  because 
he  recognised  the  Sacred  Cause  which  those  delegates 
represented.  However,  the  men  were  sent  away  with  a 
nice  sort  of  feeling.  The  Chancellor  had  listened  to  them  ; 
had  told  them  that  numbers  of  inquisitive  trades-people 
took  it  upon  themselves  to  write  for  information  concerning 
their  individual  trades  :  and  altogether  showed  that  to  be 
a  Chancellor  in  such  an  enterprising  country  as  Britain, 
was  no  beer-and-skittles  job.  In  conclusion,  the  delegates 
were  referred  to  Mr.  Austen's  Budget  statement  —which 
please  see.  It  is  nice  to  know  that  the  Chancellor  of  the 
Exchequer  considered  that  the  men  had  stated  their  "views 
with  clearness  and  moderation."  even  if  —  in  view  of  the 
fact  that  the  same  words  were  thrown  at  the  shipowners 
the  quotation  is  somewhat  of  the  stereotyped  order. 

6?  $3 

WE  live  in  a  mercenary  age.  Of  that  there  can  be  no 
denial.  The  latest  phase  in  this  connection,  and  as  exem- 
plifying the  truism,  comes  along  from  Gorleston,  where  the 
regular  lifeboat  men  are  —  or  were  —  on  strike.  The  men  in 
question,  were  engaged  on  the  sailer  Optima,  which  ran 
amuck  on  the  Hasborough,  about  a  month  ago.  The 
lifeboat  men  allege  that  they  were  on  duty  for  three  days 
and  four  nights  ;  claim  remuneration  for  the  double  crew 
which  amounts  to  some  £180;  the  Royal  National  Life- 
boat Institution  has  sent  them  £23  ;  hence  the  trouble. 
There  is  a  small  ray  of  sunshine  in  the  whole  miserable 
fit-out.  It  is  :  The  volunteer  crew  is  always  available, 
should  dire  necessity  call  for  the  lifeboat.  But  there 
appears  10  be  a  considerable  amount  of  insubordination 
among  the  employe's  of  the  Institution,  these  days  ?  As  a 
rule,  it  is  believed  that  it  takes  two  to  make  a  quarrel.  Is 
a  lifeboat  concern  an  exception  to  the  rule  ?  If  so,  why  do 
not  those  responsible  to  the  nation,  see  to  it  that  they  get 
none  but  men  who  are  above  suspicion  ?  Has  the  country 
become  so  bad,  that  men  will  resolutely  declare  that  if  a 
call  for  help  eventuates,  they  are  on  strike  —  and  the  crowd 
might  drown  and  be  jiggered  —  until  the  Institution  pays  up 
its  alleged  indebtedness  ? 


REALLY,  it  appears  to  be  time  when  there  should  be  less 
of  this  laundry  work  in  public,  or  the  donations  will  soon 
show  that  public  confidence  has  departed  from  the  Royal 
National  Lifeboat  Institution.  Such  a  condition  of  affairs 
would  be  bad  for  the  Institution,  and  worse  for  the  nation. 
In  the  past,  that  Institution  has  done  good  work  ;  has  a 
record  that  it  might  well  be  proud  of  ;  if  the  "  high 
horse  "  is  really  getting  in  evidence  among  the  powers  that 
be,  a  little  straight  talking  from  the  right  quarter  should  be 
amply  sufficient  to  put  matters,  once  more,  on  a  workable 
basis.  We  had  occasion  to  remark,  at  the  last  time  when 
the  Institution  came  before  the  public,  that  there  appeared 
to  be  just  a  taste  too  much  of  the  grand  seigneur  in  the 
methods  of  progression  adopted  by  the  responsible  heads. 
Is  this  latest  fuss  consequent  on  the  same  idea,  we  wonder? 
If  a  number  of  men  claim,  for  life-saving  purposes,  a  matter 
of  some  £1  80.  and  receive  instead,  but  £25,  then,  there  must 
be  something  radically  wrong  somewhere,  don't  you  think? 
The  men  would  hardly  endeavour  to  rush  the  difference 
herein  shown  ? 

5?  & 

AND  if.  as  is  claimed  by  the  lifeboat  officials,  the  boats 
are  only  launched  for  life-saving  purposes,  then  why 
are  they  allowed  to  keep  afloat  for  three  or  four  days  on 
a  stretch  ?  Obviously,  you  cannot  be  three  days  .in  saving 
a  shipwrecked  crew,  can  you  ?  Yet  just  as  obviously  the 


lifeboats  were  afloat  for  the  specified  time.  If  that  period 
were  unauthorised,  it  would  appear  that  the  Institution  has 
a  just  claim  against  the  lifeboat  men.  If  the  period  were 
authorised,  then.  £23  to  be  divided  up  among  two  boats' 
crews,  as  remuneration  for  a  run  of  three  or  four  days,  is 
not  by  any  means  an  excessive  rate  of  pay  ?  It  is  all  very 
well  to  say  "  we  can  admit  no  property  salvage  claims," 
but  if  the  property  has  been  salved,  surely  the  salvors  are 
worthy  of  their  hire  ?  Viewed  any  way  you  care  to,  these 
frequently  recurring  squabbles  are,  to  say  the  least, 
unseemly,  and  calculated  to  do,  as  already  suggested, 
incalculable  harm  to  a  worthy  cause.  If  the  men  are  in 
the  right,  they  should  be  paid.  If  they  are  wrong,  then, 
they  should  be  debarred  from  ever  again  entering  a  boat 
belonging  to  the  Institution.  In  any  case,  it  is  highly 
unsatisfactory:  this  threat  that  has  been  made  by  the  men. 

&  & 

Is  it  really  a  ''startling  discovery  "  to  find  that  the  bulk- 
heads in  some  of  our  much-vaunted  warships,  are  unable  to 
resist  water  pressure  ?  It  appears  that  during  a  recent  test 
carried  out  by  order  of  the  admiral  of  the  Channel  Fleet,  the 
spirit-room  bulkheads  were  first  shored-up.  and  then  water 
was  admitted.  "  Long  before  the  compartments  in  several 
of  the  ships  were  full,  the  water-tight  doors  and  walls  (s/c) 
began  to  give,  and  buckled  several  inches."  Geeroosh  ! 
"  Had  the  rooms  been  filled  with  water,  as  they  might  in 
the  event  of  collision,  and  had  there  been  no  shores,  the 
walls  would  inevitably  have  burst"  -heaven  save  us!  — 
"  and  the  other  bulkheads  gone  in  turn,  with  disastrous 
results."  There  !  After  this,  don't  you  go  meandering 
around  the  world  saying  big  things  about  our  First  Line  of 
Defence.  If  those  rooms  had  been  filled  with  water  ;  if 
no  shores  had  been  in  situ  ;  if  the  ship's  cat  hadn't  stopped 
to  —  cant  around  on  its  heel  ;  and  if  the  little  dcg  hadn't 
laughed  to  see  such  sport  —  well,  there  had  been  a  national 
calamity  !  Of  course,  the  admiral  had  some  kind  of  notion 
of  the  business  and  probable  results,  or  he  would  never 
have  shored-up  those  "  walls,"  with  "  battens  and  uprights  " 
and  things.  No  wonder  the  London  "daily"  headed  the 
terrible  occurrence  as  "  warships'  peril  !  " 

&?  9ts 

Ki    w 

WRITING  of  admirals,  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  our 
American  friends  are  off  on  a  bone  hunt  —  said  bones  being 
those  which,  erstwhile  belonged  to  one  Paul  Jones,  the 
admiral  who  painted  things  incarnadine,  during  the  War  of 
Independence.  Like  all  genu-ine  Americans,  the  gallant 
Admiral  passed  in  his  final  checks  at  Gay  Paree.  It  is  a 
weakness  with  the  cult,  you  know.  America  is  a  grand 
place  in  which  to  live  and  -pile  up  the  oof  ;  but  when  it 
comes  to  dying—"  gi'  me  Par-ee  !  "  is  the  statement. 
However,  be  that  as  it  may,  Admiral  Paul  Jones,  as  became 
such  a  hardy  old  sea-dog,  started  out  —  at  the  end  of  his 
career—  as  the  pioneer  mausoleum  maker  among  the 
'Murricans.  Died,  and  was  buried  at—  Par-ee  !  This,  of 
course,  was  at  some  time  "  af  tah  de  Wan."  When  ;  or  how  ; 
is  rather  hidden  by  the  sands  of  time.  Popular  belief, 
however,  is  all  on  the  side  of  digging  a  hole  in  one  of  the 
Parisian  streets  of  to-day,  in  the  sure  and  ample  belief  of 
finding  something  worth  having  —  the  "  something  "  being 
the  structural  portions  of  Poor  Paul.  So  far,  a  shaft  some 
thirty  feet  deep  has  been  run  down  into  the  bowels  of  Paris, 
and  the  borers  have  come  across  two  layers  of  bones  _  and 
other  things. 


UNFORTUNATELY  for  the  searchers  after  the  morbid,  the 
tally-marks  on  those  bones  have  been  effaced  ;  the 
Parisians  of  that  comparatively  early  epoch  didn't  use 
indelible  marking-inks,  it  would  appear,  and  hence  the 
difficulties  of  identification.  Not  to  be  turned  aside  from 
this  holy  search,  the  American  colony  at  Paris  has  plumped 


February  24,  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


22 


solid  for  the  business,  and  General  Porter.  United  States 
Ambassador,  has  hallowed  the  search  with  his  presence. 
Furthermore.  Congress  is  to  be  asked  for  a  £7.000  appro- 
priation to  cover  the  expenses  incidental  to  the  search, 
while  the  American  Consul  General  in  Paris  not  to  be 
beaten  in  his  patriotic  endeavour— has  offered  a  £100 
reward,  for  "the  discovery  and  identification  of  the  remains." 
It  is  a  good  and  worthy  undertaking,  and  for  ourselves  we 
are  sincerely  wishful  that  success  may  rest  upon  the 
banners  of  the  sappers  and  miners,  engaged  in  this  interest- 
ing pastime.  What  are  they  going  to  do  with  the  bones, 
once  they  have  found  them  ?  Why.  don't  you  know  ?  We 
are  a  decadent  race,  and  the  go-ahead  Americans  wish  to 
analyse  those  bones  (when  they  are  found),  so  as  to  assay 
the  exact  amount  of  sand  that  was  kneaded  into  the  frame- 
work of  dead-and-gone  heroes.  The  results  will  be 
tabulated  in  those  books  by  one  Schenk  :  those  concerning 
sex.  we  mean. 

«?*? 

We  knew  it  would  come  !  Last  week,  we  commented  on 
the  beauties  —  real  and  assumed  -which  hang  around  the 
Navy  League's  Lancashire  Sea-training  Home  :  told  you  as 
plainly  as  possible,  that  the  whole  arrangement  was  little 
better  than  a  chimera  :  and  that  instead  of  really  doing  any 
good  to  the  Mercantile  Marine,  it  was  merely  holding  the 
service  up  to.  more  or  less,  ridicule.  But  that  is  not  all ! 
The  Navy  League  Journal,  bless  it.  with  that  all-embracing- 
ness  which  usually  characterises  itself  and  supporters, 
impudently  claimed  that  there  is  "  no  training-ship  in 
existence  solely  for  boys  of  good  character "-  save,  of 
course,  "  ours,"  in  Lancashire.  Now  the  president  of  the 
Marine  Society,  the  Earl  of  Romney  to  wit.  is  up  ag'in  that 
Navy  League  affair  with  half-a-dozen  words  of  a  sort 
The  noble  president.  "  whilst  rejoicing  in  the  fact  that  the 
question  of  our  Mercantile  Marine  being  so  largely  manned 
by  foreigners  is  occupying  the  attention  of  thoughtful  men  " 
-  you  will  please  observe  that  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW  has 
not  pleaded  in  vain  ?-— " ...  I  would  point  out  that  the 
Marine  Society's  ship  Warspite.  at  Greenhithe.  receives 
only  boys  of  good  character,  and  no  boys  convicted  by  a 
magistrate  or  known  to  have  committed  any  serious  offence 
are  admitted  on  board." 

«?%» 

THERE  you  are  !  If  the  Navy  League  had  an  idea  that  it 
was  going  to  get  a  little  puff  in  the  Times  for  nothing,  and 
alone,  it  is  by  way  of  being  deceived  !  In  the  words  of  the 
immortal  one— there  are  others !  In  the  case  of  the 
Warspite,  providing  the  boys  "  pass  the  medical  examination 
and  fulfil  the  conditions  as  regards  age.  height  and 
physique,  they  are  clothed,  fed,  and  trained  for  a  year 
absolutely  free,  and  are  then  drafted  into  the  Royal  Navy, 
or  placed  in  the  Mercantile  Marine"  to  be  more  or  less  of 
a  nuisance  to  every  officer  on  board  ?  Gainsay  the  fact 
who  will,  the  training-ship  lads  to  be  found  to-day,  are 
anything  but  a  joy  to  those  on  to  whom  they  are  unloaded. 
Filled  with  a  smattering  of  all  kinds  of  knowledge,  but 
thoroughly  grounded  in  few  if  any-  the  lads  are  well  on 
the  road  to  sea-lawyerdom.  before  ever  they  taste  actual 
salt-water.  It  would  be  interesting  reading  to  get  the 
actual  records  of  the  horde  of  lads  who  have  passed 
through  one  training-ship  and  another  ;  not  only  inter- 
esting but  instructive.  Of  course,  we  are  willing  to  admit 
that  each  particular  training-ship  has  a  right  to  claim 
super-excellence  for  its  own  little  lot ;  but  is  the  claim 
capable  of  substantiation  ?  If  so.  then  we  must  have  been 
singularly  unfortunate  in  our  sea-days. 

S?*J 

HOWEVER,  as  in  the  case  of  most  of  the  training-ships. 
so  is  it  in  connection  with  the  Warspite.  The  vessel  "can 
accommodate  500  boys,  but  the  annual  income  of  the 


society  does  not  permit  of  more  than  200  being  maintained 
at  present.  Should  funds  increase,  100  more  boys  could 
be  trained  with  only  a  slight  addition  to  the  staff  :  and  " 
here  is  where  the  usual  comes  in  ! — "  subscriptions  are 
invited  to  enable  this  old  society  to  carry  on  its  useful  work 
to  the  utmost  limit."  Exactly  !  This  training-ship  dodge 
is  carried  out  on  similar  lines  obtaining  with  some  of  the 
chapels  which  we  could  mention  !  Given  a  building,  with 
seating  accommodation  for  five  hundred  :  a  congregation  of, 
say,  two  hundred  ;  result,  constant  debt,  and  consequent 
back-bitings.  Ultimately,  some  two  or  three  of  the 
dissentients  agree  to  chuck  the  old  place  :  will  go  down  the 
street  and  start  a  corrugated  iron  show— although  there  is 
seating  accommodation  to  spare,  for  some  two  hundred  per- 
sons in  the  old  shop.  The  corrugated  abomination  is  built; 
poignant  appeals  for  "  subscriptions  "  are  thrown  around  in 
the  customary  manner  :  and  by  and  bye  the  corrugations 
are  swept  away,  to  make  room  for  an  up-to-date  "  church." 

tffe 

IN  a  little  while,  the  new  "church"  is  too  hot  for  some 
few  of  the  members,  and  they,  incontinently  go  off  to 
make  another  tin-shed-of-a-place  somewhere  else.  The 
whole  business  is  carried  out  in  exactly  the  same  style,  and 
develops  into  yet  another  "  church."  Meanwhile,  the  first 
chapel  is  still  cursed  with  about  twice  as  many  seats  as 
there  are  people  ;  the  debts  are  still  accumulating  ;  so  are 
the  back-bitings.  Training-ships,  as  far  as  we  can  see,  are 
run  on  the  same  lines.  That  is  instead  of  being  purely 
commercial  ventures,  they  are  quasi-religious  undertakings, 
and  thus  it  comes  about  that  although  the  country  is 
blessed  or  otherwise — with  three  or  four  ships  which  are 
but  half-used,  the  philanthropical  folk  are  badgered  with 
requests  to  support  half-a-dozen  new  arrangements,  which 
haven't  half  the  chance  of  succeeding,  as  have  the  older- 
established  concerns.  Instead  of  concentrating  the  powers 
in  this  direction  ;  instead  of  filling  one  ship  to  her  full  limit ; 
new  fakes  are  instituted,  and  under  the  sacred  name  of 
patriotism.  "  subscriptions  "  are  bummed  for  the  purpose  of 
establishing  new  homes,  new  staffs,  new  committees,  and 
new  expenses  generally:  while  there  is  yet  a  super- 
abundance of  room  waiting  to  be  filled,  in  a  dozen  other 
localities. 

tf*a 

AFTER  considering  the  matter  in  this  manner,  do  you 
wonder  that  we  have  systematically  set  ourselves  against 
this  training-ship  nonsense  ?  On  the  very  face  of  it,  the 
enterprise  is  bound  to  be  a  miserable  failure.  Here  are  a 
number  of  well-meaning  recruiting  sergeants  with  not 
enough  of  unanimity  among  them,  to  admit  of  their  filling 
one  "  sea  home,'*'  before  romping  off  for  the  purpose  of 
creating  another.  To  our  mind,  their  appeals  for  support 
ever  partake  of  the  seaman's  boarding  house  idea.  A  one- 
time steward  boards  a  homeward  bounder,  and  with  a 
sweeping  bow  insinuates  that,  "  Me  and  the  missus  have 
started  a  snug  little  place  for  you  fellows.  We  ain't  a 
boarding  house  proper,  and  I  don't  keep  any  runner, 
preferring  to  do  the  walk-round  job  meself.  Come  up, 
boys,  an'  we'll  make  yez  welcome.  You  can  pay  by  the 
meal,  the  day.  the  week,  or  the  month  ;  and  what  you  don't 
have,  you  don't  pay  for."  Now,  in  the  whole  of  that  hold- 
forth,  there  is  a  damning  insinuation  that  rival  boarding 
masters  are  all  bad.  They  do  keep  runners  to  swindle 
you  :  their  shanties  are  anything  but  snug  ;  and,  worst  of 
all.  you  will  have  to  pay  for  what  you  don't  have.  So  the 
merry  game  continues ! 

5?  & 

IF  those  training-ship  folk  will  drop  the  one-against-the- 
other  dodge  :  will  realise  that  they  are  all  supposedly 
pulling  together  for  the  common  good  :  we  shall  be  proud 
to  help  all  that  lays  in  our  power.  We  are  not  to  be  bull- 


MARITIME    REVIEW 


February  24,   1905 


dosed  with  any  old  clap-trap,  and  for  the  simple  reason  that 
we  have  been  through  the  "  curriculum."  Have  tested  its 
general  rottenness.  And  have  satisfied  ourselves  that  not 
this  way  does  salvation  for  Britain's  Mercantile  Marine  lay. 
As  a  last  word  on  the  subject,  let  us  remark  that  there  is 
absolutely  no  use  in  multiplying  alleged  sources  of  supply. 
if  there  are  still  a  number  thereof  which  are  not  being 
utilised  to  their  full  limit  Concentration  is  just  as 
essential  in  this  connection,  as  in  any  other.  We  would 
never  think  of  putting  a  stopper  on  the  cheerful  givers 
herein  concerned  :  but,  in  all  seriousness,  we  would  appeal 
to  them  to  take  a  little  heed  as  to  where  their  well-meant 
efforts  were  directed  :  and  not  to  be  guilty  of  the  sin  of 
raising  the  costs  of  administration,  while  at  the  same  time, 
the  results  remain  as  before.  As  the  idea  works  out  to- 
day training  ships  are  merely  a  delusion,  and  will  help 
neither  Navy  nor  Mercantile  Marine  in  anything  like  a 
ratio  that  is  consistent  with  cost.  Now,  let  us  leave  the 
subject. 

THAT  International  Conference  of  Shipowners  that  was 
to  meet  at  Copenhagen,  and  to  which  we  referred  a  week 
or  two  ago.  have  had  their  initial  pow-wow.  Representing 
some  4.000.000  tons  of  shipping  ( we  wonder  how  much  of 
it  was  British  first-hand,  and  how  much  British  second- 
hand ?)  the  merry  little  concern  ought  to  prove  a  veritable 
thorn  in  the  flesh  of  the  wicked  charterers.  Of  course. 
nobody  expects  that  this  will  happen.  Still,  a  meeting  of 
the  kind  possesses  potentialities.  While  the  dear  souls  are 
mutually  admiring  each  other,  they  are  being  saved  from 
any  other  possible  strayings  from  the  paths  of  strict  virtue. 
Anyhow,  they  have  gone  far  enough  to  pass  a  resolution, 
in  which  they  unanimously  declare  in  favour  of  the  necessity 
for  the  immediate  formation  of  an  international  association 
of  shipowners.  Seems  to  us  that  Copenhagen  is  a  long 
way  to  go.  before  any  such  an  unanimous  declaration  can 
be  faked  up?  Personally,  we  should  have  thought  that 
the  same  decision  could  have  been  reached,  here,  at 
Cardiff  ?  But  there  'tis.  They  have  passed  their  resolu- 
tion :  have  created  an  association  :  and  freights  are 
wobbling  along  at  the  same  old  rate ! 

THOSE  marconigrams  are  continuing  to  occupy  the 
attention  of  travel  caterers.  The  Cunard  liners,  at  present, 
will  be  the  only  boats  which  are  to  come  in  for  the 
"  unique  advantages "  accruing  from  constant  touch  with 
the  girl  he  left  behind  him  er,  that  is,  with  the  office. 
Don't  know  what  made  us  think  of  the  girl.  The  system 
that  is  to  be  followed,  is  that  the  outward  bounders,  for  the 
first  half  of  the  journey  out,  will  be  in  direct  touch  with 
Poldu,  Cornwall.  Thereafter,  the  intended  messages  will 
first  be  cabled  to  the  American  side,  and  then  repeated 
back  to  the  approaching  steamer.  Here  is  a  danger  ahead 
of  the  sailor !  The  'longshoreman  has  his  bicycle-back ; 
his  motor  ear  ;  and  brandy-blossom.  The  poor  old  salt  of 
the  future,  will  be  cursed  with  what  will  be  handed  down 
to  posterity  as  "  the  marconi-eye."  Fancy  an  old  whale 
sitting  patiently  forward  in  the  little  house  allotted  for  the 
task  :  watching  the  sweet  little  indicator  that  is  trying  to 
tell  some  happy — but  runaway-for-business-purposes-- 
papa  on  board,  that  baby  has  a  tooth:  or  that  the  domestic 
Thomas  Ca —  but  no,  we  cannot  pursue  the  theme.  It 
is  too  soul-harrowing ! 

DEAR,  dear,  a  gentleman  with  a  fine  taste  for  Latin — both 
of  the  bog  and  the  other  kind  ?— has  been  writing  to  Daily 
Chronicle  because  Mr.  F.  S.  Watts,  in  his  inaugural  address 
as  president  of  the  Chamber  of  Shipping,  declared  what 
every  shipping  man  already  knows :  that  is,  that  the 
shipping  trade  in  1904  was  not  only  bad.  but  worse  than 


for  many  years.  The  gentleman  referred  to  above  ;  the 
Latiney  one,  you  understand :  appears  to  ha'e  his  doots 
about  the  matter.  Tis  this  way.  The  shipping  trade  in 
1 904  was  notoriously  bad,  and  yet,  as  it  happened,  sea- 
borne traffic  constituted  a  record.  This  gars  our  Mr.  S. 
Keith  Douglas  to  write:  "The  sea-borne  trade  for 
1904  has  reached  larger  figures  than  in  any  year  before, 
yet  the  shipping  trade  (quorum  pars  magna  fuit)  has  been 
unprecedently  bad  ;  sic  vos  non  vobis  fertis  aratra  naves." 
Well,  what  about  it  ?  Mr.  Watts  did,  undoubtedly,  play  a 
conspicuous  part  in  the  sea-borne  trade— at  least,  his 
steamers  did  ;  and  Mr.  Douglas  may  take  it  from  us  who 
know,  that  the  firm  of  Watts,  Watts  and  Co.,  got  about  all 
that  there  was  around  in  the  shape  of  decent  freights,  and 
in  this  manner,  the  firm  really  did  labour  for  themselves. 

PRESUMABLY,  however.  Mr.  Douglas  cannot  assimilate 
the  truth  that  although  shipping  might  be  unprecedently 
bad  -from  a  shipowner's  point  of  view,  which  is  all  in  the 
way  of  profit :  it  might  also  be  unprecedently  large  in 
volume.  In  other  words,  the  cargoes  were  carried  at 
giving-away-prices.  On  the  other  hand,  if  Mr.  Douglas 
merely  intended  to  be  sarcastic,  or  "funny,"  when  suggest- 
ing things  about  the  shipowner  not  labouring  for  himself  ; 
what  would  the  gentleman  have  ?  Mr.  Watts  in  no  wise 
took  the  blame,  or  otherwise,  for  the  deplorable  state  of 
shipping  to  himself  ;  he  did  but  state  a  fact.  One  which, 
unfortunately,  is  beyond  his  individual  power  to  remedy- 
much  as  he  would  probably  like  to.  But  after  all,  Mr. 
Douglas  might  as  well  amuse  himself  and  Daily  Chronicle, 
with  bits  of  Virgil,  more  or  less  misapplied,  and  questionably 
spelled,  as  in  other  and  more  harmful  manner.  When  all 
is  said,  shipping  was  undoubtedly  bad  in  1904;  and  just 
as  undoubtedly,  it  was  a  record  year  for  sea-borne  traffic. 

A  LONDON  contemporary,  in  a  recent  issue,  publishes  a 
letter  under  the  imposing  title  of  "  bazaar  religion."  The 
screed  is  from  the  pen  of  a  clergyman,  and  to  our  mind, 
touches  the  spot,  most  indubitably.  You  might  be  inclined 
to  suggest  that  "  bazaar  religion "  can  have  no  possible 
connection  with  shipping  matters?  If  you  do,  then,  you 
have  a  lot  of  leeway  to  make  up,  before  your  nautical 
education  is.  in  any  manner,  complete.  To  begin  with,  we 
will  quote  you  the  salient  features  from  the  letter  to  which 
we  have  referred.  "  Here  is  a  nice  little  quartette  of 
mischiefs  which  the  bazaar  has  fostered  :  Unwomanliness  ; 
forwardness:  pertness  :  flirtation;  'smartness.'  Dishonesty; 
'the  almighty  raffle';  false  pretences:  undue  influence. 
Drink — not  always  sub  rosa.  '  Copper  Christianity  ' :  alms- 
giving a  matter  of  Sunday  pennies  only."  It  will  be 
admitted  that  the  indictment  is  fairly  heavy,  and  dismally 
correct  ?  But  it  merely  gives  one  side  of  the  question, 
and  that  which  is  open  to  an  inland  clergyman,  only.  That 
there  is  another  side,  must  be  our  excuse  for  finding  room 
for  the  matter,  here.  Yes,  friends,  there  is  a  shipping  side 
to  the  subject,  and  as  we  ever  aim  at  doing  some  little  good 
in  our  time  and  generation,  we  will  give  you  a  few  facts 
which  doubtless  you  have  heard  of,  but  maybe,  have 
forgotten. 

IN  addition  to  the  wickednesses  set  out  in  the  preceding 
par,  "  bazaar  religion "  has  floated  more  single  steamer 
companies,  than  all  the  other  wiles  of  the  devil,  put  together. 
Not  only  has  it  floated  the  single  steamers,  for  it  has  floated 
many  an  otherwise  happy  domestic -combination,  off  into  a 
stream  where  mighty  little  happiness  is  to  be  found.  True, 
on  occasion,  these  "  bazaar  religionists  "  meet  their  match ; 
but  taking  them  all  in  all,  they  score  faroftener  than  they 
are  scored  against.  That  they  are  scored  against,  once  in 
a  way,  the  following  little  episode  from  real  life  will  probably 


February   24,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


-'4 


demonstrate.  He  was  a  "  bazaar  "  shipowner,  and  we'll 
call  him  Tim — because  his  name  was  nothing  resembling  it ! 
Tim.  then,  was  a  "  shipowner."  and  procured  most  of  his 
capital  from  "  religious  "  assemblies.  He  was  facile  princeps 
at  bazaar  opening— and  endowing :  and  from  first  to  last, 
drank  as  much  whisky-and-water  as  would  probably  float 
one  of  his  smaller  steamers.  At  one  of  the  bazaars,  he  had 
the  felicity  of  meeting  the  wife  of  the  mate  of  one  of  his 
boats.  She  was  a  nice  little  woman,  and  about  as  good  as 
she  was  nice.  Tim  recognised,  at  once,  that  she  was  nice  : 
he  agreed  about  the  goodness— later  on. 

5?  *? 

IN  the  intervals  between  passing  pious  remarks  and 
swilling  "  medicine  "  from  a  pocket-flask.  Tim  made  himself 
agreeable  to  the  "  nice  little  woman."  and  vowed  that  he 
was  going  to  give  her  husband  command  of  the  Religeuse. 
on  her  return  from  the  current  voyage.  Naturally,  the 
n.l.w.  was  glad,  and  said  so.  at  the  same  time  thanking  Tim 
for  his  kindness.  Tim  disclaimed  all  kindly  intention,  and 
appeared  to  dismiss  the  matter  with  the  remarks,  "  Your 
husbands  deserves  the  promotion."  That  was  alright,  and 
on  thinking  the  matter  over,  the  n.l.w.  confided  the  great 
news  to  her  brother,  and  wondered  at  the  same  time  if  he 
would  mind  dropping  in  of  an  evening  you  see.  the  n.l.w. 
was  profiting  from  her  husband's  tuition— for  the  next  ten 
days,  by  which  time  the  budding  skipper  would  be  home. 
The  brother  agreed,  willingly  enough,  and  on  the  third 
evening  Tim  drew  up  to  the  house  in  a  hansom,  "  just  to 
tell  the  lady  what  he  had  arranged  in  connection  with  the 
husband."  That  appeared  to  be  alright,  and  he  was  asked 
to  enter— but  the  brother  played  propriety !  Tim  stayed 
on  until  eleven  p.m.:  and  filled  the  front  parlour  with 
goo-goo  eyes,  and  whisky  funes  :  then,  seeing  that  this 
brother  was  a  "  sticker."  he  tore  himself  away.  Twice 
again  did  he  essay  the  "  just  to  tell  the  lady  "  trick,  but 
brother  still  held  the  fort ! 

5?fc 

ACCORDING  to  schedule  the  husband  arrived  home :  had 
the  sack  on  arrival,  and  before  he  had  a  chance  of  inter- 
viewing the  "  nice  little  woman : "  which  was  a  mere 
detail.  Mind  you.  that  husband  wasn't  altogether  nice 

although  his  wife  undoubtedly  was!  Indeed.  Tim 
told  us,  some  time  afterward  and  in  the  belief  that  we 
knew  nothing  of  the  occurrence  that  the  husband  was  a 
blackguard  :  a  low  despicable  wretch.  Perhaps  he  was  : 
perhaps,  again,  he  was  not.  But  we  do  happen  to  know 
that  he  talked  so  seriously  to  Tim.  that  the  worthy  gentle- 
man's tympanum  <  and  other  parts  >  was  damaged  so  badly 
that  he  was  unable  to  come  to  his  office  for  exactly  three 
weeks.  Meanwhile,  the  bazaars  languished,  and 
holders  were  lost,  abominably.  Please  remember  that  the 
foregoing  is  a  bit  of  real  life :  that  it  really  happened  : 
and  that  this  was  only  one  occasion  where  Tim  came  to 
grief :  in  several  others  that  we  are  acquainted  with  he 
scored  all  along  the  line,  and  purely  as  the  result  of 
"bazaar  religion."  Our  little  bit  of  testimony  added  on  to 
the  clergyman  who  unwittingly  started  us  off  on  the 
reminiscent  lay.  might  be  of  use  :  again,  it  might  not. 
Anyhow,  we  have  "shown  willing." 

fi?%? 

IT  will  be  conceded  that  the  maritime  interests  of  the 
community  were  well  represented  on  Friday,  last,  when  the 
Chamber  of  Shipping  had  its  annual  meeting?  On  the 
motion  of  the  retiring  president.  Mr.  W.  F.  G.  Anderson, 
the  annual  report  was  adopted,  and  the  proposition  that 
Mr.  F.  Shadworth  Watts  be  the  president  for  the  coming 
year,  was  agreed  to  with  universal  satisfaction.  Mr.  Watts. 
after  thanking  his  colleagues  for  the  amiable  manner  in 
which  they  had  received  his  election,  started  in  on  his  first 
presidential  address.  Unfortunately,  the  speaker  had  noth- 


ing of  a  cheering  nature  to  impart.  In  his  opinion—  and  it 
is  an  opinion  that  will  be  shared  by  most  of  his  colleagues  — 
1904  was.  as  far  as  shipping  interests  were  concerned,  the 
worst  in  the  history  of  the  industry  ;  furthermore,  the 
present  outlook  was  by  no  means  any  more  roseate-hued. 
Touching  on  the  vital  necessity  of  keeping  abreast  of  the 
times  by  securing  the  most  economical  vessels,  the  president 
touched  on  the  Suez  Canal  controversy.  Our  readers  are 
already  aware  of  the  points  in  this  dispute,  and  of  the  high- 
handed manner  in  which  the  Canal  Company  elects  to 
treat  its  patrons. 

5?& 

MR.  WATTS  declared  that  British  shipowners  are  willing 
to  enter  into  the  conference  which  has  been  suggested 
between  the  Canal  Company  and  Canal  users,  in  a  friendly 
and  reasonable  spirit  :  also  that  the  council  believed  that  a 
satisfactory  agreement  will  be  arrived  at.  We  trust  the 
prophecy  will  be  fulfilled.  Personally,  we  have  serious 
doubts  thereon,  and  are  of  opinion  that  the  Canal  Company 
will  never  see  shipowner-reason,  until  they  are  forced  to. 
The  Canal  has  had  it  all  its  own  way  for  such  a  number  of 
years,  that  its  exploiters  have  grown  accustomed  to  the 
belief  that  without  their  gracious  consent,  the  universal 
world  would  cease  revolving  on  its  axis.  Back  in  1883. 
the  Canal  Company  agreed  that  after  its  revenue  was 
sufficiently  large  to  admit  of  a  25  per  cent,  dividend,  all 
further  profit  should  be  devoted  to  bringing  about  a  re- 
duction of  dues.  Needless  to  say.  this  agreement  has  been 
ignored,  repeatedly,  and  the  ones  who  find  the  money,  have 
a  reasonable  cause  for  complaint.  Indeed,  that  complaint 
has  grown  so  palpable,  that  alternate  routes  have  been 
discussed,  and  competition  threatened. 

5?  *>5 

OF  course,  the  Canal  Company  will  continue  its  tem- 
porising tactics  as  long  as  possible  :  equally  of  course,  that 
period  synchronises  with  the  ability  of  the  shipowning 
fraternity  to  force  an  alteration.  The  proposers  of  a 
competing  canal  scheme  rightly  assume,  that  if  they  merely 
"  knock  "  the  existing  Canal  to  the  extent  of  half  its 
revenue,  there  would  still  be  some  thirteen  per  cent. 
dividend  for  the  fortunate  shareholders.  It  is  open  to 
believe  that,  in  reality,  a  competing  canal  would  do  the 
"  knocking  "  to  a  far  greater  extent  than  half,  for  shipowners 
would  remember  the  days  of  their  need,  and  the  shameless 
manner  in  which  they  were  exploited,  then.  Remembering, 
it  is  competent  to  suppose  that  the  "  new  chum  "  would 
receive  the  lion's  share  of  the  patronage,  and  where  would 
the  old  concern  be  then,  poor  thing?  In  the  words  of  Mr. 
Watts,  shipowners  should  encourage,  as  far  as  practicable, 
the  alternative  route  by  the  Cape.  They  should,  for 
although  the  time  would  be  longer,  this  very  fact  would 
reduce  the  amount  of  available  tonnage,  with  the  natural 
corollary  that  freights  would  rise.  This  would  give  a  quid 
pro  quo.  which,  if  added  to  the  Canal  dues  saved,  would  be 
worth  consideration.  Why  don't  you  go  for  the  thing  in  an 
enterprising  spirit,  you  shipowning  people  ? 


WHEN  all  is  said,  the  lot  of  the  naval  architect  whose 
business  takes  him  into  the  walks  of  naval  life,  is  by  no 
means  a  happy  or  easy  one  .'  We  are  constrained  to  this 
admission,  after  reading  Sir  William  White's  lecture  on 
"  Modern  Warships."  and  which  was  delivered  to  an 
interested  assembly  at  Carpenters'  Hall  one  day  last  week. 
Some  of  the  disability  which  surrounds  the  naval  architect 
in  the  pursuit  of  his  business,  lays  in  the  fact  that  his 
creations  have  to  contain  engines  of  enormous  power, 
which  must  be  self-propelled  :  they  must  carry  the 
necessary  fuel  :  must  be  habitable  :  capable  of  encounter- 
ing the  wildest  warfare  at  sea  :  easy  to  manoeuvre  :  and 
altogether  mobile.  The  warship  has  to  do  everything  that 


THE^MARITIME    REVIEW. 


February  24,   1905 


the  merchant  ship  must  do,  and  in  addition:  a  number  of 
items  which  belong  to  a  "  fighting  unit,"  alone  :  but  all  of 
which  must  be  provided  for.  on  paper,  and  before  the  work 
of  building  commences.  The  latter  statement  is  some- 
what open  to  doubt,  for  we  all  know  that  during  construction. 
a  thousand-and-one  things  which  have  been  overlooked  at 
the  beginning,  have  to  be  "worked  in"  during  construction. 
But  even  so.  the  task  is  still  a  big  one.  So  big.  that  but 
few  among  our  able  army  of  naval  architects  succeed  in 
shining  unduly,  at  the  business. 

5?%J 

CONTINUING,  this  phase  of  architectural  skill  must  be  fit  to 
carry  guns,  torpedoes  and  mines.  Must  be  protected 
against  torpedo  attack.  Her  guns,  being  of  enormous 
power  and  energy,  are  certain  to  give  the  most  terrible 
shocks  on  her  structure,  every  time  they  are  exploded,  and 
as  a  natural  result,  strength  must  be  worked  in  to  with- 
stand the  consequent  strain.  The  trouble  here,  is  that  the 
architect  may  not  always  place  that  strength  where  he 
would,  but  has  to  put  it  where  he  is  enabled  to.  and  in 
hunting  around  for  that  possible  position,  is  where  his  grey 
hairs  eventuate  !  On  the  other  hand,  it  must  be  admitted 
that  cost  is  no  object.  The  architectural  person  is  practi- 
cally given  a  free  hand,  and  thus  it  comes  about  that  a 
vessel  of  the  King  Edward  class  will  put  the  nation  in  for 
£1.500.000  before  the  "bull  dog"  is  ready  for  its  first 
bark  !  But  remembering  all  the  skill  and  shekels  which 
have  to  be  sequestered  in  this  search  for  the  "  best  fleet  on 
earth,"  doesn't  it  appear  as  paradoxical  that,  when  completed, 
those  same  ships  are  entrusted  to  a  number  of  more  or  less 
callow  youths,  whose  only  recommendation—  in  the  majority 
of  instances  is  that  their  fathers  lived  before  them? 
That  as  sailormen.  they  have  but  a  tin-pot  chance  of 
proving  themselves  a  success  ? 


TALK  about  a  paradox  !  It  is  all  that  -and  more  !  Here 
are  we  searching  the  world  for  the  finest  material,  and  the 
best  brains  to  create  fighting  units,  but  as  soon  as  they  are 
completed,  they  are  handed  over  to  a  number  of  nonentities 
who  might  be  alright  :  but  who.  again,  might  be  all  wrong. 
And  this  is  carried  on,  even  while  the  community  has 
thousands  of  desirable  men  among  it  :  men  who  would  be 
fit  and  proper  for  the  job  :  and  who  could  be  depended  on 
to  take  to  the  business,  as  a  serious  undertaking.  In  fact, 
this  dear  old  Britain  has  progressed  with  the  remainder  of 
the  world,  save  in  one  particular.  It  cannot  assimilate  the 
truth  that  "class"  and  inclusion  among  the  "  smart  set," 
will  in  no  wise  help  the  fate  of  Britain's  warships,  once 
they  are  called  upon  to  prove  their  title  as  rulers  of  the 
deep.  When  the  war  commences,  the  combatants  will  not 
even  be  introduced  to  each  other  :  they  will  do  all  the 
scrapping  from  afar  :  so  that  the  mere  fact  that  the 
problematical  fighter  carries  a  coronet  on  his  visiting  card, 
will  amount  to  but  little,  after  all.  If  there  is  really  any- 
thing in  this  craze  for  the  "  sons  of  gentlemen."  why  not 
institute  a  "  society  bureau."  on  each  warship  ;  put  it  in 
charge  of  the  aowistocwatic  lispers  :  and  leave  the  handling 
of  the  ship  to  men  who  have  no  time  —  nor  inclination  —  to 
lisp?  This  way.  would  safety  lay. 

&  ^3 

WE  can  quite  agree  with  Sir  William  White,  that'  it  is  "  a 
great  consolation,  and  a  great  honour,  for  anybody  to  have 
undertaken  the  designing  of  the  national  ships  of  the  Fleet 
of  the  country."  But  we  are  certain  that  the  honour  would 
be  ever  so  much  more  accentuated,  if  a  number  of  public- 
spirited  gentlemen  would  set  themselves  the  task  of  design- 
ing a  number  of  seriously-inclined  officers  for  the  custody 
of  that  same  Reet.  It  is  the  fashion,  in  certain  quarters, 
to  pretend  that  all  is  well  with  the  Fleet,  and  simply  because 
we  have  a  brave  show  of  "  fighting  units."  But  the  claim 
is  merely  pretence,  for  those  "  units  "  cannot  fight  of  them- 
selves :  and  to  learn  how  to  fight  them  is  a  big  undertaking. 
The  learners  will  certainly  have  no  time  for  "  social 


functions  :  "  garden  parties  :  polo  ditto  :  and  the  dozens  of 
dissipations  which  take  the  stiffening  out  of  the  men  on 
whom  the  country  will  have  to  lean,  directly  the  North  Sea 
is  considered  as  fit  for  the  ball.  The  writing  is  already  on 
the  wall,  and  instead  of  hustling  around  to  read  it  properly, 
we  merely  fool  each  other  with  the  thought  that,  "  Oh,  by 
the  end  of  the  current  year,  there  will  be  a  number  of  the 
King  Edward  class  afloat ;  t'other  fellow  will  soon  pull  up 
his  socks,  then."  g*  9<a 

BUT  will  t'other  fellow  do  any  such  thing  ?  Will  he  not 
rather  make  up  his  mind  to  have  a  dash  for  that  lot  of 
warships  ;  to  endeavour  to  collar  them  cheaply  ;  to  take 
them  over  as  a  going-concern  ?  If  the  present  tactics  are 
continued,  he  should  not  find  the  foregoing  a  difficult  task 
—for  warships  cannot  do  the  thinking.  You  need  men  for 
that  part  of  the  show  ;  serious  men;  men  who  are  willing 
to  look  upon  their  business  of  sailors  as  a  means  of  earning 
a  livelihood ;  and  who  merely  consider  gold  braid, 
epaulettes,  and  cocked  hats  as  the  outward  insignia  of 
their  situations  :  not  as  the  be-all  and  end-all  of  life.  We 
have  moved  among  the  cult,  and  this  is  mainly  why  we 
venture  to  call  the  attention  of  you,  who  have  merely 
hearsay  to  go  upon,  to  the  miserable  conditions  which  are 
gradually  growing  up  in  your  midst.  It  cannot  be  gainsaid 
but  that  "  Naval  officer  "  looks  upon  the  genuine  sailor  as 
a  sort  of  natural  history  specimen  :  something  that  must 
be  indulgently  treated  :  and,  behind  its  back,  smiled  and 
guffawed  over.  But  friends,  when  the  trouble  eventuates, 
the  genuine  sailor  is  about  all  that  will  stand  between  you 
and  the  deep  sea.  Are  you  going  to  allow  him  to  pass 
away  without  one  regret?  And  merely  because  the 
"curled  darlings"  shape  better  at  a  masquerade  than  at  a 
manoeuvre;  at  a  "social  evening"  than  at  an  evolution? 

CW          tu^ 

ALL  FOOLS'  Day  is  responsible  for  many  strange  initia- 
tions and  happenings !  The  latest,  is  in  connection  with 
the  Parcel  Post  between  this  country  and  the  United 
States.  On  April  1,  will  commence  the  new  service 
referred  to.  and  the  limit  for  weight  by  the  new  quiff,  will 
be  41b.  6oz..  while  the  shekels  necessary  for  the  liquidation 
of  the  carriage  will  be  2s.  for  each  parcel.  Outside  of 
Customs  duty,  there  will  be  no  other  non-postal  charges ; 
neither  will  the  insurance  dodge  apply,  here.  But  seeing 
that  the  new  system  will  be  carried  on  concurrently  with 
the  semi-official  agency  at  present  in  vogue,  and  by  which 
parcels  up  to  11  Ib.  in  weight,  and  of  an  insurable  value  of 
£120.  are  admitted  there  will  be  need  for  no  bother  on  this 
account.  The  new  arrangement  should  prove  a  boon  ;  no 
doubt  it  will ;  andinthenearfuture,  the  country  will  be  flooded 
with  those  interesting  price-lists  and  catalogues  so  dear  to 
the  heart  of  the  American  friend.  Such  "  literature  "  has 
a  free  stem  in  dear  old  England  ;  on  the  "  other  side  "  it  is 
subject  to  duty  !  After  all,  the  item  is  but  a  detail ;  is  one 
of  the  blessings  derivable  from  one-sided  Free  Trade. 


WE  are  in  receipt  of  a  little  book  concerning  Le  Mar/'n 
Anglais,  from  the  pen  of  Doctor  Andre-E.  Sayous,  Secretary 
of  the  Federation  des  Industriels  et  desGommercants  Fran- 
cais.  50.  Boulevard  Haussman,  Paris.  As  an  example  of 
French  opinion  on  the  British  Mercantile  Marine,  Dr. 
•Sayous' book  is  of  value,  and  gives  the  Briton  a  pretty 
good  example  of  the  old  adage  concerning  that  "  would 
some  power  the  giftie  gie  us" — but  you  know  what  we 
mean.  As  the  Frenchman  sees  the  English  Marine,  the 
picture  is  not  over  pleasant ;  yet  he  does  but  see  it  as  it 
really  exists,  and  not  as  some  of  the  false  friends  on  this 
side  of  the  Silver  Streak  would  have  us  believe  it  is.  It 
behoves  all  well-wishers  of  Britain's  backbone,  to  acquaint 
themselves  with  any  impartial  criticism  that  is  open  to 
their  hand.  This  latest  book  by  Dr.  Sayous  is  open  ;  its 
price  is  three  francs;  and  it  may  be  obtained  from  the  author 
or  from  Librairie  du  Recueil  Sirey,  22,  Rue  Soufflot,  Paris. 


February  24,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


SHIPBUILDING, 


ALTHOUGH  a  fair  number  of  inquiries  are  still  being  made 
by  owners  for  new  tonnage,  there  are  indications  that  the 
boom  in  shipbuilding  has  practically  exhausted  itself.  During 
the  last  two  months,  orders  for  new  tonnage  have  been  given 
out  so  freely,  that  there  is  hardly  a  yard  of  any  note  in  the 
country  which  has  not  a  large  amount  of  work  on  hand,  and 
both  builders  and  their  workmen,  have  contentedly  settled 
down  to  the  enjoyment  of  a  period  of  prosperity.  In  the 
meantime,  however,  the  hoped-for  revival  in  freights  is  not 
even  within  measurable  distance,  as  the  amount  of  tonnage 
at  present  available,  is  more  than  sufficient  for  the  trade  of 
the  world,  and  the  vast  amount  of  tonnage  to  be  put  into  the 
water  this  year,  will  be  more  than  any  expected  expanding 
trade  can  appropriate. 

MESSRS.  HARLAND  &  WOLFF.  Belfast,  have  received  an 
order  to  build  two  high-class  cargo  and  passenger  steamers 

for  the  Pacific  Steam  Navigation  Company.  Liverpool. 

•f  -f  •»• 

MESSRS.  WATT  &  Co..  Liverpool,  have  bought  a  steamer 
now  in  course  of  construction  by  the  Montrose  Shipbuilding 
Company.  The  steamer  is  to  be  employed  in  the  coasting 

trade. 

•»•  -f  -f 

THE  GRANGEMOUTH  &  GREENOCK  DOCKYARD  COMPANY,  have 
received  an  order  from  Glasgow  owners,  to  build  a  cargo 

steamer  of  about  5.300  tons  deadweight. 

•f  •»•  -f 

MESSRS.  WM.  HAMILTON  It  Co..  Port  Glasgow,  have 
received  an  order  to  build  a  steamer  of  about  7.000  tons 

deadweight,  for  Messrs.  Hardie  &  Co..  Glasgow. 

•f  •«•  -f 

MESSRS.  PICKERSOILL  &  Co..  Sunderland.  have  received 

orders  for  two  large  cargo  steamers  from  a  Liverpool  firm. 

+  -f   ••• 

THE  PALMERS  SHIPBUILDING  COMPANY,  have  received  an 
order  for  a  high-class  cargo  and  passenger  steamer  of  about 
4OOft.  long,  from  Messrs.  Currie  &  Co.,  Melbourne.  The 
Palmers  Shipbuilding  Co..  have  also  booked  an  order  for  a 
cargo  steamer  of  about  7.000  tons  deadweight,  for  the 

King  Line  Ltd..  London. 

•»••»•  + 

To  replace  the  steamer  Garlton.  which  they  recently 
sold,  Messrs.  R.  Chapman  It  Son.  Newcastle,  have  con- 
tracted with  Messrs.  Ropner  &  Son.  Stockton-on-Tees.  for 
the  construction  of  a  steamer  of  about  8,000  tons  dead- 
weight. 

•»•  +  -f 

Two  large  oil  tank  steamers,  built  at  Jarrow.  by  the 
Palmers  Shipbuilding  Company,  to  the  order  of  Messrs. 
Furness.  Withy  6t  Co..  Ltd..  have  been  sold,  after  laying  Tale 
in  the  Tyne  for  nearly  eighteen  months.  One  of  them  has 
been  bought  by  a  Russian  Company,  and  will  follow  the 
Baltic  fleet.  She  will  take  about  8.500  tons  of  fresh  water. 
The  other  has  been  purchased  by  the  Anglo-American  Oil 
Company.  We  understand  that  both  vessels  have  been  sold 
at  considerably  less  than  the  original  contract  prices.  They 
are  the  last  of  six  tank  steamers  built  on  spec,  for  Messrs. 

Furness.  Withy  &.  Co..  Ltd. 

+  •»••»• 

MR.  H.  WICANDER,  of  Stockholm,  has  purchased  a  new 
steamer,  at  present  under  construction  by  theCampbeltown 

Shipbuilding  Co..  of  about  2.100  tons  deadweight. 

•f   •»••»• 

IT  is  rumoured  at  Elswick.  that  the  Armstrong  Company 
have  just  secured  orders  to  build  several  new  warships  for 
Japan.  Elswick  has  a  long  and  close  connection  with  the 
Japanese  Government,  and  it  is  certain  to  be  called  upon  to 

a  large  extent,  when  any  new  orders  are  placed. 

•f  •»•  -f 

THE  iron  screw  steamer  Lemnos.  owned  by  Messrs. 
Lumsdon.  Byers  &  Co.,  Sunderland.  is  reported  sold  at 
about  £4.250.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  Short  Bros.. 


Sunderland.  in  1880.  Dimensions  270ft.  Sin.  x  34ft.  x 
18ft.  7in.,  1,530  tons  gross  ;  with  engines  30in..  60in.  x 
39in.,  stroke,  by  Messrs.  Short  Brothers. 

+  -f  + 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Brookside,  lately  owned  by  Mr. 
J.  L.  Browne,  Sunderland.  has  been  sold  to  foreigners. 
She  was  built  by  Messrs.  Short  Bros.,  Sunderland.  in  1893. 
Dimensions  300ft.  x  40ft.  4in.  x  24ft,  2.705  tons  gross  ; 
with  engines  22'2in..  37in.,  61  in.  x  42in.  stroke,  by  Messrs. 

W.  Allen  &  Co. 

+  +  + 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Kingwood,  recently  bought  by 
Messrs.  Owen  &  Watkin  Williams.  Cardiff,  has  been  re- 
named Gymrian. 

•f  -f  -f 

THE  Allan  liner  Peruvian,  has  been  sold  to  Italians  for 
breaking-up  purposes  at  about  £6,250.  She  has  had  a 
long  life,  as  41  years  have  elapsed  since  she  was  built,  by 
Messrs.  R.  Steele  &  Co.,  Greenock.  Dimensions  373ft. 
x  38ft.  6in.  x  32ft..  3.262  tons  gross :  with  engines 
2*9 '2 in.  x  73in.  x  48in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  J.  Howden  &  Co. 

•f  +  -f 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Enfield.  lately  owned  by  Messrs. 
C.  W.  Ormston  &  Co..  Newcastle,  has  been  sold  to  Messrs. 
Speeding.  Marshall  &  Co.,  Sunderland.  She  was  built  by 
Messrs.  J.  Priestman  &  Co..  Sunderland,  in  1897.  Dimen- 
sions 288ft.  x  40ft.  x  19ft.  4in..  2.124  tons  gross;  with 
engines  21  in..  35in.,  58in.  x  39in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  W. 

Allen  &  Co. 

•f  -f  -f 

MESSRS.  CAYZER,  IRVINE  &  Co..  Glasgow,  managers  of  the 
Clan  Line  of  steamers,  have  sold  six  of  their  old  steamers. 
the  Clan  Macarthur.  4.054  t»ns  gross,  built  by  Messrs. 
Scott  &  Co..  Greenock.  in  1883:  the  Clan  Buchanan.  2,968 
tons  gross,  built  by  Messrs.  A.  McMillan  &  Son.  Dumbar- 
ton, in  1882:  the  Clan  Mackenzie.  2,987  tons  gross,  built 
by  Messrs.  Ramage  Si  Furguson.  Leith.  in  1882;  have 
been  bought  by  a  Bombay  firm.  The  Clan  Macpherson, 
3,989  tons  gross,  built  by  Messrs.  Napier.  Shanks  &  Bell, 
Glasgow,  in  1 883  :  the  Clan  Macintosh,  4,053  tons  gross, 
built  by  Messrs.  Scott  &  Co..  Greenock.  in  1883;  the 
Clan  Matheson.  3,930  tons  gross,  built  by  Messrs.  Napier, 
Shanks  &  Bell,  in  1883  :  have  been  bought  by  a  German 

firm. 

•f  +  -f 

THE  Union-Castle  Mail  Steamship  Co..  Ltd.,  London, 
have  sold  their  iron  screw  steamer  Roslin  Castle,  to  German 
buyers.  She  was  built  in  1883,  by  Messrs.  Barclay, 
Curie  &  Co.,  Glasgow.  Dimensions  392ft.  Sin.  x  48ft.  3in. 
x  32ft.  9in.,  4.487  tons  gross.  Machinery  by  Messrs. 
T.  Richardson  &  Sons,  with  engines  36in.,  60in..  96in.  x 
60in.  stroke.  The  steamer  has  been  renamed  Regina.  and 
has  sailed  from  Tilbury,  flying  the  German  flag,  with  a  cargo 
of  stores,  and  the  port  of  destination  is  given  as  Tsingtau  in 
China.  We  understand  that  Mr.  Heinrich  Diederichsen, 
the  Russian  Consul  at  Kiel  is  the  purchaser,  and  that  the 
vessel  will  really  act  as  a  transport  for  the  third  Russian 

Baltic  fleet. 

•f  +  + 

THE  Empire  Towing  Company,  of  Gravesend.  have  sold 
their  iron  screw  tug  Empire,  to  buyers  in  the  Argentine. 
She  was  built  by  Hepple  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  South  Shields,  in  1902. 
Dimensions  9Oft.  x  19ft.  6in.  x  10ft.  9in. 

+  +  + 

MESSRS.  J.  R.  HAWS  &  Co.,  Liverpool,  have  sold  the  steel 
screw  steamer  Verax.  to  Mr.  Joseph  Hoult.  Liverpool,  at 
about  £10,500.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  E.  Withy  &  Co.. 
West  Hartlepool.  in  1890.  Dimensions  290ft.  x  40ft.  x 
19ft.  3in..  2.531  tons  gross:  with  engines  22in.,  35in.. 
59in.  x  39in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  T.  Richardson  &  Sons. 
The  steamer  has  been  renamed  Bengar. 


THE*    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


February  24,    1905 


FRIDAY.  FEBRUARY  24.   1905. 
AMERICA'S    MERCANTILE    MARINE. 


CHE  newspaper  discussion  concerning  those  American 
ship  subsidies  and  their  possible  effect  on  Great 
Britain,  continues  intermittently.     In  the  majority 
of  instances,    the  discussers  start  off    with    the 
ready-made  assumption  that  the  American  Brother  really 
hankers  after  the  maritime  supremacy  of  which  we  hear  so 
much.     Is  this  assumption  a  genuine  one  ?     In  our  opinion, 
it  is  merely  a  bogie.     Why  do  we  conclude  thus  ?    Simply 
because  we  have  had  a  fairly  extended  acquaintance  with 
America,  and  we  never  remember   hearing    one    native, 
outside  of  America's    very    limited    shipping    population. 
express  a  wish,  or  a  thought,  that  prompted  us  to  believe 
that  "American   Mercantile   Marine"  was  other    than  a 
mere  phrase,  on  the  other  side  of  the  Pond.     The  trouble 
on  this  side  of  the  water  is.  that  our  would-be  moulders  of 
public    opinion    invariably    discuss    a    possible    American 
Mercantile  Marine  from  a  British  standpoint,  and  principally 
because  they  know  nothing  of  the  point  of  view  adopted  by 
the  American.     Interested  people  from  the  other  side,  send 
across  their   versions  of  the   story   and   movement,    and 
because  the  Briton  is  a    nautically    minded    person,    he 
accepts  all  the  twankey   which  is   unloaded    on  him  for 
political     purposes,     in     good     faith.       Being    absolutely 
dependent  on  a  maritime  supremacy,  the  Briton  cannot 
very  well  assimilate  the  fact  that  there  are  other  compo- 
nents of  the  human   race,    who  do  not  care  twopence- 
ha'penny   about  the   arrangement.     Much    less    can    the 
Briton  be  brought  to  believe  that  the  American  is  included 
among  the  "don't  care  "  contingent.     We,  on  this  side,  can 
contemplate  the  tremendous  success  that  the   American 
has  made  in  every  branch  of  trade  which  he  has  considered 
as  worthy  his  attention  ;  but  even  with  this  example  in 
mind,  it  appears  impossible  to  make  the  man  in  the  street 
absorb  the  fact  that  if  the  American  wished  for  a  colossal 
Mercantile  Marine,  he  would  simply  hustle  around  and  get 
it — even  as  he  has  done  in  numberless  other  branches  of 
industry.     It  is  all  very  pretty  to  "  poke  fun  "  at  the  Yank  ; 
we  most  of  engage  in  the  pastime,  on  occasion.     For  that 
matter,  he  retaliates  in  a  similarly  more  or   less  jocular 
manner.     All  the  same,  we  none  of  us  forget  that  the 
progress  of  the  United  States  has  been  phenomenal,  and 
providing  we  stop  to  think,  can  readily  believe  that  if  this 
cry  for  an  American  Mercantile  Marine  were   a  national 
one  —  instead  of  a  mere  political  catch-phrase  —that  Marine 
would  have  been  in  existence,  long  ago.      We  are  willing  to 
admit  that  in   1870.  General  Grant — the  then  President  of 
the  United  States-  plaintively  commented  on  the  national 
humiliation  which  hung  around  the  fact  of  America  paying 
up  to  30,000,000  dollars  annually  to  foreigners,  in  return 
for  their  carrying  out  the  duties  "  which  should  be  done  by 
American  vessels,  American  built.  American  owned,  and 
American  manned."     But  then,  why  did  General  Grant 
record  his  dissatisfaction  with  the  then  state  of  affairs? 
Simply  because  the  American  nation  was,  at  that  time, 
a  maritime  nation.      True,  it  had  lost  its  shipping ;    but  the 
one-time   shipping  property  was  not  such    a    far-distant 
possession  that  the  nautical   spirit  had  died    out ;    thus 
General  Grant  did  but  give  vent  to  a  feeling  which  at  that 
period,    was    a    very   real    one.     In  1870.  the  American 
nation,  as  concerned  maritime  matters,  was  as  a  plumber 
who  had  lost  his  bass  of  tools.     It  will  be  conceded  that 
the  mere  loss  of  a  bass  of  tools  will  not  make  a  plumber 


less  a  tradesman?    Neither    would    the    loss    of    a    big 
Mercantile  Marine   make   the   good   people  who    recently 
owned   the  fleet,    less  shipping    people?     Certainly    not! 
And  thus  it  comes  about  that  General  Grant  did  but  express 
the  ideas  that  were  about   in    his  time  and   generation. 
Erstwhile,  the  American  had  owned  American  vessels,  that 
were  American  built,  and  American  manned.     The  fortunes 
of  war  had  removed  the  tools,  but  the  men— shipping  men 
—remained.     It  is  all  clear  enough,  if  one  cares  to  look  at 
the  subject  with  an  unprejudiced  mind.     Leaving  General 
Grant,  however,  and  considering  the  maze  of  years  which 
have  elapsed  since    1870,  do  we  find  many  Americans  of 
note :   men  whose  words  would  be  taken  as  representing 
their  fellow-countrymen  ;  do  we  find  this  class    of    man 
groaning  because  of  a  paucity  of  American  owned,  built  and 
manned  vessels  ?     Not  to  any  appreciable  extent !    Indeed, 
this  cry  for  an  American  Merchant  Marine  is  a  brand-new 
discovery  !     Why  is  this,  think   you  ?     Is    it    because    of 
inherent  cussedness,   or   rather  for  the   reason   that  the 
American  is  no  longer  a  nautical  person  ?      You  are  safe  in 
assuming  that  the   latter   is   the   genuine  cause.     A  few 
would-be  exploiters   of  a  dead   industry   have  attained    a 
sufficiency  of  power  to  enable  them  to  get  a  hearing,  and 
finding  that   every  branch  of  trade,  save   shipping,  is  as 
keenly  contested  as  makes  probable  success  a  very  hard 
ideal  to  follow  :  these  talkers  endeavour,  by  every  means 
in  their  power,  to  whip  up  an  interest  in  ships  and  shipping. 
The  patriotic  idea  is  faked  for  all  it  is  worth  :   other  nations 
are   to  be  told,   in  a    most    uncompromising    manner,  to 
"drop  that  bundle" — if  the   latter  happens  to   consist  of 
American  made  notions ;  and  at  sometime  in  the  dim  vistas 
of  the  future,  America  is  going  to  play  high,  low.  Jack  and 
the  game,   all  'round   the  earth.     If  America,  as  a  nation, 
believed  all  these  little  points,  then,  you  could  take  it  for 
granted  that"  something  would  come  of  it."    Unfortunately 
for  the  would-be  exploiters,  however,  the  America  of  to-day 
is  no  longer  a  maritime   nation.     The  men  who  flourished 
with  General  Grant  have  taken  their  last  sea-trip  :  Charon 
skippered  the  boat :  their  sons  have  wooed  fortune  in  other 
paths  of  industry  ;  and  no  matter  how  you  look  at  it.  that 
American  Mercantile    Marine  is  a   long  way  off.     Seeing 
that  there  are   no   means  of  refuting  the  statement,  it  is 
fairly  safe  to   say  that  if  President  Arthur — who  relieved 
General  Grant   and  took  the  same  interest  in  ships   and 
shipping — had   been  succeeded    by   "another    Republican 
President,  it  is  humanly  certain  that  a  more  or  less  com- 
prehensive system  of  subsidies  would  have  been  adopted." 
This  is  the  amiable  manner  in  which  the  subject  is  treated 
by  the  Times.     Of  course,  there  is  a  nice  bit  of  the  "  if  " 
about  it  all,  and  most  of  us  have  heard  that  old  tale  about 
the  cat,  and  "  if  ?  "     Leaving  the  "  if  "  part  of  the  business, 
and  coming  down  to  the  absolutely  certain  portion  of  the 
argument,  it  cannot  be  denied  that  the  subsidies  were  not 
instituted  ;    that    America    has    no     Mercantile    Marine ; 
and     judging    by     appearances,     doesn't    want     any.     It 
matters  really  not  a  cent,  whether  "it  was  only  the  accident 
of  Mr.  Elaine's  defeat  "  when  he  "ran"  for  the  Presidency, 
which    saved     British   shipowners,    .some    twenty   years 
ago,    or  what   not.     In   these   "  revivalled "   days,  we  are 
taught  to  believe  that  in   the  destinies  of  nations,   there  is 
precious  little  of  the  "  accidental  "   about.     Be  that  as  it 
may,  and  whether  Mr.  Elaine's  defeat  was   a  contributory 
cause  or  otherwise,  the  fact  remains  that  America  is  not  a 
maritime  nation,  nor  for  the  next  century,  at  least,  is  it 
likely  to  be.     Again,  if  the  Americans,  at  the  time  alluded 
to,  were  such  ardent  would-be  shipowners,  why  didn't  they 
bury  their  petty  jealousies  for  long  enough   to   put   Mr. 
Elaine  in  power  ?     Obviously,  there  were  more  'longshore 
legislators,   than  were   there  nautical  dittos!     The  same 
thing  obtains,   to-day.      Here  is  another  little   quotation 
which  should  appeal  to  your  shipping   souls  :  "  Rightly  or 
wrongly,  the  American  has  no  question   of  his  ability  to 
wrest   England's  trade  from   her,  if  once  he  be  but  given 
equal  weapons    in    the    fight— established   lines   of  mer- 


February  24,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


chant  ships  flying  his  own  flag,  and  banking  facilities  at  the 
necessary  trade  centres  of  the  world  :  and  when  the  steam- 
ship lines  are  established,  the  American  banks  will  be  quick 
to  follow."  See  ?  Rightly  or  wrongly,  the  American  feels 
that  he  has  the  ability  to  wrest  away  your  trade,  if  he  is 
given  equal  weapons  in  the  fight !  Who  gave  those 
weapons  to  the  Briton?  Great  Caesar!  Did  anybody 
come  across  here,  and  make  a  Christmas  present  of  the 
British  Mercantile  Marine,  to  the  British  Nation  ?  Was  it 
all  a  dream,  good  friends,  or  did  the  Briton  really  have  to 
hustle  around  and  forge  the  said  weapons  for  himself  ? 
Personally,  we  could  never  see  the  shadow  of  a  "  gift "  in 
the  whole  business,  and  in  all  seriousness,  we  must  say 
that  if  the  American  is  satisfied  to  sit  him  down  and  await 
the  presenting  of  those  "equal  weapons,"  then,  he  is 
committed  to  about  the  toughest  job  which  he  has  ever 
undertaken.  Mind  you,  the  Columbian  friend  doesn't  appear 
to  want  a  lot.  before  wresting  our  trade  away,  does  he  ? 
Merely  established  lines  of  merchant  ships  flying  his  own 
flag,  and  banking  facilities,  here,  there,  and  t'other  place. 
If  our  esteemed  competitor  had  an  old  Aladdin's  lamp  con- 
cealed in  one  of  his  numerous  museun.s.  the  thing  might  be 
engineered  in  short  order:  but  to-day  the  only  Aladdin's 
lamp  that  is  worthy  of  consideration,  is  the  one  which 
lights  up  the  path  for  you  to  do  the  work,  yourself !  Lamps 
are  "off  "—since  the  American  set  such  store  by  electri- 
city !  Coming  along  to  a  further  consideration  of  the 
findings  and  suggestions  of  the  United  States  Merchant 
Marine  Commission,  we  note  that  it  is  proposed  to  create  a 
volunteer  naval  reserve  from  "  the  best  officers  and  men  of 
our  merchant  ships."  Personally,  we  are  of  opinion  that  it 
is  a  mere  waste  of  time  and  space  to  discuss  the  many 
phases  of  the  "  retaining  "  fees  which  are  provided  in  this 
connection.  In  the  first  place,  the  Commissioners,  them- 
selves, admit  that  although  an  enrolment  of  20.000 
reservists  is  provided  for.  still.  "  if  all  the  available  men  in 
the  present  American  service  were  to  volunteer,  they  would 
not  amount  to  more  than  one-half  that  number."  Exactly  ! 
That  is  why  we  remarked  that  a  consideration  of  this  phase 
of  the  subject,  would  be  a  mere  waste  of  time  and  space. 
The  Commissioners  opine  that  their  volunteer  scheme 
would  not  draw  in  more  than  10.0OO  men.  We  opine  that 
they  wouldn't  get  one-half  that  number  until  they  have 
weaned  away  the  few  remaining  British  sailors  that  sail  in 
British  bottoms.  This  latter  is  the  American's  only  chance. 
If  he  will  make  it  worth  the  while  of  the  remnant  of  British 
sailors  to  emigrate,  take  out  papers,  and  enrol  as  American 
Naval  Volunteers,  then,  the  American  Navy  is  by  way  of 
getting  a  nucleus  for  a  reserve.  "  Annual  subventions,"  at 
so  much  per  gross  registered  tons,  is  all  buncombe  :  nobody 
knows  it  better  than  the  estimable  folk  who  have  drawn  up 
the  scheme.  The  Anglo-Saxon  race  is  rapidly  becoming  a 
shore-loving  race.  At  the  next  shaking-up  of  the  nations, 
this  will  be  conclusively  proved.  Under  the  circumstances, 
therefore,  there  is  but  little  sense  in  wasting  a  nation's 
time,  in  the  consideration  of  schemes  which  have  long 
since  outlived  their  use.  For  our  part,  we  are  prone  to 
admit  that  the  following  is  on  the  spot :  "  Rightly  or 
wrongly,  the  belief  in  America  to-day  is  that  Great  Britain 
holds  her  commercial  position  now.  not  by  virtue  of  her 
present  ability  or  manufacturing  energy,  but  only  by  reason 
of  her  position,  won  for  her  by  a  generation  that  is  gone,  as 
the  carrier  and  broker  of  the  world."  That  is  the  truth, 
undoubtedly,  for  look  where  you  will,  and  the  same 
spectacle  confronts  you  :  decadence,  and  ever  decadence. 
Men  selling  sarcanet  and  lace  fichus  :  women  gradually 
sequestering  the  confidential  positions  in  commercial 
houses  !  The  Yank  is  credited  with  the  belief  that  Britain 
is  living  on  her  accumulated  capital  in  money  and  ships  : 
and  the  Yank  hits  it  every  time .'  On  the  other  hand,  if 
Yank  can  do  no  better  in  the  wresting  of  England's  trade, 
than  is  exemplified  by  the  soulful  yearning  of  a  present  of 
"  equal  weapons."  then,  our  American  friend  has  no  need 
to  star*,  off  "saying  things  up  ag'in  Britain.'  If  Yank 


really  wanted  those  ships,  and  to  re-engage  as  a  maritime 
nation,  we  know  him  well  enough  to  justify  us  in  believing 
that,  in  reality,  he  wouldn't  wait  for  those  "presents." 
He'd  buy  !  Failing  that,  he'd  "  acquire  !  " 

LLOYD'S  STATISTICAL  TABLES  FOR  1904. 

I  HE   above  tables  have  recently  been  issued,  and   as 
I      usual,  give  food  for  some  very  interesting  consider- 
'       ations    concerning  the   "  maritime  supremacy  "  for 
which  dear  old    Britain   has    become    famous.      On    this 
particular  occasion,  we  shall  deal  only  with  that  portion  of 
the  tale  set  out   by  Lloyd's  Register  of  British  and  Foreign 
Shipping,     which    treats    of     tonnage     "  transferred     to 
foreigners."     In  comparison  with  the  total  tonnage  owned 
by  the   whole  of   Britain,   the  amount  transferred  to  the 
foreigner— 323.175  tons,  that  is — doesn't  loom  unduly  tall. 
Particularised,  we  find  that  this  same  total  is   made   up  as 
276.059  tons  of  steamer,  and   47.1 16  of  sailer — or  about 
55  and  44  per  cent,  respectively,  of  the  gross  deductions. 
We  are  informed  that  the  total  slightly  exceeds  the  relative 
figures  for  1902  and  1903.  so  that  it  will  be  realised  that 
the  evil  is  a  growing  one.     True,  with  the  exception  of  the 
two  years  last  mentioned,  the  "  sold  foreign  "  contingent  is 
§maller  than  in  any  other  year  since  1894  ;  but  seeing  that 
for  three  years  past,  the  increase  has  been  fairly  constant, 
it  follows  that  "  sold  foreign  "   is  a  growing  evil.     Further- 
more, with  the  advent  of  all  the  new  tonnage  which  is 
either  launched  or  on  order,  it  is  safe  to   assume  that  the 
increase  will  continue  ?     When  a  Briton  gets  a  number  of 
new  brass-plates  outside  his   offices,   the    observer   will 
always  notice  a  gradual  diminution  in  the  number  of  old- 
time  brass  plates.    British  shipowners  are  enterprising  folk, 
and  when  they  go  in  for  a  number  of  new.  and  high-class 
steamers,  they  are  prone  to  do  even  as  the  wealthy  among 
us  do  with  their  cast-off  clothing  -pass  it  along   to    poorer 
relations,  or  send  it  up  to  Bute  Terrace!    However,  pinning 
down   this  "  transferred  to  foreigners  "   little   lot,  we   find 
that  our   Eastern   ally  has  taken   over   92.251  tons — by 
purchase,  you  understand,  and  without  reckoning  in  the  by 
no  means  inappreciable  amount  which  he   has  taken  by 
force  majeure,    and    because    it    was  caught  in  flagrante 
delicto!    The  Hardy  Norseman  has   assimilated  to  his  own 
uses   ( and  our  freights )   42.137  tons,  while   it  is  safe   to 
assume  that  he  has  purchased  them  merely  at  giving-away- 
prices,  and  with  the  sure  and  certain  hope  that  he  will  use 
them  against  the  late  owners.    The   amiable  Teuton  has 
taken  in  a  fleet  represented  by  the  figures  41.457  in  tons  ; 
Italy  is  responsible  for  30.507  tons  :  and   France    ( where 
the  bounties  ran  riot)  21.993  tons.     Altogether,  the  "little 
lot  "  is  fairly  well   distributed,  don't  you  think  ?     It  is  also 
placed  in  the  very  hands  that  may  be  calculated  to  do  the 
most  with   it.     In  the    words  of  the   compiler  of  Lloyd's 
Statistical  Tables,  we  find  that   "  In  the  main,  the  vessels 
which  are  transferred  to  foreigners,  are  not  of  very  recent 
construction."     The  trouble  of  the  whole  mistaken  business 
however,   will   be   that  every   ton    of  that  "  transferred " 
amount  will  be  all  for  recent  freights  !     Of  that,  we   may 
be  sure.    Concerning  the  construction  of  the  "sold  foreign" 
combination  perhaps,  the  least  said,  soonest  mended.     As 
a  matter  of  fact,  it  is  because  of  the  vessels'   antiquity- -in 
the  main,  again — that  they  were  sold  at  such  pound-of-tea 
rates  ?   Where  the  trouble  will  eventuate,  is  in  the  absolute 
certainty  that  every  one  of  those,  at  present,  foreign-owned 
bargains,  will  walk  off  with  cargoes  paying  exactly  the  same 
rates  as  will  be  current  with  the  newer,  more   up-to-date, 
and  altogether  more  expensive  tonnage  under  the   British 
flag,  and  which,  at  present,  is  not  intended   for  sale  to  the 
foreigner.     It  is  alright  to  say  that  "17  per  cent,  of  the 
tonnage  removed  from  the  Register  .  .  .  was  built  before 
1880.  35  percent,  before  1885,  55  percent,  before  1890, 
and   about  80  percent,   before    1895."     But   the    whole 
boiling  will  rank  equally  with  the  Briton's  best  samples,  for 
freights  that  are   ruling  in  1905.      Hence   the  pity— and 
shortsightedness     of   this  "  sold  foreign  "   policy. 


I 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


February  24,  1905 


\         CARDIFF 

(AND 

OTHER) 

COAL. 

CARDIFF.  February  22nd.  1905. 

BUSINESS  in  the  coal  market,  during  the  past  week,  has  been 
extremely  quiet  Indeed,  there  has  been  but  little  doing  since  last  we 
had  the  pleasure  of  spreading  our  weekly  tale,  for  your  kind  considera- 
tion. Recent  anticipations  have  been  by  no  means  realised.  On  the 
contrary,  rather,  for  prices  have  weakened  abominably  !  At  least, 
that  is  how  we  heard  a  "  factor  "  put  the  matter,  this  morning  ;  and 
when  a  coal  "  factor  "  starts  out  to  talk  about  his  own  staple  well. 
you  can  believe  him  (if  you  are  built  that  way  !)  Outside  of  this 
particular  gentleman's  wail,  we  are  of  opinion  that  the  weakness  is 
merely  applicable  to  prompt  coal,  and  this  solely  because  of  the  delay, 
and  consequent  scarcity,  of  tonnage  in  this  position. 

NATURALLY,  under  the  conditions  suggested,  a  quantity  of  coal  is 
thrown  upon  the  market,  and  with 

No  abnormal  demand  about, 

the  amiable  buyer  has  recognised  that  to  manipulate  prices  so  that 
they  suit  his  own  very  peculiar  ideas  of  the  fitness  of  things,  is  a 
matter  that  may  be  attended  with  no  very  great  difficulty.  Providing, 
that  is.  that  the  gentleman  has  a  handy  boat  either  little  or  big— into 
which  the  glutted  commodity  may  be  romped  with  as  little  delay  as 
possible.  When  the  colliery  gentleman  sees  an  opportunity  of 
releasing  his  wagons  (and  in  the  event  of  his  hungering  very  badly  for 
that  same  release)  he  is  not  unduly  anxious  about  the  odd  threepence. 
Heaped  up  wagons  are  an  abomination  to  the  colliery  man  ! 

Bur  writing  of  wagons,  reminds  us  that  the  merry  mannie  who  deals 
therein,  and  who  is  the  lucky  possessor  of  a  goodly  number  thereof,  is 
in  a  very  happy  mood,  at  present !  We  should  not  be  surprised  to 
see  that  sealskin  sacques.  and  things,  had  "  riz.  !  "  Not  us  !  When 
the  colliery  man  is  in  the  position  which  brings  out  a  sentence  such  as 

"  I    MUST    have    Wagons  I  " 

then  is  the  life  of  the  hirer-out,  one  long  dream  of  loveliness.  At 
the  moment,  the  "  I  MUST  have  "  has  materialised,  and  the  hirer  is 
cherubically  inclined,  in  consequence.  Yes,  sirs,  times  like  the  present 
suit  the  hirers-out  of  wagons  right  down  to  the  bottom  edge  of  their 
boot-soles  when  they  are  standing  on  terra  firma. 

REVERTING  to  the  buyer  for  just  a  minute,  it  cannot  be  said  that  he 
is  taking  much  advantage  of  the  ruling  conditions.  On  the  contrary. 
as  a  matter  of  fact,  for  there  is  practically  nothing  doing  in  either 
demand,  or  actual  business.  But  'twas  ever  thus  in  the  coal  trade  ! 
When  prices  are  high,  your  buyer  must  have  the  stuff  ;  when  prices 
are  low, 

He    hasn't    any    money. 

How  is  it,  you  experts  at  the  business  ?  Give  it  up  ?  So  do  we.  and 
pass  on  to  other  considerations. 

OUR  own  "Old  Moore."  has  been  handing  us  in  his  prophecies- -and 
he  knows  a  bit  about  the  business.  What  has  he  been  saying  ?  Lots  ! 
Among  the  ruck  of  it.  he  assures  us  that  the  prevailing  weakness  in 
the  staple  trade,  has  all  the  appearance  of  being  of  a  temporary 
character.  And  mind  you,  he  gives  very  cogent  reasons  for  his 
predictions.  Some  of  them  are,  that  the  recent  heavy  chartering  is 
bound  to  result  in  a  good  arrival  of  steamers,  soon.  This,  coupled 
on  to  those  dear  old  lag-behind  samples  of  tonnage,  will  be  sure  to 
make  shipments  busy,  in  the  near  future.  We  hope  he  is  right.  He 
means  to  be,  we  know.  Meanwhile,  we  can  but  look  and  wait  for  the 
good  time. 

WE  have  it  too.  on  the  authority  of  another  "  expert."  that  the 
colliery  man  is  engaged  at  the  anticipation  business  ;  believes  that  the 

Re-attainment  of  his  recent  good  position 

it  simply  a  matter  of  days  ;  is  convinced  that  he  will  be  in  the  middle 
of  a  wild  "  rush  "  for  coal,  before  he  has  had  time  to  breathe.  Why  is 
this,  think  you  ?  Simply  because  the  stemmed  tonnage  is  becoming 
due.  When  it  has  arrived,  you  are  warned  to  keep  off  the  grass. 
Colliery  man  is  willing  to  admit  that  buyer  has  the  best  end  of  the 
stick  at  the  moment ;  at  the  same  time,  he  has  made  up  his  features 
on  the  lines  of  "  He  laughs  best,  who  laughs  last."  and  it  is  even  so. 

PERSONALLY,  we  do  not  believe  that  any  improvement  is  likely  to 
materialise  immediately  -bar  accidents,  of  course.  Present  stocks 
will  take  some  working  off.  before  the  word  "  scarcity  "  will  come  on 
board  in  coal-land.  This  accumulation  has  been  the  cause  of  frequent 
stoppages,  even  with  those  collieries  which,  on  paper,  are  really  over- 
stemmed.  Paper  stems,  however,  are  not  of  much  use.  They  do  not 
bluff  the  buyer  :  neither  do  they  work  the  confidence  trick  unduly 
among  the  colliers.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  those  same  paper  stems  are 
just  the  little  tricks 

Which  bring  out  arbitration  awards 

against  the  colliery  owner. 

WE  have  been  assured,  most  positively,  that  the  decision  of  the 
independent  chairman  was  the  reverse  of  unexpected.  Sometimes, 


we  might  be  inclined  to  believe  it.  At  others,  we  might— if  we  were 
rude  remark  about  the  prevalence  of  rats  in  the  district.  Anyhow, 
if  it  really  were  expected,  then,  what  we  have  maintained  all  through 
the  contraption,  is  correct.  What  have  we  maintained  ?  Why  that  the 
masters  ask  for  a  reduction,  so  that  the  men  may  not  seek  a  rise  ;  and 
the  men  ask  for  a  rise  so  that  the  masters  may  not  demand  a 
reduction.  In  any  case  it  cannot  be  denied  that  contracts  have  been 
taken  at  lower  figures,  than  ruled  last  year. 

MEANWHILE,  sellers  are  patiently— if  not  anxiously— awaiting  the 
result  of  the  Italian  Marine  tenders,  the  placing  of  which  should  have 
a  beneficial  effect,  and  the  probability  of 

A  hardening-up  process 

where  it  is  most  wanted.  We  have  not  noticed  any  undue  rise  in  the 
tissue  paper  trade,  or,  for  the  matter  of  that,  in  the  ribbon  departments. 
Possibly  the  Italian  gentlemen  have  decided  to  take  the  stuff  "  neat," 
after  all  ?  We  hope  so,  for  the  wrapping  and  tying-up  would  con- 
stitute a  very  grave  precedent. 

BEST  CARDIFF  ADMIRALTYS,  in  the  matter  of  quotation,  range  along 
at  about  1 3s.  6d. :  but  this  is  by  no  means  firm,  for  spot  business. 
Certainly,  paper  stems  (always  paper,  you'll  observe)  are  good,  but 
lack  of  tonnage  supplies  has  placed  collieries  in  a  very  uncomfortable 
position,  as  the  Man  who  Sells  finds,  to  his  dismay,  that  he  has  more 
on  hand  than  he  can  dispose  of.  As  a  natural  consequence,  this  little 
item  doesn't  always  allow  him  to  obtain  his  quotation,  and  he  finds 
that  if  he  would  dispose  of  a  decent-like  quantity,  he  must  be  of  an 
accommodating  turn  of  mind. 

Must  smile  at  the  friendly  buyer. 

So  much  is  this  in  evidence  at  the  moment,  that  buyer  realises  that 
there  is  no  necessity  for  any  undue  gift  of  the  persuasive,  providing  he 
wishes  to  do  himself  proud  in  this  direction.  Notwithstanding  these 
little  points  in  buyers  favour,  and  as  already  stated  higher  up  the 
page,  there  have  been  but  few  transactions.  The  value  in  this  section 
is  therefore,  anything  below  13s.  6d. — that  you  are  in  a  position  to 
dictate. 

SECONDS,  quite  naturally,  are  much  easier  than  they  were.  This, 
out  of  sympathy  with  the  premier  sorts.  A  few  collieries  in  this  group 
are  in  the  happy  position  of  keeping  fairly  busy,  but  here,  as  in  other 
quarters,  there  is  an  uncomfortable  easiness  hanging  around  prompt 
stems.  So  much  so,  that  cargoes  for  this  position  can  be 

Arranged  on  advantageous  terms. 

Generally,  the  quotation  is  12s.  9d.,  a  little  over  or  under,  according 
to  the  position  of  the  colliery  in  question  ;  but  the  figures  fairly 
represent  the  value  of  SECONDS,  at  the  time  of  writing. 

ORDINARIES  show  no  improvement  in  so  far  as  demand  is  concerned. 
Indeed,  the  demand  in  this  grade  is  slack  ;  shaky  ;  watered  ;  anything 
you  like,  as  long  as  it  means  weakness.  There  is  nothing  new  in  this 
weakness  ;  this  sad  lack  of  appreciation  ;  for  it  has  been  around  for 
some  time,  past.  Here,  as  in  other  qualities,  prices  are  more  governed 
by  date  of  shipment,  than  by  the  cuffer  spun  by  the  would-be  buyer. 
Prompt  cargoes  of  this  stuff  may  be  easily  booked  at  12s. — and  a 
little  less  easily  at  threepence  under  that. 

DRYS  have  been  fairly  well-maintained,  at  from  1 2s.  6d.  to  1 2s.  9d. 
for  BESTS,  which 

Continue   fairly  busy. 

Outside  of  their  present  engagements,  however,  there  is  but  little 
doing  in  this  phase  of  the  trade,  which  may  be  considered  as  easy. 
That  is,  prices  are  merely  maintained  because  of  past  bookings— and 
a  scarcity  of  any  demand.  INFERIORS  are  weaker  on  a  limited  request, 
and  can  be  easily  obtained  for  12s.  3d. 

MONMOUTHSHIRE  COALS  are  unchanged,  for  this  section  continues  to 
be  exceedingly  quiet.  Demand  is  practically  non-existent,  and  in  view 
of  the  fact  that  stems  are  distinctly  easy  with  the  collieries,  prices,  as 
you  might  well  suppose,  have  declined.  In  addition  to  there  being  but 
little  demand  for  prompt  shipment,  so  also  is  there  a  scarcity  for 
anything  of  a  forward  nature.  Indeed,  so  dull  are  these  particular 
sorts,  that  there  is  but  little  indication  of  anything  approaching  a 

Rise  in  the  immediate  future. 

BLACK  VEINS  are  asking  11s.  9d.,  and  in  one  or  two  instances  which 
have  come  under  our  notice,  prompt  business  would  have  brought  an 
appreciable  reduction.  The  prompt  business,  however,  didn't  even- 
tuate, so  the  quotation  remained,  even  as  we*  have  written  it. 

ORDINARIES,  in  this  grade,  are  also  weaker.  Outputs  are  consider- 
ably in  excess  of  what  demand  there  is.  Indeed,  when  sized  up  for 
what  it  is  really  worth,  there  is  precious  little  of  the  latter  about  in 
any  of  the  units  of  this  section.  This  lack  of  demand,  coupled  on  to 


February  24.  1905 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


3° 


the  scarcity  of  tonnage  which  exists,  has  made  maters  unpleasant  for 
the  collieries  involved,  so  that  stoppages  have  been  frequent.  Under 
the  circumstances,  therefore,  quotations  are  but  nominal,  and  the 
actual  value  can  only  be  obtained,  when  Greek  meets  Greek,  in  solid 
earnest !  From  the  sellers'  point  of  view,  the  price  is  lls.  6d. ;  but 
the  stuff  may  be  ootained  at  1  Is.  3d.  easily. 

SECONDS,  on  the  contrary,  have  been  somewhat  busy,  and  are  likely 
to  continue  in  this  vein,  at  least  into  next  week.  Most  of  the 
collieries  are  blessed  with  good  stems,  and  there  is  also  a  satisfactory 
amount  of  enquiry.  On  the  whole,  the  value  may  be  accepted  as 
10s.  9d.  which  is  being  steadily  maintained. 

RHONDOA  No.  3's  have  not  been  affected  by  the  prevailing  tendency 
of  the  market  for  this  grade  continues  to  show  a  very  firm  front. 
Collieries  have  their  hands  full,  and  the  state  of  their  stems  admits 
of  their  taking  on  but  little  new  business.  Even  into  March. 

Buyers    have    difficulty 

in  covering  their  requirements,  so  that  there  is  little  fear   lor  chancel 

Al'PKilXIMATF        FlGl'RKS        FOR        THK       WfcKK.        ARE       AS 

(  All  quotations  f.o.b.  at 


of  prices  declining  hereaway,  for  a  time.     Values  are  firm   at    14s.  to 
14s.  3d.  for  Large  ;    Thro's  are  getting  1  Is.  and  lls.  3d. 

RHONDDA  No.  2's  are  experiencing  a  passing  good  demand,  with 
prices  beautifully  steady.  Collieries  are  busy,  and  have  every  prospect 
of  continuing  so.  and  business  has  been  done  at  1  Os.  6d. — frequently. 

SMALLS  have  not  been  so  active.  The  demand  has  eased,  until  it 
has  really  got  below  what  might  be  termed  the  average.  And  in 
spite  of  the  restricted  supplies  of  large,  which  usually  gives  this 
section  a  more  or  less  fictitious  firmness,  prices  have  still  further 
declined.  BESTS  may  be  scheduled  at  7s.  3d.  to  7s.  6d.;  ORDINARIES, 
at  6s.  9d.:  and  INFERIORS,  at  from  6s.  to  6s.  6d. 

PATENT  FUELS  show  but  little  variation  in  values,  those  current  being 
about  on  a  par  with  those  of  last  week.  PITWOOD,  too.  is  about  the 
same  ;  if  any  change  is  noticeable,  it  is  on  the  side  of  firmness. 
Actual  prices  are  unchanged,  although  as  suggested,  somewhat 
steadier.  Scarcity  of  wagons  militates  against  any  improvement  at 
the  moment. 

FOLLOW  ;  — 

the  respective  ports  of  shipment.  / 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Best  Cardiff  Ad'alty  Large 

I3s.  6d     i?>.  4<l. 

i  *-.  6d. 

i3s.  6d. 

I3s.  3d.,  13s.  gd. 

135.  3d.,  i3s.  od. 

ijs.  3d.,  135.  6d. 

Second         Ditto. 

13" 

3d. 

1  3-.  od. 

1  3s.  od. 

I2s.  gd.                        12s.  gd. 

Other  Second  Cardiff  .. 

fid. 

i  _•-  6d. 

'-'-•  3  1- 

I2S.  3'1. 

us.  od.                 12s.  od..  12s.  31!. 

I2».  6(1.,  i  ;- 

i  _•-  9.1. 

I2s.  6.1.,  \i".  <»  1. 

I---,  fit!. 

us.  6d.                 I2s.  3d.,  I2s.  6d. 

Best  Newport 

128.  Od. 

u~.  od. 

i  is.  gd. 

i  is.  gd. 

i  is.  6d.    I2s.  oil.                i  is.  gel. 

Ordinary  Bests 

1  1  -   gd. 

us.  gd. 

113.6(1. 

1  1  s.  6d. 

ii-    ?:!.,  i  is.  6d.         us.  3d.,  us.  6d. 

Seconds 

1  1     od. 

1  1-.  od. 

los.^io.'.d. 

los.  lo.'.d. 

IDS.  gd.                        los.  gel. 

Best  House  Coal 

gd. 

6d. 

i6s.  6(1. 

i6s.  3d..  it)S.  gd. 

i6s.  oil.                i6s.  6d.,  i6s.  gd. 

No.  3  Rhondda 

•  4s-  3d. 

3d. 

M-.  od. 

MS.  od. 

I4s.  o.l.,  us.  3d.                 145.  od. 

No.  2         Ditto. 

IOC 

IDS.  7!,!. 

los.  61..  los.  gd. 

los.  6d. 

los.  6d. 

los.  4.'d.,  IDS.  6d. 

Rhondda  3  ••  Thro." 

12^     Vl- 

I-'-    Ol. 

128.  0,1. 

1  2s.  3d. 

I2S.    l.Jd. 

1        « 

0,1. 

In,  ml. 

8*. 

.x-    5(1.,  S-      . 

8s.  gd. 

8s.7id. 

Smalls: 

Best  Cardiff 

J* 

7-.  gd. 

78.  6d..  7«.  9,1. 

7s.  6d. 

73.  6d.                   -s.  3d.,  75.  60. 

Seconds 

fid. 

Ts-  3d. 

7-.  od. 

7s.  od.                          6s.  9d. 

Ordinaries 

oft 

7-.  od 

pd. 

6s.  gd. 

6s.  7'.d. 

6s.  6d. 

Best  Newport 

78.  od. 

od. 

oft 

6s.  gd. 

6s.  6(1.,  6s.  gd.                    6s.  6d. 

Seconds 

6s.  od. 

6s.  6/1. 

vl. 

6s.  3d. 

6s.  oil.,  6s.  3d.                   6s.  3d. 

Hhnndda  No.  2 

wl 

6*.  od..  6s.  od. 

6d. 

6s.  .vl. 

6s.  oil.,  6s.  6d.             6s.  3d.,  6s.  6d. 

No.  3 

i« 

los.  3,1. 

108.   |}(1. 

los.  ijd. 

IOS.  Oil 

los.  3d. 

Foundry  Coke  : 

Special 

2I».  I  • 

.M-.  6(1. 

-•  i  a,  6d. 

2IS.    V'. 

218.  Oil. 

2is.  od. 

Ordlnan 

lto.0,1 

--.ol. 

9d. 

•7-   9*1- 

ISs.  Oil. 

1  8s.  od. 

Furnace  Coke 

gd. 

i;s  6d. 

1  :>.  6d. 

15*'  6M.,  i;s.  gd. 

1  5s.  od.,  1  55.  gd. 

Patent  Fuel 

i  ;-  3<1- 

i  -,-  od. 

i  ;-.  od. 

,  1.,  i  ;-  od.                 I2s.  gd. 

I'ltUlMill      CX    «.hiP 

l6s.  3d..  l6s.  gd. 

l(>s.  <«|. 

IOS.  qd.                   16s.  6(1.,  ins.  91!. 

All.  less  2>j  P«r  cent,  discount,  with  payment  at  thirty  days,  except  where  otherwise  stated. 


All  quotations  for  large  Coals  imply  Colliery  Screened. 
SWANSEA.  February  22.  1905. 

In  considering  the  state  of  the  market  hereaway,  we  find  but  little 
change  to  chronicle.  An  average  business  has  been  passing,  but  the 
limited  number  of  new  orders  coming  on  the  market  keeps  prices  at 
their  present  levels,  although  these  are  steady. 

AUTHHACITB  COALS  are  keeping  steady  at  the  figures  given  below, 
and  which  have  not  varied  greatly,  since  our  last  BEST  SORTS,  being 
fairly  well  stemmed,  maintain  their  position,  and  are  helped  in  this. 
by  the  satisfactory  demand  obtaining  at  present  INFERIOR  SORTS  are. 
however,  not  so  firm,  and  business  in  them  is  somewhat  quiet  For 
prompt  shipment,  it  is  possible  to  improve  upon  the  quoted  figures. 
RED  VEINS,  however,  are  experiencing  a  satisfactory  demand,  and 
values  are  rather  firm. 

MACHINE  MADE  COALS  are  an  easy  market  especially  for  prompt 
shipment  and  buyers  who  are  in  a  position  to  take  delivery  promptly. 
have  been  able  to  book  at  lower  figures.  There  is  very  little  business 
passing  in  this  section,  so  that  values  are  naturally  weaker. 


RUBBLY  CULM  maintains  its  improved  status,  and  this  grade  is  still  a 
firm  one.  Sellers  have  had  a  good  week  in  the  matter  of  demand. 
and  with  stems  in  the  position  known  as  satisfactory,  naturally,  the 
quotation  for  this  quality,  is  firmer  than  has  been  the  case  for  some 
little  time.  For  anything  prompt  the  figure  is  4s.  9d.  for  BESTS- 
INFERIORS,  of  course,  are  correspondingly  less  :  4s.  3d.  for  instance. 

DUFF  is  selling  at  3s.  6d.  There  has  been  an  increase  in  the 
request  for  the  stuff  this  week,  and  although  prices  have  not  risen, 
those  current  are  very  steady. 

STEAMS  have  weakened,  on  a  scarcity  of  tonnage,  and  on  account 
of  a  limited  demand.  Prompt  coals  are  plentiful,  and  for  this  position 
it  is  possible  to  negotiate  BESTS  at  13s.  3d.  SECONDS  are  also  weak 
at  about  !2s.  3d.,  with  other  local  BUNKER  LARGE  at  about  1  Is. 

PATENT  FUELS  are  unchanged,  and  retain  their  accustomed  firmness. 
Stems  are  full  for  early  into  next  month,  and  seeing  that  a  good 
demand  continues,  the  present  sound  state  of  this  section  has  all  the 
appearance  of  being  maintained. 


BELOW,  we  give  the  average  prices  for  the  week  :— 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY.                  SATURDAY.                  MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Anthracite: 

„,. 

Best    Hand    Picked 

Malting  Large 

208.  6d. 

;os.  od.,  2os.  6d. 

20S.   111.                               20S.  Oi.                                2OS.  od.                     2OS.  O!\.,   2OS.  6<l. 

Seconds    to. 

1  8s.  6d.                        i8s.  3d.                        iSs   3d.                        iSs.  od.                i8s.  od.,  193.  od. 

BIX  Vein  Urge 

Ii*.  Od. 

us.  od.                        us.  gd.                        nsgd.                 us.  6d.,  12s.  od.                lls.  gd. 

Red    ,.       ,. 

10*.  vl. 

IDS.  3d.                        los.  od.                        los.  od.                  gs.  gd.,  IDS.  31!.                los.  od. 

Machine  Made  Cohhles    ... 

17-  1  .1 

17-.  6d.                173.  3d.,  I7s.  6d.                 17s.  vl.                        '7s.  3d.                17s.  od.,  178.  6d. 

..    Nats 

175.  od..  17-1.  6d. 

i7s.  od.                        i7s  od.                i6s.  gd.,  i7s.  od.                i6s.  gd.                        i6s.  gd. 

.,     Peas 

10*.  IK)  .   IOS.  6d. 

ion.  6d.                        los.  31).                        los.  od.                        los.  od.                  gs.  gd.,  los.  od. 

Huhhly  Cnlm 

48.  gd. 

•1..  -s.  od.                     |-   gd.                  48.  gd.,  ss.  od.                         od.                          43  gd. 

Dnff 

-    vl 

.V-  .id.                                M. 

38.6d. 

3s.  3d..  35.  od. 

38.  31!..  3».  6d. 

Patent  Futl: 

1  1  -.  gd. 

1  1  -.  gd. 

Its.  »«!.,  I2s.  od. 

us.  7d.,  128.  od. 

us.  g-l. 

Steam: 

Best    Large 

139.  '»! 

I3*.  31!..  13.".  6d. 

'3s-  3d. 

13*.  od.,  I3S.  311.                i  js.  o-l.                        13- 

Seconds  ,, 

I2!>.  M 

61. 

12s.  3d. 

I2S.  31!.                       I2S.  Oil.,    I2S.  6(1.                        I2S.    vl 

Bunker    ,. 

lls.  od..  1  1- 

IIS.    jd. 

lls.  od.                          us.  oil.                  los.  g-l.,  i  is.  3:!. 

Thro'  and  Thro' 

1  .   \n*.  0,1. 

gs.  9>l. 

gs.  gd. 

gs.  6(1.,  los.  od. 

gs.  gd. 

gs.  6(1.,  QS.  gtl. 

THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


February  24,   1905 


COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES. 


CARDIFF.  February  22.  1905. 

EASTWARD,  the  market  continues  in  a  most  apathetic  condition,  for 
business  is  about  as  meagre  as  it  is  well  possible  to  conceive.  Indeed, 
the  only  apparent  movement  worthy  of  note  in  this  direction,  is  where 
the  amiable  ally  is  taking  over  a  portion  of  the  British  Mercantile 
Marine  as  a  going  concern  !  Taking  'em  over  for  nothing,  we  mean. 
Beyond  this,  we  note  that  a  boat  has  been  fixed  for  Bombay,  at  7s.  9d.. 
and  another  one  for  the  Cape  at  9s.  1 0  M..  with  450  tons  delivery. 

WESTWARD,  and  taking  the  Plate  market  first,  we  find  that  prices 
•re  most  erratic.  However,  one  boat  has  obtained  8s.  for  the  Lower 
Ports,  although  the  major  portion  of  the  business  has  been  carried  out. 
on  a  basis  which  stretches  to  anything  between  7s.  3d.  and  7s.  9d. 
Indeed,  *  small  boat  has  been  closed  for  ROSARIO.  direct,  at  7s.  6d. 
For  Rio  DE  JANEIRO,  the  amount  of  transactions  has  been  fair,  with 
8s.  9d.  as  the  prevailing  figures  :  while  SANTOS,  has  recorded  a  touch 
at  half-a-guinea  ! 

FOR  the  WEST  COAST  of  SOUTH  AMF.RICA.  we  note  that  a  cargo  has 
been  booked  at  lls..  and  a  fuel  cargo  for  VERA  CRUZ,  at  6s.  6d. 
HENCE  the  ISLANDS,  there  is  but  little  doing.  TENERIFFE.  LAS  PALMAS 
and  MADEIRA  being  worth  from  5s.  6d.  to  5s.  9d.,  according  to  size. 

THE  MEDITERRANEAN  market  has  recovered  somewhat,  and  once 
again  there  is  a  good  demand  for  the  Italian  ports.  Prices,  here. 
ought  to  go  still  better,  seeing  that  a  bit  of  tonnage  will  soon  be 
needed  for  the  Italian  Marine  contract  purposes. 

GENOA  has  again  touched  7s.  fora  fairly  big  boat,  and  in  all  probab- 
ility this  figure  will  be  repeated.  PORT  SAID  charterers,  again,  have 
taken  up  a  fair  amount  of  tonnage  at  6s..  and  one  boat  at  least,  has 
been  fixed  for  forward  loading  for  ALEXANDRIA,  at  6s..  although 
6s.  7  ^d.  is  the  current  price  for  handy-sized  tonnage.  MARSEILLES 
remains  steady  at  7'50  francs,  and  for  ALGIERS.  7  francs  is  the  current 
rate.  To  fill  their  requirements.  BARCELONA  merchants  are  paying 
6s.  9d.  while  fixtures  are  also  reported.  HENCE  BEYROUT.  at  7s.  3d. ; 
CATANIA  6s.  7lsd. :  CACLIARI.  6s.  lO^d.  :  and  VALENCIA.  6s.  ?'2d. 

For  the  remainder,  see  List. 

Week  Ending,  (Wednesday),  February  22,  1905. 

(N)  denote*   Newport.    (8)  Swansea,     P.  T.     Port    Talbct.    loading. 

EASTERN. 

Reunion,     Reynolds,  4,000  tons,    MS.  ^d.    March  April. 

Bombay,     Steamer,  4,700  tons,    ;s.  gd. 

Cape,     Hen  (  rnttclian,  3,500  tons,   9*.  ioid.    450  delivery. 

WESTWARD,     Etc. 

Santos,     S.- Miner,    ios.  6d. 

Rio  dc  Janeiro,     ll'rardalf,  3/00  tons,    8s.  gd. 

('•HiinioiHi'nilth,   4,200  tons,    ,"s.  9d. 

/•/•////•/</iv,    I.OOD  tons,    8s.  9d. 

PtnarUt,  4,000  tun-,  8s.  9d. 
Las  Palmas,     Steamer,  2,500  tons,  5*.  yd.  option  Madeira 

.V/;;;r/,    5,100  tons,    5*.  6d. 

River  Plate.     Etkhram,   3,000  tons,    75.  7£d. 

Steamer.   4,200  tons,    ;s.  3d. 

Tnlarrra,  3,300  tons,    75,  6d. 

Alninu'ell,   3,400  tons,    7S.  gd. 

I.ntiv  Cni-.nii,    .(,::oo  tons     8s. 

Ciirliam,  3,  :oo  tons,    ys.  6d. 

/'••Himmiit,  3,000  tons,    7s.  6d. 

Steamer,    3,200  tons,    75.  6d. 
Rosario,     Hlngtioii,   2,700  tons,    /s.  6d. 
Vera  Cruz.     Steamer,    3,500  tons,   6s.  6d.    fuel. 
Talcahuano  Pisagua,  Steamer,  5,000  tuns,    11-. 

MEDITERRANEAN,     Etc. 

Genoa,     Steamer,  2,500   tons,    6s.  7.jd. 

Oratiti*  Conf>f>ax,   2,900  tons,    6s.  7  ! • 

Lainin  /..   3,000  tons,    6s.  6d. 

Dumbarmoor,  5,000  tons,  6s.  6d.  option  Savona  Naples 

/>V««rw,    3,000  tons,   ds.  gd. 

Steamer,  5,000  tons,   6s.  9d.  option  Savona  Spezzia. 

Steamer,    1,500  tons,    f>s.  i)d. 

I'irliy,  3,000  tons,    7s. 

Steamer,   4,600  tons,    6s.  9d. 
Naples,     Si^i-id,    3,000  tons,    6s.  3d. 

V<g*&t/g  Gtomot,  5,300  tons,    6s.  6d.    1,000  delivery. 

.- liiiliniiy  Radcliffe,  3,400  tons,    6s.  6d.   700  delivery. 

Steamer,    5,51*)  tons,    6s.  6d. 
Port  Said,  Hull,  5,20o  tons,  6s. 

Trrralyan,     4,000  ton-,    o-. 

Clutmuigk,  5,800  tons,   'i-. 

Pi-nlee,  5,800  tons,    (,- 

<i»i;ii:'ii/i-,    ;.ooo  tons,    6s. 
Alexandria,     Steamer,  3,000  tons,   6s.  3d. 

l"      — ,  3,000  tons,   6s.  7jd. 

Trcgnnllr,  4,200  tons,    6s.    700  delivery. 
Venice,     London  liriilKf.    4,500  ton-,    7s.  4Jd.   option 
Ancona. 

RhiHlfsin,   ^,900  ions,   -js.  4$d.   option   Ancona. 
Malta,     DnuutOHt,   2,800  tons,   6s.  3d.    fuel. 

Robfrt  Kgglcton,  2,400  tons,   58.  6d. 

Nelhtnnoor,  2,500  tons,  5*.  6d. 


Kirkh'ttll,    5,1  oo  tons,    5*.  6d. 
Leghorn,     Anlwrpen,    1,500  tons,    73.  coal,  75.  gd.  fuel,  (s) 

I'nilnis,   i.Sootons,    6s.  gd.   option  Torre  or  Civita 

Vecchia. 
Barcelona,   Kirkstall,  2,300  tons,   6s.  yd. 

lim-knrinslfi;   2,500  tons,     6s.  9d.  coal,    78.  6d.  fuel.  (s). 

Dorothy,   3,000  tons,    6s.  9d. 

Marseilles,      Annie,     1,750   tons;     Dolcoalh,    2,000    tons; 
Neapel,   1,900  tons;    Steamer,    2, 500  tons;    Steamer, 
i, 500  tons;   all   7-50  francs. 
Algiers,     Aline  Moiitreitil,  2,100  tons,    7  fcs.  coal,  8  fcs.  fuel. 

I-'ort  Louis.    2,300  tons,    7  fcs.  coal,  8  fcs.  fuel. 

Elorrio,  1,600  tons,  7  francs,  (N). 
Cagliari,  Orlio,  2,300  tons,  6s.  ioJd. 
Catania,  Marie  Therese,  2,100  tons,  6s.  7$d.  coal,  78.  44d. 

fuel,    (s). 

Beyrout,     Penpal,    2,300  tons,    js.  3d.  coal,  8s.  fuel,   (s). 
Seville,   Radnor,   1,700  tons,    55.  7jd. 
Gibraltar,     Dunstaffnage   1,700  tons,   ppt.   (Private  terms). 

Maggie  Sf/ut/lst   1,300  tons,    53.  3d.    (N). 
Tangiers,     Boslad,  750  tons,  75.  3d. 
Vigo,     Rocio,    1,700  tons,    55. 
Oporto,     Skald,   1,500  tons,    58.   (N). 
Huelva,     Steamer,    1,800  tons,    45.  74d. 
Lisbon,     Auckland  Castle,   1,300  tons,   45.  gd. 

Steamer,    1,800  tons,    45.  gd. 
Sicily,     Urn,    2,000  tons,   6s.  6d. 
Tunis,     Gafsa,  2,50010113,   8-25  francs, 
Torre,     Nike,   2,500  tons,   6s.  qd.  option  Civita  Leghorn 
Valencia,     Silurian,    1.200  tons,   6s.  7|d. 

Cairnntona,    2,000  tons,    78.  coal,   75.  gd.  fuel,    (s). 
Alicante.     Gleinnoor,  2,100  tons,  6s.  6d.  coal,  75.  3d.  fuel  (s). 
Palermo,     Tockwith,   2,600  tons,    6s.  gd. 
Arzew,     La  I'irnnc,  2,000  tons,  7-25  francs,  coal,  8-25  francs 
fuel,    (s). 

BAY,     Etc. 

Bordeaux,     Lionel,   1,400  tons,    5  francs. 

Steamer,     2,000  tons,   4-50  francs,    4  voyages. 
Nantes,     Rive  de  (her,  1,400  tons,   4-75  fcs. 
Sables,     Aasta,   1,400  tons,   4-50  francs. 
Rochforte,     Pomaron,   1,900  tons,    4-25  francs. 
Pasages,     Steamer,    1,300  tons,    45.  7^d. 
La  Rochelle,     Steamer,    2,200  tons,   4-25  francs,     option 
Rocheforte,     4-50  francs,   (s). 

BALTIC,  Etc. 

Stettin,     Aarvak,    1,00010118,    6s.  6d.  (Burryport  loading). 

Kiel,     Clcvi'lund,   2,600  tons,    55.  6d. 

Nyborg,     Steamer,    1,800  tons,    58.   option   Aarhuus. 

COASTING,     Etc. 

Rouen,     Ruloo,  1,350  tons,   43.  gd.   (s). 

Steamer,    1,200  tons,    43.  9d. 

Surbiton,   1,000  tons,    55. 

Emperor,  700  tons,    58.    (s). 

Peter  Berg,   800  tons,    43.  icid.   (s). 

Clonlee,    1,300  tons,   45.  gd.   (s). 

Alice  M.  Craig,    1,200  tons,  43.  gd.   (s).  • 
Honfleur,     Steamer,  52  tons,   45.  <)d.  (s). 

I-'nl/on,   i, 200  tons,  43.  6d.   option  Caen. 
Havre,     Jji/ecc,   1,700  tons,    33.  io^d.  (s). 

Steamer,   1,200  tons,    45.  ijd. 

Steamer,  2,200  tons,  38.  ioJd.  option  Dieppe/St.  Malo 
Dieppe,     Carlston,  750  tons,  4s.  9d.  optn.  Rouen,  55.  3d.  (s) 
Emden,     George  Allen,   2,900  tons,    45. 
St.  Malo,     Sniitto,    1,100  tons,  35.  io|d. 

Dag,   1,200  tons,    35.  ioJd.    (s). 
Brest,     Gram-.     1.400  tons,  33.  gd.  (s). 

Castle/ord,  2,400  tons,   33.  9d. 
Caen,     Zealanrfia,  800  tons,   43.  6d. 

HOMEWARD. 

Villagarciato  Cardiff,  Rosella,  ,,500  tons,  6s.  9d  pitwood. 
Bordeaux  to  Cardiff  or  Newport,    Steamer,    i  too  tons 
5s.  3d.   pitwood. 

Bordeaux  to  Newport,   Thomas  Coats,   1,200  tons,  «    i.4d 

pitwood. 
Bayonne  to  Cardiff  or  Newport,   Larpool,    ,,4oo  tons  ; 

n  anck,    1,000  tons;   both    6s.    pitwood 
Mbao  to  Cardiff,    Se,rak  Bat,  3,,ootons,    3s.  i0id.  ore. 
Bilbao  to  Swansea,  Steamer,  ,s,00  tons,  4s.  ,id.  ore 
Bordeaux  to  Swansea,     Steamer,    1,200  tons,    «.  44d 

pitwood. 


February  24,   1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


Maritime, 

and  other 

Money  *  * 
Matters, 


MONG'  the  quietly 
progressive  little 
dry  dock  concerns 
in  the  Bristol  Channel, 
the  Cardiff  Junction  Dry 
Dock  and  Engineering 
Company,  Limited,  occu- 
pies a  foremost  position. 
We  write  "  quietly  pro- 
gressive "  advisedly,  for 
somehow  or  other  there 
is  never  any  undue  fuss 
around  the  place,  and  yet  it  succeeds  admirably,  in 
"  keeping  its  head  up."  Quoting  from  its  latest  rendering 
of  accounts,  we  find  that  :  "  The  revenue  account  shows 
a  credit  balance  of  £4,493  7s.  8d.,  thus  balance  31st 
December,  1903,  £5,974  Is.  Id.,  less  dividend  at  5  per 
cent,  per  annum  paid  March  5th,  1904,  £1,250;  balance 
of  revenue,  31st  December,  1904.  £2,019  6s.  7d.,  less 
dividend  5  per  cent,  per  annum  paid  1st  September,  1904, 
£1,250  :  less  portion  of  cost  of  widening  entrance  to  the 
dock,  £1,000;  leaving  a  balance  of  £4.493  7s.  8d. 


"  THE  directors  recommend  the  payment  of  a  dividend 
at  the  rate  of  3  per  cent,  per  annum,  £750,  and  carry  to 
credit  of  the  current  year,  £3,743  7s.  8d."  There  you 
are  !  Not  only  coming  out  with  a  little  bit  to  the  good, 
but  also  in  a  position  to  pay  for  the  widening  of  the  dock 
entrance  ;  an  achievement  which  has  tended  consider- 
ably toward  bringing  the  dock  in  line  with  modern 
requirements.  Not  that  "  the  Junction"  was  ever  any 
other,  for  the  matter  of  that.  But  steamers  are  easily 
lengthened  with  each  succeeding  year,  while  a  dry  dock 
once  made,  has.  practically,  to  remain  even  as  it  was  in 
the  beginning.  That  the  directors  of  this  particular 
property  may  be  depended  on  to  make  the  most  of  their 
opportunities,  has  been  amply  evidenced  in  the  past. 
That  the  future  will  give  an  equal  showing,  it  is  fairly 
competent  to  believe. 

•f   -f   -f 

EH  '.'  Money  is  in  good  demand  !  Ain't  you  glad,  or  do 
you  think  that  it  is  only  a  ringing  of  the  financial  changes  '.' 
But  there,  don't  be  too  pessimistic  about  the  matter. 
Times  are  bad.  we  know;  but  when  money  is  in  good 
demand,  there  is  surely  a  good  time  coming.  Being  in 
such  good  demand.  Cape  of  Good  Hope  3J  per  cent,  stock 
is  trying  to  convince  you  that  it  is  a  good  investment. 
Will  you  be  convinced  '.'  that  is  the  question.  Are  you 
willing  to  put  up  your  money  for  Cape  local  works, 
railway  works,  compensation  for  war  losses,  and  for 
general  money-lending  purposes?  If  so,  you  have__a 
splendid  opportunity  in  Cape  of  Good  Hope  3]  percent. 
stuff.  Eh'.'  What's  that  '.'  You  would  rather  put  your 
money  out,  a  little  nearer  home?  Well,  that  is  unkind! 
Even  if  you  do  believe  that  the  wicked  Sheenymen  are 
having  the  usually  undue  "  pull  "  over  the  country.  "  out 
there!" 

+   -f   + 

MONEY  is  in  good  demand  !  Thus  it  comes  about  that 
you  have  a  chance  to  put  some  of  the  spare  portions 
thereof  in  Kent  coal.  Or  in  the  Consolidated  Kent 
Collieries  Corporation,  Limited,  an'  it  suits  you  better. 
The  directors  of  the  big  mouthful  have  issued  a  circular 
conven  but  you  know  the  rest  of  it.  Re-capitalisation, 
is  the  idea,  and  clauses  (I)  and  (2),  etc.,  will  affect  it. 
What  are  the  clauses?  Don't  you  worry.  Keep  to 
South  Wales  coal.  That  is  a  good  thing  ;  has  proved 
itself  over  a  number  of  years  ;  there  is  plenty  of  it  yet 
undeveloped  ;  opportunities  for  putting  on  your  ooftish 
abound:  so  -stick  to  your  native,  and  proved,  invest- 
ments. Personally,  we  do  not  know  of  any  South  Wales 
collieries  where  but  don't  trouble  about  it,  even 


supposing  there  was  a  cob  of  Kent  coal  in  the  House, 
t'other  day.  Coal  at  the  Docks  is  the  most  likely  to  be 
satisfactory,  and  there  is  any  amount  of  it  at  the  local 
Docks  ? 

+  +  + 

WRITING  of  docks,  what  is  the  matter  with  consider- 
ing those  at  Milford?  Not  too  big  a  consider;  but  just 
consider  enough.  Milford  Docks  are  a  paying  concern  ; 
more'n  twice  as  paying  as  some  concerns  ;  laundry 
concerns,  for  instance  !  Anyhow,  the  half-yearly  report 
for  the  Milford  Docks  Company,  ended  December  31st, 
1904,  declares  that  the  nett  amount  available  for  interest 
on  debenture  stock  "  A,"  is  £2,366,  which  is  at  the  rate  of 
Us.  9d.  per  cent.  What  is  it  all  along  of  ?  Why  through 
the  transferrance  of  a  certain  number  of  trawlers  to 
another  port,  the  earnings  of  Milford  Docks  have  been 
adversely  affected.  Still,  those  trawler  people  needn't 
get  a  lip  up,  and  fancy  they  are  everything  in  the  fish 
trade.  They  are  not  !  "  Their  places,  ...  as  was 
anticipated,  are  being  filled  by  other  trawlers  (most  of 
them  newly-built)  "  you  in  this,  George?  —  "and  it  is 
not  expected  that  their  loss  will  again  be  felt  "  —  until 
those  newly-built  trawlers  also  go  "  off  to  another  port." 


BUT  somehow  or  other,  the  Milford  concern  is  always 
naive.  Not  that  it  considers  nai'vete  a  fair  substitute 
for  capital,  or  for  dividends  ;  but  it  is  naive.  Was  built 
like  it  we  suppose,  so  cannot  help  it  !  Anyhow, 
"  Expressions  of  approval  have  been  received  from  the 
owners  of  fishing  vessels  and  merchants  for  whose  use 
the  new  stage  and  market  have  been  erected,"  so  that  is 
alright.  When  expressions  of  approval  romp  in,  there  is 
something  to  be  said  for  the  place  receiving  them.  Don't 
you  think  so?  Furthermore,  "  there  is  every  reason  to 
believe  that  these  facilities  will  lead  to  a  considerable 
extension  of  the  company's  business."  We  should  smile  ! 
Fancy  having  a  Milford  Dock  report  that  had  no  reasons 
for  believing  that,  at  some  time,  bime  by,  "  a  considerable 
extension  of  the  company's  business  "  would  not 
materialise  ! 

•f  +   +• 

NOW,  we'll  let  poor  old  Milford  pursue  its  hybernating 
course  for  another  half-year,  even  as  we  pick  up  the 
thread  which  we  dropped  two  paragraphs  up  the  page. 
You  mind  us  remarking  about  laundry  concerns?  Well, 
then,  see  if  we  were  not  right  about  it.  There  is  the 
Cardiff  Steam  Laundry,  for  instance.  But  let  us  give  it 
its  full  title,  for  its  trading  warrants  it.  Here  goes  then, 
and  take  a  breath  for  a  minute  —  The  Cardiff  Steam 
Laundry,  Dyeing,  Carpet  and  Window  Cleaning  Com- 
pany, Limited,  phew!  But  never  mind  the  old  tag  about 
what's  in  a  name.  The  concern  shows  a  balance  on  the 
profit  and  loss  account  of  £1,796  18s.  7d.  —  against  that 
at  Milford,  which  amounted  to  £2,366  !  Eh?  We  were 
wrong  in  our  proportion  ?  Let  it  be  accounted  to  us  for 
righteousness,  then.  We  did  but  strive  to  make  the 
poor  old  Milford  Docks  look  up  a  bit. 


REGARD!  NC  the  dividend-earning  side  of  the  business 
we  find  that  the  laundry  is  good  for  a  ten  per  cent. 
solatium,  against  the  Milford  Docks  touch  of  lls.  9d. 
Then,  in  addition  to  that  "  fancy  "  (these  days)  dividend, 
there  is  a  little  matter  connected  with  cottages  arranged 
for,  and  one-fifth  of  the  cost  of  certain  debentures  to  be 
written  off;  all  of  which  goes  to  show  that  there  is 
money  in  dirty  clothes.  At  least,  there  is  money  in  the 
cleansing  thereof.  After  this,  let  no  man  pass  com- 
parisons between  dock  companies  and  white  shirt  dittos. 
The  latter  have  the  everlasting  bulge  on  (some  of)  the 
former.  Put  not  your  faith  in  princes,  nor  your  shekels 
in  dock  companies;  dump  it  all  into  laundry  concerns, 
and  it  will  be  well  with  you  ! 


33 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


February  24,   1905 


IE  similarity  between  minds  that  are  really 
great,  is  one  of  the  most  noticeable  features 
connected  with  human  life.  The  pastime  of 
hunting  for  treasure  -in  lieu  of  working  there- 
for exemplifies  the  similarity  better  than  any 
othe  r  trait  with  which  I  am  acquainted- 
Numerous  reasons  for  this  peculiar  state  of  affairs  have 
been  brought  my  way ;  but  my  own  personal  opinion  is, 
that  the  excitement  which  scintillates  around  these 
treasure  hunts :  an  excitement  which  is  consequent  on 
the  fact  that,  once  in  a  thousand  tries,  the  hunter  manages 
to  obtain  something  for  nothing  :  is  responsible  for  every 
hunt  of  the  kind,  to  which  the  public  has  been  treated.  In 
view  of  the  thousand-to-one  chance  referred  to,  you  might 
be  inclined  to  question  that  similarity  between  minds  that 
are  really  great  ? 

IN  any  case,  and  however  you  may  look  at  it.  there  is  a 
constant  recrudescence  of  this  treasure-hunting  notion. 
Some  of  them  are  plausible  enough  :  some  of  them  are 
slightly  otherwise :  but  in  each  instance,  there  is  the 
element  of  gleaning  something  for  nothing :  and  so  the 
game  continues.  I  am  not  sure  that  it  is  altogether 
necessary  to  inaugurate  a  sail-away  undertaking  for  the 
purpose  of  getting  your  efforts  duly  labelled  as  a  "treasure 
hunt."  On  the  contrary, 
rather,  for  I  am  under  the 
impression  that  you  may 
work  up  a  high-class  hunt 
of  the  kind,  and  yet  never 
leave  your  native  land. 
Indeed,  the  latter  kind  of 
treasure  hunt  is  much 
safer  than  the  former— if 
you  work  it  properly.  When 
you  engage  in  a  sail-away 
enterprise  :  go  in  for  visit- 
ing foreign  climes  of  which 
you  know  nothing :  you 
invariably  run  up  against 
nasty  things. 

THAT  is.  if  you  don't  get 
eaten  by  mosquitos  or 
cannibals;  you  tobogan  into 
"treasure  caves"  that  have 
been  left  to  the  care  of  a 
number  of  uncomfortably 
dressed  Ancient  Mariners : 
arrangements  which  have 
developed  the  bony  part  of 
their  anatomies  at  the 
expense  of  the  fleshy  por- 
tions thereof :  and  you  either  end  up  by  going  dotty  because 
of  those  "silent  sentinels:"  or  do  the  same  trick  on  account 
of  really  finding  the  ingots  of  precious  metal,  and  those  old 
gunny  bags  filled,  more  or  less,  with  doubloons,  pieces  of 
eight,  or  common  ducats.  No.  sail-away  treasure  hunts 
are  no  catch  for  a  properly  constituted  brain.  You  can  do 
far  better  at  the  game  if  you  stay-at-home  providing  you 
engineer  the  business  in  a  duly  mechanical  manner :  in 
which  case,  if  the  bag  of  tricks  goes  agley.  your  stalking- 
horse  will  have  to  stand  the  racket :  and  after  his  spell  of 
chokee.  you  will  be  in  a  position  to  show  him  that  you  are 
not  unmindful  of  his  merit. 

WHY.  I  went  off  on  a  "  treasure  hunt,"  myself,  on  one 
occasion.  Twas  at  a  place  named  Callao.  What  did  I 
catch  ?  Why  but  never  mind  !  That  is  all  in  the  gone- 
ness of  the  past,  and  you  will  e'en  have  to  await  the  advent 
of  my  biographist.  ere  learning  of  that  particular  treasure 
hunt.  I'm  a  modest  person,  and  hate  to  be  giving  away  bits 
of  personal  prowess.  Still.  I  might  be  persuaded  to  tell  you 
of  that  treasure  hunt  someday.  Meanwhile.  I  would 
rather  be  allowed  to  explain  how  the  thing  may  be  worked 
here,  if  you  don't  mind.  Never  you  bother  about  going  off 
on  a  sail-away  dodge  for  oof  tish.  It's  a  delusion  :  a  mortify- 
ing of  thu  flesh  :  and  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten,  you  lose  all 


pray 


the  money  you  had  at  the  start,  as  well  as  all  that  you 
intended  to  have  at  the  conclusion.  You  may  take  that 
from  a  genuine  treasure  hunter — that's  me  ! 

How  may  the  dodge  be  worked  here  ?  That's  what's  the 
matter.  Well,  let  me  tell  you  how  to  successfully  carry 
on.  say,  a  dry  dock  treasure  hunt.  First  of  all,  you,  in- 
dividually, form  a  combine  of  as  many  daring  spirits  as  you 
can  find  up  to,  say,  seven.  So  !  Now.  look  around  for 
some  young  fellow  that  is  possessed  of  one  notion,  proper  : 
and  who  has  a  nodding  acquaintance  with  some  stock-and- 
share-shovers.  The  notion  must  be  that  the  youth  is 
about  as  "  fly  "  as  unregenerate  mankind  may  be  ;  and  the 
nodding  acquaintance  will  give  the  knowledge  necessary  for 
the  running  of  a  fifth-rate  stock-broker's  office  :  a  bucket- 
shop,  in  the  parlance  of  the  regular  members  of  the  force. 
If  your  youthful  friend  is  "hard  up,"  and  you  place  him 
under  an  obligation  which,  out  of  motives  of  gratitude,  will 
make  him  more  than  ever  your  slave,  well  and  good.  So 
much  the  better— for  you. 

HAVING  got  to  this  stage  of  the  undertaking,  you  have  to 
decide  as  to  whether  you  will  really  have  a  dry  dock  in  the 
treasure  hunt,  or  if  it  will  suit  your  game  better  to  have  a 
problematical  one.  Here,  please  note,  lays  one  of  the  chief 
beauties  of  the  stay-at-home  treasure  seekings.  In  a  sail- 
away  dodge,  you  have  to 
get  a  ship ;  a  treasure 
island ;  and.  oh,  heaps 
of  other  expensive  items. 
But  in  the  case  which  I  am 
explaining  to  you,  nothing 
outside  of  paper — and  un- 
bounded gall — is  necessary. 
However,  if  you  mean  to 
have  a  real  dry  dock  to  play 
with,  you  hunt  around  until 
you  find  one.  Don't  matter 
a  hang  whether  the  man 
who  is  running  it  is  a  good 
man,  or  otherwise.  Out 
with  him  !  If  he  is  a  good 
man.  he  will  surely  queer 
your  pitch ;  if  he  is  a  duffer 
well,  he'll  queer  it,  unwit- 
tingly. Having  put  out  the 
old  hand,  instal  one  of  your 
own.  Don't  trouble  about 
having  a  smart  one.  please 
note.  Smart  men,  some- 
times, are  dangerous  to 
the  hunt. 

THE  man  you  want,  must 

be  ready  and  willing  to  believe  you.  if  you  state  for  sure 
that  it  is  dark  at  mid-day.  In  fact,  all  his  fitness  in  this 
case,  is  that  he  has  to  feel  his  need  of  you.  Here  you  are 
with  a  combine,  a  bucket-shop,  and  a  dry  dock  man  who 
can  be  manager,  inspector,  scribe,  pharisee— anything  that 
you  give  orders  for.  Next  thing  you'll  want  will  be  a 
mortgage.  Not  too  big  an  one;  but  just  big  enough.  Later 
on,  and  thanks  to  the  bucket-shop  plus  your  manager,  you 
will  be  in  a  position  to  issue  circulars  marked  private  and 
confidential,  and  with  their  advent,  commences  the  treasure 
hunt  in  real  earnest.  Right  here,  you  have  to  be  prepared 
to  do  absolutely  anything — if  your  hunt  is  to  get  you  the 
desired  shekels. 

HOLE-IN-CORNER  offers  of  purchase  (from  your  own 
creatures)  will  come  in.  They  will  be  refused.  This  will 
run  down  the  value  of  the  shares  until  you  can  simply  pick 
them  up  for  love— and  a  few  coppers,  more  or  less.  The 
"  silent  sentinel "  will  come  in  here,  too ;  but  in  most 
instances,  you  can  "  square "  him.  because  he  is  on  a 
treasure  hunt  of  his  own,  and  merely  met  yours  incidentally ! 
Spin  cuffers :  prate  of  religion— this  is  essential— and  at  the 
psychological  moment,  sweep  the  deck,  and  your  hunt  is 
ended  !  If  the  job  fizzles,  you  are  still  alright.  Put  it  on 
to  the  bucket-shop,  your  dry  dock  man— or  to  PETREL. 


February   14,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVJ_EW. 


, 


PATENTS  &  TRSDE 

Relating    to    SHIPPING   and    the    COAL    TRADE. 


Specifications  published  on  February  9,  1905,  together 
with  an  indication  of  their  subject  matter,  the  title 
being  printed  in  Italics. 

1 ,743  04  -  DUTH  I E     Improvements  in  or  relating  to  hatches 
and  covers  for  steam  herring  drifters  and  herring  boats. 

This  invention  relates  to  constructing  hatches  so  as  to 
provide  more  accommodation.  This  is  effected  by  rais- 
ing the  centre  beam  of  the  hatch,  the  ends  thereof  being 
hinged  to  the  middle  portion  and  slope  down  to  the 
hatch  coamings.  By  this  means  the  hatch  covers  are 
pitched  like  the  roof  of  a  house,  instead  of  being  flat. 
2,534  04— SIMPSON  —  Improvements  in  apparatus  for  arrest- 
ing the  motion  of  navigable  vessels. 

According  to  this  invention  a  recess  is  formed  in  the 
ship's  side.  This  recess  is  closed  by  two  doors  pivotted 
on  spindles  adapted  to  be  turned  simultaneously  by 
levers  operated  by  a  fluid 'pressure  cylinder  arranged 
inside  the  vessels.  The  forward  door  is  pivotted  on  its 
leading  edge,  and  turns  inwards,  and  the  rear  door  is 
pivotted  at  its  centre,  and  its  leading  edge  turns  inwards 
causing  the  following  half  of  the  door  to  project  beyond 
the  ship's  side  and  act  as  an  arrester.  Two  orifices  are 
formed,  both  in  the  top  and  bottom  sides  of  the  recess, 
and  a  passage  connecting  the  two  orifices  is  provided 
both  above  and  below  the  recess.  On  account  of  the 
projecting  leaf  of  the  door,  water  is  deflected  into  the 
recess  and  finds  its  escape  on  the  other  side  of  the 
projecting  leaf  by  flowing  through  the  said  passage. 

3,947  04     HURLEY     Operating  bulkhead  and  other  doors. 

This  invention  relates  to  improvements  in  the  valve 
arrangements  for  operating  bulkhead  doors  by  fluid 
pressure. 

6,29304     DICKINSON     Improvements  in  automatic  feeds 
for  rock  drilling  machines. 

This  invention  relates  to  providing  a  ball  bearing 
between  the  spindle,  at  the  end  of  the  drill  barrel,  and 
the  socket  of  the  claw  foot,  into  which  the  spindle  fits. 
The  socket  is  prevented  from  becoming  detached  from 
the  spindle,  by  means  of  a  set  screw,  the  point  of  which 
enters  an  annular  groove  in  the  spindle. 

6,576  04     BROWN  &  McPHERSON     Improvements  in  and 
relating  to  side  lights  for  steam  ships  and  other  vessels. 

According  to  this  invention  the  glass  windows  of  ship's 
sides  are  permanently  closed.  For  ventilation  purposes 
a  hollow  chamber  is  formed  above  the  window  the  base 
of  which  communicates  by  one  cr  more  passages,  fitted 
with  baffles,  with  the  outside,  and  the  top  with  the  inside 
of  the  vessel.  The  top  of  this  chamber  is  adapted  to  be 
closed  by  a  hinged  flap  and  a  screwed  spindle  and  nut. 

1 8. 1 76  04     J  E N  K I N     Improvements  in  connection  with  rock 
drills. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  simple  valve  arrangement 
for  rock  drills.  According  thereto  the  working  piston  is 
formed  in  two  portions  united  by  a  neck  of  lesser 
diameter.  The  annular  space  around  the  neck  provides 
a  means  of  communication  between  the  inlet  pipe  and 
each  end  alternately  of  the  valve.  This  valve  consists  of 
a  plain  cylindrical  rod  moving  axially  in  a  cylindrical 
recess.  The  exhaust  occurs  through  ports  uncovered 
by  each  end  of  the  piston  at  each  end  of  its  stroke. 
20,33304  EATON  Improvements  in  screw  propellers  for 
navigable  vessels. 

According  to  this  invention  a  screw  propeller  is  con- 
structed with  its  blades  tangential  to  the  boss.  The 
blades  are  also  made  concave.  The  blades  may  be 
separably  attached  to  the  boss,  elongated  holes  for  the 
bolts  enabling  the  pitch  to  be  varied  within  limits. 

22.187  04— R I  DC  WAY     Improvements  in  belt  conveyors. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  new  method  of  troughing  a 
conveyor  belt.  According  thereto  a  second  belt  is 
arranged  to  travel  at  equal  speed  beneath  the  main 
conveyor  belt.  This  lower  belt  is  fitted  at  intervals  with 
cross-pieces  which  have  a  trough-shaped  upper  contour. 


The   main    belt   rests    on    these    supporting   pieces  and 
assumes  thereby  a  trough-shaped  contour.     At  each  end 
of  the  drive  both  belts  are  led  over  separate  rollers. 
25,874/04— BLAKE—  Improvements  in  and  relating  to  revers- 
ing gear  of  boats  driven  by  explosion  engines. 

This  invention  relates  to  clutches  for  reversing  the 
motion  of  a  propeller  shaft  of  a  boat  driven  by  an 
internal  combustion  engine.  It  also  relates  to  means 
whereby  the  reversing  gear  cannot  be  operated  without 
first  releasing  the  engine  clutch.  This  consists  in  con- 
structing the  end  of  the  gear  operating  lever,  so  that  it 
enters  a  notch  in  the  foot  lever  of  the  engine  clutch, 
whereby  the  engine  clutch  lever  must  first  be  depressed 
before  the  gear  lever  can  be  shifted. 

26,317/04—  CHARLES— Improvaments     in     couplings     for 
colliery  trams  or  corves. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  shackle  and  pin.  According 
thereto  the  point  of  the  pin  is  provided  with  a  small 
lateral  feather,  so  that  it  can  be  withdrawn  through  the 
eye  of  the  shackle  only  when  turned  into  alignment  with 
a  corresponding  groove  therein.  A  catch  or  pawl  with  a 
bifurcated  end  which  engages  by  gravity  over  the  shackle 
is  pivotted  to  the  head  of  the  pin  and  prevents  same 
from  turning.  - 

27,563/04 -BECKER  &  WILLIAMS  -.An  improved  holding 
appliance  for  suspending  the  guide  ropes  of  pit  cages. 

According  to  this  invention  a  guide  rope  is  suspended 
from  the  pit  head  frame  by  being  gripped  between  two 
wedges.  One  of  these  wedges  has  tenons  which  enter 
recesses  in  the  other  so  as  to  interlock.  The  wedges  are 
embraced  by  a  correspondingly  internally  tapered  divided 
sleeve  bound  with  clamping  rings.  The  base  of  the 
sleeve  rests  on  a  pit  head  beajti. 

27,599/04— N I ELSON     Improvements     in     apparatus     for 
raising  sunken  vessels. 

This  apparatus  consists  of  a  number  of  cylinders 
constructed  of  sheet  iron  or  steel  strengthened  by  angle 
iron.  These  cylinders  are  each  provided  with  reservoirs 
containing  calcium  carbide  and  with  valves  for  admitting 
and  discharging  air  and  water  at  the  top  and  bottom 
respectively.  Water  is  admitted  to  cause  them  to  sink: 
and,  after  being  attached  to  the  vessel  to  be  raised,  the 
calcium  carbide  is  released  and  generates  gas  which 
displaces  the  water  and  renders  the  cylinders  buoyant. 
28,541/04 — THOMPSON  Improvements  in  propellers. 

This  improved  propeller  consists  of  a  fish-tail  shaped 
member  which  is  pivotted  to  an  oscillating  arm  so  as  to 
be  able  to  vibrate  to  a  limited  extent.  Several  of  these 
propellers  may  be  arranged  at  the  stern  of  a  vessel, 
which  they  are  adapted  to  steer  as  well  as  propel. 

These  applications  for  patents  are,  until  March  25, 1 905, 
open  to  opposition  by  any  person  having  a  statutory 
right  to  oppose. 

Copies  of  the  specifications  may  be  obtained  from  the 
Sale  branch  of  the  Patent  Office  or  through  the  under- 
named. 


TRADE  MARKS. 

The  following  application  for  the  registration  of  Trade 
Mark     relating    to    the    shipping  and   coal    trades    was 
advertised  on  February  15,  and  is  open  to  opposition  by 
interested  parties  within  the  period  ending  March  15. 
Class  8— Including  nautical  instruments. 

No.  267,215  20th  Oct.,  1904  The  device  of  a  crowned 
shield  bearing  two  clasped  hands  and  words  UNITAS: 
the  device  only  being  claimed.  For  all  goods  included  in 
class  8.  The  Scottish  Co-operative  Wholesale  Society, 
Ltd.,  95,  Morrison  Street,  S.S.  Glasgow,  Manuf.'-'turers 
and  Merchants. 

Compiled  by  Messrs.  PHILLIPS  &  LEIGH,  Chartered  Patent 
Agents,  22,  Southampton  Buildings,  Chancery  Lane,  London, 
W.C.  Local  Consultant  :  Mr.  S.  W.  ALLEN,  Engineer,  of  Cardiff 
Exchange,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 


MARITIME     REVIEW. 


February   24,  1905 


OUR  MARITIME  DIRECTORY. 


F 


CARDIFF. 

Colliery   Proprietor*. 


(~ORY  BROS,  4  Co..  LTD..  Cardiff  and 
London.    Depots  at  all  the  principal 
Coaling  Stations  in  the  World. 


Y-  9*RDII'F'.'  : 

CORY.  LONDON. 


INSOLE.  GEORGE  &  SON.  Cardiff.   Sole 
Shippers  of  Cymmer  Steam    Coal. 
Windsor  Steam  Coal,  and  Insoles  No.  2 
Rhondda  Coal. 

:  "  INSOLES.  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF    Continued. 


^  MERTHYR    CONSOLIDATED  COL- 

LIERIES. LTD..  Proprietors  and  Ship- 
pers of  "  Lewis  Merthyr "  Navigation 
Steam  Coal. 

T«lMT»mi       "LEWIS  MERTHYR,  CARDIFF": 
•'Lewis  MERTHYR.  LONDON." 

[^ARQUESS  OF  BUTE  COLLIERIES. 
Aberdare.  Hirwain,  and  Rhondda 
Valley.  Shipping  ports :  Bute  Docks. 
Cardiff :  Penarth  Dock  :  Swansea : 
Briton  Ferry  :  and  Newport  *  Won. ) 

Telsgrami  :  "  SEMA.  CARDIFF." 


VIVIAN.    H.   C.   &  Co.,    Bute   Docks, 
Cardiff.     Sole  European  Agents  for 
"  The  Puritan  Coal  Mining  Co.,  Phila- 
delphia. U.S.A." 

Telegrams:  "VIVIAN.  CARDIFF." 

WATTS,    WATTS  &  Co..   Cardiff    and 
London.  Contractors  for  the  supply 
of  Coals  at  all  Depots  abroad. 

Telegrams  :  "  WATTS,  CARDIFF  " 

Dock    Owners. 

THE  CARDIFF  RAILWAY  COMPANY,  Bute 
Docks,  Cardiff. 


CARDIFF    Continued. 


Ship  Repairers. 


CHEARMAN.  JOHN  &  Co..  LTD.,  Cardiff, 
and  at  Barry  Dock. 

T~HE  BUTE  SHIPBUILDING,  ENGINEERING, 
AND  DRY   DOCK  COMPANY,   LIMITED, 
Roath  Basin.  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "CAISSON.  CARDIFF." 


OCEAN    (MERTHYR)    COAL   Co.,    LTD      J^HE  CARDIFF  CHANNEL  DRY  DOCKS  AND 
11.  Bute  Crescent.  Cardiff,  proprie-  PONTOON    Co..    LTD.,    Cardiff    and 

tors  of  Ocean  ( Merthyr)  Steam  Coal.          Barry  Dock. 


UNIVERSAL  STEAM   COAL  Co..  LTD.. 
Bute  Docks.  Cardiff.  Proprietors  of 
"  Universal  Steam  Coal." 

Telegrams:   "  VERSATILE.  CARDIFF." 


"  Entrance,  Cardiff." 
"  Channel.  Barry." 


VHE   MERCANTILE    PONTOON   Co..  LTD. 
Roath  Dock.  Cardiff. 

Telegrams  :   "  MERCANTILE,  CARDIFF." 


Miscellaneous. 

f  EWIS  &  TYLOR,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 

Sole  patentees  and  manufacturers 

of  "Gripoly,"  a  patent  woven  belting; 

and  "  Burals,"  a  semi-metallic  packing. 

Telegrams  :  "  BELTING  CARDIFF."        Telephone,  Nat.  23 1 . 


Steamship    Owners. 


D 


AN.   JENKINS    &     Co..    Steamship 
Owners  and  Brokers,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "Stonewall,  Cardiff." 
Nat.  Telephone:  1318. 


BARRY. 


Dock  Owners. 

FHE  BARRY  RAILWAY  Co..   Barry. 


Ship  Repairers. 


RARRY  GRAVING   DOCK  &  ENGINEERING 
U     Co.,  LTD. 

Telegrams:   "  BARDOCK,  BARRY." 
National  Telephone  No.  7.         Post  Office  Telephone  No.  7. 


To    the    Proprietors    of 


"THE    MARITIME    REVIEW," 


DOCKS,     CARDIFF. 


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VOL.  V.— No.  55. 


FRIDAY,    MARCH    3,    1905. 


THREEPENCE. 


SHIPOWNER:  "Bad  times'.'  G'arn  !  Times  are  never  bad  (for  me) 
when  an  underwriter  is  practising  a  Cake  Walk  on  the 
— er  Side  Walk!" 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


March  3,  1905 


*  *  *  NOTICES.  •*  *  •* 

ALL  LITERARY  COMMUNICATIONS  must  be  addressedTHE 
EDITOR.  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW.  CLARENCE  RCAD,  DOCKS. 
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Company's  Reports  and  Balance  Sheets.  Books  for  Review,  etc.,  are 
inviUd.  and  should  be  addressed  THE  EDITOR. 

Contributions  (either  literary  or  pictorial),  if  intended  for  the  next 
issue  must  reach  the  EDITOR,  not  later  than  the  first  post  on  Monday. 
Neither  the  Editor  nor  the  Publishers  will  accept  responsibility  for  the 
accidental  loss  of  MSS.  or  illustrations  submitted,  but  every  effort 
will  be  made  to  return  unsuitable  contributions,  provided  stamped  and 
addressed  envelopes  are  sent 

Correspondence  :  The  Editor  does  not  necessarily  identify  himself 
with  the  opinions  expressed  by  Correspondents,  whose  letters  must 
in  every  instance,  be  accompanied  by  the  name  and  address  (if  not  for 
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written  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only. 


«  *.  *,  CONTENTS.  *  *  * 


CARTOON  :  THE  WAR.    ANOTHER  BRITISH  STEAMER  CAPTURED  ! 

MARITIME  MURMURS  

SHIPBUILDING          

ADMIRALTY  v.  BOARD  OF  TRADE  INQUIRIES     ... 

LATTER-DAY  TRADES  UNIONISM 

CARDIFF  (AND  OTHER)  COAL       

COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES 

MARITIME  (AND  OTHER)  MONEY  MATTERS 

SEVERN  SEA  SPRAY 

PATENTS  AND  TRADE  MARKS      


..  35 

...  36 

...  43 

...  44 

...  45 

...  46 

...  48 

...  49 

...  50 
51 


MARITIME    MURMURS. 


DOCKS.  CARDIFF. 

Thursday  Afternoon. 

Now  that  the  settlement,  or  decision,  of  the  alleged 
North  Sea  Inquiry  has  had  sufficient  time  to  sink  in.  so  to 
speak,  with  the  folk  who  have  most  at  stake,  it  will  not  be 
amiss  if  we  add  our  mite  to  the  discussion  of  a  disgraceful 
episode  in  the  national  life  of  Britain.  Needless  to  state, 
most  of  the  opinion  which  has  been  launched  in  this  country 
to-date.  is  to  the  effect  that  "  Britain  will  loyally  abide  by  the 
<Je«Sion  arrived  at  by  the  Commission."  Of  course,  she  will ! 
Had  Britain  any  other  intention,  it  is  higtily  probable  that 
Rozh-etc.  would  never  have  been  allowed  to  get  past 
Ushant:  would  have  been  constrained  to  take  his  fleet  of 
clum-bunkers  to  the  regions  where,  erstwhile,  one  Maginty 
has  had  it  all  to  himself.  Really,  the  farce  which  has  just 
been  finished,  is  merely  an  example  of  Governmental  trades 
unionism.  The  "  Mistress  of  the  Seas"  has  been  hurted 
by  some  of  the  crowd  who  admit  that  she  is  their  "  Mistress,'' 
but  out  of  the  largeness  of  her  heart  (and  for  other  reasons 
that  will  be  apparent,  later  on )  she  is  willing  to  submit 
her  case  to  the  workings  of  a  cosmopolitan  "  conciliation 
board."  Being  a  "classy"  sort  of  "Mistress,"  she  de- 
ludes herself  with  the  belief  that  her  satellites  are  too 
much  in  awe  of  her  majestic  attributes,  to  admit  of  their 
daring  to  breathe,  or  to  suggest,  a  word  that  is  derogatory 
to  her  dignity  or  interests. 

S?*3 

IN  effect.  Britain  gauges  the  conduct  of  the  foreigner,  by 
a  peculiar  measure  of  her  own:  believes  that  every  other 
nation  has  taken  a  back  seat  in  the  universal  circus,  purely 
from  choice :  that  none  of  them  would,  supposing  they 
couid,  ever  dare  adopt  the  role  of  Ringmaster ;  and  that 
"Mistress  of  the  Seas"  is  a  heaven-sent' title  which  no 
mere  earth-worm-outside  the  Realm  of  the  Favoured- 
will  have  the  audacity  to  question.  With  it  all.  the  incon- 
sistency of  the  "  Mistress  "  is  astounding  !  She  certainly 
acts  as  if  she  considered  her  title  as  sacred  otherwise  she 
would  never  submit  to  cosmopolitan  criticism  :  but  she  still 
squanders  millions  per  annum,  in  "organising"  a  fleet  of 
warships  such  as  the  world  has  never  previously  seen.  If 
the  British  Government  really  believes  in  the  integrity  of 
these  cosmopolitan  tribunals,  why  waste  so  much  money  in 
warships  ?  Obviously,  the  money  is  wasted,  and  would  be 
oetter  employed  in  the  purchase  of  high  falutin'  wigs, 


gowns,  and  council  chambers,  for  the  purpose  of  impressing 
the  Continental  conjurers  who  are  trusted  with  the  mapping 
out  of  the  conduct  of  "the  greatest  country  on  earth."  We 
are  quite  willing  to  admit  that,  "  beneath  the  rule  of  men 
entirely  great,  the  pen  is  mightier  than  the  sword." 

&    & 

THE  trouble  .of  the  situation,  however,  lays  in  the  fact 
that  not  all  the  governing  bodies  on  earth  are  "  entirely 
great."  Some  of  them  are  unconscionably  small  !  So 
small  that,  after  the  manner  of  their  kind,  they  put  more 
trust  in  the  Sword  -or  its  modern  equivalent— than  in  any 
number  of  "duly  constituted  authorities"  whose  sole 
mission  is  "  mouth."  Going  farther  with  the  Governmental 
trades  union  idea,  is  any  sane  person  going  to  believe  that  a 
mob  of  "dependants" — providing  they  are  entrusted  with 
plenary  powers-- will  ever  care  a  dump  for  either  "  master" 
or  "  mistress  ?  "  Will  it  be  contended  that  any  interests, 
outside  those  appertaining  to  the  said  mob,  will  stand  the 
ghost  of  a  chance,  once  the  cackling  begins  ?  No,  sirs,  in 
each  instance  !  Numberless  examples  are  available,  from 
which  any  of  us  may  glean  the  fact  that  force  majeure  is 
the  only  feature  which  is  likely  to  operate  in  connection  with 
the  weaker  side.  The  strong  one  might,  out  of  a  super- 
abundance of  this  "  conscious  power"  of  which  we  read, 
be  inclined  to  pose  as  the  indulgent  portion  of  the  council : 
but  the  weak  one,  never.  The  latter  will  snivel  and  plead  ; 
will  use  all  manner  of  subterfuge  ;  will  lie  in  a  most  whole- 
hearted manner  when  its  suits  him  ;  but  as  far  as  indul- 
gence is  concerned  well,  don't  you  expect  it  from  the 
weaker  side.  It  is  against  human  nature  :  and  to  expect 
anything  that  is  against  human  nature,  is  to  expect  the 
impossible. 

§?  & 

IN  cases  of  this  kind,  the  mistake  which  is  ever  made  by 
the  Briton,  is  one,  perhaps,  for  which  he  is  scarcely  to 
blame,  although,  in  view  of  his  opportunities  and  blessings, 
he  should,  by  this  time,  have  learned  better.  We  mean,  that 
with  the  knowledge  born  of  a  great  ability  (  which  again  is 
the  outcome  of  a  big  fleet  and  a  line  of  unbroken  success 
in  manipulating  it),  the  Briton  imagines  that  he  can  afford 
to  indulge  in  chin-music,  every  time  a  "foreign  complica- 
tion "  is  to  the  'fore.  That  he  is  wrong,  this  latest  bit  of 
chin-music  eminently  proves.  This  "finding  of  the  North 
Sea  Inquiry  "--which  is  not,  no  matter  how  you  look  at  it,  a 


March  3,  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


37 


"  finding  "  in  any  sense  of  the  word.  In  the  past,  we  admit, 
chin-music  seances  were  eminently  successful,  and 
principally  because  the  other  side  of  the  argument  was  too 
weak  to  kick  :  and  because  they  had  a  due  appreciation  of 
the  several  "  lickings  "  to  which  they  had  been  subjected. 
But  to-day,  the  one-time  "licked"  ones  are  in  the  happy 
hunting  grounds,  and  their  decendants  are  not  to  be  unduly 
frightened,  with  what  has  grown  into  a  mere  tradition. 
Indeed,  these  cosmopolitan  "conciliation  boards"  adapt  the 
same  role  that  would  be  followed  by  a  crowd  of  workmen 
whose  fathers  had  suffered  the  miseries  consequent  on  a 
strike  :  but  who,  themselves,  have  no  more  than  the  tradi- 
tions thereof,  to  bother  them. 

5?  *B 

IF  the  Briton  would  but  assimilate  the  great  truth  that 
the  foreigner,  on  every  occasion,  considers  as  synonymous, 
the  words  "  magnanimity  "  and  "fear  :  "  then,  would  there 
be  less  of  this  national  humiliation  that  is  for  ever  about. 
For  no  matter  what  John  Bull  might  think  about  it,  his 
attempted  politenesses  are  ever  put  down  to  fear  by  the 
wily  foreigner.  Reared  in  an  atmosphere  of  political 
bluff :  prone  to  ape  politeness  when  he  may  not  adopt  the 
"  mailed  fist :  "  the  foreigner  cannot  assimilate  the  fact 
that  another  country  might,  possibly,  be  run  on  different 
lines :  that  it  is  courteous  because  it  realises  that,  an'  it 
would,  it  could  most  successfully  inaugurate  another  set  of 
conditions.  All  the  same,  the  positive  courtesy  will  merely 
win  the  guerdon  that  is  given  to  genuine  fear—when  the 
foreigner  is  the  "giver."  Consider  the  Russian  official 
mird !  Is  anyone,  possessed  of  a  practical  knowledge 
thereof,  going  to  preiend  that  anything  short  of  an  actual 
"dressing  down."  will  convince  it  that  you  mean  business? 
If  not  the  actual  "dressing  down."  then,  you  have  to  get  so 
near  thereto,  that  the  double-shuffling  gentleman  who 
carries  the  said  mind,  has  absolutely  no  room  to  doubt :  will 
feel,  that  if  he  has  not  actually  experienced. the  blow,  he 
yet  has  had  a  passing  touch  from  the  wind  that  accompanied 
the  straightening  of  the  arm—  as  he  dodged  away. 

fi?%? 

AND  yet  this  is  the  kind  of  intellect  to  which  Britain 
submits  her  case !  To  an  intellect  which,  for  centuries 
past,  has  recognised  no  right :  but  stakes  its  national 
existence  <  on  some  sort  of  >  might.  Furthermore.  John 
Bull  expresses  a  certain  amount  of  mild  surprise,  when 
his  interests  are  played  with !  Mild  surprise,  but  an 
absolute  determination  to  "  loyally  abide  by  the  decision  " 
of  the  cou-*.  at  aliens  who  have  had  the  hardihood  to  pretend 
to  enter  into  the  feelings  of  the  outraged  Briton !  Ask  your- 
self, quietly,  what  the  French  component  of  the  Commission 
would  have  said,  had  the  murdered  fishers  been  Frenchmen. 
Do  you  believe  that,  under  those  conditions,  the  Rozk-e£c'. 
butcher-man  would  have  been  found  to  have  extenuating 
circumstances  surrounding  the  voyage  which  he  should 
never  have  been  allowed  to  continue  :  the  voyage,  which 
has  been  taken  through  the  blood  of  the  subjects  of  a 
neutral  Power,  so  that  Rozh-etc.  and  his  crowd  may  in- 
dulge in  the  only  bit  of  real  freedom  which  they  have  ever 
enjoyed  :  the  freedom  to  engage  in  a  fishing  expedition  in 
the  Indian  Ocean  ?  Of  course,  you  do  not !  You  realise 
that  under  the  conditions  suggested,  a  has  with  everything, 
and  everybody  concerned,  would  have  been  the  cry  from 
Paris.  And  rightly,  too  ! 

fi?%5 

AGAIN,  has  the  Russian  murderer  acted,  during  any  of  the 
phases  of  his  filibustering  cruise,  like  a  man  surrounded  with 
extenuating  circumstances?  Has  his  conduct  struck  you  as 
being  of  the  kind  you  have  a  right  to  expect  from  an 
innocent  man?  You  know  the  answer  is,  "No"— em- 
phatically. You  also  know  that  the  man  committed  murder. 
or  was  woefully  unfit  to  be  trusted  out  of  sight  with  a  fleet 


of  warships  ;  in  either  case,  he  should  not  be  left  in  charge. 
From  the  beginning,  we  all  knew  there  were  no  torpedo- 
boats.  as  stated  :  we  also  know,  as  navigators,  that  the 
Russian  hotch-potch  had  no  business  on  the  Dogger  Bank. 
and  seeing  that  it  really  got  there,  efficient  navigators 
should  have  replaced  the  amateurs  which  endangered  the 
peace  of  Europe.  Once  more,  would  not  an  innocent  man 
have  communicated  with  the  neutral  Power  which  thus 
had  attempted  an  outrage?  Would  not  the  Rozh-etc. 
person  under  those  circumstances,  have  been  the  first  to 
bring  up  in  a  British  roadstead,  for  an  apology  and  com- 
pensation ?  Rather  !  Instead  of  this,  and  after  giving  his 
nondescript  conglomeration  of  alleged  seamen  their  first 
(and  apparently  their  only)  smell  of  powder  burned  in  anger, 
he  quietly  sneaked  along  through  the  English  Channel,  with 
his  vessels  cleared  for  action,  and  his  "  heroes  "  sleeping  at 
their  guns  ! 

5?& 

IF  Rozh-etc..  hadn't  realized  that  he  deserved  a  blowing 
off  the  map,  why  all  that  clearing  for  action  ;  all  that  sleep- 
ing at  the  guns  :  why  that  sneaking  away  without  saying  a 
word  as  to  the  brave  skirmish  which  he  had  miraculously 
passed  through  ?  Knowing  the  Russian,  and  his  fondness 
for  braggadocio,  are  we  to  believe  that  if  the  Butcher  had 
been  in  the  right,  he  would  have  refrained  from  blowing  his 
trumpet,  for  the  purpose  of  convincing  the  Japanese  that  a 
holy  terror  was  on  his  way  East  ;  and  that  if  the  Japanese 
Admiral  wished  to  get  out  of  a  dead  loss,  he  had  better 
resign  at  once  if  not  sooner?  We  are  not!  We  have 
been  treated  to  too  much  romancing  in  the  present  war,  to 
believe  that  any  Russian  is  going  to  debar  himself  from  the 
kudos  that  would  have  fallen  to  him  as  a  result  of  the 
North  Sea  episode,  had  that  episode  materialised  as  claimed 
by  Russia.  The  fact  is,  that  the  Briton  has  been  judging 
the  Russian  from  a  British  point  of  view  —  a  manifest 
absurdity.  Indeed,  this  dear  old  country  has  been  attempt- 
ing to  cook  their  rabbit,  before  catching  him  !  If  Rozh-etc.. 
had  been  brought  home  from  Vigo.  while  the  whole 
miserable  affair  was  fresh  in  everybody's  mind  ;  while  the 
wickedness  of  the  whole  proceeding  was  apparent,  and  ere 
it  had  been  mellowed  down  with  time  ;  there  would  have 
been  no  opportunity  for  the  Echo  de  Paris  to  suggest  that 
the  result  of  the  so-called  trial,  is  a  "  diplomatic  result  of 
the  first  order  for  Russia." 

5?%3 

THE  trouble  is.  that  the  Continental  nations  (and 
nationettes)  will  be  given  the  points  in  the  decision  which 
redound  to  the  credit  (sic)  of  Russia;  and  those  points 
will  be  believed.  Once  again  will  Britain  be  written  down 
as  the  country  where  the  "  bounce  "  comes  from  ;  and  in  all 
probability,  generations  yet  unborn,  will  have  cause  to 
curse  the  supineness  of  their  fathers  who,  possessed  of  what 
is  said  to  be  the  finest  fighting  fleet  in  the  world,  yet 
decided  to  accept  treatment  which,  in  most  instances, 
could  only,  with  safety,  be  meted  out  to  a  nation  which  had 
no  fleet—  and  never  a  soldier.  Think,  too,  of  the  rank 
impertinence  of  the  Russian  Butcher.  He  intended  to  call 
at  Brest,  for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  nationality  of 
the  fleet  into  which  he  had  fired!  Why  Brest?  If  the 
whole  thing  were  not  a  "  put  up  job  :"  hadn't  been  hatched 
long  before  the  Russian  alleged-fleet  left  Libau  ;  why 
favour  Brest  with  his  presence  ?  But  the  fog  intervened 
(  there  is  a  lot  of  seeming  fog  in  the  whole  business  ?)  and 
Rozh-etc.,  seeing  that  he  hadn't  a  man  and  crock  which 
were  detachable  ;  seeing  also  that  his  wireless  outfit  wasn't 
worth  two-pence  :  well,  he  sailed  away.  The  pity  of  the 
situation,  is  in  the  fact  that  he  was  allowed  to  ! 


THAT  he  would  not  have  been  so  allowed,   had  another 
branch  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race  been  interested,  Rozh-etc. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


March  3,   1905 


may  safely  bet  his  last  kopeck.  Republique  Francaise, 
being  off  on  the  same  tack,  is  of  opinion  that  Britain  did 
well  in  keeping  out  of  a  fuss  with  Russia.  According  to 
our  contemporary's  ideas,  such  a  fuss  "  would  have  admir- 
ably played  into  the  hands  of  the  most  formidable  of  the 
rivals  of  the  United  Kingdom  —who  are.  assuredly,  not  the 
Russians."  Would  it.  now  ?  The  point  is  open  to  very 
deep  argument,  and  there  are  not  wanting  experts  who  are 
willing  to  declare  that  when  an  unpleasant  undertaking  is 
imperative,  the  sooner  it  is  carried  out.  the  better.  A  nasty 
job  is  seldom  so  "  nasty  "  in  realisation,  as  it  would  appear 
to  be  in  anticipation.  And  anyhow,  if  Britain  has  to  go 
down,  it  will  be  more  in  keeping  with  her  traditions,  to  do 
so  fighting :  and  it  would  only  have  the  same  ultimate 
effect,  as  if  she  sits  down  and  waits  to  be  diplomaticised  off 
the  earth  ?  That  fortune  favours  the  brave,  has  been 
exemplified  a  thousand  times  in  the  history  of  Britain. 

THAT  fortune  never  favours  the  timorous — or  the  fellow 
who  would  punch  the  other  fellow's  head,  if  it  were  not  for 
the  fact  that  the  fellow  were  afraid  of  hurting  also,  the 
head  of  the  other  fellow's  chum,  pro  tern .' — is  equally  certain. 
We  are  willing  to  admit  that  golf  is  calculated  to  give  its 
exponents  a  bicep  like  the  hind  leg  of  a  horse  :  it  is  also 
good  fora  further  development  of  that  painful  disease  known 
as  "  palpitation  of  the  heart :"  a  painful,  and  frequently  fatal, 
disease.  A  word  to  the  wise,  is  generally  supposed  to  be 
sufficient !  And  now  that  the  North  Sea  Inquiry  has  ad- 
mitted some  of  the  facts  which  all  of  us  knew  some  time  ago: 
that  it  has  "  extenuating  circumstanced  "  some  others  which 
we  also  know  have  no  right  to  the  extenuations :  that,  on  the 
one  hand.  Britain  is  said  to  have  reaped  most  benefit  from  the 
Inquiry:  while  others,  again,  opine  that  the  said  results  are  by 
way  of  a  diplomatic  triumph  for  Russia  :  what  is  going  to  be 
done  with  the  Butcher  ?  Is  he  going  to  be  allowed  to  go 
on' with  his  fishing:  will  Britain  supply  him -with  unexpec- 
ted bait  :  or  is  it  to  be  left  to  our  energetic  ally  to  blow  him 
and  his  fleet  of  cat-fish  catchers,  into'  a  place  where  the 
said  fish  may  be  expeditiously  cooked  ?  Can  anyone  supply 
the  necessary  answer  ? 

WE  have,  on  numerous  occasions,  given  our  unbiassed 
opinion  concerning  that  portion  of  the  Board  of  Trade 
which  is  supposed  to  deal  with  shipping  affairs.  The  said 
opinion  might  not  be  considered  as  unduly  flattering,  nor  to 
err  on  the  side  of  adulation.  However,  the  opinion,  never- 
theless, is  one  that  has  been  arrived  at  after  due  consider- 
ation :  is  the  result  of  personal  knowledge,  as  against  the 
promptings  of  individuals  with  a  possible  axe  to  grind  ;  and 
is  absolutely  for  the  purpose  of  allowing  those  who  find  the 
money,  to  see  how  their  property  is  befng  managed.  Time 
and  again,  we  have  called  your  attention  to  the  general 
ineptitude  of  this  "  Board  "  :  have  shown  you  how  Acts 
have  been  passed  for  this,  that,  and  the  other  purpose  :  but 
which,  from  the  perfunctory  manner  in  which  they  are 
carried  out;  might  just  as  well  have  been  left  off  the 
Statute  Book.  We  have  talked  to  you  of  life-boats  and 
life-belts:  have  shown  you  that  the  paternal  arrangement  will 
come  on  board  and  measure  up  your  living  accommodation, 
while,  at  the  same  time,  the  ship  was  obviously  overloaded, 
and  was  a  very  real  menace  to  the  sailor  and  underwriter  ; 
that  on  other  occasions,  the  same  "  paternal  "  fake  would 
measure  up  the  free-board  which  was  just  as  obviously  in 
order,  when  the  "  accommodation  "  was  a  menace  to  public 
health. 

tif  *a 

«Z*          mJ3 

AGAIN,  we  have  told  you  how  the  same  old  "  paternal," 
would  send  its  minions  on  board  to  size  up  "the  line  of 
collimation  for  your  side-lights,"  at  the  same  time  when 
the  said  side-lights  wouldn't  burn  in  any  position  away  from 
the  lamp-room  for  Father  Peter.  We  have  explained  how 


life-belts  would  be  counted,  and  thus  checked  off  for 
number  :  while  their  floatability— which  wouldn't  rise  to  the 
support  of  a  healthy  and  struggling  cock-roach-would  be 
entirely  disregarded.  We  have  shown  you  how  there  is  but 
one  verdict  possible  for  an  unfortunate  shipmaster  :  could 
tell  you  how  certain  B.T.  main-stays  have  labelled  the  ship- 
master as  about  decimal-six-noughts-and-a-one  above  being 
an  utter  scoundrel :  and  could  show  you,  in  a  most  con- 
clusive manner,  how  it  naturally  comes  about  that  Board  of 
Trade  "justice  "  is  meted  out  on  that  assumption— and  oh, 
heaps  of  other  points  which  we  shall  be  able  to  explain  to 
you.  as  they  occur  to  us.  But  on  this  occasion,  we  wish  to 
call  your  attention  to  some  correspondence  which  has 
passed  between  the  Scottish  Shipmasters'  Association,  and 
the  great  "  We  Are."  We  have  mentioned  the  Scottish 
Shipmasters'  Association  first,  because  they  started  the 
writing.  We  trust  "  We  Are "  will  forgive  us  for  our 
seeming  discourtesy,  and  now.  please,  read  : 

SCOTTISH  SHIPMASTERS'  AND  OFFICERS'  ASSOCIATION, 

128,  Hope  Street, 

Walter  J.  Howell,  Esq.,  GLASGOW,  6th  February,  1905. 

Assista.it  Secretary, 

Board  of  Trade,  Whitehall, 
London. 

SIR, — In  the  new  edition  of  the  "  Regulations  relative  to  the  Ex- 
amination of  Masters  and  Mates  in  the  Mercantile  Marine,"  issued 
recently,  my  Committee  would  respectively  draw  your  Board's 
attention  to  paragraph  108,  which  reads,  thus:  "Service  as 
Additional  or  Auxiliary  first  or  second  Mates,  in  large  foreign  going 
vessels,  when,  in  both  cases  third  and  fourth  Mates  are  also 
carried,  will  count  as  first  Mates  or  second  Mates  service,  as  the 
ease  may  be,  provided  that  the  candidate  was  entered  on  the 
articles  in  one  of  these  capacities,  etc." 

In  the  former  regulations  which  the  latter  supersede,  service  as 
Auxiliary  first  or  second  Mates  in  large  foreign  going  vessels  was 
counted  the  same  as  actual  first  or  second  Mates  service  respect- 
ively, provided  a  third  Mate  was  carried. 

Practically  speaking,  the  new  Regulations  as  drafted,  will  exclude 
Officers  on  all  large  foreign  going  vessels  known  under  the  general 
term  of  "Tramps"  from  being  in  the  position  of  qualifying  for  a 
higher  certificate  under  the  conditions  laid  down  in  the  new  Regu- 
lations ;  for  as  a  matter  of  fact,  no  large  foreign  going  vessels, 
unless  Mail  boats,  and  the  better  class  of  passenger  steamers,  ever 
carry  a  fourth 'Mate. 

As  paragraphrlOS  of  the  new  Regulations  therefore,  «eti  in  no  ways 
affect  the  officers  in  the  latter  class  of  vessels,  and  will  practically 
exclude  the  "Tramp  "  officer,  who  will  relatively  be  in  a  worse 
position  than  the  former,  it  appears  to  my  Committee  that  this 
alteration  was  not  altogether  desirable,  and  that  the  effect  of  the 
new  Regulation  will  be  to  accentuate  the  distinction  between  service 
on  the  better  class  of  vessels  and  the  ordinary  cargo  "Tramp," 
although  a  first  or  second  Mate's  certificate  has  only  an  equal  value, 
in  both. 

Apart  from  this  however,  the  new  Regulations  will  undoubtedly 
constitute  a  distinct  grievance  to  those  officers  who  have  been 
qualifying  as  Auxiliary  first  or  second  Mates  for  a  higher  certificate 
under  the  old  Regulations,  and  it  would  in  their  ease,  be  only  just 
to  modify  the  new  rule  so  that  the  time  served  previous  to  the 
introduction  of  the  new  Regulations  will  count  as  actual  first  or 
second  Mates  service,  as  the  ease  may  be. 

My  Committee  hope  that  this  matter  needs  only  to  be  brought 
to  the  notice  of  the  Board  of  Trade,  to  have  the  desired  concession 
granted.  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  Sir, 

Your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  D.  MC!NTOSH, 

Secretary. 

MARINE  DEPARTMENT, 

7,  Whitehall  Gardens, 

London,  S.W., 

2/sf  February,  1905. 

SIR,— With  reference  to  your  letter  of  the  6th  inst.,  on  the  subject 
of  the  alteration  of  paragraph  108  of  the  Regulations  relating  to  the 
examination  of  Masters  and  Mates  in  the  Mercantile  Marine,  1  am 
directed  by  the  Board  of  Trade  to  state  that  the  alteration  in 
question,  was  made  with  a  view  to  preventing  men  being  signed  on 
the  articles  at,  and  getting  credit  for,  higher  ratings  than  that 
which  they  actually  held,  and  served  in  on  board  ship,  and  so  stop 
men  with  no  real  qualifying  service  or  experience  passing  for  the 
higher  grade  certificates. 

1  am  further  to  point  out  that,  under  the  old  form  of  the 
regulations,  it  was  possible  for  a  man  who  had  in  reality  never 
held  any  position  on  board  ship  higher  than  that  of  junior  officer, 
to  sit  tor  examination  for  the  extra  Master's  certificate. 

The  Board  cannot  see  that  the  alteration  will  hinder  bom  fide 
Auxiliary  Officers  from  counting  their  time ;  and  1  am  to  point  out 
that  it  was  never  intended  that  men  should  be  signed  on  the 
articles  at  Auxiliary  ratings  simply  to  enable  them  to  qualify  for 
examination. 

In  these  circumstances  the  Board  do  not  consider  that  any 
further  alteration  of  the  rule  is  necessary.  If  however  the  rule  is 
found  to  work  unfairly  in  any  particular  case,  the  Board  will  take 
the  facts  into  consideration. 

I  am,  Sir, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

(Signed)  WALTER  d.  HOWELL. 


March  3.  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


39 


WITH  the  Association's  letter  we  have  little  to  say.  and 
for  the  reason  that  it  explains  itself.  We  wish  that  the 
"  We  Are  "  screed  could  be  similarly  dismissed.  It  cannot. 
and  ours  the  painful  duty  of  asking  a  few  questions,  and 
perhaps,  of  venturing  on  a  few  comments.  In  the  first 
place.  "  We  Are's  "  letter  suggests  to  us  that,  viewed  from 
any  point  you  care  to  adopt  the  Board  of  Trade  examina- 
tion for  Masters  and  Mates,  is  merely  a  farce :  a  bit  of  bun- 
combe :  a  twaddley  affair  that  does  none  of  those  concer- 
ned, the  slightest  bit  of  credit  It  doesn't  matter  a  cheap- 
and-across-the-water  swear-word,  whether  you  are  in  a 
position  to  answer  the  tommy-rot  questions  that  are  put  to 
you  :  the  "  essence  of  the  contract "  lays  in  the  fact  that 
you  must  have  been  to  sea  for  a  given  time,  and  in  a  given 
capacity.  You  might  be  the  biggest  ass  that  has  existed 
since  Balaam's  time  :  but  as  long  as  you  served  the  neces- 
sary years  in  the  necessary  rating,  and  can  fake  up  any 
kind  of  answer  that  appeals  to  you  :  well,  you  are  alright ! 
"  I  am  directed  by  the  Board  of  Trade."  forsooth  '.  What 
portion  thereof,  would  dare  direct  its  puissant  secretary, 
or  assistant-ditto,  in  anything  ? 

«?*» 

EH?  "With  a  view  to  preventing  men  being  signed  on 
the  articles  at.  and  getting  credit '  a  questionable  blessing  ?) 
for.  higher  ratings  than  that  which  they  actually  held  .  .  . 
and  so  stop  men  with  no  real  qualifying  service  or  experi- 
ence, passing  for  the  higher  grade  certificates."  Ye  gods!  And 
this  "  reason  "  can  be  seriously  trotted  out  for  use  in  a 
Mercantile  Marine  that  is  rapidly  becoming  in  a  position  that 
will  soon  be  expressed  as  officer-less !  Tis  as  we  have 
said  :  The  examination  is  all  a  farce :  is  useless  as  a 
guarantee  of  fitness  :  for  "  under  the  old  form  of  the  re- 
gulations, it  was  possible  for  a  man  who  had  in  reality  never 
held  any  position  on  board  ship  higher  than  that  of  a 
junior  officer,  to  sit  for  examination  for  the  extra  master's 
certificate".**  Yea.  lor'.  And  why  not !  Dpas  it  matter  a 
tinker's  anathema  how  long  a  man  has  taken  to  learn  the 
probable  action  of  a  reversed  right-handed  propeller,  pro- 
viding he  really  does  know  ?  If  a  smart  man  has  learned, 
in  five  minutes,  enough  to  satisfy  "We  Are's"  examiner, 
that  to  stow  barrels  according  to  Cocker,  it  is  necessary 
to  lay  them  "  bung  up.  and  bilge  free,  with  beds  under  their 
quarters :  "  will  the  knowledge  be  of  lesser  value  than 
in  the  case  of  a  duffer  who  took  ten  weeks,  and  four  pages 
of  swear-words,  to  assimilate  the  same  truth  ? 

tffc 

COMINO  along  to  that  "  essence  of  the  contract"  will  it 
be  pretended  that  "  in  reality  "  '  to  quote  the  granny-talk  of 
"  We  are  " )  it  is  probable  that  a  junior  officer  will  have 
any  more  opportunity  of  learning  nautical  wisdom,  than  if 
he  were  merely  at  sea.  "  before  the  mast?"  When  a  young 
fellow  is  about  for  the  purpose  of  picking  up  wrinkles  :  it 
may  safely  be  assumed  that  he  is  going  to  pick  them  up, 
whether  you  fake  him  into  an  auxiliary  officer's  job.  or  merely 
confine  him  to  the  trick  at  the  wheel,  lookout  etc.  Indeed  and 
in  our  opinion,  the  young  man  who  is  allowed  to  take  the 
wheel,  entering  and  leaving  port  will  learn  far  more  of  the 
practical  side  of  steamer-handling  than  will  the  auxiliary 
junior  officer  whose  greatest  mental  struggle  lays  in 
"  passing  the  word  along."  with  as  little  obtrusiveness  as 
possible.  In  both  instances,  it  matters  nothing  at  all.  as 
long  as  the  intending  candidate  can  answer  all  the  questions 
which  are  put  to  him  in  the  examination  room-  does  it  ? 
Mind  you.  we  are  quite  ready  to  admit  that  "  The  Board 
cannot  see  that  the  alteration  will  hinder  bonafide  Auxiliary 
Oficers  from  Counting  their  time."  In  fact,  this  little  item 
is  merely  one  of  the  points  which  "the  Board"  cannot  see. 

tffc 

ALL  the  same,  that  same  old  Board  will  see  it  later  on. 
At  the  time  not  far  distant— when  shipowner  is  shouting 


for  junior  officers,  and  they  do  not  answer  to  the  shout. 
That  will  be  just  the  psychological  moment  when  "the 
Board  " — providing  it  hasn't  been  wrapped  in  tissue-paper, 
meanwhile— will  see  all  about  it.  If  a  Board  of  Trade 
examination  is  of  any  value  whatever,  then,  it  should  be  of 
such  a  nature  that,  in  itself,  it  should  make  it  impossible 
for  a  non-sailor  to  pass  successfully.  As  things  are  at 
present  and  on  the  admission  of  "  the  Board "  which 
instructed  Mr.  Walter  J.  Howell,  it  has  been  "  possible  for 
a  man  who  had  in  reality  never  held  any  position  on  board 
ship  higher  than  that  of  a  junior  officer,  to  sit  for  (and 
presumably  pass  an  ?)  examination  for  the  extra  master's 
certificate."  No.  sirs,  it  is  no  sort  of  a  joke.  The  matter 
is  too  serious.  It  is  admitted  that  officers  are  daily  becom- 
ing less  plentiful :  it  is  also  common  knowledge  that  before 
attaining  to  a  mate's  berth,  the  applicant  must  hold,  at 
least,  an  ordinary  master's  certificate  ;  so  under  the  new 
regulations,  is  it  to  be  supposed  that  other  than  a  brake 
will  be  applied  to  the  further  supply  of  desirable  men  ? 

0* 

As  is  stated  by  our  friends  of  the  Scottish  Shipmasters' 
Association,  the  new  regulations  will  exclude  all  officers 
ffom  the  possibility  of  qualifying  for  a  higher  certificate. 
as  long  as  they  patronise  the  tramp  of  commerce.  Every 
seafaring  man  knows  that  the  tramp  steamer  is  by  no 
means  the  locale  in  which  to  find  ornamental  officers  :  yet 
the  new  regulations  are  aimed  directly  at  the  tramp.  True. 
we  much  doubt  if  "  We  Are  "  know  enough  about  the 
nautical  business  to  realise  this  little  fact :  but  that  is  no 
reason  why  they  should  not  be  taught.  And  while  con- 
sidering the  subject,  it  is  well  to  ask  who  are  "the  Board's" 
nautical  advisers?  It  cannot  be  this  Mr.  Walter  J.  Howell. 
because  he  is  not  a  sailor,  and  is  simply  an  assistant 
secretary  who  is  instructed  to  do  things  at  all  times,  when 
a  reply  is  needed  to  a  commum'cation.  Furthermore,  we 
note  that  the,*eptleman  intimates  that  he  is  "  Your  obedient 
servant."  although  we  incline  to  a  doubt  therein.  It 
appears  to  us  that  if  he  were  "  in  reality."  our  obedient 
servant  he  would  turn  the  tables  somewhat:  would  under- 
take the  instructing  portion  of  the  business  :  would  sadly 
but  firmly  inform  "  the  Board  "  that  they  were  hurrying 
the  British  Mercantile  Marine  into  a  ditch  from  whence 
there  is  no  return  :  and  would  quit  his  up-to-now  tactics, 
inclining  rather  to  those  that  would  win  him  the  esteem. 
and  gratitude  of  the  men  whose  welfare  he  is  paid  to 
stud  y  -  and  protect 

tf*J 

A  LIVERPOOL  contemporary  has  been  shaking  hands  with 
itself,  because  of  the  fact  that  "decaying  Liverpool  "  is  an 
incorrect  term.  At  least,  the  Liverpool  friend  considers 
the  non-decaying  idea  as  a  fact.  It's  like  this,  some  time 
ago.  Sir  William  Forwood  gave  it  as  his  opinion  that  the 
city  on  the  Mersey  was.  really,  a  decaying  concern,  and  as 
a  matter  of  course,  the  statement  raised  a  little  flutter. 
Sundry  other  local  authorities  pooh-poohed  the  notion  of 
decadence,  and  now.  the  Liverpool  Steamship  Owners- 
Association  comes  along,  with  all  manner  of  data  that  is 
calculated  to  finally  dispose  of  the  wicked  suggestion.  For 
instance,  at  the  close  of  last  year,  the  members  of  the 
Association  owned  some  5.000.000-odd  tons  of  shipping, 
which  works  out  to  about  20  per  cent,  of  the  whole  of  the 
British  steam  shipping  afloat :  they  also  own  some  55  per 
cent  of  the  total  of  steam  vessels  having  a  speed  of  12 
knots  and  upward  :  and  45  per  cent,  of  the  total  number  of 
steam  vessels  above  5.000  tons.  Not  a  bad  showing,  as 
regards  shipping,  is  it  ?  Indeed,  it  is  so  good,  that  we 
sincerely  trust  the  gentlemen  interested  therein,  will  live 
up  to  their  responsibilities.  Instances  have  not  been 
wanting  in  the  past,  where  a  little  improvement  in  this 
direction,  was  easily  attainable. 


40 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


March  3,    1905 


BUT  with  all  due  regard  for  the  good  showing  in  Liver- 
pool shipownerdom.  we  yet  fail  to  see  where  the  per 
centages  referred  to.  help  to  disprove  Sir  William  Forwood's 
contention  concerning  that  decadence  ?  Seeing  that  most 
of  that  shipping  is  purchased  with  shareholder's  money  : 
shareholders  who  are  scattered  over  the  length  and  breadth 
of  the  land  :  well,  it  appears  to  us  that  most  of  the  towns 
and  villages  in  the  United  Kingdom  could  claim  a  share  in 
the  alleged  prosperity  of  Dicky  Samville  ?  If  our  friends 
can  bring  nothing  stronger  than  a  big  limited  liability  list  of 
liners  to  help  rebut  Sir  William  Forwood's  little  thrust,  then, 
you  know,  the  place  must  be  in  bad  case !  It  is  all  very 
well  to  say  that  in  1868  the  gross  tonnage  held  by  the 
members  of  the  Association  ran  into  merely  310,669  tons, 
and  that  to-day,  it  is  3.404,937  tons— to  be  exact :  but 
how  does  that  help  a  place  the  size  of  Liverpool?  We 
suppose  it  will  be  admitted  that  if  every  other  occupation 
outside  of  catering  for  that  little  lot  of  steamships  were 
withdrawn  from  the  port,  it  would  soon  be  apparent  as  to 
how  much  decadence  there  was  about?  No.  no,  the 
presence  of  that  tonnage  on  the  books  of  the  Association 
doesn't  remove  the  taunt  conveyed  in  the  words  "  decaying 
Liverpool." 

£*& 

Tis  good  to  notice  that  some,  at  least,  of  the  rural 
authorities  realise  the  necessity  for  turning  out.  somehow 
or  other,  good  fighting  material !  There  are  the  Bideford 
Guardians  for  example !  See  what  they  are  doing,  in  a 
praiseworthy  effort  to  raise  the  fighting  line  !  Why  those 
estimable  folk  have  agreed  to  purchase  boxing-gloves  and 
single-sticks  for  the  lads  in  their  workhouse.  Eh  ?  What  ? 
A  step  in  the  right  direction  ?  We  should  smile !  First 
thing  we  shall  know,  will  be  that  other  Boards  of  Guardians 
will  have  followed  suit— to  some  extent.  Will  have  pur- 
chased, back-number  copies  of  the  Merchant  Shipping  Acts, 
say.  so  that  they  may  be  enabled  to  train,  up  future  Board 
of  Trade  officials,  for  the  ultimate  benefit  of  the  country. 
To-date.  there  has  been  too  little  attention  paid  to  these 
early  training  ideas,  and  the  country  has  suffered  in  conse- 
quence. But  now  that  the  Bideford  folk  have  set  the 
example— well,  you'll  see  what  you  will  see?  The  work- 
house is  going  to  be  a  potential  factor  in  the  life  of  the 
nation  bime  by.  More  power  to  you,  over  there  at  Bide- 
ford, and  let  us  ask  you  to  keep  your  eye  on  the  Cardiff 
show.  Once  this  revival  is  laid  away,  you'll  see  improve- 
ments, for  the  Cardiffian  is  ever  on  the  lookout  for  new 
fields  to  conquer ! 

#  & 

WHAT  will  the  professional  agitator  in  our  midst  say  to 
this  ?  Lord  Harris,  in  explaining  matters  to  a  meeting  of 
the  shareholders  in  the  South  African  Gold  Trust,  some 
few  days  ago,  declared  that  Chinamen,  in  the  Rand,  had 
come  to  stay,  and  that  they  were  an  absolute  necessity ! 
There  you  are  !  Will  the  agitator  accept  the  expression, 
and  set  about  "  organising  "  a  "  union  "  for  the  benefit  of 
poor  down-trodden  Celestials:  or  will  he  call  a  mass 
meeting  up  the  hills,  for  the  purpose  of  proving  that  this 
importation  of  the  foreigner  into  the  Transvaal  is  a  distinct 
menace  to  those  good  folk  who  do  the  labouring  at  home  ? 
In  any  case,  the  thing  is  certain  to  receive  attention— 
directly,  when  the  agitator  has  time  to  look  around  on  the 
landscape  a  bit.  The  trouble  of  the  thing  is.  that  Chinamen 
are  coming  forward  readily  :  need  no  coaxing :  and  first 
thing  we  shall  see.  will  be  a  consignment  offering  for  service 
up  the  hills.  Then  will  come  halcyon  days  for  the  poor 
employers,  and  well,  you  can  give  the  ensuing  days  as 
connected  with  the  poor  down-trodden  labourer  who  walks 
off  with  some  £5  6  per  week  at  present,  your  own  name. 
You  can.  indeed,  look  you  ! 

&& 

WE    have     ever    claimed     that    the    American    Naval 


authorities  do  the  thing  in  style  !  Have  told  you  repeatedly 
that  where  Uncle  Sam  is  concerned,  the  law  is  "  no  shin- 
nannakin  !  "  Here  is  a  bit  of  fact  to  prove  the  contention. 
A  midshipman  undergoing  a  course  of  training  at  the  United 
States  Naval  Academy  at  Annapolis,  has  been  dismissed 
from  the  service,  because  he  put  too  much  of  his  time  in 
with  the  effeminate  cigarette  of  commerce  !  Great  Scott ! 
Wouldn't  there  be  a  clear  out,  if  the  British  Admiralty  were 
to  adopt  the  same  course  !  In  fact,  the  art  and  grace  of 
handling  a  cigarette  in  the  best  Parisian  boulevardian  style, 
is  now  one  of  the  chief  items  in  the  present-day  Naval 
officer's  itinerary.  Pipes  are  "  off,"  as  being  ungentle- 
manly,  don'tcherknow  :  cigars  are  "  no  class  ; "  while 
cigarettes  are  the  ne  plus  ultra  of  good  form  in  nautical 
ethics  !  As  a  matter  of  fact,  we  have  foregathered  with 
quite  a  number  of  the  gentry  alluded  to,  whose  horizon  has 
been  bounded  on  the  north  by  a  cigarette  case  :  on  the 
south  by  a  cigarette-roller — pronounced  "  woller  "  ;  on  the 
east  by  Tahkish-weed,  ole  chappie  :  and  on  the  west  by  a 
packet  of  cigawette  paypahs !  Fancy  that  kind  of  officer 
seeshaying  along  to  Annapolis  !  Wouldn't  there  be  a  she- 
oak  arrangement  on  ? 

§£^ 

THERE  can  be  no  denying  the  fact  that  the  Australian 
Brother  is  riding  for  a  fall.  A  most  severe  one,  at  that ! 
If  he  breaks  his  neck  when  tobogganing  into  the  ground,  he 
will  but  have  himself  to  blame,  and  a  whining,  then,  will  be 
of  little  service  to  him.  Time  and  again,  we  have  com- 
mented on  the  labour-mad  phantasies  which  are  driving 
every  semblance  of  trade  away  from  the  Antipodes,  and  the 
latest  phase  thereof,  lays  in  the  prosecution  of  some  lascar 
seamen — who  are  equally  British  subjects  with  the 
Australian — for  offering  to  sell  the  little  four-anna  canes 
which  they  invariably  carry  when  on  shore.  It  appears  that 
the  lascars  from  one  of  the  Orient  boats  at  Sydney,  went 
ashore,  and  a_s. per  usual,  carried  the  little  cane  along.  A 
wily  Customs  officer  offered  to  purchase  the  said  canes, 
and  the  not-wily  lascars  agreed  to  sell.  Result :  Ten 
lascars  proceeded  against  for  "  smuggling  walking  sticks  " 
into  the  great  and  glorious  Commonwealth  !  For  a  wonder, 
the  magistrates  denounced  the  case  as  a  trivial  one — but 
imposed  the  minimum  fine.  This,  the  Orient  Company 
agreed  to  pay  -subject  to  appeal.  Meanwhile,  the  same 
Company  announce  that  in  future,  their  steamers  will  no 
longer  call  at  Adelaide. 

E?£   9fa 

?6l       t& 

THIS  is  the  beginning  of  retaliatory  measures,  and  it  may 
be  taken  for  granted  that  the  Commonwealther  can  no 
more  afford  to  thus  play  the  fool  with  his  future  chance's  of 
success,  than  can  any  other  nationette  that  is  still  in  the 
swaddling-clothes  stage.  We  are  wondering  if  the  Corn- 
stalk friend  ever  stops  to  think  of  what  is  likely  to  befall 
him  if,  in  the  near  future,  he  should  be  cast  adrift  by  the 
Old  Country  ?  Does  he  ever  give  a  thought  to  that  lovely 
stretch  of  land  which  lays  on  the  north-ward  end  of  his 
island  home  :  the  stretch  that  has  long  since  been  the 
admiration  and  envy  of  many  an  Asiatic  nation,  whose 
certain  stroll  in  that  direction  has  merely  been  delayed,  out 
of  fear  for  what  the  Old  Country  might  do  in  defence  of  her 
child  ?  Surely  the  Australian  has  more  sense  than  to 
believe  that,  in  the  present  congested  state  of  the  world,  he 
can  afford  to  cut  himself  adrift  from  the  only  protection  he 
is  likely  to  have  for  at  least  another  fifty  years  ?  Time 
was.  that  those  tactics  were  more  or  less  safe  ;  and  princi- 
pally because  it  took  an  offensively-minded  nation  some 
considerable  time  to  waft  her  armies  through  the  summer 
seas,  with  nothing  but  a  tired  Boreas  to  help  things  along 

#  & 

WITH  the  advent  of  steam-propulsion,  however,  any  baby- 
land  needs  to  go  slow,  before  arriving  at  the  point  where  a 
severance  from  the  Homeland  is  advisable.  Our  friends 


March  3,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


"  across  the  sea  "  should  not  forget  that  there  are  many 
longing  eyes  cast  in  their  direction  :  eyes  that  are  merely 
awaiting  a  plausible  excuse,  ere  they  swoop  down  and  annex 
the  whole  caboodle.  Half-a-dozen  more  of  these  malicious 
prosecutions,  and  the  plausible  affair  is  likely  to  be  a  spot 
job.  Some  of  the  big  minds  "down  under."  ought  to  make 
it  their  business  to  explain  matters  as  they  really  are.  and 
not  as  the  "  wind  bag  "  has  pretended.  With  a  bit  of  care. 
and  attention  to  detail,  there  is.  undoubtedly,  a  grand  future 
ahead  of  Australia  :  a  future  in  which  the  colossal  expansion 
of  colonies  in  the  days  that  are  past,  was  as  nothing.  But 
then,  it  will  never  pay  that  particular  "Commonwealth  "  to 
develop  swelled-head.  and  just  at  the  precise  moment  when 
to  conserve  its  energies,  it  should  appear  to  stoop  to 
conquer.  The  labour  idea  made  America ;  but  then,  the 
idea  had  not  been  exploited  to  the  same  extent  that  obtains 
to-day.  At  present,  the  Sacred  Cause  has  had  so  much 
said  in  its  behalf,  that  humanity  is  simply  hungering  for  a 
peep  at  the  other  side  of  the  medal.  "  Down-trodden 
humanity"  can  easily  get  too  much  even  of  the  "down- 
trodden "  particular.  Australians  should  remember  this. 

5?%J 

FOR  a  number  of  years,  past,  the  Merchant  Service  Guild 
has  been  interesting  itself  on  the  subject  of  Parliamentary 
representation  for  mariners,  and  for  facilities  that  shall 
enable  them  to  record  their  votes,  when  absent  from  the 
country.  This  question  of  Mariners'  votes  is  perhaps,  one 
of  the  biggest  anomalies  in  the  government  of  a  country 
which  is  somewhat  cursed  with  anomalies  !  The  sailor,  by 
virtue  of  his  calling,  is  seldom  or  never  at  home,  when 
election  times  come  round  :  he  is  not  al'owed  to  vote  by 
proxy  although  such  a  method  is  among  the  easiest  things 
on  earth :  and  yet  his  business  is  the  most-  legislated 
undertaking  in  Britain.  Indeed,  it  would  appear  as  if  the 
legislature,  when  they  have  a  few  odd  moments  to  spare, 
and  instead  of  adjoining  to  some  suitable  spot  where  they 
may  be  in  a  position  to  play  marbles  or  other  equally  ex- 
hilarating game  say  to  each  other  :  "  Look  here  !  Time  is 
hanging  somewhat  heavy,  at  present,  and  it's  raining, 
outside.  Let's  pass  some  new  law  for  the  sailorman.  He's 
a  patient  cuss :  won't  kick,  a  great  lot :  and  if  he  does, 
well,  we  can  pass  something  else  to  counteract  this  effort 
—when  we  have  more  time."  And  it  is  even  so  ! 

5?*a 

IN  consequence  of  the  foregoing.  Jacks  of  all  kinds,  have 
to  submit  to  some  of  the  most  idiotic  enactments  that  ever 
graced  or  otherwise  a  Statute  Book  :  he  is  not  con- 
sidered as  worthy  of  looking  after  by  the  majority  of 
aspirants  for  Parliamentary  honours,  because  he  has  no 
vote  :  and  taken  altogether,  his  chances  of  salvation  are  - 
about  as  remote,  as  makes  no  odds.  However,  there  are' 
one  or  two  whole-souled  persons  who  take  a  little  interest 
in  the  sailorman.  Sir  Elliott  Lees.  M.P..  is  among  them, 
and  we  note  that  the  Merchant  Service  Guild  has  expressed 
its  gratitude— on  behalf  of  the  seafarer  — to  that  gentleman. 
for  the  generous  assistance  which  he  has  rendered,  in  the 
handling  of  this  Mariners'  Votes  Bill.  It  will  be  remembered 
that,  during  last  year's  foregathering  at  the  talking-shop. 
Sir  Elliott  was  the  means  of  getting  first  place  for  a  Res- 
olution on  the  Mariners'  Votes  Bill,  and  a  very  interesting 
— if  ultimately  profitless  discussion  eventuated  thereon, 
in  the  House  of  Commons.  The  profitless  feature  material- 
ised, as  the  result  of  one  Mr.  R.  Bell.  M.P..  striving  to 
include  "  railway  workers  and  others "  in  the  Bill.  This 
was  the  Government's  opportunity,  for  the  Bill,  with  its 
attempted  deck-load,  was  declared  unmanageable. 

5?%J 

Tis  ever  thus '.  And  we  are  of  opinion  that  /Esop's 
Fables  need  re-writing,  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  them 
up-to-date  !  Indeed,  we  are  thinking  of  setting  our  office 
boy  on  to  the  job.  when  we  shall  probably  be  treated  to  a 


dissertation  concerning  the  bow-wow  who  laid  in  a  manger 
on  the  top  of  some  nice  sweet  sea-weed  :  how.  later  on.  a 
sad-eyed  sailor  came  along  to  the  manger,  for  the  purpose 
of  getting  some  of  that  nice  sweet  sea-weed,  for  the 
packing  of  a  gunny-sack  that  was  intended  to  take  the 
place  of  the  old-time  "donkey's  breakfast ":  how  the  dog, 
although  there  was  plenty  and  to  spare,  of  sea-weed, 
wouldn't  think  of  allowing  the  sad-eyed  sailor  to  take  even 
enough  for  the  purpose  mentioned  :  how  the  dog  snarled  : 
showed  a  number  of  the  remaining  portions  of  a  one-time 
good  set  of  molars  :  looked  unutterable  things  :  wobbled 
around  in  the  pile  of  sea-weed  :  and  how  the  sad-eyed  one 
eventually  went  off  with  his  empty  gunny-sack.  You  wait ! 
There  are  possibilities  in  a  re-writing  of  /Csop's  Fables, 
and  we  might  just  as  well  insinuate  at  once,  that  the 
possibilities  are  patented,  on  behalf  of  our  office  kid. 

«f  fc 

GOING  further  with  this  idea  of  ours,  we  note  that  the 
Mercantile  Marine  Service  Association  have  been  taking 
some  pains,  to  garner  the  orthodoxy  of  the  gentlemen  who 
were  concerned  with  the  Everton  Parliamentary  election- 
Messrs.  Banner  and  Aggs.  Indeed,  the  M.M.S.A.  instituted 
a  kind  of  latter-day  catechism.  Question  No.  1,  was  as  to 
Whether  the  officering  of  the  Mercantile  Marine  and  Pilot 
Service  should  be  confined  to  British  subjects.  Mr. 
Banner  tersely  replied  "  Yes."  and  we  are  proud  of  his 
pluck.  Mr.  Aggs,  however,  was  sort  of  non-committal ; 
believed  that  such  a  Bill  would  act  detrimentally  to  British 
officers,  as  it  would  lead  to  retaliatory  measures  on  the 
part  of  other  nations.  Ye  gods,  and  tiny  tadpoles! 
"  Retaliatory  measures  !  "  Wonder  if  that  Mr.  Aggs  ever 
tried  to  get  a  bo'sun's  job  on  a  foreign  vessel  ?  If  not,  why 
didn't  he  say  so.  without  any  shinnannakin  ?  Here  is  a 
gem.  from  the  same  colossal  ego.  and  on  the  same  subject : 
"  If.  however,  a  similar  prohibition  is  in  force  in  all  other 
maritime  countrfes.  the  detriment  to  British  officers  which 
I  fear,  would'tiot  operate,  and  I  should  be  disposed  to  con- 
sider the  proposal  favourably."  Eh  ?  Did  any  of  you  say 
"  Thank  you.  Mr.  Aggs  ?  "  If  not,  why  not  ? 

tf%J 

WHEN  a  gentleman  is  "disposed  to  consider  the  proposal 
favourably."  you  may  conclude  that  it  is  as  good  as  passed, 
right  slick  through  ?  To  our  mind,  Mr.  Aggs  is  a  most 
magnanimous  individual.  He  admits  that  his  knowledge  of 
the  subject  is  "iffy" — no.  sirs,  we  didn't  write  "  niffy  :" 
yet.  this  fact  notwithstanding,  he  is  "disposed,  etc."  Happy 
disposition.  Blessed  favourable  consideration.  Mr.  Aggs. 
we  take  our  boots  off  to  you  no,  our  hat.  Continuing 
with  the  catechism,  the  M.M.S.A.  wished  to  know  if.  in  the 
opinion  of  the  candidates  alluded  to.  special  facilities  should 
be  granted  to  duly  qualified,  but  absentee  members  of  the 
Mercantile  Marine,  for  the  recording  of  their  votes  in 
Parliamentary  elections.  Mr.  Banner  again  tersely,  and 
decidedly,  ejaculated  "  Yes."  Mr.  Aggs.  however,  gave  a 
qualified  affirmative  :  a  "  Yes.  if  any  practical  scheme  can 
be  devised."  The  gentleman  may  possess  his  soul  in 
patience  on  this  occasion,  for  the  "  practical  scheme  " 
exists,  although  it  wasn't  mapped  out  by  Mr.  Aggs.  On 
the  Light  Load-line  Bill.  Mr.  Banner  had  an  idea  that  as 
arrangements  to  fix  up  this  curse  of  modern  sea-life  had 
already  been  entered  into,  the  business  was  by  way  of 
righting  itself. 

5?^ 

MEM.  This  is  the  first  qualm  of  doubt  as  to  the  ortho- 
doxy of  Mr.  Banner,  which  has  crossed  our  nautical  mind  ! 
But  Mr.  Aggs  went  strong  on  the  Light  Load-line  Bill,  for 
he  considered  it  a  matter  of  great  importance.  So  do  we. 
and  we  have  had  a  "  light  ship"  passage  or  so,  marked 
down  to  our  account.  With  reference  to  the  practice  of 
allowing  British  vessels,  at  home  or  abroad,  to  be  under 
the  charge  of  uncertificated  persons  :  concerning  the 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


March  3,   1905 


improvement  in  the  standard  of  discipline  on  British  vessels  : 
and  that  some  kind  of  Old  Age  Pension  scheme  should  I 
worked  up  without  delay  :  both  Mr.  Banner,  and  Mr.  Aggs. 
were  as  one.  In  the  main,  therefore,  both  the  gentlemen 
were  fairly  orthodox—  from  a  nautical  man's  point  of  view. 
Mr.  Banner,  perhaps,  is  rather  the  more  so.  because  Mr. 
Aggs  appeared  to  be  somewhat  agg-ressive  in  the  matter 
of  keeping  British  ships  for  the  use  of  British  people.  Still, 
this  apparent  aggressiveness  might  not  amount  to  much, 
after  all  :  and  one  never  knows  how  the  M.M.S.A.'s  repre- 
sentative boarded  the  gentleman!  In  interviewing  a 
person,  you  need  to  have  an  awful  amount  of  tact-  and 
nerve,  if  he  is  bigger  than  yourself?  Especially  when  the 
person  is  filled  up  with  a  whole-souled  feeling,  that  he  is 
going  to  give  a  quantity  of  more  or  less  valuable  time,  for 
the  uses  of  his  countrymen—  for  nothing.  However,  Mr. 
Banner  won  the  Parliamentary  Stakes,  being  now  an  M.P. 

5?    & 

WE  are  willing  to  admit  that  since  we  gave  our  readers  an 
explanation  of  our  views  as  to  whether  a  man  is  "  played 
out  "  at  forty,  those  same  readers  have  had  a  number  of 
naps,  if  they  haven't  really  been  asleep,  lots—  and  principally 
because  the  dissertation  alluded  to,  was  printed  in  THE 
MARITIME  REVIEW,  as  long  ago  as  March  30.  1904.  Look- 
ing at  the  thing  dispassionately,  one  has  to  acknowledge 
that  it  is  possible  to  sequester  a  quantity  of  sleep  in,  prac- 
tically, twelve  months  ?  Yes  !  But  even  so,  the  sleep 
need  not  necessarily  be  so  dense  that  one  has  to  forget  all 
about  the  happenings  in  that  stretch  of  time  ?  Anyhow,  it 
is  not  so  with  us,  and  when  we  read  a  screed  from  the  pen 
of  one  Doctor  Osier—  an  American  gentleman,  by  the  way 

the  burden  of  which  went  to  prove  that  a  man  is  played 
out  at  forty,  we  didn't  start  in  on  saying  sassy  things  about 
copyrights  :  pirates  ;  "  lifters  ;  "  or  affairs  of  that  kind. 
Not  a*:all.  We  simply  sat  down,  and  admitted  that  there 
is,  undoubtedly,  a  great  similarity  between  great  minds. 
The  mere  fact  that  we  had  "  got  there."  first,  made  no  differ- 
ence to  our  ruminations.  Not  a  bit  !  We  know  that  we 
have  a  fairly  good  circulation  among  the  great  American 
people—  principally  because  they  recognise  a  good  thing, 
when  it  comes  their  way. 


HOWEVER,  a  good  circulation  in  America,  is  no  absolute 
reason  for  us  to  suppose  that  we  were  the  means  of  start- 
ing this  Doctor  Osier  off  on  his  "  age  limit  40  "  line.  We 
know  :  you  know  :  and  they  know  ;  that  there  is  really 
nothing  new  under  the  sun.  And  for  our  part,  we  are  of 
opinion  that  it  is  highly  probable  that  one  of  the  buildermen 
who  were  engaged  upon  the  Pyramids,  had  very  grave 
reasons  to  believe  that  some  of  the  block-carriers,  if  not 
really  "  played  out  "  at  forty  -well,  then,  they  were  near  it; 
very  near  it.  In  looking  back  over  our  screed  of  March 
30,  1904.  we  note  that  we  gave  it  as  our  opinion  that  a 
man  was  very  much  the  reverse  of  "  played  out  "  at  forty  ; 
at  least,  some  men  ;  while  again  we  suggested  that  yet 
others,  were  of  very  little  use  to  the  world,  at  twenty,  or 
thirty,  or  even  at  thirty-five.  We  see  no  reason  to  dodge 
that  opinion.  Indeed,  we  have  had  numberless  instances 
which  have  merely  hardened  our  old-time  belief.  However, 
Dr.  Osier,  for  reasons  of  his  own.  presumably,  has 
undertaken  the  task  of  convincing  poor  suffering  humanity, 
that  it  is  useless  their  continuing  on  deck  after  they  have 
reached  the  psychological  age  ;  for  with  a  clean  tell-up  on 
forty  years  —  the  pier  head,  and  a  big  jump  is  about  their 
fittest  method  of  bidding  the  world  adieu. 


FURTHERMORE,  we  note  that  one  big  American  financier 


has  invited  other  American  financiers  to  be  present  at  the 
chloroforming  of  yet  another  financier,  "by  the  Professor 
Osier  method  ...  on  February  29  inst.  No  flowers. 
This  is  all  very  funny,  and  remembering  that  there  is  no 
such  date-  this  year-  as  February  29,  that  "yet  another 
financier  "  may  possess  himself  in  peace,  even  as  he  awaits 
the  legitimate  appearance  of  the  Angel  Azrael.  However, 
all  this  is  somewhat  beside  the  mark,  and  coming  back  to 
our  fellow  "  great  mind,"  we  note  that  Dr.  Osier  is  prone 
to  admit  that  a  man  may  make  money  after  he  is  forty, 
although  to  make  money,  then,  is  somewhat  of  the  ignoble. 
Leaving  the  money  idea  out  of  the  reckoning,  the  learned 
doctor—  most  doctors  are  learned,  you  know—  suggests 
that  he  simply  means  that  after  forty,  a  man  lacks  the 
creative  faculty.  As  proving  this,  Professor  Osier  instances 
his  own  writings.  Those  books  were  published  after  the 
gentleman  had  scored  forty,  "but  they  were  garnered 
earlier."  Exactly,  and  here  is  the  precise  spot  where  Dr. 
Osier  agrees  with  our  screed  already  alluded  to.  Really, 
the  gentleman  means  nothing  ;  his  tale  is  merely  a  goak  ; 
a  bung-hole-without-a-barrel- 


IF  a  man  has  not  "  garnered  "  sense  by  the  time  he  is 
forty,  then  he  will  not  be  alive  for  a  greatly  extended 
period  beyond  that  age  ?  In  fact,  he  is  allowed  to  go  on 
"garnering"  up  to  forty,  that  the  world  may  be  able  to 
gain  something  from,  where  until  that  period,  it  has  been 
simply  giving  something  to.  Here  is  a  bit  of  real  American 
naivete,  "Research  and  discovery  are  the  real  essentials, 
and,  with  few  exceptions,  they  are  completed  before  a 
man  is  forty."  We  should  smile  !  If  they  are  not,  then, 
the  said  man  will  have  to  gee-sharp,  if  he  intends  to  work 
the  research  and  discovery  off  his  chest—  and  other  parts 
—ere  signing-on  for  the  long  voyage  ?  Coming  farther 
along,  we  find  lhat  the  Osier  is  of  opinion  that  "it  is  incon- 
sequential to  the  argument  whether  the  books  -are  written 
then,  or  later,  as  in  the  case  of  Darwin."  It  is,  sir.  Dref  fly 
inconsequential.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  whole  alleged 
argument  is  of  the  same  brand  ;  it  is  all  inconsequential— 
and  utterly  childlike.  Altogether  unbecoming  to  a  man 
who  has  passed  the  mystic  age  of  forty  ?  Indeed,  and  to 
our  mind,  the  man  who  has  passed  forty  years  of  life,  and 
will  have  the  effrontery  to  offer  such  piffle  to  the  world 
-—well,  that  chloroform  bottle  would  not  have  been  an 
unalloyed  curse/  would  it  now  ? 


EH  ?  What's  this  ?  We  have  already  written  about 
"decadent  Liverpool,"  you'll  remember,  and  quoted  you 
per  centages  about  Liverpool's  shipping.  Well,  then,  here 
is  another  knock  at  the  good  people,  thereaway.  Ship- 
ments of  hessians  and  jute  goods  from  Calcutta  to  Argentina 
have  increased  so  rapidly  of  late,  that  a  firm  of  shipowners 
have  contracted  with  the  principal  'shippers  of  the  goods 
alluded  to.  by  which  they  (the  former)  will  put  on  a 
monthly  service  during  the  season,  from  Calcutta  to  Argen- 
tina direct,  via  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  Erstwhile,  the 
said  goods  have  been  shipped  to  Liverpool  from  Calcutta. 
and  then  trans-shipped  to  the  Plate.  This  is  where  a  bit 
more  of  the  decadence  will  materialise  ?  Furthermore,  it 
is  a  distinct  knock  to  that  nasty  Canal  Company,  with  its 
princely  method  of  talking  to  commercial  folk.  We  hardly 
know  where  our  commiseration  is  most  needed,  with  the 
Liverpudlian,  or  with  the  Canal  Company  !  But  seriously, 
this  Cape  route  notion  only  needs  a  fair  trial,  when  Canal 
dividends  will  dwindle  away  to  a  low  ebb.  For,  after  all, 
the  "  first-class  cargo  boat  "  is  ever  the  best  payer,  where 
dues  and  things  of  a  like  nature  are  concerned. 


March  3.   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


SHIPBUILDING. 


VERY  few  orders  for  new  tonnage  have  been  placed  since 
our  last  issue,  but  there  are  still  a  fair  number  of  inquiries 

in  the  market. 

•»•  -f  -f 

THE  Great  Western  Railway  Company  recently  invited 
tenders  from  several  builders,  for  the  construction  of  three 
fast  turbine  steamers.  Messrs.  John  Brown  &  Co., 
Clydebank.  have  secured  the  order  for  two  of  them,  and  the 
other  will  be  built  by  Messrs.  Cammell.  Laird  &  Co..  Ltd.. 

Birkenhead. 

•f  •»•  * 

MESSRS.  FURNESS.  WITHY  &  Co..  LTD.,  have  recently 
secured  orders  for  the  construction  of  several  large  cargo 
steamers  from  Messrs.  Cayzer,  Irvine  &  Co..  Glasgow. 

•f  •»•  * 

MESSRS.  WM.  DOXFORD  &  SONS.  Sunderland.  have  just 
booked  an  order  from  Swedish  clients,  for  the  construction 
of  a  turret  deck  steamer  to  carry  about  6,750  tons 

deadweight. 

-»•-»•  «• 

MESSRS.  ROBERT  THOMPSON  &  SONS.  Sunderland.  have 
received  an  order  to  build  a  steamer  of  about  5.000  tons. 
for  Messrs.  Charlton.  McAllum  &  Co..  Newcastle. 

•»•  +  •#• 

WE  hear  that  a  new  steamer  building  on  the  Tees,  about 
6.200  tons  deadweight  has  been  sold  at  £35.500. 

*  •»•   > 

MESSRS.  CRAIG.  TAYLOR  it  Co..  Stockton,  have  received 
an  order  to  build  a  steamer  of  about  6.850  tons  deadweight 
for  Messrs.  E.  Haslehust  &  Co..  London. 

*  •»•  * 

WE  understand  that  the  Hamburg-American  Line  have 
invited  tenders  for  the  construction  of  several  large 
steamers,  which  they  contemplate  building  to  replace  the 
boats  recently  sold  to  Russia. 

•*••*•*• 

SCOTTISH  shipbuilders  are  reported  to  have  booked  orders 
for  25  vessels  of  49.500  tons  last  month,  as  against  45 
vessels  of  170.000  tons  reported  for  January.  In  February, 
15  vessels  of  47.459  tons  were  launched,  of  which  42.499 
tons  came  from  Clyde  yards.  660  tons  from  the  Forth,  and 

4.500  tons  from  the  Tay. 

*  +  * 

GLASGOW  shipbuilders  have  an  excellent  opportunity  of 
securing  the  order  to  build  the  new  Royal  Yacht  for  the 
King,  as  five  large  Clyde  firms  on  the  Admiralty  list  have 
sent  in  tenders  in  which  turbines  are  specified  for. 

•f  +  * 

MESSRS.  RUSSELL  &  Co..  Port  Glasgow,  have  numerous 
contracts  on  hand  and  have  found  it  necessary  to  extend 
their  existing  berth  accommodation.  Th«  keel  of  one  of 
two  10.0OO  tenners,  which  they  are  to  build  for  Messrs. 
Andrew  Weir  &  Co..  Glasgow,  has  just  been  laid. 

•*•*•»• 

Tnt  iron  screw  steamer  Cuzco.  lately  owned  by  the 
Orient  Steam  Navigation  Co..  Ltd..  London,  has  been  sold 
to  Mr.  L.  Pittaluga.  of  Genoa,  for  breaking-up  purposes. 
She  was  built  by  Messrs.  J.  Elder  &  Co..  Glasgow,  in  1871 : 
5.935  tons  gross  :  dimensions  384ft.  x  41ft.  x  35ft.  5in.: 
with  engines  35in..  57in..  90in.  x  54in.  stroke,  by  the 

Fairfield  Co..   Ltd. 

•f   -f   * 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Dean,  lately  owned  by  Messrs. 
R.  &  C.  Allan.  Glasgow,  has  been  sold  to  Japanese  buyers. 
She  was  built  and  engined  by  Messrs.  Gourlay  Brothers  &t 
Co.  Dundee,  in  1889.  Dimensions  257ft.  Sin.  x  36ft.  x 
19ft.  2in:  1 .538  tons  gross :  with  engines  20in..  31  in.. 
5 1  in.  x  39in.  stroke. 

•f  -f  -f 

MR.  Heinrich  Diederichsen.  of  Kiel,  is  the  purchaser  of 
the  steamer  Brookside.  reported  sold  in  our  last  issue. 


WE  understand  that  the  Cunard  Liner  Aurania,  has  been 
sold  to  Italian  buyers  at  about  £15.000.  She  was  built 
and  engined  by  Messrs.  J.  &  G.  Thomson.  Glasgow,  in 
1883.  Dimensions  470ft.  x  57ft.  2in.  x  37ft.  2in.  :  7.269 
tons  gross  :  with  engines  68in.,  91  in.  x  72in.  stroke. 

The  iron  screw  steamer  Aird  Force,  owned  by  Mr.  W. 
S.  Kennaugh.  of  Whitehaven.  is  reported  sold.  She  was 
built  and  engined  by  the  Penarth  Shipbuilding  &  Repairing 
Co..  Ltd.,  in  1891.  Dimensions  145ft.  Sin.  x  23ft.  2in.  x 
lift:  349  tons  gross :  with  engines  18ft.  36in.  x  24in. 
stroke. 

•f  +  -f 

IT  is  reported  that  the  Pacific  Steam  Navigation  Co., 
Liverpool,  have  sold  their  steel  screw  steamer  Orelland.  to 
German  buyers.  She  was  built  and  engined  by  Messrs. 
Harland  &  Wolff.  Ltd..  in  1893.  Dimensions  401ft  x 
47ft  6in.  x  33ft.  4.821  tons  gross :  with  engines  29in., 
48in..  79in.  x  60in.  stroke. 

•f   -f  -f 

THE  iron  screw  steamer  Como,  lately  owned  by  Messrs. 
Thomas  Wilson.  Sons  It  Co..  Ltd.,  Hull,  has  been  sold  to 
Dutch  buyers.  She  was  built  and  engined  by  the  Earles 
Co..  Hull,  in  1871.  Dimensions  272ft  6in.  x  32ft  x 
17ft  4in..  1 ,497  tons  gross :  with  engines  32in.,  60in.  x 
30in.  stroke. 

•f    -f    4- 

THI  iron  screw  steamer  Hesleden,  lately  owned  by 
Messrs.  R.  Jobson  &t  Co..  West  Hartlepool.  has  been  sold  to 
Mr.  F.  O.  Liljefors.  of  Landskrona,  Sweden.  She  was 
built  by  Messrs.  Wm.  Gray  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  West  Hartlepool. 
in  1876.  Dimensions  259ft  lin.  x  33ft.  x  1 9ft.  2in.: 
1 .492  tons  'fffcss :  machinery  by  Messrs.  Blair  It  Co.. 
Ltd.:  with  engines  27in..  55in.  x  36in.  stroke.  The 
steamer  has  been  renamed  Phyllis. 

•f  -f  + 

TWELVE  of  the  Hamburg-American  Line  steamers  are 
reported  sold  to  the  Russian  Government  and  will  carry 
coal  and  provisions  for  the  third  Baltic  squadron. 

•f  -f  + 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  City  of  Manchester,  lately 
owned  by  Messrs.  Hagerup.  Doughty  &  Co.,  Ltd..  Grimsby. 
has  been  soM  to  French  buyers.  She  was  built  by  Messrs. 
Mackie  &  Thomson.  Glasgow,  in  1898.  Dimensions  140ft 
Sin.  x  23ft  Sin.  x  1  1ft.  2in.:  287  tons  gross:  with  engines 
13in..  22in..  55in.  x  27in.  stroke  by  Messrs.  Muir  & 
Houston.  Ltd. 

THE  iron  steam  trawler  Boadicea.  has  been  "sold  by  the 
Hellyer's  Steam  Fishing  Company,  Ltd..  to  Spaniards.  She 
was  built  by  Messrs.  Cook.  Welton  &  Gemmell.  Hull,  in 
1899.  Dimensions  1  13ft  6in.  x  21ft  x  lift  2in.:  with 
engines  1  1  '2in..  20in..  33in.  x  24in.  stroke  by  Messrs. 
Amos  &  Smith. 

THE  steel  steam  trawler  Coo*,  lately  owned  by  Mr.  J. 
Hutton.  Aberdeen,  has  been  sold  to  Danish  buyers.  She 
was  built  by  Messrs.  Wm.  Hamilton  &  Co.,  Port  Glasgow, 
in  1892.  Dimensions  100ft  2in.  x  20ft.  Sin.  x  10ft  6in.: 
with  engines  11  in..  17in..  27in.  x  22in.  stroke  by  Messrs. 
D.  Rowan  &  Son. 

•f  -f  -f 

THE  iron  steam  trawler  Escallonia,  lately  owned  by  Mr. 
C.  C.  Morley.  Milford.  has  been  sold  to  Dutch  buyers.  Sh" 
was  built  by  Messrs.  Sir  Raylton  Dixon  &  Co..  Middles- 
brough, in  1892.  Dimensions  100ft  x  20ft  4in.  x  10ft. 
7in.:  with  engines  16in..  32in.  x  22in.  stroke  by  the  North 
Eastern  Marine  Engineering  Co.,  Ltd. 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


March  3,   1005 


fr^ws^y  »•  .«—  i^j 

FRIDAY.  MARCH  S.   1905. 
ADMIRALTY  v.  BOARD  OF  TRADE  INQUIRIES. 


•1TH  praiseworthy  promptitude,  the  Admiralty 
inquiry,  into  the  facts  which  brought  about 
the  explosion  on  submarine  AS,  in  Cork 
Harbour,  on  February  16,  has  been  brought 
to  a  conclusion.  Before  going  into  the 
subject  as  affecting  the  submarine,  it  will  be 
well  to  call  the  attention  of  our  readers  to 
the  differences  obtaining  between  Admiralty  methods  in 
connection  with  the  Navy :  and  Board  of  Trade  procras- 
tination concerning  the  Mercantile  Marine.  When  a 
merchant  ship  comes  to  grief,  heaven  alone  knows  when 
the.  generally,  alleged  inquiry  will  "  come  off."  although 
the  veriest  tyro  in  matters  marine  is  fairly  safe  in  sizing  up 
the  one  and  only  possible  verdict.  The  Board  of  Trade — and 
its  myrmidons  -with  a  consistency  that  is  worthy  of  a 
better  cause,  may  be  depended  on  to  "  sit  on  "  the  unfor- 
tunate shipmaster,  or  other  Mercantile  Marine  officer 
involved  :  to  take  away  -either  for  good  and  all.  or  for 
a  more  or  less  protracted  period — the  certificate  which 
this  august,  but  frightfully  ponderous  combination  of 
nautical  "  experts "  has  already  granted  ;  and  to  show 
conclusively,  in  practically  every  instance,  that  the 
Department  has  long  outlived  any  utility  which  it  ever 
might,  could,  would,  or  should  have  possessed.  So  much 
has  this  little  showing  been  in  evidence  of  late  years,  that 
the  country  has  been  promised,  time  and  again,  a  sweeping 
away  of  this  ancient  "  Board  "  that  was  never  anything  at 
all  of  the  sort :  and  that  a  Ministry  of  Marine  should  be 
created  instead  thereof.  Time  passes,  and  so  far.  promises 
are  all  that  the  country  has  received.  Of  course,  hope 
springs  eternal  in  the  human  breast,  and  those  who  have 
most  interest  in  the  wiping  away  of  this  nautical  paradox, 
indulge  in  the  game  of  "Hope  on;  hope  ever!"  Some  day, 
perhaps,  a  legislator  possessed  of  more  gall  than  his  fellows, 
will  arise  and  intimate  that  "  Now's  the  time,  and  now's 
the  hour  "  to  bury  the  Board.  When  that  legislator  does 
arise,  we  sincerely  trust  that  he  will  insist  on  burying  -not 
merely  on  reforming.  In  the  past,  it  has  not  been  the  title 
"Board  of  Trade"  which  has  done  such  incalculable  harm  to 
the  shipping  of  the  country  ;  rather  has  it  been  the  idiotic 
methods  adopted  by  its  component  parts ;  men  who  are 
paid  by  the  country  to  see  that  all  is  well  with  ships  and 
shipping ;  but  who,  to-date,  have  done  little  more  than 
put  a  premium  on  the  alien  seaman  (or  alleged  seaman), 
while,  at  the  same  time  driving  the  Briton  from  his  heritage. 
This  being  so — and  it  is—  there  is  precious  little  use  in 
changing  the  title  of  the  combination,  if  the  same  old  fossils 
are  allowed  to  continue  in  harness.  This  little  fact  must 
not  be  overlooked,  when  the  shake  up  eventuates,  for  were 
the  runners  employed  by  the  Board  of  Trade,  fit  and  proper 
men.  there  would  be  but  little  need  to  change  over  to  a 
Ministry  of  Marine.  Turn  we  now,  to  the  findings  of  the 
Admiralty  inquiry  alluded  to  in  the  beginning  of  our 
present  writing.  Captain  R.  H.  S.  Bacon.  D.S.O.,  R.N., 
Naval  Assistant  to  the  First  Sea  Lord,  was  head  of  that 
inquiry,  and  he  was  assisted  by  Dr.  Boverton  Redwood. 
F.R.S.E..  Adviser  to  the  Home  Office  on  Petroleum  Oils. 
Seeing  that  the  accident  to  submarine  AS  was  consequent 
on  the  escape  of  petrol  vapour,  it  will  be  readily  admitted 
that  the  inquiry  court  was  constituted  on  sensible  lines. 
To  digress  a  little,  the  Board  of  Trade  might  e'asily  take 


another  leaf  out  of  the  Admiralty's  book  ;  might  go  as  far 
as  to  put  modern  sailormen  to  assist  the  various  stipendiary 
magistrates  who  have  the  power  of  making  or  marring  the 
British  shipmaster.  As  things  are  at  present,  any  old- 
timer  of  a  "  whale  "  appears  to  be  good  enough  to  sit  in 
court,  and  ask  twaddley  questions  of  the  intended  victim — 
the  shipmaster.  We  have  seen  instances  where  the  court- 
room navigator  has  applied  deviation  and  variation  the 
wrong  way  :  where  he  has  asked  if  the  pole-compass  were 
situated  on  the  side  of  the  funnel,  or  right  in  front  thereof ; 
and  in  one  instance,  we  remember  one  amiable  old  fossil 
asking  if  the  lead-line  had  been  "  adjusted  "  before  the  ship 
had  sailed  on  that  last,  and  altogether  unfortunate  voyage. 
True,  the  ancient  one  did  offer  an  oblique-angled  apology, 
when  he  was  rounded  up  by  the  "culprit:"  suggested 
that  he  had  in  mind  the  compass,  although  he  said  lead-line. 
All  the  same,  lead-line  would  have  passed,  had  the 
"prisoner"  not  developed  gall  enough  to  ask  what  the 
assessor  meant.  Furthermore,  the  skipper  lost  his  ticket — 
in  exactly  the  manner  that  is  provided  in  cases  of  this  kind. 
But  reverting  to  submarine  AS,  there  was  a  really  ihigh- 
class  lot  of  evidence  offered,  all  of  which  went  to  show  that 
as  far  as  the  'longshore  portion  of  the  business  had  been 
concerned,  everything  was  as  it  should  have  been.  Indeed, 
we  cannot  do  better  than  to  give  you  Dr.  Redwood's  own 
words  on  the  subject :  especially  as  the  properties  and 
dangers  of  petrol  are  of  interest  to  all  seafarers.  The 
Doctor's  report  contained,  among  other  items,  the  following: 
"  I  am  of  opinion  that  both  in  design  and  in  execution,  the 
petrol  installation  in  this  vessel  is  such  as  to  ensure  the 
maximum  of  safety,  and  I  cannot  suggest  any  practicable 
modification  or  addition  which  would  have  the  effect  of 
increasing  its  safety.  Every  weak  point " — you  will  notice, 
farther  along,  that  the  Doctor  was  a  little  bit  wrong  in  his 
summing  up.  for  this  was  a  case  where  not  quite  every 
weak  point  had  been  attended  to  ! — "  in  such  installation 
has,  I  am  satisfied,  received  exceptionally  careful  attention, 
and  risks  have  been  guarded  against  as  far  as  forethought 
and  engineerih'g^skill  can  make  provision  ...  I  say  unhesita- 
tingly, and  without  qualification,  that,  if  the  regulations 
handed  in  are  duly  observed,  such  an  installation  can 
certainly  be  worked  with  safety  in  a  submarine  boat,  and  I 
say  also,  in  my  opinion,  ...  if  there  had  not  been  a  lament- 
able disregard  of  one  of  the  most  important  of  these 
regulations,  the  recent  explosion  would  not.  and  could  not. 
have  occurred."  There  you  are  !  It  is  right  here  that  we 
felt  like  calling  your  attention  to  the  one  "  weak  spot  " 
which  had  not,  obviously,  received  the  exceptionally  care- 
ful attention  suggested  by  Dr.  Redwood.  The  machine 

as  usual— was  perfect ;  its  attendants  were  very  much  the 
reverse  of  perfect.  Because  the  poor  fellows  came  to 
grief,  is  no  sufficient  reason  that  their  shortcomings 
should  not  be  animadverted  to-  especially  in  view  of  the 
fact  that  there  are  other  submarines  about,  and  that  it 
behoves  their  crews  and  attendants,  generally,  to  profit 
by  past  oversights,  or  carelessnesses,  as  the  case 
might  be.  In  connection  with  .45,  Doctor  Redwood 
found  that  the  gland  of  the  port  petrol  pump  was 
leaking  freely,  "  but  I  observed  that  the  gland  was  screwed 
hard  down,  metal  to  metal,  and  it  was  evident  that  it  con- 
tained an  insufficient  quantity  of  packing.  This  leak, 
therefore,  does  not  indicate  any  defect  in  the  installation." 
Of  course  not.  It  merely  indicates  a  defect  in  the  human 
'installation?  A  defect  to  which  we  have  called  attention, 
more  times  than  we  care  to  remember.  Indeed,  to  our 
mind,  it  is  ever  thus.  The  nation,  in  a  most  ungrudging 
manner,  supplies  the  finest  material  that  money  can  buy  : 
sees  that  everything  in  the  Service,  from  a  material  point 
of  view,  is  absolutely  above  reproach  ;  and  in  consequence, 
the  nation  has  a  right  to  ask  that  a  fair  return  be  given  for 
its  money.  That  return  is  not  given."  We  all  realise  the 
fact.  And  here  in  a  submarine,  we  find  that  everything 
which  engineering  skill  (on  shore)  can  suggest,  is  carried 
out  regardless  of  cost ;  but  a  simple  gland  on  a  pump  is  so 


March  3,  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


45 


carelessly,  or  ignorantly.  attended  to.  that  it  is  screwed  up 
without  packing,  and  until  it  lays  metal  to  metal !  For  half 
such  carelessness  as  is  here  implied,  the  Mercantile  Marine 
officer  would  have  his  certificate  taken  away  for  ever;  and 
possibly  find  himself  arraigned  for  attempted  murder  on  the 
high-seas !  There  can  be  no  valid  excuse  for  this  leaky 
pump-gland  :  none  whatever.  It  was  merely  necessary  to 
shut  off  the  supply  cock,  when  the  petro!  would  have  been 
safely  confined  to  its  tank  :  and  after  this  desirable  end  had 
been  attained,  the  leaky  gland  could  have  been  attended  to 
with  ease.  However,  this  appears  to  be  but  one  of  the 
" contributory  causes  "  to  the  explosion  on  submarine  .45. 
There  was  a  strong  smell  of  petrol  on  the  boat  (we  should 
think  there  would  be.  under  the  circumstances!  i.  and  with 
a  view  to  eliminating  this  "  strong  smell  "  and  incidentally 
we  suppose,  the  cause  thereof  the  gas  engine  was  started, 
with  the  disastrous  results  which  followed.  In  the  words 
of  Captain  Bacon,  "the  explosion  in  A5  submarine  was 
caused  by  the  presence  in  the  boat  of  petrol  vapour  from  a 
leak  of  liquid  petrol  at  a  badly-packed  gland  of  the  petrol 
pump,  and  that  the  explosive  mixture  formed,  was  ignited 
by  sparks  from  the  main  motor  brushes  caused  by  attempt- 
ing to  move  the  motors  electrically  with  a  view  to 
revolving  the  engine  :  and.  further,  that  such  a  use  of  the 
motor  was  in  flagrant  violation  of  the  regulations  laid 
down."  There  you  are !  Badly-packed  gland,  and  flagrant 
violation  of  regulations !  And  this  is  merely  one  of  the 
ways  they  have  in  the  Navy  on  which  the  nation  and 
Government  are  supposed  to  set  such  store  (  although  the 
store  of  the  latter  doesn't  go  far  enough  to  punish  the 
murderers  of  its  fellow  countrymen  >.  In  the  midst  of  all 
this  misery,  it  is  good  to  find  a  little  gleam  of  sunlight,  so  to 
speak.  It  appears  that  some  50  men  from  the  Hazard,  the 
attendant  warshipette.  at  once  volunteered  to  enter  the  sub- 
marine, on  fire  and  all  as  she  was.  in  hope  to  rescue  their 
shipmates  from  a  ghastly  death.  When  it  is  remembered 
that  A5  was  practically  on  fire  :  that  she  had  seven  tons  of 
petrol  inner  tanks:  that  an  explosion  had  already  occurred: 
and  that  a  further  series  might  reasonably  be  expected — 
well,  even  as  declared  by  Captain  Bacon,  it  was  an  offer  of 
which  the  Navy  might  be  proud.  For  the  matter  of  that, 
the  country,  too?  Indeed,  the  Navy  and  country  is  proud 
of  such  heroes,  and  the  only  fly  in  the  ointment  is.  that  such 
heroic  stuff  is  given  over  to  the  care  of  men  who  will  be 
guilty  of  "  flagrant  violation  of  the  regulations  laid  down." 
This  has  ever  been  our  claim.  The  Senior  Service  is  prac- 
tically given  over  to  youthful  twigs  of  "society."  who  know 
as  much  about  their  alleged  business,  as  we  know  of  the 
man  who  made  the  Babylonian  bricks  which  are  in  the 
Museum  or  elsewhere.  The  same  thing  applies  to  the 
Board  of  Trade.  There  is  far  too  much  of  the  "  nautical 
adviser."  and  too  little  of  the  genuine  nautical  advice.  In, 
fact,  and  viewed  dispassionately,  the  advice  tenderexFtrt 
most  of  these  occasions  to  which  we  are  referring,  would 
appear  to  be  made  up  of  exactly  the  wheezes  which  the 
advised  are  hankering  after  ?  Matters  of  fact,  have  but 
little  to  do  with  the  business:  matters  of  expediency  are 
more  in  evidence.  The  sooner  such  a  rotten  state  of  affairs 
is  ended,  the  better  will  it  be  for  the  country.  As  in  the 
case  of  A  5,  so  is  it  with  a  number  of  units  in  the  same  arm 
of  defence,  and  according  to  Captain  Bacon,  once  more, 
"  As  regard  the  regulations  in  force,  here,  again.  I  quote 
Dr.  Redwood's  opinion.  He  considers  the  regulations  fully 
sufficient,  and  such  as  to  render  the  working  safe,  if 
rigidly  adhered  to.  Nor  on  examination  can  I  find  anything 
in  them  which  is  irksome,  laborious,  or  inconvenient,  and 
for  such  a  reason  likely  to  lead  to  their  being  disregarded. 
They  appear  definite  and  simple."  Of  course— on  all 
counts  :  and  principally  because  those  regulations  were 
suggested  by  men  who  knew  their  business :  civilians,  in  the 
majority  of  instances  :  the  only  trouble  is.  that  Naval  men 
have  to  carry  them  out.  and  in  spite  of  all  the  cant  and 
humbug  to  the  contrary,  the  Naval  man  is  very  much  the 
reverse  of  being  well-trained. 


LATTER-DAY  TRADES  UNIONISM. 


A  V /  E  have  remarked,  ere  this,  that  all  our  sympathies 
yy        would  go  out  to  the  man   or   men,   who  would 
engineer  a  trades  unionism  in  which  the  fact  of 
a   man  being  a   member  thereof,   would  be    a    sufficient 
guarantee  that  he  was  a  good  workman.      In  addition  to 
the  foregoing,  we  have  continually  expressed  disapprobation 
at  the  class  of  alleged  "  trades  unionism  "  which  is  rampant 
to-day.     The  cult  which  has  been  inaugurated,  not  for  the 
benefit  or  amelioration  of  the  struggling  masses :  but  rather 
for  the  purpose  of  providing  a  "  soft "  living  to  a  number  of 
harpies  whose  absolute  disinclination  for  work,  and  inability 
to   glean   a  living  after  the   manner  prevailing  with   the 
"  Tired  Tims  "  and  "  Flowery  Fields  "  of  the  earth,  make 
some  such   arrangement  necessary.       We   have  given   a 
quantity  of  attention  to  the  subject,  and  principally  because 
we  happen  to  know  that  the  said  cult  do  us  the  honour 
(.which  is  "writ  sarkastik  "  >  of  reading  our  remarks,  after 
which  they  unite  in  an  endeavour  to  think  up  some  kind  of 
method  that  may  be  calculated  to  bluff  us  !     That  such 
tactics  have  made  no  difference  to  our  methods    of    giving 
you  the  truth,  has  been  made  abundantly  apparent,  week 
after  week.      Time    and   again,   we    have   declared  that 
most  of  these  "unions"  — that  is,  the  "unions"  that  are 
worthy  the  name,  as  far  as  numerical  strength  is  concerned 
are  nothing,  if  not  political  :    that  the  whole  reason  of 
their  existence,  is  to  supply  the  needful  for  the  "  pushing" 
of  this,  that.  01  the  other  "celebrity  "  having  an  ambition  to 
hear  himself  speak  in  the  national  talking-shop.  Of  course, 
there  are  a  number  of  little  tin-pot  shows,  which  eke  out  a 
precarious  living  by  battening  on   whom  they  may  :    but 
these  are  not  within  the  range  of  this  present  writing.     So 
far  in  the  history  of  the  world,  the  so-called  trades  unionism 
has  stopped  short  at  a  mere  amalgamation  of  the  smaller 
portions  of  a  given  trade.     They  have  never  managed  to 
secure     without     gross     intimidation     one     half    of    the 
members  belonging  to  that  given  trade.     Still,  with  the  few 
that  have  been  coerced  into  joining  "the  movement."  the 
matter  has  ended.    By  and  bye  —say.  when  trades  unionism 
is  really  a  power  for  good     we  shall  be  treated  to  a  "Union 
Boss'  Association."     An  arrangement  that  shall  formulate 
the  most  likely  methods  for  pulling  in  recalcitrant  members 
and  their  subscriptions,  when  in  arrears.     Meantime,  we 
must  e'en  take  the  matter  as  it  stands,  and  we  have  been 
constrained  to  the  foregoing,  by  reading  a  letter  from  the 
editor  of  "  Reynolds."  which  was  sent  to  a  London  "daily." 
The  letter  referred  to.  deals  with  a  phase  of  the  "  union  " 
subject  to  ">hich  we  have  frequently  alluded     the  question 
of  supporting  Parliamentary  candidates  out  of  the  funds  of 
the  union.     We  are  so  often   treated   to    disclaimers    on 
this  account :  are  assured  that  the  whole  thing  is  a  false- 
hood :  that  no  "  union  "  would  think  of  robbing  its  members 
for  the  purpose  of  pitch-forking  some  "  orator  "  into  Parlia- 
ment :  that  Mr.  Thompson's     the  editor  referred  to— letter 
comes  as  a  pleasant  (or  unpleasant)  bit  of  confirmation.     We 
will  give  you  the  whole  quotation,  after  which  you  may  judge 
for  yourselves,  as  to  whether  our  repeated  avowals  in  this 
connection  have  been  so  very  wide  of  the  mark  :  "  Permit 
me  to  mention  a  rather  startling  case  as  to  the  autocratic 
methods  of  a  trade  union  executive  in  this  respect.     I  refer 
to  the  Amalgamated  Society  of  Railway  Servants.     And 
that  there  may  be  no  mistake.  I  may  say  that  I  am  basing 
my  remarks  on  the  printed   report  of  the  society  dated 
March  14,  1904.  together  with  reference  to  earlier  reports 
and  newspaper  records.     Three  years  ago.  a  ballot  of  the 
members  of  the  A.S.R.S.  was  taken  on  the  question  of  a 
levy  of  Is.  per  member  to  support  additional  Parliamentary 
candidates  for  the  railwaymen's  own  society  .  .  .  Only  29 
per  cent,  of  the  members   returned   their  voting   papers ; 
26'2  per  cent,  were  in  favour.  2'2  per  cent,  against. 
Executive  Committee  then  compelled  75 '5   per  cent,  of 
the  members  to  contribute  to  the   levy   without  knowing 
their  views."    There  you  are!    The  facts  are  plain  enough? 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


March  3,  1 905 


CARDIFF     (AND    OTHER)     COAL. 


CARDIFF.  March  I.  1905. 

Ther*  certainly  is  but  little  that  is  new  to  record  in  connection 
with  the  Coal  Market,  since  our  last  time  of  writing  on  the  entranc 
ing  subject !  We  ought  to  write  it.  "  in  trancing  subject."  for  really 
that  about  gives  you  the  actual  state  of  things  concerning  Welsh 
Coal.  It  is  all  in  a  trance  :  or  is  asleep ;  for  there  is  nothing  doing ; 
the  demand  is  slack,  or  non-existent  whichever  shade  of  opinion 
you  most  favour  ;  there  is  no  new  business ;  and  everybody  more 
or  less  connected  with  the  South  Wales  staple,  feels  pippy  in 
consequence.  We  hate  to  appear  pessimistic,  but  if  we  are,  then 
we  are  merely  following  the  lead  of  the  "  other  fellows  ! " 
where  you  will,  on  the  Coal  Exchange,  and  the  same  old  state  of 
affairs  obtains. 

OF  course,  you  readily  understand  that  the  pessimistic  feeling  is 
merely  one  of  degree.  In  a  place  where  some 

Twenty-one  millions   of  tons 

of  coal  change  hands  in  a  year,  there  is  bound  to  be  something 
doing,  all  the  time.  But  just  now,  there  is  a  lack  of  vim  in  the 
transactions ;  the  good  people  responsible  for  the  passing  of  the 
21.000.000  tons  aforesaid,  appear  to  have  made  up  their  minds— 
possibly  for  this  week  only—to  wander  home  to  glory,  in  the  steps 
their  fathers  trod.  And  for  our  part,  we  cannot  honestly  blame 
them.  Indeed,  any  old  steps  are  good  enough,  when  the  state  of 
trade  has  meandered  down  to  its  present  lack-a-daisical  state. 

CONSIDER  the  supply  of  tonnage—that  vital  essential  to  a  flourish- 
ing coal  industry.  Having  considered,  tell  us  where  the  tonnage 
is.  Eh  ?  It's  anywhere  but  in  the  place  where  it  will  be  of  most 
utility?  Tonnage  has  been  delayed;  somewhat  through  stress  of 
weather :  otherwise  through  inherent  wickedness.  When  tonnage 
is  delayed,  stocks  of  coal  accumulate.  When  stocks  of  coal 
accumulate,  coal  people  develope  pip,  as  already  explained— for 
that  is  exactly  the  occasion 

When   prices   are   weak. 

They  do  not  necessarily  fall  off ;  values  may  even  remain  as  here- 
tofore. But  of  what  use  is  it  to  talk  of  values,  or  of  prices,  when 
there  are  no  sales  ? 

WE  hay£  heard  it  declared,  in  cold  blood,  that  coal  might  be  had 
for  thejisking.  But  that,  again,  is  a  relative  term.  Is  merely  a 
figure  of  speech.  If  you  wish  to  test  its  value,  just  you  try  to  pick 
up  a  load  for  the  domestic  cellar.  That  is  when  you  will  understand 
the  figurativeness  of  the  whole  affair.  However,  when  a  colliery 
man  cannot  sell  off  his  output  ;  when  it  gradually  mounts  up  in 
bulk  until  every  available  wagon  is  full  to  overflowing  ;  what,  think 
you.  is  there  left  for  the  poor  fellow?  Why.  simply  to  stop  his 
collieries,  and  this  is  a  little  pastime  which  has  happened  pretty 
frequently,  of  late.  Eh,  eh  !  It  is  a  hard  world,  and  don't  you 
forget  it ! 

AFTER  perusing  the  above,  it  will,  probably  dawn  on  you  that  the 
present  is  one  of  the  occasions  when 

Prices   are   merely   nominal, 

and  the  poor  seller  (seller,  this  time,  you'll  observe)  is  willing  to 
accept  almost  any  price  which  the  gall  of  the  buyer  will  admit  of 
his  offering.  On  the  other  hand,  the  facetious  buyer  is  considerably 
nonplussed,  for  the  simple  reason  that  without  tonnage  he  is  unable 
to  guarantee  prompt  loading  ;  and  thus  it  comes  about,  that  the 
game  of  "pull  devil,  pull  tailor"  is  worked  for  all  it  is  worth. 
That  it  is  worth  but  very  little,  you  may  take  our  word  for  it. 
Still,  you  must  not  think  that  in  times  like  the  present,  the  buyer 
gets  the  business  his  own  way,  for  he  doesn't— not  by  a  very  big 
chalk-mark,  does  he.  No,  not  for  immediate  business,  even,  as  some- 
how or  other,  the  colliery  man  knows  all  about  tonnage  supplies — 
•mall  blame  to  him  ! 

FURTHERMORE,  the  colliery  man  is  not  disposed  to  accept  alleged 
current  prices  for  forward  business  enquiries  for  which  are  fairly 
plentiful.  But  these  enquires  are 

Merely  a  wile  of  the  Buyer. 

He  realises  that  he  can  do  very  little  with  no  tonnage  at  hand  ; 
but.  shrewd  man.  is  of  opinion  that  now  is  the  time  to  fix  up  all 
that  is  possible  for  the  happy  days  when  the  tonnage  has  ambled 
along.  Unfortunately  for  his  views,  however,  the  colliery  man 
understands  all  those  little  moves,  and  seeing  that  he  has  to  wait 
for  prompt  business,  he  decides  on  seeing  all  the  buyers  jiggered 
before  he  will  be  rushed  for  forward  trade !  Thus  it  comes  about 
that  at  the  moment,  enquiry  is  quite  all  there  is  to  go  upon. 

MEANWHILE,  the  apostles  of  the  business  sit  around  and  tell 
each  otheryarns  of  what  they  have  done  in  the  days  that  are  gone. 
Think  up  all  manner  of  fairy  tales  concerning  the  "  doing  "  of  this, 
that,  and  he  other  Johnny.  Discuss  Continental  journeys  en- 


gaged  in  for  the  purpose  of  securing  sundry  contracts  from  the 

foreign  buyer, 

And  pitch  a  fine  tale, 

generally.   Writing  of  contracts  reminds  us  that  the  Italian  Marine 
variety,  of  which  there  has  been  so  much  talk,  lately,  has  gone  to 
Messrs.  H.  C.  Vivian  &  Co.,  through  Mr.  R.    De  Sanna,  of  Naples. 
Moreover,  the  price  secured  is  about   21s.     Not  altogether  so  bad, 
is  it?     As   we  have  remarked  in  former  issues  of  THE  MARITIME 
REV.EW,  competition  in  this  direction  was  quite  as  keen  as  the  job 
was  worth,  and  under  the  circumstances,  Messrs.  Viv.an  are  t 
congratulated  on  roping  in    the   business,  from  certain   would, 
knowing  ones,  who  were  abso-lutely  sure  of  getting  it  !     But  let  us 
consider  the  detail  of  the  market. 

BEST  CARDIFF  ADMIRALTYS  are  unchanged— in  price  and  con- 
dition !  Quotations  are  even  as  those  of  last  week.  But,  as 
already  suggested,  quotations  do  not  unduly  apply  at  the  moment. 
E'en  as  language— of  the  ordinary  sort— was  given  us  to  conceal  our 
thoughts  ;  so  were  quotations  in  coal, 

To  conceal  the  price 

at  which  it  will  ultimately  be  sold  !  In  the  ease  of  BEST 
ADMIRALTYS.  the  actual  price  may  only  be  gauged  by  approaching 
the  collieries  with  firm  business.  As  an  example,  the  quotation 
here  is  13s.  6d.  ;  you  meet  it  everywhere  ;  but  the  man  is  a  ninny, 
who  thinks  of  offering  more  than  13s.  3d.,  for  as  much— or  as 
little— as  he  may  require.  You  see,  prompt  coals  are  over-plentiful, 
so  providing  the  buyer  can  ship  at  once,  the  seller  is  prepared  to 
be  as  gracious  as  all  that,  when  price  is  alluded  to.  These  little 
features  notwithstanding,  but  mighty  little  buying  has  been 
apparent.  Of  that,  you  may  take  our  assurances. 

SECONDS  are  quiet.  After  what  we  have  told  you  concerning 
things  in  the  main,  you  didn't  expect  any  other,  did  you?  Any- 
how, they  are  quiet,  with  the  ruling  figure  written  as  12s.  9d. 
Stems  are,  admittedly,  well  filled,  and  the'  quotation  is  being  as 
firmly  adhered  to,  as  is  possible  under  existing  circumstances.  As 
may  be  understood,  however,  the  market  for  prompt  shipment  is 
all  in  buyers'  favour  ;  so  that  sellers  are  rather  more  than  merely 
disposed  to  reconsider  the  quotation,  if  the  buying  gentleman  is 
in  the  blessed  position,  that  admits  of  his  complying  with  the 
Eagerly  sought 

o.'  .'? 

condition— prompt  loading.  Contractors,  too,  are  somewhat 
inclined  to  cut  the  direct  figure,  although  at  the  moment,  there  is 
no  very  great  demand  for  this  variety.  Indeed,  it  is  a  very 
easy  section. 

ORDINARIES  continue  manifestly  weak,  and  in  the  absence  of 
anything  appertaining  to  new  business,  prices  have  weakened  yet 
more  than  at  our  last.  As  a  general  consideration,  the  figures 
may  be  taken  as  12s.,  this  representing  actual  worth  at  the 
moment.  Others  are  obtainable- easily —at  11s.  9d.  The  collieries 
involved,  are  slack  all  'round,  and  this  department  is,  to  put  it 
mildly  and  genteelly,  decidedly  sick.  What  is  most  disheartening 
in  the  arrangement,  is  the  fact  that  there  are  no  immediate  signs 
of  an  early  change  for  the  better. 

DRYS,  too,  continue  along  on  the  easy  range.     BESTS  are  holding 
out  for  12s.  6d.     Sometimes,   they  get  it— on    paper;    sometimes, 
again,  they  don't— anywhere  !     Request  is 
Far  too  limited, 

and  as  a  natural  result,  business  is  the  reverse  of  active.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  the  figures  mentioned  above,  are  top  values  in  this 
grade — Bests.  INFERIORS  are  disgustingly  weak,  and  bookings 
have  taken  place  at  12s. — in  some  instances,  a  trifle  lower  than  that. 
MONMOUTHSHIRE  coals  show  no  improvement,  whatever.  On 
the  contrary,  rather,  for  the  weakness  obtaining  of  late,  in  this 
particular  grade,  is  considerably  more  pronounced.  Tonnage 
arrivals  keep  small,  and  stocks  are  naturally  increasing  rapidly. 
Then,  owing  to  the  scarcity  of  wagons  the  collieries  involved,  have 
been  indulging  in  frequent  stoppages.  Contractors,  too,  are 
behind  in  their  stems,  and  everything  considered,  this  market  is 
in  a  very  bad  way,  at  the  moment.  As  you  will  have  already 
surmised,  prices  have  dropped  still  further  on  last  week's 
quotations.  BLACK  VEINS  are  indicated  by  the  figures  lls.  9d.,  but 

Spot  cargoes 

would  easily  fetch  figures  down,  at  least,  another  threepence  ; 
while  we  much  doubt  if  a  drop  of  another  threepence  would  be 
refused,  providing  "  something  firm  "  were  in  evidence. 

ORDINARIES  are  unchanged,  with  the  value  standing  at  11s.  3d., 
at  which  figures,  a  few  transactions  are  recorded.  The  collieries 
here,  are  feeling  the  effects  of  delayed  tonnage,  very  acutely,  and 
the  supply  of  coal  is  vastly  in  excess  of  the  demand.  To  the  time 
of  writing,  there  is  no  record  of  prices  having  gone  lower  than  the 


March  3,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW 


47 


11s.  3d.  mark,  and  we  have  an  idea  that  it  is  but  for  immediate 
shipment  that  those  figures  will  be  entertained.  Keeping  strictly 
to  the  quotation  idea,  we  find  that  for  anything  of  a  "future" 
nature,  the  figures  are  I  Is.  6d. 

SECONDS,  for  a  wonder  (and  blessing)  have  been  well  maintained. 
and  in  all  probability,  those  concerned,  are  duly  grateful.  The 
collieries'  stems 

Keep  them   well  employed, 

with  the  result  that  sellers  have  been  enabled  to  keep  their 
quotations,  at  last  figures.  Not  only  keep  the  quotations  thusly, 
but  also  to  sell  the  coal  on  those  quotations!  The  better  classes 
are  offering  at  10s.  9d.:  while  the  other  sorts  are  going  off  at  10s.  6d. 

WITH  RHONDOA  NUMBER  3's,  we  come  to  what  is  continuing  as  the 
cream  of  the  market,  if  we  may  be  forgiven  for  styling  any  such  messy 
old  thing  as  coal,  after  the  nature  of  cream  !  The  supply  continues 
in  the  sublimely  limited  stage,  and  as  a  nature!  result,  there  is  no 
change  in  the  figure-markings,  which  continue  along  at  14s.  and 
14s.  3d.  easily.  Indeed,  there  are  critics,  and  "fanciers"  about, 
who  are  prepared  to  aver  that  threepence  higher  than  this  ought 
to  be  the  price.  This  is  as  it  may  be.  Our  business  is  to  record 
the  prices  at  which  the  stuff 

Has  actually  changed  hands 

— or  localities.  In  addition  to  the  foregoing  pleasantnesses,  the 
demand  continues  lively,  so  that  this  department  has  every  justi- 
fication to  be  included  among  the  sound  businesses. 


RHONDDA  NUMBER  2's  are  quoted  at  10s.  6d.  Stems  are  not 
nearly  so  tight  as  they  were,  when  last  we  told  you  of  "Cardiff 
(and  other)  Coal,"  and  supplies  are  rather  more  plentiful.  Positive 
— and  earnest — business,  might  enable  the  amiable  buyer  to 
improve  somewhat  on  the  quotation  ;  but  comparatively  speaking, 
this  grade  is  very  steady. 

SMALLS  are  very  much  firmer.  This,  on  an  improved  demand 
coupled  with  restricted  outputs,  consequent  upon  the  weakness 
prevailing  in  Large  Coal.  Prices,  although  displaying 

No  actual  improvement, 

are  harder— especially  for  prompt  shipment.  BESTS  have  been 
selling  at  7s.  6d.,  and  the  quotation,  in  several  instances,  has  been 
7s.  9d.  This,  however,  merely  where  full  stems  abound.  SECONDS 
remain  unchanged  at  7s.  ;  with  ORDINARIES  at  6s.  6d.  Other  sorts, 
too.  range  from  tax  limit,  to  6s.  6d. 

PATENT  FUELS,  continue  to  be  favoured  with  a  good  demand, 
and  are  fairly  steady,  at  around  12s.  9d. 

PITWOOD  values  have  undergone  no  alteration.  French  stuff,  is 
quoted  at  16s.  9d..  with  the  Portuguese  variety  at  about  16s.  6d. 
These  figures  have  been  fairly  well  maintained,  in  spite  of  the 
efforts  of  that  "combination"  thing!  Still,  there  is  but  little 
doing  in  this  phase  of  the  market,  at  the  moment,  which  is  about 
steady-  and  no  more. 


FIGURES     FOR     THE     WFKK.     ARF.     AS     FOLLOW  ;— 

(All  quotations  J.o.b.  at  the  respective  ports  of  shipment. , 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Best  Cardiff  Ad'alty  Urge 
Second         Ditto. 
Other  Second  Cardiff      ... 
Drys 
Best  Newport 
Ordinary  Bests 
Seconds 
Best  House  Coal 

'.V-6d 
139.  a). 

I3S.  31!. 

•  1.,  us.  gd. 
lis.  6d.    iis.  oil. 

118.    .Vl 

IOS.  od..  ios.  gd. 

i  i-    ;  1  .  i  5-.  6<l. 
!-•-.  9(1. 
'-'   .V' 

nifd. 

1  1  --  3d. 
i'-  3d. 

i  -  -   gd. 
us.  ol..  u>.  A  1. 
IS»  i,l. 
iis.  7jd. 
i  is.  o  1.,  us.  6d. 
ios.  1*1. 
l6s  o  1 

i  M,  6d. 

us.  6d.,  u-  'i  1 

l.'s.  31!. 

Iis.  6d..  i  is.  gd. 
us.  4.1.1. 
ios.  7  Id. 
i6s.  od. 

I3s.  od.,  13s.  6d. 
us.  7.',d. 
us.  o:l.,  I2S.  31!. 
us.  3d. 
1  1  s.  6d. 
iis.  3d. 
ios.  6d. 
155.  yd.,  i6s.  3d. 

133.  6d. 
12s.  7.JU.,  us.  gd. 
us.  3d. 
I2s.  6d. 
i  is.  7jd. 
us.  3d. 
ios.  6d. 
i6s.  od. 

No.  3  Rhondda 
No.  2          Ditto. 
Rhondda  3  "  Thro." 
2         „ 

ios.  7Jd. 

u- 
8s.  6.1  .  gs.  0.1 

MS.  od. 
ios.  6d. 
'••>•  3d. 

Ss.  gd. 

MS.  al. 

ios.  6d. 

u-  ol. 
8s.  g  I. 

.  1  .  Ms-  o.l. 
io^.  7}d. 
I-'-,  od. 
8s.  6d. 

135.  lo.yi. 
ios.  7J(I. 
us.  gd.    I2s.  od. 
Ss.  6d. 

13$.  gd.,  148.  od. 

IOS.  del. 

us.  gd. 

Ns     vl-.  Ss.  Oil. 

Smalls: 
Best  Cardiff 
Seconds 
Ordinaries 
Best  Newport 
Seconds 

7*.  jrt..  7*.  6d. 
7«.  od  .  7s.  31!      j 
6s 
6s.  6.I.,  6s.  gd. 
6» 

7-   3d. 
7*.  od. 
6s.  3  1 
Id 

6s.  3-1. 

7s.  6d. 

6s!  6.1. 
6d. 
6*  oil    6s  3d 

:-.  6d. 

i  -    .|il.,  7s.  od. 
6s.  4}d. 

ixl. 

7s.  od. 
6s.  iojd. 
(•s.  vl-  6s.  6d. 

id. 

i-s.  od. 

78.  gd 
7s.  o:l.,  7s.  3d. 
6s.  6d. 
6s  od.,  6s.  6d. 

6s.  IK!..  6s.  vl. 

Rhondda  Y>.  2 
No.  3 

lou  3d. 

6s.  91!. 

ios.  oil..  HI-    ;  1 

71.  oil. 

J  1-    IOS.  0  1 

1      '-.oil. 

•  i  ' 

Fouudrv  Coke  : 
Special 
Ordinary 

2l».  6d. 
lfc.64. 

.•  i  -  6d. 

I.X- 

2IS.  Oil..    Jl-    IH|. 

i  '<'  i}' 

III   o:l. 
iSs.  ol. 

2IS.  Od. 

17-   i.l.  i8s,  oil 

Furnace  Coke 
Pateut  Fuel 

I'itw.md    c\  ship 

13* 

i  --   f  d. 
i  ;s.  od. 

0<1. 

Ihs   oil. 

153.  od.    ifs.  6d. 

I2S.  91!..    13-     Vl 

i  ;-.  3d. 

1  5-    od. 

i  ;-    .-!  .    l  ;-    6(1 
us.  gd. 
i6s.  6d.,  i6s.  gd 

All.  less  24  per  cent,  discount,  with  payment  at  thirty 
All  quotations  for  large  Coals  imply  Colliery  Screened. 

SWANSEA.  March  1st.  1905. 

THE  Swansea  market  since  our  last  has  been  somewhat  weaker. 
Scarcity  of  tonnage  has  been  the  primary  cause,  and  with  the  delaying 
of  that  which  is  on  stem,  prices,  for  prompt  shipment,  have  been 
ruling  decidedly  easy. 

ANTHRACITE  COALS,  in  the  matter  of  quotation  are  unchanged. 
BEST  Collieries  have  been  pretty  well  stemmed  ;  but  delayed  tonnage 
has  upset  their  little  arrangements,  and  buyers  who  have  been  able  to 
ship  promptly,  have  also  been  able  to  close  at  le«t  than  the  figures 
quoted.  The  demand,  too.  has  been  of  limited  proportions,  so  that  for 
the  time  being,  this  market  is  a  very  easy  one.  BEST  and  BIG  Vr-uts. 
are  fairly  steady,  and  a  fair  business  has  been  passing,  which  has  kept 
values  ruling,  steady,  at  about  last  figures. 

MACHINE  MADE  COALS  are  unchanged,  and  supplies  still  exceed  the 
call  that  is  being  made  for  these  qualities  at  the  moment.  Conse- 
quently, there  is  no  improvement  to  be  marked  here,  and  our  oft 
repeated  tale  of  weakness  still  obtains. 


days,  except  where  otherwise  stated. 

RUBBLY  CULM  continues  to  manifest  a  firmness.  Stems,  at  present, 
are  nicely  filled,  and  with  a  passing  good  demand,  prices  have  been 
well-maintained.  BESTS,  are  firmly  held  at  4s.  9d.  INFERIORS  are 
moving  along,  at  a  steady  4s.  3d. 

DUFF,  sho"  *  hut  little  variation,  maintaining  a  steady  tone.  A  fairly 
good  business  <.»  recorded  at  3s.  6d..  which  is  about  the  current  value. 

STEAMS,  show  no  improvement  in  the  matter  of  demand,  and  for 
prompt  shipment,  prices  are  ruling  weak.  Indeed,  very  little  business 
is  doing  in  this  grade,  and  buyers  find  that  they  are  able  to  book  at 
advantageous  terms,  provided  they  can  oblige  with  the  necessary  and 
prompt  tonnage.  BESTS,  are  at  1 3s.  3d.  The  others  you  will  find  below 

PATENT  FUELS,  remain  at  their  old  level  of  1  Is.  9d.  Makers  continue 
busy,  and  buyers  have  difficulty  in  stemming  anything,  immediately, 
on  account  of  the  prevailing  fulness  of  stems.  Fuels,  therefore,  are  a 
firm  section.  So  may  they  continue,  for  in  the  prevailing  dearth  of 
brightness,  it  is  good  to  find  something  firm. 


BELOW,  we  give  the  average  prices  for  the  week  :— 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Anthracite 

Best    Hand    Picked 

Malting  Large 

I9».  6d.,  2o>  od. 

I9s.  gd. 

IOH.  i»]. 

ii)-.  iiu. 

193.  od.,  lys.  d.l. 

igs.  vl..  "9s-  6d. 

Seconds    do. 

17*.  od..  i»».  oil.                 17*.  6d. 

i  ;s.  6d. 

17-  3«'- 

I7s.  od.,  i?s.  6d. 

iys.  6  1. 

BIX  Vein  Large 

12*.  y\.                        us.  od. 

[2-.   Od. 

1  IS    91!.,     }2-      ?(1 

I2S.  O-.I. 

I2s.  od. 

Red    ., 

lew.  od..  ios.  6d.                  ios.  31!. 

ios.  3d. 

IOS.  O'l. 

ios.  od. 

9s.  gd.,  ios.  V'- 

Machine  Made  Cobbles 

id.                       17-.  id- 

17*.  od. 

od. 

I7s.  od..  17*.  6d. 

I7s.  od.,  i7s.  ;d. 

,.         ,.     Hut* 

oil.                        i;s.  od. 

i6s.  91!.,  i;s.  od. 

l6s.  gd. 

I7s.  od..  i?s.  3d. 

I7s.  od. 

..     Peas 

105.   (ll.                                       IOS.   3<l. 

ios.  3.1. 

ios.  od. 

<>s.  gd.,  ios.  od. 

IOS.  ill. 

Ruhhly  Culm 

4s.  6d.,  5*.  oil.                  45.  ixl. 

48.  9d. 

43.  6d.,  4s.  oxl. 

4s-  9<l. 

4».  6d.,  Vs-  od. 

Duff 

•*»•  Jo- 

3s.  6d. 

6d. 

(s.  V'  .   *"    "'  I- 

3«.  6<1. 

Patent  Fuel: 

llv    Oil. 

II*.  6d. 

us.  6d.,  us.  9<l. 

-Jd. 

IIS.  d,l 

us.  6(1.,  i  is.  g'l. 

Steam  : 

Best    Large 

HV  vl                                od- 

H~  o.l. 

139-  3d- 

'.?s.   OCI. 

I3S.  Cxi. 

Seconds  ,, 

I2S.  6d.                                I2S.  6<l. 

i2s.  3d. 

ii<   31!. 

liS.  0:1..    Us.  6(1. 

us.  od.,  >2~.  jd. 

Bunker    ,. 

9d.                          i  is.  gd. 

1  1  s.  6d. 

i  is.  6(1. 

1  1*    vl.,  i  iv  M. 

i  is.  6:1..  i  is.  gd. 

Thro'  and  Thro' 

9*.  6d.,  99.  91).                     99.  6d. 

gs.  fid. 

<)-.  3.!.,  9s.  6il. 

gs.  jd. 

gs.  }(!.,  <js.  6(1. 

THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


March  3,    1905 


COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES. 


CARDIFF.  M»rch  1st.  1905. 

POOR  old  Eastern  Market !  Whatever  has  come  over  it?  Is  it  the 
blighting  influences  of  the  early  Spring  ;  is  it  but  there,  of  what  use 
to  go  on  querying  ?  The  Eastern  Market  is  bare  of  orders.  The 
gentlemen  who  usually  attend  to  this  particular  phase  of  the  char- 
tering world,  are  busily  engaged  in  blowing  to  their  fingers,  between 
their  little  attempts  to  cheer  each  other  with  stories  of  what  has  been, 
in  the  dear  old  days  which  appear  to  have  gone  beyond  recall  !  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  we  do  not  see  one  solitary  fixture  for  Eastern  account 
since  our  last  time  of  writing,  so  that  any  further  comment,  hereaway, 
is  superfluous  ? 

WESTWARD,  there  is  but  little  change  to  record,  although  fortunately. 
there  is  a  fairly  decent  volume  of  business  doing  in  this  direction.  Rio 
OE  JANEIRO  continues  to  pay  8s.  9d.  for  its  requirements  in  the  matter 
of  tonnage  :  while  for  the  LOWFR  PLATE  ports.  7s.  3d.  and  7s.  6d.  may 
be  scheduled  as  top  and  bottom  rates.  HENCE  BAHIA  BLANCA.  we  note 
that  for  a  3.300  tonner.  the  figures  have  been  7s.  6d. 

FOR  the  ISLANDS,  there  is  just  a  slight  improvement,  seeing  that  for 
LAS  PALMAS.  MADEIRA  and  TENERIFFE.  the  present  rate  is  from  5s.  9d. 
to  6s.  according  to  size  of  boat 

MEDITERRANEAN  business  continues  to  enjoy  what  is  aptly  named  "  a 
firm  tone  "  especially  for  the  Italian  ports.  Indeed,  Genoa  charterers 
have  to  continue  with  their  6s.  9d..  supposing  they  wish  to  fill  their 
requirements  :  while  NAPLES  is  worth  6s.  6d.  to  6s.  9d..  with  CIVITA 
VECCHIA  at  the  level  7s.  We  note  that  the  Tatem  new  steamer. 
Wellington,  has  been  fixed  this  week,  for  VENICE  Ancona  at  7s.  4  4'd- 
Nine  thousand  times  that  snug  little  amount  is  surely  of  a  nature  to 
gladden  the  hearts  of  all  concerned  !  Furthermore,  the  fixture  is 
remarkably  good  for  a  "  new  chum  ?  " 

REVERTING  to  other  sections  of  the  Mediterranean  whirligig,  we  note 
that  PORT  SAID  is  more  remarkable  for  a  dulness.  than  for  anything 
else.  Still.  5s.  7  '2d.  has  been  accepted  in  several  instances,  although 
this  has  been  for  the  larger  class  of  boat. 

For  the  remainder,  see  List. 

Week  Ending,  (Wednesday),  March  1,  1905. 

n     denote»   Newport,    ,£)  Swansea,    (P.  T.)    Port    Talbct,    loading. 

WESTWARD,     Etc. 

Rio  de  Janeiro,     Teviotdale,  3,400  tons,   8s.  jd. 
River  Plnte.     Mnnbland,    3,100   tons,     75.    6d.    option 

Rosario,     8s.  6d. 
Ku.kin.   3,000  tons,   75.  3d.  option  Rio  de  Janeiro, 

8s.  e;d. 

Bahia  Blanca,     Duke  of  York,  3,300  tons,    js.  6d. 
Las  Palmas,     Eastwood,   5,200  tons,    53.  6d. 

Steamer,  2,100  tons,    6s. 

Belfast,  4,000  tons,    55.  6d. 
Teneriffe,     Steamer,  4,000  tons,  55.  gd. 
Vera  Cruz,     Steamer,    3,000  tons,   6s.  6d.    fuel. 

MEDITERRANEAN,     Etc. 

Genoa,     ( <irw//-,    2,000   tons,    6s.  gd. 

Gnidelimi,    1,300  tons,   6s.  gd.  option  Leghorn,  (s). 

Glenwood,  3,900  tons,    6s.  7jd. 

Newlwline,  4,200  tons,    6s.  gd. 

Moiiza,  3,000  tons,    6s.  6d.   (s). 

Olii'riiioor,   5,000  tons,   6s.  7jd. 

Savona,    1,800  tons,    6s.  gd. 

Romola,  3,  i  oo  tons,    6s.  gd. 

.A/vsr,  ;r,ooo  tons,   6s.  6d.   (s). 
Port  Said,    River  Clyde,  6,500  tons,   55.  7jd. 

Maroa,  8,400  tons,    55.  7jd. 

Alton,  5,800  tons,    55.  8d. 
Alexandria,     Colnmba,   5,100  tons,  6s.    700  delivery. 

Elswick  Hall,  5.300  tons,    6s.    700  delivery. 
Naples,    Steamer,   3,200  tons,   6s.  gd.    option  Torre. 

Ambassador,  3,500  tons,    6s.  6d. 

llaiilit'fn,  5,500  tons,    6s.  6d.   option    Leghorn. 
Venice,     Eastville,    5,100  tons,    75.  4$d.   option  Ancona. 

Kortenaer,  3,200  tons,    8s.  3d. 

Steamer,  3,500  tons,    8s. 

ll'ellinglon,   9,000  tons,    7*.  4jd.   option  Ancona. 
Fiume,     Steamer,  3,800  tons,    >',*. 
Sicily,     Steamer,    1,600  tons,   6s.  gd. 
Marseilles,     Huddersfield,    3,000  tons,   8  francs. 

Strainer,    2,700  tons,    8  francs. 

Jane   Radcliffc,    2,200  tons,    8  francs,  (s). 
Brindisi,     Etlirl  Radcliffe,    3,30010115,    6s.  6d.    i.ooodely. 
Lisbon,     Sti-amcr,     1,750  tons,   4s.  lojd. 
Algiers,     Helms,    2,100  tons,    7  francs. 

Dyle,   2,000  tons,    7  francs,   (  N  ). 

Ili-ini,   2,100  tons,    7  francs. 


Malta,     Trei-ethoe,    2,500  tons,   55.  6d. 

Zof,   2,200  tons,    55.  (d. 

Kitiderdijk,  3,200  tons,    55.  6.1  d. 

Barcelona,     Etna,    1,600  tons,    js.  coal,  8s.  fuel,  (s). 
Valencia,    Steamer,    1.900  tons,   6s.  6d.  coal,  75.  3d.  fuel, (s) 
Vigo,     Infill,    1,200  tons,    55. 
Carril,     Loire  Inferienre,   i, coo  tons,    js. 
Corcubion,  General  Gordon,   1,700  tons,    45.  gd. 
Gibraltar,     Haslingden,    2,500  tons,    55.  3d. 

Corso,   1,600  tons,    58.  3d. 

I  'hlenliorsi,   850  tons,    55.  4jd. 
Porto  Vecchio,     Eastcheap,  1,400  tons,   73. 
Leghorn,     Skmtderborg.    2,500  tons,   6s.  gd. 
Civita  Vecchia,    /.  L.  Lassen,  2,600  tons,   75. 
Trieste,     Perseveranza,    5,000  tons,    6s.  3d. 
Tarragona,     Steamer,  goo  tons,  6s.  gd.  coal,  73.  6d.  fuel,  (s) 
Carthagena,    Scheldestad,    i, 800  tons,    55.  gd.    coal,    6s.  6d. 
fuel,  (s). 

BAY,     Etc. 

Chantenay,     Lovarl,   1,300  tons,  4-75  francs. 

Trafalgar,    2,100  ton,    4-75  francs.    (P.T.) 
Bordeaux,     Ollargan,  2,900  tons,    4-50  francs. 

Cederic,    1,500  tons,    4-75  francs. 

Charente,     Sunlight,   1,400  tons,   4-87!  francs,     (s). 
La  Rochelle,     Rosehill,    2,100  tons,   4-25  francs. 
Bayonne,     Horla,  2,300  tons,    4-62^  francs. 
St.   Nazaire,     Uriarle,   1,500  tons,    4-50  francs 
Sables,     Cymrian,   1,300  tons,   4-75  fcs.  option   Nantes, 

5  francs,  (s). 
Marans,     Aasla,  1,400  tons,  6-12^  francs,  coal,  6'62|  francs 

fuel,   (s). 
Nantes,     Ely  Rise,  1,500  tons,    5  fcs. 


Copenhagen, 


BALTIC,  Etc. 

Roma,    700  tons,    53.  gd.    (s). 


COASTING,     Eic. 

Rouen,     Start;  800  tons,    53.   (s). 

Burton,   700  tons,    53.  i|d.  (s). 

.•///>•£  M.  Craig,    1,200  tons,    43.  gd.    (s). 

Cragside,  540  tons,    55.  ^A.   (s). 

Camille,   1,500  tons,   43.  gd.    (s). 
Havre,     Castleford,  2,40010115,    33.  io|d. 

Gransha,    1,500  tons,    35.  io|d. 
St.  Malo,     Sheldon,    1,700  tons,  33.  io,|d. 

Clonlee,    1,350  tons,  43.    (s). 
Brest,     Cognac,     1,050  tons,  45.  (s). 
Dieppe,     Carlston,    750  tons,    45.  gd.  (s) 

Hermine,   540  tons,   43.  io.^d. 
Honfleur,     Argiis,     1,450  tons,   43.  3d. 
Hamburg,     Redwood,    1,250  tons,   43.  3d 

HOMEWARD. 

Bilbao  to  Swansea,  Hazelmere,  1,40010115,43.  ijd.  oie 
Bilbao  to  Newport,   Jersey,  2,300  tons,    43.    ore. 
Villagarcia  to  Cardiff  or  Barry,  Irivin,  1,200  tons,  6s.  6d. 

option    Swansea,  6s.  gd.    pitwood. 
Carloforte    to    Swansea,     George  Fisher,     1,800  tons, 

6s.  4^d.   F.D. 
Bayonne  to  CaVdiff  or  Barry,  Horla,,    2,000  tons,  53.  gd. 

pitwood. 

Bilbao  to   Cardiff,    Steamer,  2,000' tons,    33.  io|d.  ore. 
Bilbao  to  Briton  Ferry,     Unarte,  1,700  tons,   45.  3d.    ore 
Trafalgar,  2, 200  tons,    45.4^.   ore. 


THE    MERCHANT    SERVICE    GUILD. 

-  <•••» — 
NOTICE    TO    MEMBERS. 

HTHE  ANNUAL  MEETING  of  the  Guild,  will  be 
^  held  in  the  Council  Room,  on  Tuesday  Evening 
next,  March  yth,  at  7.30  p.m.  It  is  hoped  that  all  members 
who  possibly  can  will  attend.  Lord  Musketry,  will  (D.V.) 
be  present. 

The  Arcade,  Lord  Street,  JOHN  G.   MOORE, 

Liverpool.  Secretary. 


March  3,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


49 


Maritime, 

And  other 

Money , 
Matters, 


is  it  that  inves- 
tors first    put    up 
their    money    for 
the    purpose    of    obliging 
some  touti  ng-circular 
fiend,  and  then  sit  down 
to  wonder  why  they  were 
so  idiotically  bent?  Smart 
people,     too!       Folk     on 
whom  it  would  be  useless 
I  to  attempt  the  palming  of 
"gold  bricks."  or  "Spanish 

prisoner  "  tales  :  that  can  see  an  ordinary  hole,  in  an 
ordinary  ladder,  with  the  best :  and  that  are  about  as 
obdurate  to  any  common  or  garden  confidence  trick,  as 
it  is  possible  for  frail  humanity  to  be.  Yet  these  same 
persons,  when  confronted  with  a  touting-circular  which 
promises  them  a  deal  of  something  for  nothing,  are  as 
palpitaty  as  a  young  girl  is  supposed  to  be,  when  face  to 
face  with  her  first  offer  of  marriage ! 

WE  know  that  the  good  people  alluded  to  are  even  as 
we  have  remarked,  because  the  letters  with  which  they 
bombard  us.  tend  to  conclusively  prove  it.  It  seems  to 
be  the  fashion,  in  some  investing  circles,  to  fill  in  an 
application  form  ;  write  out  the  necessary  cheque  ;  pin 
the  two  together  in  a  most  methodical  manner ;  post 
them  to  the  anxiously  awaiting  steamer-manager-in- 
embryo ;  and  the'n  sit  down  to  write  us  a  nice  letter, 
which  is  enclosed  along  with  the  prospectus  which  has 
caused  all  the  bother,  the  whole  outfit  being  sent  along, 
marked  "  private  and  confidential."  to  us  who  never 
hurted  them  a  bit !  And,  mark  you.  this  kind  of  com- 
munication is  by  no  means  in  the  nature  of  angels' 
visits.  On  the  contrary,  rather,  for  such  screeds  are 
painfully  common. 

SOMETIMES,  a  shareholder  in  this  steamer  or  that, 
will  break  out  in  an  original  vein.  Will  propound  some 
question  that  would  be  calculated  to  put  the  everlasting 
hoodoo  on  the  Sphynx.  and  on  the  Wise  Men  of  the 
East.  The  poet's  query  as  to  why  must  roses  fade,  is  a 
mere  circumstance  to  a  number  of  the  questions  which 
come  our  way.  from  time  to  time  ;  and  if  we  are  not 
already  bald  and  wrinkled,  you  may  take  it  from  us.  that 
it  is  not  because  we  haven't  enough  of  provocation  in 
that  direction.  "  Why  is  it  that  in  some  balance-sheets, 
mat-money  is  credited,  while  in  others,  it  is  not?  "  There 
is  a  question  to  hurl  at  a  self-respecting  scribe,  without 
warning,  or  anything  at  all  of  a  preparatory  nature ! 
Why,  indeed  ?  Being  willing  to  oblige,  we  hunt  up  facts 

for  the  querist. 

4-4-4- 

HAVING  hunted  up  those  facts,  we  suggest  that" 
"some  balance  sheets."  the  vessels  implicated  have  been 
employed  in  carrying  grain  :  that  in  grain  ships,  it  is  a 
tradition  that  mats  should  be  used ;  that  "  in  others." 
the  vessels  have  been  touting  around  with  iron-ore,  and 
that  the  tradition  concerning  the  use  of  mats  in  this 
particular  trade,  has  long  since  gone  to  that  bourne 
whence  even  traditions  fail  to  return.  Going  further 
with  the  idea,  we  suggest  that  in  some  instances,  the 
shipowner  credits  everything  for  the  good  of  the  ship; 
while  in  others,  he  credits  everything  for  the  good  of 
himself-  and  partners,  who  are  not  shareholders,  any- 
thing to  speak  of.  being  merely  "  managers." 

4-4-4- 

BUT  even  so.  you  cannot  quite  convince  a  certain 
class  of  shareholder  that  the  circus  is  none  of  ours  ;  or 
that  we  have  absolutely  no  interest  in  the  answers  that 
are  given  to  them  as  long  as  they  are  strictly  truthful. 
This  same  class  of  shareholder  are  among  ihey  who 
have  sent  in  their  application  before  consulting  some- 
body outside  the  office  whence  emanates  the  prospectus 
involved  that  knows  a  little  of  the  conditions,  and  as  a 


natural  result,  they  are  of  opinion  that  they  owe  some- 
body a  grudge  !  Looking  around  for  an  opportunity, 
they  fasten  on  to  us,  with  the  results  already  suggested ! 

It  is  a  hard  world — for  those  who  strive  to  do  what  is  right. 

4-  4-   + 

AMONG  our  letters  this  week,  is  one  which  has  the 
beautifully  vague  query  contained  within  the  words, 
"  What  is  your  idea  of  reserves?  "  Now,  there  is  a  ques- 
tion to  unload  on  an  unsuspecting  writer  chiel!  There  is 
absolutely  no  clue  as  to  what  kind  of  reserves  is  meant. 
Whether  they  are  Army  Reserves:  Naval  ditto;  the 
kind  which  some  folk  adopt  when  they  do  not  wish  to 
give  you  the  truth  ;  or  merely  steamer  reserves  -from 
a  capitalistic  point  of  view.  Naturally,  we  infer  that  the 
latter  kind  are  indicated  ;  but  all  the  same,  there  is  a 
question  to  ask!  Why  to  deal  with  the  subject  of 
steamer  reserves  in  a  satisfactory  manner,  would  need, 
at  least,  one  issue  of  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW!  Even 
then,  we  much  doubt  if  we  should  have  said  the  last 
word  on  the  subject. 

WHAT  do  we  think  of  reserves?  Well,  if  we  were 
included  among  the  ranks  of  certain  shipowners  which 
we  could  mention,  we  should  asseverate,  most  emphati- 
cally, that  reserves  were  about  the  finest  bit  of  business 
in  the  whole  concatenation  of  shipowning  ethics ;  we 
should,  indeed!  But  if  we  were  among  the  shareholders 
affected  by  the  said  reserves,  we  should  just  as  emphati- 
cally declare  that  they  were  about  the  biggest  swindle  of 
modern  tim-s  and  that  is  claiming  a  big  thing?  Our 
correspondent  may  take  it  from  us,  that  the  foregoing 
is  exactly  what  we  think  of  reserves.  To  save  ourselves 
from  being  pestered  with  more  of  those  terse  queries, 
we  will,  as  briefly  as  possible,  explain  our  reasons  for 
the  statement  contained  above.  Please  read  that 
explanation. 

4-4-4- 

WHY  should  we  say  that  in  one  instance  reserves  are 
about  the  finest  bit  of  business,  etc.?  Well,  principally, 
because  thoV  g've  the  man  who  handles  them,  a  splendid 
bank  credit  to  which,  otherwise,  he  would  have  no  claim  ; 
gives  him  a  pile  of  money  on  which  to  float  all  manner 
of  real  estate  ;  gives  him  all  rates  of  interest  thereon, 
for  which  his  shareholders  seldom  get  a  cent.,  or  a  word 
of  explanation  ;  in  fact,  and  to  put  the  matter  as  plainly 
as  possible,  gives  the  "reserver,"  in  far  too  many 
instances,  a  financial  position  to  which  he  has  no  right; 
and  which  he  wouldn't  keep  for  two  extra  minutes,  if  his 
trusting  shareholders  knew  mutton  from  goat. 

4-4-4- 

WHERE  does  the  swindle  to  the  shareholder  come  in  ? 
Right  here!  If  the  Slippy  Sal  earns  enough  to  pay  a 
ten  per  cent,  dividend,  and  but  five  of  it  is  paid  out, 
while  five  goes  to  reserve;  eventually,  the  five-per- 
cent.-receiving  shareholder  sells  out,  and  leaves  his 
share  of  that  "  reserve  "  behind.  In  other  words,  he  has 
been  robbed  of  exactly  one-half  of  the  earnings  of  his 
property.  Time  passes,  and  the  value  of  the  shares 
decrease,  even  as  the  size  of  the  reserve  increases. 
Eventually,  the  shares  are  down  low  enough  to  admit 
of  "shipowner"  buying  in  the  whole  lot  of  them,  at  a 
price  which  is  considerably  less  than  the  reserve  now 
stands  at ! 

I N  this  case,  he  buys  over  the  steamer  at  say,  a  75  per 
cent,  discount  on  her  cost :  and  he  also  hushes  up  any 
possible  questions  concerning  the  reserve  which  he  has 
been  manipulating  for  years.  To  our  mind,  this  is  a 
swindle:  some  folk  style  it  "FINANCE."  But  after  all, 
what's  in  a  name,  and  who  is  really  to  blame'.'  Why, 
the  class  of  persons  who  send  us  such  foolish  queries  as 
"  What  is  your  idea  of  reserves."  We  will  come  back  to 
this,  later  on.  Will  give  you  concrete  examples,  where 
on  this  occasion,  we  have  merely  generalised.  Sufficient 
,or  the  day,  etc.,  is  a  good  tag  for  these  revivalled  times  '.' 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


March  3,  1905 


train  of  thought  which  is  sometimes  started 
by  what  is.  apparently,  a  very  small  matter,  is 
surprising.  Mind  you.  1  don't  wish  to  insinuate 
that  the  work  of  our  amiable  ( and  talented ) 
artist  is  "a  small  matter."  On  the  contrary, 
rather.  But  it  was  a  surreptitious  peep  at  the 
drawing  which  was  intended  to  grace  the  first  page  of  this 
issue  of  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW,  which  started  me  off  on  a 
consideration  of  the  worrying  life  of  the  underwriter  man. 
generally.  Poor  chap,  he  has  my  sympathy.  And  it  is  a 
sympathy  that  he  ought  to  value,  seeing  that  it  is  the  out- 
come of  a  few  years'  of  life  among  the  conditions  where 
underwriter  is.  in  deed  and  truth,  the  Patron  Saint  of  the 
combination. 

PERHAPS  I  ought  not  to  be  unduly  sympathetic  with  the 
gentleman  who  pays  for  a  quantity  of  genuine  steamer 
wear  and  tear  :  as  well  as  for  a  quantity  of  the  wear  and 
tear  that  is  not  genuine— being  merely  imaginary  :  and  for 
the  reason  that  a  dispute  or  so  as  to  the  tenets  of  meum  et 
tuum.  as  connected  with  underwriting,  first  constrained  me 
to  put  away  a  splendid  "  three  circle  "  sextant.  But  that 
is  another  dash  of  "  Spray."  and  I  am  going  to  keep  it  close- 
hauled,  until  the  summer  sun  will  be  likely  to  make  the  said 
dash,  a  bit  more  acceptable.  At  the  moment,  the  weather 
conditions  are  unfavourable 
to  cold  douches,  don't  you 
think  ? 

THE  cartoon  on  the  front 
page  of  this  week's  issue. 
portrays  the  artist's  opinion 
of  the  facial  expression  of 
shipowner  and  underwriter. 
under  one  set  of  conditions : 
but.  lor'  bless  you.  where 
the  two  gentlemen  are 
mostly  concerned,  the  smile 
which  is  in  evidence  in  that 
cartoon,  io  as  nothing  to 
the  sample  which  I  have 
seen  on  sundry  occasions ! 
I  remember  when,  in  one 
instance,  the  fates  decreed 
that  I  should  be  instru- 
mental in  getting  a  nice 
little  steamer  into  a  Black 
Sea  port,  another  vessel 
belonging  to  a  friendly 
chunk  of  "shipowning," 
happened  to  be  already 
there.  Naturally.  ( especi- 
ally as  the  Old  Man  on  the 

other  packet  was  my  senior  by  some  years  )  I  wended  my 
weary  way  on  board,  and  under  the  soothing  influence  of  a 
high-class  Flor  de  Bunkerosa.  listened  to  tales,  and  things. 
RECOGNISING  that  I  was  merely  a  young  'un,  the  skipper 
of  this  other  crocklet  laid  himself  out  to  tell  me  tales 
concerning  the  most  approved  methods  of  pleasing  the  Boss 
—who.  according  to  the  portents,  was  a  pretty  hot  lot.  I 
haven't  room,  here,  for  many  of  the  "tales"  alluded  to; 
but  if  I  had.  you  would  probably  wonder  as  to  whether  that 
Flor  de  Thingamy  had  been  too  strong  for  my  otherwise 
equable  temperament:  or  if  cholora  had  been  around,  much, 
in  that  Black  Sea  port.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  Old. 
Man  who  was  playing  the  cheap  host  to  me  on  the  occasion 
referred  to.  emulated  that  old  josser  in  Shakespeare ;  the 
one  who  prattled  about  unfolding  tales  which  would  make 
every  particular  hair  act  as  if  it  had  been  deluged  with 
Snatcho,  or  Tarlene. 

BEING  young,  at  the  time,  and  therefore  feeling  that  it 
was  incumbent  on  me  to  appear  blas6,  and  that  sort  of 
thing  :  I  suggested  that  the  Old  Man  was  "  having  me  on," 
some.  He  disavowed  any  intentions  in  that  direction, 
and  having  been  somewhat  deceived  by  roy  assump- 
tion of  the  blase  notion,  acted  as  if  I  were  quite  as  big  a 


rotter  as  himself  and  his  employer,  if  the  skipper's  tales 
were  true.  Anyhow.  I  dissembled  enough  to  make  this  an- 
cient "whale  "  believe  that  I  was  good  for  anything,  between 
barratry  and  baby-farming,  when  he  strolled  across  to  his 
"go-ashore"  coat,  which  was  thrown  carelessly  on  the 
cabin  settee.  Fumbling  with  the  inside  pocket,  for  a  minute 
or  so,  he  eventually  disentangled  a  quantity  of  literature 
from  its  vasty  depths,  and  then  reseated  himself,  by  my  side. 
AFTER  a  careful  search  which  was  eked  out  by  a  running 
fire  of  comments  the  reverse  of  revivally— the  Old  Man 
ultimately  struggled  through  with  some  execrable  writing 
that  was  on  the  sheet  of  paper,  and  then,  with  a  triumphant 
look,  remarked,  "There,  read  that!"  The  command  was 
easier  given,  than  followed.  The  man  who  wrote  the  screed 
which  1  was  commanded  to  read,  had  a  "  fist "  that  was 
simply  wretched.  A  healthy  spider  dipped  in  ink,  and  set 
adrift  over  the  page,  would  have  made  far  less  loops  and 
fakerboshes  than  was  here  set  out.  However,  feeling  that 
the  Old  Man  intended  that  1  should  read  the  screed,  I  placed 
the  Flor  de  You-know  on  the  penny-bazaar  ash-tray : 
pulled  up  my  cuffs  ;  and  essayed. 

I  COULD  feel  myself  going  pale,  and  got  mad  in  con- 
sequence. If  this  continued,  the  skipper  would  see  through 
my  assumption  of  the  blase  idea — and  1  should  get  no  more 

wrinkles  as  to  how  to 
please  the  Boss.  However, 
the  Old  Man  was  too  busily 
engaged — I  found — in  seek- 
ing other  "wrinkles,"  to 
notice  my  youthful  em- 
barrassment, so  among 
other  interesting  items!  I 
read  :  "  Your  dry-docking 
time  is  due  on  arrival 
home,  so  we  could  do  with 
a ,  stranding."  Believing 
that  old  bunker  "  stinker" 
had  been  too  much  for  my 
nerves,  I  read,  and  re-read 
the  quotation  which  I  have 
given  you  ;  and  even  as  I 
read,  I  managed  to  regain 
command  of  myself.  This 
was  a  good  thing,  you 
will  admit,  for  Ali  Baba  and 
the  Forty  Thieves  combin- 
ation was  a  circumstance 
to  where  I  felt  I  had 
wandered  into  ! 

HOWEVER,    I   passed    the 
letter  back  to  the  Old  Man 

and  merely  raised  my  expressive  eyebrows  :  sort  of,  "Well, 
what  about  it?  n  writ  large  all  eyer  my  face.  The, Old  Man 
simply  laughed,  and  then  proceeded  to  dilate  on  the  danger- 
ous navigation  in  'most  of  these  dog-gone  Black  Sea  grain 
ports.  Insinuated  that  it  was  a  little  short  of  miraculous,  the 
way  in  which  some  (and  oh,  the  accent  he  laid  on  "  some  "  !) 
skippers  get  their  old  crocks  about,  without  as  much 'as 
scraping  a  bit  of  paint.  I  agreed— as,  I  felt  that  such  conduct 
paid  me.  Then,  I  remarked,  "  But  you  don't  show  that 
class  of  communication  to  everybody,  do  you  ?"  With  a 
loud  guffaw,  my  host  replied,  "  Man  dear,  that  is  nothing. 
Here,  read  this,  and  this,  and  this." 

I  TRIED  to  oblige,  to  the  best  of  my  ability,  and  soon  sug- 
gested that  having  been  up  all  night,  I  had  better  go  on 
board  for  a  nap.  I  did  so.  Eventually,  that  old  crock  got 
back  again,  and  would  you  believe  it— her  Old  Man,  had  once 
more,  been  unlucky  ?  He  had  actually  scraped  her  across 
a  Black  Sea  river  bar.  At  least,  he  said  he  had,  and  the 
log-book  corroborated  his  claim,  right  up  to  a  bill  averaging 
some  £5,000.  For  this  reason,  and  sundry  others  which  I 
might  tell  you,  later  on,  I  cannot  help  feeling  sympathetic 
toward  underwriters,  although  I  sometimes  think  they  need 
kicking.  So  no  more  for  the  present  from  PETREL. 


March  3,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


5' 


PATENTS  &  TRSDE  MSRKS 

Relating    to    SHIPPING   and    the    COAL    TRADE. 


Specifications  published  on  February  16,  1905,  together 
with  an  indication  of  their  subject  matter,  the  title 
being  printed  in  Italics. 

22.930  03     PENNING     Improvements    in     apparatus     for 
governing  marine  engines. 

In  this  apparatus  for  governing  marine  engines  a  pen- 
dulum is  employed  to  close  the  circuit  of  an  electro- 
magnet on  the  vessel  pitching.  The  armature  of  this 
magnet,  on  being  attracted,  opens  a  valve  in  a  fluid 
pressure  pipe.  The  pressure  m  this  pipe  then  actuates 
a  piston  the  rod  of  which  actuates  a  valve  to  cut  off 
steam  from  the  engine.  On  the  pendulum  regaining  its 
normal  position,  the  circuit  is  broken,  the  armature 
retracted  by  a  spring,  the  valve  in  the  pressure  pipe 
closed  and  an  exhaust  valve  therein  opened.  The  piston 
actuating  the  steam  cut  off  valve  is  thereon  retracted  by 
a  spring. 

1 .793,04     KOSTER     Improved  deep  boring  mechanism. 

This  invention  relates  to  deep  boring  mechanism  in 
which  the  boring  rod  is  alternately  lifted  and  allowed  to 
drop.  The  boring  rod  instead  of  being  suspended  from 
one  end  of  a  beam,  pivotted  about  its  middle  and  the 
connecting  rod  of  the  actuating  crank  pivotted  to  the 
other  end.  is  suspended  from  the  end  of  a  beam  pivotted 
above  the  before  mentioned  beam,  and  springs  are 
interposed  between  the  two. 

2,180  04—  ISHOY  -Improvements  connected   with   the    re- 
duction of  resistance  in  ships  and  the  like, 

For  the  purpose  of  reducing  resistance  in  ships  they 
are  constructed  exceptionally  broad  with  flat  bottoms. 
A  number  of  propellers  of  small  diameter  and  pitch  are 
arranged  on  shafts  along  the  bottom.  JThe  engines  for 
these  propellers  are  situated  in  a  small  hull  or  hulls 
beneath  the  main  hull. 

2.443  04  — FRIEH  &  NOLLENBURC  -Improvements  in  and 
relating  to  deep  boring  apparatus. 

In  this  invention  the  percussive  boring  rod  is  actuated 
by  solenoids  arranged  in  a  sleeve  or  cylinder  in  the  bore 
hole  immediately  above  the  working  level.  The  bore 
rod.  part  of  which  forms  the  core  of  the  solenoids,  is 
continued  upwards  and  is  coupled  by  a  feather  to  a 
rotary  electro-motor  likewise  arranged  inside  the 
cylinder.  The  upward  stroke  of  the  rod  is  effected  by 
springs  which  are  compressed  on  the  down  stroke.  The 
cylindrical  casing  is  suspended  in  the  bore  hole  by  a 
hollow  cable  through  which  water  is  supplied. 

4.063  04     LIVINGSTON  -  Improvements   in   or   relating  to 
apparatus  for  the  loading  and  discharging  o)  cargo  vessefa. 

This  apparatus  consists  essentially  of  a  horizontal 
beam,  parallel  to  the  vessels  keel,  from  which  the  loads 
are  suspended.  This  beam  is  secured  to  the  upper  ends 
of  two  spars,  the  heels  of  which  are  pivotted  between 
two  uprights.  These  uprights  are  situated  in  line  with 
the  ends  of  a  cargo  hatch.  The  specification  shows 
various  methods  of  carrying  this  invention  into  effect. 

5,352  04  I  RON  Improvements  in  and  re'atfng  to  gangways 
or  apparatus  for  landing  and  embarking  passengers  and 
goods  from  and  to  vessels,  from  and  to  piers  and  similar  uses. 
This  invention  relates  to  a  gangway,  adjustable  in 
height,  for  the  purpose  of  enabling  access  to  the  decks 
of  a  vessel,  from  a  pier,  at  varying  states  of  tide.  It 
consists  broadly  of  a  rectangular  tower  mounted  on  a 
truck  running  on  rails  on  the  quayside.  This  tower  is 
of  braced  girder  and  lattice  work  construction.  A  lift, 
the  upper  surface  of  which  forms  a  rectangular  platform, 
is  adapted  to  be  raised  and  lowered  inside  the  tower  by  a 
nut  and  a  screwed  vertical  spindle  mounted  in  the  tower. 
An  inclined  gangway  is  pivotted  at  one  end  to  an  edge 
of  the  platform,  the  other  end  being  fitted  with  wheels 
which  run  on  the  same  rails  as  the  tower.  The 
inclination  of  the  gangway  varies  with  the  height  of 
the  platform 


6,87404  —  KENNEDY—  Improvements  in  marine  hydraulic 
propellers. 

This  invention  relates  to  the  propulsion  of  vessels  by 
the  re-action  of  jets  of  water  from  a  rotary  pump.  The 
improvement  consists  in  forming  the  discharge  orifices 
in  the  ship's  bottom  of  curved  blades  directed  forward 
and  aft,  and  the  use  of  a  slide  valve  for  covering  one  or 
the  other  set  of  orifices. 

12,149/04  —  BLACK  Power  slewing  gear  for  ship's  derricks. 
This  slewing  gear  consists  of  a  pair  of  drums  mounted 
near  the  mast  of  a  vessel  and  driven  by  a  shaft  and  bevel 
and  worm  gearing  from  the  derrick  windlass.  A  rope  at 
each  side  is  led  over  sheaves  secured  to  the  stays  of  the 
mast  and  wound  in  opposite  directions  on  the  drums. 
The  other  ends  of  the  ropes  are  connected  with  the 
derrick  spar. 

26.418  04  -WILSON     Improvements  in  propelling  vessels. 
'  This  invention  relates  to  propelling  vessels  by  a  water 
jet  from  a  rotary  pump,  driven  by  a  high  speed  turbine. 

27,162/04  — MULLER-JACOBS-  Improvements  in  explosive 
compounds  and  the  method  of  manufacturing  same. 

This  invention  relates  to  the  manufacture  of  gun 
cotton  by  means  of  machinery  ordinarily  employed  for 
dyeing,  Ac.,  lengths  of  cambric.  A  cotton  cloth  is  wound 
on  a  roller  and  passed  through  a  mixture  of  concen- 
trated nitric  and  sulphuric  acid.  After  further  treatment 
chemicals  for  increasing,  restraining  or  otherwise  modi- 
fying, the  explosive  are  applied  by  printing  them  upon 
the  surface  of  the  cotton. 

27J66  04  LHEURE  Improvements  in  and  relating  to  the 
manufactufe  of  explosives. 

An  ex'plosive  obtained  by  immersing  the  c'iilorates  of 
potassium  or  of  sodium  in  melted  solid  paraffin. 

27,16704  LHEURE  -  Improvements  in  and  relating  to  the 
manufacture  of  detonating  tubes  or  the  like  for  use  in  blasting 
operations. 

A  tube  of  reduced  diameter  is  filled  with  tri-nitro- 
toluene  or  tri-nitro-benzene. 

28.158/04— GAR E\S  Improvements  in  or  relating  to  life- 
belts or  buoys. 

This  invention  consists  of  a  hollow  tubular  belt  com- 
posed of  a  thickly  woven  fabric  which  normally  is  porous 
but  which  on  becoming  wet  becomes  air  tight.  The  belt 
is  intended  for  ordinary  wear.  It  is  adapted  to  be  inflated 
by  the  wearers  breath  or  by  gas  generated,  on  contact 
with  water,  from  a  subtance  contained  in  pockets  therein. 

These  applications  for  patents  are,  until  April  1,  1905, 
open  to  opposition  by  any  person  having  a  statutory 
right  to  oppose. 

Copies  of  the  specification  may  be  obtained  from  the 
Patent  Office  or  through  the  under-named. 


TRADE   MARKS. 


The  following  application  for  the  registration  of  Trade 
Mark  relating  to  the  shipping  and  coal  trades  was 
advertised  on  February  22,  and  is  open  to  opposition  by 
interested  parties  within  the  period  ending  March  22. 

CLASS  20     Explosives. 

No.  264,424  20th  June,  1904  The  device  of  a  spread 
eagle  on  a  hemisphere  and  words  "  BRAUN  &  BLOEM  in 
DUSSELDORF."  For  cartridges  other  than  metallic 
pin-fire  cartridges  and  central  fire  revolver  cartridges. 
Braun  &  Bloem,  G.M.B.H.,  38,  Stoffeln.  Dusseldorf, 
Germany,  Manufacturers. 

Compiled  by  Messrc.  PHILLIPS  &  LEIGH,  Chartered  Patent 
£gjnts,  22,  Southampton  Buildings,  Chancery  Lane,  London, 
W.D.  Local  Consultant:  Mr.  S.  W.  ALLEN,  Engineer,  of  Cardiff 
Exchange,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


March  3,  1905 


r> 

• 


•• 
• 


OUR  MARITIME  DIRECTORY. 


iilllllll 


CARDIFF. 


Colliery   Proprietors. 


("ORY  BROS.  A  Co..  LTD..  Cardiff  and 
London.    Dep6ts  at  all  the  principal 
Coaling  Stations  in  the  World. 

T^-_  "  CORY.  CARDIFF  ": 

TtMgrwns      ••  CORY.  LONDON." 


CARDIFF    Continued. 


INSOLE.  GEOROE  &  SON.  Cardiff.   Sole 
Shippers  of  Cymmer   Steam    Coal. 
Windsor  Steam  Coal,  and  Insoles  No.  2 
Rhondda  Coal. 

Telegrams:  "INSOLES.  CARDIFF." 


VIVIAN.   H.   C.   &  Co..    Bute   Docks, 
Cardiff.     Sole  European  Agents  for 
"  The  Puritan  Coal  Mining  Co.,  Phila- 
delphia, U.S.A." 

Telegrams:  "VIVIAN.  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF     Continued. 


WATTS,    WATTS  &  Co.,   Cardiff    and 
London.  Contractors  for  the  supply 
of  Coals  at  all  Dep6ts  abroad. 

Telegrams  :  "  WATTS.  CARDIFF." 


I  EWIS    MERTHYR    CONSOLIDATED  COL- 
LIERIES. LTD..  Proprietors  and  Ship- 
pers   of    "Lewis  Merthyr"   Navigation 
Steam  Coal. 

"LEWIS  MERTHYR,  CARDIFF"  : 
"LEWIS  MERTHYR.  LONDON." 


MjARQUESS  OF  BUTE  COLLIERIES. 
Aberdare,  Hirwain.  and  Rhondda 
Valley.  Shipping  ports  :—  Bute  Docks, 
Cardiff :  Penarth  Dock  :  Swansea : 
Briton  Ferry  :  -.and  Newport  (  Mon. ) 

Telegrams:  "SEMA,  CARDIFF." 

f)CEAN    (MERTHYR)    COAL   Co..   LTD., 
1 1.  Burte  Crescent,  Cardiff,  proprie- 
tors of  Ocean  (Merthyr)  Steam  Coal. 


Pock   Owners. 


'THE  CARDIFF  RAILWAY  COMPANY,  Bute 
Docks.  Cardiff. 


Ship  Repairers. 


SHEARMAN,  JOHN  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff, 
and  at  Barry  Dock. 


[JNIVERSAL  STEAM   COAL  Co..  LTD., 
Bute  Docks.  Cardiff.  Proprietors  of 
'  Universal  Steam  Coal." 

Telegrams:   " VERSATILE.  CARDIFF." 


XHE  BUTE  SHIPBUILDING,  ENGINEERING, 
AND  DRY   DOCK  COMPANY,   LIMITED. 
Roath  Basin.  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:   "CAISSON.  CARDIFF." 


THE  CARDIFF  CHANNEL  DRY  DOCKS  AND 
PONTOON    Co..    LTD..     Cardiff    and 
Barry  Dock. 

Toiotrr  "  Entrance.  Cardiff." 

elegrams  .    ..  channel  Barry  .. 


Miscellaneous. 

f  EWIS  &  TYLOR,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff 
Sole  patentees  and  manufacturers 
of  "Gripoly,"  a  patent  woven  belting 
and  "  Burals,"  a  semi-metallic  packing 

Telegrams  :  "  BELTING  CARDIFF."        Telephone.  Nat.  231 


Steamship    Owners. 


P)AN.   JENKINS    &     Co..    Steamship 
Owners  and  Brokers,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "Stonewall,  Cardiff." 
Nat.  Telephone  :  1318. 


BARRY. 


Dock  Owners. 

THE  BARRY  RAILWAY  Co..  Barry. 

1 


Ship  Repairers. 


TRARRY   GRAVING   DOCK  &  ENGINEERING 
HE  MERCANTILE   PONTOON  Co.,  LTD..    13     pn     T  Tn 
Roath  Dock,  Cardiff. 


Telegrams:  "MERCANTILE,  CARDIFF." 


Telegrams:   "  BARDOCK.  BARRY." 
National  Telephone  No.  7.         Post  Office  Telephone  No.  7 


To    the    Proprietors    of 


"THE    MARITIME    REVIEW," 


DOCKS,     CARDIFF. 


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FRIDAY,    MARCH    10,    1905. 


THREEPENCE. 


ANOTHER     EPOCH     IN    THE     HISTORY    OF    CARDIFF. 


DAME  CARDIFF  :  "  '  Peace  hath  its  victories.'  and  you  have  secured  many  thereof.  Cardiff 
is  proud  to  inscribe  the  name  of  SIR  WILLIAM  THOMAS  LEWIS.  BART.,  on  her 
by  no  means  inappreciable  roll  of  fame." 


53 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


March  10,  1905 


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*  CONTENTS.  *  *  it 


CARTOON  :  ANOTHER  EPOCH  IN  THE  HISTORY  OF  CARDIFF 

MARITIME  MURMURS          

SHIPBUILDING          

THE  ANNUAL  NAVAL  JOKE  !         ...         

FRENCH  COMMERCIAL  EXPANSION          ...        

CARDIFF  (AND  OTHER)  COAL        

GOAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES 

MARITIME  (AND  OTHER)  MONEY  MATTERS        

SEVERN  SEA  SPRAY          

PATENTS  AND  TRADE  MARKS      


52 

53 
60 
61 
62 
63 
65 
66 
67 
68 


MARITIME    MURMURS. 


DOCKS,  CARDIFF. 

Thursday  Afternoon. 

METAPHORICALLY,  we  respectfully  extend  our  hand  to 
Lord  Ellenborough.  for  the  able  manner  in  which  he  called 
the  attention  of  the  House  of  Lords,  to  the-what-might- 
easily-happen-to-Britain,  in  the  event  of  a  war  being  rushed 
on  her.  without  notice.  Commerce  is  a  grand  thing ; 
maritime  supremacy  is  another ;  but  to  safely  indulge  in 
either,  it  is  necessary  for  an'  Island  Kingdom  to  give  up 
emulating  a  Fools'  Paradise  :  to  quit  living  through  the 
magnanimity  (and  pusillanimity,  if  you  like)  of  outsiders: 
and  to  see  to  it  that  things  nautical  are  really  what  they 
seem.  That  Britain  has  been  wobbling  along  in  the  latter 
seam— has  been  living  through  the  magnanimity  of  the 
foreigner — is  a  declaration  which  comes  perilously  near  to 
the  truth.  We  are  willing  to  admit  that  "corner  politicians" 
—men  of  absolutely  no  experience,  and  mighty  little  sense 
—  will  walk  around  and  declare,  after  their  own  muddle- 
brain  notions,  that  everything  is  alright  with  the  defences 
of  the  country.  We  are  also  sure  that  such  men  are  a 
positive  danger  to  the  land,  and  if  a  landslip  should,  unfor- 
tunately, drop  down  upon  them,  somewhat  accidentally, 
well,  in  the  words  of  the  more  or  less  immortal  song — 
"  They'd  none  of  them  be  missed." 

0  0 

WE  remember  hearing,  a  few  days  ago,  one  of  those 
"  corner  politicians "  referred  to,  holding  forth  in  the 
manner  that  is  usual  to  the  cult ;  and  although  he  probably 
doesn't  know  which  end  of  a  ship  goes  first,  he  yet  was 
keen  to  explain  that  our  Navy  was  (and  is,  presumably)  the 
finest  in  the  world,  sir :  that  the  men  therein  are  the  ne 
plus  ultra  of  sailors  :  that  the  officers  were  only  tuppence- 
ha'penny  short  of  perfection  :  while  the  captains—  phew  ! 
He  hadn't  an  adjective  sufficiently  expressive  of  goodness, 
with  which  to  fit  the  case.  This  "  politician,"  too,  in  his 
private  capacity,  was  merely  a  coal-man.  That  is,  he 
thought  in  coal :  lived  in  it :  prattled  in  the  commodity  ; 
ate.  drank,  and  snoozed  on  it :  and  outside  of  the  same 
stuff,  didn't  know  enough  to  prompt  him  to  come  in  out  of 
the  wet !  Yet  he  was  willing  to  attempt  the  filling  of  a 
number  of  men.  who  were  nearly  as  rooky  on  things 
maritime  as  himself,  with  dissertations  as  to  the  strength 
of  the  country's  First  Line  of  Defence.  Of  course,  there 
are  quite  a  few  of  his  kidney  knocking  about*  That  is 


obvious — or  he  would  be  so  lonely,  that  he  would  give  up 
"  corner  politic^."  and  hie  him  to  a  night  school,  where, 
incidentally,  he  would  realise  that  there  are  other  things  on 
earth,  save  coal 

6?  & 

HOWEVER,  if  the  "  politicians "  alluded  to,  will  take  the 
trouble  to  read  the  expressions  of  opinion  which  were  given 
by  Lord  Ellenborough,  they  will  speedily  realise  that  there 
are  things  in  heaven  and  earth,  undreamed  of  in  their 
alleged  philosophies.  We  have  no  intention — nor  the 
necessary  space- -to  quote  very  largely  from  the  remarks 
given  by  his  Lordship  ;  but  there  are  a  few  which  demand 
the  serious  consideration  of  everybody.  For  instance,  the 
suggestion  that  any  intending  invader  of  this  happy-go- 
lucky  old  country  of  ours,  might  easily  bottle  up  our 
principal  ports  just  prior  to  a  declaration  of  war,  by  "  acci- 
dentally "  dropping  some  old  crock  (laden  with  hydraulic 
cement?)  in  the  very  narrow  fairways  thereof,  is  tremen- 
dously near  the  mark.  Portsmouth  could  be  easily 
hoodooed  in  this  happy  manner,  without  doubt.  So  could 
London  river.  Then,  in  the  case  of  sprinkling  the  sea- 
scape with. mechanical  mines,  Lord  Ellenborqugh  gave  a 
very  vivid  picture  of  a  possible  enemy  dropping  into,  say, 
Portland  Harbour,  and  in  a  casual  manner — while  on  her 
way  out — sprinkling  those  mines  around  in  a  fashion  that 
would  be  calculated  to  play  the  deuce  with  the  ''First  Line." 
which  happened  along,  later. 

0  *S 

AGAIN,  the  effects  of  the  foolhardiness  of  mobbing  all 
your  eggs  into  one  basket ;  or,  in  other  words,  of  gathering 
all  your  ships  together  for  a  swelled-head  review,  after 
talking  of  it  for  six  months  beforehand,  so  that  a  possible 
enemy  might  know  all  about  it,  and  make  his  arrangements 
-accordingly,  was  adumbrated— ahem  !  (Really,  it  was  the 
Earl  of  Selbourne  who  did  the  "  adumbrated  "  act,  when 
replying  to  Lord  Ellenborough's  remarks.)  In  the  words  of 
the  latter  noble  lord,  "A  night  attack  made  by  50  or  more 
torpedo-boats  might  sink  all  our  available  battleships  and 
destroy  our  Naval  supremacy  at  a  single  blow."  The  fact 
cannot  be  gainsaid,  and  the  wonder  is  that  otherwise  sane 
people  will  be  so  misguided,  as  to  gather  their  weapons  into 
one  heap,  and  thus  pose  them,  as  a  maddening  temptation 
to  a  jealous  rival  who  might  sink  the  whole  caboodle,  before 
the  nation  had  time  to  recognise  that  war  had  been  declared 


March   10,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


54 


—  or  to  read  of  it  in  the  morning  papers,  as  was  remarked 
by  that  Mr.  Lee  who  worked  the  Teuton  up  to  such  a  fever, 
some  few  weeks  ago  !  Think  of  the  magnificent  opportunity 
which  was  offered  by  the  world-famous  Spithead  review. 
'way  back  !  Was  not  the  whole  affair  a  simple  flying  in  the 
face  of  Providence  ?  And  if  the  dodge  is  repeated  when 
some  of  our  rivals  are  ready,  won't  there  be  a  bitter  awak- 
ening, some  fine  morning  ? 

5?%3 

INDEED,  and  touching  the  foregoing,  we  cannot  do  better 
than  give  you  the  words  of  Lord  Elltnborough  :  "  At  the 
very  time  when  we  felt  most  inclined  to  be  somewhat 
vain-glonous,  our  very  existence  was  dependent  on  the 
forbearance  and  good  faith  of  our  neighbours."  Is  it 
possible  to  deny  the  soft  impeachment  ?  Will  anyone 
pretend  that  the  colossal  fleet  of  ships  referred  to.  was 
other  than  a  danger  to  itself,  by  reason  of  its  size  :  or  that 
it  would  have  had  other  than  the  ghost  of  a  chance,  sup- 
posing the  gentle  enemy  had  decided  to  "  make  a  bid  for 
it  ?  "  As  a  natural  corollary  to  his  other  remarks,  his 
Lordship  insisted  that  the  vital  point  was  to  take  care  that 
the  Navy  was  not  surprised  at  the  beginning  of  a  war.  in 
view  of  the  tricky  manner  in  which  the  Russian  warships 
were  disposed  of  in  the  present  Eastern  War.  Lord  Ellen- 
borough's  advice  is  exactly  on  the  spot.  If  reason  pre- 
dominates in  future,  there  will  be  no  more  marshalling  of 
the  fleets  for  show  purposes.  Rather  will  they  be  kept 
moving,  in  nice  handy  little  sections.  Not  too  far  apart  : 
but  just  far  enough  to  obviate  any  chance  of  a  night  dash 
at  them  being  successful  :  and  yet  close  efiough  that,  with 
an  extra  "prick  up  in  the  backs."  they  might  be  "all  in  a 
row."  inside  of  a  few  hours. 


BY  this  means,  trade  and  commerce  will  be  safe  enough  : 
we  shall  all  be  able  to  sleep  peacefully  :'  arise  the  next 
morning  refreshed,  and  in  a  fit  state  to  go  out  and  earn 
more  of  'the  stuff  that  keeps  that  same  fleet  in  being.  On 
the  other  hand,  and  if  defeated.  "  we  should  have  to  accept 
a  dictated  peace,  the  terms  of  which  would  probably  include 
the  transfer  or  destruction  of  the  rest  of  our  Reet.  the 
payment  of  hundreds  of  millions  of  money,  and  the 
surrender  of  the  greater  part  of  our  possessions  beyond  the 
sea."  After  carefully  studying  that  "  penalty."  do  you 
wonder  that  we  have  been  so  insistent,  in  drawing  your 
attention  to  the  possibilities  which  coruscate  around  your 
idiotic  neglect  of  the  sailorman  ?  We  are  sure  that  every 
one  of  you  would  hate,  like  all  that,  to  submit  to  a  "dictated 
peace  :  "  artd  when  your  beautiful  Fleet—  that  arrangement 
which  temfts  you  to  yell,  in  such  a  soulful  manner.  "  Rule 
Britannia."  on  every  occasion  that  it  is  mentioned  in  your 
hearing  —  had  to  be  transferred  to  a  sausage-making 
combination  :  and  hundreds  of  millions  of  good  British 
ooftish  had  to  go  along  with  it  by  way  of  mental,  moral,  or 
might-is-right  damages  —  well,  wouldn't  it  break  your  heart? 

tffc 

You  know  it  would,  even  as  you  also  know  that  the  same 
might-is-right  trick  was  enacted  and  not  so  long  ago 
with  your  Gallic  neighbours.  What  reason  is  there  for  you 
to  believe  that  you  will  be  served  differently,  once  allow 
yourself  te*  be  caught  napping  ?  None  is  there?  Then, 
why  allow  your  home-bred  boys  to  drop  out  of  the  running, 
to  make  room  for  the  very  scum  that  is  merely  doing  the 
Paul  Pry  act.  in  attempting  to  find  out  all  that  is  worth 
knowing  in  this  connection  ?  These  days,  more  so  than  in 
any  other,  the  only  way  to  secure  peace,  is  to  be  prepared 
for  war.  A  mere  preparation  for  war  will  not  interfere  with 
your  commercial  pursuits  :  a  war.  itself,  will  hash  up  all 
your  chances.  Ergo,  if  you  wish  to  carry  on  with  your 
trading  :  if  you  intend  to  continue  at  the  top  of  the  com- 
mercial tree  :  see  to  it  that  your  own  countrymen  are 


entrusted  with  the  care  of  the  roadways  leading  into  your 
ports.  Take  the  necessary  precautions  to  ensure  that  none 
but  Britons  be  allowed  to  practice  as  pilots  —  this  is  vital  ; 
arrange  also,  that  none  but  Britons  are  allowed  to  steer 
your  own  ships,  into  your  own  harbours  —  which  is  more 
vital. 

5?%3 

IT  is  useless  spot-barring  the  pilots,  if  you  continue  to 
allow  every  foreign  spy  to  learn  all  that  is  worth  knowing 
in  connection  with  your  coastal  navigation,  while  acting  as 
a  "  seaman  "  on  the  upper  bridge  of  your  tramp  steamers. 
Cannot  you  see,  that  to  a  pushing  and  ambitious  foreign 
power,  it  is  among  the  simplest  things  on  earth,  to  detail 
a  really  smart  officer  for  service  in  the  forecastle  of  a 
British  tramp,  where  by  "  gentlemanly  and  painstaking 
conduct  "  he  will  always  be  called  to  the  wheel,  on  entering 
or  leaving  port  ?  Personally,  we  have  sailed  with  a  number 
of  the  gentry  to  which  we  are  referring,  and  have  often 
wondered  why  it  is,  that  their  obvious  reason  of  existence  is 
so  stupidly  overlooked  by  the  authorities.  That  "  none  are 
so  blind  as  they  who  will  not  see,"  is  a  proverb  ;  it  is  also 
among  the  truest  on  earth  !  Possibly,  this  accounts  for  the 
prevalence  of  the  "  nice,  foreign  seamen  "  in  British 
steamers  especially  those  which  are  in  the  coasting  trade. 
and  therefore,  constantly  on  the  "in-and-out  harbour" 
game  !  Lord  Ellenborough  assured  the  members  of  the 
Gilded  Chamber,  that  "  no  pilots  but  those  who  are  British 
born  should  be  allowed  to  exercise  their  profession  on  our 
coasts.  Even  naturalised  British  subjects  should,  riot  be 
permitted  to  act  as  pilots." 

s?%? 

AND  the  noble  lord  is  right!  He  remarked  that  "such 
naturalisation  will  often  be  only  skin  deep."  We  say  that 
it  will  not  be  even  that,  for  we  have  sailed  with  instances 
where  the  "  naturalisation  "  was  merely  a  bluff  :  a  dodge  to 
be  allowed  to  learn  the  tricky  navigation  of  our  sea-ports 
from  cross-bearings,  and  regardless  of  buoys  and  beacons. 
In  peace  time,  an  intelligent  foreigner  could  —  and  he  does 

undertake  the  pilotage  in  most  of  our  waterways  where 
pilotage  is  non-compulsory,  because  they  are  so  efficiently 
buoyed  and  lighted  :  what  the  "  naturalised  "  gentleman  is 
after,  is  a  knowledge  of  how  to  do  it.  when  the  buoys  and 
lights  are  non  est.  Even  as  they  would  be  in  war  time. 
With  regard  to  that  "  naturalisation,"  too.  the  same  thing 
applies  to  the  six-:shilling-Britons  which  a  paternal  Govern- 
ment goes  out  of  its  way  to  manufacture.  There  are  but 
few  foreigners  who  trouble  themselves  with  the  six-shilling 
favour  :  merely  those  who  have  a  sinister  end  in  view  :  the 
fellows  who  are  paid  to  glean  all  the  navigational  points- 
possible.  and  in  connection  with  the  coastal  ports  around 
the  British  Isles,  so  that  those  "  points  "  may  be  used 
against  us,  when  opportunity  serves. 


BUT  the  same  condition  which  prompts  a  swagger  naval 
review,  also  precludes  a  recognition  of  this  altogether 
unnecessary  danger  which  is  contained  in  the  employment 
of  foreign  pilots,  officers,  and  seamen  :  and  at  a  time  when 
there  are  thousands  of  Britons  who  are  equally  qualified, 
but  who  are  starving,  on  shore.  This  too.  in  face  of  the 
fact  that  we  have  had  examples  of  where  the  fighting  Is 
done  first,  and  the  declaration  of  war  made  afterward. 
Again  quoting  Lord  Ellenborough,  "There  is,  unfortunately, 
a  belief  in  this  country  that  some  premonitory  growls  will 
always  give  us  time  to  prepare  for  the  tiger  spring  of  war. 
We  might  feel  the  claws  and  teeth  first.  The  growls  will 
come  afterward."  Of  course  they  will.  That  is  what  we 
have  been  telling  you.  for  over  a  twelvemonth,  now.  and 
glad  are  we  to  note,  that  at  least  one  noble  lord  has  pluck 
enough  to  stand  up.  and  tell  his  colleagues  that  they  are 


• 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


March   10,    1905 


living  in  a  fools'  paradise — for  that  is  what  his  Lordship's 
claim  amounts  to.  If  the  Briton,  instead  of  listening  to  the 
declamations  of  a  number  of  alleged  shipping  "experts," 
would  enquire  personally  into  these  matters  of  moment,  he 
would  soon  realise  that  even  as  "All  is  not  gold  that 
glitters:"  neither  is.  the  title  "Mistress  of  the  Seas" 
bound  to  be  valid,  simply  because  the  country  claiming  it, 
has  a  few  ships  more  than  her  neighbours. 

<£%? 

OF  course.  Lord  Ellenborough  was  not  allowed  to  have 
the  matter  all  his  own  way.  The  Earl  of  Selbourne.  speak- 
ing, for  the  last  time,  as  First  Lord  of  the  Admiralty,  could 
not  share  all  the  views  which  we  have  discussed  at  greater 
length  than  we  intended,  when  setting  out  on  this  writing. 
But  the  questions  are  so  vitally  important  if  Britain  is  to 
continue  as  the  leading  commercial  nation  ;  if  her  maritime 
supremacy  is  to  be  more  than  a  mere  phrase  :  that  one 
cannot  say  too  much,  or  give  too  extended  a  consideration. 
concerning  them.  We  are  as  keen  as  possible  to  see 
Britain  in  the  very  front  rank  of  the  nations.  Indeed,  that 
very  keenness  causes  us  to  give  you  the  opinions,  which 
have  been  gleaned  from  a  practical  rubbing  with  the  world, 
away  from  Britain.  "  Corner  politicians."  or  "  newspaper 
nautical  experts  "  have  no  value  for  us.  We  realise  that  if 
you  wish  to  size  up  the  situation  as  it  really  is.  you  must 
stand  away  from  it ;  must  take  a  sort  of  bird's-eye  view  of 
the  whole  concatenation.  We  recognise  that  the  Earl  of 
Selbourne  -who  has  done  some  really  good  work  in  connec- 
tion with  our  First  Line  of  Defence — cannot  be  expected  to 
share  the  view  of  the  looker-on  :  he  has  been  too  actively 
employed,  right  in  the  midst  of  it  all ;  has  been  doing  the 
actual  fighting  :  and  thus  is  imbued  with  the  idea  which  is 
common  among  the  fighters — that  they  cannot  be  beaten. 

tf  & 

ALL  the  same,  we  are  most  of  us  willing  to  believe  that 
if  the  generalissimo  condescends  to  do  the  shooting  and 
slashing,  his  side  will  have  but  mighty  little  chance  against 
the  other  side,  where  the  general  does  the  directing  from 
afar  ?  Under  the  circumstances,  therefore,  the  looker-on— 
as  long  as  he  has  fair  opportunities— is  to  be  believed,  and 
his  utterances  are  worthy  of  careful  attention.  Earl 
Selbourne  is  of  opinion,  that  the  "temporary  loss  "  of  the 
command  of  the  seas  for  a  few  hours,  "  never  would  put 
such  an  opportunity  in  the  way  of  an  invader  as  would 
enable  him  to  land  in  this  country  a  force  sufficient  to 
maintain  itself  and  to  subdue  the  military  force  of  this 
country."  Obviously  !  But  if  the  enemy  is  allowed  to 
obtain  what  appears— at  first— to  be  the  "  temporary  com- 
mand of  the  sea."  what  guarantee  has  Britain  that  the 
"  temporary  "  will  not  quickly  eventuate  into  the  "  perma- 
nent ?  Is  not  it  right  here  that  the  menace  lays  ?  To 
our  mind,  there  is  little  utility  in  telling  us  about  "  the 
paralysing  nervousness  that  haunted  the  Japanese,  so  long 
as  there  was  a  Russian  fleet  in  being."  With  Japan,  the 
"temporary  command  "  soon  eventuated  into  the  "  perma- 
nent" ditto  paralysing  nervousness  notwithstanding? 
Yet  Russia  is  big  enough,  figuratively  speaking,  to  "  put 
Japan  in  the  corner  of  her  eye  !  " 

5?*9 

DEAR,  dear  !  "  Mabon  "  is  not  too  old  to  learn  !  He  is 
finding  things  out !  Realises  that  the  "  Conciliation  Board  " 
is  in  danger !  Yea.  lor',  but  if  the  grand  old  warrior  had 
refrained  from  touring  in  America,  he  would  have 
assimilated  that  great  truth,  long  ago.  Of  course  the 
"  Conciliation  Board  "  is  in  danger !  At  the  best,  it  was 
merely  a  make-shift :  a  nothing,  designed  to  take  the  place 
of  something :  and  as  such,  was  bound  to  be  in  danger, 
from  the  very  first  moment  that  a  serious  attempt  were 
made  to  make  use  of  it.  Eh  ?  What's  the  matter  with 
this  heart-rending  cry,  "  Sink  petty  differences,  close  up 


your  ranks,  make  the  Federation  a  union  of  hearts.'' 
Tiddley  !  Flap-dash  !  !  Union  of  impossibilities  ! ! !  Makes 
us  smile— albeit  indulgently.  As  if  we  are  going  to  hope 
or  believe  that  a  "  union  of  hearts  "  is  possible  in  any  such 
combination  as  the  Federation  !  The  fact  of  the  matter  is. 
there  is  either  a  need  for  two  Federations,  or  for  none  at 
all.  There  should  be  a  Conservative  Federation,  as  well  as 
the  present  Radical— or  Liberal,  if  you  like  the  word  better 
—  Federation,  for  it  is  utterly  impossible  to  run  any  such 
affair  clear  of  politics.  Human  nature  isn't  built  that  way. 

&*& 

To  our  mind,  it  is  the  merest  moonshine  to  pretend  that 
the  Federation  is  a'Trade  Protection  arrangement:  only  ;  it 
is  not.  It  is  a  genuinely  political  organisation,  which  pre- 
tends to  be  of  the  amelioration-of-mankind  order.  Mind 
you,  it  is  of  the  latter  order,  too.  That  fact  cannot  be 
gainsaid.  It  ameliorates  that  portion  of  mankind  which 
has  successfully  endeavoured  to  corral  all  the  leading  r61es 
therein.  Why  doesn't  the  workman  realise  that,  so  far  in 
its  history,  the  Federation  is  a  bread-for-life  arrangement 
for  its  wire-pullers  ?  Do  they  ever  submit  to  a  ballot  for 
re-election  :  is  there  ever  a  question  of  this,  that  or  the 
other  Boss  resigning,  for  the  purpose  of  giving  other  equally 
eligible  members  of  the  gang,  an  opportunity  to  enjoy  the 
position  of  "  principal  boy  "  in  the  trade  pantomine  ?  Of 
course,  not !  It  is  a  case,  all  through,  of  "  as  it  was  in  the 
beginning,  is  now.  and  ever  shall  be,  Federation  without 
end,  etc."  Has  it  ever  struck  you  that  the  title  Miners' 
Federation  is^abjaut  the  finest  bit  of  buncombe  to  which  we 
latter-day,  sinners  have  been  treated?  What  have  the 
miners  to  do  with  it?  Eh?  They  find  the  money  with 
which  it  is  financed  ? 

g?& 

EVEN  so,  but  that  doesn't  make  it  a  miners'  federation  ? 
Who  was  Boss  at  its  inauguration  ;  who  has  been  Boss  all 
down  the  line  :  who  is  Boss,  now?  Do  not  you  always 
find  the  same  names  on  the  "  List  of  Officers " — ahem? 
Do  not  the  same  little  clique  appear  to  have  made  the 
arrangements  of  the  life-long  order  ?  And  will  it  be  con- 
tended that  among  all  the  crowd  which  puts  up  its  money, 
week  by  week,  or  year  by  year,  there  are  none  worthy  of 
engineering  such  an  affair,  save  and  excepting -those  who 
have  "got  the  job"?  Rubbish!  We  are  not  going  to 
believe  that,  among  the  whole  mining  fraternity,  there  are 
but  some  half-a-dozen  workers  possessed  of  sufficient 
brains  to  carry  on  such  an  arrangement-of-debatable-value, 
as  is  the  Miners'  Federation.  As  we  have  already  remarked, 
this  so-called  Miners' Federation  is  a  sort  of  bread-for-life 
arrangement  for  its  Bosses.  Indeed,  and  ^to  our  mind, 
"  Mabon's' Federation"  would  be  a  more  fitting  title  for  the 
contraption.  If  it  is  not  "'Mabon's'  Federation,"  why  do  not 
the  Bosses  retire  in  rotation  ?  Why  not  give  other  worthy 
members  of  the  clique  an  opportunity  to  run  the  show  ? 

&  & 

BUT  returning  to  that  cry  of  "  Sink  petty  differences,"  we 
are  bound  to  record  the  opinion  that  such  a  sinking  is  im- 
possible. If  the  differences  were  really  heavy— instead  of 
being  "  petty  "-  it  would  be  impossible  to  sink  them  in  the 
waters  of  which  the  Federation  is  composed  ;  they  are  too 
dense:  too  stagnant  with  age;  too  altogether  too-too! 
"Union  of  hearts."  forsooth.  Cannot  the  sturdy  "  Mabon  " 
be  satisfied  with  less  than  that  ?  Is  he  really  aiming  so 
high  up  in  the  anatomies  of  his  supporters?  For  our  part, 
we  do  not  believe  any  such  thing.  When  we  see  a  number 
of  men  aiming  to  make  another  number  of  men  pay  for  the 
dissemination  of  views  with  which  the  latter  have,  obviously, 
no  sympathy,  we  are  not  taking  any  chances  on  this  "  union 
of  hearts  "  doctrine.  The  alleged  point  d'appui  is  placed 
too  high  up  ;  "  union  of  pant's-pockets  "  would  be  nearer 
the  correct  situation,  wouldn't  it  ?  All  the  same,  the 


March  10,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


"  Conciliation  Board  "  is  in  danger,  for  the  reason  that 
danger  ever  crystallises  around  the  moribund.  Its  demise 
might  be  a  bad  thing  for  the  estimable  gentlemen  who  make 
a  fairly-comft  .table  living  thereby  :  but  to  the  community 
at  large,  its  death  will  be  by  no  means  an  unalloyed  disaster. 

5?  $3 

ON  the  contrary,  rather,  for  there  are  many  possessors  of 
longer  heads  than  are  to  be  found  in  Federationville,  who 
are  willing  to  asseverate  that  the  "  Conciliation  Board  "  was 
never  other  than  a  splenetic  make-shift  :  a  piece  of  coaly 
charlatanism  :  a  mere  scraping  at  a  growth,  where  deep 
incisions,  alone,  were  likely  to  be  of  use.  As  well  ask  us  to 
find  the  money,  and  write  the  "  copy  "  for  a  rival  journal, 
as  to  ask  the  Conservative  miners  to  take  any  capital  —  or 
shares  -  in  this  suggested  "  union  of  hearts."  But  dear  old 
"  Mabon  "  is  nothing,  if  not  dramatic  ?  He  was  ever  the 
same?  "Union  of  hearts"  is  a  telling  phrase,  and  in 
imagination,  we  can  see  the  holy  embraces  that  are  likely 
to  ensue,  between  rival  factions  in  Federationville.  now  that 
their  one-and-only  has  started  out  on  the  pathetic  lay  ! 
Can't  you  think  up  the  possibilities  surrounding  a  picture 
where  the  "  heavy  lead  "  of  the  combination,  is  engaged  in 
wrapping  his  massive  arms  around  the  neck  of  some  poor 
little  futteret  who  has  meandered  along,  hesitatingly,  for 
the  purpose  of  paying-up  his  share  of  the  company's 
capital  ?  "  Sink  petty  differences  !  "  In  other  words,  and 
seeing  that  biblical  examples  are  de  nguerwith  the  crowd. 
"  if  you  can  swallow  the  camel  don't  makf  a  face  at  the 
gnat,  but-  bolt  it.  also  !  "  Dear  old  Federation  ! 


ment.  Personally,  we  should  like  to  see  the  Commonwealth 
forge  ahead,  for  all  it  is  worth  ;  it  will  only  do  so,  however, 
by  a  due  recognition  that  other  people  have  rights.as  well  as 
the  few  straggling  millions  which  endeavour  to  fly  in  the 
face  of  Providence,  by  telling  the  world  fairy  tales  con- 
cerning a  problematical  "white  Australia." 

§?%3 

LORD  CHARLES  BERESFORD  has  been  up  to  his  tricks, 
again  !  In  turning  in  for  Portsmouth  harbour,  on  Saturday 
last,  a  torpedo  flotilla  was  detailed  to  make  a  sham  attack 
on  the  Caesar,  the  Admiral's  flagship.  In  this  instance,  the 
ruse  which  counted  at  Gibraltar,  some  time  back,  was 
again  successful.  The  warship  was  faked  up  to  appear 
like  a  liner,  with  lights  "  all  over."  As  a  result,  the 
"  enemy  "  was  fooled,  even  as  obtained  at  Gibraltar  — 
because  the  Caesar  "  looked  like  a  liner  "  !  Seems  to  us, 
that  there  is  room  here,  for  pointing  a  moral.  Manoeuvres 
are  usually  carried  out  with  "all  lights  out,  or  masked,' 
and  as  a  natural  consequence,  the  Handy  Men  give  no 
thought,  or  attention,  to  the  vessel  which  believes  in  the 
adage  of  "  most  public,  most  private  !  "  This  reminds  us  of 
a  Board  of  Trade  examination,  which  once  occupied  our 
attention.  The  candidates  had  been  coached  up,  only,  for 
the  difficult  quiffs  that  might  arise  :  and  for  those  same 
"quiffs,"  were  about  as  well  prepared,  as  made  no  odds. 
On  examination-day,  however,  an  "amplitude"  was  set, 
where  lat.  was  nothing  ;  declination  was  nothing  :  sun  rose 
at  6  a.m.  bearing  east  by  compass  ;  and  variation  -*as  14 
degrees  west  required  the  deviation. 


OUR  Australian  shipping  friends  are  on  the  warpath  be- 
cause of  the  indefatigable  manner  in  which  the  German 
trader  is  "  making  history  "  and  incidental!,,  many  shekels 

in  the  Northern  Pacific,  around  about  Hong  Kong  and 
Singapore.  Furthermore,  the  same  tactics  are  reaping 
golden  rewards,  in  the  South  Pacific.  By-and-bye.  when 
the  Panama  Canal  is  ready  for  service,  this  German  all- 
overishness  is  likely  to  be  prejudicial  to  British  interests, 
say  the  Australians.  This  is  as  may  be.  and  even  supposing 
lots  of  things  may  happen  before  the  Panama  Canal  is  ready 
for  business,  the  Cornstalk  has  a  right  to  concern  himself 
with  a  touch  of  the  prophetic.  At  the  same  time,  it  is  a 
bit  "offside"  to  prattle  of  the  "apparent  apathy  of  the 
Imperial  Government."  On  several  occasions,  we  have 
pointed  out  at  the  risk  of  giving  offence—  that  the  Aus- 
tralian fxier.u  cannot  afford  to  play  fast  and  loose  with  his 
chances  of  commercial  expansion,  as  he  ha?  undoubtedly 
been  doing  of  late.  It  is  useless  for  the  gentleman  to 
expect  to  have  the  penny  and  the  bun.  If  he  will  ineMton,. 
the  imposition  of  vexatious-  and  altogether  childish-  laws. 
he  must  be  prepared  to  see  his  trade  gradually  pass  over  to 
his  natural  rivals. 

6?  *& 

CONTINUING  with  the  theme,  we  cannot  at  all  see  why  it 
should  be  a,  matter  for  surprise.  "  down  under."  that 
England  should  decide  to  allow  the  Australian  to  "  cool  in 
the  skin  he  hot  in  "to  use  a  homely  phrase.  If  our 
own  kith  and  kin  merely  because  they  have  been  given  the 
opportunity  to  set  up  a  separate  house-keeping—  are  keen 
on  ordering  us  away  from  their  own  front-door  :  they  must 
not  be  surprised  if  other  nationalities  object  to  take  the 
order,  unless  it  is  backed  up  with  a  show  of  the  "  mailed 
fist."  or  an  armed  boot.  It  is  highly  probable  that  Britain 
quite  realises  the  extent,  to  which  foreign  nations  are 
aggrandising  themselves  in  the  two  Pacifies  :  equally  as 
probable  ae  that  Britain  sees  that  Australia,  for  instance. 
is  committed  to  the  take-all-and-give-none  policy  lately 
enunciated  by  a  number  of  amateur  politicians,  who  have 
"  talked  "  themselves  into  the  high  places  of  the  Govern- 


OF course,  the  "  sum  "  didn't  need  working,  as  it  should 
have  been  obvious  that  the  deviation  was  14  degrees  east. 
Nine  out  of  eleven  candidates,  however,  undertook  to  worry 
through  with  the  thing:  got  tangled  up  in  "plus  infinities": 
and  were  turned  down  !  They  were  the  victims  of  "  one 
set  of  conditions."  In  their  case,  they  meandered  down 
for  another  trial,  on  the  following  examination  day.  and— 
we  hope-  passed  successfully,  although  we  were  not  there 
to  see,  or  congratulate  them  !  In  their  cases,  the  Board  of 
Trade  was  tVe  better  for  an  additional  passing-fee,  all 
'round.  In  the  case  of  the  warship,  the  one-sided  training 
might  be  responsible  for  the  "  temporary  "  loss  of  the 
command  of  the  sea  and  the  permanent  loss  of  commercial 
supremacy  for  Britain.  It  seems  to  us,  that  if  the  nation  is 
wise,  it  will  profit  by  the  mistakes  made  in  mimic  warfare  : 
and  in  future'  instead  of  a  number  of  warships  fussing 
around  with  no  ligrits  in  evidence,  to  the  everlasting  anxiety 
and  danger  of  those  who  earn  the  money  for  keeping  the 
fleet  in  being  :  it  might  be  just  as  well  to  accustom  the 
Handy  Men.  and  their  no-less  handy  officers,  to  the  fact 
that  not  on  every  occasion,  will  the  warships  of  a  possible 
enemy  elect  to  do  the  mole  act.  What  do  you  think? 

5?*3 

WE  are  officially  informed  that  Mr.  Richard  Evans,  the 
General  Manager  of  the  Barry  Railway  Company,  will 
shortly  retire,  on  a  pension.  Mr.  Evans  has  held  the  post 
which  he  is  about  to  resign  for  sixteen  years—that  is,  from 
the  beginning  of  Barry's  existence  as  a  competitor  for 
South  Walian  trade  :  and  during  that  time  has  rendered 
good  service  to  the  undertaking  with  which  his  work  has 
been  associated.  So  much  has  the  value  of  these  services 
been  recognised,  that  we  believe  he  will  be  invited  to  con- 
tinue to  give  the  directors  and  shareholders,  the  further 
benefit  of  his  great  experience,  by  accepting  a  seat  upon 
the  directorate.  In  the  event  of  Mr.  Evans  accepting  this 
nvitation.  the  gain  will  be  all  on  the  side  of  the  Barry 
Railway  Company,  and  personally,  we  hope  that  the  retiring 
general  manager,  will  be  spared  to  enjoy  many  years,  in 
his  new  position. 


57 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


March   10,    1905 


IN  discussing  the  points  which  surround  the  life-boat 
possibilities,  a  writer  in  the  Daily  Express,  gives  a  tabulated 
list  of  the  six  principal  (from  a  life-saving  point  of  view) 
stations.  They  are.  Caister.  Ramsgate,  Holyhead.  Palling, 
Gorleston.  and  Lowestoft,  which  in  the  order  named,  have 
1,390:948:  706:  569:  513  and  453  lives  saved,  to  their 
credit,  respectively.  After  remarking  on  the  apparently 
(to  the  'longshoreman  >  singular  fact  that  all  those  stations, 
with  the  exception  of  Holyhead,  are  on  the  East  Coast,  the 
writer  goes  on  to  deal  with  the  Mumbles  -the  dreaded 
Mumbles!  He  opines  that  the  Mumbles  "are  probably  a 
far  greater  menace  to  shipping,  than  five  out  of  the  six 
stations  that  head  the  list."  We  shall  not  disagree  with 
the  gentleman  on  that  particular  point,  and  principally  for 
the  reason  that  we  are  quite  convinced  that  any  liberties 
taken  with  the  Mumbles,  would  work  out  to  far  more 
serious  damage,  than  would  be  the  case  if  the  liberty-taker 
had  merely  practiced  on  sandy  reaches.  When  our  would- 
be  expert  comes  down  to  "  explanations,"  however,  we 
think  that  the  truth  of  the  situation  demands  some  little 
attention,  from  nautically-minded  folk  :  as  well  as  from 
those  whose  interest  in  the  truth  is  somewhat  more 
than  merely  evanescent  ! 


PARLIAMENT  is  "on"!  So  is  the  well-meaning  person 
who  wishes  to  awaken  the  British  Government,  from  the 
sleep  which  has  allowed  all  its  native  seamen  to  be  frozen 
out  of  the  native  tonnage.  Mr.  Austin  Taylor,  M.P.,  for 
instance,  has  held  a  meeting  for  members  of  the  House  of 
Commons,  who  are  especially  interested  in  shipping  matters. 
We  note  that  one  of  the  reasons  for  that  meeting's  exis- 
tence, is  to  alter  the  present  dependence  of  the  British 
Mercantile  Marine,  upon  the  foreign  element,  in  the  matter 
of  getting  suitable  hands.  The  alteration  is  supposedly  to 
come  about  by  providing  greater  facilities  for  the  training 
of  British  boy  sailors.  Why  will  not  these  good  people 
agree  to  either  drop  the  business,  and  allow  poor  old  Britain 
to  go  on  with  her  degeneration  ;  or  in  the  alternative, 
handle  the  subject  openly  and  fearlessly  ?  Good  heavens  ! 
There  is  no  lack  of  boy  sailor.  He  is  about  in  tens  of 
thousands.  What  the  Mercantile  Marine  is  short  of,  is 
men  sailors.  The  boy  part  of  the  show,  throw  up  the  life, 
long  before  they  have  arrived  at  even  a  lad's  estate.  Mr. 
Austin  Taylor  must  know  this,  equally  with  us  ;  and  if  he 
does  not,  then,  we  hasten  to  assure  him,  from  actual 
knowledge  of  the  facts,  that  this  is  the  whole  trouble. 


HERE  is  the  "explanation."  "Fewer  vessels  pass  the 
Mumbles,  while  the  notoriety  which  those  rocks  have 
attajned.  perhaps,  results  in  a  keener  watchfulness  and 
greater  caution  on  the  part  of  the  navigator."  There  you 
are.  CaidifF.  with  your  annual  turnover  of  21,000.000  tons 
of  export  alone—  to  say  nothing  of  your  imports  ;  there 
you  are.  Swansea  ;  same  to  you,  Newport  ;  you,  too,  Port 
Talbot  :  and  in  a  lesser  degree,  you,  Bristol  and  Sharpness. 
Amon^.the  whole  lot  of  you,  you  register  fewer  vessels 
than  do  the  picayune  places  on  the  East  Coast  !  Ain't  you 
duly  humble  about  it  ?  Can't  you  see  your  unworthiness 
in  this  connection  ?  Certainly  !  The  Mumbles  are  such  a 
scourge  to  suffering  mankind,  that  they  evoke  "greater 
caution  on  the  part  of  the  navigator  !  "  They  do,  so  great 
a  caution,  that  a  man  might  easily  keep  his  vessel  ten 
miles  outside  of  them  at  all  times,  without  being  very  much 
the  worse  for  his  efforts  !  Still,  the  full  column  had  to  be 
made  up  somehow,  or  Daily  Express  would  have  been 
bothered,  a  bit.  As  well  eke  out  the  column  with  sup- 
positions concerning  the  Mumbles,  as  on  any  other  topic  ? 
Even  so.  and  thus  let  it  pass  along  ! 

' 


PARLIAMENT  is  "  on,"  and  again  the  hardy  annuals  of  life 
are  to  the  fore.  There  is  that  Shipowners'  Negligence 
Remedies  Bill,  for  example.  We  are  glad  to  see  that  it  has 
weathered  its  second  reading,  and  may,  ultimately,  be  passed 
into  what  is  known  as  "  law."  Meanwhile  (and  in  the  past) 
the  foreign  shipowner  may  legally  come  across  to  Britain 

or  send  his  ship,  which  amounts  to  the  same  thing,  in  this 
connection  and  mangle  up  a  half  of  the  British  Empire, 
providing  he  does  it  with  rotten  gear,  etc.;  and  there  is 
never  a  word  can  be  said  to  him.  He  may  not  be  proceeded 
against,  unless  he  has  a  British  domicile—  and  you  may  be 
sure  'ie  will  never  have  that,  as  long  as  he  can  find'  accom- 
m&dating  "agents"  to  act  for  him,  on  reciprocal  lines! 
The  new  Bill  is  going  to  alter  all  that,  for  it  will  give 
facilities  for  the  arrest  of  the  offending  ship,  similar  to 
those  which  now  exist  in  the  matter  of  collision,  or  salvage 
cases.  Thus  slowly  moves  "the  greatest  country  on 
earth."  For  ages.  now.  the  Americans  have  had  the  same 
power,  and  they  have  been  supposed  to  count  but  little  as 
a  maritime  concern.  They  might  not  be,  but"  they  know 
how  to  protect  their  own  man.  if,  for  example,  a  grain 
bucket  drops  on  him.  thanks  to  a  faulty  link  in  a.  derrick- 
chain. 


You;  Mr.  Austin  Taylor;  us;  or  anybody;  can  get  as  many 
boy  sailors  as  ever  we,  you,  or  they,  care  to  trouble  about. 
Can  get  'em  in  ones,  in  twos,  in  twentys,  ay,  or  in  thousands. 
But  —  and  this  ,;.rwhere  you  must  ponder  carefully  -you 
cannot  keep  them  for  five  minutes  after  they  have  ceased 
to  be  boys,  and  when  they  are  blossoming  out  in..o  the 
whisker  (and  therefore  the  useful)  stage.  It  is  sailor- 
men  that  the  nation  is  in  need  of,  and  before  it  may  hope  to 
get  these,  it  must  agree  to  pay  them  at  least  a  wage  that 
compares  favourably  with  the  dock-wollopers.  Of  what 
use  is  it  to  go  on  twaddling  about  the  subject  ?  Dozens  of 
would-be  ameliators  have  essayed  the  job,  during  the  past 
decade  or  so,  and  with  what  result?  Why,  simply  that 
there  are  considerably  less  British  seamen  to-day,  than 
there  were  at  the  beginning.  Shouldn't  this  conclusively 
prove,  that  to-date,  the  tactics  have  all  been  wrong  ?  You 
do  not  need  any  Parliamentary  meetings  ;  any  indignation- 
talk  ;  all  that  is  necessary  is  to  pay  up,  and  look  big.  If 
this  is  impossible,  then  you  have  to  agree  to  the  sliding  back 
of  your  Homeland,  into  the  rut  which  will  mark  her  as  a 
fifth-rate  concern. 

rtS  '%& 
9ff  W 

SOMEHOW  or  oLher.  we  have  had  but  a  poor  appreciation 
for  the  Russian  Captain  Klado,  right  through  the  piece  of 
jiggery-pokery  which  will  go  down  in  history,  as  the  North 
Sea  Inquiry.  The  gentleman  has  too  keen  an  appreciation 
of  the  powers  of  self-advertisement,  and  that  is  a  bad  sign 
in  a  sailorman.  Furthermore,  the  person  talks,  more  or 
less,  as  his  internal  economy  guides  him,  and  that  is  a 
polite  manner  of  suggesting  that  he  talks  through  his  neck  ! 
However,  this  nautical  hero  has  left  Paris,  and  ere  his 
departure,  he  took  it  upon  himself  to  say  things.  Nay,  to 
ask  questions  which  neither  Parisian,  nor  anybody  else. 
seem  to  care  about  answering.  In  commenting  on  what  he 
was  pleased'  to  term  "the  redoubtable  Black  Sea  Fleet," 
Captain  Klado  waxed  somewhat  pathetic,  even  as  he  asked, 
"  Is  it  possible  to  oblige  a  Great  Power  fighting  for  its  life, 
which  is  being  menaced,  to  renounce  the  use  of  the 
sole  weapon  it  possesses  which  is  capable  of  delivering  a 
fatal  blow  to  the  enemy  ?  "  Poor  soul  !  Judging  by  the 
trend  of  affairs,  we  should  rather  incline  to  the  belief  that 
it  is  possible.  We  are  not  sure  about  the  cooping-up  of 
that  "  redoubtable  "  combination  being  a  "  revolting  and 
impossible  stupidity,"  and  we  should  have  thought  that 
friend  Klado  would  have  realised  the  position  by  this  time. 


March    10,   1-105 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


THE  fact  of  the  matter  is.  Captain  Klado  has  had  such  a 
good  time— for  a  Russian  sailor— in  Paris,  of  late,  that  he 
has  lost  his  grip  <  if  he  ever  had  one)  of  the  situation. 
Doesn't  understand  the  true  perspective.  Is  arguing  about 
what  doesn't  exist.  Possibly  if  a  really  Great  Power  were 
fighting  for  its  life,  it  might  be  allowed  to  make  use  of  any 
"  redoubtable  fleets "  which  it  might  have  on  hand.  But 
then.  Russia  is  no  longer  a  "  Great  Power."  It  is  merely 
a  conglomeration  of  disintegrated  atoms,  and  it  is  right 
here  that  the  Klado  person  gets  astray.  The  gentleman 
also  appears  to  forget  that  the  world  is  by  no  means 
enamoured  of  Russian  "  fleets."  and  the  questionable 
manner  in  which  their  "  nervy  "  officers  comport  them- 
selves, on  occasion.  Really,  the  world  has  had  quite 
enough  of  the  "  independent  firing  "  affair,  at  the  hands  of 
that  other  "  redoubtable "  fleet  which  sailed  away  for 
the  purpose  of  laying  in  a  stock  of  cat-fish,  and  other 
piscatorial  gems.  If  the  Black  Sea  arrangement  were 
trusted  outside  of  Cape  Helas.  then,  inside  of  a  week,  there 
would  be  mighty  little  of  the  Archipelago  left :  there  would 
be  chips  of  Mitylene.  and  chunks  of  Psara  all  over  the 
ambient-air-covered  place. 

01S 

IN  addition  to  the  chips  and  chunks,  there  would  probably 
be  bits  of  Russian  "  redoubtables "  also :  and  under  the 
circumstances,  it  is  far  better  for  Klado  to  remember  that 
he  has  a  possible  job  on  one  of  the  Black  Sea  units,  than  it 
would  be  for  him  to  sit  down  at  home,  and  warble  the 
Russian  equivalent  for  "  Toll  for  the  Bra»e  ?  "  Anyhow, 
that  is  how  it  strikes  us.  Another  instance  of  the  lack  of 
perspective  with  which  Klado  is  troubled,  lays  in  the  fact 
that  he  is  for  ever  talking  about  "  the  necessity  of  a  second 
war  with  Japan."  Why  doesn't  the  fire-eating  (in  fun  ) 
young  man  get  the  first  war  over  ?  Of  whatvse  is  it  to  go  on 
"  ragging  "  Japan  into  giving  the  overbearing  Bear  a  worse 
licking  than  he  would  otherwise  get  ?  There  is  no  sense 
in  the  argument  as  well  as  no  possibility  of  it  ever  being 
fulfilled.  Why  doesn't  somebody  tell  Klado.  that  in  con- 
nection with  fighting,  it  is  a  well-established  fact  that  if 
you  lick  your  opponent  until  he  is  demoralised,  he  will 
never  wish  to  come  and  have  another  shy  at  your  head. 
But  that  it  you  half-lick  him  to-day,  you  have  to  half-lick  him 
to-morrow.  "Necessity  of  a  second  war  be  jiggered. 
When  the  Jap  has  finished.  Klado  may  be  certain  of  the 
demoralisation  of  Russia. 

$?** 

We  are  sort  of  sorry  for  the  directorate  of  the  Orient 
Line  !  "  F'.eling."  among  the  hashers-up  of  Uie  Common- 
wealth, is  so  strong  against  them  .'  We  are  sorry,  too.  for 
Mr.  Sydney  Smith,  the  Australian  Postmaster-General 
This  gentleman  cannot  understand  why  the  Imperial 
authorities  are  placing  such  few  mails  and  parcels  on  the 
Orontes.  We  have  said  that  we  are  sorry  for  Mr.  Smith, 
and  it  is  true  :  we  are  also  glad  for  Mr.  Smith  '  You  see. 
it's  like  this  :  When  a  Commonwealth  Government  man 
admits  that  there  is  something  on  earth  which  he  cannot 
understand,  it  is  a  sign  of  returning  reason  :  and  with  a 
return  of  reason,  will  synchronise  the  resumption  of 
Australia's  onward  march  of  prosperity.  For  some  time 
past.  Australia  has  been  "  hung  up."  so  to  speak,  because 
her  governors  had  assimilated  the  idea  that  there  was 
precious  little  on  earth  which  they  didn't  tumble  to.  In 
other  words,  the  combination  was  suffering  from  swelled- 
head.  and  that  is  bad  for  a  baby  nation,  which  is  just  trying 
to  un-clamp  the  safety-pin  which  a  maternal  Government 
placed  in  its  little  "  binder  !  "  Now  that  the  Postmaster- 
General  admits  that  he  cannot  "  understand  why,"  in 
connection  with  such  a  small  thing  as  a  paucity  cf  letters 
and  parcels  for  one  steamer,  there  is  hope  for  the  Common- 
wealth. 


WHILE  on  the  subject,  we  would  ask  if  Mr.  Sydney  Smith 
understands  why  the  Commonwealth  Government,  having 
sickened  the  Old  Country's  steamer  companies,  has  rejected 
the  offer  of  that  Australian  steamer  line,  to  run  a  fortnightly 
service  to  Bombay  ?  It  is  stated  that  the  speed  is 
insufficient,  and  that  it  is  a  matter  of  doubt  as  to  whether 
the  proffered  boats  would  be  really  available.  But  then, 
speed  is  no  object  to  the  Commonwealth  Government,  is  it  ? 
It  can't  be.  or  they  would  never  have  played  the  deuce  with 
the  lines  which  have  raised  Australia  into  her  present 
position.  You  cannot  get  a  swagger  fleet  of  liners,  at 
tramp  rates  :  neither  can  you  hope  to  successfully  rope  in 
the  whole  earth— unless  you  have  already  secured  about 
nine-tenths  of  it.  It  is  all  buncombe  to  suggest  that  the 
Imperial  Government  is  assisting  the  Orient  Line,  in  its 
embarrassing  tactics,  by  not  using  the  boats  at  poundage 
rates.  We  have  declared,  time  and  again,  that  it  is  useless 
rushing  the  mails  out.  if  they  are  to  be  allowed  to  crawl 
home.  Apparently,  and  at  a  late  hour,  the  Commonwealth 
friend  is  beginning  to  realise  the  truth  of  our  statements. 
However,  better  late  than  never-  supposing  it  really  should 
be.  better  never  late  ! 

5?%? 

'  WE  have  always  had  somewhat  of  an  admiration 
for  Mr.  R.  Bell,  M.P..  who  more  or  less  represents 
the  railway  interest  in  this,  our  free  and  happy 
land.  We  believe  that  were  it  not  for  Mr.  Bell,  and  his 
all-pervadingness,  the  railways  of  this  country  would  have. 
long  since,  been  on  the  scrap  heap— and  that  wou'J  be  a 
national  calamity  ?  Think  of  it.  you  gentlemen  who  rush 
off  to  Lei..4 *vi  in  the  Luncheon  Car  attachment.  Have  you 
ever  given  a  sufficiency  of  moments  to  the  subject  of  your 
indebtedness  to  Mr.  Bell  ?  We'll  bet  you  haven't.  Will 
wager  that  you  have  just  gone  up  to  the  station  •  have 
thrown  yourself  with  wrappings,  and  THE  MARITIME 
REVIEW,  etc.  into  a  corner  :  fcave  cussed  wickedly  about 
the  delay  m  starting :  have  compared  your  thirty-guinea 
half-chronometer  with  the  big  clock  :  said  "  tut,  tut."  etc. 
-especially  etc.:  and  in  the  midst  of  it  all.  you  have  never 
thrown  one  thought  to  the  genial  soul,  who  is  doing  so 
much  for  the  few  railway  men  who  have  joined  some  kind 
of  a  union  Ko  !  You  have  never  considered  what  this 
world  would  be.  without  such  people  as  Mr.  Bell,  and 
thereby,  have  shown  your  wicked  callousness,  for  every- 
thing that  is  noble,  and  good.  We  know,  because  we  have 
watched  you  surreptitiously.  You  take  all  the  blessings 
as  a  matter  of  course  and  because  you  have  bought  a 
ticket ! 

fi?   fc 

HOWEVER,  your  indifference  will  eventually  meet  iU  own 
reward.  Meanwhile.  Mr.  Bell  attends  to  the  stern  business 
to  whioh  he  has  applied  himself.  Attends  meeting*  where 
down-trodden  humanity  is  the  chief  theme :  and  in  well- 
balanced,  and  equally  well-chosen  sentences,  he  bids  the 
patient  toilers  to  keep  away  from  despair :  or  ihat,  if 
despair  must  eventuate,  then,  the  subscriptions  to  the 
"  union "  rnus'.  continue,  all  the  same.  Consider  that 
Pontypridd  tweeting  of  a  few  days  ago,  if  you  doubt  us. 
Mr.  Bell  wa$  there.  He  is  always  somewhere,  for  that 
matter.  But  at  Pontypridd,  he  assured  the  crowd  that  he 
had  "read  with  keen  interest  (and  his  optics,  of  course ) 
that  there  wa»  going  to  be  a  monster  demonstration  in 
Pontypridd  of  the  Conservative  working  men  to  protest 
againt  payment  for  Parliamentary  representation."  That 
is  alright,  we  suppose,  although  somehow  or  other,  we  were 
under  the  impression  that  really,  the  Conservative  men 
were  on  the  road  \p  protest  against  Parliamentary  mis- 
representation. Bu^  we  hate  to  split  straws  in  any  such 
manner,  so  let  the  statement  pass—particularly  as  it 
emanated  from  Mr.  Bell  for  whom,  as  already  explained. 
we  have  a  certain  and  well-defined  amount  of  admiration. 


59 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


March   10,   1905 


MIND  you.  the  gentleman  admitted  that  there  were  other 
matters  of  a  controversial  nature,  but  he  would  be  well- 
advised  not  to  refer  to  them.  That's  a  fact  !  A  genuine 
fact,  understand  :  not  one  of  the  Yankee  persuasion. 
Going  further  with  his  explanation,  Mr.  Bell  admitted  that 
there  is  a  quantity  of  adverse  criticism  flung  up  against  the 
Miners'  Federation  and  that  is  another  fact  !  The  adverse 
criticism  against  the  Federation,  was  because  of  its  wicked- 
ness in  bringing  pressure  to  bear  against  the  non-Unionist 
element  in  the  mines  !  Now.  Mr.  Bell  approves  of  that 
pressure,  so  don't  you  good  people  be  passing  remarks  such 
as  "  We  should  think  so  !  "  for  Mr.  Bell  is  a  serious 
person  :  so  serious,  that  if  he  had  his  way.  he  would  apply 
the  same  principle  on  the  railway.  Eh.  you  luncheon  car 
folk?  You'd  get  it  then,  wouldn't  you?  But  Mr.  Bell 
contends  that  no  one  has  a  right  to  participate  in  that 
which  he  has  not  done  something  to  obtain  not  even  in 
breathing  the  air.  or  in  basking  in  the  sunlight,  unless  a 
dictated  strike  is  toward  ?  Dear  us  !  "  As  trades  unionists, 
they  should  endeavour  to  restore  the  position  they  possessed 
prior  to  the  Taff  Vale  judgment  in  1  900.  " 


WHEN  some  of  those  guardians  of  the  down-trodden 
workmen  are  called  to  a  happier  sphere  ;  when  their  earthly 
caskets  are  laid  down  for  the  last  time  :  when  their  sorrow- 
ing spirits  soar  upward  toward  the  pearly  gates  :  and  even 
while  i'Jrit  Peter  dodges  behind  the  wicket  for  the  purpose 
of  hunting  up  a  clean  hanky  :  you  might  find—  if  you  look— 
the  words  "Taff  Vale  judgment.  1900,"  en^aved  upon 
the  hearts  which  were  once  so  warm  in  defending  the  poor 
workman,  so  that  he  could  earn  enough  ooftish  with  which 
to  pav  his  weekly  sub.,  and  levies.  We  are  nearly  sure  of  this, 
and  principally  as  a  result  of  watching  the  earnest  pleadings 
of  the  workman's  friend.  To  the  "  labour  leader  "  -generally, 
the  words  "  Conservative  working  man  "  is  merely  another 
method  of  writing  poison.  But  even  so.  and  remembering 
that  the  doctors  assure  us  that  there  is  poison  in  most  of 
the  things  on  earth—  ay,  in  a  "  labour  leader,"  as  well  as  in 
a  Cabinet  Minister-  then,  the  poison  which,  .hjrks  around 
the  non-Unionist  Conservative  workman,  in  a  beneficent 
poison.  Being  so.  it  must  be  accepted,  by  even  such 
earnest  and  all-embracing  workers  as  Mr.  R.  Bell,  M.P. 
It's  a  pity,  we  know  ;  but  its  a  fact. 


ALTERNATIVE  explanations  are  about,  because  the  Ham- 
burg American  line  have  been  debarred  from  disposing  of 
their  superfluous  tonnage  to  Russia.  It  is  pretty  certain 
that  there  was  a  contract  between  the  German  line  and 
agents  of.  or  representatives  to.  the  Russian  Government, 
for  the  purpose  of  disposing  of  that  lovely  tonnage  ;  it  is 
equally  certain  that  the  contract  is  now  "off."  In  conse- 
quence. shipping  authorities  are  exercising  their  minds  as 
to  the  inward  thusness  of  the  thing.  Wish  to  know  if  the 
contract  has  been  annulled  through  dommand  of  the 
German  Foreign  Office,  or  whether  it  is  consequent  on 
rumours  of  peace  between  the  contending  nations  ?  We 
are  cold  that  the  latter  reason  finds  most  favour,  in  which 
case,  we  have  to  side  with  the  minority.  We  should  rather 
believe  that  the  German  Foreign  Office  has  intervened, 
because  it  is  not  absolutely  impossible  to  suppose,  that 
those  steamers  might  be  urgently  needed  elsewhere, 
directly—  especially  if  peace  is  about  to  be  discussed, 
between  Japan  and  Russia.  Anyhow,  the  mere  signing  of 
a  peace  contract,  would  not  do  away  with  Russia's  need  for 
steamers,  would  it  ?  In  fact,  it  is  quite  debatable  as  to 
which  country  would  need  them  most  —  after  the  peace  ; 
Germany  or  Russia.  At  least,  that  is  how  It  appears 
to  us  ! 


AT  the  recently-held  quarterly  meeting  of  our  friends  of 
the  Mercantile  Marine  Service  Association,  Captain  Trenery, 
marine  superintendent  for  the  Johnston  liners,  had  a  very 
interesting  talk  on  the  dearth  of  British  officers  in  the 
Mercantile  Marine.  This  was  following  or.  the  remarks 
which  the  Association  had  included  in  their  quarterly  re- 
port :  remarks  to  which  we  have  already  referred.  The 
worthy  captain  appeared  to  be  of  opinion  that  while  the 
situation  was  good  for  the  officers  involved,  it  was  bad  for 
the  country  at  large— exactly  as  we  have  been  remarking 
for  quite  a  while.  But  we  do  not  quite  follow -Captain 
Trenery  in  his  deductions — our  misfortune,  of  course,  and 
we  hasten  to,  acknowledge  it.  We  admit  that  the  time 
might  be  near,  when  the  cry  of  "  British  officers  for 
British  ships  "  will  be  raised  :  but  where  we  stop  short,  is 
in  the  statement  that  the  quoted  sentence  is  supposed 
to  be  a  "  much  more  desirous  demand  than  that  of  '  British 
sailors  for  British  ships.'  "  We  cull  both  from  the  pages  of 
an  esteemed  shipping  contemporary,  so  are  not  quite  clear 
who  is  to  blame  in  the  implied  taunt,  that  a  British  officer 
is  not  a  sailor.  The  part  might  be  greater  than  the  whole, 
but  to  our  mind — and  we  claim  to  be  sailors — if  you  once  get 
British  ships  manned  by  British  sailors,  you  need  have  no 
fear  for  your  supply  of  officers. 

E#    9^3 

E&<     ie3 

EH  ?  There  is  nearly  as  much  worry  in  finding  suitable 
names  for  the  London  County  Council's  fleet  of  up-to-five- 
pence  steamers,  as  there  was  in  getting  the  necessary 
permission  to  engage  in  trade  rivalry,  with  the  good  folk 
who  will  have  ,o  foot  the  bill,  when  the. possible  loss  romps 
home !  Of  course,  such  a  mere  travesty  as  is  contained 
within  the  shout  of  "  What  shall  we  christen  the  'joy,  old 
girl,"  is  not  calculated  to  hoodoo  the  Rivers  Committee, 
and  on  Tuesday  last,  they  congregated  to  decide  the — to 
them — momentous  question.  With  their  decision,  we  have 
no  interest,  as  we  do  not  see  that  a  G.G.  boat  ambling  along 
under  the  name  of  King  Alfred,  will  be  inclined  to  "  drop  " 
more  money  than  if  she  we  re-named  Ethelred  the  ufiready  : 
or  if  she  were  known  to  fame  as  Pussy  Cat,  in  lieu  of 
Whittington.  To  our  mind,  it  would  have  been  more 
suitable  to  have  named  those  boats  after  the  larger 
luminaries  on  the  Council,  who,  because  they  couldn't 
forget  it,  elected  to  give  their  support  to  a  schema, which  is 
likely  to  make  the  gentle  Londoner  realise  the  ^xact  value 
of  the  saying  which  has  come  from  America,  and  which  is 
expressed  in  the  choice  sentence  of  "  He  bit  off  more'n  he 
could  chaw  ! "  »oe  %« 

SU  &J3 

THE  largest  steamer  owned  in  Cardiff,  has  .been  launched 
by  Messrs.,  Wm.  Doxford  &  Sons,  Ltd.,  Sufierland,  this 
being  the  Wellington,  built  to  the  order  of  Messrs.  W.  J. 
Tatem  &  Co.  She  is  certainly  the  largest,  and  probably 
the  best  equipped  steamer  owned  at  Cardiff,  and,  as  a  cargo 
boat,  is  equal  to  anything  afloat,  being  suitable  for  any 
trade  whatever.  Her  dimensions  are :  Length,  390ft; 
breadth,  55ft.;  depth.  30ft.;  and  she  is  estimated  to  carry 
9.000  tons  deadweight,  on  a  mean  draft  of  24  feet.  Built 
to  the  popular  turret  system  (single  deck),  which  possesses 
many  advantages  over  the  ordinary  type  of  steamer,  having 
greater  freeboard,  very  low  register  tonnage,  large  dead- 
weight and  great  strength,  she  is  well  adapted  for  carrying 
bulk  cargoes.  The  main  engines,  with  their  auxiliaries, 
etc.,  are*  we  ;jelieve,  the  most  complete  and  powerful  yet 
fitted  in  any  Cardiff-owned  steamer,  and  are  capable  of 
developing  2.500  horse-power — sufficient  to  drive  the 
steamer  10  knots,  when  loaded.  Engines  26in..  43in., 
72in.  x  48in.  stroke;  two  single-ended  boilers  16ft.  x  12ft. 
working  at  180  Ibs.,  pressure  and  fitted  with  Howden's 
Forced  Draught.  She  has  eleven  large  steam  winches,  and 
twelve  extra  strong  derrick  masts,  to  give  the  best  obtain- 
able arrangements  for  rapid  loading  and  discharging.  As 
already  stated,  the  steamer  is  eminently  suitable  for  grain 
and  bulk  cargoes  :  and  will,  it  is  believed,  load  a  full  cargo 
of  coal  without  any  trimming,  whatever. 


March  10,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


5?     SHIPBUILDING, 

t^^^^rV— •'•^•vX-^-'^v'-v— •— ^-A^-^^^v/— v— ^~i^-v^^/-v— *~** 


THERE  is  a.  decided  tapering  off  in  the  number  of  new 
orders  placed,  shipowners,  no  doubt,  seeing  nothing  in  the 
freight  outlook  to  justify  building  more  tonnage.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  the  present  outlook  is  such  as  to  justify 
the  anticipation  that  the  trading  results  of  the  current  year 
will  be  even  more  disappointing  than  those  of  1904.  Still, 
during  the  first  two  months  of  the  year,  the  rush  of  new 
contracts  was  of  an  unprecedented  character,  owing  to  the 
general  impression  that  the  cost  of  building  had  about 
reached  the  low  watermark. 

LAST  week  we  stated  that  Messrs.  Furness.  Withy 
&L  Co..  Ltd..  West  Hartlepool.  had  secured  orders  for  the 
construction  of  several  large  cargo  steamers,  from  Messrs. 
Cayzer.  Irvine  &  Co..  Glasgow.  We  now  learn  that  the 
order  is  for  four  steamers,  each  with  a  deadweight  capacity 
of  between  6.00O  and  7.000  tons.  These  new  boats  to  be 
built  at  West  Hartlepool.  in  addition  to  those  on  order  at 
Messrs.  Doxfords',  Sunderland.  are  intended  to  replace  the 
six  old  steamers  recently  sold  by  the  Clan  Line,  of  which 
three  were  taken  over  in  part  payment  by  Messrs.  Furness, 
Withy  &  Co..  Ltd..  and  disposed  of  to  a  Bombay  firm. 

THE  Smith  Dock  Company.  Limited.  North  Shields,  have 
booked  orders  for  the  construction  of  two  new  vessels  of  a 
fair  size,  and  of  special  type.  One  is  for  a  twin  screw 
steamer  of  230  feet  long,  specially  designed  for  trading  in 
the  Sea  of  Azof,  and  is  for  Russian  accounts  The  other  is 
for  a  high  speed  awning  deck  passenger  steamer,  of  about 
1.100  tuns  capacity  for  Argentine  owners. 

THE  Midland  Railway  Company  have  contracted  with 
Messrs.  Ferguson  Brothers.  Port  Glasgow,  for  the  con- 
struction of  a  powerful  twin  screw  combined  tawing,  salvage 
and  passenger  steamer. 

MESS**.  WM.  SIMONS  &  Co..  Ltd..  Renfrew,  have  received 
an  order  from  the  Kurrachee  Port  Trust  for  a  powerful 
hopper  dredger. 

MESSRS.  NAPIER  &  MILLER.  Yoker.  have  received  an  order 
from  Glasgow  owners,  for  the  construction  of  a  steamer  of 
about  8.0OO  tons  deadweight. 

•f  +  -f 

A  NEW  steel  screw  cargo  steamer,  now  building  for  London 
owners,  by  Messrs.  J.  Blumer  &  Co..  Sunderland.  has  been 
sold  to  Messrs.  Wilson  &  Co..  Gothenburg.  Her  dimensions 
are  314ft.  4in.  x  46ft.  6in.  x  20ft.  7in.:  single  deck  type, 
with  cargo  poop,  long  bridge  and  file  :  carries  4.800  tons 
deadweights  h  $0ft  draft.  The  machinery  will  be  supplied 
by  the  North  Eastern  Marine  Engine  Co..  Ltd  .  with  engines 
23in..  38m..  62in.  x  42in.  stroke,  and  two  large  single  ended 
boilers.  We  understand  the  price  paid  is  about  £30.000. 

*   •»•   -f 

WE  hear  that  Messrs.  W.  H.  Cockerline  &  Co..  Hull,  have 
purchased  a  new  4.800  tons  deadweight  steamer,  building 
by  the  Sunderland  Shipbuilding  Company.  Ltd. 

+  -»-  + 

THE  Hamburg-American  Line  are  the  purchasers  of  the 
steamer  OreHana.  reported  sold  in  our  last  issue,  by  the 
Pacific  Steam  Navigation  Co..  Liverpool.  The  same  pur- 
chasers have  also  purchased  the  Pacific  liner  Orcana.  She 
was  built  and  engined  by  Messrs.  Harland  &  Wolff.  Ltd.. 
Belfast,  in  1893.  Dimensions  401ft.  x  47ft.  6in.  x  27ft. 
4in.:  4.803  tons  gross  :  with  engines  29in-.  48in..  79in.  x 
60in.  stroke.  We  understand  £72.0OO  was  paid  for  the  pair. 

•f     4      -f 

THE  iron  screw  steamer  Guildhall,  lately  owned  by  Messrs. 
T.  Bowen  Rees  &  Co..  London,  has  been  sold  to  Swedish 
buyers.  She  was  built  in  1882.  by  Messrs.  R.  Thompson 
&  Sons.  Sunderland.  Dimensions  327ft.  Sin.  x  40ft.  lin. 
x  23ft.:  2.929  tons  gross  :  with  engines  23in..  32in..  64in. 
x  48in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  W.  Doxford  &  Sons. 


THE  iron  screw  steamer  Sylfaen,  lately  owned  by  Mr. 
George  Gouper.  of  Helmsdale.  has  been  sold  to  Messrs. 
Mann.  Macneal  &  Co..  Glasgow.  She  was  built  by  Messrs. 
Fullerton  &  Co..  Paisley,  in  1883.  Dimensions  160ft.  x 
23ft.  x  1 1ft.  7in.;  398  tons  gross  :  with  engines  20in.. 
38in.  x  24in.  stroke  by  Messrs.  W.  King  &  Co..  Glasgow. 
The  steamer  will  be  renamed  Earlford. 

•f  -f  -f 

MESSRS.  WRIGHT.  GRAHAM  &  Co.,  Glasgow,  have  sold  their 
steel  screw  steamer  Fa//s  of  Keltie.  to  Messrs.  Wm.  Esplen, 
Jun.  &  Co-.  Liverpool,  at  about  £22.500.  She  was  built  by 
Messrs.  Russell  &  Co..  Port  Glasgow,  in  1898.  Dimensions 
329ft.  6in.  x  48ft.  x  23ft.  5in.:  carries  about  5.400  tons 
deadweight.  Machinery  by  Messrs.  J.  G.  Kincaid  &  Co., 
with  engines  24in..  40in..  65in.  x  42in.  stroke. 

•f  -f   + 

THE  iron  screw  steamer  Sultana,  owned  by  Messrs.  T. 
Wilson,  Sons  &t  Co..  Ltd..  Hull,  is  reported  sold  to  foreigners. 
She  was  built  by  the  Blyth  Shipbuilding  Co..  Ltd..  Blyth,  in 
1888.  Dimensions  266ft.  x  36ft.  lin.  x  23ft.:  1,920  tons 
gross  ;  with  engines  23in..  36in..  60in.  x  36in.  stroke. 

•f  +  + 

THE  iron  screw  steamer  Thomas  Turnbull,  lately  owned 
by  Messrs.  T.  Turnbull  &  Son.  Whitby.  is  reported  sold  to 
London  buyers  at  about  £5.000.  She  was  built  at  >''hitby. 
by  Messrs.  Turnbull.  in  1880.  Dimensions  276ft.  2in.  x 
36ft.  4in.  :  24ft.  Sin. :  1.974  tons  gross:  with  engines 
34 '2 in.,  64in.  x  42in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  Blair  &,  Co.,  Ltd. 

•»•  -f  + 

THE  iron  screw  steamer  March,  lately  owned  by  Messrs. 
T.  Turnbull  At  Son.  Whitby,  is  reported  sold  to  London 
buyers  a|  about  £5.250.  Sha  was  built  at  Whitby.  by 
Messrs.  Turnbull,  in  1883.  Dimensions  286ft.  x  36ft.  x 
24ft.  lin.:  1.969  tons  gross  :  with  engines  34m.,  63in.  x 
36in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  T.  Richardson  &  Sons. 

•f  +  •»• 

IT  is  reported  that  the  Allan  Line  has  secured  the  con- 
tract from  tHe  Canadian  Government  for  a  steamship 
service  between  Canada  and  France. 

•f  -f  -f 

THE  iron  screw  steamer  Caffila.  lately  owned  by  Messrs. 
Dunford  &  Elliott.  Newcastle,  is  reported  sold  to  Japanese 
buyers  at  about  £9,000.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  Bartram. 
Haswell  &.  Co..  ounderland.  in  1882.  Dimensions  285ft. 
Sin.  x  37ft.  2in.  x  24ft.  4in.:  2.095  tons  gross:  with  engines 
36in.,  68in.  x  45in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  R.  &  W.  Hawthorn. 

+  +  -f 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Lestris.  owned  by  the  Cork 
Steam  Shipping  Company.  Limited.  Cork,  is  reported  sold 
to  German  buyers.  She  was  built  and  engined  by  Messrs. 
Wigham.  Richa-xison  &  Co..  Newcastle,  in  1895.  Dimen- 
sions 255ft.  3ir.  x  33ft.  7in.  x  19ft.  Sin.:  1.300  tons  gross: 
with  engines  2lia..  32'2in..  54in.  x  39in.  stroke. 

•f  -f  + 

THE  iron  screw  steamer  Athens,  lately  owned  by  Messrs. 
Nelson.  Donkin  &  Co..  London,  has  been  sold  to  foreigners 
at  about  £5.000.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  C.  Mitchell  & 
Co..  Newcastle,  in  1877.  Dimensions  315ft.  9in.  x  35ft. 
7in.  x  26ft.:  2.313  tons  gross  :  with  engines  2 lin.,  33in.. 
55in.  x  45in.  stroke,  by  the  Wallsend  Slipway  Company. 

•»•  +  -f 

THE  iron  steam  trawler  Glendevon.  lately  owned  by  Mr. 
A.  Robertson,  Sen..  North  Shields,  has  been  sold  to  Mr.  J. 
Hall.  Sunderland.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  Edwards 
Bros.,  North  Shields,  in  1898.  Dimensions  94ft.  x  19ft.  x 
10ft:  with  engines  15in..  31in.  x  22in.  stroke. 


fii 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


March   10,   1905 


ff 


FRIDAY.  MARCH  10.   1905. 


THE    ANNUAL    NAVAL    JOKE! 


."Nail  probability,  there  is  no  phase  of  Govern- 
mental   effort    which    is   fraught  with  more 
serious    meaning   to    the    Briton,    than   that 
which  meanders  along  under  the  title  of  "Navy 
Estimates:"  and  at  the  same  time,  it  is  doubtful 
whether  he  dismisses  any  piece  of  Government 
business  with  such  perfunctory  consideration,   or  with  a 
more  lordly  wave  of  the  hand !     The  average  citizen  "cocks 
his  eye"  over  the  First  Lord's  "  statement  of  accounts  :  " 
skims  along  down  the  page  until  he  arrr.-es  at  the   words, 
"  Altogether,  whether  for  the  active  service  ratings  of  the 
Navy  . . .  Royal  Marines  ...  or  for  the  Royal  Naval  Reserves, 
nothing  could  be  more  satisfactory  than  the  numbers  and 
quality  of  those  wishing  to  join    His   Majesty's  forces:" 
and  by  this  time,  the  a.c.   has   gradually  worked   himself 
into  the  environs  of  the  state  beatific  !     Is  nearly  sure  that 
all  is  right  with  the  world— or  with  his   particular  portion 
thereof :     and    on    reaching  a   statement  which   wobbles 
along  as>  "  Indeed,  the  number  of  eligible  candidates  is  far 
in  exe«3g  of  the  requirements  :  "  well,  the  a.c.  is  satisfied. 
So  much  so.  that  he  turns  off  into  the  handiest  divorce- 
court  report  :    to  the  florid  description  of  a  foo'coall  match  ; 
to  the  latest  example  of  "  unspeakable   bliss  "   with  which 
the  world  may  be  humbugged  :  and  — and — well,  and  there 
you  are!     Somehow  or  other,  the  qualifying  word  "eligible," 
in  front  of  "  candidates,"  as  used  above,  seldom  appears  to 
have  any  very  great  meaning  with  the  a.c.     Events  might 
conclusively  show  that  matters  appertaining  to   our  First 
Line  of  Defence  are  anything  but  reassuring ;    the  heads 
might  be  blown  off  sundry   of  the   population   of  a  given 
locality,  and  the  nation  might  decide  to  "  go  to  law  about 
it."  even  after  the  manner  of  two   char-ladies  with  equal 
claims  to  the    possession    of    the    samer  galvanised-iron 
bucket :    warships  might  be  recalled  from  foreign  stations 
so  that  their  crews  shall   be  utilised   as  "nucleus   crews7' 
for  some  of  the  new   fighting-ships  just  completed  ;    so- 
called  "  obsolete "  warships  might  be  disposed  of  for  the 
same  purpose  :    endeavours  might  be  made  to  turn  soldiers 
into  stokers;  orany  of  the  thousand-and-one  "expediencies" 
so  common  with  Naval  Lords,  might  be  lri&:fged  in  :  but  it 
is  all  the  same  to  the  average  citizen— providing  the  usual 
tag   concerning   "the  number   of  eligible  candidates"  is 
glued  on  to  the  end  of  the  Navy   Estimates.    The   mere 
fact  tlut  the  Mercantile  Marine  is  of  negative  value  as  a 
recruiting  ground  for  the  Navy,  doesn't  matter  a  toss  ;    if 
the  alleged  "boy  sailor"  scheme  is  a  bigger  fizzle  than 
sailormen  declared  that  it  would  be  :    if.  day  by  day.  there 
is  a  greater  difficulty  experienced  in  finding  even  those 
"  nucleus  crews  "  referred  to  :    well,  it  is  ill  right,  as  long 
as  the  pious  declaration   is  made  that   "  the  number  of 
eligible  candidates  (for  the  Navy)  is  far  in  excess  of  the 
requirements."     However,  as  reviewers,  lei  us  consider  the 
"report"  which  accompanies  the  latest-issued  balance  sheet 
that  is  connected  with  the  tools  with  which   Britain,  more 
or    less    successfully,    "  Rules  the   Waves."      Concerning 
the  Administration,  we  are   informed    that    no    important 
changes    have    been    made— since   the   last    meeting    of 
the  directors !      Changes  that  were  reported  in  previous 
balance-sheets.  "  are  all  working  well  "—praise   de   lor' : 
de  Sea  Lor',  you  understand.     There  has  been  a  re-adjust- 
ment in   the   distribution   of   business,   to  the    extent    of 
eliminating  from  the   work    of  the    Senior  Naval    Lord, 
everything  that  is  not  concerned  with  importanl  naval  policy 


—such  as  .aceiving  sundry  broadsides  of  shot  and  shell 
from  a  neutral  power,  and  in   a  laying-down  position  !     At 
the  same  psychological  moment,  opportunity  was  taken  to 
resuscitate  the  old  titles  of  "  Sea  Lord  "—with  the  hope 
(unrealised,  so  far)  that  by  so  doing,  the   old  spirit  which 
actuated  "  Sea  Lords,"  might  be  a  little  more  in  evidence  ? 
Anyhow,  the  titles  of  the  Naval  directorate   in  future,  will 
be  First  Sea  Lord.   Second  Sea  Lord,  Third  Sea  Lord  and 
Controller,  and  Fourth  Sea  Lord  — so  that  the  Board,  hence- 
forth,   will  be  on    a  par  with  a  first-class  cargo  boat,  in 
that  it  will  have  a  skipper,   and  three   mates  !     The  next 
item,  is  that  a  Committee   has  been  appointed   '  to  inquire 
into  the  present  system   of  dockyard  organisation  and  ad- 
ministration as  it  affects  the  personne/  and   the   execution 
of  shipbuilding  and  repairs."     We  are  not  quite  sure  if  this 
is  resultant  from   the  fact  that  sundry  dockyard  employes 
have  been  caught  in  the  wickedness  exemplified  by  striking 
two  blows  with   a  hammer,  without  stopping  to  wipe  the 
hammer  shaft  after  each  blow.     But  in   the  words  of  the 
directors,  "  it  is  hoped  that  an  increase  of  efficiency  and  of 
economy  will  result  from  the  labours  of  the  Committee"- 
and  that  is  a  good  thing,  for  there   is  ample  room  for  both 
items  ?     Don't  forget,  too,  that  "  it  is  especially  desired  that 
references  and  correspondence  may  be  minimised  and  that 
a  fuller  decentralisation  of  the  dockyards  from  the  Admir- 
alty and    an  ampler  devolution   of  responsibility  upon  the 
Admirals  Superintendent  may  be  achieved."    You  need  not 
re-read   that  last  quotation  :  it  only  means  that  there  is 
going  to  be  less  red-tape  around — by-and-bye.     We   admit 
that  the  statement  needs  "decentralising"  and  "devolu- 
tionating  "  a  bit :  but  after  you  have  wrestled  with  it  for  a 
whole  week,  you  will  only  arrive  at  the  idea  that  there  is  to 
be  less  red-tape  in  dockyard  business,  in  future.     Pass  we 
now  to  the  personnel  side  of  the  report.     Leaving  out  the 
pious  belief  that  Sub-lieutenants  undergoing   a  course  of 
gunnery  instruction,  would  do  better  if  detailed  to  Whale 
Island — where  "society"   is  somewhat  restricted —instead 
of  being  allowed  to  wallow  along  at  Greenwich,  as  aforetime, 
let  us   consider  the   case   of   "young  Surgeons  and  young 
Clergymen,  who  might  not   desire  to  make  the  Navy  their 
permanent  sphere  of  work."     It  will   be  noticed   that  the 
directors  attach  more  importance  to  the  cure  of  bodies,  than 
to  the  cure   of   souls.     It   would   also  appear  that  those 
directors  are   by  no  means  averse  to  off erin?  -facilities  of 
practice,  to  both  Surgeons  and  Singeons  !     That   is,  either 
of  the  professions  may  unload  their  budding  aspirants  on  to 
the  Navy  "  for  four  or  five  years,  at  the  end  cf  which  time 
they  might  either  join  the  service  permanently  at  the  dis- 
cretion  of   the   Admiralty,   or  leave   it  with  a  substantial 
gratuity."     Eh?     There  is  a  good  time  comjng-fpr  "young 
Surgeons  and  young  Clergymen  "  ?     Our  congratulations 
to    both    professions :    it    isn't  often  that    a    somewhat- 
callous    Department    elects    to    give    opportunities — and 
substantial    gratuities — where     they    are    most    needed. 
Mind    you,    "it    is    still    too    soon    to    say  whether  this 
scheme  is  going  to  attract  additional  candidates  for  appoint- 
ment."    And  "going  to  attract  additional  candidates"  is 
merely  a  slip  of  the  pen  ;  is  a  bit  of  careless  editing  ;  for 
you  are  told  at  the  bottom,  that,   ".Indeed,  the  number  of 
eligible  candidates  is  far  in  excess  of  the  requirements  !  " 
Where  you  have  an  excess,  you  do  not  need  "to  attract 
additional  candidates,"  do  you  ?     But  let  us  get  on.     "  The 
gunnery  of  the  Fleet  continues  steadily  to  improve  " — and 
later    on,    it  "will    be    good    enough   to    use    in    connec- 
tion    with     murderers     who     practice     their     'prentice 
hands     (and     guns)     on    inoffensive    British     subjects? 
Coming    along    to     officers,     seamen,    boys,    and    Royal 
Marines  (the  latter,  alone,  being  worthy  of  capital  letters, 
presumably  as  an  incentive  to  their  consenting  to  pose  as 
stokers?)  we  note  that  for  1905-6  there  is  a  reduction  on 
the  previous  year  of  just  2,100  all  told.     But  don't  imagine 
that  this  is  in  consequence  of  having  too  many   "  eligible 
candidates "  to   pick  from.     It   isn't !     The   Chairman  of 
Directors  says  that   "This  reduction  is  consequential  on 


March   10,  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


the  policy  ...  of  eliminating  from  the  Navy  as  many  ships 
as  possible  that  would  be  comparatively  ineffective  fighting 
factors  in  time  of  war."  The  italics  are  ours.  Those 
"  obsolete  "  ships  would  not  be  altogether  ineffective  fight- 
ing factors  :  merely  comparatively  so.  Exactly  what  we 
have  been  arguing,  for  quite  a  while.  The  Naval  Directors 
cannot  procure  enough  hands,  so  they  dispose  of  a  number 
of  the  ships  !  Still,  you  should  not  forget  that  "  If  there 
had  not  been  this  reduction  of  men  and  boys  there  would 
have  been  a  considerable  increase  on  the  vote  for  pay.' 
There  would  have  been— unless  the  directors  anticipated  a 
continuance  of  that  "  get  'em  for  nothing  "  policy  which  has 
made  "  nucleus  crews  "  so  very  common  to-day.  Remem- 
bering that  old  tag  anent  the  eligible  candidates  being  in 
excess  of  the  requirements,  it  will  be  well  for  you  to  bear 
in  mind,  also,  that  "the  experiment  of  enlisting  a  certain 
( or  uncertain,  which  is  it  ? )  number  of  non-continuous 
service  seamen  and  stokers  has  been  successful,  and  it  is 
proposed  to  increase  the  proportion  "  not  because  there  is 
anything  doubtful  in  the  claim  that  the  supply  is  very  much 
in  excess  of  the  demand.  Oh.  dear,  no  !  But  simply  for 
the  reason  that  the  men  so  enlisted,  will  tend  toward 
increasing  the  numbers  of  the  Royal  Fleet  Reserve  ! 
What's  that?  Would  be  better  if  the  directors 
took  their  shareholders  into  their  confidence  ?  Of 
course  it  would !  Unpleasant  facts  have  been  glossed 
over  in  the  past,  and  the  service  has  gone  from  bad  to 
worse  :  is  continuing  on  the  same  tack:  and  will  so  continue, 
until  the  situation  is  faced  openly,  and  with  intent  to  mend 
it  Most  of  us  are  prepared  to  believe  the.  Chairman  of 
Naval  Directors,  when  he  says  "  I  do  no"t  believe  the 
Fleet  has  ever  been  in  a  rr.ore  perfect  state  of  repair 
than  it  is  at  the  present  moment."  What  some  of  us 
would  be  better  pleased  to  know,  is  that  the  concatenation 
of  perfect  repair  were  fully  manned  "  at  the  present 
moment :  "  that  it  had  a  sufficient  amount  of  reserves  to 
fall  back  on  :  and  that  there  were  a  possibility  of  increasing 
those  same  reserves  director  it  had  become  depleted  by  war. 
or  other  cause  the  prevalence  of  "the  young  Surgeon." 
for  instance  !  When  we  further  read  that  "Recruiting  for 
the  Royal  Naval  Reserve  has  also  been  satisfactory."  we 
are  prone  to  remark  that  we  should  like  to  know  *here  the 
"  satisfactory  "  particular  comes  in.  The  recruiting  might 
be  satisfactory  to  the  Naval  Board  :  but  expressed  in  hard 
figures,  will  it  be  pretended  that  it  is  so  to  the  nation?  We 
say  "  No  "—most  emphatically.  At  present,  the  R.N.R 
staff  stands  at  29.500.  Of  what  practical  use  would  that 
little  lot  be.  if  Britain  really  had  to  stand  up  and  prove  the 
national  claim  of  Mistress  of  the  Seas?  And  let  it  not  be 
forgotten  that  tie  29.500  referred  to.  is  the  very  outside 
limit  that  we  could  depend  on  :  that  they  are  made  up  of  all 
sorts  and  conditions :  good,  bad  and  indifferent :  that  their 
natural  place  in  the  economy  of  the  nation  is  gradually 
being  filled  with  the  so-called  "cheap  alien;"  in  which 
case,  it  will  be  understood  that  the  Naval  Estimates  and 
the  report  which  accompanies  them— are.  indeed,  even  as 
we  have  labelled  them— the  annual  Naval  joke !  Ere 
leaving  it  for  this  occasion,  let  us  remind  you  that  it  was 
recommended  "that  the  Board  should  aim  at  a  total  reserve 
force  of  50  per  cent,  of  the  members  required  to  mobilise 
the  Fleet,  harbour  establishments,  signal  stations,  etc." 
The  Chairman  of  Directors  remarks  that  he  is  "  glad  to  be 
able  to  report  that  this  standard  has  now  bee",  reached, 
and  that  after  such  mobilisation  for  war.  the  number  of 
active  service  ratings  i  on  paper?)  Royal  Fleet  Reserve, 
Royal  Naval  Reserve,  and  Royal  Naval  Volunteer  Reserve, 
which  would  remain  available,  amount  to  the  required 
total."  The  noble  Lord  might  mean  well :  we  believe  he 
does.  But  seeing  that  the  "  total  number  of  officers, 
seamen,  boys.  Coast-guards,  and  Royal  Marines  "  for  the 
ensuing  year  amounts  to  129.000:  that  50  per  cent,  of 
this  number  will  equal  64.500  men  'and  boys  ! ):  that  the 
R.N.R.  (on  paper)  amounts  to  merely  29.500  of  this  total  ; 
well,  there  is  a  big  effort  needed  to  find  and  keep  the  other 
35.000— don't  you  think  ? 


FRENCH    COMMERCIAL    EXPANSION. 

IT  will  be  conceded  that  the  Frenchman  carries  out  his 
business  efforts,  even  as  does  he  his  pleasures— 
seriously  :  and  thus  it  comes  about  the  Simplon  Tun- 
nel, together  with  all  the  vistas  of  increased  trade 
which  it  opens  out,  are  sized  up  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Silver  Streak,  for  all  they  are  worth— if  not  just  a  bit  over! 
In  the  first  place,  the  tunnel  will  bring  Switzerland— to  say 
nothing  of  the  countries  which  are  in  its  immediate  vicinity — 
in  closer  touch  with  the  Atlantic  seaboard  and,  providing  the 
French  side  of  the  deal  is  willing  to  accept  its  responsibilities 
in  the  matter  of  providing  suitable  railroads  for  the  increased 
traffic.  France  will  inevitably  be  the  greatest  gainer  from 
the  new  conditions  which  are  rapidly  maturing.  Other 
countries  will  have  a  share  in  the  good  time  coming,  of 
course  :  but  to  France— if  she  is  awake  to  her  interests — 
will  come  the  lion's  share.  The  new  route  will  appreciably 
shorten  the  distance  between  Paris  and  Milan,  so  that  it  is 
competent  to  suppose  that  a  fairly  big  chunk  of  what  used 
to  be  St.  Gothard  traffic  will  come  along  to  the  new  line. 
Again,  it  is  but  natural  to  suppose  that,  in  the  near  future, 
the  Indian  mail  will  dive  under  the  Simplon,  on  its  way 
East,  and  this  will  give  France  the  transport  of  the  English 
portton  of  that  same  mail.  We  are  prone  to  admit  that  the 
extensions  are  not  by  way  of  materialising  in  five  minutes, 
so  to  speak  :  but  that  they  will  materialise  eventually,  is 
fairly  certain.  It  will  necessarily  cost  a  pot  of  money, 
before  the  French  companies  have  laid  down  spjid  and 
efficient  railroads  that  may  be  depended  on  to  e^ure  a 
regular  service  under  all  weather  conditions :  but  the 
money  is  tli-  ra.  :  so  is  the  enterprise  which  is  necessary  for 
the  spending  thereof.  In  addition  to  the  money  and  enter- 
prise. France  also  possesses  another  incentive  in  the  shape 
of  ready-made  ports  on  the  Atlantic  sea-board.  Think  of 
Bordeaux.  La  Rochelle.  Nantes.  St.  Nazaire,  Havre-,  etc.. 
all  ready  for  an  increased  traffic  with  the  New  World  :  both 
outward  and  nomeward.  All  that  is  necessary,  is  to  place 
those  ports  in  direct  railway  communication  with  the  Swiss 
opening-in-the-rock.  and  there  is  going  to  be  weeping,  and 
gnashing  of  teeth,  among  the  population  of  the  land  which 
is  France's  hereditary  enemy  ;  the  land  where  they  make 
sausages,  and  tly'ngs  !  In  this  connection,  it  is  well  to  re- 
member that  tl»e  French  Government  had  decided  to 
re-arrange  its  railroads,  long  before  the  Simplon  had  a 
"  worm-hole  through  its  base."  That  the  re-arrangement 
will  now  proceed  in  style,  may  be  taken  for  granted.  In  the 
past,  a  commission  was  appointed  :  an  inquiry  was  opened 
at  the  Ministry  qf  Commerce:  different  projects  were 
considered  :  and  jt.  of  some  three  suggestions,  one  has 
been  accepted  which  has  the  support  of  both  French 
and  Swiss,  although  it  will  involve  plenty  of  tui.nel- 
— cutting  through  the  Faucille  region.  However,  when  one 
sets  out  to  plan  railroads  through  mountainous  regions, 
one  has  to  be  prepared  to  go  under,  as  well  as  over, 
the  difficulties.  Both  methods  of  progression  will  be 
adopted,  and  the  interested  outsider  is  already  busy  in 
prophesying  all  manner  of  fizzles  in  connection  with 
this  newest  girding  of  the  earth  the  wish,  indubitably, 
being  father  to  the  thought !  With  it  all,  the  French 
authorities  are  not  losing  sight  of  the  necessity  for 
coupling  Marseillas  on  to  the  string.  Access  to  the  port  of 
Marseilles  will  have  to  be  considered  in  all  the  future 
economics  of  La  Belle  France— not  only  by  water,  but  also 
by  land.  This  access  is  by  no  means  overlooked,  and  some- 
how or  other,  there  is  a  quantity  of  food  for  consideration 
in  the  claims  of  the  Reverend  Baxter,  that,  at  some  time 
in  the  near  future,  where  Germany  is  now,  will  be  a  con- 
tinuation of  France  :  that  on  to  the  continuation  of  France 
will  be  Austria :  and  taking  it  all  'round,  there  might  be 
more  in  those  words  of  William  II,  than  met  the  eye  :  The 
words  which  assured  all  and  sundry  that  "  Our  future  is  on 
the  sea  !  "  According  to  Mr.  Baxter  and  he  is  a  prophet 
—that  is  about  all  the  future  that  will  be  left  to  Germany. 
A  Flying  Dutchman  sort  of  existence  ! 


THE     MARITIME    REVIEW. 

^++~*+» — *~~~~+~»~*~-~~" > 

CARDIFF     (AND    OTHER)     COAL. 


March  10,  1905 


CARDIFF.  March  8th.  1905. 

GENERALLY  considered,  the  coal  market  for  the  past  week  has 
undergone  but  little  change,  and  the  same  old  state  of  "  nothing 
doing"  continues.  As  a  natural  result,  weakness  in  nearly  all 
departments  is  the  prevailing  characteristic.  Tonnage  arrival: 
show  no  improvement,  and  that  which  is  really  on  stem  being  very 
greatly  delayed,  stems,  all  'round,  are  in  a  sadly  disorganised  state. 
Consequently,  prices  for  anything  approaching  prompt  shipment, 
is  very  much  in  favour  of  the  buyer. 

AGAIN,  the  stocks  at  both  the  colliery  sidings,  and  at  the  docks, 
are  exceptionally  heavy,  and  if  there  were  a 

Sudden    spurt    in    trade, 

it  would  yet  take  some  little  time  before  any  marked  improvement 
would  be  discernable.  That  is,  it  would  take  some  "  spurting  "  to 
clear  away  the  beautifully  shiny  lot  of  coal  that  is  at  pres 
scattered  around  over  the  coalville  landscape,  so  that  the  gentle 
dealers  in  the  local  staple  might  have  the  long-prayed-for  oppor- 
tunity of  '•  starting  fair  !  "  Don't  be  rude  please,  and  pass  unkind 
remarks  on  that  prayer  bit.  We  mean  it,  fo-  you  must  have 
noticed  that,  at  the  moment,  the  dear  district  is  struggling  along 
with  such  a  load  of  super-induced  religious  mania,  that  the  poor 
old  Plimsoll's  mark  connected  therewith,  is  nearly  awash. 

BUT  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  prices  are  weak  as  ditch-water, 
as  the  boy  said,  there  are  precious 

Few   transactions  taking  place. 

Furthermore  there  are  plenty  of  collieries  engaged  upon  the  inter- 
mittent-stop game,  and  yet  the  "visible  supply"  is  greatly  in 
excess  of  the  demand.  Indeed,  the  market  is  suffering  as  much 
from  lack  of  demand,  as  from  lack  of  tonnage,  and  the  situation 
appears  tp  work  out  as :  Some  people  have  all  the  coal  ;  others 
have  a!l'*he  money.  At  sometime— in  the  dim  vistas  of  the  future 
—those  -*ho  have  the  coal,  might  have  a  portion  of  the  money— 
and  they  mightn't.  On  the  other  hand,  those  who.  'o-day,  have 
the  money,  might,  if  they  are  smart,  have  most  of  trie  money  and 
all  of  the  coal — to-morrow  ! 

VIEWED  dispassionately,  the  coal  market  is  much  on  a  par  with 
other  departments  of  trade.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  it  is  similarly 
disposed  at  least,  a  local  magnate  told  us  it  was,  a  day  or  so  ago— 
as  are  most  of  the  millionaires  of  commerce,  when  contrasted  with 
the  remainder  of  the  world  who 

Do  not  happen  to  be  millionaires! 

The  magnate  referred  to,  suggested  that  the  world  was  anything 
but  a  well-balanced  place,  for  the  reason  that  a  very  great  number 
of  folk  had  a  quantity  of  grub  and  no  "  tummy  "  ;  while  an  equally 
great  number  had  heaps  of  "tummy  "  and  no  grub.  -We  give  the 
statement  for  what  it  is  worth,  and  leave  the  gentle  reader  to 
decide  as  to  which  clique  he  belongs,  or  if  he.  hfs  managed  the 
great  trick  of  ingratiating  himself  into  the  number  with  whom  grub 
and  "  tummy  "  are  equally  divided  ! 

ANYHOW,  quotations,  on  the  whole,  are  unchanged,  even  though 
they  remain  at  very  so-so  figures,  and  that  the  actual  values  may 
only  be  gauged  when  sellers  are  approached  :  with  firm  business, 
and  that  again  placed  in  the  right  position,  may  be  considered  as  a 
certainty.  True,  during  the  past  couple  of  dny 

Enquiries  have  been  more  inje\«<'ence; 

but  we  are  of  opinion  that  they  are  merely  scattered  around  pour 
passer  le  temps.  It  is  very  certain  that  but  few  of  them  have 
materialised  into  solid  business — much  as  the  colliery  man  has 
striven  so  to  turn  them  ! 

BEST  CARDIFF  ADMIRALTYS  have  shown  practically  no  variation 
in  price,  since  last  we  had  the  pleasure  of  spreading  this  particular 
phase  of  life  for  your  attentive  perusal.  That  is.  the  quotation 
continues  to  be  registered  at  13s.  6d.,  but,  as  probably  you  will 
suppose,  the  present  conditions  prevent  this  f-om  being  anything 
more  than  a  mere  platitude.  Indeed,  it  is  absolutely  nothing  more 
than  nominal.  Some  kind  of  price  has  to  ty;  given,  when  a  man 
cas  lally  asks  "What  are  Cardiff  Bests?"  so 

For  want  of  something  better  to  do 

the  would-be  seller — more  from  force  of  habit  than  from  other 
reason  replies.  "Oh,  we'll  let  you  have  it  at  13s.  6d."  The  pre- 
tended would-be  buyer  casually  remarks,  "  Oh.  will  you?  Thanks  !"' 
and  there  is  a  whole  heap  of  'sarcasm  in  that  last  word ;  but  he 
doesn't  buy — not  by  a  long  chalk.  And  who  can  blame  him  ?  If 
he  bought,  he  couldn't  ship,  so  under  those  circumstances,  it  is  as 
well  for  the  colliery  man  to  have  the  bother  of  attending  to  the 
stuff,  as  to  fix  things  up  the  other  way  about '.'  Don't  you  think 
so?  Anyhow,  the  pretended  buyer  does,  and  that  is  good  enough, 
these  days. 

MIND  you,  there  is  a  quantity  of  variation, even  in  this  condition. 
Some  of  the  collieries  are  better  employed  than  their  neighbours, 
and  as  a  matter  of  course,  they  stiffen  considerably  if  they  have 
reason  to  believe  that 

Mr.  Buyer  is  merely  guying  them-1 

Even  so,  there  is  a  quantity  of  difference  between  holding  out  fop 
a  stated  figure,   an'd  receiving  it     ain't  there,  now?     In  any  case, 


the  actual  transactions  in  Bests,  during  the  pa*:  week  have  been 
of  quite  a  trivial  character;  and  their  immediate  value  may  be 
safely  written  down  as  ranging  between  13s.  and  13s.  3d.,  at  which 
rates  there  is  any  amount  of  coal  on  the  market-where,  judging 
by  appearances,  it  is  likely  to  remain,  for  a  time. 

SECONDS,  too.  continue   in   a  similar  position.     Collieries,  m  the 
main,  keep  just  about  going,  and  that  is  all.     Even  on  their  o 
tracts,  stems  are  slow  in   coming  in  ;    and  m  v.ew -of  the  f, act  that 
business  is  quiet  elsewhere,  SECONDS  are  afflicted  with  the  same 
disease.     Even  as  with  the   premier  qualities,  there  has  been  b, 
little  actual  business,   albeit  enquiry  has  .been   prevalent 
But  then,       En(ju.ry  w||,  not  |eave  any  Dividends 
-although  as  far  as  that  goes,  dividends  do  not  unduly  trouble  a 
number  of  the   colliery  companies  which    we   could   name 
demanded   figures,    approximate   into  the   12s.  9d.    mark  ;    t 
little  bit  of  firmness  will  easily   reduce  this  by  threepenee-some- 
times,  a  bit  more.     As  a  matter   of  fact,  the  gentle  middleman  is 
inclined  to  negotiate  the  buyer's  little  wants  for  prompt  shipme 
on  this  basis.     But  it  must  be  for  prompt  shipment,  which,  tl 
days,  is  an  urgent  necessity. 

ORDINARIES  have  not  shaken  off  their  ankylo-you  know.  We 
forget  how  to  spell  the  swagger  title  for  "worms,"  and  are  too 
tired  to  hunt  it  up.  Still  you'll  take  the  will  for  the  deed,  won  t 
you  ?  Anyhow,  it  is  the  worm  disease  that  is  affecting  Ordinaries 
just  now,  and  that  is  the  main  point.  They  were  similarly  affecte 
last  week,  but  on  the  off-chance  of  a  little  improvement,  we  let 
them  down  gently.  As  things  are  now,  well,  so  much  has  the 

Absence  of  a  demand 

gravitated  around  this  phase  of  the  coal  market,  that  sellers  are 
freely  offering,  their  stuff  at  12s.— but,  alas,  without  attracting 
buyers,  l-ndee'l.  this  apparently  low  figure  may  be  knocked  down 
still  lower,  and  without  a  superabundance  of  trouble. 

TRUE,  the  better  qualities  are  "holding  out"  for  a  higher  bid, 
but  then, lit  is  merely  a  "holding  out,"  and  is  indulged  1,1  more  for 
the  look  of  the  thing,  than  out  of  any  lingering  hope  that  the  sales 
will  materialise.  Moreover,  the  tonnage  delays  are  affecting  the 
"  better  sorts",  equally  as  much  as  their  inferior  relatives,  and 
the  buyer  .who  has  a  boat,  may  depend  on  roping  in  most  of  those 
same  "  better  sorts  "  on  a  12s.  basis— which  represents  the  full 
current  value  in  this  section. 

DRYS  remain  as  of  yore  ;  are  unaltered  ;  unchanged  ;  continue 
in  the  same  rut;  supply  your  own  description,  as  long  as  it  is 
indicative  of  the  motto  semper  eadem  ! 

Best  qualities  are  being  maintained 

at  12s.  6d.— nominally.  But  again  in  view  of  the  easiness  of  stems, 
generally,  and  the  woefully  limited  demand,  Drys  are  anything  but 
a  pleasure-inspiring  grade  to  handle.  Then,  the  inferior  brands 
have  exhibited  no  improving  tendencies,  supposing  12s.  is  still  the 
sellers'  alleged  ideas  of  the  fitness  of  things,  from  a  change-hand 
consideration1  The  buyer— and  he,  undoubtedly  has  the  better 
side  of  the  deal,  at  present— sniffingly  remarks  that  he  might  be 
inclined  to  give.  Its.  9d.,  and— then  goes  out  to  see  a  man  about  an 
Irish  terrier,  or  something  equally  exhilarating. 

MONMOUTHSHIRE  COALS,  too,  are  continuing  in  'their  depressed 
state,  though  prices  have  varied  but  lit.tle,  since  C'ir'  last.  •  Varied 
but  little  is  oii-^  polite  manner  of  putting  it.  Realty . 

This  grade  remains  stationary 

and— unprofitable.  Here  again,  tonnage  supplies  are  scarce,  and 
although  the  colliery  man  is  apt  to  forget  the  fact,  he  cannot  do 
much  in  the,  way  of  piling  up  ooftish,  if  shipowner  doesn't  fetch 
along  those  adjective  steamers.  With  tonnage  supplies  "up  a 
spout,"  stocks  are  naturally  accumulating  ;  with  stocks  accumu- 
lating, prices  are  wobbly  ;  with  wobbly  prices,  enter  shortness  of 
temper  on  the  jjart  of  the  man  who  would  sell  ;  and  so  the  merry 
mace  continues.  Even  demand,  in  this  section,  is  gone  !  There  is 
absolutely  no  pretence  to  it.  In  fact,  most  of  ;he  people  who 
erstwhile  engaged  in  Monmouthshire  coal,  seem  actuated  by  the 
don't-eare-a-hang-for-anything  notion  and  that  is  a  bad  notion  to 
bring  into  Coalville.  Sellers  hunting  for  new  business ;  buyers 
adopting  the  hold-off  policy  ;  prompt  coals  in  full  and  plenty  ; 
where  will'W  ;,ll  end  ?  Give  it  up?  So  do  we,  although 

We  might  be  forgiven 

for  remarking  that  for  Black  Veins  the  alleged  price  is  from  11s.  6d.  to 
11s.  9d. — according  to  position — but  these  must  be  considered  as 
purely  nominal  ;  also,  that,  what  is  here  a  dire  necessity,  prompt 
tonnage,  would  infuenoe  a  substantial  concession.  SECONDS  are 
rather  easier,  at  10s.  6d.  to  10s.  9d.  Stems  are  not  so  full  as  they 
were,  and  the  demand  for  this  class,  has  not  been  so  good  as  of 
late.  Quotations  are  fairly  well  maintained,  however. 

ORDINARIES,  too,  are  situated  precisely  as  are  the  premier 
qualities,  artd  the  collieries  implicated  are,  all  'round,  in  a  woefully 
weak  position,  having  experienced  another  idle  week.  Frequent 
stoppages  have  resulted,  in  consequence  of  the  scarcity  of  wagons, 
and  restricted  outputs  notwithstanding,  sellers  experience  a 
capital-lettev-sized  difficulty  in  disposing  of  what  remains.  The 


March   10,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW 


64 


quotation,  here,  is  Us.  3d.,  Newport,  for  anything  required 
immediately,  and  this,  in  spite  of  the  prevailing  weakness,  is  more 
or  less  firmly  adhered  to.  Indeed,  nothing  but  a  "decent  quantity" 
taken  at  one  time,  will  induce  sellers  to  reconsider'  the  price. 

But,  after  all,  it  Is  merely  bluff! 

At  the  moment,  nobody  seems  to  require  any  quantity  of  the  stuff 
— "decent."  or  otherwise. 

RHONDDA  No.  3's,  on  the  other  hand,  are  retaining  that  firmness 
in  which  they  have  simply  revelled,  of  late  !  With  this  in  mind,  it 
will  be  superfluous  for  us  to  intimate  that  prices  have  been  main- 
tained? Anyhow,  they  have,  and  collieries  have  continued  busy, 
with  well-stemmed  books,  and  there  is  but  little  of  the  coal  avail- 
able for  the  lagging  ones  who  neglected  to  place  their  orders,  'way 
back.  Especially  is  this  the  case  with  large  coal,  of  which  there  is 
precious  little  to  be  had.  For  what  there  is.  14s.  gets  it.  and  the 

"full  stemmers" 

Will  see  you  somethinged, 

before  they  will  give  you  a  look  in  for  anything  lower  than  3d. 
above  the  figures  quoted. 

RHONDDA  No.  2's.  again,  are  a  trifle  weaker.  Delayed  tonnage, 
and  an  easing  in  the  demand  is  responsible.  These  qualities,  in 
fact,  have  changed  hands  at  IDs.  3d.— a  decline  of  3d.  per  ton  on 
last  week's  figures. 

FOR 


SMALLS  are  a  very  firm  department.  Stems,  just  now,  are 
fairly  full,  while  supplies  are  restricted  on  account  of  the  curtail- 
ment of  the  output  of  large.  Moreover, 

The  demand  continues, 

and  this  naturally  enables  sellers  to  keep  prices  away  up,  to  the 
notch  of  which  we  wrote  you,  in  our  last.  BESTS  are  firmly  quoted 
at  7s.  9d.,  for  anything  of  a  prompt  nature — although  there  is  not  a 
lot  doing  in  this  connection.  For  forward  business,  these  grades 
are  quoted  at  7s.  6d.  SECONDS  are  offering  at  7s.  to  7s.  3d. ; 
ORDINARIES,  are  steady  at  from  6s.  6d.  to  6s.  9d. — according  to; 
with  INFERIORS,  at  about  the  tax  limit. 

PATENT  FUELS  are  unchanged,  and  may  be  considered  as  a  sound 
commodity.  Makers  are  blessed  with  plenty  of  enquiry,  and 
being  well-stemmed,  see  no  valid  reason  for  lowering  their  quota- 
tions which,  on  an  average,  tot  up  to  12s.  9d.  Of  course,  there  are 
certain  qualities  obtainable  at  a  trifle  under  the  figures  given,  for 
even  in  patent  fuel 

I  IKT--  is  a  quantity  of  grading, 

don't  forget.  Some  of  the  samples  have  passed,  to  our  knowledge, 
at  12s.  3d.:  but  generally  considered,  the  grade  is  in  a  good  condition. 

PITWOOD  has  been  maintained  at  16s.  6d.  to  16s.  9d.  but  this 
market  is  merely  about  steady.  Supplies  are  quite  equal  to  the 
demand,  and  wagons  are  scarce. 


APPROXIMAH      Fi«;rios     FOR     TIIK     WKKK.     ARE     AS     FOLLOW; — 

(All  quotations  f.o.b.  at  the  respective  ports  of  shipment. , 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Best  Cardiff  Ad'alty  Urge 

13*.  jd.,  13*.  6d 

3d. 

138.  6d. 

13-.  4jd. 

138.  (.  i. 

133.  61 

Second         Ditto. 

128.  6(1..    I3S.  0(1. 

I2S.  9U. 

gd. 

I2s.  6d.,  I2s.  od. 

128.  6(1. 

I2S.  6.1. 

Other  Second  Cardiff 

1  ,  1  2s.  3d. 

nd. 

12-    ol. 

IIS.  9:!.,   128.  0.! 

its.  io.J.1. 

IIS.  od.,   I2S.  0.1. 

Dry* 

12*.  6.1. 

i  --.  6»l. 

I---    ;  1  .  i. 

128.  3d. 

12s.  od.,  12s.  6d. 

I2S.  4  Ail. 

Best  Newport 

lis.  6d.    its.  od. 

its.  6d. 

.18.6(1. 

lis.  3d.,  us.  9(1. 

us.  6d. 

1  is.  nil.,  I  is.  9(1. 

Ordinary  Bests 

i  is.  od.,  i  is.  fid. 

ii-  3d. 

us.  31). 

118.  0(1..    IIS.  3(1. 

lis.  3d. 

us.  od.,  t  is.  31). 

Seconds 

ion.  od. 

ios.  6d. 

los.  6d. 

los.  6d.,  los.  ox). 

ios.  3<l.,  ios.  v  1- 

los.  od. 

Best  House  Coal 

Ifo  9d 

I'-    '•'! 

6  1. 

ii  -.  Q(l. 

ii.-  9d. 

l6s.  6(1.,  l6s.  91!. 

No.  3  Rhondda 

its.  oxi. 

i  (-.  9d. 

14-.  od. 

MS.  oJ. 

138.  9(1.    I4S.  od. 

i  ?-    to.Jd. 

No.  2          Ditto. 

in-  6d. 

IDS.  4.UI. 

ios.  3d. 

ios.  3.1. 

i"-.  id.,  ios.  6d. 

Rhondda  3  ••  Thro." 

Its.  9d. 

1  1-  9d. 

us.  ol. 

U-.  od. 

lis.  od. 

1  1-    od,  us.  od. 

»       X       N 

.s-.  9(1. 

1 

fa  61 

8s.  6d. 

V     Oil 

8s,  9d. 

Smalls: 

Best  Cardiff 

xl 

7».  6>l..  7*.  gd. 

7s.7jd. 

78.6(1. 

73.  6(1.,  7s.  gd. 

78.  6d. 

Second* 
Ordinaries 

7-  od. 

6d 

od. 
6s.  4ld. 

fo  91!. 
6s.  4$d. 

91). 
6s.  6d. 

fo  6d.,  7s.  od. 
6s  od.,  6s.  6d. 

Best  Ne»  [•  »M 

food. 

(  -   od. 

fo  Oil. 

6s.  6d. 

;•!..  us.  9(1. 

6s.  6d. 

Seconds 

6s 

,v'. 

6s.  3d..  6s.  6d. 

fo4ld. 

6s.  od..  6s.  ;.l. 

6s.  3d. 

Rhondda  No.  2 

fo.  od. 

gd. 

6s.  6d. 

food. 

6s.  7|il. 

os-ad. 

No.  3 

: 

lo».  od. 

ion.  od. 

os.  od. 

os    6<l  .   10-    od, 

Foundry  Coke  : 

Special 

21*.  0(1. 

JO*,  od..  Jis.  od. 

-•  i  -.  od. 

21-.  0(1.    2  IS.  6(1. 

II*.  3d. 

2  is.  od.,  2  is.  3d. 

Ordinary 

17*.  Ad. 

I7«.  6d. 

178.  od.,  IBS.  od. 

17-   9<1- 

17*.  6.:. 

173.  od.,  iSs.  o-J. 

Furnace  Coke 

61. 

(id. 

l  :-    3«l. 

i  ;-.  3d. 

158.  od.    i; 

15*.  3d.,  us.  6d. 

Patent  luel 

fd. 

•  1  .  12-  od. 

7*d. 

rxs.  Ad. 

'!..  us.  ipl. 

I2S.  6<1.,    1  }S.  Oil 

PitKood    e\  *hlp> 

iii-.  (»l  .  i7s.  o-.l. 

ifo   'III. 

All.  less  2Vj  per  cent,  discount,  with  payment  at  thirty  day*,  except  where  otherwise  stated. 
All  quotations  for  large  Coals  imply  Colliery  Screened. 


SWANSEA.  March  8.  1906. 

THE  market,  hern,  show*  no  improvement  since  our  last  writing.  On 
the  contrary,  for  that  portion  which  deals  with  prompt  business,  is 
decidedly  easy.  Collieries  are  still  suffering  from  lack  of  tonnage,  and 
furthermore,  very  little  new  business  has  eventuated.  Generally 
speaking,  however,  quotations  have  undergone  but  little  change. 

ANTHRACITE  COALS  have  been  barely  maintained,  and  for  immediate 
requirements,  buyer*  experience  but  little  difficulty  in  reducing  the 
quotation,  seeing  that  stocks  are  pretty  heavy.  MALTIMO  descriptions. 
good  stems  and  all.  have  been 

Compelled  to  accept  lower  prices 
for  prompt  shipment.  Latterly,  they  have  been  somewhat  busier,  but 
the  limited  demand  enables  no  change  in  values  to  be  marked.  Other 
sort*,  such  as  BIG  and  RED  VEIN,  are  ruling  rather  easy. 

MACHINE  MADE  COALS  have  undergone  no  change,  and  are  still  weak. 
Prompt  coals  are  plentiful,  but  very  little  is  doing  in  them  at  the 


moment.     Quotations,  therefore,  are  merely  nominal. 

CULM,  on  the  other  hand,  remains  firm.  A  good  demand  still  obtains, 
and  collieries'  stems  being  rather  full,  sellers  quotations  are  conse- 
quently a  trifle  higher  5s.:  and  this  represents  the  current  value  of 
BESTS.  INFERIORS,  are  at  4s.  6d. 

STEAMS  are   still    a    slack   market,  and  very  few  transactions  have 
taken  place.     Prompt  stems  are  very  easy,  while   the  supply   is    con- 
siderably in  exces»'of  the  demand,  and   this  at  the  moment  is  a  very 
limited  one.     BESTS  are  at  1 3s.  to  I  3s.  3d.  as  to  quotation,  but 
They  are  worth  nothing  more 

an  the  former  figure.  SECONDS  ask  12s.  to  12s.  3d.  ORDINARY 
BUNKER  sorts  lis.  to  lis.  6d. 

PATENT  FUFLS  continue  to  manifest  that  firmness  so  dear  to  the 
heart  of  their  exploiters.  Stems  full,  demand  well  up  to  the  average, 
naturally,  prices  are  firm  as  ever,  with  every  indication  of  their  being 
kept  to. 


BBLOW.  we  give  the  average  prices  for  the  week  :— 


QUALITY 

TmmsDAi 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY 

WEDNESDAY. 

Anthracite: 

Best    Hand    Picked 

Malting  Large 

I9s.  od..  19-   '«| 

19*.   Ml 

I')-,    (xl. 

i..  .'o-.  od. 

198.  od.                19?.  9:!.,  2o«.  o.l. 

Seconds    do. 

17*.  ol  .  17-   Ml 

17-.  6(1. 

17-.  6(1. 

•7s  3d. 

I7s.  od.,  17*.  3d.         178.  od.,  i7s.  6<l. 

Big  Vein  Urge 

12-.  0(1. 

i  i-.  yl 

i  is.  9d. 

•  I.,  i  if.  od. 

i  is.  O.I.               us.  6d.,  i  is.  9d. 

Red    .. 

IOS.  O>l. 

9<.  Oil. 

os.  91!. 

IOS.  oJ. 

ios.  od.,  ios.  3(1.                 ios.  od. 

Machine  Made  Cobbles 

16*.  od.,  17*.  0.1 

I7«.  n! 

i?s.  od. 

i6s.  9d. 

i6s.  6d.                 l6s.  6d.,  173.  6d. 

.,     Nuts 

178.  od. 

1C*.  Oil. 

i6s.  od. 

i6s.  6<l..  i7s.  od. 

i6s.  oil.                         17-.  od. 

..     Pen* 

ion.  ml. 

os.  o<l. 

9S.  od. 

os.  6d..  98.  9<l. 

OS.  fid. 

0-    6(1.,  ios.  oil. 

Bubbly  Culm 

5&  od. 

•JLOd. 

4s.  9(1.,  5s.  od. 

48.  9(1.,  5*.  31!. 

ol. 

SB.  od. 

Duff 

6d. 

Jn.  3'!- 

;'- 

-    4;.'!. 

3«.  (.  1. 

3s.  3d.,  3s.  6.1. 

Patent   luel: 

nn.  91!. 

ii-  9d. 

IIS.  Ml..    IIS.  (/I. 

Its.  7jd. 

us.  6(1. 

118.   6(1.,    1  IS.     • 

Steam: 

Best    Urge 

I2S.  9»l.,    I3».  l<l. 

13.1.  oti. 

•  3s.  od.,  138.  3d. 

13*.  cxi. 

i  ^s.  o  1.                         13*.  3d. 

Second*  ,, 

I2S.    V1-    I2«.    6(1. 

I2s.  3 

128.  3'l 

I2s.  od.,  t2s.  3d. 

I2S.    ij   1.                                  I2S.   3(1 

Hunker    ,. 

1  1«.  od..  1  1 

i  is.  o  1 

ios.  9(1..  i  is.  od. 

IIS.  0(1. 

i  is.   t  1.                         lis.  3d. 

Thro'  and  Thro' 

9s.  i.l 

Oil.  61 

v'- 

9s.  3d. 

98.  od.,  •!-.  6d.                     os.  4.',!'. 

THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


March   10,    1905 


i  'COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES. 


CARDIFF,  March  8,  1905. 

ANYBODY  know  what  is  wrong  with  the  EASTERN  MARKET  ? 
It  is  ambling  along  in  the  same  old  aimless  fashion  which 
has  obtained  for  quite  a  while,  now,  and  for  all  the  good 
Eastern  business  is  to  the  long-suffering  shipowner,  well, 
the  gentle  Jap  might  have  gone  in  for  a  week  of  ineffable 
silence !  True,  BOMBAY  has  been  done  at  7s.  6d. :  and 
COLOMBO  at  8s.  about  all  that  there  is  to  write  of,  in  this 
section  of  the  alleged  freight  market. 

WESTWARD,  you  do  not  need  to  indulge  in  such  stone- 
throwing  !  It  is  on  a  par  with  the  Eastern  affair.  No 
change— either  for  the  worse,  or  for  the  better.  Mind  you, 
it  is  possible  to  have  a  change  for  the  worse,  as  owners 
might  be  persuaded  to  carry  the  stuff  out  for.  quite, 
nothing  !  LOWER  PLATE  ports  are  getting  all  they  need  on 
a  7s.  6d.  basis,  and  Rio  DE  JANEIRO  is  still  on  the  8s.  9d. 
notch. 

HOLD  on  a  bit,  though.  CAPE  VERDES  have  decided  to 
set  a  good  example,  and  have  been  graciously  pleased  to 
accept  a  couple  of  boats  at  6s.  3d.  However,  you  will 
remember  that  old  saw  anent  the  one  swallow  and  its 
inability  to  make  a  summer  ?  Well,  the  same  idea  applies 
here,  for  taken  all  'round.  Westward  business  is  no  jot 
better  than  Eastern. 

MEDITERRANEAN.  As  per  our  "  tip,"  last  week,  this  market 
continues  in  a  steady  condition.  A  further  "  tip  " — there 
are  no  appearances  that  a  fall  is  imminent.  Anyhow,  we 
notajlhat  merchants  who  are  quoting  for  c.i.f.  business,  are 
by  no.means  inclined  to  discount  present  rates  for  future 
loading.  For  PORT  SAID,  the  rate  has  recovered  a  little, 
from  5s.  7'2d.  to  6s.  3d.  being  the  range  at  which  the 
place  is  fitted.  HENCE  GENOA  there  is  yet  a  big  demand, 
and  the  rate  continues  at  6s.  9d.  which  is  no  sae  bad  ? 

FOR  VENICE,  too.  prices  are  firm,  and  8s.  3d.,  for  handy- 
size'ff'boats,  is  easily  obtainable.  Larger  tonnage  for  this 
port,  is  commanding  from  7ft:  6d.  to  7s.  7'id.  which,  in 
view  of  what  has  been,  again,  is  no  sae  bad  ?  at* 

OTHER  fixtures  in  this  direction,  are  GAETA,  7s.  3d. ; 
PORTO  FERRAN.  6s.  9d. ;  and  CONSTANTINOPLE.  6s.  3d.  For 
the  nearer  ports,  MARSEILLES  is  good  for  7'75  francs  ! 
ALGIERS,  7  francs  ;  and  BARCELONA,  at  6s.  9d.  all  with  an 
upward  tendency. 

FOR  this  side  of  the  Rock,  outward  ratesrare  healthy  —to 
what  has  been  the  vogue,  of  late  for  we  see  that  LISBON 
has  been  done  at  4s.  10'2d.  :  CADIZ,  at  5s.  6d.  :  and  GOR- 
CUBION;  at  4s.  9d. 

FOR  the  remainder — are  not  they  in  the  list  ? 

Week  Ending,  (Wednesday),  March  8,  1905. 

N    denotes  Newport,   (S)  Swansea,  (P.  T.)  Porf'ffalbot,   loading. 

EASTERN. 

Bombay,     Steamer,   5,000  tons,    75.  6d. 
Colombo,     .-Is/inta,  5,500  tons,   8s. 

WESTWARD,     Etc. 

Rio  de  Janeiro,     Tonbridge,  3,500  tons,   Ss.  gd. 

Steamer,   4,000  tons,    8s.  6d. 

Steamer,  3,800  tons,    8s.  gd. 

River  Plate.  Emma,  3, 500  tons;  Mountoswnld,   4, 500  tons; 
Horsa,  3,700  tons;  Thordisa,  2^500  tons;  all  75. 6d. 

Antfu,   3,800  tons,   7s.  3d. 

RamtJ/tes,  3,100  tons,    78.  6d. 

/.IIIH/SI-IH/,  4,800  tons,    7s.  6d. 
Cape  Verdes,     Osmo,  1,900  tons,    6s.  3d. 
Steamer,  2,300  tons,    6s.  3d. 

MEDITERRANEAN,     Etc. 

Port  Said,    Ueniionhall,  5,500  tons,  6s. 

Iniani,  5,000  tons,    55.  7jd. 

Beethoven,  5,000  tons,    6s.  3d. 
Gaeta,     Tregurno,   3^000  tons,    7*.  3d. 
Constantinople,     Etika,  3,000  ton's,  6s.  ^d. 
Malta,     Redmlh,   3,900  tons,   6s.   ic$d.    fuel. 

Marie  Rose,  4,000  tons,    55.  3d.    ("N). 

Su-amcr,    2,100  tons,    58.  .6d. 
Reggio,     .Y/hr,  2,300  tons,    fis. 


Oran,     Romsiial,  1,700  tons,    7-25  francs,    (N). 
Genoa,     Gro/.  Tisza  Istvan,    4,000   tons,    6s.  j£d. 

Arad,  4,000  tons,   6s.  7 id. 

Beppe,    3,000  tons,    6s.  6d.    (N). 

Asimina,  4,000  tons,   6s.  gd. 

Steamer,    1,500  tons,   75. 

Michael,  3,200  tons,   6s.  rod. 

Steamer,    3,300  tons,   6s.  gd. 

Leonidas,   4,000  tons,   6s.  gd. 

Polynesia,    2,200  tons,    6s.  j^d. 

Steamer,  2,000  tons,   6s.  gd.  option  Leghorn,     (s). 

Gladys,  2,800  tons,   6s.  g|d. 
Venice,     Vasco,    2,600  tons,    8s.  3d.  coal,  gs.  fuel,   (s). 

Steamer,  5,800  tons,    73.  6d. 

Ruysdael,  2,700  tons,    8s.  3d.   (s). 

Rubens,  2,500  tons,    8s.  3d. 

Duart,  4,400  tons,   73.  7|d. 

Cleveland,  2,500  tons,    8s.  3d.    option  Ancona. 
Porto  Ferraio,     Mary  Ada  Short,  4,900  tons, '  6s.   gd. 
Sicily,     Licala,    2,400  tons,   6s.  4^d. 

Lissabon,   1,550  tons,   6s.  7|d. 
Marseilles,    Jane  Radclijfe,    2,200  tons,    8  francs,  (s). 

Camperdowii,  3,600  tons  ;      Albia,    3,300  tons  ;    Tom, 

3,000  tons;  all  7-75  francs. 

Steamer,    2,500  tons,    7-75  francs,   (s). 

Steamer,    1,500  tons,    8  fcs.  coal,    9  fcs.  fuel,    (s). 
Algiers,     Fidra,    1,300  tons,    7  francs. 

Balttque,  3,300  tons,    6-75  francs,    900  delivery. 
Leghorn,     Oriandq,    i, 800  tons,   6s.  gd. 

Kehdiugcy,  2,000  tons,    6s.  od,  spot. 
Barcelona,     Gennva,  1,200  tons,  6s.  gd.  coal,  75.  6d.  fuel,  (s) 

Steamer,    700  tons,   6s.  gd. 

Steamer,    i, too  tons,    6s.  lojd. 
Lisbon,     Steamer,    2,000  tons,   45.  gd. 

Deux  Charentes,   1,900  tons,    43.  gd.   (N). 

Colhvaud.   1,700  tons,   45.  io^d. 
Oporto,     Craigendoran,   1,700  tons,    55. 
Gibraltar,     Dingwall,   2,700  tons,    53.  3d. 
Cadiz,     Rosella,   1,700  tons,    53.  6d. 

Steamer,    1,650  tons,    55.  3d. 
Corcubion,  Saxon,   1,900  tons,    43.  gd.    (N). 

BAY,     Etc. 

La  Rochelle,     Earl  of  Dumfries,  1,900  tons,   4 -3  7 1  fcs.  (s). 

Ragusa,  i, 800  tons,    4-50  francs,    (s). 
Bordeaux,     Milan,  2,300  tons,   4-50  francs.     Voyages. 

Steamer,    i.ioo  tons,    5  francs,    (s). 
Bayonne,   'Steamer,   1,900  tons,    4-50  francs. 
Nantes,     Vilk  de  Bayonne,  2,000  tons,    4'87j  fcs. 
Chantenay,     Swansea,   1,200  tons,  4-62|  francs. 
Pauillac,     Steamer,    2,500  tons,   4-50  francs. 
La  Pallice,     Matic,   1,700  tons,   4-25  franc^ 

BALTIC,  Etc. 

Copenhagen,     Vinga,    goo  tons,    53.  4£d. 
Stettin,     Anna  Tiede,   1,900  tons,   53.  3d.  (s). 

COASTING,     Etc. 

Hamburg,     Redivood,    1,200  tons,   45.  3d 

Wally,   2,700  tons,  45.  3d. 

Camille,   1,800  tons,    43.  gd. 
Caen,    Johanna,    1,500  tons,    45.  6d.   (s). 

Fulton,   1,100  tons,    43.  3d. 

Lillebonnc,  950  tons,  43.  4|d.  •  (s). 

St.  Kevin,  530  tons,    43.  j.|d.    (s). 
Rouen,     Elaine,  700  tons,    53.  3d.  (s). 
Honfleur,     Sando,     i,iootons,    43.  6d.  (s). 
St.  Malo,     Clonlee,    1,300  tons,  35.  io|d. 

Josephtriti,   1,900  tons,    33.  lo.'d. 
Dieppe,     Skeldon,     1,700  tons,    45. 

HOMEWARD. 

Bordeaux  to  Cardiff,     Milan,   2,300  tons,    53.    pitwood. 
Voyages. 

Penwith,  2,000  tons,  53.  pitwood. 
Mahcnt,  2,700  tons,  55.         ,, 
Bordeaux  to  Cardiff  or  Newport,     Rundo,   1,250  tons, 

55.  3d.    pitwood. 

Bayonne 'to  Cardiff,  Steamer,    2,300  tons,  55.  gd.  pitwood 
Bilbao  to  Newport,     Uriarte  No.  j,   i, 800  tons,    43.    ore. 
Bilbao  to    Cardiff,    Rapido,  2,700  tons,    33.  io.Jd.  ore. 


March   10,  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


66 


Maritime, 

and  other 

Money ,  , 
Matters, 


have  always  main- 
tained that "there 
is  money  in  tur- 
rets !  "  There  is,  as  long 
as  the  "  turrets  "  are 
steamers.  Furthermore, 
there  is  money  in  the 
making  thereof.  And  at 
least  to  the  extent  of  10 
percent,  per  annum.  We 
write  this,  because  the 
report  and  balance  sheet 
from  Messrs.  William  Doxford  &  Sons,  Limited,  is  before 
us,  and  therefrom  we  note  that  on  a  paid-up  capital  of 
£443. 701,  the  profit  on  trading  and  income  from  invest- 
ments for  the  year  (after  writing  off  £16,000  depreciation) 
amounts  to  £44,723  and  some  unconsidered  shillings  and 
pence.  To  this  snug  little  balance,  there  is  a  sum  of 
£8, 464-odd  standing-over  from  last  year  to  be  added, 
which  made  the  total  to  be  dealt  with  stand  at 

£53.187-odd. 

•f  -f  + 

NOW,  when  a  business  concern  has  a  sum  equal  to  the 
last-mentioned  to  "  deal  out,"  there  is  likely  to  be  satis- 
faction on  all  sides?  Anyhow,  there  ought  to  be! 
Especially  when  the  ordinary  shares  walk  off  with  a 
little  matter  of  12}  per  cent,  per  annum.  But  we  will 
give  you  the  figures,  in  toto  : 

Special  depreciation  off  Patents  Account     ...  8.787  17  1 
Interest  on  4    per  cent,   first   mortgage 

debentures                                        6.000    0  0 

Dividend  on  5  per  cent.  cum.  prefs 11.575  14  1 

Interim  dividend  on  ordinary  shares 20,000    0  0 

Final  dividend  on  ordinary  shares      8,000    0  0 


Leaving  to  be  carried  forward 


51,363  11     2 
1,823  15     6 

£53.187     8    8 


IN  addition  to  the  foregoing,  we  note  that  during  the 
year,  the  sum  of  £73,247  14s.  lOd.  (pity  there  wasn't 
another  tuppence  ?)  has  been  spent  on  freehold  and  new 
plant,  making  the  amount  spent  upon  recent  develop- 
ments and  improvements,  £281.925  5s.  4d.  It  will 
probably  be  conceded  that  you  can  fix  up  a  pretty  tidy 
sort  of  shipbuilding  concern  for  practically  £300,000; 
even  supposing  that  the  amount  stated  is  all  you  mean 
to  go  to.  in  the  matter ?  It  will!  But  when  that  same 
amount  is  spent  in  connection  with  mere  developments 
and  improvements — well,  the  resultant  undertaking  is 
likely  to  be  of  an  up-to-date  character ;  exactly  like_ 
turret  ships,  when  actively  employed  in  money  earning. 

•f  -f  * 

THERE  is  no  getting  away  from  the  fact,  that  some  of 
Cardiff's  most  astute  ship-managing  experts  have 
"  plumped  "  solid  for  the  "  Doxford  boats  ;  "  and  when 
an  astute  Cardiffian  "goes  in  for  turrets,"  you  can  be 
sure  that  there  is  something  above  the  ordinary,  con- 
nected with  the  brand.  For  our  part,  we  have 
consistently  declared  that  as  money-earners,  turret 
steamers  take  a  quantity  of  beating  ;  and  that  as  things 
to  go  to  sea  in,  they  have  equal  potentialities.  True,  we 
are  alive  to  the  fact  that  certain  gentlemen  whose  sea- 
experience  will  probably  extend  to  a  summer  trip  across 
the  Pond,  m  a  wild  hunt  for  suitable  "copy."  have 
elected  to  pass  rude  remarks  in  this  connection. 


BUT  then,  'twas  ever  thus,  and  we  are  by  no  means 
sure  that  Pope  was  the  first  discerning  human,  who 
opined  that  "  Fools  rush  in  where  angels  fear,  to  tread." 
Even  if  Pope  were  the  very  first,  there  have  been  quite 
a  number  to  realise  the  truth  of  the  expression  since  his 


time.  We  suppose  that,  after  all,  it  will  be  admitted  that 
the  men  who  have  sailed  in  turret  steamers  are  calcu- 
lated to  know  something  about  their  capabilities? 
Furthermore,  when  owners  who  have  succeeded  beyond 
the  dreams  of  avarice,  lay  themselves  out  for  leviathan 
turret  steamers,  we  are  safe  in  concluding  that  there  is 
"  something  in  them  ?  "  We  are,  and  for  ourselves,  we 
wish  Messrs.  Doxford  an  equally  prosperous  time  over 
their  next  financial  year. 

+  +   f 

BY  the  way,  some  of  our  confiding  friends  have  got 
quite  "nasty"  about  our  remarks  in  last  week's  issue  of 
THE  MARITIME  REVIEW,  on  the  subject  of  steamer 
reserves.  Have  the  bad  taste— and  "  imperance  " — to 
ask  us  why  we  didn't  tell  them  of  these  little  matters 
before!  Good  heavens!  But  this  is  most  unkind  !  Here 
have  we  been  telling  them  things  about  steamers,  and 
steamer  shares,  together  with  bits  of  bed-rock  knowledge 
concerning  the  potentialities  of  steamer  reserves  when 
rightly  used,  for  over  a  year,  and  yet  they  are  dissatisfied ! 
Want  to  know  why  we  do  not  give  them  a  tabulated  list 
of  the  reserves  which  have  mounted  up  over  a  series  of 
years^;  and  which  will  show,  at  a  glance,  the  exact 
amount  of  which  shareholders  have  been  robbed. 

•f  +  + 

ALRIGHT,  good  people!  Possess  your  souls  in 
patience.  Our  tame  financial  ferret  is  actively  engaged 
on  the  merry  work;  is  running  around  with  a' -bucket- 
shop  man,  intent  on  "  pumping  "  him  for  all  he  is  worth. 
By  and  by«,  the  pumping  will  be  complete,  when  we  will 
print  you,  in  our  inimitable  style,  a  beautifully  artistic 
catalogue  of  the  amounts  at  stake  ;  and  of  the  methods 
adopted  to  get  those  amounts  safely  ''  held  over."  Dern 
it,  we  are  doing  our  best  to  oblige  you,  and  come  to 
think  of  it,  have  done  considerable  to  that  end !  But 
some  folk  are  never  satisfied.  They  want  the  "  bob  and 
the  biscuit-tin."  Or  to  put  it  in  a  chapel-like  manner, 
the  penny  and  the  plate  ! 

•»•  +  + 

ANOTHER  development  in  connection  with  the  dear 
old  Severn  Dry  Docks  !  This  time  it  is  the  registration 
of  debentures  to  the  extent  of  £62,000  ;  and  a  charge  to 
keep,  I  have  ;  no,  no,  this  blessed  revival  business  is 
slowly  permeating  one's  waking  thoughts  and  sleeping 
dreams  !  We  meant  that  in  addition  to  the  Severn  Dry 
Dock  Company's  debentures,  there  is  a  charge  to  secure 
indemnity  agreement  for  an  indefinite  amount,  but 
stamped  up  to  (fee  value  of  £12,000,  also  registered.  That 
poor  old  Severn  affair  has  had  a  waried  kerreer,  ain't  it? 
But,  lor'  bless  you,  it  will  come  out  on  top,  in  the  end, 
yoM'll  see.  It's  a  good  property,  and  eventually,  a  good 
property  is  bound  to  come  out  right.  Who  is  going  to 
do  it? 

•»•••••»• 

WELL,  now,  we  wish  it  to  be  understood  that  we  are 
not  prophets.  In  saying  that  the  Severn  Dry  Docks  will 
come  out  right  in  the  end,  we  do  but  state  a  fact.  There 
is  nothing  of  the  prophetic  about  it.  But  to  size  up,  at 
this  juncture — as  they  say  in  story-books  who  is  going 
to  bring  it  out  right,  would  be  merely  a  prophesy,  and  at 
that  game  we  are  the  reverse  of  expert.  All  the  same, 
you'll  see  that  Severn  Dry  Docks  will  come  out  alright— 
aye,  even  if  it  has  to  again  change  its  name  in  the 
"coming."  Watch  and  pray — no,  no,  watch  and  wait. 

ANSWERS  TO  CORRESPONDENTS. 
t    t    t 

"VANDUAR"  Clad  to  hear  it.  Tell  us  the  old.  old  story  some 
more,  please. 

"ZEPHYR" — Good.  Passing  good.  Almost  as  much  so  as  your 
nom  de  guerre,  you  bounder  !  2.  We  lay  no  claim  to  medical 
skill,  but  have  heard  that  copaiba  it  a  specific.  Try  it.  Anyhow, 
it  cannot  hurt  you. 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


March  10,  1905 


NOW  that  a  religious  wave  is  meandering  acrjss  the 
country  :    when  you   have   had   it  impressed  on 
your  mind,  that  the   mistakes  of  your  life  have 
been  many :   seeing  that,  thanks  to  some  daily 
"  newspapers"  with  little  or  nothing  to  occupy  their  pages 
outside  of  revivalled  rant,  you  have  probably  realised  that 
you  are.  at  least,  ten  shades  darker  in  wickedness  than 
ever  you  had  an  idea  of :  feeling  your  general  unworthiness  : 
and  being  filled  with  an  overwhelming  wonder  as  to  why. 
in  view  of  its  terrible  wickedness,  the    world    has, been 
allowed  to  continue  up  to  now  :  have  you  given   any  atten- 
tion to  the  unconsidered  things  of  life  ? 

AH.  my  friend.  It  is  the  unconsidered  things  of  life 
which,  in  the  aggregate,  tot  up  into  an  overwhelming  wave 
of  sin  :  a  wave  that  is  bound,  sooner  or  later,  to  engulf 
you  ;  and  which,  in  the  end  will  convince  you  that  although 
the  sins  of  your  life  have  been  many ;  they  have  been 
considerably  more  than  ever  you  had  a  mind  to  believe. 
Don't  think  that  I  am  writing  this  in  a  frivolous  vein  !  I'm 
not !  I  merely  wish  to  give  you  pause,  as  you  hurry  along 
in  your  race  for  Mammon.  Want  to  make  you  stay,  if  only 
for  a  moment,  in  your  headlong  hurrying  toward  that  old 
gentleman  who.  although  bad  form  to  mention  him,  will 
assuredly  have  you — by 
and  bye.  unless  you  turn 
from  your  wickednesses. 
That's  what's  the  matter. 

DON'T  fool  yourself  into 
believing  that  because  you 
pay  for  memorial  stones  in 
the  chapel :  that  as  a  result 
of  inscribing  your  name 
opposite  to  a  fairly  good 
sum  in  a  subscription  list, 
you  have  the  world's  appro- 
bation, and  believe  in 
consequence,  that  all  is 
well  with  you.  The  price 
of  ten  memorial  stones, 
and  of  fifty  donations  to 
the  subscription  list  which 
is  going  to  cover  the 
expenses  incidental  to  a 
broken  leg.  will  never  help 
you  to  finally  dodge  that 
old  gentleman  to  whom  I 
alluded,  'way  back.  It 
won't,  really.  You  have  to 
remember  the  uncon- 
sidered things  of  life — if 
you  wish  to  be  o.k.,  later  on. 
those  unconsidered  things 
pebbles  on  a  big  beach. 

You  find  them  in  all  directions,  and  under  all  guises.  It 
is  highly  probable,  that  if  you  saw  a  personage  built  after 
the  cloven-hoof-cum-forky-tail-juxta-tricky-ears-and-things, 
you  would  opine  that  he  was  that  old  gentleman? 
Wouldn't  you.  now?  Of  course,  you  would!  And 
principally  because  you  have  ever  been  told  that 
such  is  his  invariable  rig-out.  If  the  same  old  fellow 
came  along  to  you  inside  a  boiled  shirt ;  with  patent- 
leather  pumps  on ;  and  a  diamond  solitaire  in  the 
middle  distance  of  the  boiled  shirt  referred  to ;  well, 
you  would  hardly  care  to  say  he  was  the  old 
gentleman  ?  No.  you  would  be  afraid  of  vexing  him— and 
he  mightn't  be  the  real  McKoy,  after  all. 

THIS  is  where  you  get  to  leeward  !  And  seeing  that  the 
old  gentleman  realises  all  your  weaknesses,  he  usually 
decks  up  his  snares  in  boiled  shirts— or  other  articles  of 
apparel  which  have  no  sleeves  and  are  sewn  into  a  band — 
and  thus  gets  to  windward  of  you.  every  time.  Don't 
think  that  I  am  revfvalled.  I'm  not.  I  merely  wish  to 
introduce  this  subject  to  your  notice,  in  a  manner  that  will 
make  it  sink  in  a  bit.  Getting  along  with  the  same  idea, 
did  you  ever  look  upon  grain  sweepings  as  one  of  the  un- 
considered things  of  life?  You  didn't?  Well,  they  are 


SEVERN 

.SEA 
SPRAY! 


The  trouble  of  lit  all  is,  that 
are    about   as  numerous,  as 


then.  Very  much  unconsidered — as  snares  of  that  old 
gentleman ;  and  by  sundry  gentlemen  whose  acquaintance 
---and  esteem  I  have  the  pleasure  of  possessing.  Yes, 
indeed  ! 

IT'S  like  this.  If  you  happen  to  have  a  dozen  steamers 
plying  to  the  Black  Sea  for  grain  ;  if  each  one  of  those 
steamers  makes,  on  an  average,  five  trips  a  year ;  if  at  the 
end  of  each  voyage  there  are,  at  least,  eighty  bags  of  grain 
sweepings  laying  about  in  various  parts  of  the  holds  ;  and 
if  you  calculate  up  the  value  of  this  phase  of  the  uncon- 
sidered, do  you  know  how  much  it  will  run  into,  per  annum  ? 
You  don't,  and  probably  you  are  willing  to  suggest  that  you 
have  heard  about  it  before.  But  even  so,  you  are  wrong  ; 
this  is  another  mistake  of  your  life.  Before,  you  merely 
heard  of  the  bags  that  were  being  numbered  among  the 
unconsidered  things  at  that  time.  I  am  writing  of  those 
that  are  going  along  in  the  old,  sweet,  happy  manner- 
even  to-day,  yesterday,  and  to-morrow,  if  you  supply 
your  own  verb. 

LET  me  explain  it  all  to  you,  and  then  will  you  have  one 
less  excuse  to  offer,  if,  haply,  you  are  sent  to  enquire  about 
those  sweepings.  Look !  Twelve  steamers  making  five 
trips  per  annum,  each,  work  out  to  sixty  trips  between 

them  ?  Sixty  trips  with 
eighty  bags  of  grain 
sweepings  for  each  trip, 
totals  up  to  960  bags  of 
grain— I  beg  your  pardon  ; 
grain  sweepings.  Then, 
you'll  find — if  you  work  it 
out  by  algebra,  or  other 
approved  method  —  that 
960  sacks  of  grain  sweep- 
ings, at  the  nominal  price 
of  five  shillings  per  sack, 
amount  to  £1.200  per 
annum,  for  the  trafficker  in 
the  unconsidered.  Knock 
off  the  odd  £200— if  you 
like— for  incidental  ex- 
penses, such  as  free  drinks, 
and  hush-money,  and  you 
have  a  clear  £1,000  per 
annum  from  this  little  un- 
considered thing.  Obvious- 
ly, if  there  are  twenty-four 
steamers  involved,  you  will 
need  to  double  my  figures. 

ON  the  other  hand,  if  but 
six  boats  are  "on  the  job,"  a 

paltry  £500  per  annum  will  result  from  this  phase  of  the 
unconsidered.  You  might  wonder  why  I  have  called  your 
attention  to  this  portion  of  sin  ?  Well,  simply  because  I 
want  you  to  shun  your  old-time  wickednesses ;  and 
incidentally,  because  I  happened  to  see  a  consignment 
going  ashore  the  other  night !  Not  so  very  late  at  night, 
you  understand ;  but  just  late  enough  to  obviate  any 
excessive  payments,  by  way  of  incidentals.  You  see  when 
the  nation — at  least  the  local  portion  thereof— is  said  to  be 
revivalled  right  up  to  the  hilt :  when  prophets  are  yelling 
about  the  end  of  the  world  ;  think  of  what  would  happen  if 
you  were  engaged  in  hoisting  that  grain  overside,  at  the 
precise  moment  when  the  Angel  Gabriel  brought  out  the 
final  combination  of  music  ! 

How,  I  ask  you  in  all  seriousness,  should  I  feel,  if  I  had 
neglected  to  give  you  a  hint  ?  Do  you  think  that  Gabriel 
would  be  cheated  (by  tales  of  memorial  stones  and  things) 
if  he  caught  you  red-handed,  in  hoisting  out  a  consignment 
of  another  man's  grain — even  though  it  masqueraded  along 
under  the  bogus  name  of  "sweepings  ?  "  Well,  he  wouldn't. 
You  and  your  grain  would  go  along  to  a  spot  where  there 
are  no  chickens— or  other  feathered  friends.  You  would  be 
roasted,  sir;  shrivelled  up;  fricasseed,  or  something  equally 
bad.  And  if  it  came  to  my  knowledge,  as  I  looked  down  at 
you  from  over  the  edg-e  cf  a  silver  cloud  —what,  oh,  what, 
would  then  be  the  feelings  of  PETREL. 


March   10,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


68 


PATENTS  &  TRSDE  MZSRKS 

Relating    to    SHIPPING   and    the    COAL    TRADE. 


Specifications  published  on  February  23,  1905,  together 
with  an  indication  of  their  subject  matter,  the  title 
being  printed  in  Italics. 


2,37504 — MATHIESEN — Improvements  in  governors  for 
marine  engines. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  governor  for  preventing  the 
racing  of  marine  engines.  According  thereto,  the  engine 
drives  a  pump.  A  spring  is  interposed  between  the  piston 
of  this  pump  and  its  rod.  and  when  the  speed  of  the 
engine  and  pump  exceeds  the  normal,  the  lagging  of  the 
piston  due  to  the  yielding  of  a  spring  is  utilized  to  close 
the  steam  supply  valve  of  the  engine. 

7.148  04 — SOMMER     An  improved  mining  strut. 

This  is  a  strut  composed  of  an  upper  solid  member 
which  telescopes  within  a  lower  hollow  member  and 
which  is  provided  with  a  clamping  device.  The  inner 
upper  member  may  consist  of  a  cylindrical  wooden  pole 
or  a  bar  of  angle,  channel  or  I  section.  The  lower  mem- 
ber being  of  suitable  section  to  allow  the  other  to  slide 
therein. 

7,186  04— MAWSON  &  PUCH  Improvements  in  couplings 
for  colliery-trams,  wagons,  and  the  like-:  applicable  also  for 
chains. 

This  is  a  device  for  preventing  the  accidental  displace- 
ment of  a  shackle  pin.  The  hole  for  the  passage  of  the 
pin  through  one  eye  of  the  shackle,  contains  an  annular 
groove  which  is  bevelled  on  the  inner  side.  '  A  spring 
urged  bolt  is  fitted  in  a  recess  in  the  shackle  pin  near  its 
head,  so  as  to  project  laterally  and  engage  m  the  above 
mentioned  annular  groove  and  prevent  the  withdrawal  of 
the  shadtfte  pm.  This  retaining  bolt  is  adapted  to  be 
drawn  back  into  its  recess  by  a  small  thumb  lever,  piv- 
otted  in  the  head  of  the  shackle  pin.  The  point  of  the 
bolt  being  bevelled  to  facilitate  the  entry  of  the  shackle 
pin. 

7.38604  -  YOUNG     Improvements  in  boats. 

The  object  of  this  invention  is  to  prevent  undue  rolling 
and  pitching.  For  this  purpose  the  boat  has  the  usual 
construction  of  hull  with  keel,  but  in  addition  thereto,  is 
provided  with  a  horizontal  plate  placed  underneath  the 
keel  the  width  of  the  plate  being  equal  to  the  beam  of  the 
vessel.  Vertical  plates  depend  from  the  sides  of  the 
vessel,  and  -are  secured  to  the  edges  of  the  horizontal 
plate,  thuS'formmg  passages  for  the  water. 

7,493  04 — RICHES  -An  improved  method  of  and  apparatus 
for  loading  or  ballasting  ships  or  vessels. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  method  of  and  apparatus' 
for  immediately  and  continuously  removjng  the  screen- 
ings to  the  weighing  apparatus,  where  the  screening  is 
effected  in  the  chute  which  transfers  the  coal  to  the  ship. 
This  is  effected  by  an  arrangement  of  continuously 
operating  screw  and  buckets,  conveyors- and  elevators 
arranged  beneath  the  chute.  By  this  method  the  weight 
of  the  screenings  can  be  continuously  deducted  from  the 
weight  of  coal  shot,  so  arriving  at  the  actual  weight  of 
coal  loaded. 

8.997  04  SMETHURST  Improved  means  for  controlling 
the  speed  of  screw  propelled  and  other  vessels. 

In  this  invention  a  pair  of  rudders  are  co-axially 
mounted  and  normally  locked  together  and  act  as  one. 
These  rudders  are  adapted  to  be  opened  out  and  set 
apart  from  one  another  athwart  the  rear  of  the  propeller 
and  obstruct  the  water  from  being  displaced  sternwards. 

10.86904  EARLE  Improvements  in  sounding  devices  and 
shoal  water  indicators /or  navigable  waterways. 

This  sounding  device  consists  of  a  rod  or  spar  pivotted 
near  the  bows  of  the  vessel  and  fitted  with  n  roller  or 
shoe  at  its  free  end.  The  rod  is  trailed  inclined  with  the 
roller  resting  on  the  bottom  of  the  waterway.  A  rod  is 
secured  to  the  end  of  the  inclined  trailing  rod  and  passed 


in  a  nearly  vertical  direction  through  a  guide  eye  on  the 
gunwale,  the  height  of  this  rod  indicates  the  depth.  A 
pointer,  mounted  on  the  pivotted  end  of  the  trailing  rod, 
and  moving  over  a  dial  segment  serves  the  same  purpose. 
The  trailing  rod  is  adapted  to  be  hoisted  on  board  by  a 
rope,  where  it  can  be  stowed.  The  vertical  indicating 
rod  may  be  fitted  with  a  bell  actuated  by  the  roller. 

23,1 80/04— LAUGH  LI  N  —  A  new  or  improved  split  link. 

This  invention  is  an  improvement  on  the  type  of 
divided  chain-link  in  which  each  portion  consists  of  a 
solid  cylindrical  straight  side  and  two  split  or  semi- 
cylindrical  rounded  ends.  The  ends  of  each  portion 
being  fitted  together  and  secured  by  rivets.  The  in- 
vention consists  in  forming  a  projection  and  recess  on 
the  flat  face  of  each  half-rounded  end  such  that,  when  in 
position,  they  interlock  and  prevent  the  ends  from 

straightening  and  the  rivets  from  shearing. 

• 

28.394  04— FREDERICK — Improvements  in  or  relating  to 
fish  hooks. 

For  the  purpose  of  preventing  a  fish  from  leaving  the 
hook  the  shank  of  the  hook  is  bent  into  a  zig-zag  below 
the  barb. 

28  398/04— REED  &  DENNIS— Improvements  m 'spikes. 

This  spike  for  securing  rails  to  their  ties  is  provided 
with  a  longitudinal  groove  or  channel  for  about  thie  upper 
half  of  its  length-  The  groove  at  the  middle  of  the  spike 
abruptly  emerges  laterally.  After  the  spike  is  in  position, 
a  nail  or  thin  spike  is  driven  into  this  channel  its  point 
emerging  laterally  into  the  wood  of  the  tie  and.  becoming 
bent  into  a  hook  shape,  locks  th^  spike. 

28,408/04—  DE  R BYSH I R E  Improvements  in  rope  or  cable 
clips. 

This  rope  clip  consists  of  a  U  shaped  piece  which 
surrounds  the  cable  the  internal  bend  of  the  U  forming 
one  of  the  gripping  surfaces.  The  two  side-cheeks  of 
the  U  are  slotted  and  the  slots  form  the  bearings  for 
the  pivot  or  fulcrum  of  a  lever.  This  lever  has  a  cam  at 
its  end  which  presses  against  the  rope,  a  second  U 
shaped  piece  also  formed  with  slotways  through  which 
pass  the  pivotting  pin  of  the  lever.  This  second  U 
shaped  piece  is  fitted  inside  the  former  and  contains  the 
cam  ended  lever  the  outside  bend  of  the  U  forming  the 
second  gripping  surface.  The  free  end  of  the  lever  is 
fastened  to  the  load.  The  whole  is  adapted  to  be  locked 
by  a  finger  sepured  to  a  sliding  sleeve  on  the  lever  and  a 
wedge. 

28,775/04— JOHNSON  —  Improvements  in  grapnels. 
*  In  this  grapnel  the  stem  is  reduced  in  diameter  at  its 
lower  end  and  the  three  collars  are  fitted  against  the 
shoulder  so  formed.  These  collars  are  recessed  and  the 
enlarged  heels  of  the  grapnel  prongs  and  their  stays  are 
clamped  therein  by  a  nut  screwed  on  the  end  of. the  stem. 

29,861  04     BALL  -  Improvements  relating  to  rowlocks. 

This  rowloftk  is  adapted  to  be  partially  dismounted  and 
turned  inboard  without  actual  detachment  from  its 
socket.  This  is  effected  by  forming  a  slot  in  the  side  of 
the  socket  and  reducing  the  end  of  the  stem  of  the  row- 
lock and  fitting  same  with  a  ball  end. 


These  applications  for  patents  are.  until  April  8,  1905, 
open  to  opposition  by  any  person  having  a  statutory 
right  to  oppose. 

Copies  of  the  specificaticns  may  be  obtained  from  the 
Patent  Office  or  through  the  under-named. 


No   TRADE    MARKS   THIS   WEEK. 


Compiled  by  Messrt.  PHILLIPS  &  LEIGH,  Chartered  Patent 
Agent*,  22,  Southampton  Buildings,  Chancery  Lane,  London, 
WTC.  Local  Consultant:  Mr.  S.  W.  ALLEN,  Engineer,  of  Cardiff 
Exchange,  Bute  Docks,  C.-.rdifT. 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


March   10,  1905 


OUR  MARITIME  DIRECTORY. 


•§• 


* 


•milllll 


CARDIFF. 


Colliery  Proprietors. 


TORY  BROS.  &  Co..  LTD.,  Cardiff  and 
London.    Depots  at  all  the  principal 
Coaling  Stations  in  the  World. 

T-,-_        .    " CORY.  CARDIFF"; 
Telegrams.    ••  CORY.  LONDON." 


INSOLE.  GEORGE  &  SON.  Cardiff.   Sole 
Shippers  of  Cymmer  Steam    Coal, 
Windsor  Steam  Coal,  and  Insoles  No.  2 
Rhondda  Coal. 

Telegrams  :  "  INSOLES.  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF-  Continued. 


VIVIAN.   H.   C.   &  Co..    Bute  Docks, 
Cardiff.     Sole  European  Agents  for 
"The  Puritan  Coal  Mining  Co.,  Phila- 
delphia, U.S.A." 

Telegrams  :  "VIVIAN.  CARDIFF." 


[  EWIS    MERTHYR    CONSOLIDATED  COL- 
LIERIES.  LTD..  Proprietors  and  Ship- 
pers  of    "  Lewis  Merthyr "   Navigation 
Steam  Coal. 

T.L._  "LEWIS  MERTHYR.  CARDIFF": 

eiegrams       -Lev,s  MERTHYR.  LONDON." 


WATTS,    WATTS  &  Co.,   Cardiff    and 
London.  Contractors  for  the  supply 
of  Coals  at  all  Depots  abroad. 

Telegrams  :  "  WATTS,  CARDIFF." 

Dock   Owners. 


MARQUESS     OF     BUTE     COLLIERIES. 

Aberdare.  Hirwain.   and   Rhondda 

Valley.     Shipping  ports  : — Bute  Docks. 

ardiff :      Penarth     Dock  :      Swansea ; 

Briton    Ferry  :     and    Newport    ( Mon. ) 

T«J<  grams  :  "  SEMA.  CARDIFF." 

r)CEAN    (MERTHYR)    COAL   Co.,    LTD., 
11.  Bute  Crescent.  Cardiff,  proprie- 
tors of  Ocean  (Merthyr)  Steam  Coal. 


I  INIVERS'AL  STEAM  COAL  Co.,  LTD.. 
^  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff.  Proprietors  of 
'  Universal  Steam  Coal." 

Telegrams:   "  VERSATILE.  CARDIFF." 


XHE  CARDIFF  RAILWAY  COMPANY,  Bute 
1      Docks.  Cardiff. 

Ship  Repairers. 

CHEARMAN,  JOHN  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff, 
°     and  at  Barry  Dock. 

XHE   Bu-.e  SHIPBUILDING,  ENGINEERING, 
AND   DRY   DOCK   COMPANY,    LIMITED. 
Roath  Basin,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams  :  "CAISSON.  CARDIFF." 

XHE  CARDIFF  CHANNEL  DRY  DOCKS  AND 
PoNT»6N    Co..    LTD.,    Cardiff    and 
Barry  Dock. 

T.I«          .    "  Entrance,  Cardiff." 
Telegrams.    ••  Channei,  Barry.» 


MERCANTILE   PONTOON  Co..  LTD., 
Roath  Dock,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams  :  "MERCANTILE,  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF     Continued. 


Miscellaneous. 

[  EWIS  A  TYLOR,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 

Sole  patentees  and  manufacturers 

of  "Gripoly,"  a  patent  woven  belting; 

and  "  Burals."  a  semi-metallic  packing. 

Telegrams  :  "  BELTING  CARDIFF."        Telephone.  Nat.  231 . 


Steamship    Owners. 


D 


AN.   JENKINS    &     Co..    Steamship 
Owners  and  Brokers.  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "Stonewall.  Cardiff." 
Nat.  Telephone  :  1318. 


BARRY. 


Dock  Owners. 

T"HE  BARRY  RAILWAY  Co.,  Barry. 


Ship  Repairers. 


DARRY   GRAVING 
U     Co.,  LTD. 


DOCK  &  ENGINEERING 


Telegrams:   "  BARDOCK,  BARRY." 
National  Telephone  No.  7.         Post  Office  Telephone  No.  7 


To    the    Proprietors    of 

"THE    MARITIME    REVIEW," 

. 

^  DOCKS,     CARDIFF. 


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"  Ring  the  bell  softly,  there's  crape  on  his  door !  " 


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VISITOR  :     "  Is  there  any  hope,  look  you?' 
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THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


March  17,  1905 


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Correspondence  :  The  Editor  does,  not  necessarily  identify  himself 
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•tfeto 


CONTENTS. * >*  * 


CARTOON  :  POOR  C.  BOARD.  Eso. !      

MARITIME  MURMURS 

SHIPBUILDING 

SIR  W.  T.  LEWIS'  FIFTY-YEARS-RETROSPECT 

THE  M.S.G.'s  ANNUAL  REPORT 

CARDIFF  (AND  OTHER)  COAL       

COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES  ... 

MARITIME  (AND  OTHER)  MONEY  MATTERS 

THE  COAL-TRIMMING  DEADLOCK 

PATENTS  AND  TRADE  MARKS      85 


69 

70 
77 
78 
79 
80 


MARITIME    MURMURS. 


DOCKS.  CARDIFF, 

Thursday  Afternoon. 

THE  legislation  for  the  admission  of  "  peaceful  picketing  " 
continues,  and  if  the  professional  agitator  is  allowed  to  have 
his  little  way.  anarchy  will  ultimately  have  full  sway  in  poor 
old  Britain.  The  pity  of  the  situation,  lays  in  the  fact  that 
astute  business  men  should  be  so  lacking  in  their  knowledge 
of  human  nature,  as  to  believe  that  anything  of  a  "peaceful" 
nature  may  possibly  result,  when  a  number  of  the  quasi- 
horney-handed  are  detailed  by  their  Bosses,  to  explain  to 
Tom.  Dick,  or  Harry,  the  true  inwardness  of  the  situation 
as  exemplified  by  their  refusals  to  join  the  "  union."  In  the 
first  place,  it  cannot  be  denied  that,  so  far  in  the  history 
of  the  land,  trades  unionism  finds  favour  with  but  a  few  of 
the  class  known  as  the  British  workman.  In  nearly  every 
trade,  the  "  unioned  "  portion  thereof,  is  a  glaring  minority, 
and  even  what  there  is  of  that  "  union,"  has  been  made  by 
coercion.  Examples  proving  this  contention  are  not  far  to 
seek,  and  about  the  only  good  which  is  likely  to  come  out  of 
trades  unionism  as  engineered  to-day,  is  a  fat  living  for  a 
number  of  agitators  who  have  never  worked,  and  who.  in 
all  probability,  couldn't  work  if  they  were  put  to  it. 

£fc 

WE  suppose  it  will  be  admitted  that  Major  Banes,  M.P., 
has  the  real  welfare  of  the  working  classes  at  heart,  in  a 
manner  which  cannot  be  excelled  by  any  other  public- 
spirited  gentleman.  Yet.  on  the  subject  of  "  peaceful 
picketing,"  the  Major  is  as  explicit  as  possible.  He  doesn't 
mince  matters  a  bit.  and  in  a  letter  to  the  Times,  a  few  days 
ago.  puts  his  beliefs  in  a  nut-shell.  We  have  much  pleasure 
in  reproducing  that  letter.  It  is  as  follows  : 

TRADES    UNION    LEGISLATION. 

To  the  Editor  of  the  Times. 

Sir,  -1  have  received  so  many  requests  to  support  the  Trades 
Unions  Disputes  Bill  that,  as  I  am  still  unable  to  attend  the  House  of 
Commons,  I  shall  be  glad  if  you  will  kindly  insert  the  following  copy 
of  a  letter  I  sent  out  with  regard  to  it  last  year  :— 

"  Dear  Sirs.  I  am  sorry  the  state  of  my  health  just  now  will  not  permit  me  to  attend 
Parliament,  and  I  also  (eel  bound  to  say  that  I  should  never  think  of  supporting  the  Bill 
for  peaceful  picketing,  a  copy  of  which  you  enclose. 

"  For  nearly  60  years  now  I  have  been  engaged  with  the  working  classes  of  all  kinds 
in  trie  ports  of  London  and  Liverpool,  have  learned  to  respect  them,  and  believe  I  am 
held  in  respect  by  them.  I  have  always  advised  and  assisted  them,  and  to  my  own  loss 
and  suffering  have  supported  them  against  injustice  and  sweating  whenever  I  felt  they 
were  being  wronged  by  employers,  and  when  they  had  far  fewer  friends  than  they 
appear  to  have  nowadays. 

"  I  believe  in  trade  unions  carried  on  in  a  just  and  proper  manner,  and  that  they  have 
been  a  great  help  In  removing  many  grievances  which  without  their  aid  would  have 
proved  dangerous  to  the  country  at  large. 


neres    n  wor  ,  , 

•o  seek    by  mere  force  and  power  of  numbers,  what  can  be  more  easily  and  surely 

gained  by  reason  and  appeals  to  public  opinion  as  to  the  justice  of  their  cause. 

"  Thus  many  evils  have  crept  into  trade  unionism  of  late  years,  and  amongst  them 
'  picketing  by  intimidation.'  and  1  am  convinced  the  law,  as  it  now  stands,  will  be  a  far 
greater  benefit  to  genuine  trade  unionists  and  to  the  true  right  of  liberty  for  all  men. 

"  The  term  '  peaceful  picketing '  with  a  mob  at  its  back  seems  to  me  ridiculous,  and  as 
great  a  burlesque  as  '  persuading  with  a  poker,'  and  I  do  not  believe  in  it,  although  I  can 
assure  you  I  am  as  ready,  although  less  able,  to  do  whatever  I  can  for  the  true  interests 
of  the  working  classes  as  I  have  ever  been,  although  1  may  speak  too  plainly  for  those 
who  seek  to  please  and  humbug  them  in  order  to  serve  their  own  selfish  purposes. 
Yours  sincerely, 

GEO.  W.  E.  BANES,  J.P.,  M.P.,  South  West  Ham. 
The  Red-House,  Upton,  Forest  Gate, 
March  8th. 

&    ^ 

THE  truth  of  the  matter  in  connection  with  the  con- 
templated trades  union  immunity  from  the  laws  which 
govern  the  remainder  of  the  community,  is  that  the  wire- 
pullers are  attempting  to  engineer  a  state  of  play,  in  which 
they  will  engage  at  games  of  chance,  armed  with  a  double- 
headed  ha'penny.  What  the  result  is  likely  to  be  for  the 
country,  generally,  needs  no  prophet  to  determine.  In  the 
past,  we  have  had  fairly  good  examples  of  what  "  mob  law  " 
is  worth  :  what  extremes  it  will  go  to,  even  when  restric- 
tions are  in  force  ;  what  will  happen  if  those  restrictions 
are  removed  !  Trades  Unionism  is,  undoubtedly,  good  for 
the  community  --when  it  is  run  on  genuine  Trades  Union 
lines.  When,  however,  the  whole  thing  is  a  glorified  edition 
of  the  Tammany  tactics  which  have  made  New  York  notor- 
ious, then,  the  more  restrictions  that  are  placed  in  its  way, 
the  better  will  it  be  for  all  concerned.  The  plain  facts  of 
the  case  point  to  the  belief,  that  the  present  is  quite  fifty 
years  too  soon,  for  any  additional  powers  to  be  safely 
granted  to  the  mob,  who  are  doing  all  the  shouting  in  the 
matter  of  "  unions."  Neither  workman,  nor  his  delegate, 
have  gone  beyond  that  stage  where  education  is  a  dangerous 
thing. 

fi?  *8 

IF  the  legislature  will  see  to  it  that  the  agitator  is  rounded 
up  a  bit ;  is  restricted  in  his  power,  until  his  following  have 
had  a  sufficiency  of  time  granted,  to  enable  them  to  assim- 
ilate the  benefits  of  free  education :  then,  eventually. 
Trades  Unionism  will  be  the  blessing  which  its  originators 
intended  it  should  be.  As  things  are  at  present,  the  methods 
in  vogue  with  the  cult,  are  on  a  par  with  those  obtaining 
with  the  regenerators  of  mankind,  who  attempt  to  civilise 
the  poor  nigger,  in  West  Africa.  That  is,  they  unload  the 
accumulated  wisdom  of  centuries  in  both  instances,  and 
expect  a  number  of  men  who  are  totally  unprepared  for 


March  17,  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


7< 


such  an  unloading,  to  assimilate  what  it  has  taken  other 
classes  of  society,  whole  generations  to  begin  to  understand. 
In  other  words,  the  rising  generation,  for  the  first  time  in 
the  history  of  the  nation,  has  been  deluged  with  this 
so-called  education  on  which  the  country  is  gone,  more  or 
less,  mad  :  but  the  remainder  of  the  generation  immediately 
preceding  the  present  "  rising  "  affair,  is  wallowing  along  in 
its  old-time  ignorance.  The  son  goes  home,  repeats  his 
lessons  to  the  Old  Man.  and  there  is  a  family  consultation. 

&15 

THE  son.  puffed  up  with  a  feeling  that  he  is  miles  ahead 
of  father,  in  a  due  appreciation  of  what  is  right  and  proper, 
indulgently  affects  an  explanation  of  the  matters  which 
concern  them  both :  father,  being  filled  with  a  great 
admiration  for  his  son,  who  is  the  first  "  scholard  "  in  the 
family,  throws  in  his  lot  with  him,  and  thus  are  the  twain 
prepared  for  the  advent  of  the  professional  agitator !  In 
other  words,  the  son  has  a  touch  of  that  education  which  is 
dangerous :  he  brings  his  spurious  teachings  to  the  Old 
Man,  who  has  but  a  knowledge  of  human  nature  to  carry 
him  along  :  they  both  elect  to  run  in  double  harness  :  and 
as  a  natural  consequence,  between  them,  they  hash-up 
matters  into  a  state  which  needs  but  a  touch  from  agitator 
to  inaugurate  a  high-class  chunk  of  anarchism.  If  the  Old 
Man  had  the  "education."  in  addition  to  his  knowledge  of 
human  nature  :  or  had  the  son  the  knowledge  of  human 
nature  in  addition  to  his  "education."  all  would  be  well. 
As  things  are.  however,  father  is  but  the  complement  of 
the  son.  and  vice  versa :  then,  seeing  that  it  is  impossible 
to  carry  both  father  and  son  into  every  movement  that  is 
toward  :  there  is  merely  half  of  the  necessary  requirements 
present,  at  each  meeting  of  the  gang. 

0* 

THAT  is.  at  one  time  there  is  a  predominance  of  human 
nature  and  no  "  education  :  "  at  another,  there  is  a  certain 
amount  of  "  education  "  and  no  knowledge  of  human  nature. 
Under  the  circumstances,  therefore,  it  is  easily  seen  that 
the  time  for  this  coveted  freedom  for  Trades  Unionism  is 
not  yet.  Fifty  years  hence,  will  be  quite  time  enough  for 
the  legislature  to  give  a  free  hand  to  the  then  Bosses  of 
the  cult,  for  by  that  time,  they  as  well  as  the  individual 
members  will  realise  what  is  really  incumbent  on  them,  if 
they  mean  to  fulfil  their  destinies  in  a  regular  and  proper 
manner.  Reverting  to  the  cravings  of  the  "unionistic" 
mob.  in  the  matter  of  freedom  from  liability  connected  with 
their  own  excesses,  the  Attorney-General  has  pointed  out 
that  the  demand  was  not  made  for  any  useful  purpose.  Of 
course  not !  The  demand  partakes  of  an  endeavour  to  play 
a  game  of  metaphorical  pitch-and-toss.  with  a  double- 


the  lean-jawed  colliers  to  fight  on,  aye,  if  women  and 
children  starved  on  the  road  ?  And  even  more  heartless 
counsel  than  that  ?  No.  sirs,  we  do  not  forget  it !  We  had 
columns  of  soul-harrowing  details  given  us  as  a  community ; 
cartoons,  ad  lib. :  and  together,  they  have  etched  a  picture 
on  our  united  brains,  haven't  they  ?  A  picture  which  we 
are  not  likely  to  forget,  as  long  as  life  lasts  ? 

&>& 

IN  face  of  this,  is  the  country  going  to  stand  by  and  see 
its  birthright  given  over  to  a  number  of  parasites  whose 
only  reason  for  a  survival,  would  appear  to  lay  in  the 
possession  of  unbounded  cheek,  and  tolerable  lungs?  We 
hope  not.  We  are  at  one  with  Major  Banes  in  believing 
that  the  unions,  if  carried  on  in  a  proper  manner,  are  an 
acquisition.  All  the  same,  we  are  just  as  convinced  that 
they  are  a  dangerous  weapon  in  the  present  condition  of 
the  world.  Education  is  too  new  a  thing  to  admit  of  too 
much  freedom  for  the  Bosses  of  those  unions.  As  a  matter 
of  fact,  trades  unions  will  need  a  quantity  of  metaphorical 
wet-nursing,  before  they  are  safely  to  be  allowed  to  run  off 
"  on  their  own."  At  the  present  moment,  we  are  sorry  to 
say.  the  standard  of  efficiency  as  set  by  the  majority  of 
"  unions."  is  the  efficiency  of  the  least-efficient — if  we  may 
be  forgiven  the  bull !  By  and  bye.  the  proud  words  "  I  am 
a  unionist."  will  be  a  credential  beyond  which  it  will  be 
unnecessary  for  an  employer  to  go.  for  the  words  will  mean 
that  the  man  using  them  is  a  genuine  craftsman,  a  sober 
individual,  and  one  who  may  be  depended  on  to  use  his  best 
endeavours  for  the  furtherance  of  the  policy,  which  he  and 
his  employer  have  decided  to  work  out  together.  But  the 
time  is  not  yet ! 

5?  %J 

FURTHERMORE,  the  very  men  who  are  most  anxious  to 
persuade  us  that  the  time  has  come  when  the  embargo 
should  be  removed  from  trades  unionism,  are  they  who 
realise  to  the  full,  that  the  time  for  such  a  removal  is,  in 
reality,  very  much  in  the  womb  of  the  future.  Of  what  use 
is  it  for  a  number  of  legislators  to  muss  around  with  the 
subject,  'fore  all  the  world  as  if  they  were  no  better  qualified 
than  the  figurative  father  which  we  used  as  an  example, 
'way  back  ?  Why  not  come  out  from  underneath  the  hat. 
and  admit  that  the  whole  contraption  is  merely  of  the  vote- 
snatching  order  ?  That  allegiance  is  given  to  the  agitator 
because,  with  the  help  of  his  long  tongue  and  specious 
"arguments"  (heaven  help  us),  a  number  of  votes  might  be 
secured  at  the  next  election  ?  We  note  that  the  Times,  in 
discussing  this  phase  of  the  national  entity,  remarks.  "  It 
has  hitherto  been  the  policy  of  the  unions  to  treat  all  their 
resources  as  available  for  any  of  the  purposes  which  they 


headed  ha'penny,  as  we  have  already  remarked.     That  is  *  .j»aj>  desire  to  accomplish."    Of  course,  it  has.  and  every- 


clear  enough.  If  a  "  Union  "  wishes  to  earmark  its  sick 
benefit  funds  for  that  purpose  alone,  it  has  every  opportunity 
for  doing  so  :  even  as  it  has  an  opportunity  of  using  the 
"union  "  funds  for  so-called  "fighting  purposes." 

§?*> 

HAVE  not  we  had  examples  in  the  past,  of  where  the 
Bosses  will  use  up  every  penny  of  the  sick-benefit  funds — 
if  it  suits  them  for  carrying  on  the  Holy  War?  In  view 
of  this.  then,  is  it  pretended  that  the  agitator  is  too  "dense" 
to  see  his  way  to  hedge,  in  any  one  set  of  circumstances 
that  may  be  brought  to  bear  ?  As  a  matter  of  fact,  all  this 
attempted  reversion  of  the  Taff  Vale  judgment  is  simply 
for  the  purpose  of  allowing  the  agitator  a  perfectly  free 
hand  :  of  supplying  him  with  the  power  to  sink  the  whole 
world,  as  long  as  he  <  and  his  gang »  swims.  Do  we  forget 
the  Great  Strike  here,  locally,  and  the  numbers  of  instances 
where  a  smug  and  well-fed  demagogue  counselled  his  dupes 
to  go  on  fighting  to  the  bitter  end  ?  Where,  on  arising  from 
a  well-spread  board,  the  greasy-looking  "  prophet  "  advised 


body  -including  the  agitator --  realises  the  truth  of  the 
remark  :  and  with  the  Times,  every  right-thinking  man  will 
add.  "  as  long  as  they  maintain  this  position,  we  trust  that 
it  will  never  be  rendered  possible  for  them  to  escape  the 
ordinary  liabilities  of  individuals  for  any  wrongful  acts  which 
they  may  authorise  or  commit." 

6?  *3 

DARTMOUTH  harbour  is  a  lovely  spot.  Generations  of 
yachtsmen  have  subscribed  to  the  statement,  even  as  they 
have  brought  numberless  pleasure  boats  to  the  moorings  in 
the  river  :  pleasure  boats  which  have  added  revenue  to  the 
tradespeople  in  the  town  ;  and  which  revenue  has  gradually 
evolved,  out  of  mere  primitiveness,  a  fairly  up-to-date 
pleasure  resort.  That  the  same  yachtsmen  would  have 
done  more  in  this  direction,  is  an  incontrovertible  fact 

providing  they  had  been  given  the  facilities  which  they 
had  a  right  to  look  for.  But  it  is  a  bit  nonsensical  to 
expect  a  yachtsman  to  bring  his  vessel  into  a  harbour 
where,  at  any  moment,  he  may  find  her  in  a  condition 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


March   17,    1905 


similar  to  what  would  obtain,  if  she  had  laid  for  a  week  in 
a  South  Wales  coal  dock  ?  For  quite  a  while  now.  the 
Dartmouth  Harbour  Commissioners  have  given  up  the  best 
berth  in  the  river,  for  the  coaling  of  one  steamer  per  week, 
and,  as  a  natural  result,  the  yachting  fraternity  had  come 
very  near  to  deserting  the  place,  altogether.  We  re- 
member seeing  one  spick-and-span  sailing  yacht,  one  day 
in  August,  last,  yanked  up  under  the  stern  of  one  of  the 
Forwood  boats  which  have  the  "open  Sesame,"  thereaway. 

5?*? 

THE  yacht  in  question,  was  snugly  anchored  at  a  place 
where  yachts  have  anchored  for  ages,  and  she  was 
surrounded  by  dozens  of  other  equally  spick-and-span 
pleasure  cruisers.  Beautifully  enamelled  sides :  spotless 
decks  :  duck  awnings  with  orthodox  "  scalloped  edges  :" 
brass-work  glistening  in  the  evening  sun  :  and  everything 
going  as  merry  as  that  bell  which  one  reads  of.  Presently, 
along  comes  a  "  Morocco  bound  "  affair,  which  anchors  in 
the  spot  pointed  out  and  made-sacred-to-her-use,  by  the 
Harbour  Board.  In  swinging  around,  the  "M.B."  steamer 
becomes  tangled  up  with  the  spick-and-span  yacht ; 
endangers  its  bowsprit:  fills  its  general  cleanliness  with 
pulverised  Welsh  coal;  and  after  much  prayer,  and 
misgiving  on  the  part  of  her  owner,  the  yacht  is  towed  out 
of  danger  and  dirt :  the  "  M.B."  continues  with  her 
bunkering-  and  presumably  all  is  peace.  Later  on.  where 
erstwhile  a  hundred  yachts  swung  to  their  anchors 
scarcely  one  is  visible.  The  native  remarks.  "  Oh.  they've 
gone  off  to  Such-and-such  a  regatta,"  and  the  native  might 
be  right.  On  the  other  hand,  he  might  be  altogether 
wrong ;  and  it  naturally  occurs  to  us  to  ask :  Which  is 
calculated  to  benefit  the  town  of  Dartmouth  most-  one 
weekly  steamer,  or  a  hundred  weekly  yachts  ? 

$  ^ 

THAT  matters  were   even   worse  than   we   thought,   is 
evidenced  by  the  fact  that  arrangements  have  now  been 
made,  by  which  the  Forwood  boats  will  be  able  to  take  in 
their  comparatively   small   amount    of    bunkers,    without 
inconveniencing    the    many    yachts    which,  perhaps,   will 
again  consent  to  use   the  harbour.     Sir  Dudley  Forwood 
has  been  to  Dartmouth  ;   has  met  the   Harbour  Commis- 
sioners :  and  an  arrangement  has  been  made  "  by  which  it 
is  hoped  that  satisfaction  will  be  given  to  all  parties."     We 
hope  so.  too.  for  the  arrangement  was  badly  needed.     Why 
doesn't  some  public-spirited  person  at  Dartmouth,  interest 
himself  with  an  attempt  to  draw  up  a  statement  showing 
the  actual  benefit  accruing  to  the   port,  by  reason  of  this 
bunkering  business  ?     We  do   not   mean   accruing  to  the 
bunker  folk,  themselves  :   but  to  the  community,  at  large. 
Having  tabulated  this  benefit— if  there  is  one  :  then  go  on 
to  tabulate  the  proceeds  resulting  from  the  annual  fleet  of 
yachts  which  erstwhile  came  to  the  harbour.     We  have  not 
the  least  doubt  but  that  the  statement  of  accounts  would 
have  absorbing  interest  to  the  local  celebrities,  and  if  they 
will  send  the  figures  along  to  us,  we  shall  be  glad  to  give 
them  publicity.     We  have  a  weakness  for  Dartmouth  Har- 
bour :   sailed  therefrom  in  our  youth  :   and  cannot  believe 
that  the  prevailing  happy-go-lucky  bunker  business  is  worth 
anything    appreciable,    to  anybody   outside  of  the   clique 
which  engages  in   the  game.     Will  somebody  give  us  the 
relative  figures  ? 

&*& 

ONCE  again,  has  Brother  Jonathan  given  this  country  a 
good  lead  in  up-to-date  nautical  necessities.  The  American 
Navy  Department  has  decided  to  send  out  a  cruiser  whose 
business  it  will  be  to  hunt  up.  and  when  found,  sink  some 
twenty-seven  derelicts,  which  are  wallowing  along  in  the 
trade  routes  situated  between  Santiago,  Cuba,  and  the 
Banks  of  Newfoundland.  Times  out  of  -number,  the 


British  Government  have  been  appealed  to  for  the  same 
purpose  :  and  exactly  the  same  number  of  times  have  they 
refused.  We  suppose  that  it  is  hardly  the  thing  to  expect 
a  full-blown  man-of-war  officer  to  stoop  to  such  necessary 
work,  as  keeping  a  trade  route  clear-even  although  the 
Navy's  reason  of  existence  lays  in  such  a  task  ?  To  keep 
those  routes  clear  of  potential  enemies  which  are  under 
command,  is  one  thing  ;  to  clear  out  another  number  of 
equally  potential  enemies  which  are  not  under  command, 
is  quite  another  !  All  the  same,  there  is  a  splendid  oppor- 
tunity here,  for  the  officers  referred  to.  In  hunting  up  the 
derelicts,  they  would  be  garnering  some  really  practical 
seamanship:  and  if  found,  those  derelicts  would  prove 
splendid  targets  for  raising  the  gunnery  efficiency  of  the 
ships  involved  ?  Anyhow.  Brother  Jonathan  has  under- 
taken the  job.  so  his  will  be  the  enhanced  seamanship,  to 
say  nothing  of  the  increased  gunnery  efficiency. 

5?^ 

POOR  old  "Baltic  Fleet"!  Can  you  imagine  a  more 
pitiful  spectacle  than  has  materialised  around  it  ?  Starting 
out  witt  a  great  flourish  of  trumpets  ;  steering  its  way 
through  the  peaceful  fleets  of  a  neutral  power,  and  plugging 
the  said  fleet  full  of  holes  :  lieing,  and  dodging  along  even 
as  it  lied  :  arriving  out  in  the  Indian  Ocean  solely  for  the 
purpose  of  indulging  in  a  fishing  excursion,  and  for  testing 
the  merits  of  somebody's  sample  of  barnacle-buster  !  In 
the  result,  the  "  redoubtable  ships  "  are  covered  with  sea- 
weed and  barnacles  :  have  some  70.000  tons  of  good  Welsh 
co'al  in  their  combined  bunkers:  but  in  spite  of  it  all.  are  still 
disinclined  to  have  a  try  at  the  nimble  little  Jap.  Mean- 
while, we  are  filled,  daily,  with  tales  of  the  heroic  Russian, 
and  are  asked  to  believe  that  he  is,  in  deed  and  truth,  a 
veritable  hero  !  Does  history  contain  a  more  sickening 
example  of  pusillanimity  than  has  been  thrown  on  the 
screen  by  Holy  and  Invincible  Russia?  The  country 
whose  fighting  resources  ran  into  some  9.000.000  men  —  on 
a  war  footing  !  Why  prolong  the  agony  ;  why  not  lay  her 
playthings  all  away,  for  of  a  surety,  she  will  never  need 
them  more  ?  The  kindest  thing  to  do  with  that  "  Baltic 
Fleet."  would  be  to  send  it,  as  an  Easter  egg,  to  Admiral 
Togo.  He  would  get  it  dry-docked,  and  compoed,  in  read- 
iness for  the  first  actual  business  which  has  ever  come  its 


OUR  American  contemporary.  World's  Work,  has  been 
having  a  quiet  five  minutes  with  its  readers,  concerning  the 
relative  carrying  capacities  —  and  killing  dittos  —  of  the 
American  and  British  railroads.  For  instance,  we  are  told 
that  American  trains  travel  900.000,000  miles  in  a  year. 
while  British  trains  merely  travel  400.000,000  miles  in 
the  same  time.  On  the  other  hand,  with  a  train  mileage 
less  than  half  that  of  the  American  friend,  the  English 
companies,  in  1903.  hauled  twice  as  many  passengers,  con- 
ducted their  business  on  one-tenth  the  trackage,  and  in 
doing  so.  killed  but  one-tenth  as  many  people,  and  injured 
less  than  one-tenth  as  many.  This,  surely,  is  something  to 
the  credit  of  the  good  people  who  run  what  the  American  is 
pleased  to  dub  the  "  toy  railroads  of  Britain  "  ?  Twice  as 
many  passengers,  on  half  as  much  rail  —  which  means  a 
terribly  congested  state  of  affairs  ;  but  with  it  all,  the 
death  roll  was  only  one-tenth  of  what  obtained  on  the 
American  spread-out  lines.  Friends,  with  testimony  like 
this  before  us.  we  are  prone  to  suggest  that  —  well,  that  we 
are  a  great  nation  :  and  the  suggestion  strikes  home,  every 
time  !  By  the  way,  when  are  the  American  railroad  pres- 
idents coming  across  to  this  side,  so  that  they  may  have  a 
few  lessons  given  them,  as  to  the  best  methods  of  running 
a  railroad  without  emulating  the  passage  of  one  Russian 
fleet  through  a  crowded  waterway  ? 


March   17,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


73 


NOTWITHSTANDING  all  the  tall  talk  which  has  been  trotted 
out  to  the  contrary,  the  alien  is  increasing  in  number  ! 
February  was  responsible  for  an  added  5.000  over  the 
figures  which  were  current  in  the  February  of  last  year,  and 
the  cry  is  "Still  they  come  "-drat  'em.  According  to 
some  of  our  contemporaries,  the  alien  is  not  an  evil  :  he  fills 
a  long-felt  want.  If  so.  they  must  be  gratified  by  this  con- 
stantly increasing  factor?  How  many  of  the  additional 
5.000  for  February  are  to  be  considered  as  "  good,  foreign 
seamen,"  deponent  sayeth  not  :  but  judging  by  the  influx  in 
James  Street,  most  of  the  number  mentioned,  must  have 
come  to  Cardiff  !  And  in  view  of  the  kindly  treatment 
which  is  meted  out  to  him  :  the  manner  in  which  the  mere 
native  gives  the  gentle  alien  the  whole  of  the  pavement- 
and  as  much  of  the  road  as  he  desires  :  well,  he  is  surely,  an 
unalloyed  blessing  !  Of  course,  this  matter  of  yielding  up 
the  pavement  and  roadway  may  be  more  in  connection  with 
an  unwashed  idea,  than  with  the  "unalloyed  blessing'' 
alluded  to.  In  any  case,  the  alien  has  merely  to  start  on  a 
ramble  down  the  street  referred  to.  and  the  facts  are  as 
stated.  He  pays  no  taxes  :  very  little  rent  :  he  spends  no 
money  in  the  port  outside  of  an  advance  note  to  the 
boarding  master  :  but  he  is  welcome  as  the  flowers  that 
bloom  about  this  time  of  the  year. 


so-much-less  qualified  than  the  alien  —  well,  their  demand 
usually  ends  in  that.  only. 

5?  & 

WITHOUT  wishing  to  suggest  that  the  Duke  of  Northum- 
berland has  been  borrowing  from  Shakespeare's  old  wheeze 
about  training  a  starling  to  repeat  a  certain  sentence,  we 
will  remark  that  his  Grace  has  been  doing  good  work  in 
telling  a  meeting  of  North  of  England  shipowners  that,  "I 
would  like  to  have  a  parrot  trained  for  every  cottage  in  the 
country,  to  say  '  Naval  supremacy  and  command  of  the 
seas.'"  Us.  too!  Four  parrots  for  every  cottage,  for 
that  matter,  so  that  the  message  would  be  given  in  each 
room  of  the  said  cottage.  As  things  are.  at  present, 
however,  the  words  indicated  are  merely  a  catch-phrase  ; 
a  useful  adjunct  to  certain  Parliamentary  elections  —  and 
that  is  about  all.  Personally,  we  have  written  so  much  on 
the  subject,  that  we  find  a  difficulty  in  searching  up 
anything  new  to  write.  But.  after  all,  there  is  need  for  no 
new  writing  :  a  simple  repetition  of  the  main  facts—  if 
continued  often  enough  —  will  sink  in.  in  time,  with,  we 
trust,  pleasing  results.  A  genuine  Naval  supremacy  is 
merely  another  method  of  writing  "command  of  the  seas," 
and  ''command  of  the  seas,"  simply  means  a  continuance 
of  Britain  as  the  premier  nation. 


MEANWHILE,  the  gentle  clerk  is  feeling  the  pinch  engen- 
dered by  this  gentlemanly  alien  person.  Par  exemple.  the 
Chamber  of  Commerce  Journal  gives  space  to  the  alien 
after  the  following  :  "  AGE  22.  •  Dutch  >.  Corresponds  in 
German.  French.  English,  and  Dutch.  Typist.  Single  and 
double-entry  book-keeper.  Eight  years  in  wholesale 
drapery  trade,  and  with  publishers.  Would  go  abroad. 
£52."  Ye  gods  !  One  pound  a  week  for  all  those  accom- 
plishments. and  yet  our  British  matrons  will  insist  on 
jerking  Tommy  into  a  clerk's  job-  because,  in  addition  to 
his  possible  £1  per  week,  he  will  also  come  home  with  a 
collar  around  his  manly  neck,  and  his  breeks  will  not  muss 
up  the  upholstery  of  the  kitchen  lounge,  whence  he 
wrestles  with  his  "  late  dinner."  Poor  British  matron  : 
poorer  British  son  Tommy  :  four  languages,  typine.  book- 
keeper and  all  for  a  pound-a-week  !  In  addition  to  this- 
and  if  the  intending  employer  imagines  that  £1  a  week  is 
toe  much  for  all  this  superlative  merit,  then,  the  salary 
may  be  arranged  "on  appointment:"  failing  that^hang  it. 
says  the  linguist,  in  four  tongues-  -"or  offer."  Under  the 
circumstances,  therefore,  is  it  to  be  wondered  that  certain 
of  our  contemporaries  declare  that  the  alien  is  anything 
but  an  evil  ? 

5?%? 

You  observe  that  the  advt.  quoted  above  has  to  do  with 
a  publisher:  a  publisher  handles  the  sheets  which  rank 
under  the  title  of  "our  contemporaries."  Need  we  say 
more  ?  Surely  not.  in  that  particular  direction  !  And 
please  do  not  run  away  with  the  idea  that  these  £l-per- 
week  clerks  are  inefficient,  or  mere  duffers.  They  are  not. 
by  any  means.  Such  inducements  as  "  three  years  with 
manufacturers  and  merchants  :"  "  two  years  with  printers 
and  hotel  proprietors:"  or  "five  years  with  colonial 
exporters:"  all  figure  among  the  qualifications  which  seek 
to  annex  the  nimble  sovereign  per  week.  No  wonder  that 
some  of  our  alleged  competitors  turn  out  such  rubbishy 
printing,  is  it?  "Two  years  with  printers,  etc."  and  only  in 
receipt  of  £1  per  week  and  with  four  languages  thrown 
in!  Well,  you  cannot  expect  much  printing  ability  for  £1 
per  week,  can  you  ?  Thus,  you  have  the  apparent  secret 
of  the  rubbishy  work  laid  bare  !  In  the  matter  of  English 
clerks,  their  demands  are  usually  above  £100  a  year  and 
foreign-language-knowledge  is  non  est  !  But  seeing  that 
their  demands  are  at  the  £100  notch  :  that  they  are  ever- 


WITH  other  than  a  Naval  supremacy,  the  command  of 
the  seas  will  go.  and  then,  this  dear  old  country  of  ours 
will  lay  at  the  feet  of  the  schemers  who  have  tried,  for 
ages,  to  bring  it  so.  With  this  before  the  nation,  no  won- 
der that  her  men  in  great  places  long  for  a  parrot,  as 
explained.  But.  after  all.  there  should  be  need  for  no 
parrot  ?  It  should  be  amply  sufficient  for  the  actual  as 
against  the  alleged—  facts  to  be  disseminated,  when  in  all 
probability,  the  nation  would  arise  as  one  man.  and  would 
quickly  engineer  a  better  orderi/lg  than  exists,  at  present. 
To  our  mind,  questions  of  fact  should  never  be  bruited 
about  for  electioneering  purposes,  for  therein  is  the  greatest 
danger  this  (  or  other  )  country  has  to  face.  Matters  of 
opinion  are  legitimate  subjects  for  argument  :  matters  of 
fact,  never  ?  Now.  with  reference  to  Britain's  Naval 
supremacy,  there  is  no  question  of  opinion  in  the  matter  ; 
it  is  all  a  matter  of  fact  and  figures.  These  latter  show, 
most  conclusively,  that  the  nation  is  merely  rubbing  along 
in  a  fools'  paradise.  Is  "stuffing"  itself  with  the  belief, 
that  all  is  well  with  the  first  line  of  defence  between 
Britain  and  the  enemy. 

5?%3 

THAT  all  is  not  well  in  this  direction,  is  apparent,  the 
moment  one  cares  to  inquire  beneath  the  surface  of  things 
fcook  where  you  will,  and  you  find  a  number  of  callow 
youths  in  charge  of  Naval  enterprises  where  seasoned,  and 
lengthily-trained  men  should  be.  Why  is  this  ?  Merely 
because  the  nation  has  little  else  but  callow  youths  on 
which  to  depend  -that  is  all!  Submarines,  which  are, 
admittedly,  most  "tricky"  things  to  handle,  are  put  under 
the  care  of  mere  boys,  with  the  natural  result  —  misfortunes. 
Destroyers,  which  by  nature  of  their  importance  to  the 
Fleet,  should  be  in  the  hands  of  seasoned  officers,  are 
under  the  charge  of  other  neophytic  sailormen.  anc  what 
happens,  here  ?  Breakdowns,  collisions,  strandings.  what 
not  !  Is  it  going  to  be  pretended  that  these  units  of 
nautical  power  are  more  difficult  to  handle  than  the  ordinary 
tramp  of  commerce?  Certainly  not!  With  the  tramp, 
accidents  are  relatively  few.  Why  ?  Because  the  men 
who  are  in  charge,  have,  in  the  majority  of  instances,  to 
learn  their  business  before  appointment  :  not.  as  in  the 
case  of  most  of  the  warship  units,  after  appointment,  and 
at  the  expense  of  the  nation.  Will  these  little  facts  be 
denied  by  anybody  possessing  a  knowledge  of  the  subject  ? 
We  say  "  No  !  "  most  emphatically. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


March    17,    1905 


LET  us  continue  on  this  phase  of  the  subject  for  yet 
another  par,  or  so.  Theoretically,  the  sucking  skipper  of 
the  Navy,  is  trained  right  up  to  concert  pitch.  Is  assured 
that  in  manoeuvring  a  ship.  say.  a  reversed  right-handed 
propeller  will  always  cant  his  vessel's  head  to  starboard. 
He  believes  it.  and  if  eventually,  he  is  placed  in  command. 
he  pins  his  faith  on  that  "cant  to  starboard."  mainly 
because  he  has  never  been  given  an  opportunity  to  realise 
that  a  steamer  with  her  engines  reversed,  is  more  kittle- 
kattle  than  a  lady  who  is  denied  a  new  sealskin  sacque, 
after  having  been  promised  it !  What  happens  ?  Why. 
true  to  ancient  "  training."  the  youngster  keeps  on  rever- 
sing :  is  sure  that  the  thing  will  work  out  according  to 
Cocker  :  and  if  he  has  sufficient  room,  it  will.  On  the 
other  hand,  if'  his  sea-room  is  limited,  he  comes  to  grief. 
Now.  if  that  lad  had  been  shown  practically  that,  in  narrow 
waters,  and  when  wishing  to  cant  that  vessel,  his  safest 
plan  would  have  been  to  cant  her  with  her  engines  turning 
ahead,  and  that  as  soon  as  she  had  started  to  cant  in  the 
given  direction,  he  could  safely  "  go  astern."  with  satis- 
factory results — well  and  good. 

«f  5? 

BUT  the  lad  is  not  shown  these  little  points — other  than 
theoretically  :  as  a  result,  he  forgets  his  theory  as  soon  as 
practice  claims  his  attention,  and—  there  you  are  !  We 
give  this  little  instance,  because  we  saw  it  work  out  on  one 
occasion,  even  as  we  have  described  it.  At  the  time,  we 
were  sorry  for  the  embryo  captain.  Didn't  blame  him  in 
the  least.  How  could  we  honestly  blame  him  ?  We 
recognised  that  he  was  but  the  victim  of  a  system  :  a 
pernicious  one.  at  that.  And  all  the  talk  in  the  world  will 
not  alter  the  fact.  True,  his  late  "  instructor  "  declared, 
most  emphatically,  that  the  young  fellow  had  been  taught 
all  the  intricacies  of  "  coming  astern  :  "  and  doubtless,  he 
had.  But  then,  that  "  instruction  "  was  merely  of  the 
"  book  learning  "  order.  The  "  knowledge  "  which  makes  a 
man  say  "  Let  go  the  anchor,"  for  the  reason  that  it  happens 
to  follow  the  words  "get  your  sheets,  aft,"  in  tacking  ship! 
The  mere  fact  that  there  is  no  bottom,  just  there,  doesn't 
count !  The  book  says  "  Let  go  the  anchor,"  and  let  go,  it 
is— even  if  there  is  no  chain  bent!  For  this,  and  other 
reasons,  a  parrot  is  necessary  in  the  cottages  of  the  land. 

fi?  *& 

WHY  will  not  those  daily  paper  men  be  more  careful? 
It  is  most  annoying  to  a  person,  to  be  marked  down  as  a 
mere  "  energetic  secretary  and  manager."  when.  "  as  a 
matter  of  fact,"  he  is  the  "general  superintendent"  of  the 
shipping  side  of  a  company's  business.  Anybody  can  see 
that  to  dub  a  man  "  secretary  and  manager  "  is  derogatory 
in  the  extreme— if  the  said  man  really  happens  to  be 
officially  known  as  the  "general  superintendent?"  Eh? 
What  ?  Port  Talbot  is  a  fine  port  of  call  for  liners  in 
search  of  bunker  coal :  but  that  is  no  reason  that  the 
mistake  referred  to  should  be  perpetuated  ?  It's  like  this : 
An  up-town  contemporary,  in  dealing  with  this  subject, 
ended  up  an  interesting  diatribe  to  the  effect  that  "  The 
energetic  secretary  and  manager  of  Messrs.  Elders'  Navi- 
gation Collieries,  Limited,  is  Mr.  H.  W.  Cooke,  Cardiff." 
Next  day.  our  friend  remarked  that  "  it  was  incorrectly 
reported  ...  as  a  matter  of  fact,  Mr.  Cooke  is  the  general 
superintendent  of  the  shipping  department."  Of  course  ! 
As  if  we  didn't  all  know  that :  and  that  Mr.  David  Jones, 
Liverpool,  is  the  secretary  ;  while  Mr.  Doorly  is  the 
manager  of  the  colliery  bran— er— the  colliery  department, 
that  is.  Dear  us  !  It's  awful,  the  way  some  of  these  daily 
paper  young  men  will  "  mark  down  "  people. 

£t9 

IT  might  be  true,  even  as  we  have  heard,  that  the  life  of 
a  member  of  Parliament  is  the  reverse  of-suggestive  of 
beer  and  skittles.  Indeed,  it  might  be  that  these  free-gratis- 


and-for-nothing  legislators  have,  on  the  whole,  a  pretty  bad 
time  of  it.  If  so,  then  are  the  worthy  gentlemen  deserving 
of  every  kind  thought  from  us  careless  folk,  who  don't 
bother  about  legislation,  much  to  speak  of  ?  However,  if 
we  admit  the  absence  of  a  general  all  'round  hilarity 
attaching  to  the  job,  it  must  also  be  conceded  that  the 
wearied  Solons  have  their  compensating  moments—  or  hours. 
For  instance,  when  Mr.  Swift  MacNeill  gets  on  to  the  per- 
pendicular, for  the  purpose  of  saying  things  concerning 
flogging  in  the  Navy,  compensations  are  about?  Some 
few  days  ago,  the  gentleman  referred  to  had  a  field-day  on 
the  subject,  and  if  he  didn't  act  up  to  his  usual  r6le  of 
"  sweet  little  cherub,"  it  was  merely  because  his  voice 
doesn't  altogether  improve  with  age.  Without  wishing  to 
insinuate  that  Mr.  MacNeill  has  a  voice  that  would  do 
credit  to  the  bo'sun's-mate  of  the  Bellerophon,  we  yet  are 
given  to  understand  that  it  has  potentialities  in  that  direction; 
and  when  the  whole-hearted  person  gets  off  on  a  flogging 
lay — phew  ! 

#  & 

To  be  brutally  frank,  Mr.  MacNeill's  fellow  hon.  members 
didn't  appear  to  set  much  store  by  the  dissertation  ;  case  of 
familiarity  breeding  contempt,  we  opine.  Anyhow,  the 
irrepressible  "  Mac."  remarked  that  the  wicked  inattention 
showed  "  great  callousness  on  the  part  of  the  House  of 
Commons,  when  I  cannot  hear  my  own  voice."  This  was 
compensation  number  one.  Next  thing,  the  hon.  member 
for  Donegal,  stated  that  he  wasn't  going  to  make  a  speech, 
for  the  principal  reason  that  to  "deliver  two  speeches  in 
two  days  "  is  an  impertinence.  Compensation  number  two  ? 
However,  if  the  great  "  Mac."  did  not  make  a  speech,  he 
rattled  on  for  over  an  hour,  and  said  among  other  things,  too 
numerous  to  mention,  that  one  victim-to-flogging  had  his 
flesh  turn  black,  so  that  it  fell  in  little  bits  on  the  deck. 
Compensation  number  three  ?  A  ribald  Ministerialist 
actually  laughed  at  this  psychological  moment,  and  "  Mac." 
seemed  scarcely  able  to  realise  the  wickedness !  Said  he. 
"  What !  Does  the  hon.  member  laugh  at  that !  If  so,  he 
will  not  come  back  here,  at  the  general  election."  Think  of 
it !  A  mere  involuntary  laugh,  to  cause  a  hon.  member  to 
lose  his  seat.  Compensation  number  four.  Of  course, 
"  Mac."  was  very  earnest :  he  always  is. 

§?^ 

BUT  then,  a  man  might  easily  be  earnest,  and  yet  know 
little  or  nothing  of  the  subject  which  caused  the  earnestness- 
However,  the  gentleman  assured  all  and  sundry,  that  he 
was  appealing  to  the  strong  arm  of  England  to  protect 
those  boys.  Of  course,  if  the  boys  have  already  had  their 
flesh  turned  black,  and  chips  of  it  strewn  around  the  deck, 
it  is  somewhat  late  to  ask  for  protection?  Still  compen- 
sation number  five  !  Naturally,  most  of  the  hon.  members 
present  dismissed  Mr.  MacNeill's  rhetorical  outburst  in  the 
manner  usually  fitted  in  to  these  affairs,  and  although  the 
debate— we  think  they  call  this  phase  of  talk— was  closured, 
it  was  with  a  Government  majority  of  fifty  one.  And  the 
strange  thing  in  the  whole  business  was,  that  Parliament 
went  on  just  the  same  :  discussed  Supplementary  Votes 
and  things,  'fore  all  the  world  as  if  Mr.  MacNeill  hadn't 
laid  himself  out  to  tell  everybody  something  about  some- 
body !  Yes.  taking  it  all  around,  the  life  of  the  Parliamen- 
tarian is  hard  :  but.  as  we  have  remarked  above,  he  has  his 
compensating  blessings.  Mr.  Swift  MacNeill  would  appear 
to  be  one  of  them.  What  ? 

tifte 

YET  another  "scheme  "  for  the  amelioration  of  London 
river.  This  time,  it  is  an  "  ambitious  project"  (what  was 
the  barrage  notion,  by  the  way  ?),  and  has  for  its  reason  of 
existence,  the  attempt  to  make  the  Hub  of  the  World  into 
a  free  port !  In  brief,  the  Thames  Conservancy  Board 


March    17,    1905. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


75 


intends  to  construct  a  large  deep-water  wharf  at  Long 
Reach.  Not  too  large  a  wharf,  you  understand  :  but  just 
large  enough  :  a  simple  matter  of  a  mile-and-a-quarter  in 
length,  and  sixty  feet  in  width  !  Timber  is  going  to  be  the 
material  used,  so  in  the  near  future,  London  river  will  be 
quite  up-to-date,  and  will  have  all  the  appearance  of  a 
smart  trans-Atlantic  concern — for  on  that  side  of  the  Pond, 
the  good  folk  make  their  wharfs,  and  most  of  their  docks 
out  of  "  lumber ! "  But  getting  back  to  London's 
"  ambitious  project,"  we  understand  that  the  projected 
"timber  quay"  will  be  like  some  pens  of  which  we  have 
heard  -a  sort  of  boon  and  blessing  to  everybody  concerned. 
Vessels  will  have  access  to  this  quay.  "  whether  at  high  or 
low  tide,  to  ship  or  unload  cargo."  and  taking  it  all  over,  we 
must  perforce  imagine  that  the  day  for  London's  docks  is 
numbered  among  the  things  which  have  been  but  are  not  ? 

5?  *> 

THE  startling  thing  about  this  new  "  project."  is  that  it 
has  been  under  consideration  for  the  past  five  years  :  and 
it  is  but  now.  that  it  has  got  the  better  of  that  consideration  ; 
has  got  on  top  of  it.  so  to  speak.  Naturally,  the  whole 
fit-out  is  to  be  replete  with  every  sort  of  up-to-date 
machinery,  and  "  it  is  hoped  "  that  the  new  proposal  will  be 
an  accomplished  fact  in  1907.  Who  thought  of  this  new 
quiff  ?  Well,  we  cannot  give  you  his  name  :  but  he  was  a 
well-known  London  shipper.  So  well-known,  in  point  of 
fact,  that  nobody  seems  to  bother  about  his  name.  Not 
that  it  matters  in  the  least,  for  a  timber  wharf  would  be 
that,  whether  Smith  or  Brown  idead  the  thing.  But 
seriously,  the  attempt  at  putting  London  river  in  line  with 
modern  requirements,  would  appear  to  be  almost  as 
difficult  as  squaring  up  the  War  Office,  and  engineering 
Army  Reforms  '  with  a  capital  letter ).  Indeed,  one  is 
almost  justified  in  believing,  that  when  business  in  that 
vicinity  is  dull,  the  persons  who  have  been  entrusted  with 
the  undertaking  remark.  "  Look  here,  it's  a  fine  day  :  there's 
ab-so-lutely  nothing  doing.  Let's  work  up  a  river  scheme  !  " 
And  it  is  even  so. 

tf   fc 

SUEZ  Canal  number  two.  still  occupies  a  portion  of  the 
public  attention.  To  make  the  position  more  intense,  or 
acute— whichever  you  will-  an  Indian  officer  has  been 
writing  to  the  Daily  Mail  on  the  subject.  On  this  occasion, 
the  mere  commercial  side  of  the  undertaking  is  passed,  and 
the  strategical  value  of  a  second  ditch  is  animadverted 
upon.  This  is  as  it  should  be.  for  Sir  Theodore  Angier  has 
already  "  gone  strong "  on  this  feature  of  the  proposed 
undertaking,  and  has  pointed  out  that,  in  time  of  war.  this 
country  would,  inevitably,  be  denied  the  use  of  the  existing 
Canal,  for  the  simple  reason  that  it  would  be  "accidentally" 
blocked  by  the  presence  of  one  or  two  sunken  steamers;* 
stone-laden.  With  a  second  canal  in  existence,  it  is 
supposedly  possible  to  cut  passages  from  one  to  the  other, 
so  as  to  pass  these  obstructions.  But  after  all.  there  is 
precious  little  utility  in  discussing  this  phase  of  the  sub- 
ject, for  to  cut  those  passages  would  be  a  work  of  time, 
and  when  Britain  finds  herself  face-to-face  with  her  first 
real  struggle,  there  will  not  be  an  undue  amount  of  that 
time  to  spare.  "  Sharp's  the  word,  and  quick's  the 
motion."  will  about  express  the  methods  of  procedure,  in 
that  event.  All  the  same,  the  proposed  canal  certainly  has 
potentialities.  It  will  tone  down  the  lovely  aggressiveness 
adopted  by  the  directorate  of  the  present  canal,  if  it  does 
nothing  else. 

5?%5 

AT  last,  after  a  consideration  extending  over  two  years, 
an  agreement  between  the  two  Government  Departments 
that  are  concerned,  and  the  Marconi  Company  has  been 
signed,  that  will  admit  of  the  transmission  of  wireless 
messages  from  six  lightships,  to  the  mainland.  An  instal- 


lation of  wireless  telegraphy  instruments  is  to  be  supplied 
to  the  East  Goodwin,  South  Goodwin,  Gull.  Tongue,  Sunk, 
and  Cross  Sand  light-vessels.  According  to  present 
arrangements,  the  messages  will  be  received  at  the  Dover 
station,  and  forwarded  by  ordinary  telegraph  to  the  nearest 
lifeboat  station,  as  need  arises.  This  is  a  distinct  triumph 
for  Mr.  Edward  J.  Hobbs.  Ramsgate.  who  has  consistently 
struggled  for  this  end.  As  was  only  to  be  expected,  the 
usual  Departmental  inertia  had  to  be  overcome ;  all  manner 
of  moves  had  to  be  entered  into  :  and  for  a  commencement 
in  the  right  direction,  the  cable  which  connects  the  Kentish 
Knock  l.v.  with  Kingsgate.  was  laid.  As  a  result  of  this 
connection,  19  lives  were  saved  on  the  first  occasion  that  a 
message  was  sent  for  help.  From  then,  right  on  to  the 
present  agreement  between  the  concerns  mentioned,  the 
fight  has  been  long  and  arduous.  Mr.  Hobbs,  who  is  78 
years  of  age,  might  well  feel  proud  of  his  success. 

5?  ^ 

RETURNING  to  that  submarine  disaster  on  which  we  com- 
mented a  week  or  so  ago.  it  may  come  as  news  to  many, 
that  this  class  of  "  steamboat "  is  supplied  with  white  mice, 
which  are  supposed  to  indicate  when  it  is  time  to  bring  the 
vessel  once  more,  up  for  fresh  air.  It  appears  that  the  mice 
are'  more  susceptible  to  vitiated  atmosphere,  than  are  the 
handy  men  :  thus,  by  watching  the  tiny  pets,  indications  are 
received  as  suggested  !  But  is  anybody  going  to  believe 
that  the  mice  are  under  the  perpetual  observation  which 
the  regulations  demand  ?  If  other,  and  more  vital  rules 
are  disregarded,  it  may  be  taken  for  granted  that  the 
pretty  white  mice  are  allowed  to  nibble  their  pieces  of 
Government  cheese  in  peace  and  quietness.  One  would 
imagine  that,  in  these  days  of  high-class  engineering,  some- 
thing more  dependable  than  the  pets  of  our  boyhood's  days, 
should  be  introduced  for  the  purpose  mentioned.  Anyhow, 
it  is  safe  to  suppose  that  accidents  will  happen,  as  long  as 
the  coming  to  the  surface  is  left  to  the  inmates  of  the 
submarine.  If  safety  is  aimed  at,  there  will  need  to  be 
invented  a  quiff  that  will  be  automatic  in  its  action.  Atmos- 
phere at  '000.00 1  up  she  bobs,  mother! 

5?  % 

OUR  good  friends  at  Plymouth  would  appear  to  be  adept 
at  the  game  of  hair-splitting— and  not  always  to  their  own 
credit !  Its  this  way.  The  skipper  of  the  passenger 
steamer  Duke  and  Duchess  of  Devonshire— An  Exmouth 
man.  by  the  way-  had  the  audacity  to  take  his  vessel  into 
Plymouth  harbour,  without  employing  a  pilot.  You  see, 
this  Exmouth  person,  one  Captain  G.  J.  Phillips,  imagined 
that  as  he  had  passed  the  necessary  examination  which 
enabled  him  to  act  as  a  Plymouth  pilot :  at  least,  which 
exempted  any  vessel  which  he  might  be  in  charge  of  from 
employing  a  pilot :  there  was  neither  sense  nor  reason  in 
putting  his  owners  into  a  bill  for  work  which  he  could  do 
himself.  He  didn't  put  his  owner  into  that  expense,  any- 
how, and  one  John  Pascho— a  distinctly  Devonian  and 
creamy  (ice-creamy?)  sort  of  appellation?  a  Trinity 
pilot,  followed  the  passenger  steamer  into  the  Millbay 
Docks,  and  found  that  Captain  Phillips  was  being  examined 
for  his  "  ticket : "  for  the  second  time  in  his  life.  Of 
course,  there  was  the  usual  amount  of  evidence  :  there 
always  is.  when  an  outsider  undertakes  to  spoon  up  a 
native's  marmalade  :  and  in  the  end  this  Exmouth  man 
was  fined  —all  over  the  shop,  as  the  Barbican  boys  would 
remark,  under  similar  circumstances  ! 

5?  ^ 

FOR  instance,  this  man  who  had  been  in  possession  of  a 
pilotage  certificate  some  seven  years  before  :  who  had 
passed  on  the  occasion  referred  to,  but  was  not  actually  in 
possession  of  the  bit  of  paper  which  guaranteed  the 
passing  :  this  man.  then,  was  fined  "double  the  amount  of 
the  pilot's  fee.  £5  15s.,  and  costs:"  for  contravening 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


March  17,  1905 


Section  604.  he  was  fined  £5  and  costs  :  on  account  of 
bumping  up  against  Section  622.  a  further  fine  of  £5  and 
costs  came  on  :  and  in  default  of  each,  he  would  be  sen- 
tenced to  ten  days  imprisonment  the  terms  to  run  con- 
secutively. Of  course,  the  Plymouthian  feels  proud  of 
having  thus  vindicated  himself,  and  of  having  made  a  mere 
Exmouth  skipper  toe  the  line  ?  All  the  same,  outsiders 
will  conclude  that  the  whole  undertaking  was  disgustingly 
petty,  and  altogether  unworthy  of  the  interests  involved. 
Doubtless  the  man  was  guilty  of  a  mere  technical  bit  of 
wickedness:  but  seeing  that  he  was  a  stranger,  the 
Plymouth  geniuses  would  certainly  have  been  better  advised 
to  let  the  matter  slide,  and  deciding  on  giving  the  "  sinner" 
a  caution  !  Sometimes,  we  are  rather  of  opinion  that 
Plymouth  is  mainly  to  blame  for  her  two-cent  share  of 
commercial  wealth,  and  the  all-pervadingness  of  the  Service 
taint.  There  are  occasions,  when  a  place  gets  no  more 
than  it  deserves  ? 

5?^3 

WE  are  indebted  to  the  Eastern  Morning  News,  for  a 
comprehensive  and  interesting  reprint  concerning  "The 
Trade  of  Hull  :  General  Commercial  Review  for  1904." 
As  already  intimated,  this  is  a  reprint  of  a  series  of  articles 
which  were  specially  prepared  for,  and  reprinted  from  the 
columns  of  our  contemporary,  and  the  little  digest  of  Hull's 
annual  progress,  is  well  worth  the  nimble  penny  which  is 
charged  therefor.  For  instance,  we  note  that  the  tonnage 
entering  the  port  of  Hull  for  the  period  under  review, 
amounted  to  4.249,610  tons—  not  perhaps,  in  comparison 
with  that  entering  the  port  of  Cardiff,  an  overwhelming 
amount.  All  the  same,  it  takes  some  shipping  to  overtop 
4  '4  millions  of  tons,  don't  forget.  We  have  already  com- 
mented on  Hull's  claim  to  be  ranked  as  the  "third  port"  in 
the  United  Kingdom,  so  need  go  no  farther  with  the  theme 
on  this  occasion.  But  really,  our  contemporary  has 
succeeded  in  marshalling  an--we  had  almost  written 
"appalling"—  awful  bt  of  figures,  and  every  page  of  which 
is  pregnant  with  interest  to  the  shipping  mind.  We  can  do 
no  better  than  advise  our  readers  to  send  for  this  publication 
when,  in  the  calm  seclusion  of  their  homes,  they  will  be 
enabled  to  read  through  the  information  which  tends  to 
show  why  the  Board  of  Trade  have  decided  on  labelling  the 
Humber  port,  as  third  in  the  United  Kingdom. 

tf  fc 

FROM  the  Sydney  Daily  Telegraph,  we  learn  that  the 
Orient  Company's  second  offer  to  supply  a  mail  service  to 
the  mentally-aberrated  Australian  Government,  has  been 
rejected  with  more  or  less  close-lipped  scorn.  For  a 
fortnightly  mail  service  with  Britain,  the  company  referred 
to.  have  chipped  a  level  £!  0,000  off  their  original  offer, 
which  now  stands  at  £140.000  per  annum.  The  Prime 
Minister,  "  out  there.''  remarked,  in  what  has  been  con- 
sidered as  a  superior  manner.  "  We  cannot  consider  any 
offers  approximating  to  the  amount  named  in  their  offer.' 
To  our  mind,  it  appears  somewhat  strange  that  those  good 
people  should  deign  to  use.  the  same  language  which  serves 
the  aristocratic  people  in  the  Home  Land.  It  does,  really  ! 
Seeing  that  the  Cornstalk  has  decided  on  running  his  place 
after  his  own  very  peculiar  methods,  to  be  logical,  he  should 
inaugurate  a  new  tongue,  that  could  be  handed  down  in 
history,  as  the  Commonwealth  language  !  It  would  surely 
be  useful  -by  and  by.  when  archeologists  get  diving  down 
to  the  ruins  of  what,  at  the  present,  are  prosperous  cities 
and  townships  !  And  the  ruins  will  be  there,  right  enough  ; 
if  the  misguided  people  responsible  for  the  tricks  that  are 
being  worked  at  the  moment,  do  not  mend  their  ways. 
Yes.  indeed  ! 


"  LONDON'S  May-day  gift."  M'yes  That  is  one  way  of 
looking  at  the  new  County  Council  steamers,  and  it  is  the 
way  affected  by  the  St.  Jan-.es's  Gazette.  Other  people. 


however,  are  not  so  charitably  disposed.  Seem  to  think 
that  those  boats  will  be  an  incubus  ;  or  if  they  really  are  a 
gift,  will  be  of  the  nature  of  the  white  elephant  which  was 
presented  to  some  old  Johnny,  out  East  ;  a  Johnny  that  a 
certain  Rajah  "  had  it  in  for  !  "  Still,  our  contemporary  is 
of  opinion  that  May  1,  will  be  a  joyful  day  for  Londoners  — 
so  we  let  it  go  at  that,  merely  remarking  that,  at  the  close 
of  the  first  year's  work,  we  shall  be  around  to  note  the 
financial  side  of  the  undertaking.  It  is  rather  good  to  know 
that  there  will  be  no  dancing  around  the  Maypole  ;  nor  that 
dancing  clowns  and  animated  bushes  will  caper  around  the 
streets  ;  for  which  St.  James's  Gazette  appears  to  be 
piously  thankful.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  a  year  hence,  there 
wil!  be  no  equally  pious  wishes  that  nothing  more  expensive 
than  animated  bushes  had  been  indulged  in.  You  could  get 
a  terrible  quantity  of  bushes  for  the  price  of  one  of  the 
steamers  ;  and  we  are  not  sure  but  that,  for  genuine  fun, 
the  bushes  would  not  get  the  bulge  on  the  steamers.  But 
bide  a  wee.  All  is  not  gold  that  glitters—  especially  if  it  is 
scroll  work  on  a  steamer's  bow  ;  it  is  just  as  likely  to  be 
Dutch  metal. 

#  & 

HERE  you  are  !  "  Another  blow  has  been  aimed  at  the 
romance  of  the  sea.  The  day  of  the  hap-hazard  ship's 
cook,  better  known  as  '  the  doctor,'  has  passed."  The 
"  romance  of  the  sea  "  is  good  —  in  this  connection,  don't 
you  think  ?  Who  among  you  but  can  remember  the  "  soft 
bread,"  that  was  manufactured  by  that  hap-hazard  gentle- 
man ;  the  stuff  with  which,  in  our  young  and  thoughtless 
days,  we  were  wont  to  play  "  rounders."  or  attempt  to  lay 
each  other  out  —  even  as  the  fit  moved  us  ?  Dear,  dear, 
"  the  Board  of  Trade  proposes  to  keep  a  paternal  eye  on 
the  culinary  department,"  probably  in  readiness  for  the 
happy  time  when  its  members  will  actually  be  —  where,  in 
theory,  they  have  been  for  many  years  -all  at  sea  !  The 
twen.-cent.  "slushy"  —  an  even  better  known  appellation 
than  "the  Doctor"-  will  not  be  considered  as  "  certificated  " 
unless  he  has  passed  a  Board  of  Trade  examination,  and 
there  is  going  to  be  trouble,  in  consequence  !  Fancy  the 
ordinary  "flunk,"  daring  to  pass  rude  remarks  to  his  "duly 
certified  cook  !  "  What  ?  There  is  going  to  be  more 
sorrow  on  the  sea  !  Eh,  you  fellows,  who  will  have  an 
alternate  "  gravy-eyed  watch  "  to  keep  :  Never  again  shall 
your  matutinal  coffee  be  reminiscent  of  colza-oil—dropped 
in  out  of  the  galley  lamp  :  no  more  will  you  think  that  the 
hand  which  passes  you  the  cabin-biscuit-and-margarine  is 
that  of  a  nigger,  because  of  its  dusky  hue.  No.  the 
romance  is  going  out  of  the  sea.  R.I.  P..  romance. 


WE  note  that  the  alleged  originator  of  the  Thames 
Barrage  scheme  —  Mr.  James  Casey.  M.I.N.A.  —  has  passed 
away,  at  the  age  of  65.  The  so-called  "  ambitious  scheme 
of  turning  the  Thames  in  London  and  its  vicinity  into  what 
would  practically  be  a  lake,  has  its  enthusiastic  supporters 
and  opponents."  We  should  think  so.  and  should  not  be  at 
all  surprised  to  learn  that  among  the  former,  were  a  con- 
siderable number  of  estimable  folk  who  had  little  more 
than  a  nodding  acquaintance  with  the  business:  while 
among  the  latter,  were  a  goodly  number  of  men  who  knew 
what  they  were  talking  of,  when  they  decided  that  any  such 
a  scheme  was  bound  to  prove  itself  a  delusion  and  a  snare 
—to  the  Londoner.  From  a  poetical  point  of  view.  London- 
on-the-Lake  has  potentialities  :  from  a  commercial,  and 
from  a  sanitary  stand-point,  however,  the  whole  subject 
reeks  with  danger  and  ultimate  decay.  We  are  fairly  sure 
that  if  the  barrage  scheme  ever  materialises  into  more  than 
a  mere  scheme,  it  will  not  be  a  case  of  London-on-the-Lake  ; 
but  rather.  London-on-the-slough—  of  despond,  and  diph- 
theria !  For  that  portion  of  the  Thames  below  the  "  bar  " 
—  well,  heaven  help  it  ! 


March  17,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


77 


VERY  few  orders  for  new  tonnage  have  been  placed  since 
our  last  issue,  and  the  boom  has  exhausted  itself.  Some 
of  the  large  German  Companies  are  inviting  tenders  for  the 
building  of  boats,  but  although  several  British  shipbuilding 
firms  are  quoting,  the  general  impression  is  that  most,  if 
not  all  of  the  work,  will  be  given  to  German  yards. 

•f  -f  -f 

WE  hear  that  several  shipowners  who  contracted  for 
boats  recently,  would  gladly  transfer  their  contracts  at  a 
very  small  profit.  Later  on.  we  will  probably  hear  of  some 
of  the  boats  being  sold  at  a  loss,  unless  a  reasonable 
improvement  in  freights  is  forthcoming.  A  general  im- 
pression, which  existed  to  the  effect  that  the  cost  of 
building  had  about  reached  bottom,  is  no  doubt  responsible 
for  the  recent  number  of  orders  placed,  but  still  a  great 
many  owners  would  like  to  be  free  from  the  vessels  ordered, 
cheap  though  they  may  be. 

•f  -f  -f 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Ingleby.  lately  owned  by  Messrs. 
E.  Harris  &L  Co..  Middlesbrough,  is -reported  sold  to  German 
buyers,  at  about  £10.000.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  R. 
Craggs  &  Sons.  Middlesbrough,  in  1890.  Dimensions 
260ft  x  36ft.  6in.  x  19ft.:  1.786  tons  gross:  with  engines 
20in.,  33in..  54in.  x  36in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  Westgarth, 

English  &  Co. 

•»•  4-  -f 

MESSRS.  BURNS.  PHILIP  &  Co..  Ltd..  Sydney,  have  pur- 
chased the  steel  screw  steamer  Antilia.  at  about  £9.000. 
She  was  built  by  the  Grangemouth  Dockyard  Company. 
Grangemouth.  in  1893.  Dimensions  200ft.  x  30ft.  2in.  x 
14ft.  9in..  929  tons  gross  :  with  engines  17in..  27in..  44in. 
x  33in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  Hutson  &  Son. 

•f  •»•  * 

MESSRS.  R.  WILLIAMSON  &  SON.  of  Workington.  have  sold 
a  new  spec,  steamer  which  they  are  building,  to  British 
buyers.  Her  dimensions  are  134ft.  9in.  x  23ft.  lOin.  x 
1  Oft.  9in.  moulded,  she  is  estimated  to  carry  about  420 
tons  deadweight  on  10ft.  mean  draft.  The  machinery  will 
be  supplied  by  Messrs.  Ross  &  Duncan.  Glasgow,  with 
engines  18in..  36in.  x  24in.  stroke,  one  single  ended  boiler 
12ft.  x  10ft.  working  at  125lbs.  pressure.  We  understand 
the  price  paid  is  about  £6.000. 

*   •»•   * 

THE  new  Naval  Estimates  provide  for  the  building  of  18 
torpedo-boat  destroyers,  and  Tyne  shipbuilders  having 
been  very  successful  in  their  production  of  this  type  oT" 
vessel  in  the  past,  are  naturally  looking  forward  to  receiving 
repeat  orders  when  the  Admiralty  contracts  come  to  be 
given  out. 

•f  *  -»• 

WE  hear  that  a  new  steamer  building  on  the  Wear,  has 
just  been  sold  at  about  £30.500.  She  will  carry  about 
5.200  tons  deadweight  on  20ft.  9in.  draft,  single  deck, 
with  cargo  poop,  bridge  and  fcle.  Dimensions  325ft.  x 
47ft.  x  24ft.  lOin.  moulded:  with  engines  24in..  40in..  64in. 
x  42in.  stroke.:  two  single  ended  boilers  15ft.  Sin.  x  1 1ft, 
1  SOlbs.  pressure.  The  steamer  is  nearly  ready  for  launch- 
ing and  was  contracted  for  in  November  last,  at  £3 1 .000. 

•»••»••»• 

MESSRS.  WATTS.  WATTS  it  Co..  London,  are  the  pur- 
chasers of  the  steamers  Thomas  Turnbull  and  March, 
reported  sold,  in  our  last  issue. 

•f    4-    -f  . 

A  great  many  second-hand  steamers  have  recently 
changed  hands,  the  majority  going  to  Germany,  to  replace 


the  boats  sold  by  German  owners  to  Russia.  There  are 
still  inquiries  in  the  market,  and  more  sales  may  be 
expected  in  the  near  future. 

+  -f  + 

A  NUMBER  of  old  tramp  steamers  have  lately  been  pur- 
chased by  a  London  firm  with  a  view  to  reselling  them  to 
Japan.  Most  of  the  vessels  are  iron  steamers,  built  in 
the  eighties,  and  have  been  laid  up  for  some  time.  Nego- 
tiations for  other  steamers  are  now  in  progress,  and  we 
shall  not  be  surprised  to  hear  that  further  sales  have 
been  completed. 

•f  -f  -f 

THE  Great  Central  Railway  Company  have  purchased  the 
steel  screw  steamer  Nord  II.  from  the  Tinska  Steam  Ship- 
ping Company,  of  Helsingfors.  She  was  built  by  Messrs. 
Sir  Raylton  Dixon  &  Co.,  Ltd..  Middlesbrough,  in  1903. 
carries  about  1.250  tons  deadweight,  and  has  accommo- 
da^ion  for  first-class  passengers.  Dimensions  240ft.  x 
35ft  2in.  x  20ft  7in.  moulded:  machinery  by  Messrs. 
Richardson.  Westgarth  &  Co..  Ltd.;  with  engines  22in., 
35in.,  59in.  x  39in.  stroke  :  steams  13  knots  loaded.  We 
understand  the  price  paid  is  about  £24.000. 


THE  steel  screw  steamer  Duchess  of  Fife,  lately  owned 
by  the  Aberdeen  Lime  Company.  Aberdeen,  has  been  sold 
to  Mr.  Adolf  Deppe.  Antwerp.  She  was  built  and  engined 
by  Messrs.  Hall,  Russell  &Co..  Aberdeen,  in  1890.  Dimen- 
sions 190ft.  4in.  x  28ft  4in.  x  14ft.  lin.:  671  tons  gross  ; 
with  engines  25in..  47in.  x  30in.  stroke.  The  steamer 
has  been  renamed  Loire. 


THE  steel  screw  steamer  Janeta.  has  been  sold  by  Messrs. 
Maclay  &  Mclntyre.  Glasgow,  to  London  buyers  at  about 
£18.000.  She  was  built  and  engined  by  Messrs.  A. 
Stephen  &  Sons.  Glasgow,  in  1894.  Dimensions  330ft.  x 
43ft.  x  29ft.:  carries  about  5,400  tons  deadweight  ;  with 
engines  24in..  39in..  64in.  x  42in.  stroke. 


THE  iron  screw  steamer  A.  Strong,  lately  owned  by  Mr. 
C.  E.  Stallybrass.  of  Cardiff,  has  been  sold  to  Messrs. 
George  Reid  &  Co..  Newcastle.  She  was  built  by  Messrs. 
Pile  &  Co..  Sunderland.  in  1871.  Dimensions  240ft.  x 
-30ft.  7in.  x  19ft.  6in.:  1.180  tons  gross:  machinery  by 
Messrs.  R.  &  W.  Hawthorn,  with  engines  28'2in.,  50in.  x 
36in.  stroke. 

+  +  + 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Restitution,  lately  owned  by 
Messrs.  R.  Conaway  &  Co..  of  Liverpool,  has  been  sold  to 
Messrs.  J.  I.  Jacobs  &  Co..  London,  at  about  £10.000. 
She  was  built  and  engined  by  Messrs.  Wigham.  Richardson 
&.  Co..  Newcastle,  in  1  885.  3.290  tons  gross.  Dimensions 
340ft.  x  43ft.  4in.  x  23ft.  4in.:  carries  4.650  tons  dead- 
weight :  with  engines  29in.,  44in..  74in.  x  48in.  stroke. 
This  steamer  was  offered  by  auction,  in  London,  on  the 
14th  ult.  when  the  highest  bid  was  £7.000,  at  which  she 
was  withdrawn. 

•f  +  -f 

WE  understand  that  Messrs.  Watts.  Watts  &  Co.,  London. 
are  the  purchasers  of  the  steamer  Athens,  reported  sold. 
in  our  last  issue.  She  is  loading  for  Japan,  and  it  is 
reported,  really  bought  for  Japanese  buyers,  subject  to 
safe  arrival  in  Japan. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


March    17,    1905 


FRIDAY.  MARCH   17.   1905. 


SIR  W.  T.  LEWIS'  FIFTY- YEARS-RETROSPECT. 


N  the  past,  the  business  community  of  Cardiff 
have  ever  evidenced  a  disinclination  to  await 
until  a  commercial  giant  has  joined  the  ma- 
jority, ere  looking  around  for  some  token  of 
recognition  for  his  work.  True,  the  town  has 
•  statues  scattered  around  in  its  chief  centres 
of  industry,  and,  in  the  very  nature  of  life,  statues  are 
more  lasting,  than  the  good  folk  whose  virtues  they  are 
intended  to  perpetuate.  All  the  same,  the  Cardiffian  may 
generally  be  depended  on  to  do  the  right  thing  at  the  right 
time,  and  we  much  doubt  if  this  characteristic  was  ever 
better  exemplified,  than  by  the  pleasing  function  which 
took  place  in  the  Park  Hall,  on  Friday  last,  when  Sir 
William  Thomas  Lewis.  Bart.,  was  presented  with  the 
Honorary  Freedom  of  the  Borough  of  Cardiff.  With  the 
social  side  of  the  affair  :  the  large  gathering  of  Cardiff's 
brightest  and  best  (of  both  sexes)  who  had  determined 
that  the  whole  undertaking  should  pass  off  in  a  manner 
which  proved  that  the  whole  of  South  Wales  really  meant 
business,  and  had  but  one  mind  about  it :  with  the  public 
banquet  which  followed  :  and  the  speeches  from  some  of 
the  ablest  speakers  of  the  day  ;  well  —with  the  exception 
of  Sir  William's— we  shall  pass  them  all  by,  as  we  realise 
that  our  daily  contemporaries  who  cater  for  this  class  of 
work,  have  already  given  you  the  details  for  which  you 
certainly  hankered.  Ours,  the  task  of  the  reviewer,  and  in 
this  case  it  is  a  most  pleasant  task,  for  what  better  authority 
could  we  possibly  have,  than  Sir  William  Lewis,  who,  for 
more  than  half-a-century.  has  been  the  leading  personality 
in  the  progress  of  the  community  which  we  are  about  to  dis- 
cuss? Harking  back  to  the  year  1854  and  that  was  a  year 
very  much  previous  to  what  the  majority  of  us  may  look  to 
with  any  personal  appreciation  ! — we  find  that  the  coal 
shipments  at  the  port  of  Cardiff,  were  1,250,000  tons; 
considerably  less  than  the  monthly  shipments  in  the 
present  year  of  grace.  Also,  that  the  output  of  the  whole 
of  the  South  Wales  and  Monmouthshire  collieries,  was 
8,500.000  tons  per  annum,  or  about  13  per  cent,  of  the 
gross  output  of  the  kingdom,  and  which  little  amount  gave 
employment  to  32,473  workmen,  scattered  over  a  matter 
of  245  collieries.  Here  then,  you  have  the  size — or  lack 
thereof—  of  the  Welsh  coal  industry,  at  the  time  when  Sir 
William  became  identified  therewith.  For  purposes  of 
comparison,  let  us  dodge  the  intervening  years  at  one 
magnificent  leap,  when  we  shall  find  that,  in  the  year  1904 
(that  every thing-that-was-bad-and-depressioned  year),  the 
coal  shipments  at  the  Port  of  Cardiff  were  21,076.772 
tons  :  that  the  total  output  of  the  South  Wales  district  in 
1903  (figures  for  1904  not  yet  being  available)  was 
42,153.287  tons — or  about  18'3  per  cent,  of  the  output  of 
the  United  Kingdom :  that  this  "little  lot"  gave  employment 
to  159.161  persons,  in  614  collieries;  and  we  shall  thus 
have  a  fairly  good  realisation  of  the  importance  of  the 
Welsh  coal  trader-supposing  we  had  any  doubts  about  the 
subject,  in  the  past !  Of  course,  there  is  a  reason  for  this 
colossal  expansion  :  a  reason  outside  of  the  ability  of 
those  who  were  capable  of  taking  the  tide  at  the  flood,  we 
mean.  That  reason,  too.  is  not  far  to  seek  :  It  is  resultant 
from  the  superiority  of  the  coal  found  in  "gallant  little 
Wales."  and  to  the  substitution  of  steamers  for  the  "white 
wings "  of  the  past.  But  stay  !  There  is  yet  another 
very  great  reason  for  all  this  onward  progress  ^  one  which 
the  exponents  of  coal,  for  the  moment,  have  decided  to 


fjrget.     Here  it  is.  and  in  the   words  of  the   commercial 
Titan  who  was  mainly  responsible  therefor:  "The  establish- 
ment  of   the  Sliding-Scale  first  gave  confidence  to  the 
consumers  of  Welsh  coal  to  make  contracts  forward,  and 
thus  ensure  regular  work  every  day  in  the  week  to  the 
steam  coal  collieries,  instead  of,  as  has  been  the  custom 
for  many  years,  to  work  three  or  four  days  a  week,  only  "- 
and  to  decorate  all  the  correspondence  dealing  with  coal 
matters,  with  a  legend  which  intimates  that  all  contracts 
are   "  off,"  indefinitely,   in   the  event   of   a  strike  among 
workmen  !     The  legend  referred  to,  is  hardly  of  the  kind  to 
establish  confidence  in  the  minds  of  the  foreign  consumer, 
is  it  ?     If  the  latter  worthy  needs  the  stuff  badly,  and  is 
labouring  under  conditions  that  will  bring  certain  loss  pro- 
viding the  coal  is  not  to  hand  as  agreed  ;    then,  he  is  likely 
to   consider  the  advisability  of  taking  to   his   use.    other 
varieties  of  steam-raiser-  and  regardless  of  the  fact  that. 
ton  for  ton,  it  is  much  inferior  to  "  best  Welsh  " — as  long  as 
he  can  depend  on  receiving  his  consignment,  when   due  ? 
With  reference  to  these  foreign  markets,  Sir  William  said 
that  he  could  not  refrain  from  repeating,  what  he  had  told 
the  workmen's  representatives  on  many  occasions  :  "  That 
they,  in  common  with  the  employers,  were  greatly  indebted 
to  the  much  abused  middlemen,  who  were  the  pioneers  in 
the  supply  of  Welsh  coal  in  various  parts  of  the  globe,  with 
which  the  Welsh  colliery  owner  had  no  previous  connection." 
This  is  exactly  what  we  have  consistently  claimed.     Need- 
less to  say,  among  the  ranks  of  colliery-office  men,  there 
are  some  brilliant  exponents  of  the  sale  of  the  commodity 
on  which  South  Wales  relies  :    it  cannot  be   denied   that 
there  are   also  some   terrible  duffers  :    men   who,   meta- 
phorically,   couldn't    sell  a  loaf   of   bread   to   a  starving, 
though  monied,  person.     Between   the  two   sections,   and 
thus  saving  the  situation,  comes  in  the   middleman.      Of 
course,  we  are  aware  that  it  is  the  fashion  with  the   work- 
men's representatives — as  well  as  with  quite  a  few  of  the 
employers  -to  lay  at  the  door  of  the  middleman,  all  the 
sins  of  commission,  and  most  of  those  that  may  be  regarded 
as  merely  of  omission.     All  the  same,  were  it  not  for  the 
middleman,  Cardiff's  present  position  would  be  considerably 
inferior  to  what  it  is.     When  such  an  undoubted  authority 
on   the   subject  as  Sir  William    Lewis,    says  what   really 
amounts  to  the  same  thing,  then,  we  are  glad  that  we  have 
been  so  near  the  truth,  when  writing   in   this  connection. 
In  mentioning  the  Sliding-Scale,  its  originator  admitted  that 
he   was  entering  on    dangerous    ground.       However,    he 
ventured    "to   do  so   with   the  object  of  emphasising  the 
importance  of  securing  the  best  possible  relations  between 
employers  and    employed,    in   order  to   enable   the  South 
Wales  coalowners  and  merchants  to  maintain  their  com- 
petitive power,  not  only  with  respect  to  other  coalfields 
in  the  United  Kingdom,  but   especially    with    respect    to 
growing    and    serious    competition    of    Continental    coal 
in  markets  which  had,  for  many  years  past,  been  regarded 
as  exclusively  for  South  Wales  coal."     Going  further  with 
this  phase  of  the  coal  trade.  Sir  William  next  referred  to 
the  fact,  that  the  cost  of  raising  coa!  in  South  Wales,  had 
increased  enormously  of  late  years,  "  through  the  conces- 
sions made  to  the   workmen,  from  .time  to  time,"  and  he 
also  said  that  "the  costs  are  now  very  much  higher  than  in 
any  of  the  other  mining  districts  in  the  kingdom."     This  is 
a  most  serious  matter  to  the  community,  and  is  as  true  as 
it  is  serious.     So   much   so,  indeed,  that  Sir   William   was 
constrained  to  remark  that.  "  Having  regard  to  the  serious 
disadvantages    the    South    Wales    coalowners  are    under 
through  the  higher  wages  they  are  obliged  to  pay.  compared 
with  that  of  their  competitors,  1  venture  to  throw  out  this 
warning  :  That  unless  the  workmen  and  their  representa- 
tives co-operate  with  the   employers,  in  arrangements  by 
which  the  cost  of  raising  coal  will  be  substantially  reduced, 
a  large  number  of  the  older  collieries  must  inevitably  close, 
and  other  collieries  abandon  thin  and   expensive   seams  : 
with  the  result  of  throwing  considerable  bodies  of  workmen 
out  of  employment ;  sacrificing  large  areas  of  valuable  fuel ; 


March   17,  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


79 


and  seriously  depreciating  every  interest  in  the  district." 
With  reference  to  the  oft-repeated  statement  that  he  was 
antagonistic  to  the  Miners'  Federation.  Sir  William  took  the 
opportunity  of  declaring  that  he  had  not  the  slightest 
objection  thereto,  or  to  any  number  of  similar  Unions. 
"  But  what  I  do  object  to."  he  continued,  "  is  their  practices 
and  general  interferences  with  the  management  of  the 
collieries,  and  especially  the  tyranny  of  the  members  in 
coercing  workmen  who  prefer  being  outside  the  Federation." 
Remembering,  too.  that  the  founder  of  the  Sliding-Scale 
was  among  the  first  to  advocate -that,  in  the  event  of  a 
failure  of  direct  agreement  between  masters  and  men.  the 
employers  should,  if  the  workmen  so  desired,  meet  them 
with  their  accredited  representatives,  it  is  somewhat  difficult 
to  understand  where  the  "  objection  "  first  materialised  ? 
At  least,  it  would  be  difficult,  were  we  not  au  fait  to  the 
very  peculiar  methods  used  for  the  purpose  of  bolstering  up 
a  rotten  case,  which  is  the  fashion  with  the  gentlemen 
alluded  to.  All  this  too.  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  to-day. 
"  the  workmen  are  better  housed,  better  clothed,  better  fed 
and  provided  for  generally,  and  that  the  whole  of  their 
surroundings,  home  comforts,  means  of  education,  and  time 
and  means  for  recreation  are  enormously  improved,  com- 
pared with  what  they  were  50  years  ago.  which  improve- 
ments have  had  the  effect  in  many  instances,  of  reducing 
the  death-rate  from  30  per  1 .000  to  something  under  20  per 
1,000."  Then.  "  Although  they  were  far  from  being  free 
from  accident  at  present  it  is  gratifying  to  those  who  are 
responsible  for  conducting  the  colliery  operations  to  know 
that,  while  the  fatal  accidents  in  1850  were  above  five  per 
1,000.  they  had.  through  legislation  in  which  1  am  glad  to 
have  taken  a  part  from  time  to  time,  been  reduced  by 
improved  ventilation  and  other  arrangements,  to  1  '5  per 
1.000.  so  that  mining  can  no  longer  be  described  as  one  of 
the  mostdangerousoccupations"  even  though  it  is  consider- 
ably better  paid,  than  in  the  case  of  the  really  dangerous  em- 
ployments which  demand  skilled  labour,  as  against  mere 
muscle!  In  further  comparison  of  "then  and  now."  Sir 
William  stated,  that  at  the  time  when  he  first  became  con- 
nected with  the  coal  industry,  the  wages  paid  were  :  Colliers. 
15s.  per  week  at  the  zenith  of  the  sliding-scale  period, 
this  was  reached,  if  not  exceeded,  per  day  :  door-boys.  5s. 
per  week:  carpenters.  13s.  6d.  to  15s.  per  week: 
labourers.  12s.  per  week:  smiths  and  fitters.  16s.  per 
week:  masons.  14s.  to  16s.  per  week:  and  some  of 
the  best  large  steam  coal  was  delivered,  f.o.b.  on  the 
Aberdare  and  Glamorgan  canal,  at  5s.  per  ton  !  Truly  have 
we  progressed  in  that  fifty  years,  and  still  the  professional 
agitator  is  keen  to  hear  his  own  voice,  in  a  shout  for  the 
"down-trodden"  labourer  who  pays  him  !  While  suggesting 
that  the  function  to  which  we  have  thus  briefly  referred, 
was  neither  the  time  nor  the  place  to  trouble  the  assembly 
with  figures-  although  we  are  sure  that  none  of  them  would- 
have  looked  upon  thi  figures  in  that  light— the  guest  of 
the  evening  could  not  refrain  from  telling  them  that,  in  his 
opinion,  and  providing  it  were  intended  for  South  Wales  to 
hold  her  own  in  the  struggle  for  coal  supremacy,  coal- 
cutting  appliances  should  be  introduced  into  most  of  the 
more  expensively-worked  seams.  Also  that  he  hoped  the 
workmen  would  not  object  to  the  introduction  of  those 
appliances.  It  is  fairly  safe  to  suppose  that  the  workmen 
will  not  object :  they  are  too  busy  in  earning  a  living  to 
bother  one  way  or  the  other  :  it  is  the  non-workers  :  the 
professional  agitators  who  do  most  of  the  objecting :  for 
"  objection  "  admits  of  their  keeping  their  hold  over  the 
labourers,  themselves.  This,  by  the  way.  With  reference 
to  the  Miners'  Provident  Fund,  and  concerning  which, 
every  South  Walian  knows  Sir  William's  yeoman  service, 
all  he  had  to  say  was  that  "  no  movement  with  which  he 
had  been  identified  had  given  him  greater  pleasure  and 
satisfaction,  as.  apart  from  the  enormous  good  the  fund  had 
done"— such  as  keeping  a  home  over  the  heads  of  multi- 
tudes of  those  who  would  otherwise  have  gone  to  "  the 
House  "-  "  it  had  been  the  means  of  improving  the  relations 
between  the  employers  and  the  workmen,  more  than  any 


other  movement  that  I  am  aware  of  in  the  coalfield."  Ere 
leaving  this  consideration  of  fifty  years  in  the  working  life 
of  one  man :  this  review-in-brief  of  half-a-century  of 
strenuous  endeavour  :  we  feel  that  we  ought  to  record  the 
reassuring  words  of  one  who  is  probably  the  world's  greatest 
living  authority  on  coal,  in  connection  with  the  (so-called) 
visible  supply  of  the  commodity  which  remains.  Sir 
William — who  was  a  member  of  the  Royal  Commission  on 
Coal  Supplies— desired  "  to  offer  his  congratulations  to  all 
interested  in  the  South  Wales  coalfield,  on  the  result  of  the 
inquiry  into  the  resources  of  this  mineral  field,  which,  apart 
from  coal  under  the  sea.  in  St.  Bride's  Bay,  as  also  under 
the  sea  in  part  of  Carmarthen  Bay,  contains  for  marketable 
purposes.  26.918.998,743  tons  (and  the  odd  43  tons  is 
completely  reassuring  ?  ) — the  greater  portion  of  which  is 
in  the  eastern  half  of  the  coalfield  " — that  is,  in  "  our  half," 
Cardiffians !  No  wonder  that  Sir  William  closed  his 
intensely  interesting  speech,  with  the  remark  that  the  fact 
"  should  be  a  considerable  comfort  to  all  interested  in 
South  Wales,  including  those  who  had  invested  in  docks, 
railways,  and  other  works  in  this  district,  that  there  are 
ample  resources  of  fuel  in  South  Wales,  for  many  genera- 
tions to  come."  There  ;'s  considerable  comfort  in  the  fact, 
and  we  are  wondering  what  Professor  Dawkins  will  say 

THE    M.S.G/S    ANNUAL    REPORT. 

IN  considering  this  most  comprehensive  report,  one 
scarcely  knows  whereto  begin,  and  it  is  only  when 
one  sees  the  fruits  of  the  Guild's  labour  in  cold  type. 
that  one  begins  to  appreciate  the  immensity  of  its 
work  !  Look  where  we  will  in  the  24  pages  of  that  report, 
and  we  find  something  that  we  should  like  to  quote.  Well, 
we  might  do  it  piecemeal,  as  the  •  months  roll  on,  even  if, 
on  this  occasion,  we  try  to  take  the  sample  in  the  lump. 
Here  is  the  first  bit  of  wisdom  which  catches  our  eye. 
"  Mere  localism  cannot  possibly  enhance  the  interests  of  a 
profession  which  weaves  the  web  of  British  trade  o'er  the 
face  of  the  earth."  It  cannot,  and  as  the  Guild  has  never 
tried  the  dodge,  we  are  of  opinion  that  this  is  one  of  the 
reasons  for  its  marvellous  success.  That  the  success  is 
there,  cannot  be  gainsaid  :  that  it  is  bound  to  continue— as 
long  as  the  same  tactics  are  pursued — is  equally  true.  For 
the  extension  of  this  progressive  combination,  we  have 
merely  to  consider  the  rate  of  increase  for  the  year  just 
passed.  This  works  out  to  three  new  supporters  per  diem 
counting  every  day  of  the  year  or  altogether,  1,067 
additions  to  its  roll  of  members,  in  one  year.  If  one  wishes 
for  more  evidences  of  appreciation  than  this,  well,  one  is 
inclined  to  be  greedy  ?  We  are  glad  to  "  write  up  "  the 
Guild,  because  it  has  ever  appeared  to  us  to  be  alive  under- 
taking :  by  no  means  aggressive  in  its  methods:  and  one 
whose  motto  might  easily  be  "defence,  not  defiance."  Again, 
it  must  be  admitted,  that  none  but  a  live  man  may  hope  to 
win  success  for  the  shipowner.  There  is  no  room  for  the 
"old  whale"  of  twenty  years  ago:  he  passed  out  with  single 
topsails  never  to  return!  The  successful  shipmaster  of 
to-day,  is  he  who  realises  that  he  has  obligations,  as  well 
as  rights  ;  and  is  determined  to  concede  the  former,  as  well 
as  to  claim  the  latter.,  With  a  Mercantile  Marine  built  of 
such  men  as  those  we  have  indicated,  there  is  little  need  to 
fear  for  Britain's  maritime  supremacy.  Of  course,  it  must 
not  be  taken  that  we  mean  that  there  is  no  further  necess- 
ity for  improvement :  nothing  is  further  from  our  thoughts. 
The  employer  is  by  no  means  peculiar  in  that  he  has  a  number 
of  wrong  'uns  in  his  ranks  :  the  shipmaster  cult  is  no  better 
off.  But  with  continued  endeavour,  these  wrong  'uns  may 
eventually  be  eliminated,  or  reduced  to  such  a  minority, 
that  they  are  no  longer  a  menace  to  the  country's  greatest 
industry.  Noblesse  oblige  is  just  as  applicable  to  the  ship- 
master and  officer,  as  it  is  to  the  shipowner,  and  we  are 
glad  to  note  that  the  precept  is  just  what  the  Guild,  and  its 
Council,  are  ever  seeking  to  inculcate.  That  is  why  we  are 
proud  to  read  its  reports,  and  to  keep  in  touch  with  its 
movements.  But  more  of  this.  anon.  We  have  already 
used  up  our  bit  of  space  ! 


So 


THE     MAR/TIME     REVIEW. 

CARDIFF 

(AND    OTHER)     COAL. 

March  17,  1905 


CARDIFF,  March  17.  1905. 

ONCE  more  we  have  to  chronicle  an  absence  of  change  in 
the  conditions  surrounding  the  staple  commodity  of  South 
Wales.  Again,  we  have  to  tell  you  that  the  gentle  colliery 
man  is  merely  marking  time,  in  his  endeavours  to  work 
Cardiff's  yearly  output  into  the  25.000,000  tons  stage.  We 
have  written  the  words  "  marking  time."  but  we  are  hardly 
certain  as  to  whether  the  expression  meets  the  case,  and 
for  the  simple  reason  that  when  a  colliery  man  is  "  hung 
up,"  so  to  speak,  in  his  coal-selling  operations  well,  he  is 
seldom  satisfied  to  merely  mark  time  !  This  by  the  way. 
and  for  the  purpose  of  convincing  you  that  we  have  studied 
the  gentleman  -somewhat. 

TONNAOE  supplies  are  a  necessary  feature  to  successful 
coal  dealing  providing  it  is  intended  to  deal  with  persons 
across  the  seas.  We  have  an  idea  that  we  have  made  the 
same  remark,  ere  this.  It  doesn't  really  matter,  however. 
The  remark  is  perfectly  true  :  and  a  truth  cannot  be  re- 
peated too  many  times,  nor  in  too  many  places  ?  Anyhow, 
and  according  to  our  own  "Old  Moore."  the  supply  of 
tonnage  continues  to  affect  the  market,  adversely.  What 
the  gentleman  really  means,  is  that  the  absence  of  tonnage 
supply  does  all  that.  Still,  there  was  a  classical  gentleman 
who  was  accused  of  nodding,  occasionally :  numbers  of 
non-classical  folk  have  done  the  same  thing,  since  ;  so  it  is 
permissable  for  "ours  "  to  indulge  in  the  trick  especially 
when  there  is  mighty  little  doing  in  the  coal  trade  ? 

BUT  viewed  in  any  manner  you  care  to  adopt,  tonnage 
supplies  are  playing  the  very--er — trio,  with  the  state  of 
trade.  Steamers  already  stemmed  are  delayed,  so  stocks 
have  accumulated  Steamers  that  have  not  been  stemmed 
are  also  delayed  !  Stocks  are  no  less  accumulated,  in 
consequence.  Indeed,  and  to  put  the  matter  as  optim- 
istically as  possible  :  if  steamers  continue  in  this  delayed 
condition  for  very  much  longer,  the  coal-trimming  fiasco 
will  have  bubbled  out,  and,  still  will  there  be  no  .vessels  to 
load.  Writing  of  coal-trimming,  why  is  it  that  there  is  so 
much  of  the  closed-door  idea,  about  the  business  of  attempt- 
ing to  engineer  a  settlement?  If  there  is  nothing  to  hide 
from  the  public,  why  keep  the  public  in  the  dark  ?  If  there 
is  anything  to  hide,  why  not  take  the  public  into  confidence, 
when  the  "anything"  may  be  considered  as  good  as 
finished  with? 

IN  any  case,  steamer  arrivals  since  our  last  time  of 
writing,  have  been  much  below  the  average.  To  the 
extent  that  our  pessimistic  friends  have  been  in  a  ferment, 
fearing  that  the  world  has  "  gone  back  "  on  Welsh  coal ! 
Of  course,  the  world  is  not  at  all  likely  to  be  silly  ;  but  the 
pessimist  is  ever  to  the  'fore.  So  much  so,  that  we  often 
wonder  what  real  part  in  the  scheme  of  creation,  the 
gentleman  is  supposed  to  fill.  One  thing  we  are  sure  of : 
In  the  coal  trade,  pessimism  is  merely  another  method  of 
writing  "  sluggish  liver ! "  And  simply  because  there  is 
seldom  a  need  for  any  mopishness,  in  the  industry  alluded 
to.  Stocks  may—  and  do  -  accumulate  :  ships  may  stay 
outside  in  the  cold— and  wet;  the  usual  bottle  of  something 
short  may  be  exchanged  for  a  cup  of  "afternoon  tea :  "  but 
still  the  world  pursues  its  merry  way,  along !  , 

BEST  CARDIFF  ADMIRALTYS,  therefore,  as  you  will  have  - 
already  surmised,  show  no  improvement  over  last  week's 
conditions,  and  this  grade  is  quite  as  weak  as  other  sections 
of  the  market.  Supplies  are  vastly  in  excess  of  the 
demand,  if,  by  a  wide  stretch  of  imagination,  the  little 
doing  herein  may  be  glorified  into  demand.  In  any  case, 
there  is  an  absolute  lack  of  the  "new  and  strange."  and 
buyers  who  have  been  in  a  position  to  offer  prompt  ship- 
ment— and  these  are  the  reverse  of  many— have  also  been 
able  to  place  the  seller  in  that  mood  which  is  known  as 
conciliatory.  In  the  present  bad  times,  the  latter  realises 
only  too  well,  that  he  must  hold  the  proverbial  candle  to 


the  former,  if  he  wishes  to  clear  off  a  few  of  his  full  wagons. 
And  this  is  just  as  it  should  be.  for  if  the  seller  had  it  ever 
his  own  way— well,  Bute  Street  would  soon  be  all  too 
narrow  !  In  the  matter  of  figures,  these  are  given  as 
13s.  3d.,  but.  bless  you,  it  is  merely  by  way  of  giving  the 
thing  a  name.  Mind  you,  the  quotation  is  firm— for  the 
simple  reason  that  there  is  but  little  temptation  about 
to  lower  them  ! 

SECOND  CARDIFF  ADMIRALTYS  are  listed  for  sale,  and — 
that  is  about  all !  They  were  in  the  same  position,  last 
week:  probably— and  judging  by  present  indications— they 
will  be  le  meme  chose,  next  week.  Of  course,  one  never 
knows,  you  know  ;  but  thus  do  appearances  point.  True, 
there  are  a  few  collieries  in  this  group  which  keep  busy  : 
but  like  angels'  visits,  they  are  few  and  far  between. 
Quotations,  are,  nominally,  the  same  as  at  our  last  time  of 
writing  you  -from  12s.  9d.  to  13s.  But  what's  in  a 
quotation,  these  da.ys  ?  Not  a  lot— if  the  quotation  has  to 
do  with  coal.  Anyhow,  you  may  be  sure  that  really  prompt 
business  will  play  Old  Harry  with  the  quotation  in  this 
grade,  and  if  you  chip  off  a  threepenny  piece,  you  are  safe 
in  getting  the  stuff ;  another  3d.  would  be  impossible — 
providing  you  will  promise  to  "  keep  it  dark ! " 

ORDINARIES,  too,  in  view  of  the  slackness  that  is  in 
evidence,  generally,  are  weak  and  wobbly.  "  Naturally  !  " 
you  are  inclined  to  remark  ?  Well,  that  is  so,  for  at  the 
best  of  times,  this  grade  is  rarely  a  strong  market.  Why  is 
it?  Don't  know.  We  gave  up  trying  to  size  out  the 
situation,  years  ago.  Original  sin.  had  most  to  do  with  it, 
we  believe.  However,  the  stuff  has  been  booked  at  12s., 
and  as  the  sum  total  of  those  bookings  is  really  insignificant, 
this  phase  of  the  local  industry,  remains  in  a  depressed 
state.  Prompt  cargoes  could  be  fixed  up  at  3d.  to  6d. 
under  the  figures  given — again  if  you  promise  to  be  "mum." 
To  our  mind.  11s.  9d.  represents  the  actual  value,  in  this 
grade. 

DRYS  ?  Well,  they  are  dry  and  crackly.  So  much  so, 
that  there  is  but  little  of  it  changing  localities-  Sellers 
herein,  are  quite  anxious  to  satisfy  all  the  demands  of  the 
buyer  at  12s.  3d.,  while  anything  approaching  a  decent 
quantity,  will  bring  reconsideration  on  to  this. 

MONMOUTHSHIRE  coals  continue  to  figure  in  coal  land — in 
name,  at  least.  It  is  fairly  certain  that  business  in  them 
does  not.  for  lifelessness  is  the  correct  term  for  most  of  the 
units  in  this  section.  Demand  is  practically  non-existent ; 
tonnage  is  "  off"  ;  stocks  are  accumulating  and  there  you 
are.  BLACK  VEINS  are  registered  as  being  worth  11s.  6d-.— 
but  they  are  not,  at  present.  Indeed,  if  we  were  to  hazard 
a  guess  as  to  the  probabilities  of  filling  requirements  to  any 
extent,  we  should  say  "Offer  him  11?.  3d.,  and  twig  his 
smile  of  refulgent  joy."  Anyhow,  the  latter  figures  would 
take  the  stuff. 

ORDINARIES,  too,  are  even  as  before.  Furthermore,  they 
are  likely  to  continue  so,  as  long  as  this  dreadful  scarcity  of 
tonnage  remains.  As  we  have  already  said,  it  is  useless 
trying  to  work  up  an  over  sea  trade,  unless  you  have  plenty 
of  good  steamers  to  help  you  out.  Just  now.  steamers  of 
any  kind,  are  scarce  ;  so  are  the  possibilities  of  working  off 
these  Ordinaries.  Price?  Well,  say  11s.  or  a  bit  under. 
Never  over ! 

SECONDS  are  smitten  with  the  epidemic,  only  more  so,  for 
in  view  of  the  decline  in  values  of  better  class  coals,  these 
particular  samples  are  lower,  even,  than  at  our  last  time  of 
writing.  The  lowering  is  not  serious,  for  the  simple  reason 
that  but  little  has  been  done.  Top  qualities  may  be  booked 
at  10s.  6d.  :  Inferiors  at  3d.  under  this. 

RHONDDA  No.  3's  are  the  saving  grace  in  the  whole 
collection  ;  are  about  the  only  grades  which  may  claim. 
with  any  truth,  to  be  comfortably  steady.  These  coals 


March   17,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW 


8; 


have  experienced  but  little  variation,  and  values  all  'round 
have  been  easily  maintained.  Outputs,  too.  are  being 
satisfactorily  disposed  of  by  present  stems,  and  no  weakness 
in  price  is  discernible  anywhere.  LARGE,  is  ruling  at 
13d.  9d. :  THRO'S.  at  lls.  6d.  to  lls.  9d..  at  which  prices 
there  is  good  enquiry. 

RHONDDA  No.  2's,  on  the  contrary,  have  eased  off.  so  that 
for  prompt  shipment,  prices  have  been  easier.  In  addition 
to  an  easing  of  present  demand,  there  is  an  absence  of 
enquiry  for  forward  business,  and  supplies.  it  the  moment, 
being  ahead  of  what  is  being  called  for,  the  quotation  is 
"foxy."  at  10s.  3d.  Indeed,  sellers  have  an  inclination  to 
negotiate  prompt  business,  at  the  level  10s.  providing  the 
buyer  is  firm.  Here  again,  delayed  tonnage  is  one  of  the 
APPROXIMATE  Fi'.iKh-.  FOR  ^\\^  \\'IKK.  ARE  AS 

(All  quotations  f.o.b.  at 


causes  responsible  for  this  weakness. 

SMALLS,  however,  are  unchanged,  continuing  a  firm 
department.  Quotations  are,  as  they  were  at  our  last,  and 
as  collieries  have  but  little  to  spare,  prices  have  been  main- 
tained without  much  difficulty.  Restricted  outputs  of 
LARGE,  necessarily  curtail  the  supply  of  SMALLS. 

PATENT  FUELS  show  little  or  no  alteration,  for  values  have 
been  maintained  without  much  difficulty,  thanks  to  the 
happy  state  of  stems,  generally.  Still,  there  is  no  terrible 
amount  of  business  passing  in  FUELS,  although  enough  to 
warrant  the  belief  that  prices  will  hold  for  some  time  ahead. 

PITWOOD  is  somewhat  firmer  :  but  why  this  should  be  so, 
is  a  mystery.      Supplies,  are  not  so  large  ;  then,  again, 
demand  is  much  the  same.     However — ! 
FOLLOW  : — 
the  respective  ports  of  shipment,  j 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Best  Cardiff  Ad'alty  Large     138.  od..  139.  6d 

135.  3!  .  i  ; 

i*.jd. 

'3s-  3d- 

133.  oJ.,  13*.  6d.         i3s.  3d.,  i3s.  6d. 

Second         Ditto. 

I2S.  9(1.,  i  ;>.  od. 

i-s.  9d. 

i.-s.  qd. 

I2S.  6d..  12s.  qd. 

i-'-.  7.Jd.               i2s.  6d.,  I2s.  9'1. 

Other  Second  Cardiff     . 

I2S.  al.,  I2s.  3d. 

1.--    IN|. 

US.  qd.,  12s.  o.l. 

us.  9  1. 

I2S.  O.I.                                1  I-.    10.',;]. 

Drys 

.        12-      Vl  .    IJ-.  6ll. 

3-1. 

i2s.  al..  I2s.  3  1. 

I2S.   1  '.'I. 

i-'s.  od.                  I2S.  or).,  i2S.  3d. 

Best  Newport 

I  is  6)1.    us.  qd. 

IIS.  (.  1  .    II-.  '*! 

us.  6d. 

iis.  6d. 

US.    4.',;!.                                       US.    6d. 

Ordinary  Bests 

us.  3d. 

us.  al..  us.  3d. 

us.  al. 

1  1-.  0,1. 

IOS.  y  1.,  IIS.  3<1.                      IOS.    lO.Jd. 

Seconds 

ios 

ios.  6d. 

ios.  4'.d. 

IOS.  4}  1. 

ios.  3d.                        ios.  31). 

Best  House  Coal 

16s.  6(1. 

6d. 

|i.-.    ; 

i6s.  4',d. 

3d.                        ins.  ?ll. 

No.  3  Rhondda 

13-                   od. 

lO.Jd. 

i  f.  9!. 

'  ;--  9  -!- 

I3s.  qd.    MS.  od.                   133.  qd. 

No.  2         Ditto. 

ios.  3d. 

108.  3(1. 

ios.  od..  ios.  vl- 

IOS.    1  'd. 

IOS.  I.J.1.                          ios.  3d. 

Rhondda  3  "  Thro." 

i  _•-   od. 

1  1  -.  91!. 

1  1-.  ad. 

iis.  6d.,  us.  9d 

i  is.  7jd.                       us.  6d. 

..        Z        .. 

Ss.  ;;..!. 

8«.-6d. 

8e.  6d. 

8s.  9d 

8s.  od. 

Snails: 

Best  Cardiff 

79.  qd. 

7«-9d. 

7s.  6d.,  7s.  9d. 

Tid- 

7  -    7  .'.  1  1  . 

7-.  6(1 

Seconds 

78.  <K|.,  7 

79.  od. 

od. 

6s.  qd.,  7s.  od. 

(.-.  ic'.d.              6s.  gd.,  7s.  od. 

Ordinaries 

6s.  od. 

6s.  (K! 

6s.  - 

6s.  7.}d. 

6d.                        6s.  6d. 

Best  Newport 

6s.  9!..  7s.  al. 

ioj<l. 

90. 

6s.  ad 

79-  od-                 6s  9d.,  73.  od. 

St.1  :iJ- 

6s.  6d 

6s.  od. 

6s.  vl..  (>s.  6d. 

6s.  3d. 

6s,  6d.                       6s.  aid. 

Rbondda  No.  2 

6s.  9d.,  7-.  al 

od. 

71 

ad. 

ad. 

79.  od.,  75.  3d. 

..       No.  3 

as.  ad.,  io- 

qs.  qd. 

09.0XL 

99.  6d.,  ios.  od. 

9s.  6d.,  95.  9d. 

os.  9d. 

foundry  Coke  : 

Special 

tts.6d 

-  I  k  6d. 

2is.  6d..  2is.  od. 

-•i-.  9d. 

-M-    lid.,  22S.  0.1. 

2IS.  I'd. 

Ordinary 

i8».  od. 

IS 

i^-    vl 

i.ss  o;. 

17-     IK].,    ISS.  0(1. 

Furnace  Coke 

oJ. 

in-,  al. 

159.  6d..  i6s.  od. 

is.  .9-1. 

lOs.  o  1. 

Patent  Fuel 

139.  od. 

./•I 

12- 

1  ?-.  O.I. 

i  s-  <>  '     •  •                          1  3<  od 

Pit*  nod    e\  ship 

169.  91!..  1  1 

i    -.  i»l 

If'-  I,  1  .  17-  0,1. 

lOs.  od.                          us.  i>d. 

All.  less  24  per  cent,  discount,  with  payment  at  thirty  days,  except  where  otherwise  stated. 


All  quotations  for  large  Coals  imply  Colliery  Screened. 
SWANSEA.  March  IS.  1905. 

WE  are  unable  to  record  any  improvement  in  the  tone  of 
the  Market,  here,  and  generally  speaking,  there  is  still 
something  of  a  quietness  attaching  itself  to  trade  in  this 
quarter.  Tonnage  arrivals  show  no  material  increase,  and 
the  market  for  prompt  coals  remains  an  easy  one. 

ANTHRACITE  COALS  remain  nominally  unaltered,  at  about 
last  figures.  Immediate  business,  however,  would  influence 
a  reduction  on  the  quoted  figures,  and  buyers,  able  to  offer 
prompt  shipment,  are  open  to  secure  concessions  without 
any  undue  difficulty.  Few  transactions  are  recorded, 
seeing  that  the  demand  has  been  a  limited  one :  but 
Malting  descriptions  range  from  17s.  6d.  to  19s.  6d.. 
according  to  quality,  and  are  positively  easy.  Bio  AND  RED 


date  of  shipment,  than  by  actual  merit.  This  department. 
therefore,  is  still  a  weak  one. 

CULM,  to  the  contrary,  is  "looking  up."  Stems  remain 
well  filled,  and  there  is  not  a  deal  available  for  prompt 
shipment.  The  slackness  of  Large  Coals  is  helping  this 
market,  and  as  sellers  meet  with  a  good  demand,  this 
enables  them  to  keep  prices  running  along  at  about  5s.  for 
the  BESTS.  Other  sorts,  of  course,  can  be  obtained  at 
4s.  6d. 

STEAMS  remain  in  a  depressed  state,  and  although 
quotations  have  varied  but  little  since  our  last,  they  are 
merely  nominal.  No  improvement  is  noticeable  in  the 
demand,  and  for  anything  approaching  prompt  shipment, 
prices  are  weak,  while  the  actual  value  can  only  be 


VEIN   COALS  are  not  an  active   grade,   for   sellers  fin$-jfc-^scertained  with  positive  business  in  hand.     BESTS  are  at 


difficult  to  maintain  their  market,  in  view  of  the  slackness 
of  stems,  and  the  absence  of  new  accumulations. 

MACHINE  MADE  COALS  do  not  differ  from  the  prevailing 
conditions.  Stocks  continue  heavy,  and  seeing  that  there 
is  but  a  limited  request,  prices  are  governed  more  by  the 


about  15s.- 13s.  3d.     SECONDS  have  been  booked  at   12s. 
Local  Bunker  qualities  range  from  10s.  9d.  to  lls.  3d. 

PATENT  FUELS  are  unchanged,  and  quotations  are  still 
firm.  Sellers  keep  busy,  and  experience  no  difficulty  in 
maintaining  values. 


BELOW,  we  give  the  average  prices  for  the  week  : 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Anthracite: 

Best    Hand    Picked 

MaltlnK  Lar«e 

19*.  (  • 

6d 

'9s 

i.         19;-.  o-J.,  I9S.  6d. 

Seconds    do. 

189.  6(1.,  i  - 

9". 

M. 

lit  6d. 

iS-.  od..  iSs.  6d.        i7s.  6d.,  iss.  6d. 

RIK  Vein  LarKe 

n*.  91!. 

IIS.  i/l 

n  -.  6-1. 

1  1  -  6d. 

i  is.  ->!(\.              us.  6d.,  us.  gd. 

Red     .. 

10*.  od. 

ios.  al. 

ad. 

ad. 

9s.  9(1.,  ios.  od.           9».  qd.,  ios.  od. 

Machine  Made  Cobbles 

16*.  qd. 

ifrs.  9d. 

i6s 

i'  -    dd. 

IOS.  in!  .  p.-     .1!         ifs.  3(1.,  i6s.  gd. 

..     Nats 

16*.  oil..  17*.  0.1 

IDS.  qd. 

9(1. 

'«!.,  i7s.  od. 

!'•-.  (.d.                i6s.  6d.,  i-s.  od. 

..     Peas 

10*.  od.,  10*.  od. 

ios.  al. 

ios.  o-1. 

ios.  od.,  ios.  6d. 

ios.  3d.                 ios  od.,  ios.  3d. 

Huhbly  Calm 

od. 

5*.  od. 

4-.  9<l  .  ' 

'.•I.,  is.  3d. 

:-.  o.l.                             •;*.  o:l. 

Ml 

jd 

jd 

3s.  gd. 

3s.  3d.,  js.  od.                ?s.   vl..   >- 

Patent  Fuel: 

od. 

II*.  0(1. 

i  i 

I2S.  0(1. 

od. 

118.  9  :!.,  1^^.  0  1. 

Steam: 

Best    LarKe 

M*    '•'' 

13*.  od. 

12-.  9<l..  I3s.  od. 

I2S.  91!. 

•  3s.  al.               i2».  9-!.,  i  ^s.  id- 

Seconds  .. 
Bunker    .. 

12- 

ios.  od.,  10*.  6d. 

12*.  l{d. 
109.  od. 

I2S.    i 
9<1- 

12s.  od. 

9*.  qd. 

i2s.  od.            ;     i2s.  od.,  i2s.  jd. 

•'!  ,    IOS.  0.1.                        U.S.  oJ. 

Thro'  and  Thro' 

os.  od.,  os.  jd. 

99.  ijd. 

9*.  od. 

9s.  od. 

8s.  9(1.,  9s.  od.            9s.  od.,  9s.  3d. 

THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


March   17,    1905 


COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES^ 


CARDIFF,  March  15,  1905. 

To  the  time  of  writing,  not  a  single  fixture  for  EASTERN 
account  has  been  thrown  upon  the  screen  used  on  these 
occasions !  Indeed.  Eastern  business  appears  to  have  gone 
off  :  to  have  taken  a  holiday  :  or  to  have  died  through 
disgust  at  what  is  happening  in  its  own  particular  region. 
Sometimes,  and  merely  by  way  of  keeping  a  trade  "warm. 
so  to  speak,  there  is  enquiry  for  problematical  tonnage. 
even  though  there  may  be  no  actual  business.  In  this 
instance,  however,  there  is  no  enquiry  !  Poor  old  Eastern 
trade  !  After  all  the  giddy  excitement  you  gave  the  merry 
freighter  a  few  months  ago.  too  ! 

WESTWARD,  the  state  of  the  market  shows  little,  if  any, 
change.  A  fair  amount  of  business  is  being  done,  if  rates 
are  nothing  to  brag  about :  still,  they  are  better  than  what 
is  possible  with  the  Oriental  Oracle.  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
rates  are  stationary  :  but  there  are  rates— which  is  a 
blessing!  For  Rio  DE  JANEIRO.  8s.  9d.  are  the  scheduled 
figures:  while  for  Lower  Plate  ports,  from  7s.  3d.  to 
7s.  6d..  are  still  current. 

WE  note  that  a  handy  boat  has  been  closed  for  PARA,  at 
9s..  and  a  small  boat.  HENCE  HAVANA  at  7s.  For  the  ISLANDS. 
5s.  6d.  is  doing  for  LAS  PALMAS  and  TENERIFFE,  with  GAPE 
VERDES  steady  at  6s.  3d. 

MEDITERRANEAN  continues  steady,  although  indications  are 
not  wanting  that  this  particular  phase  of  the  freight  market 
has  touched  the  top.  for  this  occasion.  At  least,  for  the 
time  being !  For  GENOA,  handy  boats  have  been  command- 
ing 7s..  with  the  big  'uns  written  down  at  6s.  9d.  Other 
Italian  rates  are  steady,  and  GAETA  is  doing  at 7s.  3d.:  with 
NAPLES  at  the  same  money.  Handy  boats  have  been  closed 
for  the  SICILIAN  ports  at  6s.  9d.,  and  at  6s.  10'2d. 

HENCE  MALTA,  the  Admiralty  have  paid  6s.  for  suitable 
tonnage,  and  DANUBE  charterers  have  ceded  7s.  3d.,  to  fill 
their  requirements.  Top  rates,  however,  are  only  obtain- 
able for  prompt  tonnage,  as  the  heavy  weather  prevailing 
of  late,  have  thrown  boats  backward,  so  that  where  a  close 
cancelling  has  been  possible,  fair  rates  have  resulted.  Tis 
ever  thus!  For  MARSEILLES.  8  francs  is  the  ruling  figure, 
while  ALGIERS  has  been  taking  stuff  at  7  francs. 

FOR  the  smaller  trades,  outward  rates  are  fairly  remu- 
nerative, and  we  notice  that  GIBRALTAR  has  been  done  at 
5s.  2d.:  SEVILLE,  at  5s.  6d.:  LISBON,  at  4s.  9d.:  which  are 
not  at  all  bad  rates,  as  times  go  ? 

OUTWARDS  to  the  BAY.  the  market  is  in  a  very  sorry  state, 
orders  being  scarce  and  rates  in  consequence,  low.  ST. 
NAZAIRE  charterers  are  filling  their  present  needs  at  4'25 
francs:  and  BORDEAUX,  at  4'50  francs— for  fairly  large 
boats.  A  small,  prompt  boat,  for  Bordeaux,  succeeded  in 
getting  5  francs,  and  is  lucky  in  doing  so  ?  At  least,  we 
think  so ! 

FOR  the  BALTIC,  we  note  that  two  boats  have  fixed  for 
STETTIN  at  4s.  9d.  and  5s.  respectively,  and  this  is  the 
week's  operations,  thereaway. 

Week  Ending,  (Wednesday),  March  15,  1905. 

(N)  denote*   Newport.     8)  Swansea,    .P.  T.)    Port    Talbct,    leading. 

WESTWARD,     Etc. 

River  Plate.     Manchester  Port,  3,500  tons,    -js. 

Claremont,   5,000  tons,    73.  6d. 
Cape  Verdes,    ()/nv,  4,600  tuns,   6s.  3d. 
Para,     Davedale,  or  sub.  3,100  tons,    o-.. 
Teneriffe,     Steamer,  5,500  tons,  5s.  6d.  option  Las  Palmas 

/.in-tt  Erne,  2,700  tons,  53.  6d. 
Havana,     Dura,  2,000  tons,  js. 
Rio  de  Janeiro,    Pamlosia,  4,000  tons,   «s.  6d. 

( intliic.  3,800  tons,    8s.  gd. 

Steamer,  4,500  tons,    8s.  6d. 
Bajada  Grande,     Blngdon,  2,300  tons,   9s. 
Rosario,     L'liingfiird,   1,900  tons,    75.  9d. 
La  Plata,     Steamer,    4,000  tons,    73.    250  delivery,   Sd.  (N). 

MEDITERRANEAN,     Etc. 

Port  Said,    IV.  1.  Ratlrliffe,  6,600  tons,  6s.  6d. 

ll'i:--./n'iinf  Ho,  5,000  tons,    6s.  6d. 

I irncfii,    4,800  tons,    ( s.  6d.    prompt. 
Alexandria,     Therese  Heymann,    2,900  tons,   73. 

Drkln,   2,500  tons,   ~s. 

AVivA1//,  3,600  tons,   78.   spot. 

Appitdon,  5,800  tons,  6s.  gd. 


Danube,     Steamer,    3,500  tons,    6s.  yd. 

Steamer,  2,800  tons,    6s.  gd. 

De  Ruyler,  2,100  tons,    73.  3d. 
Genoa,     Steamer,      4,100  tons,    6s.  gd. 

Steamer,  3,200   tons;    Steamer,    3,300    tons;  Steamer, 
3,600  tons;  Steamer,  4,100  tons  ;  all  6s.  gd. 

Tigullio,    2,500  tons,  6s.  gd.   (P.T.) 

Phyllis,    3,000  tons,    TS. 

Adamton,  3,400  tons,    js.   prompt. 

Georgeios,   1,900  tons,    7*.  3d.   coal,    8s.    fuel,   400 

deliver}-,    lod.   (s). 

Trieste,     Robinia,   3,400  tons,   6s.  gd. 
Savona,  Begona,  3,600  tons,  6s.  gd. 

Hatfield,  2,000  tons,    73. 
Gaeta,     Norden,    2,500  tons,    73.  3d.   400  delivery. 

Olela,  4,400  tons,    TS.  3d.    400  delivery. 
Sicily,     Flambro,    2,800  tons,    6s.  gd. 

Modetta,  1,900  tons,   6s.  gd. 

Genna,   1,800  tons,    6s.  to.Jd.    spot. 
Naples,     Sunningdale,    3,000  tons,    js.  3d.  option  Leghorn. 

Llandrindod,  5,700  tons,    6s.  7^.   option   Leghorn. 
Malta,     TV ,   3,000  tons,   55.  6d. 

Blodwen,  3,500  tons,   6s. 

Trevarrack,  2,500  tons,    6s. 

Sunbeam,  2,300  tons,    73.  3d.    fuel. 
Marseilles,     Rossi/a,  2,600  tons,    8  francs. 

Marsala,  2,400  tons,    7-75  francs. 

Arislea,   2,100  tons,    8  francs. 
Algiers,     Steamer,    3,000  tons,   6-87!  francs. 
Barcelona,     Steamer,    1,600  tons,    73. 

Minna  Horn,    :,iootons,  6s.  io|d. 

Steamer,    2,100  tons,   6s.  io4d. 

Valencia,    Steamer,    1.300  tons,   6s.  3d.  coal,  73.  fuel,  (s). 
Lisbon,     Ross,   1,700  tons,    43.  gd. 

Tredegar,    1,7  50  tons,    43.  gd. 

Be/gica,  2,600  tons,    43.  6d. 

Sunlight,   1,300  tons,  43.  gd. 
Seville,      Tana,   1,200  tons,  53.  6d. 
Palermo,      Tlior,   1,700  tons,    73.  3d.    (s). 

Firda,  800  tons,    8s.  coal,    8s.  gd.  fuel,  (s). 

Dirfiara,  3,000  tons,    6s.  gd. 
Trapani,     Dana,  800  tons,    8s.   (s). 
Gibraltar,     Larpool,    1,400  tons,    53.  gd. 

Aslak,    1,000  tons,    53.  6d.    (N). 

Ruabon,   2,400  tons,    53.  3d. 

Muriel,  2,100  tons,  55,  3d. 
Spezzia,     City  of  Belfast,    2,70010113,    6s.  io^d. 

Steamer,    1,800  tons,    js.    prompt. 
Messina,     l-'cmlands,   2,500  tons,    73. 

BAY,     Etc. 

Bordeaux,     Sallillo,  3,300  tons,    4-45  francs,     (s). 

Crane,   i,,oo  tons,    5  francs,    (N). 

Monro,  2,100  tons,   4-50  fcs.   option    La  Pallice,  4  fcs. 
St.   Nazaire,     I'riarle  No.  j,   1,700  tons,    4-25  francs 

'/'i mint,   2,300  tons,    4'2o  francs. 
Nantes,     Thor,  2,000  tons,    5  fcs.    (s). 
Sables,     Rupef,   i,?oo  tons,   4-50  fcs.  (N). 
Charente,     Lizzie,     1,100  tons,     5-25    fcs.    coal,     5-75    fcs. 
fuel,  option  Rocheforte,  (s). 

BALTIC,  Etc. 

Stettin,     Dora,  2,400  tons,   ss.    (s). 
1  Icros,  4,000  tons,    45.  gd. 

COASTING,     Etc. 

Havre,     Siirbiton,  goo  tons,    43. 

naxelmere,   1,400  tons,  43.   (s). 
Honfleur,     Peter  Berg,     goo  tons,   43.  6d.  (s). 

Brio,   i, 600  tons,    43. 

Rouen,     Saint  Andre,   1,350  tons,    43.  gd.  (s). 
Brest,     Alaska,    2,800  tons,  33.  8d. 
St.  Malo,     Scoiscraig,    1,200  tons,  45. 

Avon,  600  tons,   35.  io^d. 
Dieppe,      Yorkshire,     1.900  tons,    33.  ioid. 
Caen,     Peter  Hamre,   1,400  tons,    43.  3d.  (s). 

HOMEWARD. 

Pasages  to  Newport,    Ely  Rise,   1,500  tons,   43.  i£d.  ore. 
Rtfugio,   i, 800  tons,   45.  i|d.    ore. 

Bordeaux  to   Swansea,    Amruni,   1,100  tons,  55.   4|d. 
pitwood. 


March   17,  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


Maritime, 

and  other 

Money , 
Matters, 


E 


OPE  does  spring 
eternal  in  the  hu- 
man breast,  and  no 
matter  whether  times  are 
bad  or  merely  middling, 
the  directors  of  public 
companies  are  ever  opti- 
mistic about  the  possi- 
bilities of  the  concerns 
which  they  direct.  Those 
who  are  responsible  for 
the  working  of  the 


Tredegar  Dry  Dock  and  Wharf  Company,  Limited,  are 
no  exception  to  the  general  rule,  for  a  perusal  of  the 
latest  report  issued  by  that  up-to-date  concern,  shows  us 
that,  "  The  dry  docks  being  capable  of  taking  almost  any 
size  vessel,  the  directors  look  for  an  increasing  business 
from  this  class  of  tonnage."  Meanwhile,  an  increasing 
quantity  of  any  other  class  of  tonnage  would  be  accept- 
able we  suppose,  and  would  be  calculated  to  make  the 
present  credit  to  profit  and  loss,  (and  after  paying 
interest  on  debentures  and  loans)  loom  into  figures  more 
expressive  of  good  times,  than  the  £4,341  13s.  9d.  shown? 

•f  +   -f 

THE  dry  docks  "being  capable"  of  giving  accommo- 
dation to  "almost  any  size  of  vessel,"  counts  for 
righteousness,  presumably  '.'  But  it  is  a  well-established 
fact  that,  to-day,  it  needs  more  than  a  mere  capability, 
to  bring  business  along  in  a  cheering  manner.  Number- 
less folk  are  "  capable  "  of  no  end  of  business — but  they 
amble  along  to  the  Official  Receiver,  all  the  same  !  The 
men  who  count  in  the  procession,  these  days,  are  they 
who,  being  capable  of  carrying  out  a  certain  business, 
are  also  able  to  get  the  business  to  carry  out.  It  is  one 
thing  to  "  look  for  an  increasing  business  " ;  it  is  quite 
another,  to  be  able  to  find  it.  However,  the  directors  of 
the  Tredegar  Dry  Dock  Company,  have  waived  their  fees 
—otherwise,  the  credit  referred  to  wouldn't  figure  out  as 
quoted  above'.'  *  •*•  * 

WHILE  remembering  that  debenture  and  loan 
interest  has  been  paid,  it  would  appear  that  the  fees  of 
the  directors  are  not  the  only  financial  obligations  which 
have  been  waived '.'  We  are  quite  willing  to  admit  that 
"  the  shipping  trade  of  Newport  is  expanding,"  too.  It  is 
admitted,  also,  that  "  an  increasing  number  of  steamers 
of  large  tonnage  is  entering  the  port."  Were  it  not  so, 
the  shipping  trade  of  that  particular  port  would  not  be 
*'  expanding,"  would  it '.'  That  is.  unless  Newport  were 
laying  itself  out  to  cajole  all  the  pan -fish  which  are  yet 
afloat,  to  its  ample  bosom?  When  a  shipping  trade  is 
expanding,  and  big  steamers  are  the  fashion  du  pays,  well, 
the  expansion  must  of  necessity,  be  made  up  of  these 
"  steamers  of  large  tonnage  "  ?  Of  course ! 

+  -f   -f 

BUT  is  it  to  be  supposed  that  most  of  the  "  steamers 
of  large  tonnage."  after  negotiating  the  Usk,  will  find 
it  necessary  to  patronise  a  local  dry  dock?  We  like  to 
be  clear  on  these  points.  If  those  "steamers  of  large 
tonnage  "  do  not  find  it  necessary  to  patronise  a  local 
dock  under  the  circumstances  shadowed  out:  why  do 
the  Tredegar  Dry  Dock  directors.  "  look  for  an  increasing 
business  from  this  class  of  tonnage  "  ?  At  most  ports, 
the  directors,  or  their  smart  managers,  do  not  wait 
until  steamers  of  large,  middling,  or  even  small,  tonnage, 
enter  the  respective  ports,  on  the  off  chance  of  finding 
themselves  in  a  battered  condition.  No!  Those 
directors  (or  managers)  hustle  around  in  the  localities 
where  steamer  repairs  are  needed  ;  and  having  found 
them,  tender  for  the  work,  and  bring  those  steamers  to 
the  port  involved.  -f  -f  •»• 

MIND  you,  we  are  willing  to  admit  that  it  is  a  good  thing 
to  be  able  to  fix  up.  from  a  year's  trading  with  we-don't- 
quite-know-how-much  capital, areserve  totting  into  £2,000, 
and  to  carry  forward  £2,341 -without-bothering- with-the- 


odd-shillings-and-pence.  Things  might  have  been  worse 
in  connection  with  those  directors  who  have  been  good 
enough  to  direct  for  nothing.  The  reserve  might  have 
been  merely  £1,000 — and  that  would  have  been  but  half 
as  good  ;  indeed,  there  might  have  been  no  reserve — and 
no  interest  on  debentures  and  loans!  No,  things  are 
never  so  bad  but  that  they  might  easily  be  worse;  so 
under  the  circumstances,  we  suppose  that  the  Tredegar 
Dry  Dock  and  Wharf  Company,  Limited,  is  to  be  con- 
gratulated on  its  struggle  with  adverse  fortune.  Our 
congratulations  to  it,  and — may  it  have  a  better  showing, 
next  year.  +  +  + 

HERE  is  a  chance  for  you.  We  believe  that  most  of 
you  are  looking  for  a  new  sensation  in  the  way  of  invest- 
ing? You  have  become  weary  of  coal,  and  steamers,  and 
fried-fish  shops,  and — and — and  most  everything?  Then 
what  is  the  matter  with  putting  a  few  of  the  yellow-boys 
into  motors  ?  Argyll  Motors,  Limited,  is  out  for  capital ; 
it  is  a  really  high-class  undertaking  ;  goes  in  for  a  fair 
amount  of  nominal  capital — £500,000,  to  be  exact;  and  is 
now  offering  you  the  chance  for  which  you  have  been 
longing?  Mind  you,  you  will  have  to  hurry  up,  for  the 
lists  will  close  on  Saturday,  at  exactly  4  p.m.  Don't  let 
tnis  be  one  of  the  instances  where  "  Too  late,  too  late  " 
fits  in.  There  is  money  in  motors  -generally  considered ; 
there  is  money  in  motors— particularly  considered;  and 
according  to  the  Argyll  prospectus,  there  is  money  in 
Argyll  Motors.  -f  +  + 

WHAT  is  that?  You  do  not  know  much  about  motors? 
What  odds  ?  You  don't  know  much  about  steamers ;  or 
colliery  companies  :  or  fried-fish  shops;  do  you?  Not- 
withstanding this  fact,  you  put  your  money  in  all,  or  any, 
of  the  undertakings  enumerated  -to  say  nothing  of  a 
number  which  we  have  no  room  to  bother  with.  So  why 
not  smile  upon  these  motor  effects?  Think  of  the 
possibilities  which  lay  in  reall/high-classmotorconcerns 

and  the  Argyll  Motors,  Limited,  is  all  that.  If  you 
would  but  smile  on  them  to  the  extent  of  anteing  up 
something  sensible,  the  Docks  district  would  soon  hum 
with  the  vibrating  sound  of  quickly-moving  wheels  — and 
petrol  vapour.  Think  it  oven  please,  and  remember 
that  Saturday  is  the  closing  day.  When  you  have  made 
your  fortunes  in  consequence  of  our  disinterested  advice, 
be  good  enough  to  remember  the  source  of  your 
inspiration  that's  us!  +  +  + 

We  like  modest  people — mainly  because  we  have  a 
taint  of  the  characteristic,  ourselves.  But  we  are  by  no 
means  singular,  in  this  respect.  Modesty,  at  Cardiff 
Docks,  is  nearly  as  common  as  Cardiff  coal.  But 
seriously,  our  congratulations  to  Messrs.  Krieger  and 
Schliemann.  Limited,  a  local  company  recently  formed. 
Capital,  £10,000,  in  £1  shares.  Directors  not  less  than 
three;  not  more  than  eight;  first  number  thereof,  six  ; 
qualification,  £50  (in  £1  shares)  in  the  company;  screw 
er  honorarium,  fees,  emoluments,  what-you-will,  £4 
each,  per  week.  Six  directors,  in  a  £10,000  company, 
and  each  satisfied  with  a  mere  £208  per  annum — why,  it 
is  positively  disappointing!  A  mere  £1,248  per  annum 
for  the  directorate  alone,  and  without  counting  rent,  fire, 
light,  postages  and  petties,  charlady,  ink,  pens,  stationery, 
and  a  clerk  or  so  (if  such  are  needed  when  so  much 
directing  talent  is  about) — well,  we  consider  the  assess- 
ment as  most  modest.  Furthermore,  there  should  be  no 
fear  of  one  director  "  sassing  "  the  other  ?  Where  all  are 
equal,  the  work  should  be  a  harmony.  Hence,  the  reason 
for  our  congratulations  ;  our  respectful  compliments  to 
the  directors  of  Krieger  and  Schliemann,  Limited.  May 
their  shipbroking-export-of-coal-and-other-merchandise- 
or-produce  :  their  importing-merchanting-carrymg-by- 
land-and-sea :  their  shipowning-warehousing-freight-con- 
tracts-wharfing-lightermaning-bonded-common-carmen- 
etc.,  business  flourish  ;  yea,  even  as  flourisheth  the  green 
bay  tree  when  you  drench  its  roots  with  fertilizer. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


March    17,   1905 


Che  CoaHriffitnina  Deadlock. 


CHERE  certainly  appears  to  be  a  quantity   of  "privacy."   and 
mystery  connected  with  the  deliberations  that  are  going,  at 
some  time  in  the  dim  vistas  of  the  future,  to  settle  a  situation 
which    has    become   impossible    the  coal-trimming  deadlock. 
At  this  late  date,  everybody  with  an  interest  in  shipping,  realises  that 
the  trimming  tariff  at  the   Port  of  Cardiff  is  ridiculously  high  ;   most 
of  us  know  that  there  is  an  awful  amount  of  nonsensical  argument 
(save  the  name)  surrounding  the  business.     In  effect,  the  shipowner 
has  been  imposed  upon  for  such  a  number  of  years,  that  neither  coal- 
owner  nor  coal-trimmer  can  assimilate  the  great  truth  that,  at  last. 
they  have  killed,  between  them,  the  metaphorical  goose  which  laid  the 
golden  eggs.    Needless  to  say.  the  metaphorical  goose  is  the  steamship 
manager    and  his  goslings  may  be  marked  down  as  steamship  share- 
holders. 

COALOWNER  declares  that  he  must  have  his  coal  trimmed  by 
"experts"  or  the  stuff  will  be  broken  up  into  such  a  state,  that  the 
foreign  consignee  will  refuse  delivery.  Of  course,  this  is  the  purest 
fiction.  Do  coal-trimmers  serve  an  apprenticeship  at  their  business  ? 
Certainly  not  !  Providing  a  man.  straight  from  the  plough  tail,  has  a 
sufficiency  of  "  pull  "  with  the  powers  that  regulate  these  matters,  he 
is  fairly  sure  of  getting  an  opportunity  of  carrying  a  "  billy  can  "  and 
shovel  on  board  a  steamer  ;  there  to  await  until  a  greater  or  lesser 
quantity  of  the  coal  cargo  has  been  "  run  up  "—a  quantity  for  which 
he  is  paid,  even  as  if  he  had  trimmed  every  ounce  thereof ;  after 
which,  he  is  allowed  to  figure  as  "  one  of  the  gang,"  and  (providing  he 
is  built  that  wayi  may  pull  down  the  lion's  share  of  the  heap,  which 
has  been  formed  by  the  "  run  up  "  process.  Not  much  expert,  here  ? 

VARIOUS  tales  are  spread  around,  concerning  the  "  boxing "  of  coal 
cargoes.  Coalowner  declares  that  the  cargo  must  be  "  boxed."  and 
the  dock  companies  go  to  the  expense  of  supplying  these  adjuncts  to 
coal-loading.  What  happens?  Well,  sometimes  (say  if  an  official 
from  the  colliery  office  is  about)  the  "  box  "  is  used  in  the  manner  in 
which  it  was  intended  to  be  used  :  sometimes,  it  isn't.  In  the  latter 
instances,  the  "  box  "  will  certainly  be  hung  over  the  end  of  the  coal- 
shcot  for.  as  the  vulgar  portion  of  the  community  would  remark.  "  a 
blind."  How  do  we  know  this?  From  personal  experience,  of  course. 
When  a  person  has  sailed  out  of  a  coal-loading  port  for  well  nigh 
twenty  years,  he  should  know  something  of  the  business  on  which  he 
writes  if  that  business  happens  to  be  in  connection  with  coal-loading  ? 
Yes?  Well,  that  is  our  little  time  among  the  gentlemen,  who  are 
making  a  strenuous  effort  to  keep  up  the  impositions  of  other  days. 

MIND  you.  we  can  understand  why  the  colliery  people  have  more 
sympathy  with  the  trimmer,  than  with  the  shipowner,  for.  as  already 
suggested,  shipowner  is  the  golden-egg-layer;  and  still  keeping  to  the 
metaphorical  idea,  his  ovaries  are  well-nigh  exhausted  ;  his  is  a  dis- 
tinct case  of  "  I  can  no  more."  Hence,  the  gentleman  is  seeking 
redress.  For  years  past,  he  has  been  mulcted  in  any  charge  the  coal- 
trimmer  cared  to  levy  ;  but  then,  times  were  good,  and  shipowner 
didn't  kick,  unduly.  He  growled,  yes  :  but  even  as  he  growled,  he 
paid.  For  future  work,  he  declares  that  he  will  not  pay,  to  anything 
like  the  same  extent  and  he  is  justified.  Why  should  shipowner  pay 
for  the  services  of  a  gang  of  men  over  whom  he  has  no  control  ? 
Men  who  wish  to  pose  as  if  they  were  the  salt  of  the.  earth,  when,  at 
any  moment,  shipowner  may  get  as  many  competent  men  as  he  chooses, 
who  will  not  only  do  the  work  in  a  ship-shape  manner  ;  but  at  a  fair 
rate  of  remuneration:  and  will  act  under  the  instructions  of  the 
officers  of  the  vessel  implicated  without  any  bother? 

As  things  are  at  present -and  as  they  have  been  for  years  past 
neither  shipowner,  nor  his  servants,  have  more  than  a  nodding  authority 
with  their  own  property,  once  the  coal  shute  is  in  the  hatchway.  True 
the  coal-trimmer  will  allow  an  officer  to  come  on  board  ;  but.  if  he  is 
not  prepared  to  do  everything  that  he  is  bidden  :  then,  the  coal-trim- 
ming gentleman  will  intimate  that  unless  itisdone.  "  We'll  adjectively- 
well  go  on  shore,  and  something  your  old  crock."  We  know,  for  in  our 
early  youth  and  before  we  were  duly  initiated-  this  class  of 
information  was  meted  out  to  us.  Therefore,  we  write  from  personal 
experience.  Going  still  further  with  the  community  of  interests,  if  we 
may  write  it  thus,  have  not  we  all  heard  it  bruited  about,  in  a  most 
open  manner,  that  quite  a  majority  of  colliery  offices  claim  one  farthing 
per  ton.  from  every  ton  that  is  supposed  to  be  trimmed  by  their  own 
particular  gang  ?  Certainly  !  Are  hearing  it,  daily. 

Now,  while  admitting  that  there  are  a  number  of  self-respecting 
colliery  folk  which  would  scorn  this  species  of  blackmaif  on  the  ship- 
owner ;  indeed,  we  know  of  more  than  one  office  where  coal-trimming 


<r 

is  tabu,  and  yet  their  coal  is  as  good  as  the  best,  and  better  than  a 
lot ;  we  also  believe  that  the  farthing-per-ton-imposition  is  much  more 
common  than  it  is  generally  believed  to  be.  Be  that  as  it  may.  the 
coal-trimmer  has  no  sort  of  reason  to  jib  at  the  just  demands  of  the 
shipowner,  and  if  the  latter  is  a  wise  man,  he  will  settle  this  matter 
once  for  all.  Compare  the  coal-trimmer  with  the  man  who  carries 
timber  -a  day  labourer,  even  as  is  trimmer.  The  timber  carrier  "mules" 
for  a  whole  day.  for  about  7s.  :  so  does  he  who  carries  sacks  of  grain. 
For  rates  as  carried  off  by  coal-trimmer,  consider  the  following 
authentic  cases-  even  as  you  remember  that  some  conditions  of  labour 
are  far  worse  than  a  strike  : 


STEAMER  A. 

Run  In. 

No.  I  hold 

..         920 

,.    2     ., 

1564'!      .. 

.,    3     „ 

1080 

..    4     „ 

89T1     .. 

4455 

Thus  8  men  for 

Trimmed. 
44'6 

aim 

233'8 
87'15 


Total. 

964'6 
1775'12 
1313'8 

978M6 


No.  Men. 
6     .. 
12     . 


Time. 
'2  hrs. 
8    .. 
7     ,. 


577  ..      5032         («.      2?id. 

17  hours  work  receive  £57    135.  3d. 

AFTER  reading  those  particulars,  you  will  agree  with  us  that  there  is 
but  little  need  for  any  discussion  as  to  whether  coal-trimming  charges 
are  exorbitant  ;  out  of  all  reason,  considering  the  value  ;  or  what  not? 
Don't  forget  !  The  sum  of  £57-odd  was  really  paid  by  the  shipowner, 
for  the  alleged  trimming  of  "  Steamer  A."  It  doesn't  really  signify 
how  the  money  was  divided:  that  is  a  matter  for  the  recipients  thereof 
to  decide.  Shipowner  was  robbed — for  that  is  all  it  amounts  to — as 
set  out  above.  That  you  may  not  think  the  foregoing  an  isolated 
instance,  please  read  the  following  : 

STEAMER  B.  Run  In.  Trimmed.  Total.  No.  Men.      Time. 

No.  I  hold.     ..         960        ..  27'2         ..        987'2        ..         3     ..         1   hrs. 

..    2      ..         .-        1400        ..  397  ..      1797'10      ..       12     ..      10     „ 

,,    3      „         ..          900        ..          295  ..1195  ..      12     ..        6     „ 

,.    4      „         ..         860        ..          195  ..       1055  ..       12     ..         3     ,, 


4120  914  5034          «'       25id. 

Thus  10  men  for  20  hours  work  receive  £57  138.  7'2d. 

THERE  you  are  !  In  this  case,  ten  men  were  paid  £57-odd  for  20 
hours  work,  and  under  the  circumstances,  do  you  wonder  that  those 
men  are  going  to  do  their  best  to  continue  the  iniquitous  tariff  which 
admits  of  such  overcharges  ?  On  the  other  hand,  do  you  wonder  that 
shipowner  is  just  as  resolved  to  end  the  matter,  aye,  even  if  he  has  to 
proceed  to  extreme  measures  ?  Do  you  need  more  convincing  ?  If  so. 
consider  the  following  : 

Trimmed. 

Nil 

722'18 

427'6 

Nil 


STEAMER  C. 
No.  1  hold. 
.,    2     ., 
,.    3     ,. 
.,    4     , 


Boxed. 
350 
630 
540 
140 


Run  In. 

788'2 

810 

470 

820 


Total. 
1  138'2 
2162'18 
1437'6 

960 


No.  Men.       Time. 


12 
12 


10  hrs. 
8   ., 


1660         2838  1150  5688          («•       2^d. 

Thus  12  men  for  18  hours  work  receive  £65  ss.  o'jd. 

AND  please  remember  that  these  instances  can  be  multiplied  almost 
indefinitely  ;  examples  could  be  cited  where,  in  the  case  of  sailing  ships 
which  take  coals  for  "  stiffening."  etc..  the  coals  have  been  tipped  into 
the  hold;  trimming  charges  have  been  collected  ;  yet  never  a  trimmer 
has  had  more  than  a  hazy  kind  of  understanding  as  to  where  his  "  wages  ' 
came  from.  In  conclusion  for  this  time — we  will  give  you  the  details 
of  the  loading  of  another  big  steamer.  Pick  the  totals  out  for  your- 
selves, when  you  will  see  where  the  •'bluff"  comes  in.  Here  you 
are,  then  : 

STEAMER  D. 

No.  I  Hold.     Boxing  300  Tons 

Screening  &  tending  Shute 

Trimming  200  Tons 

No.  2  Hold.    Boxing  350  Tons 

Screening  &  Tending  Shute 
Trimming  900  Tons 

No.  3  Hold.     Boxing  1 60  Tons 

Screening  i  Tending  Shute 
Trimming  350  Tons 

No.  4  Hold.    Boxing  430  Tons 

Screening  &  Tending  Shute 
Trimming  420  Tons 

Deep  Tank.    Boxing  80  Tons 

Screening  <k  Tending  Shute 

Bunkers  Trimmed  4.1  5  Tons. 

Trimmers,  12.  Time,  23  hours. 


3 

hours. 

4  Trimmers. 

Run  up        909 

111 

3 

Trimmed    200 

3 

8 



Total          1  1  U9 

4 

hours. 

4  Trimmers. 

Run  up     1095 

23 

p) 

3 

Trimmed    900 

15 

1  0 

Total         1995 

2 

hours. 

4  Trimmers. 

Run  up       870 

13 

3 

Trimmed    350 

g 

Total         1  220 

3« 

hours. 

4  Trimmers. 

Run  up       857 

14 

3 

Trimmed    420 

7's 

8 

Total         1  277 

7 

hours. 

4  Trimmers. 

Run  up       398 

m 

" 

3 

March   i ; ,   1 905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


PATENTS  &  TRSDE  MSRKS 

Relating    to    SHIPPING   and    the    COAL    TRADE. 


Specifications  published  on  March  2,  1905,  together 
with  an  indication  of  their  subject  matter,  the  title 
being  printed  in  Italics. 


1 65  04  —  MACCALLU  M — Means  and  apparatus  for  travelling 
on  water. 

This  apparatus  consists  of  a  rectangular  frame  fitted 
with  an  upholstered  car  body.  At  each  end  of  the  frame 
pulleys  or  drums  are  mounted  over  which  travels  an  end- 
less band  fitted  with  floats.  The  pulleys  are  driven  by 
motive  power. 

5,41704     DERHAM     Improvements  in  marine  boilers. 

This  invention  relates  to  multitubular  marine  boilers. 
The  improvements  consist  in  forming  the  fire  box  with 
an  inclined  front  and  sides,  thereby  dispensing  with  the 
ordinary  roofing  stays  employed  with  circular  furnaces. 
This  arrangement  permits  of  the  adoption  of  flame  tubes 
in  the  lower  part  of  the  boiler  in  addition  to  the  nest  of 
return  tubes  in  the  upper  part. 

6,990  04  —  MAC  KAY—  Improvements   in  and  connected  with 
navigational  sounding  machines. 

This  invention  relates  to  means  for  guiding  the  wire  of 
a  sounding  machine  so  as  to  wind  it  in  a  regular  manner 
on  a  drum.  A  worm  on  the  drum-spindle  gears  with 
and  drives  a  worm-wheel  on  a  transverse  shaft.  At  the 
other  end  of  this  shaft  an  interrupted  pinion  is  mounted, 
this  pinion  alternately  gears  with  the  upper  and  lower 
rack-teeth  formed  in  a  slotted  bar,  which  is  thereby 
caused  to  reciprocate  in  guides  in  front  of  the  drum. 
This  bar  carries  a  slotted  finger  or  traveller  for  fleeting 
the  wire. 

8,437  04— LlLLlEHooK  Improvements  in  ships  and  vessels 
This  invention  relates  to  the  construction  of  ships. 
The  improvement  consists  in  employing  in  the  upper 
part  of  the  vessel  a  greater  number  of  longitudinal  beams 
than  usual  so  that  they  are  used  in  preponderant  number 
in  relation  to  the  cross-beams,  the  latter  being  set  at 
comparatively  great  distances  from  each  other. 

8,54904     HOUSTON   &    ERSKINE     Electric    ships'   tele- 
graph. 

This  electric  ships'  telegraph  consists  broadly  of  a 
transmitter  and  a  receiver  of  similar  construction  and 
method  of  operation.  Each  has  a  horizontal  dial  and  a 
rotating  pointer.  A  series  of  switches,  corresponding 
in  number  to  the  signals  is  arranged  around  the  trans- 
mitter dial.  The  armatures  of  a  corresponding  number 
of  electro-magnets  are  adapted,  when  the  magnets  are 


16,741  04— DUMAS — Improved  apparatus  and  means  for 
facilitating  Seine  trawl  and  line  fishing. 

This  invention  relates  to  an  electric  lamp,  excited  by 
primary  or  secondary  batteries  arranged  in  a  water-tight 
casing  adapted  to  be  submerged  to  attract  the  fish. 

23,601  04— SMITH— Improvements  in  and  relating  to  the 
discharge  of  ore.  coal  and  other  material  from  hoppers  and 
the  like. 

According  to  this  invention  an  endless  travelling 
conveyer  belt  is  arranged  longitudinally  in  the  space 
beneath  the  hold  of  a  barge  or  vessel  just  above  the 
keel  of  the  vessel.  The  bottom  of  the  hold  is  provided 
with  a  number  of  hoppers,  the  outlets  of  which  are 
situated  above  the  belt.  The  outlets  are  provided  with 
adjustable  side  gates  and  a  central  rotary  gate.  This 
rotary  gate  consists  of  a  number  of  wings  mounted 
radially  on  a  horizontal  spindle.  The  outer  ends  of 
these  wings  are  curved  tangentially.  The  space  between 
each  adjacent  pair  of  wings  forms  a  pocket  for  the 
delivery  or  discharge  of  the  material.  A  suitable 
elevator  apparatus  is  arranged  at  the  end  of  the  vessel. 


27,52704-  HElSE 
wells. 


Improvements  in  linings  for  shafts  or 


According  to  this  invention  segments  or  rings  for  lining 
shafts  are  cast  with  internally  projecting  horizontal  cor- 
rugations so  as  not  to  present  an  increased  external 
diameter  and  to  avoid  the  stresses  due  to  casting  when 
horizontal  strengthening  ribs  are  adopted. 

27,940/04— GERAKI — Improvements    in   steam    generators 
applicable  for  motor  vehicles,  motor  boats,  and  the  like. 

According  to  this  invention  a  steam  generator  having 
large  and  rapid  steaming  capacity  with  a  minimum  of 
weight,  is  built  up  of  a  number  of  members.  Each  mem- 
ber consists  of  a  central  tubular  chamber  divided  by  a 
diaphragm,  perforated  at  its  ends,  into  an  upper  and  lower 
compartment.  A  number  of  Field-tubes  depend  from 
the  bottom  of  the  lower  compartment  and  another  set  of 
inverted  Field-tubes  project  from  the  upper  surface  of 
the  upper  compartment.  Pipes  connected  with  the  feed 
depend  inside  the  lower  Field-tubes  and  pipes  connected 
with  the  steam  service  pipe  ascend  within  the  upper 
Field-tubes. 

Device  for  indicating  the  presence  of 


28.518,04— TlERSCH 
inflammable  gases. 

This  invention  is  an  improvement  on  the  type  of   indi- 
cator of  the  presence  of  inflammable   gases   in  which  a 

energized  to  project  into  the  path  of  an  arm  on  the,  .^number  of  pieces  of  sponge  platinum  are  arranged  on  a 
spindle  which  carries  the  pointer.  In  both  the  trans-- "  ffhe  wire,  which  normally  keeps  two  contact  springs  out 
mitter  and  receiver  the  spindles  which  carry  the  pointers  of  contact,  but  which  expands  and  allows  contact,  when 

heated  by  the  ignition  of  the  combustible  gases  on  their 
passage  through  a  fine  wire  screen,  surrounding  the 
device.  The  improvement  consists  in  the  employment 
of  two  wires,  one  of  which  is  anchored  at  one  end,  the 
other  end  being  secured  to  one  end  of  a  small  pivotted 
lever.  The  other  wire  has  one  end  secured  to  the  other 
end  of  the  lever,  and  the  other  end  to  the  contact  spring. 


are  rotated  by  electro-motors  when  a  switch  is  depressed 
and  by  the  contact  of  the  rotating  arms  with  the  pro- 
jecting armatures  come  to  rest  with  their  pointers 
opposite  the  corresponding  signal. 

13,82704  THE  LONG  ARM  SYSTEM  COMPANY— An 
improved  system  and  apparatus  for  electrically  operating 
bulkhead  doors,  hatches  or  the  like. 

This  specification  describes  apparatus  for  operating 
bulkhead  doors  electrically,  either  from  a  distance  or  at 
the  door  itself,  for  operating  a  series  of  doors,  for 
operating  them  by  hand,  and  for  signalling  when  the 
door  is  in  any  pre-determined  position. 

14.91704  RAVIER  Improvements  in  and  relating  to 
train-carrying  boats. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  vessel  fitted  with  rails 
along  the  deck  for  railway  vehicles,  and  its  object  is  to 
dispense  with  the  usual  wharf  structures  whereby  the 
train  is  run  on  to  the  boat.  This  is  effected  by  hoisting 
the  vehicles  singly  from  a  track  on  the  wharf  parallel 
to  the  vessel  by  means  of  a  mast  and  jib  on  the  vessel, 
the  vehicles  being  first  run  on  to  a  platform  fitted  with 
rails. 


By  this  means  the   magnitude  of  the  movement  of  the 
contact  spring  is  multiplied. 


These  applications  for  patents  ara,  until  April  15,  1905, 
open  to  opposition  by  any  person  having  a  statutory 
right  to  oppose. 

Copies  of  the  specificaticns  may  be  obtained  from  the 
Patent  Office  or  through  the  under-named. 


No    TRADE    MARKS   THIS   WEEK. 


Compiled  by  Messrs.  PHILLIPS  &  LEIGH,  Chartered  Patent 
Agents,  22,  Southampton  Buildings,  Chancery  Lane,  London, 
wTc.  Local  Consultant  :  Mr.  S.  W.  ALLEN,  Engineer,  of  Cardiff 
Exchange,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


March   i  7,  1905 


I 

1* 

I 


OUR  MARITIME  DIRECTORY. 


? 

si 


niiMiii! 


Illllllimui 


CARDIFF. 

Colliery   Proprietors. 


CARDIFF  -Continued. 


(""ORY  BROS.  &  Co..  LTD..  Cardiff  and 
London.    Depots  at  all  the  principal 
Coaling  Stations  in  the  World. 

Telegrams      !;SORY-  9ARDIFF"  : 
"*  CORY.  LONDON. 

INSOLE,  GEORGE  &  SON,  Cardiff.   Sole 
Shippers  of  Cymmer  Steam    Coal. 
Windsor  Steam  Coal,  and  Insoles  No.  2 
Rhondda  Coal. 

Telegrams:  "INSOLES.  CARDIFF." 


VIVIAN.   H.   C.   &  Co.,    Bute   Docks. 
Cardiff.     Sole  European  Agents  for 
"The  Puritan  Coal  Mining  Co.,  Phila- 
delphia. U.S.A." 

Telegrams  :  "  VIVIAN.  CARDIFF." 


[EWIS  MERTHYR  CONSOLIDATED  COL- 
LIERIES, LTD..  Proprietors  and  Ship- 
pers of  "  Lewis  Merthyr "  Navigation 
Steam  Coal. 

LEWIS  MERTHYR.  CARDIFF"; 
"LEWIS  MERTHYR.  LONDON." 


WATTS,    WATTS  &  Co.,   Cardiff    and 
London.  Contractors  for  the  supply 
of  Coals  at  all  Depots  abroad. 

Telegrams  :  "  WATTS.  CARDIFF." 

Dock   Owners. 

T"HE  CARDIFF  RAILWAY  COMPANY,  Bute 
Docks.  Cardiff. 


MARQUESS     OF     BUTE     COLLIERIES. 

Aberdare.  Hirwain.   and   Rhondda 

Valley.     Shipping  ports  :  -Bute  Docks. 

ardiff  :      Penarth     Dock  :      Swansea  : 

3riton    Ferry:    and    Newport    (Mon.) 

Telegrams:  "SEMA.  CARDIFF." 


Ship  Repairers. 

CHEARMAN.  JOHN  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff, 
and  at  Barry  Dock. 


T~HE   BUTE  SHIPBUILDING,  ENGINEERING, 
AND  DRY   DOCK  COMPANY,   LIMITED, 
Roath  Basin.  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:   "CAISSON.  CARDIFF." 


(MERTHYR)    COAL   Co..   LTD., 
1  1.  Bute  Crescent.  Cardiff,  proprie- 
tors of  Ocean  (Merthyr)  Steam  Coal. 


IJNIVERSAL  STEAM   COAL  Co..  LTD., 
Bute  Docks.  Cardiff.  Proprietors  of 
'  Universal  Steam  Coal." 

Telegrams  :   "  VERSATILE.  CARDIFF." 


'THE  CARDIFF  CHANNEL  DRY  DOCKS  AND 
PONTOON    Co..    LTD.,    Cardiff    and 
Barry  Dock. 


Telegrams 


"  Entrance,  Cardiff." 
"  Channel,  Barry." 


VHE   MERCANTILE   PONTOON  Co..  LTD., 
Roath  Dock,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams  :   "  MERCANTILE,  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF     Continued. 


Miscellaneous. 


I  EWIS  &  TYLOR,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff 
Sole  patentees  and   manufacturer 
of  "Gripoly."  a  patent  woven  belting 
and  "  Burals,"  a  semi-metallic  packing 

Telegrams  :  "  BELTING  CARDIFF."        Telephone.  Nat.  231 


Steamship    Owners. 

HAN.   JENKINS    &     Co..    Steamship 
Owners  and  Brokers,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "Stonewall.  Cardiff." 
Nat.  Telephone  :  1318. 


BARRY. 


Dock  Owners. 

'THE  BARRY  RAILWAY  Co.,   Barry. 


Ship  Repairers. 


RARRY   GRAVING   DOCK  &  ENGINEERING 
Co.,  LTD. 

Telegrams:   "  BARDOCK,  BARRY." 
National  Telephone  No.  7.         Post  Office  Telephone  No.  7 


To    the    Proprietors    of 


"THE    MARITIME    REVIEW," 


DOCKS,     CARDIFF. 


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VOL.  V.— No.  58. 


FRIDAY.    M.\l«  II    24,    1905. 


THREEPENCE. 


AN     ABSURD     POSITION. 


/./S///////////SSSS///S* 


THE.     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


March  24,  1905 


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written  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only. 


CONTENTS.  >»  *  * 


CARTOON  :    AN  ABSURD  POSITION        86 

MARITIME  MURMURS  87 

CONCERNING  WINTER  DECK-LOADS        96 

AMERICAN  JINGOISM  96 

CARDIFF  (AND  OTHER)  COAL        9? 

COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES 99 

SHIPBUILDING          '00 

SEVERN  SEA  SPRAY          •     101 

PATENTS  AND  TRADE  MARKS      102 


MARITIME    MURMURS. 


DOCKS.  CARDIFF. 

Thursday  Afternoon. 

THE  Coalmines  Employment  Bill  came  in  for  a  vast 
amount  of  consideration  from  the  members  of  the  national 
talking  shop  on  Friday  last,  ere  it  was  allowed  to  be  read,  a 
second  time.  Indeed,  from  the  manner  in  which  all  and 
sundry  had  a  peck  at  the  measure,  one  would  almost  be 
tempted  to  believe  that  it  is  of  national  importance  as  to 
whether  young  men  who  are  probationer-miners  should  be 
wet-nursed,  or  merely  treated  as  ordinary  members  of  the 
community,  when  "  out  "  for  work.  Mr.  Jacoby,  the  mem- 
ber for  Derbyshire.  Mid.,  moved  the  second  reading  of  the 
Bill,  and  after  giving  a  quantity  of  statistics,  dropped  down 
to  a  sort  of  advertisement  for  the  Miners'  Federation. 
This  Federation,  according  to  Mr.  Jacoby.  represents  five- 
sixths  of  the  organised  mine-labour  in  the  country ;  but 
what  the  country  would,  in  all  probability,  be  better  pleased 
to  know,  is  the  vulgar  fraction  which  should  be  used  as 
showing  how  much  of  all  the  mine  labour  of  the  country  is 
under  the  aegis  of  the  Miners'  Federation.  In  the  latter 
eventuality,  would  one-half  truthfully  represent  the  facts, 
we  wonder  ?  It  is  all  very  pretty  to  trot  out  big  fractions  ; 
but  it  must  not  be  overlooked  that  the  representation  is  only 
in  the  matter  of  the  "  organised  "  mine  labour.  In  other 
words,  in  the  "  unioned  "  labour. 

5?  *& 

As  we  have  stated  before,  there  are  quite  enough  men 
outside  the  Miners'  Federation,  and  who  object  to  the 
political  bias  thereof,  to  "  organise  "  a  very  powerful  feder- 
ation in  antagonism  to  the  present  affair.  Seeing  that 
competition  is  the  soul  of  trade — whether  it  be  in  the 
matter  of  professional  agitatorism,  or  merely  'in  other  and 
more  ennobling  undertakings  it  would  be  a  good  thing  for 
the  country,  if  those  who  are  outside  the  Miners'  Federation, 
would  start  a  little  show  of  their  own.  They  could  easily 
find  a  fitting  title  therefor,  and  one  that  occurs  to  us,  is 
Anti-Coercive  Miners'  Federation :  another  is  For-the- 
good-of-the-crowd-as-distinct-from- the- Bosses  Federation; 
and  either  of  them  would  possess  potentialities  that  are  not 
to  be  slighted.  Monopoly  is  bad  in  everything :  the  Feder- 
ationists.  themselves  declare  it  to  be  ;  so,  why  should  one 
Federation  have  all  the  "  pull "  on  organised  labour  ? 


Surely  you  can  see  that  the  affair  is  becoming  dangerously 
near  to  a  labour  trust  ?  Also  that,  on  the  word  of  the 
professional  agitator,  Trusts  are  a  menace  to  the  common- 
weal ?  This  being  so,  what  sense  or  reason  is  there  in  all 
this  old  clap-trap  anent  making  everybody — who  is  able  to 
use  a  pick-axe — join  one  particular  combination  ? 

S?  ^ 

HOWEVER,  and  reverting  to  the  Parliamentary  seance 
already  referred  to,  we  note  that  Mr.  T.  Richards,  the 
newly  elected  M.P.,  undertook  to  second  the  Jacoby  motion 
After  some  protestation  of  various  kinds,  Mr.  Richards  got 
down  to  reminiscing  on  the  days  of  his  youth  ;  a  period 
which,  to  himself,  must  have  been  extremely  interesting  ? 
Whether  it  was  equally  so  to  the  nation's  legislature,  we 
have  no  means  of  learning  ;  but  we  understand  that  one  of 
the  youthful  enjoyments  of  the  present  M.P.,  was  that  of 
"  mitching  from  school !"  Having  a  juvenile  "stop-day!" 
Not  for  the  purpose  of  birds'-nesting.  mind  !  No,  sirs ! 
On  the  occasion  referred  to,  the  lad  attended  a  meeting.  At 
first  glance,  we  decided  it  must  have  been  a  chapel  meeting: 
but  on  learning  that  the  youthful  truant  became  master  of  a 
"marching  song  "which  lilted  along  as,  "Eight  hours  work: 
eight  hours  play  ;  eight  hours  sleep ;  and  eight  shillings  a 
day" — well,  we  saw  that  it  must  have  been  a  "down- 
trodden workman  "  meeting.  No  chapel  concern  could  be 
idiotic  enough  to  make  a  number  of  hobble-de-hoys  believe, 
that  for  mere  labouring,  they  were  to  get  one  shilling  per 
hour,  for  no  more  than  eight  hours  per  day  ?  At  least,  we 
shouldn't  think  so.  If  unskilled  labour  is  to  get  one  shilling 
per  hour,  and  skilled  labour  fifty  per  cent,  more,  then  we 
shall  soon  see  the  country  gone  to  the  dogs — or  the 
Official  Receiver ! 

^^ 

MEANWHILE,  and  in  the  interval  of  awaiting  that  last  sad 
development,  let  us  further  consider  the  early  life  of  this 
latest  champion  of  the  poor  little  collier  boy  who  must  not 
leave  school  until  he  is,  at  least,  fourteen  years  of  age — in 
the  present  "  enlightened  age."  In  the  back-along  days  re- 
ferred to.  we  find  that  "The  hours  of  a  boy  working  under- 
ground in  a  South  Wales  mine,  were  from  7  in  the  morning 
to  5  in  the  evening  "• — the  labouring  lad  of  to-day,  usually 
works  from  six  to  six,  and  providing  he  is  lucky  enough  to 


March  2.4,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW 


88 


keep  himself  clear  of  the  agitator,  doesn't  seem  to  think 
that  he  is  doing  other  than  is  expected  of  him,  in  fulfilling 
the  command  to  earn  his  bread  by  the  sweat  of  his  brow. 
Again  quoting.  "  Many  of  the  boys  had  to  leave  their  homes 
at  5.30  in  the  morning,  and  to  travel  in  trains,  from  which 
in  the  winter  they  had  to  wipe  the  sn«w  with  their  clothes 
or  caps."  Naturally,  for  Pullman  saloon  cars  were  not 
invented  in  that  by-gone  age.  But  we  cannot  get  away 
from  the  fact  that.  now.  we  have  numbers  of  very  much 
better  boys,  who  have  to  walk  through  the  winter  snow  to 
their  work  :  and  who  would  look  upon  a  train-ride,  as  a 
veritable  pic-nic  !  Of  course,  we  know  that  those  miner 
boys  should  have  been  served  better  than  they  were.  For 
instance,  their  hard-hearted  old  fathers  might  have  come 
along,  and  brushed  the  snow  away  with  the  domestic 
broom  ! 

tf*J 

SOMEHOW  or  other,  we  cannot  find  any  time  to  conjure  up 
a  quantity  of  pity  for  those  "  poor  collier  boys."  nor  for  the 
terrible  time  they  must  have  had.  in  using  their  caps  for  the 
sweeping  away  of  that  snow.  Perhaps  this  is  because  we 
remember  other  little  boys  :  lads  of  the  same  tender  age  ; 
and  who  h?.  ve  been  reared  just  as  <  or  more)  delicately  ; 
but  who  have  had  to  mount  to  a  royal-yard  in  the  same 
kind  of  weather  in  which  the  collier  lad  rode  in  the  train. 
Moreover,  we  have  a  keen  remembrance  that  the  royal- 
yard-climbing-boy  had  to  keep  a  watch  of  four  hours  on 
deck  :  and  an  alleged  four  hours  below  :  month  after  month. 
without  a  change.  That  he  could  be  sure  of  getting  his 
four  hours  on  deck  :  but  only  problematically  certain  of  his 
four  hours  below  :  and  instead  of  receiving  that  eight 
shillings  per  day.  he  had  to  work  a  whole  fortnight  therefor. 
To  our  mind,  it  is  the  merest  canting  humbug  to  spread  these 
tales  of  what  the  "  poor  collier  lad  "  has  to  undergo  :  for 
to-day,  we  believe  that  the  picture  as  shadowed  out  by  the 
said  boys'  champion  is  lurid,  out  of  drawing,  and  wrongly 
coloured  in  the  extreme.  The  colliery  of  the  present  epoch. 
is  no  more  like  that  of  twenty  years  ago.  than  is  the  steamer 
of  to-day  like  the  pan-fish  of  the  same  period. 


CONTINUING  with  the  remarks  of  the  champion  of  the 
occasion  to  which  we  are  alluding,  we  find  that  -in  the  long 
ago  "  On  descending  the  shaft  they  had  to  walk  to  their 
working  places,  a  mile  or  two  miles,  and  sometimes  more"  ! 
After  this,  let  no  man  pretend  that  the  boys  were  carried 
along,  underground,  in  a  palanquin  :  they  had  to  walk  to 
their  work.  "The  Coal  Trade  Association  of  the  North 
of  England  had  described  the  walk  as  through  long, 
spacious,  and  well-ventilated  roadways."  and  thereby  had 
given  a  true  description.  In  the  vast  majority  of  coal 
mines  in  South  Wales,  the  walk  would  te  even  as  suggested. 
We  are  willing  to  admit  that  some  of  the  older  concerns 
leave  a  lot  to  be  desired,  and  as  they  do.  the  "fly  "  boy  of 
to-day  keeps  clear  of  them.  In  the  other  kind,  we  find 
compressed  air  engines  doing  the  hauling  ;  electricity 
supplying  a  glare  of  light  equal  to  day  :  Schiele  fans  making 
a  breeze  which  causes  a  visitor  to  shiver  badly,  unless  he 
is  well-wrapped  up:  and  every  other  improvement  which 
modern  skill,  and  generous  expenditure  can  supply.  With 
this  before  us.  are  not  we  justified  in  questioning  the  truth 
of  such  tales  as.  "  their  task  throughout  the  day  had  to  be 
performed  in  an  atmosphere  and  temperature  injurious  to 
health  and  dangerous  to  life  ?  " 


"To  the  miner  is  given  one  of  the  most  difficult  and 
dangerous  tasks  in  the  struggle  for  existence."  Are  not 
we  right  in  questioning  ?  We  say,  "  yes  ;  "  we  are  justified 
in  questioning  any  such,  to  our  mind,  highly-painted  tales 


as  those  which  we  have  quoted.  Consider  the  collier  as 
we  know  him,  here,  at  Cardiff.  When  he,  intent  on  having 
a  "  beano,"  honours  the  town  with  his  presence  ;  when  he 
and  Margot-Anne  come  down  to  "do"  Cardiff;  have  you 
ever  noticed  that  he  looks  other  than  stalwart  and  strong  ; 
that  his  physique  compares  more  than  favourably  with  the 
toiling  thousands  at  the  docks?  Of  course  not!  In  fact,  it 
has  grown  into  a  proverb  with  you,  that  when  a  man  "looks 
as  healthy  as  a  collier,"  he  is  healthy  indeed.  Under  the 
circumstances,  therefore,  why  all  this  puling  cant  about  a 
state  of  affairs  that  ceased  to  exist  long  before  most  of  us 
were  thought  of?  Give  the  collier  his  fair  chance  to 
live — to  wax  fat.  and  wealthy  — by  all  means.  But  don't 
let  us  have  him  glorified  quite  so  much  into  a  suffering 
martyr.  There  are  thousands  of  well-deserving  workmen 
in  our  midst,  who  are  more  in  need  of  pity  than  the  miner. 
When  talking  about  the  awful  struggle,  too,  made  by  these 
"  poor  little  boys,"  don't  let  the  fact  escape  your  notice  that 
a  father  and  his  two,  three,  or  four,  sons  will  carry  home 
enough  pay  each  fortnight,  to  make  the  mouths  of  thrice 
the  number  of  ordinary  labourers  water. 


THAT  this  is  true,  will  be  apparent  to  you,  at  once,  if  you 
pause  for  long  enough  to  think  up  some  of  the  "  monkey 
tricks  "  which,  from  to  time  to  time,  are  attempted  to  be 
foisted  on  you.  You'll  have  heard  of  the  "  certificated 
miner  '  dodge,  for  instance  ?  Ostensibly,  the  wheeze  was 
promulgated  for  the  purpose  of  getting  none  but  efficient 
men  for  underground  work  :  really,  it  was  for  the  sole 
reason  of  keeping  the  business  in  the  hands  of  those  who 
are  already  exploiting  it,  for  all  they  are  worth.  The  words 
"  certificated  navvy  "  contain  just  as  much  value  as  "  cer- 
tificated collier."  For  the  past  year  or  so,  the  "certificate" 
idea  has  been  shelved.  Thanks  to  the  Conciliation  Board. 
the  miners  are  getting  things  pretty  much  their  own  way. 
so  they  have  no  need  to  shout  about  the  "certificate." 
Once  allow  things  to  swing  over  to  the  side  which  gives 
the  employer  a  little  right,  and  —  listen  for  the  talk  anent 
certificates.  We  know,  because  we  have  studied  the 
situation—  from  inside.  Labour  is  right  enough  —  in  its 
place  :  but  there  are  other  items  tending  to  the  develop- 
ment of  the  country,  in  addition  to  labour.  The  brain  of 
the  land  does  more  in  this  connection  in  a  week,  than  the 
brawn  can  do  in  a  year:  and  yet  the  brain  is  supposed  to 
deserve  no  consideration,  whatever. 


MUSCLE—  on  the  showing  of  its  exponent  —  wishes  to  work 
<or  loaf?;  eight  hours:  play  eight  hours;  sleep  eight  hours: 
be  paid  eight  shillings  !  Brains  might  go  on  working 
for  twenty  out  of  every  twenty-four  hours,  so  as  to  make  it 
possible  for  muscle  to  have  its  wages,  on  pay  night  ;  but 
according  to  muscle,  brains  has  no  right  to  do  other  than 
go  on  working.  Fortunately  for  brains,  it  has  awakened  ; 
has  taken  a  couple  of  those  hours  for  its  uses,  that  were 
erstwhile  given  to  thinking  up  openings  for  muscle  ;  and 
thus  it  comes  about  that  the  latter,  realising  the  emptiness 
of  its  claims  to  a  continued  consideration,  has  nothing  left 
it  but  the  pathetic.  The  see-what-we-used-to-suffer-'way- 
back  !  Here  is  another  quotation  :  "  Scores,  if  not 
hundreds,  of  young  men  every  year,  after  from  two  to  four 
years  experience,  leave  the  work  with  impaired  constitutions 
and  drift  into  other  employment."  Quite  so.  and  probably 
thousands  more  drift  off  because  of  a  weakness  for  the 
"  sleever  "  of  commerce:  the  haunting  dread  of  meeting 
the  "  bookie  ;  "  and  for  other  reasons  which  it  is  impolite  to 
mention  :  but  all  induced  because  the  young  men  have  been 
earning  more  money,  than  their  early  training  admitted  of 
their  using  aright. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


March   24,    1905 


LET  us  have  the  fair  thing,  in  all  classes  of  work—  either 
brawny  or  brainy  :  but  let  us  have  it  without  quite  so  much 
of  the  cant,  and  snivelling:  the  whining  and  please-mother- 
said-will-I-do  that  has  become  so  disgustingly  common 
with  the  cult,  during  the  past  few  years  ever  since  the 
re-introduction  of  the  professional  agitator,  that  is.  It  is 
tolerably  certain  that  if  any  group  of  workmen  have  a 
grievance,  redress  will  follow  a  manly  expression  thereof; 
snivelling,  and  "  playing  to  the  gallery,"  merely  makes  the 
rendering  of  an  easement  more  problematical  ;  and  for  the 
simple  reason  that  brains,  as  already  suggested,  has  taken 
a  few  hours  off.  for  the  purpose  of  considering  the  truth. 
or  otherwise,  of  all  this  we-are-being-ill-used  rant.  It  is  all 
very  well  "  to  remind  the  House  that  these  boys  will  be.  not 
merely  the  workmen  of  the  future,  as  was  contemptuously 
said  by  an  hon.  member  at  Cardiff  the  other  day.  but  the 
men  of  the  future."  Even  so  ;  and  if  they  cannot  turn 
into  as  good  men  as  their  fathers  :  under  a  thousand-fold 
better  conditions  than  those  fathers  ever  enjoyed  ;  if  they 
must  be  wet-nursed  after  the  manner  suggested  by  the 
Coalmines  Employment  Bill  -then,  the  trouble  is  as  we 
have  suggested  ;  drink,  gambling,  etc.  is  at  the  bottom, 
and  you  cannot  make  a  nation  moral  by  Act  of  Parliament? 
This  is  our  serious  opinion,  anyhow. 

Bff  fc 

WE  suppose  it  is  alright,  but  really  it  is  somewhat  difficult 
to  understand  why  Mr.  A.  Birrell.  K.C..  should  shake  hands 
with  himself  to  such  an  extent  as  he  appears  to  have  done 
at  Holborn.  on  Saturday  last.  It's  this  way.  The  Inter- 
national Arbitration  League  had  been  issuing  its  annual 
report  and.  among  other  weighty  items,  remarks  that  during 
the  period  under  review,  "the  sacred  cause  of  international 
arbitration  has  advanced  with  giant  strides."  It  has, 
indeed  !  So  much  of  the  giant  stride,  that  a  number  of 
poor  British  fishermen  have  been  done  to  death  because  of 
the  steps!  However.  Mr.  Birrell  finds  "ground  for  hope 
and  even  for  enthusiasm,"  in  the  present  conditions,  sup- 
posing that  at  the  present  moment  "  there  are  more  men 
under  arms,  more  men  enduring  the  horrors,  the  privations, 
and  all  the  barbarities  of  war,  than  had  been  witnessed  for 
many  a  long  year  past."  Mr.  Birrell's  beatific  state  comes 
about  as  the  result  of  the  Dogger  Bank  alleged  settlement, 
and  the  more  the  gentleman  thinks  about  it,  the  more  he  is 
convinced  that  this  peaceful,  honourable  settlement  marks 
an  epoch  in  the  bloodstained  annals  of  humanity.  This 
being  so.  whyever  doesn't  Mr.  Birrell  "  try  and  forget  it  ?  " 


IN  addition  to  all  the  lovely  reflections  conjured  up  in  the 
foregoing,  the  same  gentleman  appears  to  be  convinced  that 
the  Dogger  Bank  episode  and  its  peculiar  method  of  settle- 
ment, "  is  something  upon  which  it  will  be  very  hard  for 
humanity  to  go  back,  and  I  think,  therefore,  it  is 
something  more  worthy  of  recognition  by  the  Churches,  by 
Parliament,  and  by  the  people,  than  if  it  were  the  anniver- 
sary of  Waterloo  or  Trafalgar."  There  you  are  !  After 
this,  let  no  man  pass  rude  remarks  concerning  the  North 
Sea  Commission,  and  the  amiable  manner  in  which  it 
"  bunkered  "  the  rights  of  Britain.  Never  mind  expatiating 
on  the  number  of  men  that  are  under  arms,  or  the  warships 
that  are  prowling  about  under  pretence  of  safeguarding 
the  Briton's  rights  :  fighting  is  wrong  ;  is  wicked  :  is  alto- 
gether reprehensible  unless  practiced  successfully,  by  the 
enemies  of  Britain.  Mind  you.  this  Mr.  Birrell  admits  that, 
at  times,  he  is  a  gloomy  pessimist,  when  he  sees  around 
him  "  so  much  greed,  vulgarity  and  superstition  :  "  but  not- 
withstanding. it  is  with  positive  joy  that  the  good  gentleman 
seizes  upon  any  incident  in  our  modern  civilisation  and 
modern  life,  which  makes  him.  think  well  of  human  nature. 
The  Dogger  Bank  outrage,  and  its  final  settlement  is  one  of 


those  incidents  by  which  you  will  see  that  "human 
nature  "  may  be  made  to  cover  a  multitude  of  different 
features  ? 

5?  $» 

IT  is  a  grand  thing  to  know  that  a  London  "daily"  is 
delighted  because,  for  once  ( and  in  the  opinion  of  that 
"  daily  " )  the  law  has  proved  itself  anything  but  a  "  hass  !  " 
Of  course,  there  is  a  reason  for  all  this  delight,  and  briefly 
put.  it  works  out  after  the  following  :  A  man  was  employed 
by  a  stevedore,  upon  the  work  of  discharging  a  steamer. 
It  was  no  part  of  the  man's  duty  to  go  upon  the  ship  :  he 
was  the  quay-side  hand.  The  ship  that  was  being  dis- 
charged had  artificial  manure  for  a  cargo,  and  as  is  usual 
with  the  stuff,  there  was  a  quantity  of  carbonic  acid  gas  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  cargo.  So  much  so,  on  this  occasion, 
that  one  of  the  workers  in  the  hold  was  overcome  by  the 
fumes.  Well,  the  first  man — he  whose  business  called  him 
to  the  quay-side  share  of  the  work— undertook  to  go  on 
board  :  to  descend  into  the  hold  ;  and  to  make  an  attempt 
to  save  the  other  man.  Unfortunately,  both  men  were 
overcome  with  the  gas,  and  died.  Now,  it  cannot  be 
gainsaid  that  the  would-be  rescuer  was  a  hero,  or  that  he 
had  done  other  than  a  noble  deed,  in  giving  up  his  life  to 
save  that  of  a  fellow-labourer.  Up  to  this  point,  we  are 
all  in  favour  of  the  delight  as  expressed  by  the  London 
"daily." 

E?f    Xs 

t&       id 

THE  sequel  to  the  story,  however,  is  not  altogether  so  fair 
and  just.  The  widow  of  the  dead  hero  put  in  a  claim  for 
compensation  under  the  Act,  and  although  the  shipping  com- 
pany contended  that  there  had  been  no  accident  ;  that  the 
hero  had  voluntarily  undertaken  the  r61e  which  caused  his 
death;  that  he  had  no  business— from  a  compensation 
point  of  view  in  the  steamer's  hold  ;  the  presiding  Solons 
held  differently,  and  made  an  award  in  favour  of  the  widow. 
The  shipowners  appealed  against  this  generosity-with- 
other-people's-money,  but  the  decision  was  upheld.  Such 
matters  as  these  do  not  go  to  prove  that  the  law  is  anything 
but  a  "  hass,"  as  suggested  by  the  "daily"  to  which  we 
have  alluded  ;  in  our  opinion,  the  facts  are  all  the  other 
way.  Not,  mind  you,  that  there  is  much  to  wonder  at ; 
the  whole  matter  worked  out,  according  to  present  day 
labour  ethics.  The  labourer  is  keen  to  wrap  his  co-labourer 
in  cotton  wool,  and  wishes  to  annex  all  the  credit  for  that 
wrapping  :  but— and  this  is  exactly  where  the  humour 
comes  in — the  employer  is  expected  to  pay  for  the  wool 
In  other  words,  the  employer  has  to  find  all  the  facilities 
for  heroic  conduct ;  and  in  addition,  has  to  pay  all  the 
expenses  incidental  thereto  ;  while  the  labourer  receives 
all  the  kudos — if  there  is  any. 

#   ^ 

THE  Russian  friend's  nautical  "  Bill  Bailey  "—that  is.  the 
"  Baltic  Fleet" — is  greatly  exercising  the  minds  of  "shipping 
circles  in  the  City!';  For  a  month  or  so  past,  the  yearning 
cry  sent  out  to  the  cat-fisher  is. ,  "  Why  don't  you  come 
home,  before  that  nasty  Japanese  Admiral  gets  around 
your  fleet  of  armed  fishing  boats  ?  "  And  the  Chief  Cat- 
fisher  goes  on  with  his  job !  Really,  we  do  not  see  why 
the  "shipping  circles  in  the  City"  should  get  their  diameters 
out  of  plumb  because  of  Rozh-etc.'s  hanky-panky  dodges. 
The  gentleman  might  have  used  up  all  his  bait  and  thus  be 
compelled  to  go  in  search  of  more  ;  but  there  is  no  reason 
to  bother  on  that  score  ?  There  are  no  rival  fishermen 
out  where  the  "  Baltic  Fleet"  lays  heaving  many  a  mile  ? 
The  Russian  has  it  all  to  himself.  And  seeing  that  ship- 
ments on  Japanese  account  continues,  'fore  all  the  world, 
as  if  there  were  never  a  Russian  left  afloat,  of  what  use  is 
it  to  bother  about  it  ?  We  know  that  the  Russian  "fleet" 
has  shifted  its  late  quarters:  has  gone  to  "parts  unknown ;" 


March  24,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


but  its  mission  is  by  no  means  obscure.  No.  sirs  !  That 
modern  edition  of  the  Invincible  Armada  is  merely  "  out 
for  bait  :"  it  realises  that  it  is  impossible  to  fish  without 
"  wur-r-rms  :  "  all  its  visible  supply  has  gone  the  cat-fish 
have  taken  them  off  the  Russian  hooks  :  so  nothing 
remained  but  that  it  must  get  more. 


THIS  may  be  a  yarn,  but  it  is  good  enough  to  be  true  ! 
Two  Cardiff  coal-trimmers  sneermgly  remarked  that  to  be 
a  clerk  in  a  coal-exporter's  office  was  a  "  soft  cop."  and 
twenty-five  shillings  per  week  was  altogether  too  much  to 
pay  for  the  work.  A  foreman  clerk  heard  the  base 
insinuation,  and  for  a  small  wager,  induced  the  coal- 
trimmers  to  have  a  try  at  the  business.  In  due  course, 
and  their  Sunday  "  togs."  the  trimmers  arrived  at  the 
scene  of  commercial  warfare  where,  with  a  knowing  smile. 
they  sidled  into  the  corner  allotted  to  their  undertaking. 
Just  as  the  trimmers  had  opened  their  office  books,  the 
'phone-bell  sounded.  Making  a  dive  to  answer  the  unseen 
communicant,  the  two  trimmers  toboganned  into  each 
other,  severely  damaging  their  upper  works  :  then,  while 
cussing  each  other  for  fat-heads  —  and  even  as  the  'phone- 
bell  continued  its  tintinnabulation  the  Boss'  bell  sounded 
from  the  inner  office.  Here  was  a  "  go  !  "  Even  as  they 
were  eyeing  each  other  malevolently,  and  were  altogether 
undecided  as  to  which  of  them  should  go  in  to  the  Boss. 
two  ferocious-looking  chartering  clerks,  with  red  in  their 
combined  eyes  and  murder  in  their  hearts,  rushed  into 
the  building. 

5?*? 

"  WHY  is  the  steamer  Chinkem  delayed  in  this  "  is  a 
portion  of  their  demand,  when  the  foreman  clerk  interposes 
with.  "  Did  you  two  fellows  see  Snivel's  man  about  that 
and  the  Boss  here  intervened,  with  a  yell  of  "Why-in- 
thunder-don't-you-bring-me-those-invoices-cut-that-'phone 
-wire-throw-those-chartering-clerks-out-and-attend-to-your 
-blamed-business-x  !!??*!  *-etc."—  especially  the  latter. 
By  this  time,  the  erstwhile  coal-trimmers  were  becoming 
mixed  somewhat  so  with  a  dive  toward  the  lavatory,  they, 
on  entering,  indulged  in  a  pas  de  deux  as  each  endeavoured  to 
possess  himself  of  the  solitary  towel  which  hung  upon  the 
peg.  Wanted  to  wet  it  down,  and  cool  a  fevered  brow  there- 
with. In  the  midst  of  their  wild  fight  for  the  towel,  a  neigh- 
bouring clock  struck  the  hour  of  1  0  a.m.  That  finished  it.  for 
with  a  wild  hoorush,  those  ambitious  coal-trimmers  made  a 
bee  line  for  the  nearest  cab-stand,  murmured  "  Bridgend" 
and  fell  fainting  on  the  side-walk.  The  Cabman,  seeing  that 
it  was  merely  a  case  of  "  mental  worry."  as  distinct  from 
"sheer  dottiness"  didn't  move  a  bit  !  Just  let  'em  stay 
there  until  they  had  quietened  dowr. 


BY  11.30  a.m..  the  "quietened  down"  process  was 
complete,  and  the  would-be  clerks,  with  an  altogether 
shame-faced  look  upon  their  ingenuous  countenances. 
strolled  across  to  the  Roath  Dock  Sunday  clothes  and 
all  and  after  twenty  minutes  scratching  at  the  heap  in 
the  No.  2  hatch,  became  fairly  compos  mentis.  In  future. 
they  swore,  that  if  a  foreman  clerk  said  "  office  work  "  to 
them.  then,  that  foreman  clerk  was  as  good  as  a  dead  man. 
"  Can  'oo  hear  that  bell.  Dai  ?"  askb  ons  of  'em  ;  and  "  Will 
I  effer  have  a  minute  when  I  don't  hear  it,  min?"  is  the 
answering  query  !  Later  on  in  the  nay  so  the  yarn  goes 

the  two  butties  were  heard  declaring  most  emphatically. 
that  coal-trimming  at  £6  15s.  per  week,  was  simply 
heavenly  alongside  of  clerking  at  tt  rty  shillings  a  week 
ay.  or  for  the  same  pay  per  diem,  if  it  were  possible  to  get 
it.  All  of  which  goes  to  show,  that  the  cobbler  shouldn't 
go  beyond  his  last  :  and  that  the  knight  of  the  shovel  would 


be  as  big  a  fiasco  at  the  pen,  as  would  the  knight  of  the 
pen  when  fooling  with  a  shovel.  It  also  goes  to  show  that 
"  training  "  is  a  big  factor  in  the  struggle  for  existence, 
and  that  the  most  arduous  existences  are  by  no  means 
paid  on  the  better  scale  Here,  we  will  leave  it. 

§?  & 

ONE  of  the  hardiest  annuals  in  the  nautical  catalogue  is, 
undoubtedly.  Sable  Island.  We  much  doubt  if  more  paper 
has  beer,  used  :  more  choice  epithets  coined  ;  and  more 
poppy-cock,  generally,  faked  up,  over  any  portion  of  the 
realms  of  King  Neptune  ;  than  in  connection  with  poor  old 
Sable  Island  !  Its  latest  title  would  appear  to  be  "  island 
death  trap,"  and  we  are  not  sure  whether  this  is  more 
euphonius.  or  better  descriptive  of  the  facts  which  surround 
the  locality,  than  is  the  time-honoured  phrase,  "graveyard 
of  the  Atlantic."  It  is  a  peculiar  fact,  but  at  some  time  in 
its  history,  every  journal  which  deals  with  this  class  of 
matter  has  had  a  dig  at  Sable  Island  miseries  !  The 
disease  is  a  sort  of  shipping  journal  measles,  so  we  must 
be  excused  if  we  have  succumbed,  in  turn  with  others  ! 
But  where  we  intend  to  differ  from  our  contemporaries,  is 
in  the  fact  that  we  are  not  going  to  offer  all  manner  of 
torn-fool  suggestions  for  the  removal  of  that  heap  of  sand, 
which  has  been  handed  down  to  posterity  under  the  name  of 
Sable  Island.  We  quite  realise  that  the  shoals,  thereaway, 
are  a  curse  to  the  navigator:  but  then  we  also  realise  that  as 
in  the  case  of  numerous  other  curses,  the  navigator  may, 
in  the  majority  of  instances,  keep  away  therefrom. 


CONCERNING  the  utter  desolation  of  the  aspect  in  the 
vicinity  of  Sable  Island,  we  are  of  opinion  that  this  cannot 
well  be  over-drawn.  It  is  a  miserable  portion  of  the  globe. 
We  have  gazed  upon  its  concentrated  miseries  on  two 
occasions,  and  that  is  all  sufficient  for  us  !  No  matter 
how  you  argue  the  matter  out.  Sable  Island  is  hardly  the 
place  where  even  an  enthusiastic  globe-trotter  will  find 
means  to  gratify  his  besetting  weakness.  All  the  same, 
there  is  absolutely  no  utility  in  laying  one's  self  out  to 
anathematise  the  concatenation  of  sand,  shipwreck,  and 
sadness  —  although  one  has  added  one's  quota  to  the  general 
depravity  of  the  situation  ?  Sable  Island,  and  all  its  gloom, 
is  fairly-well  known  to  the  average  shipmaster,  and  so  it 
should  follow  that  when  in  its  vicinity,  a  careful  man  should 
either  go  slow,  or  put  an  herring-bone  in  his  course  that 
will  be  calculated  to  sheer  his  vessel  clear  of  all  possibility 
of  disaster.  To  our  mind,  it  is  far  more  conducive  to  a 
navigating  reputation  to  lose  one  whole  day  on  a  passage. 
than  it  is  to  lose  one  whole  ship,  and  this  is  a  little  matter 
•Which  demands  the  careful  consideration  of  those  who 
are  entrusted  with  the  days—  and  with  the  ships  ! 


HOWEVER,  Sable  Island  is  about  to  be  "civilised:"  is  to 
be  fitted  with  a  Marconi  installation,  at  a  cost  of  £25.000. 
How  much  this  is  going  to  do  in  'the  matter  of  switching  off 
"  the  graveyard  of  the  Atlantic  "  idea,  remains  to  be  seen. 
Personally,  we  are  of  opinion  that  if  ten  Marconi  installa- 
tions were  in  situ  thereaway,  the  wreckage  would  not  be 
appreciably  diminished.  If  the  tramp  of  commerce  were 
fitted  with  the  same  kind  of  arrangement,  then,  would 
there  be  some  hope  —  as  the  tramp  is  the  greatest 
sufferer  from  Sable's  sands.  Time  was,  that  a  whole 
procession  of  American  schooners  laid  around  on  the 
landscape,  there.  But  of  late  years,  the  schooner  has 
given  place  to  the  iron  steamer,  and  what  the  wireless 
telegraphy  is  going  to  do  in  obviating  this,  is  hard  to  say. 
Of  course,  it  must  be  remembered  that  Sable  Island  is  more 
or  less  enveloped  by  fog  for  the  greater  part  of  the  year  ; 


9' 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


March  24,   1905 


and  when  fog  is  "  off."  there  is  usually  a  fair  amount  of 
snow  and  ice  to  level  up  the  business.  The  sea  currents, 
too.  in  the  neighbourhood  of  this  "  island  death  trap  "  are 
both  numerous  and  bewildering  :  so  taken  all  ways  the 
navigator  has  every  reason  to  give  it  a  wide  berth.  Dodging 
around  in  the  vicinity  of  Sable  Island,  the  navigator  will  do 
well  to  remember  that  "the  longest  way  'round  is  the 
shortest  way  home  "—and  should  act  accordingly. 

tf  $» 

MR.  LABOUCHERE  has  been  coming  out  in  a  new  r61e  ! 
Has  been  posing  as  the  best  friend  of  the  Army  and  Navy 
-  especially  in  the  House  of  Commons.  "  Labby  "  admits 
that  he  wants  the  Navy  to  be  strong  and  efficient,  but  he 
objects  to  taking  any  burdens  on  himself,  "for  the  benefit 
of  the  Colonies."  According  to  this  newest  Naval  authority, 
"  If  the  Colonies  want  a  Navy  for  their  protection,  they 
should  find  the  money  for  it."  It  can  hardly  be  said  that 
this  is  other  than  a  good  argument  ?  Indeed,  we  have  a 
similar  belief,  ourselves.  To-date,  there  has  been  quite  a 
deal  too  much  of  this  take-all-and-give-none  policy  in 
connection  with  some  of  the  Colonies.  Concerning  the 
Navy,  in  particular,  the  home  taxpayer  has  had  to  foot  the 
bill  on  each  occasion  that  such  a  bill  is  tabled.  At  the 
same  time,  the  Colonies  are  getting  ahead  in  fine  style—  at 
the  expense  of  the  Old  Country.  Britain  does  all  the 
policing  ;  warns  off  all  intending  raiders  ;  threatens  to 
"  put  a  head  "  on  anybody  who  dares  to  chivy  her  far- 
distant  bantlings  :  and  in  return,  is  taxed  off  their  coasts, 
by  those  same  bantlings.  Under  the  circumstances,  there- 
fore. it  can  hardly  be  said  that  the  Home  Land  is  getting 
fair  treatment  in  this  matter. 


ON  the  other  hand  we  know  that,  in  theory  at  least,  the 
first  object  of  the  legislator  should  be  to  "better  the 
condition  of  the  people  of  this  country."  But  then,  it  is 
almost  as  difficult  to  bring  about  that  "  bettering"  as  it  is 
to  make  the  Colonial  portion  of  the  British  entity  see 
reason.  The  fact  of  the  matter  is,  there  are  so  many 
exponents  of  that  "  bettering  "  idea—  and  each  one  of  them 
appears  to  be  imbued  with  a  different  notion-  that  the  last 
case  of  the  said  people  is  generally  worse  than  that  which 
was  their's,  before  the  "  betterers  "  came  along.  However, 
Sir  Elliott  Lees,  in  replying  to  "  Labby's  "  opinions  as 
already  given,  contended  that  if  Britain  lost  her  Colonies, 
or  if  she  had  no  Empire  at  all  worth  speaking  about,  she 
would  still  have  to  maintain  her  sea-power,  and  thus  spend 
as  much  on  the  Navy  as  at  present.  It  is  impossible  to  get 
behind  this  claim,  for  when  four-fifths  of  a  country's 
population  depends  absolutely  on  sea-borne  food,  that 
country  -unless  it  wishes  to  starve-  must  maintain  the 
command  of  the  sea.  Thus  it  comes  about,  that  the 
Colonies  are  of  but  little  help  to  the  Motherland,  and  are 
merely  fulfilling  a  natural  law  in  this  respect,  after  all. 


IN  the  majority  of  cases,  the  son  that  goes  away  from  the 
home  circle  is  seldom  worthy  of  consideration  as  a  potential 
provider  therefor.  He  makes  other  ties  ;  other  interests  ; 
has  other  avenues  opened  up  for  his  capital  :  and  there 
you  are  !  In  an  abstract  manner,  that  son  (  or  daughter)  is 
fond  of  the  old  home  :  but  he  (or  she  )  cannot  be  persuaded 
to  see  the  necessity  of  sending  along  anything  in  the  shape 
of  a  tax.  In  exactly  the  same  manner,  is  the  emigrant 
situated.  In  the  abstract,  he  will  shout  "  Rule  Britannia  " 
to  scare  away  intruders  even  as  does  the  young  lad  who 
whistles  when  going  into  the  garden  after  dark,  and  who 
wishes  to  convey  the  idea  that  he  isn't  scared  a  bit  ;  but 
when  you  get  down  to  passing  over  the  "  ready."  well,  your 
emigrant  suddenly  remembers  that  "  charity  begins  at 


home."  and  the  "  home,"  in  this  instance,  is  not  the  Old 
Home.  It  is  sad,  we  admit :  but  it  is  the  truth.  Further- 
more, it  will  continue  to  be  the  truth,  and  every  Home 
Land  will  do  well  to  make  its  arrangements,  without  regard 
to  what  the  wanderer  might,  could,  or  would  supply,  if  "  it 
were  not  for  what  it  was  !  "  As  something  to  point  at  with 
more  or  less  pride,  a  Colony  has  potentialities  ;  as  an  asset 
in  the  Imperial  business,  well,  it  is  safest  not  to  attempt  to 
give  it  a  real  value.  Size  it  up  in  the  abstract,  and  you  will 
be  far  better  off. 

As  touching  the  foregoing,  consider  the  case  of  the 
Canadian  manufacturer  in  connection  with  the  last  big 
order  for  steel  rails  which  has  come  to  Britain.  A 
Middlesbrough  firm  has  received  an  order  for  20,000  tons 
of  those  rails,  for  use  on  the  James's  Bay  Railway,  and  the 
consignment  has  to  be  delivered  between  May  and  Septem- 
ber of  this  year.  Now,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  the  Canadian 
mills  are  unable  to  undertake  an  order,  of  the  size  men- 
tioned, at  such  short  notice,  the  Canadian  manufacturers 
have  developed  "  the  hump,"  because  of  the  "  wicked 
preference  "  given  to  the  home  producer.  The  railway 
folk  should  have  waited  until  nexi  year,  of  course,  and  then 
they  could  have  had  Canadian  rails,  for  Canadian  traffic ! 
The  mere  fact  that  the  said  traffic  will  be  twelve  months 
farther  ahead  under  existing  arrangements,  is  nothing  ? 
Indeed,  the  progressiveness  that  will  force  the  pace  for  the 
whole  of  the  trade  interested  is  a  negligible  quantity,  when 
compared  with  the  "  grievous  loss"  which  a  few  individuals 
will  have  encountered,  through  this  order  having  gone  past 
them.  And  this  is  but  one  of  the  phases  where  "  Rule 
Britannia "  is  shouted  for  the  purpose  of  scaring  off  a 
possible  intruder  ;  where  a  son  of  the  Empire  has  made 
other  ties,  and  other  interests  which  are  detrimental  to  the 
old  home. 

ANOTHER  instance  is  in  connection  with  the  woollen 
manufacturers  in  the  same  part  of  the  world.  British  com- 
petition is  "  up  ag'in  them,"  and  unless  there  is  easement 
forthcoming,  trouble  is  bound  to  ensue.  With  a  hope  to 
bring  about  this  easement,  the  woollen  manufacturers  in- 
tend sending  a  deputation  to  Ottawa,  right  away.  That 
deputation  will  endeavour  to  demonstrate,  that  unless  the 
duties  on  British  wickednesses  are  raised  at  once,  all  the 
mills  in  Canada  will  close  down.  At  the  first  glance,  the 
threat  appears  to  be  terrible.  After  mature  thought,  how- 
ever, it  is  open  to  much  discussion  as  to  whether,  in  the 
interests  of  the  whole  community,  it  would  not  be  a  good 
thing  if  those  mills  were  closed,  for  at  least,  fifty  years ! 
Last  year,  the  rise  in  duty  in  this  connection,  was  from  23  '3 
to  30  per  cent.,  and  yet  with  this  staggering  increase  in 
the  cost  to  the  Canadian  consumer,  the  import  of  British 
goods  has  decreased  but  little.  The  cheaper  rate  of  wages 
in  Britain  is  given  as  the  feature  which  enables  the  home 
producer  to  oust  the  Canadian  on  his  own  heath  ;  but  as  a 
matter  of  fact,  labour  has  little'  to  do  with  it.  Better 
methods  of  production,  and  up-to-date  styles  of  transit  are 
the  factors.  The  Canadian  is  too  busy  fussing  about  with 
the  gnat,  to  give  any  attention  to  the  camel. 

THERE  is  an  amount  of  the  painfully  pathetic  in  the 
various  screeds  which  are  at  present  the  vogue,  concerning 
the  "  truth  about  Australia."  In  reality,  the  Common- 
wealth has  become  "  socialised,"  and  thus  all  the  bother 
which  is  about.  Somehow  or  other,  it  is  impossible  to 
make  the  expounders  of  the  Cult  realise  that,  outside  of  a 
little  two  cent  affair,  Socialism  is  impossible  because  it  is 
against  nature.  New  Zealand  is  spoken  of  as  "  the  most 
prosperous  State  in  Australia,  and  the  most  socialistically 


March  24,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


governed  in  the  world  "  —  the  one  supposed  to  be  the  result 
of  the  other.  As  a  matter  of  fact.  New  Zealand  is  pros- 
perous in  spite  of  the  socialistic  tendencies  of  its  sparse 
population  :  not  because  of  it.  Once  get  New  Zealand 
into  a  decently  populated  country  :  join  up  all  the  scattered 
units  which  to-day  abound  :  and  it  will  be  at  once  apparent 
that  Socialism  and  Utopia  are  merely  names  for  a  novel  ; 
that  there  is  room  for  neither  in  the  ethics  of  real  life.  As 
long  as  human  nature  remains  as  it  has  ever  been.  Socialism 
as  preached  by  the  tub-thumpers  in  our  midst,  will  continue 
to  be  a  mere  political  catch-word  :  a  means  of  self-adver- 
tisement for  a  few  deep-lunged  non-workers. 

fi?%? 

REALLY,  the  "truth  about  Australia."  is  that  it  is  suffer- 
ing from  the  swelled  head  consequent  on  sudden  emancipa- 
tion from  the  laws  which  govern  populous  and  prosperous 
centres.  The  brake  has  been  removed  too  suddenly,  and 
each  unit  of  the  affected  crowd  imagines  he  is  a  little  tin 
god.  Later  on  —  years  hence,  probably^the  Australia  of 
that  day  will  look  back  with  an  indulgent  smile,  at  the 
efforts  of  the  mob  which  laid  itself  out  to  teach  "grandma 
how  to  suck  eggs  !  "  In  the  ancient  and  patriarchal  days. 
when  our  progenitors  seeshayed  around  what  they  knew  of 
the  globe  in  tiny  caravans,  the  tendency  was  all  toward 
socialism-  and  principally  because  the  different  units 
foregathered  on  such  few  occasions,  that  they  had  but  little 
opportunity  of  learning  each  other's  weaknesses.  Time 
passed,  and  the  units  became  merged  into  communities  : 
with  that  merging,  the  socialistic  tendency  vanished. 
because  the  struggle  for  existence  became  more,  and  ever 
more,  acute.  A  survival  of  the  fittest  was  then  the  recog- 
nised law  :  is  now  :  and  evermore  will  be.  To-day,  the 
Australian  has  got  no  nearer  to  the  community  idea  than 
is  expressed  by  one  or  two  over-crowded  cities,  surrounded 
by  millions  of  acres  of  totally  uninhabited  country. 


As  a  result,  the  gentleman  is  troubling  with  a  feeling 
that  he  can  improve  on  the  human  teachings  of  a  couple  of 
thousand  years  because  he  is  no  longer  associated  with 
the  results  of  those  teachings  !  It  is  all  very  simple,  when 
you  care  to  go  into  the  matter  with  a  few  moments  of 
leisure  at  your  disposal.  Talk  about  the  truth  in  connec- 
tion with  Australia  !  It  makes  us  smile  !  We  know  that 
a  very  big  chunk  of  the  population  is  leaving  for  other  parts 
—Canada.  Argentina.  New  Hebrides,  and  South  Africa 
among  them  notwithstanding  all  that  may  be  said  to  the 
contrary,  by  those  who  are  of  a  different  opinion.  Some 
few  years  ago.  Australia  was  a  desirable  spot  for  the 
crowded-out  Briton  :  to-day,  it  is  just  the  reverse,  and  for 
the  simple  reason  that  a  number  of  schemers  have  "got 
their  hand  in."  intent  on  keeping  it  there  until  they  have 
annexed  a  quantity  of  material  wealth,  in  return  for  nothing 
save  guff.  Meanwhile,  they  lay  themselves  out  for  the 
purpose  of  "  stuffing  "  the  herd  with  the  belief  that  because 
Australia  is  another  portion  of  the  globe  from  Britain. 
human  nature  is  bound  to  progress  on  different  lines.  Of 
course,  the  whole  tale  is  of  the  fictional  kind,  and  later  on. 
as  already  suggested,  the  crowd  will  realise  that  they  will 
merely  get  out  of  their  jobs,  a  return  commensurate  with 
the  work  which  they  have  put  therein. 


INDICATIONS  are  not  wanting,  that  the  Miner's  Federation 
—in  all  probability,  the  greatest  tyrant  to  the  Welsh 
colliers  that  has  ever  been  known  is  in  parlous  state. 
Indeed,  the  time  would  appear  to  be  nigh,  when  the  words 
"  open  sesame  "  will  be  spoken  by  the  men  who  find  the 
money,  so  that  a  clear  understanding  of  what  has  hitherto 
been  wrapped  in  mystery,  may  be  arrived  at.  That  the 


Federation  is  a  paradox,  cannot  be  gainsaid.  Established 
for  the  alleged  purpose  of  protecting  the  working  man  from 
tyranny,  it  tyrannises  that  same  workingman,  far  more 
than  any  hazing  institution  that  is  mentioned  in  history  ; 
preaching  toleration  and  amelioration,  it  practices  neither 
toward  any.  save  those  who  are  finding  the  necessary 
shekels  :  and  if  any  of  its  own  supposed  supporters  get 
backward  in  the  payment  of  their  weekly  doles  -along 
comes  that  blessed  word  "  coercion,"  the  labour  "  leaders  " 
panacea  for  a  depleted  treasure  chest.  The  wonder  to  us 
is.  that  so  many  otherwise  sensible  men  would  submit,  for 
such  a  lengthy  period,  to  the  tyranny  to  which  we  have 
referred.  Especially  in  view  of  the  fact  that,  as  a  rule,  the 
Welsh  miner  is  /ac//e  princeps  in  putting  his  foot  down 
against  any  sort  of  coercive  policy.  Presumably,  the 
difficulty  has  been  in  the  item  that  a  labourer  is  slow  to 
believe  anything  detrimental  to,  what  appears  to  be.  his 
own  cloth. 

tf'te 

THAT,  generally  considered,  the  Federation  "bosses  "  are 
anything  but  of  "  the  cloth  "  of  which  the  workman  is, 
figuratively  constructed,  must  be  admitted.  Talkers,  yes  : 
but  workers,  very  seldom  !  Why  should  those  gentlemen 
work,  when  they  have  a  number  of  deluded  men  who  will 
work  for  them,  you  ask  ?  Well,  we  can  only  repeat  the 
query  !  It  is  beyond,  us.  altogether  !  When  considering  the 
Miners'  Federation,  that  old  jape  anent  the  French  Army 
will  occur  to  us.  You  know,  the  jape  which  declares  that 
every  soldier  has  a  possible  marshal's  baton  in  his  knapsack. 
Of  course,  in  the  matter  of  the  Federation,  there  is  nothing 
appertaining  to  the  actual  baton  :  but  then  every  one  of  its 
"  bosses  "  is  a  possible  member  of  Parliament  !  A  seat  in 
the  national  talking  shop  is,  to  our  mind,  of  considerably 
more  importance  to  most  of  the  cult,  than  is  the  amelio- 
ration of  the  poor  "  stuffed  "  dupes  who  find  the  money. 
That  we  are  justified  in  believing  thus,  is  evidenced  by  the 
thousands  of  miners  who  will  not  join  the  "  miners'  boss' 
caucus."  as  well  as  by  the  thousands  who  are  continually 
jibbing  against  this  modern  version  of  "  render  unto  Caesar 
that  which  is  Caesar's  "  the  gentleman  in  this  instance, 
being  represented  by  the  "  caucus."  Tis  true,  we  are 
afraid,  and  sad  it  is.  'tis  true  ! 

5?  %3 

SUNDERLAND  is  in  more  or  less  of  a  ferment,  because  a 
"  rich  discovery  of  coal  "  has  materialised  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  Ryhope  Colliery.  Under  expert  directions,  the  rich 
seam  referred  to  has  been  sought  for  some  time  past,  and  a 
few  days  ago  the  searchers  waltzed  right  into  it  !  When 
we  state  that  the  "  find  "  is  supposed  to  be  a  portion  of  the 
,  Harvey  seam  -that  deep-down  remnant  of  former  arboreal 
days  —  you  will  understand  why  all  the  ferment  is  about  in 
the  circles  which  find  an  absorbing  interest,  and  much 
money,  in  coal  ?  We  are  told  that  on  account  of  this 
discovery.  "  the  value  of  the  colliery  is  much  enhanced  !  " 
We  should  smile  !  As  if  anybody  was  going  to  imagine  that 
a  colliery  would  lose  in  value,  because  an  additional  seam 
had  been  "  struck  "  in  its  inward  depths.  Furthermore, 
this  new  possession  is  "  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant made  during  recent  years  in  the  North-east  Durham 
coal-field."  That's  a  fact,  too  !  There  is  only  one  thing 
about  the  undertaking  which  disappoints  us,  personally. 
There  has  been  nothing  said  about  the  fresh  seam  proving 
"  as  good  as,  if  not  really  better,  than  the  best  Welsh."  .  It 
is  fashionable,  these  days,  to  label  all  new  coal  as  suggested 

hence  our  disappointment,  you  understand  ! 


EH  ?  You  have  to  go  away  from  home  to  learn  the  news. 
haven't  you  ?  We  think  it  is  a  scandalous  shame  that  none 
of  the  local  "dailies  "  have  explained  a  very  serious  matter 


93 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


March  24,  1905 


to  you.  We  do.  really.  Here,  read  this,  and  then  tender  your 
thanks  to  Daily  Express,  for  keeping  you  so  well  posted. 
"  During  the  last  few  days,  large  numbers  of  coolies  from 
London.  Cardiff,  Swansea  and  Glasgow  have  invaded 
Manchester,  in  the  hope  of  obtaining  employment  at  the 
Ship  Canal  docks."  There's  for  'oo.  friends  !  Cardiff  and 
Swansea,  in  particular,  have  got  rid  of  a  number— no. 
"  large  numbers  "of  its  coolie  population,  and  must  be 
pleased  in  consequence.  In  reality,  we  much  doubt  if  one 
coolie  has  gone  from  either  Cardiff  or  Swansea,  to  the 
place,  and  for  the  purpose  mentioned.  But  the  "great 
daily  "  must  fill  its  odd  corners,  you  know.  And  anyhow, 
you  can  breathe  freely,  for  a  bit  longer  We  were 
wondering  why  there  was  such  a  scarcity  of  Indian  talent 
in  James  Street.  We  do  not  remember  having  seen  a 
coolie  thereaway,  for  months  past.  All  gone  to  Man- 
chester! Well,  we  wish  the  place  well  of  its  new 
inhabitants,  and  if  almond  eyes  and  accentuated  cheek- 
bones become  fashionable  in  Cottonopolis,  by  and  bye,  the 
natives  will  know  where  to  seek  for  relief!  Cardiff  and 
Swansea  can  both  stand  it. 

tf  & 

HERE  is  news  for  the  unemployed  !  Canada  is  in  need  of 
a  million  men,  and  therefore  the  emigration,  this  year,  has 
commenced  early.  But  stay,  not  only  does  Canada  need  a 
million  men.  for  it  can  also  put  up  with  a  million  women. 
We  consider  that  this  is  a  magnificent  manner  in  which  to 
deal  with  the  population  question,  don't  you?  Great  Scott, 
with  a  million  of  each  sex  in  one  year  -no,  we  cannot  go  on 
with  the  possibilities  !  Still,  there  is  a  splendid  opening  on 
the  other  side  of  the  Pond,  and  our  Special  Commissioner 
will  soon  explain  all  the  pros  and  cons  for  your  edification. 
Of  course,  the  American  friend  is  availing  himself  of  the 
chances  which  abound,  and  practically,  he  is  treated  in  the 
same  manner  as  a  true-born  Briton.  That  is  to  say,  the 
American,  equally  with  the  Briton,  is  given  a  free  grant  of 
land :  but  the  former  has  to  swear  allegiance  to  the  flag 
which  has  braved,  for  a  considerable  number  of  years,  the 
battle  and  the  breeze  :  having  sworn  in  the  manner  pro- 
vided in  this  instance,  he  must  then  dwell  upon  his  farm 
for  three  years,  after  which  he  is  presented  with  the  title- 
deeds.  Henceforth,  he  may  consider  himself  as  one  of  the 
elect,  even  as  he  poses  after  the  fashion  of  landed 
proprietors,  everywhere  ! 

5?^ 

GOOD  lor' !  Science  is  an  awful  thing,  and  one  of  its 
'cutest  exponents  is  the  Hon.  C.  Parsons,  of  turbine  fame. 
Not  content  with  the  turbine,  however,  this  wonderful 
inventor  has  brought  out  an  auxetophone — gee-whiz,  but 
that's  an  awful  name  ?  Without  going  into  the  detail  of 
the  new  affair,  we  shall  be  satisfied  in  remarking  that  it  is 
of  the  order  of  "talking  machines,"  and  although  it  will 
throw  sound  for  ever-so-many  miles,  it  will  also  reproduce 
the  human  voice  in  a  manner  that  must  be  heard  to  be 
believed.  On  Monday,  last,  this  awful  affair  gave  a  few 
selections  of  sea  chanties,  to  a  number  of  delighted  folk — 
who  probably  never  heard  the  real  McKoy.  But  fancy 
sitting  in  a  luxurious  chair,  and  listening  to  the  auxetophoned 
sounds  of  "  Say.  old  man.  your  horse  will  die  they  say  so  ; 
and  they  hope  so  !  "  Or.  if  that  old  wail  should  pall,  think 
of  the  beauties  hanging  around  the  romance  of  poor  old 
Reuben  Ranzo  -the  chap  who,  although  originally  a  New 
York  tailor,  ended  up  by  being  Captain  Ranzo,  and  the 
husband  of  the  daughter  of  his  first  skipper.  Eh  ?  There's 
a  nautical  future  in  front  of  the  auxything,  you  bet.  Why 
you  might  even  get,  for  use  at  the  end  of  the  passage  home 
from  New  York,  the  soul-stirring  strains  of  "  The  times  are 
hard,  the  wages  low  Leave  her.  Johnny,  leave  her ;  "  or 
you  might  prefer  that  other  one  which  lilted  along  with  a 


yarn  of  "  There  was  an  old  farmer  in  Yorkshire  did  dwell, 
And  he  had  an  old  wife  and  he  wished  her  in  "—but  never 
mind.  We  have  shown  you  enough  of  the  possibilities  for 
this  time  ? 

&  *ff 

TRULY  must  Mr.  Ronald  E.  Haywood,  of  Fulham,  have 
had  a  unique  career,  if  one  is  to  judge  by  his  letter  to  a 
London  contemporary,  with  reference  to  no  less  a  subject 
than  charts  and  life  belts!  In  our  opinion,  and  before 
discussing  this  latest  letter  on  nautical  ethics,  this  Mr. 
Ronald  doesn't  know  an  overpowering  deal  of  ships  and 
ships'  customs,  supposing  he  has  had  "  charge  of  a  line  of 
tramp  steamers  for  some  years."  Our  opinion  is  based  on 
the  following.  "  if  a  captain  wanted  a  new  chart,  whether 
the  owners  supplied  him  with  what  was  wanted  or  not,  he 
usually  did  not  go  without  it,  only  probably  it  appeared  in 
his  disbursement  sheet  as  potatoes,  or  something  of  the 
kind."  The  gentleman  would  appear  to  be  harking  back 
to  the  "  good  old  days  ;  "  schooner  days,  that  is  ?  It  is 
very  certain  that  to-day,  the  majority  of  shipmasters  have 
to  find  their  own  charts,  so  there  is  no  question  of  the 
owner  supplying  same  as  "  potatoes."  Furthermore,  we 
should  like  to  know  what  chance  there  is  of  substituting 
say.  a  twelve  shilling  chart,  when  the  "  sea  stock  "  is  limited 
to  the  low-water  mark  of  the  present  ?  We  have  met 
gentlemen  like  Mr.  Ronald  E.  Haywood  ;  meet  them 
occasionally  now  ;  and  really,  we  are  not  impressed  with 
their  ability  to  supply  the  "dailies"  with  up-to-date 
nautical  knowledge. 


COMING  down  to  life-belts,  our  expert  friend  is  as  instruc- 
tive as  he  is  on  charts  !  Here  you  are,  "  As  to  life-saving 
apparatus  on  board,  if  a  ship  goes  to  sea  with  these  rotten 
with  age,  it  is  the  fault  of  the  Board  of  Trade  officer  at  the 
port  of  sailing."  Perhaps  so  ;  but  whose  fault  is  it  if  the 
life-saving  apparatus  is  merely  rotten  with  youth  ?  We 
wish  to  be  clear  on  these  little  matters—  especially  when  a 
man  who  has  had  charge  of  a  line  of  tramp  steamers  for 
years,  is  out  upon  the  enlightening  tack.  And  the  worthy 
friend  must  have  been  unfortunate  in  most  of  those  years, 
because  he  writes,  "  My  experience  (and  that  is  the  second 
time  the  words  have  been  thrown  at  us  in  the  same  short 
letter  !)  of  Mercantile  Marine  officers  is  that  they  are  so 
very  careless  of  this  important  point  of  a  ship's  outfit,  that 
they  would  go  to  sea  .  .  .  with  the  bottoms  out  of  the  life- 
boats, if  there  was  not  somebody  to  see  that  they  did  not." 
Yea,  lor'  !  It's  awful,  you  fellows.  It's  a  good  job  for 
some  of  you,  anyhow,  that  there  was  a  Sir  Ronald  —  -no,  a 
Mr.  Ronald  around,  to  save  you  all  against  your  "very 
careless  "  wills  !  The  remainder  of  you,  after  this,  will,  if 
you  find  the  bottom  out  of  any  of  the  lifeboats,  get  a  hustle 
on,  and  order  the  local  boatbuilder  to  attend  to  the  damage. 
By  this  means,  you  will  cleanse  your  souls  from  every  stain 
—  although  you'll  get  the  sack,  safe  as  eggs  ! 


PLEASE  read  this  to  yourselves.  It  is  important.  The 
Kaiser — of  course,  there  is  but  one,  and  you  know  him  by 
this  time,  supposing  there  is  any  virtue  in  advertisement  ? 
— is  breaking  out  in  a  new  place.  Tired  of  all  those  lovely 
uniforms  which  have  earned  for  him  the  title  of  "  champion 
quick-change  artiste,"  the  gentleman  is,  at  the  moment, 
"  Morocco  bound."  Full  Morocco  bound,  at  that ;  none  of 
your  three-quarters  touches.  But  there,  you  would  not 
expect  that  versatile  ruler  to  do  anything  after  a  three- 
quarters  fashion,  would  you  ?  At  the  end  of  this  month, 
providing  nothing  of  an  untoward  nature  happens  meanwhile, 
Wilhelm  II.  intends  to  visit  Morocco,  for  the  purpose  of— 
but  never  mind  ;  his  reasons  are  not  to  be  spread  out  for 


March  24,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


94 


the  gaze  of  the  common  or  garden  citizens  of  this  benighted 
country.  What  we  should  like  to  know,  is,  will  the  gentle- 
man take  "  My  Fleet."  along :  will  he  appear  as  the 
Guardian  Angel  of  the  More  Rockers  ;  or  will  he  travel 
simply,  as  the  Kaiser?  It  has  been  rumoured  that,  in 
reality,  the  passage  will  be  made  on  the  Hamburg :  that  it 
is  going  to  have  a  gymnasium  on  deck  ;  that  among  the 
appliances  will  be  included  an  electrical  horse  ;  and — oh, 
yes  a  donkey.  Things  will  be  lively  on  the  Hamburg — 
especially  if  she  steers  according  to  Wilhelm's  Rule  of  the 
Road  ? 

fi?%3 

KEEP  your  starboard  optic  on  the  Dardanelles.  It  is  a 
fine  place  to  watch  :  is  full  of  historic  associations ;  and 
might  in  the  near  future  -add  to  (.he  history  referred  to. 
in  a  most  amazing  manner.  Anyhow,  the  Mediterranean 
Fleet  or  a  portion  thereof  has  been  detailed  to  cruise  to 
that  end  of  the  Mediterranean.  Tis  merely  a  summer 
cruise,  you  understand  ;  and  the  precise  number  cf  vessels 
which  are  thitherward  bound,  is  five  battleships,  three 
armoured  and  four  protected  cruisers,  and  the  usual  small 
fry.  The  Black  Sea  Fleet  upon  which  Russia  sets  so  much 
store,  consists  of  seven  battleships,  and  other  fakements, 
and  the  whole  caboose  has  been  "  mobilised  "-the  natives 
style  it.  That  is  to  say.  all  the  officers  have  waxed  out 
their  ferocious  moustaches :  have  shipped  a  deep-water 
scowl:  have  worked  up  a  semi-nautical  roll  in  their  gait: 
and  have  cultivated  the  habit  of  speaking  with  a  hand  on 
the  hilt  of  each  sword.  When  the  Russian  fleet  officers 
wake  up  to  this  extent,  history  is  about  to  be  written.  If. 
in  addition  to  the  foregoing,  they  should  decide  to  go  out 
and  help  Rozh-etc.  in  his  search  for  bait  then,  the  history 
would  be  written  !  Anyhow,  keep  your  starboard  optic  as 
directed.  It  won't  harm  you  any-  in  the  end  ! 

tf  ft 

DEAR  us !  The  coal-trimming  embroglio  is  due  to  move 
another  step  on  Friday  afternoon.  Once  more  are  the 
independent  meetingers  about  to  make  one  more  endeavour 
to  cut  the  Gordian  knot  into  which  they  have  become 
entangled.  So  far.  the  trimming  gentlemen  have  kept  clear 
of  the  discussion.  Why.  we  cannot  pretend  to  say.  To 
our  mind,  it  is  useless  for  the  shipowners  and  coalowners 
to  weigh  the  thing  out  to  a  satisfactory  issue,  if  trimmer  is 
left  out.  Supposing  that  the  first-named  agree,  and  the 
last-mentioned  says  he'll  see  'em  jiggered  first--as  alas,  he 
has  done  far  too  often,  in  the  past  what  is  going  to 
happen  ?  Free  labour  ?  That  is  the  only  way  out  of  it. 
Personally,  we  do  not  set  much  store  on  this  attempted 
settlement.  If  the  coal  folk  had  done  the  "  square  "  thing. 
then,  when  the  trimmers  refused  to  recognise  the  agree- 
ments which  had  been  entered  into  on  their  behalf,  and 
with  their  approval,  the  whole  situation  should  have  been 
handed  over  to  the  shipowners,  who  would  quickly  have 
found  a  way  out  of  the  deadlock.  With  this  before  us.  one 
has  to  ask  :  Are  the  coalowners  really  serious  in  their 
attempts  at  a  settlement  on  an  amended  basis  ? 

$  Is 

ON  the  21st  inst..  Messrs.  William  Doxford  &  Sons,  Ltd., 
of  Pallion.  successfully  launched  another  large  turret 
steamer,  the  Torrington,  built  to  the  order  of  Messrs.  W. 
J.  Tatem  It  Co..  Cardiff.  The  vessel  is  a  duplicate  of  the 
Wellington,  which  left  the  berths  for  the  same  firm,  a  month 
ago.  and  is  a  handsomely  proportioned  boat  embodying  the 
latest  developments  in  "  turret"  construction.  The  length 
of  the  Torrington  is  590  feet,  the  breadth  55  feet,  and  the 
moulded  depth  30  feet.  Ten  large  winches  are  provided 
for  rapidly  dealing  with  the  9.000  tons  of  cargo  to  be 
carried,  and  an  exceptional  arrangement  of  six  pairs  of  side 


masts,  will  further  greatly  facilitate  the  loading  and  dis- 
charging. with  resultant  economy  all  'round.  The  engines 
and  boilers  are  supplied  by  Messrs.  Doxford.  and  the  vessel 
is  classed  with  the  British  Corporation  Registry.  The 
christening  of  the  vessel  was  entrusted  to  Miss  Freda 
Hedley  and  Master  T.  Shandon  Tatem  (the  youngest 
member  of  the  firm?)  who  pleasingly  performed  the 

ceremony. 

+  +  + 

MESSRS.  PRIESTMAN  &  Co.,  Sunderland,  have  received  an 
order  from  Messrs.  Woods.  Tylor  &  Brown,  of  London,  for 
a  steamer  to  carry  about  6,300  tons  deadweight. 

•f   -f  + 

CLYDE  builders  have  not  booked  an  order  of  any  im- 
portance during  the  month,  and  builders  report  that  very 
few  inquiries  for  new  tonnage  are  being  made. 


MESSRS.  JOHN  BLUMER  &  Co..  Sunderland.  have  received 
an  order  to  build  a  steamer  of  about  4.700  tons  deadweight 

for  foreign  clients. 

•f  -f  -f 

» 

MESSRS.   R.  JOBSON   &  Co.,    West    Hartlepool.   are  the 
purchasers  of  the  steamer  Lemnos.  recently  reported  sold. 


THE  steel  screw  steamer  Mimosa,  recently  reported  sold, 
was  bought  by  Mr.  N.  T.  Pyk.  of  Helsingborg,  Sweden. 


Messrs.  Watts.  Watts  &  Co.,  London,  are  the  purchasers 
of  the  steamer  Janeta.  reported  sold  in  our  last  issue. 


PATENTS. 


28,126  04     LA  COMPAONIA  DES  CHAKBONS  ET  BRIQUETTES  DE 
BLANZY  FT  DE  L'OUEST     Improvement  in  smokeless  fuel. 

Briquettes  having  a  coal  basis  are  rendered  smokeless  by 
distilling  in  an  oven  or  retort. 

29,019  04     FLOTTMANN— Improved  valve  apparatus  for  per- 
cussive rock  drills  and  the  like. 

This  valve  apparatus  consists  of  a  ball  which  interposed 
between  two  horizontally  situated  opposite  ports  for  ad- 
mitting the  pressure  fluid  to  each  side  respectively  of  the 
'rock  drill  piston.  The  ball  passes  alternatively  from  one  to 
the  other. 

29,424, 04     WHITMORE     Improvements  in  safety  devices  for 
preventing  over-speed  and  over-  winding  in  hoisting  apparatus. 

The  objects  of  this  invention  are  to  prevent  the  winding 
engine  running  above  a  pre-determined  speed  when  the  load 
approaches  the  pit  bank,  and  to  prevent  over  winding. 
According  thereto  two  vertical  screw  threaded  spindles, 
driven  by  gearing  from  each  of  the  two  winding  drums  are 
each  fitted  with  two  nuts  which  being  prevented  from  rota- 
ting travel  along  same.  The  positions  of  these  nuts  are  in 
definite  relationship  with  the  position  of  the  cages.  The 
lower  of  the  two  nuts  on  each  spindle  is  adapted  to  engage 
a  lever  having  a  rachet  toothed  segmental  rack  which  is 
projected  into  its  path  by  a  centrifugal  governor  when  the 
speed  becomes  excessive,  and  thereby  gradually  cuts  off 
the  steam.  The  upper  nut  on  reaching  the  end  of  its 
spindle  becomes  free  to  rotate,  by  disengaging  from  a  guide 
plate  and  by  turning  operates  a  lever  which  "immediately 
cuts  off  the  steam  and  applies  a  brake. 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


March  24,   1905 


i. 

FRIDAY.  MARCH  24.   1905. 
CONCERNING  WINTER  DECK-LOADS. 


GAIN,  has  Lord  Muskerry — who  is  probably  the 
sailors'  most  constant  and  indefatigable  friend 
called  the  attention  of  the  House  of  Lords, 
to  the  evils  surrounding  the  carrying  of  deck- 
loads  across  the  Atlantic,  in  winter  time.  As 
a  peg  upon  which  to  hang  the  discussion,  the 
cases  of  the  steamers  Nutfield  and  Freshfield 
were  used,  for  his  Lordship  introduced  the  subject  by 
asking  if  the  steamers  mentioned  were  given  up  as  lost ; 
whether  they  carried  deck-loads  of  timber  ;  and  if  so,  to 
w  hat  extent  did  those  deck-loads  go.  Furthermore,  informa- 
tion was  sought  as  to  whether  it  was  a  fact  that  the  Freshfield 
was  compelled  to  put  back  to  an  American  port,  for  the 
purpose  of  discharging  a  portion  of  the  deck  cargo  which 
had  proved  a  source  of  danger ;  and  whether  the  Board 
of  Trade  intended  to  order  a  formal  investigation  into  the 
condition  of  both  steamers,  at  the  time  they  left  port  ?  No 
one  acquainted  with  the  facts,  or  with  the  trade,  will 
suppose  for  one  moment  that  either  of  the  steamers  alluded 
to  were  one  whit  worse— in  the  matter  of  deck-loads — than 
any  of  the  multitude  of  steamships  which  are  engaged  in  a 
similar  undertaking.  Deck-loads  are  governed  by  human 
nature,  in  exactly  the  same  ratio  which  applies  to  every 
other  phase  of  industrial  life.  If  the  shipping  community 
is  given  a  free  hand  :  is  untrammelled  by  restrictions  of  a 
legal  character :  then,  it  may  be  taken  for  granted  that 
the  state  of  the  timber-carrying  industry  will  graduate, 
from  bad  to  worse.  A  shipowner  of  the  "  good  "  sort  will 
send  his  steamer  for  timber  :  he  knows  that  a  deck-load  is 
a  danger,  both  to  his  vessel  and  to  the  lives  of  her  crew  ; 
so  he  exercises  his  veto,  when  the  ship  sails  without  a 
deck-load.  At  the  same  time,  other  shipowners  who  are 
not  so  "  good."  pooh-pooh  the  idea  of  danger — seeing  that 
they  rest  at  home,  in  security  ;  and  their  steamers  come 
away  with  as  much  deck-load  as  cupidity  will  rise  to  The 
fates  are  kind,  and  the  deck-load  crowd  get  home.  Their 
theoretically  "hard-cased"  owners  meander  around  on 
'Change,  and  pass  would-be  witty  remarks  at  the  expense 
of  the  "good"  man  who  would  not  agree  to  any  undue 
risk.  The  "  hard  cased  "  individual  spreads  out  lovely 
tales  anent  the  profit  which  he  has  made  on  the  deck-load 
which  his  steamer  carried  :  in  an  "aside"  which  can  be 
heard  for  quite  a  distance,  he  suggests  that  "  poor  old  So- 
and-so,  is  a  bit  slow,  you  know  ;  "  and  hazards  a  wonder 
as  to  why  shareholders  respond  so  readily  to  his  demands 
for  more  capital.  Time  passes,  and  the  "hard-cased  "  man 
succeeds  in  bringing  home  several  cargoes  without  undue 
trouble,  and  the  "good "man  is  inclined  to  wonder  whether 
deck-loads  are  so  terribly  wicked,  after  all.  He  hesitates 
a  bit :  plays  with  the  temptation  ;  after  the  manner  of  all 
men  (or  women)  who  hesitate,  is  lost  to  all  sense  of  fair- 
dealing  manhood  ;  and,  henceforth,  his  steamers  bring 
along  deck-loads.  That  is  to  say,  they  bring  them  along  if 
they  are  enabled  to:  if  not,  they  are  "  washed  away," 
and  the  underwriter  pays  up  for  yet  another  swindle  that 
has  been  engineered  through  the  help  of  a  severed  lashing, 
The  trouble  of  the  whole  matter  here,  is  on  a  par  with  that 
which  is  gradually  ruining  the  Mercantile  Marine :  The  good 
people  who  have  been  placed  in  charge  of  the  business,  know 
absolutely  nothing  at  first  hand  -thereof ;  and  as  a  natural 
consequence,  are  at  the  mercy  of  any  of  the  gentlemen  whom 
tarradiddles  will  help.  What  is  needed  in  this  instance,  is 


exactly  what  is  needed  right  through  the  legislating  for 
Britain's  greatest  national  industry.  The  advent  of 
practical  men  :  who  shall  be  paid  a  sufficient  wage  to 
ensure  their  absolute  honesty  and  impartiality  ;  men  with 
no  axe  to  grind  ;  and  with  no  "  interests  "  which  must  be 
bolstered  at  the  expense  of  other  "interests."  Given  the 
class  of  men  referred  to.  and  we  should  soon  be  treated  to 
a  spectacle  of  clean-sweeping,  that  could  be  depended  on 
to  wean  back  to  the  sea,  the  many  thousands  of  good  men 
which  existing  circumstances  have  driven  on  shore.  What 
is  urgently  needed,  is  a  Parliamentarian  who  can  stand  up 
and  describe  from  personal  knowledge,  the  miseries, 
dangers  and  losses  which  annually  transpire  through  deck- 
loads.  Given  that  man,  and  a  description  of  the  steamer 
which  staggers  along  through  a  gale,  as  near  on  her  beam- 
ends  as  makes  but  precious  little  odds  ;  of  the  utter 
impossibility  of  walking  on  her  decks  :  or  sleeping  in  one  of 
her  bunks  ;  of  daring  to  move  from  place  to  place,  until  a 
good  hand-grasp  on  something  firm  had  been  secured  ;  of 
how  the  engines  groan  and  grind,  because  of  every  bearing 
being  twisted  and  warped  by  the  continued  strain  which  has 
eventuated,  and  for  which  the  engines  were  never 
constructed.  Let  him  then  go  on  to  explain  about  the 
green  seas  which  continually  break  over  the  lopsided  vessel ; 
to  show  you  how  there  is  no  cooking  done  on  board,  because 
it  is  impossible  to  keep  water  in  a  galley  crock,  on  account 
of  the  angle  of  heel  made  by  the  vessel  as  she  labours 
along,  groaning,  creaking,  straining  and  buckling.  Next, 
let  the  description  turn  on  to  the  crew,  jammed  off  in  any 
clear  corner ;  with  a  few  biscuits,  a  drink  of  water  and  an 
aroma  of  silent  profanity  surrounding  the  whole  fit-out ; 
and  then  wonder,  if  you  dare,  as  to  why  the  Mercantile 
Marine  is  gradually  becoming  depleted  of  dependable 
seamen  ;  why  none  but  dead-beats  will  undertake,  for  a 
time  the  duties  of  "able  seamen."  It  is  because  the  dire 
circumstances  are  understood  to  the  full,  that  Lord 
Muskerry  is  ever  to  the  'fore  in  endeavouring  to  get  some 
little  amelioration  for  the  unfortunate  beggars  who  have  to 
exist  among  them.  Jack  is  usually  described  as  a  bundle 
of  soul-harrowing  swear-words,  and  we  are  willing  to  admit 
that,  at  times,  his  language  is  both  forceful  and  highly- 
coloured.  But  this  is  merely  when  the  small  pin-pricks  of 
life — nautical  life,  you  understand — are  annoying  him. 
When  the  sailor  is  placed  on  a  steamer  whose  invariable 
methods  of  progression  is  on  her  bilge,  instead  of  on  her 
keel-plate ;  when  the  man  is  cold,  wet,  hungry,  and 
altogether  miserable ;  well,  on  those  occasions,  he  doesn't 
indulge  in  profanity  other  than  of  the  inward  kind.  The 
situation  is  hopelessly  beyond  swear-words,  and  Jack 
realises  the  fact.  So,  instead  of  "  letting  out  "  in  the 
manner  which  is  popularly  assigned  to  him,  he  is  too 
unspeakably  miserable  for  any  such  safety-valve  :  but  he 
takes  care  that  you  never  catch  him  in  the  same  straits 
again— if  he  can  help  it.  The  natural  result  is :  You 
have  to  get  more  aliens  to  undertake  the  work  which, 
in  a  properly  regulated  nautical  industry  would  belong  to 
the  Briton.  Yet  you  go  on  wondering,  why  the  native  lad 
is  gradually  leaving  the  British  Mercantile  Marine!  The 
wonder  would  be,  if  he  were  misguided  enough  to  stay 
there,  having  once  experienced  the  additional  miseries  that 
are  placed  with  the  ordinary  disadvantages  of  a  life  on  the 
briny,  when  a  deck- load  of  timber  has  to  be  brought  across 
the  Atlantic,  in  winter-time.  However,  in  replying  for  the 
Board  of  Trade,  the  Marquis  of  Salisbury  was  of  opinion 
that  the  Government  had  no  reason  to  complain  of  the 
interest  taken  in  the  question  propounded  by  Lord  Mus- 
kerry. The  President  of  the  Board  of  Trade  piously 
remarked  that  "  undoubtedly  any  circumstances  affecting 
the  lives  of  those  engaged  in  our  Mercantile  Marine  are  of 
the  highest  interest  to  Parliament,,. ..  but ...  the  evil... 
though  a  real  one,  has  been  to  some  extent  exaggerated." 
Highest  interest  to  Parliament,  forsooth  !  It  is,  but  not  in 
the  manner  which  the  average  Parliamentarian  understands 
that  interest.  The  A.P.  imagines  that  all  redress  meted 


March  2.4,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


96 


out  to  Jack,  is  merely  in  the  nature  of  the  humanitarian  : 
Jack  is  a  poor  devil  :  has  been  hardly-used,  in  the  past : 
and.  well,  we'll  see  that  he  gets  marmalade  for  breakfast, 
from  now.  on !  The  real  interest  which  the  Parliamentarian 
has  in  the  British  sailor  is  this:  If  means  are  not  soon 
found  to  stem  the  constant  tide  of  desertion  from  the 
merchant  ships  of  Britain,  there  will  be  no  Parliament : 
merely  a  Reichstag,  or  other  polony-faking  combination. 
And  as  to  the  evils  of  a  deck-load  being  "to  some  extent 
exaggerated."  let  us  assure  the  Marquis  of  Salisbury,  on 
the  honour  of  those  who  have  "  been  there:"  and  who  do 
not  mean  to  go  there  any  more,  that  it  is  impossible  to 
exaggerate  the  miseries  resultant  from  the  carrying  of  a 
deck-load.  When  the  weather  is  fine,  and  the  deck-loaded 
ship  is  ambling  along  with  nothing  worse  than  10  degrees 
of  heel,  all  hands  are  in  a  ferment  as  to  whether  the  glass 
is  "  steady  :  "  or  if  it  is  inclined  to  "  fall."  When  the  bad 
weather  has  eventuated,  all  hands  are  just  as  anxious  as 
to  whether  the  old  crock  is  going  to  win  through  this  affair 
—Tight  side  up.  There  is  never  a  grain  of  comfort  on  a 
deck-loaded  steamer,  from  the  moment  she  leaves  her 
loading  port  until  she  arrives  home  or  until  the  lashings 
which  secure  the  deck-load  are  cut.  whichever  eventuates, 
first.  From  the  master,  right  down  to  the  mess-room  boy 
(in  varying  degrees  of  accentuation,  of  course),  all  hands 
are  "  nervy."  and  more  or  less  disconsolate.  How.  under 
the  conditions  which  we  have  sketched  out.  can  it  be 
otherwise.  The  top-heavy  crock  rolls  over,  until  you  feel 
nearly  certain  that  nothing  but  a  dispensation  of  providence 
will  square  her  up,  once  more :  having  got  down  to  her 
so-called  bearings,  she  stops  there :  you  might  get  used  to 
the  new  position  :  you  might  develop  panic.  If  the  latter 
state  materialises,  you  may  be  sure  that  a  sharp  axe 
(and  a  more  or  less  clear  conscience)  is  about:  a  few  blows 
on  a  rope-lashing  ensues :  and  with  a  mighty  jerk  the 
vessel  "  comes  up  right,  again."  The  log-book  assures 
you  that  the  whole  contraption  was  consequent  on  the  Act 
of  God.  and  there  you  are  !  Yet  the  lives  of  people  who  have 
to  stoop  to  this  kind  of  conduct,  are  of  "the  highest  interest 
to  Parliament!"  You  see  thanks  to  the  sharp  axe  the 
life  loss  on  this  account,  is  not  so  great  as  it  might  be. 
remembering  all  the  circumstances,  and  thus  it  comes 
about,  that  "when  dealing  with  so  small  an  evil,  the  question 
of  competiton  has.  to  some  extent,  to  be  considered." 
British  shipping  might  be  and  is  a  law  unto  itself,  but 
when  it  is  desired  to  make  the  service  liveable  fora  modern 
citizen,  the  question  of  competition  has  to  be  considered  ! 
In  other  words,  two  wrongs  make  a  right,  and  if  the 
Mercantile  Marine  goes  on  degenerating,  bless  it !  Com- 
petition killed  it!  Here  is  an  admission,  too:  and  from 
the  President  of  the  Board  of  Trade  :  "  I  believe  that,  on 
the  whole,  shipowners  are  an  admirable  class  of  men.  who 
carry  out  their  work  with  a  due  regard  to  the  sancUtyTB 
human  life.  But  there  are.  of  course,  in  every  trade,  some 
members  who  do  not  come  up  to  the  high  standard  of  the  vast 
majority.  There  are.  no  doubt,  in  the  shipping  trade,  one 
or  two  such  owners."  There  are  '  But  seeing  that  the 
majority  are  good  men  -and  practical  experience  has 
taught  us  the  truth  of  this  assertion  why  not  legislate  so 
that  the  "  one  or  two  "  rotters  may  cease  from  posing  as 
temptations  to  the  majority  9  Obviously,  the  suggested 
legislation  will  merely  bring  the  soul-less  ones  into  line  - 
when  the  vaat  majority  have,  already,  a  high  standard  ? 
Is  the  industry  to  be  carried  on  merely  in  the  interests  of 
the  "  one  or  two  "  who  batten  thereon,  and  drive  most  of 
the  decent  Britons  ashore  :  or  are  we  to  hope  that 
legislation  which  will  not  detrimentally  affect  the  vast 
majority  is  to  be  withheld,  so  that  the  rotters  may  go  on 
"  making  a  pile  ?  "  To  our  mind,  it  is  no  answer  to  say 
that  the  merchant  marine  of  the  foreigner  is  constituted  on 
a  much  "  smaller  scale  than  ours,  and  they  probably  feel 
the  effects  of  competition  at  least  as  much  as  we  do.  and 
are  thus  reluctant  to  place  restrictions  on  their  merchant 
service."  Lord  Muskerry  is  not  unduly  worrying  about  the 
foreigner's  merchant  marine  :  it  is  the  British  sample 


which  occupies  his  constant  attention  :  and  anyhow,  wher 
a  country  has  a  Mercantile  Marine  the  size  of  Britain's, 
and  other  countries  have  merely  apologies  therefor,  it  is 
merely  begging  the  question  to  discuss  the  possibilities  as 
concerning  the  foreigner.  In  all  probability,  the  Marquis 
of  Salisbury  realises  this,  quite  as  well  as  ourselves.  But 
true  to  honourable  tradition,  he  must  speak — and  act — in 
accordance  with  its  tenets:  that  is.  to  put  down,  as  politely 
as  possible,  al!  attempts  at  making  the  British  Mercantile 
Marine  a  home  for  Britons.  All  the  same.  Lord  Muskerry 
is  to  be  congratulated  for  the  manly  manner  in  which  he 
shows  the  Gilded  Chamber,  wherein  lays  its  chief  danger. 


AMERICAN  JINGOISM! 

CHERE  would  appear  to  be  a  highly  concentrated 
sample  of  "  nerves  "  about,  among  a  certain  portion 
of  the  United  States  Senate.  Quite  a  number  of 
Uncle  Sam's  lawmakers  seem  to  be  imbued  with  the  idea 
that,  when  he  has  finally  sent  the  Bear  home  to  be  curry- 
combed,  the  amiable  Jap  will  give  vent  to  a  long-concealed 
desire  to  possess  himself  of  the  Philippine  Islands.  The 
mere  fact  that  the  Japanese  Minister  at  Washington  scouts 
the  idea  :  declares  that  Japan  never  had  a  notion  to  take 
advantage  of  any  of  her  neighbours  in  the  matter  of 
territorial  aggrandisement :  that  she  wishes  to  live  at  peace 
with  everybody :  and  to  strengthen  the  ties  of  interdepen- 
dence :  all  go  for  nothing.  The  pugilistically-inclined 
portion  of  the  upholders  of  a  Monroe  doctrine  can  see 
danger  in  the  merry  manner  in  which  Japan  is  "dressing 
down  "  Russia  :  and  feel  nearly  sure  that  once  the  Russian 
is  "off."  the  Philippines  will  be  "on."  This,  presumably, 
is  as  it  should  be  ?  When  a  number  of  well-meaning  folk 
lay  themselves  out  to  "  snook "  as  much  of  their  own 
continent  as  possible,  and  at  the  same  time  look  around  for 
portions  of  other  continents-  well,  they  realise  that  the 
words  "  Monroe  Doctrine  "  are  just  that,  and  no  more.  A 
Mr.  Hull  first  gave  vent  to  the  Belief  which  appears  to  have 
been  percolating  through  the  brains  of  himself,  and  a  few 
friends :  the  belief  concerning  Japan's  wicked  intentions, 
by  and  bye  :  and  as  Mr.  Hull  happens  to  be  the  chairman 
of  the  House  Military  Committee,  at  Washington,  his 
"notions"  were  given  a  sort  of  importance  which,  at  the 
moment,  they  do  not  appear  to  have  deserved.  That  Mr. 
Hull  is  not  alone  in  his  fancies,  is  exemplified  by  one  Mr. 
Carmack.  from  "  ole  Tennessee."  who  is  also  of  opinion 
that  the  United  States  will  ultimately  have  to  fight  Japan 
for  the  Philippines  and  other  stakes?  A  Mr.  Spooner, 
too.  got  the  Jingo  taint  badly,  when  he  declared  that  "  no 
nation  under  the  sun.  east  or  west,  can  take  from  the 
United  States  anything  that  the  United  States  possesses." 
That's  what's  the  matter  !  "  We  don't  want  to  fight,  but 
by  Jingo  if  we  do."  we're  short  of  ships  and  sailors,  and 
we're  short  of  soldiers,  too !  Personally,  we  should  not 
like  to  bet  on  the  assertion  as  to  whether  the  Japs  couldn't 
take  up  the  Philippines,  an'  they  wished  to.  It  cannot  be 
gainsaid  that  the  Islands  are  a  long  way  from  America,  or 
that  they  are  close  to  Japan.  It  is  equally  certain  that  the 
Americans  have  nothing  to  brag  about  in  the  way  of 
transport :  while  the  Japs,  with  less  need  therefore,  have 
plenty.  And  viewing  the  matter  all  'round,  it  is  terribly 
debatable  as  to  whether  "no  nation  under  the  sun  "  could 
do  the  very  thing  that  Mr.  Spooner  is  so  sure  about.  Come 
to  think  of  it.  the  Filipinos  took  a  lot  of  beating,  the  other 
day  ?  Considerably  more  beating  than  was  anticipated  ? 
Then,  if  backed  up  by  a  going  concern  like  Japan,  it  is 
extremely  doubtful  as  to  whether  Mr.  Spooner  would  be 
worth  a  cent,  in  the  matter  of  prophesying  ?  Seems  to  us 
that  it  would  be  far  better  to  refrain  from  this  tall  talk,  for 
it  is  ill  "  sassing"  a  person  who  has  proved  himself  a  better 
man  than  yourself  even  if  his  face  is  yellow,  and  his  eyes 
are  not  quite  shaped  on  Western  ideas  of  symmetry 
and  beauty  ?  Bluff  is  a  fine  game— when  only  one  of  the 
players  understand  the  potentialities  of  card  "stacking!" 
Verb,  sat  sap. ! 


97 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


March  24,  1905 


• 


!  AND 


OTH  m     CO  A  L.  I 

-  Li-i-l~L»r-»inr  i_o_ri^ir->ui_r  i_a--j-L_<—  i-0.ru 


CARDIFF.  March  22.  1905. 

DURING  the  past  week,  the  Coal  Market  has  displayed  no 
very  startling  change,  although  the  weakness  which  has 
been  so  much  in  evidence  for  quite  a  while,  now.  is  not 
nearly  so  pronounced.  All  the  same,  there  continues  a 
dulness  over  the  usually  cheering  landscape  of  Coalopolis  : 
a  dulness  which  appears  to  have  become  part  and  parcel  of 
the  scene,  in  so  far  as  coal-selling  is  concerned.  In  the 
latter  days  of  last  week,  tonnage  arrivals  were  extremely 
few.  and  as  a  natural  result,  there  is  a  marked  decrease  in 
the  total  of  shipments  for  the  period  embraced  between 
our  last,  and  this  present  time  of  writing.  As  might  only 
be  expected,  prices  are  anything  but  lively,  even  if.  as 
already  stated,  the  weakness  is  not  quite  so  pronounced. 

THANKS  to  the  scarcity  of  buyers,  it  is  declared  that  those 
with  actual  business  in  hand,  have  been  able  to  secure  as 
much  as  necessary  for  present  requirements,  at  lower 
figures  than  were  ruling  when  last  we  had  the  felicity  of 
addressing  you.  As  is  usual  in  these  statements,  at  times 
like  the  present,  there  was  a  proviso  thrown  in.  The  local 
"  prophet "  is  a  whole  team  for  provisos,  if  you  come  to 
think  of  it :  he  is  much  the  same,  supposing  you  are  too 
tired,  or  disheartened  to  give  the  matter  any  attention. 
That  same  old  condition  of  purchase,  needless  to  say,  is 
the  everlasting  one  of — prompt  shipment. 

PERSONALLY,  we  incline  to  the  belief  that  all  this  old 
chowder  about  prompt  shipment,  is  merely  that,  and  no 
more.  Principally,  too.  for  the  reason  that  when  the 
condition  is  most  insisted  upon,  it  is  a  moral  impossibility  to 
fulfil  it.  That  is.  the  so-called  "  necessary  inducement "  is 
never  possible,  when  it  is  most  talked  of  !  However,  we 
are  open  to  admit  that  it  is  a  long  time  since  the  colliery 
person  had  his  tonnage  arrangements  in  anything  approach- 
ing the  chaotic  state  which  has  been  the  vogue  of  late ; 
and  with  this  in  view,  it  is  admissable  to  suppose  that  prices 
have  been  influenced  by  the  prevailing  thusness  ? 

COLLIERIES  have  to  be  kept  going— somehow.  But  if 
there  are  no  steamers  at  hand,  coal  wagons  have  a  nasty 
little  habit  of  congregating  in  whole  legions  :  and  everyone 
thereof,  "full  up."  Naturally  then,  as  you  will  probably 
imagine,  prices  have  to  be  at  the  "concession"  point? 
They  have  !  But  if  the  buyer  has  no  ships,  and  the  coal- 
owner  has  no  spare  wagons;  what  is  either  of  them  to  do  ? 
Simply  fuss  around,  and  say  things  to  each  other— even  as 
they  pray  devoutly  for  the  merry  chartering  clerk,  and  his 
power  of  "nosing"  out  new  stuff.  If  you  care  to  think 
about  the  matter,  concessions  in  the  coal  trade  are  ever  to 
the  'fore,  when  nobody  is  in  a  position  to  take  advantage 
thereof.  Ay.  ay  !  And  thus  the  merry  game  continues. 

BUT  according  to  the  books  that  were  favoured  in  our 
youth  ;  in  that  period  before  the  "  yellow  back  "  was  calcu- 
lated to  woo  us  from  the  apparent  paths  of  probity  and 
virtue— particularly  the  latter :  we  were  wont  to  tell  each 
other  that  it  is  always  the  darkest  hour,  just  immediately 
before  the  dawn.  We  used  to  "  stuff"  each  other  in  that 
simple  fashion,  then  ;  and  now,  although  we  have  grown 
considerably  older — and  otherwise,  as  may  be  ;  we  still 
endeavour  to  work  up  the  same  old  tag  !  So  it  was,  at  the 
end  of  last  week.  It  was  then  about  the  darkest  hour-  - 
before  the  steamers  arrived  !  Later  on  in  the  early  days 
of  the  present  week,  that  is  tonnage  arrivals  have  romped 
along  in  the  "  full  and  plenty  "  line,  and  even  at  the  time  of 
writing,  that  miserable  old  weakness  is  not  quite  so  much 
in  evidence. 

WRITING  of  tonnage  arrivals,  we  believe  that,  in  round 
figures,  a  matter  of  some  120  bottoms  have  rolled  in  for 
cargo.  When  you  get  that  number  in  as  one  batch,  the 
docks  are  a  little  bit  busy  :  the  coalowner  man  is  more  so  : 
and  the  shipowner  person  is  more  than  that.  Furthermore! 
in  view  of  all  that  lovely  whack  of  boats,  the  colliery  genius 


is  inclined  to  cant  his  hat  back  a  piece  :  acts  as  if  he  had 
already  emptied  those  wagons  which  have  been  harrowing 
his  soul  for  such  a  length  of  time;  forgets  that  the  120 
vessels  must  depart  before  his  congestion  is  relieved  worth 
a  cent ;  is,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  a  little  bit  previous  in  his 
hat  tilting !  However,  as  sufficient  for  the  night  is  the 
amount  of  rain  which  falls  on  the  gentleman  who  has 
forgotten  his  "  brolly,"  so  is  the  sudden  bound  in  the  gait  of 
the  coalowner. 

CONSIDERING  those  tonnage  arrivals  a  bit  farther,  we 
presume  that  it  is  unnecessary  for  us  to  suggest  that  every 
one  of  them  waltzed  in  under  a  tip,  or  coaling  crane,  "  to 
wanst,  'fnot  sooner?"  You  would  have  decided  thusly,  on 
your  own  ?  You  would  also  realise  that  shipowner  is  now 
in  the  blissful  position  of  getting  despatch  without  as  much 
as  asking  therefor  ;  and  that  coalowner  is  falling  over  his 
own  goloshes,  in  a  mad  desire  to  empty  out  some  of  those 
wagons.  Eh,  this  is  the  day — and  night — for  the  owner- 
man?  The  moneys  which  have  been  described  as 
"despatch,"  are  never  mentioned,  at  times  like  the  present. 
In  fact,  the  state  of  business  at  the  Docks  is  simply  beatific  ! 
Goalowner  is  all  smiles  ;  actually  nods  to  his  natural  enemy, 
the  shipowner --  from  across  the  Floor.  Is  even  willing  to 
pass  an  alleged  joke  with  "  our  outside  man  ;  "  and  if  there 
were  any  "separators"  at  the  Docks,  cream  from  the  milk 
of  human  kindness  would  be  at  a  discount ! 

HOWEVER,  the  stocks  on  hand  have  been  quite  equal  to 
the  demand,  and  with  outputs,  therefore,  in  excess  of 
requirements,  any  immediate  improvement  is  out  of  the 
question.  Indeed,  it  is  likelier  to  be  just  a  sweeping  out  of 
the  trucks,  in  preparation  for  another  glut — later  on. 
Anyhow,  new  business  is  distinctly  "  off  :  "  is  non-existent : 
and  although  some  of  the  cult  will  pretend  that  they  are 
"up  to  their  eyes,"  you  may  take  it  from  us  that  it  is  in 
nothing  save  wickedness !  Of  course,  there  is  always 
business  under-weigh — else  why  bother  with  a  Goal  Market: 
but  at  the  moment,  all  the  transactions  have  been  confined 
to  the  immediate  and  pressing  necessities  of  the  coal 
buyer.  This  means,  that  forward  accumulations  are  few. 

PARTICULARISING,  we  find  that  BEST  CARDIFF  ADMIRALTYS 
have  undergone  no  change,  in  so  far  as  the  quotation  goes, 
and  this  remains  at  the  average  of  last  week — 13s.  3d. 
Sellers,  however,  are  not  in  the  position,  thus  far  in  the 
week,  of  being  able  to  negotiate  business  on  quotation 
prices.  Consequently,  the  nimble  "threepence  off"  has 
eventuated  as  frequently  as  have  the  quoted  figures.  This, 
too.  without  an  undue  amount  of  the  persuasive  power, 
which  is  generally  assigned  to  the  wily  buyer  of  Welsh  coal. 
Circumstances  alter  cases,  you  understand,  and  thus  it 
comes  about  that,  here  and  there,  a  stiff  lip  is  kept,  and  the 
quotation  has  to  be  paid.  But  stiff  lips  are  in  no  wise 
common,  these  days.  Take  that  from  us. 

SECONDS,  too,  are  similarly  placed.  Collieries  working 
the  better  class  coals  are  well-stemmed,  while  one  or  two 
of  them  are  in  the  fortunate  position  of  having  but  little 
coal  to  spare — for  prompt  shipment.  The  demanded 
figures  in  this  grade,  are  12s.  9d.  and  they  are  fairly  steady, 
at  that ;  but  even  so,  there  is  a  quantity  of  coal  in  this 
section  which  can  be  easily  secured  at  threepence  under  : 
ay,  and  at  another  threepence  -for  really  prompt  shipment. 
Naturally  then.  SECONDS  are  little  better  than  easy  ? 

ORDINARIES,  poor  things,  are  suffering  from  the  same  old 
lack  of  request  which  has  surrounded  them  for  ages — 
seemingly  '.  -past.  As  a  matter  of  fact.  Ordinaries,  at  the 
moment  ( even  as  they  have  been  for  some  time)  are  a 
weak  group.  Collieries'  stems  have-not  improved  :  there  is 
any  amount  of  the  stuff  offering  ;  a.nd  consequently,  buyers 
are  able  to  get  all  they  need,  at  advantageous  terms. 

Values  may  be  marked   at    lls.  9d.  or  at    12s. varying 

according  to  the  quality  and  position  ;   and  it  is  more  than 


March   24,   i  05 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


98 


probable  that  for  a  cargo  in  the  "  right  position,"  the  former 
figures  would  be  accepted  for  most  of  the  Best  Sorts. 

DRYS  well,  you  know  about  Drys.  don't  you  ?  That  is. 
they  are  quiet  :  dull :  slack  :  dead  :  off  colour :  in  fact, 
they  are  Drys !  Actual  transactions  limited  :  stems  easy  ; 
buyers  find  prices  all  in  their  favour.  We  do  but  give  you 
the  words  of  our  own  "  Professor  Dawkins."and  if  you  don't 
like  to  believe  him—well  then,  you  won't ! 

MONMOUTHSHIRE  coals  show  but  little  alteration  in  price 
or  conditions.  Indeed,  their  position  synchronises  with  that 
in  which  we  found  them  at  our  last  time  of  writing.  Of 
course,  tonnage  has  romped  home  in  their— as  with  other's 
— case.  But  then,  stocks  were  depressingly  heavy,  and 
the  arrivals  so  far.  have  been  unable  to  deplete  these  worth 
fourpence.  Consequently,  supplies  exceed  the  demand, 
and  values  keep  down.  It  is  always  thus  — under  the  same 
conditions  ?  For  immediate  value.  BLACK  VEINS  are  worth 
nothing  more  than  11s.  3d.:  and  even  at  this  price,  there 
is  precious  little  doing. 

ORDINARIES  are  reputed  as  being  in  "the  same  box." 
They  are.  too !  For  prompt  shipment,  they  are  quoted  at  1 1  s. 

SECONDS,  of  course,  cannot  be  expected  to  show  any  im- 
provement, although  prices  remain  on  a  par  with  those 
current  at  our  last.  Latterly,  quotations  here  have  hardened 
a  little  :  but  the  hardness  is  by  no  means  inspiring.  Sort 
Fi'.i  «!••<  MII<  mi  \VFKK.  ARE  AS 
(All  quotations  J.o.b.at 


of   "  Perhaps." 
10s.  6d..  but- 


We   know   that  the  figures  quoted   are 


RHONDDA  No.  5's  continue  in  good  demand.  Indeed  all 
of  our  tale  in  last  week's  issue,  is  equally  good  to-day. 
Sellers  are  hard  at  14s.  for  Large,  and  on  this  basis,  stems 
are  by  no  means  easy  to  secure.  THRO'S  may  be  marked  at 
from  lls.  6d.  to  11s.  9d. 

RHONDDA  No.  2's.  on  the  other  hand  are  suffering  the 
fate  of  most  of  the  other  grades  — lack  of  demand  is  their 
besetting  weakness.  Therefore,  their  values  are  wobbly. 
True,  the  tonnage  arrivals  during  the  past  day  or  two  have 
infused  a  little  activity  into  the  collieries  involved,  and  as 
these  qualities  are  still  at  the  10s.  mark,  some  of  the 
would-be  "fly"  members  are  declaring  that  nothing  under 
10s.  3d.  will  get  their  stuff.  But  don't  believe  them. 
Every  time,  the  nimble  half-sovereign  will  fetch  it ! 

SMALLS  have  retained  the  firmness  of  which  we  told  you 
at  last  writing,  so  that  prices  have  not  varied  from  those  of 
our  last  week's  list.  Bests  are  favoured  with  a  good 
enquiry,  and  as  stems  are  well-filled — for  anything  required 
promptly— the  figures  still  current  are  from  7s.  6d.  to 
7s.  9d.  Indeed,  it  is  difficult  to  get  a  reduction  on  this. 
SECONDS/rule  at  about  from  7s.  to  7s.  3d.  Other  sorts  we 
give  below. 

PATENT  FUELS  have  undergone  no  change. 

FOLLOW  ;  — 

the  respective  ports  of  shipment. 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDA*. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Best  Cardiff  Ad'alty  Urge 

133.01]..  i  ; 

133.  oil. 

135.  od. 

133.  3d. 

135.  3d. 

133.  od.,  133.  6tl. 

Second         Ditto. 

I  2s.  3*1..  i  .'  - 

i.-».  6d. 

I2s.  6d. 

I2s.  6(1.,  I2s.  9(1. 

I2S.  9(1. 

I2S.  9(1. 

Other  Second  Cardiff 

III.  9-1. 

IIS.  Oil..   1  is   <xl. 

i2s.  oil. 

Iis.  9(1.,  I2S.  od. 

iis.  9(1.,  I2s.  od. 

123.  Oil. 

Dry* 

I-'-.  Oil. 

Itt.  ol. 

IIS.  91!..   I2S.  3<l. 

us.  3d. 

12s.  3d. 

123.  Oil.,   123.  ("I. 

Best  Newport 

ii-   3d. 

IIS.  Ol.,    1  IS.    31!. 

iis.  oil.,  i  is.  3d. 

us.  3d. 

us.  3d.,  us.  6d. 

1  1  S.    .(  .'.  I  1  . 

Ordlnan  Bests 

us.  oil.,  iis.  3«1. 

lls.  oil. 

1  l~.  Ol. 

IIS.  l.'.ll. 

i  is.  od.,  I  is.  vl- 

us.  od. 

Seconds 

10-..  3d.,  ios.  6d 

ios.  31!. 

ios.  vl- 

ios.  4*d. 

ios.  6d. 

IOS.  mi. 

Best  House  Coal 

i6».  on.,  Ida.  6d. 

ite  3d. 

IDS.  31!. 

i6s.  od. 

u>s.  od. 

i6s.  oil.,  i6s.  6d. 

So.  3  Rhoudda 

139.  91).,  14-s.  oil. 

I4>.  ol. 

14-.  o  1. 

I3s.  9(1.,  148.  od. 

•  3s.  9>I- 

133.  6d.,  143.  od. 

No.  2         Ditto. 

HhnnJda  3  "  Thro." 

t.rv  Oil. 

lls.  («!.,  us.  oil. 

IOS.  0(1. 
IIS.  0(1. 

ios.  oil.,  ios.  3d. 
1  1~.  9(1. 

ios.  lid. 
lls.  6d. 

IOS.  lid. 
1  1  s.  6d. 

ios.  31!. 
1  1  s  gd. 

z 

»«.  6cl. 

8s.  od. 

tejjd 

8s.  9d. 

8s.  6d.  93.  od. 

^-    .'A  .      -    ii- 

Snall>: 

Best  Cardllf 

7«.9d 

79.  9d. 

75.  6d.,  7».  9d. 

7s.  7i<l. 

73.  91!. 

7».  6d  ,  73.  gd. 

Seconds 

:.,  7-.  311 

ML 

7*.  3.1. 

78.  Oil. 

78,  od 

6s.  9(1.,  73.  od. 

Ordinaries 
Best  Newport 

fe.6d 
••.ad. 

68.  IA\ 

6s.  oil. 

9(1. 

od 

9d 

7s.  od. 

6s.  6d.,  6s.  91). 
6s.  9d. 

6s.  7}d. 
6s  90. 

Seconds 

6»  M 

id 

6s.  3d.,  6s.  6d. 

6s.  4.1.1. 

6s.  31!. 

6s.  3d. 

Rhondda  Mo.  2 

7s  0.1  ,  7*.  3.1 

7»-  3'1- 

od 

79.  Od. 

7*  .;«!• 

73.  od.,  73.  3d. 

..       »•.  3 

i.-   ii 

IOS.  0(1. 

9*.  9d. 

9*9d. 

1.,  os.  90. 

9S  7ld 

Foundry  Coke  : 

Special 

218.  Oil..  218.  6d. 

oil. 

-M-   od. 

2IS.  0(1.,  22S.  0(1. 

-MS.  6d. 

2IS.  (ill. 

Ordinary 

17*.  91!..  IS*,  oil. 

Ig.Jd. 

178.  6d. 

I7S.   (Ml. 

173.  91!. 

178.  od. 

Furnace  Coke 

i6»  6d. 

i6s.  od..  i6s.  6(1. 

i'  -    ; 

i6s.6d 

1  6s.  ml. 

Patent  Fuel 

13.1.  0.1  .  i  ; 

1  1-.  Oil. 

I  ?-.  0(1. 

*!..  i3s.  31!. 

1  3s.  od. 

133.  od. 

1'ilw  nntl    ex  >!"n 

17-.  .,1. 

Ifa    Od 

ios.  lo.'.d. 

l6s.  9d.,  17s.  cxi. 

All.  lest  2 '•,  per  cent,  discount,  with  payment  at  thirty  days,  except  where  otherwise  stated. 
All  quotations  for  large  Coals  imply  Colliery  Screened. 

SWANSEA.  March  22.  1905. 

QUIETNESS  has  again  characterised  the  Market  at  Swansea  this 
week.  Latterly,  however,  business  has  been  better,  and  enquiries 
have  been  more  numerous.  There  has  been  a  pleasing  improvement 
in  the  arrivals  at  the  port  during  the  last  few  days,  and  stocks  have 
been  largely  reduced  :  but  the  absence  of  new  business  enables  no 
immediate  improvement  to  be  marked,  and  the  bulk  of  the  enquiry 
about  has  yet  to  materialise. 


this  market  is  by  no  means  a  firm  one. 

CULM,  however,  is  unchanged,  for  their  steadiness  is  still  maintained. 

DUFF  is  commanding  3s.  6d..  at  which  a  fair  business  is  recorded. 

STEAMS  are  on  a  par  with  their  condition  of  the  previous  week.  For 
prompt  business,  the  market  is  an  easy  one.  and  in  the  buyer's 
favour.  Although  shipments  have  been  brisker,  supplies  are  larger 
than  the  demand,  and  until  this  improves,  naturally,  prices  will  not  go 
better.  BESTS  can  be  arranged  at  1 3s..  although  the  quotation  is  3d. 


For  ANTHRACITE  COALS,  quotations  remain  at  the  old  levels,  and  prompt_  _,   Jiigher.     SECONDS  are  worth  nothing  more  than  12s.     Bunker  qualities 
Coal  prices  are  still  somewhat  easy  to  negotiate.    Certainly,  collieries         have  been  more  freely  enquired  after,  but  insufficient  has  been  done  to 
have  been  better  employed,  but  stems  continue  slack.     For  the  time 
being,  however,  the  weakness  has  been  arrested.     MALTING  qualities 


range  from  17s.  6d.  to  19s.  6d.     BIG  and  RED  VEIN  COALS  are  rather 
plentiful,  with  the  quotation  at  1  Is.  6d.  and  10s.  3d.  respectively,  and 


warrant  their  values  hardening,  and  these  are.  on  an  average,  about 
1  Is.    THRO'S  at  about  9s. 
PATENT  FUELS  are  in  good  demand  at  lls.  9d.  to  12s. 


BELOW,  we  give  the  average  prices  for  the  week  :— 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY.                    FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY.                  MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Anthracite: 

Best    Hand    Picked 

Malting  Urge                                <9s.  6d                I9»-  od..  igs.  6d. 

193.  3(1.                 igs.  o  i..  igs.  6d.                 igs.  6d. 

19;-.  6d.,  193.  gd. 

Seconds    do.                             '7-  od..  17*.  6d. 

173.  3-1.                        173.  6d.                        173.  6d. 

I7s.  6d.,  i»s.  od. 

Big  Vein  Urge                               "-  6d. 

IIS.  6d.,  us.  gd.                  iis.  gd.                          iis.  7j;l.               i  is.  6d.,  I  is.  gd. 

Red     ,.        ..                                         «l.                        -I  •.  ""•<•  od. 

ios.  od. 

ios.  od.                 ios.  od.,  ios.  3d.    i            ios.  3d. 

Machine  Made  Cobbles                   i6s.  6.1.                       ios.  6.1. 

163.  6.1.  .  i' 

1  6s.  gd.                          173.  od.                         173.  od. 

„     Nuts         ...             16*.  6d                        i6s.  6d. 

l6s.  gd.                 l6s.  6il.,  I7s.  od.                  i6s.  gd.                  i6>.  Oil,  Us.  (jd. 

.,     Peas                ios.  od.,  us.  od.               ios.  od. 

ios.  od. 

ios.  3d.                        ios.  3d.                 ios.  od.,  ios.  6d. 

Ruhbly  Culm 
Duff                                                        '*!. 

43.  gd.,  -s.  od. 
38.  3d.,  3's.  6d 

53.  od.                           43.  gd.                     43.  6d.,  53.  od. 
3s.  3d.                                 (,,l.                          3s.  6d. 

Patent  Fuel: 

ii».  od. 

128.  0(1. 

us.  9(1.,  I2s.  3d. 

Iis.  gd. 

us.  gd. 

12S.  0  I. 

Steam  : 

Best    Urge 

nl 

138.  od. 

133.  3d. 

138.  iki.              133.  od.,  I3s.  3.!. 

i3s.  vl. 

Seconds  ., 

1  1<.  0.1. 

128.  0-1. 

I2S.  0(1.,   I2S.   V>. 

123.    l.'.il. 

I2S.   1<l. 

I2s.    vl 

Hunker    .. 

i  i-  (j.1.,  us.  3d. 

IIS.  0(1. 

iis.  od. 

ios.  gd.,  us.  3d. 

us.  31!. 

iis.  vl. 

Thro'  and  Thro'                            os.  ol. 

8a.  lo.Jd. 

8s.  lo.Jd.                         gs.  od.                           gs.  od.                   93.  od.,  <is.   \t\. 

THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


March   24,    1905 


COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES. 


CARDIFF.  March  22.  1905. 

EASTERN.  At  last,  and  in  this  direction,  the  market  evinces  some  little 
sign  of  life  :  shows  that  it  has  not  died,  altogether  ;  but  that  it  has 
merely  been  sleeping  !  Anyhow,  a  few  fixtures  are  reported  for  this 
saddening  direction  of  the  chartering  whirl,  and  if  the  prices  are 
"  deplorable."  there  still  are  prices  !  For  instance.  SINGAPORE  has  been 
closed  at  8s.  ye  gods  !•  -and  COLOMBO  has  paid  both  8s.  4  ^d.  and  9s. 
Naturally,  the  last-named  rate,  was  for  a  spot  boat  and  meagre  as 
the  figures  are.  they  are  an  advance  over  the  last  few  fixtures, 
hereaway. 

WESTWARD  business  is  ambling  along  in  the  old.  sweet,  happy  man- 
ner which  has  characterised  the  section  of  late  :  at  least,  since  our 
last  appearance  with  a  weekly  review,  no  changes  have  materialised — 
either  in  volume  of  fixtures,  or  in  price.  For  the  PLATE,  between 
7s.  3d.  and  7s.  6d.  is  the  magnificent  rate  offered  :  while  for  Rio  DE 
JANEIRO,  the  scheduled  value  is  again  9s. 

FOR  the  ISLANDS,  we  are  proud  to  see  an  advance— a  substantial 
advance,  shall  we  write  ?  Anyhow,  the  substantiality  is  of  the  nature 
of  6s.  for  TENERIFFE.  LAS  PALMAS.  and  MADIERA,  and  for  CAPE  VERDES, 
7s.  have  been  actually  offered— freely.  After  that,  "Tell  us  not  in 
mournful  numbers,  etc."  Is  it  going  to  continue  ?  Ask  us  another, 
please.  We  are  not  running  the  prophetic  business,  just  now. 

MEDITERRANEAN-WARDS,  we  find  the  merry  game  continuing,  in  a 
strong  and  healthy  manner.  This  too,  in  spite  of  the  fact,  that,  thanks 
to  a  settlement  in  weather  conditions,  there  is  a  good  showing  of 
tonnage  on  hand,  as  explained  elsewhere  in  these  columns.  Indeed, 
tonnage-to-hand  and  all,  there  appears  to  be  anything  but  a  glut,  in 
so  far  as  this  phase  of  the  market  is  concerned,  for  rates  in  all 
Mediterranean  features,  are  well-maintained. 

PORT  SAID  commands  6s.  6d.,  with  7s.  conceded  for  ALEXANDRIA. 
The  GENOA  market  is  not  quite  so  keen  for  tonnage,  at  the  moment, 
but  7s.  is  fairly  easy  of  attainment  for  handy-sized  boats.  CONSTAN- 
TINOPLE charterers  have  paid  up  to  the  tune  of  6s.  9d.,  and  big  boats 
for  VENICE  are  getting  just  three  half-crowns.  For  a  wonder.  MALTA 
is  paying  a  decent  rate— 6s.  ;  while  near  Mediterranean  ports  are 
workable  as.  MARSEILLES.  8'25  francs  :  ALGIERS.  7'50  francs  ;  ORAN, 
7'25  francs  ;  and  TUNIS.  9' 1 2  '2  francs,  for  coal. 

FOR  the  BAY,  there  is  but  little  doing,  and  rates  are,  consequently. 
weak  both  outward  and  homeward. 

COASTWISE,  there  is  a  little  better  enquiry,  and  rates  are  just  a  trifle 
firmer.  For  instance.  ROUEN  is  paying  Ss.  3d.:  HAVRE.  4s.  3d.;  and 
HAMBURG,  from  4s..  to  4s.  3d. 

Week  Ending,  (Wednesday),  March  22,  1905. 

N     denotes    Newport.    ;S)  Swansea,    ;P.  T.)    Port    Talbot,    loading. 

EASTERN. 

Colombo,     Stilhrrlaiui,   2,277  n.r.     8s.  4|d. 

Yarhonmgh,    1,988  n.r.    95.  spot. 
Singapore,     Hillglen,  2,498  n.r.   8s. 

WESTWARD,     Etc. 

Rio  de  Janeiro,     .-Kolas,  3,400  tons,    9*. 
River  Plate.     Be/tor,  4,100  tons,    7*.  3d. 

'HIT,  3,000  tons,  75.  6d.  option  Rosario,  73.  gd 

Sniniscntt,  4.500  tons,    75.  3d. 

C/in/i'ii.   4,300  tuns,    75.  6d., 
Las  Palmas,     r.ifnn.   3,800  tons,    r,s.  option  Teneriffe. 

l-nilern,     1,000  tons,    53.   9d. 
Cape  Verdes,     At/a*,  2,000  tons,   6s.  4Jd.    209  delv    od 

<<iini>norr,   2,000  tons,    ;s.    spot. 

Tun/noise,   2, 100  tons,   6s.  9d. 

Ptttartk,  4, 100  tons,   75.    ni 
Bermuda,     Cresyl,  3,100  tons,   8s. 

MEDITERRANEAN,     Etc. 

Port   Said,    IJantinndmt,    5,500  tons    6s.  6d 
Genoa,     Olr  Bull,   2,400  tons,    6s.  io|d 

Iadv  K,,k,  3,500  tons,  8s.  4Jd.   fuel,   400  delivery.     - 

Solveig.  6,000  tons,    75.   spot. 

Steamer,    1,500  tons,    75. 

Steamer,    3,500  tons,    75. 

'rnmrion,  3,000  tons,   6s.  9d.  option   Pirasus 
Constantmople,     Tn ,  3,000  tons,  6ft  9d 

Bosphoros,  2,600  tons,  6s.  9d. 

5.  Attargyros,  3,600  tons,  6s.  7^d. 

Sti-amrr,    2,  ^oo  tons,   6s.  9d 
Torre  Annunziata,     Steamer,    2,200  tons,   7s.  coal,  7s  9d 

fuel,  (s). 
Messina,     Capua,  2,400  tons,    6s.  9d. 


Catania,    Steamer,    2,  700  tons,    6s.  9d.  coal,  73.  6d.  fuel,  (s). 
Alexandria,     H'oodbnni,   3,400  tons,   73. 
Steamer,  3,000  tons,    js. 
Cliii'i'rxtoiie,   5,100  tons,    6s.  9d. 
/'n'/nsis,   3,300  tons,    78. 
Siward,  4,100  tons,   6s.  gd. 
Hubbuck,  3,000  tons,    78. 
Piraeus,     Steamer,  3,000  tons,    6s.  6d. 
Venice,     Acme,    3,000  tons,    73.  lojd. 
Kobe,    6,  200  tons,    7S.  6d.  (N). 
Panaghi  Vagliano,  4,400  tons,    73.  6d.    (N). 
Soulhport,  5,000  tons,  75.  6d. 
Steamer,    4,000  tons,    75.  6d.   option  Ancona. 
Marseilles,     Hopenwunt,  4,800  tons,   8-25  francs. 

Ellewonlsdyk,   1,900  tons,  8-1  2  J  francs. 
Algiers,     Diligenle,    2,000  tons,    7-25  francs. 
St.  Vincent,    2,400  tons,    7-25  francs. 
Crimea,    2,100  tons,    7-50  francs,   spot. 
Lesseps,    2,300  tons,    7-25  francs. 
Ninian  Stuart,  2,400  tons,    7-25  francs,    spot. 
Oran,     Kalhe,  i,  800  tons,    7-50  fcs.  coal,  8-50  fcs.  fuel,   (s). 
Valint   i,  600  tons,   7-15  francs. 
Douglas  Hill,  2,40010113,    7-25  francs. 
Gibraltar,     Radyr,    1,200  tons,    53.  8d. 

Cassia,   1,400  tons,    55.  8d. 
Lisbon,     Steamer,   1,700  tons,    43.  6d. 
Sieglinde,    1,900  tons,   45.  6d.      (N). 
Credo,  950  tons,  45.  9d. 
Vigo,     Crinidon,    1,900  tons,    53. 

Hekla,   700  tons,   53.  6d. 

Alicante,     Trieste,    1,800  tons,    6s.  3d.  coal,   73.  fuel,  (s). 
Tunis,     Theresedal,   2,000  tons,    9-131  fcs.   coal     10-12*  fcs 

fuel,  (s). 
Augusta,     Wansbeck,    i.iootons,   75.  3d.    spot. 

Gennn,  2,400  tons,    73.  3d. 

Port  Empedocle,     Falk,   1,100  tons,    73.  gd.  (s). 
Naples,    Frascati,    2,500  tons,    6s.  gd. 

Steamer,  4,000  tons,    6s.  6d.    1,000  delivery. 

Steamer,   2,000    tons;   Bacchus,    4,200    tons;    both    73. 

option   Torre,  (N). 

roriigern,   3,800  tons,    6s.  7^d.    1,000  delivery. 
Malta,     Kiltnaho,   3,000  tons,   6s. 

Cornubitt,   2,100  tons,    6s. 
Valencia,    Steamer,    1.400  tons,   6s.  6d. 
Bari,     Mary  Thomas,  2,500  tons,    73.  3d. 
Taranto,     Katie,    3,800  tons,    73. 

BALTIC,  Etc. 

Stettin,     Nornmndiet,   1,500  tons,    53. 
Gothenburg,     Steamer,    i,  600  tons,    43.  3d. 

BAY,     Etc. 

La  Rochelle,     Spurt,  1,400  tons,    4-37^,  fcs.  (s). 

Iniicsmoor,    1,000  tons,    4-  \a.j  francs. 
St.   Nazaire,     Alemaiiia,   2,  800  tons,    4-25  francs 
Bordeaux,     Algorta,  2,900  tons,    4-50  francs. 
Rocheforte,     Serantes,    2,800  tons,   4-37.4  francs. 

Ollargan,   2.75010113,    4-37^  francs. 
Sables,     Richard  Nordrank,   1^400  tons,   4-50  fcs.  (s). 
Chantenay,     Holderness,  2,100  tons,  4-75  francs,    (p  T  ) 

Iiaro,   2,  -co  tons,   4-62,1  francs. 

Steamer,    2,500  tons,   475  francs,    (s). 
Arcachon,   Gc.rda,   1,100  tons,   5-871  francs. 

COASTING,     Etc. 

Boulogne,     Ladv  Beilha,  85010113,    4s.  6d.  (s). 
Hamburg,     Steamer,    1,500  tons,   43.  3d 

Steamer,   1,100  tons,  43. 
Havre,     City  of  Rochester,   i,  600  tons,  4s. 

Raloo,    1,400  tons,    45.  3d.  (s). 

G.  N.   Wilkinson,  850  tons,  4s.  3d. 
St.  Malo,     Gransha,  1,500  tons,  45. 

Speedwell,   1,250  tons,   43.  i|d. 

Steamer,    1,400  tons,  43. 
Rouen,     Kmperor,  700  tons,    53.  3d.  (s). 

Steamer,    1,500  tons,    43.  6d.    (s). 

Rocheforte,   i.iootons,    53.    (s).  , 

HOMEWARD. 


mrao   t       r«'     r'    ''9°°  t0"S'  4S-  .old.  pitwood 
Bilbao  to  Cardiff,    Eastgnlc,  2,300  tons,   3s.  lojd. 
Devoma,  2,000  tons,    43. 


March  24,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


SHIPBUILDING. 


THE  first  Atlantic  turbine  steamer  left  Liverpool  yester- 
day for  Canada.  This  vessel,  the  Allan  Liner  Victorian, 
built  by  Messrs.  Workman.  Clark  &  Co..  Belfast,  inaugu- 
rates a  revolution  in  ocean  travelling  by  marine  steam 
turbines.  It  is  only  four  years  since  the  first  steam  turbine, 
intended  for  trading,  was  launched  at  Dumbarton.  This 
was  the  King  Edward,  but  from  that  time,  the  system  has 
grown  to  be  a  rival  to  the  reciprocating  engine,  and  has 
proved  so  successful  in  vessels  of  high  speed,  that  it  is 
being  generally  adopted  in  cross  channel  steamers.  The 
Victorian,  and  her  sister  ship  the  Virginian,  now  completing 
at  Glasgow,  each  of  10,650  tons  gross,  are  intended  to  be 
used  in  working  the  Canadian  trade  at  all  seasons  of 
the  year.  They  are  the  largest,  fastest,  and  finest  in  the 
Allan  Line  fleet,  and  will,  if  successful,  as  they  are  almost 
certain  to  be.  inaugurate  a  new  era  in  the  Atlantic 
service.  The  Victorian  was  at  first  intended  to  have  recipro- 
cating engines,  but  before  the  hull  had  been  far  advanced, 
turbines  were  decided  on.  and  an  order  was  placed  with 
Messrs.  Alex.  Stephens  &  Sons.  Govan.  for  a  sister  ship. 
The  turbines  for  the  Belfast  vessel  have  been  made  by 
Messrs.  Workman.  Clark  it,  Co..  by  arrangement  with 
the  Parsons  Company  :  but  Messrs.  Parsons  have  con- 
structed the  machinery  for  the  Govan  vessel.  We  gave  a 
full  description  of  these  fine  steamers  some  time  ago.  and 
we  hope  they  will  be  the  success,  the  enterprise  of  the 
owners  deserve.  During  the  early  part  of  the  week,  the 
owners  allowed  the  public  to  inspect  the  Victorian,  at  the 
nominal  charge  of  one  shilling,  and  the  proceeds  were 

devoted  to  the  funds  of  the  Liverpool  Seamen's  Orphanage. 

•»•  -f  •»• 

THE  iron  tank  steamer  Tancarville.  has  been  sold  by  the 
European  Petroleum  Company.  Limited.  London,  to  a 
Dutch  firm.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  Craig.  Taylor  &  Co.. 
Stockton,  in  1889.  Dimensions  292ft.  x  37ft.  x  25ft.  6in.. 
2.355  tons  gross:  with  engines  22m..  35in..  60in.  x  42in. 
stroke,  by  Messrs.  Black.  Hawthorn  &  Co..  Newcastle. 
This  vessel  which  was  one  of  the  pioneers  in  the  oil  bulk 
carrying  trade,  is  now  undergoing  a  transformation  at  North 
Shields,  by  the  Smith  Dock  Company,  after  lying  idle  in  the 
Tyne  for  three  years.  Her  machinery  is  being  removed 
and  tanks  being  put  in.  in  order  to  convert  her  into  an  oil 
barge.  On  completion,  she  will  be  towed  out  to  Borneo, 
where  she  will  be  stationed  in  deep  water,  for  the  purpose 
of  filling  up  tank  steamers  which  cannot  navigate  the 

shallow  waters  of  the  oil  regions. 

•»••«•  + 

THE  fleet  of  steamers  lately  managed  by  Messrs.  G.  H7- 
Elder  &  Co..  of  Newcastle,  are  freely  offering  in  the  market 
and  two  of  the  boats,  the  Roman  and  Ormesby 
Broad,  are  reported  sold.  Last  week  Mr.  Elder  filed  his 
petition  in  bankruptcy  at  the  Newcastle  Bankruptcy  Court, 
and  the  usual  receiving  order  was  made.  The  Roman  and 
Ormesby  Broad  were-built  by  Messrs  Mackie  &  Thomson, 
Govan.  about  five  years  ago.  and  each  carry  about  1.750 
tons  deadweight.  They  are  reported  sold  to  Messrs.  L. 

Dens  &  Co..  of  Antwerp,  for  about  £24.000.  the  two. 

•»•  *  + 

FEW  orders  for  new  tonnage  have  been  placed  this  month, 
and  as  already  stated,  the  boom  which  set  in  with  the 
beginning  of  the  year,  has  spent  itself.  The  most  im- 
portant order  placed,  so  far  this  month,  on  the  East  Coast, 
has  been  secured  by  Messrs.  Sir  W.  G.  Armstrong, 
Whitworth  &  Co..  Ltd..  Newcastle,  for  the  construction  of 
two  steel  screw  steamers  for  Messrs.  Alfred  Holt  &  Co., 
Liverpool.  Dimensions  39Oft.  x-<6Oft.  x  31ft.  6in.  moulded. 
The  first  vessel  to  be  delivered  in  December,  and  the  other  in 
January. 


WE  hear  that  Messrs.  Orders  &  Handford.  Cardiff,  have 
sold  their  steel  screw  steamer  Refugio  to  German  buyers  at 
about  £9.500.  She  was  built  at  Campbeltown,  by  the 
Campbeltown  Shipbuilding  Company,  in  1894.  Dimensions 
230ft.  x  32ft.  6in.  x  17ft.  4in. ;  carries  about  2,000  tons 
deadweight:  with  engines  17j2in-  27/'s>in.,  45in.  x  33in. 

stroke,  by  Messrs.  Kincaid  &  Co.,  Greenock. 

+  +  + 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Nicolaos  Castriotis,  is  reported 
sold  to  Mr.  D.  Fuhrmann.  of  Hamburg,  for  about  £15,000. 
She  was  built  by  Messrs.  Pickersgill  &  Sons,  Sunderland, 
in  1892.  Dimensions  320ft.  x  41ft.  4in.  x  21ft-  2in.  : 
2.855  tons  gross  ;  with  engines  23in.,  38in.,  62in.  x  42in. 

stroke,  by  Messrs.  George  Clark,  Ltd. 

+  -f  -f 

THE  Greek  steel  screw  steamer  Georgios  P.  Bouboulis,  at 
present  lying  at  Cardiff,  is  reported  sold  to  Mr.  Joseph 
Hoult,  of  Liverpool,  at  about  £1 1,750.  She  was  built  by 
the  Palmers  Company.  Ltd.,  Newcastle,  in  1890.  Dimen- 
sions 300ft.  x  40ft.  2in.  x  19ft.  4in.  ;  2,504  tons  gross; 
with  engines  22in..  35in.  x  58in.  x  42in.  stroke,  by  the 

Palmers  Co. 

•f  -f  -f 

BY  order  of  the  Lords  Commissioners  of  the  Admiralty, 
there  will  be  offered  for  sale  by  auction,  at  Chatham 
Dockyard,  on  the  4th  April.  28  obsolete  war  vessels  and 
other  craft,  which  have  recently  been  put  out  of  com- 
mission by  the  Admiralty. 

•f  +  -f 

MESSRS.  ALFRED  H.  KEEP.  LTD.,  London,  are  the  pur- 
chasers of  the  new  420  tons  deadweight  steamer,  building 
by  Messrs.  R.  Williamson  &  Srn.  Workington,  reported 
sold  in  our  last  issue.  The  steamer  has  been  launched  and 

named  Queenie. 

+  +  + 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Torgauton,  built  in  Norway,  in 
1901,  dimensions  137ft.  6in.  x  24ft.  x  10ft.  2in.,  267 
tons  gross,  lately  owned  by  Messrs.  Aas  &  Cappelen,  of 

Fredrikstaad,  has  been  sold  to  Mr.  C.  Me  Arthur,  Sydney. 

•»•  •»•  + 

The  returns  issued  by  the  Registrar  General  of  Shipping 
and  Seamen,  show  that  during  February,  35  vessels  of 
74,243  tons  gross,  were  sold  to  foreigners.  Ten  of  the 

vessels  were  sailing    ships,  and    25  steamships. 

•f   -f  + 

THE  engines  for  twenty  of  the  London  County  Council's 
steamers  have  been  completed  by  the  Scott  Shipbuilding 
A  Engineering  Company.  Greenock.  and  have  been  sent  to 
the  Thames,  where  the  hulls  are  building. 

t-  +  + 

THE  iron  steam  trawler  Northwold.  built  in  1894,  by 
Messrs.  Cochrane  &  Cooper.  Beverley,  lately  owned  by  The 
Northwold  Steam  Fishing  Co..  Ltd.,  Grimsby.  has  been  sold 
to  Mr.  H.  A.  Roed.  of  Sandefjord.  Norway. 

+  -f  -f 

MESSRS.  CRAWFORD,  BARR  &Co.,  Glasgow,  have  purchased 
a  new  steamer  of  about  5,300  tons  deadweight,  now  build- 
ing at  Greenock.  by  the  Greenock  and  Grangemouth 
Dockyard  Company. 

THE  Tyne  Iron  Shipbuilding  Company,  Ltd. .have  received 
an  order  from  Messrs.  L.  Dens  &,  Co.,  Antwerp,  for  the 
construction  of  a  cargo  steamer  of  about  2.500  tons  dead- 
weight. 

+  +  + 

THE  iron  steam  trawler  Tor  Bey.  has  been  sold  by  the 
Hellyers  Steam  Fishing  Co.,  Ltd.,  Hull,  to  Messrs. 
Valle  &  Co..  Corunna  :  she  has  been  renamed  Gladiator. 


101 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


March  24,  1905 


say,  "  Lah  ! "  ;    prattle  about 


S  is  said  to  be  the  case  with  books,  of  the  making 
of  laws  there  is  no  end  !  Some  of  the 
laws  are  good  :  some  of  them  are  bad  ;  but 
most  of  them  are  neither— being  rather 
indifferent.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  and  par- 
ticularising, a  little,  most  of  the  laws  which 
are  fettled  up  after  much  painful  toiling,  and  which  are 
supposed  to  be  for  the  good  of  the  sailorman.  are  neither 
"  fish,  flesh,  nor  good  red  herring."  Moreover,  outside  of 
the  ranks  cf  the  estimable  gentlemen  who  framed  them. 
nobody  seems  to  bother  much  about  those  laws.  1  suppose 
this  is  what  was  originally  intended?  A  number  of 
workers-for-nothing  take  it  into  their  not-too-wise  heads  to 
go  in  for  legislation :  they  ask  some  of  their  nautical  admirers 
to  suggest  a  subject :  the  admirers  do  so :  there  is  a 
great  strain  on  the  lid  of  the  House  of  Commons  for  a 
season  :  and  there  you  are  ! 

OUT  comes  a  new  quiff,  ticketted  and  labelled  as  Section 
Something  of  the  Merchant  Shipping  Act,  of  some  particular 
year,  or  another  :  the  King's  printers  have  a  big  job  on  to 
get  the  stuff  put  into  shape :  you  are  offered  a  reprint  from 
anything  between  twopence  and  half-a-crown  :  if  the  price 
is  right,  you  might  purchase  •  Rav.  "  T^ah  ! "  : 
it  to  your  friends  who  do 
not  care  a  toss  for  the 
whole  business  :  and  then, 
in  all  probability,  go  home 
to  your  virtuous  repose, 
feeling  as  if  you  had  done 
a  meritorious  action.  Any- 
how, that  is  exactly  how 
the  fibby-nibby  appears  to 
me.  and  if  I  am  wrong,  1 
apologise,  most  profusely. 

WRITING  of  new  quiffs, 
reminds  me  of  a  set-to 
which  a  committee  of 
members  of  the  House  of 
Commons  had.  on  Monday 
last.  A  committee  that 
was  said  to  be  specially 
interested  in  shipping 
matters.  The  gentlemen 
forming  that  committee. 
wished  to  place  before  the 
Board  of  Trade,  their  views 
with  reference  to  the 
proposed  Minister  of  Com- 
merce. By  the  way.  if 
they  make  Ministers  of 

Commerce  on  similar  lines  to  those  which  are  adopted  in 
the  making  of  Presidents  for  the  Board  of  Trade,  then. 
here  is  a  sailorman  who  earnestly  hopes  the  Board  of 
Trade — bad  and  all  as  it  is — will  continue  for  ever!  As 
far  as  I  can  ses.  the  fillers  of  important  positions  are  fixed- 
up.  much  after  the  fashion  prevailing  with  good  positions 
in  the  Senior  Service. 

THAT  is.  it  doesn't  really  matter  what  training  you  have 
had  for  the  post  in  which  you  are  about  to  be  hoisted.  Odd- 
man-out  is  enacted  among  a  favoured  few,  and  if  you 
happen  to  be  "  odd-man."  you  get  the  first  pull  at  the  good 
things :  if  some  other  fellow  is  "  odd-man,"  well,  you 
have  to  be  satisfied  with  a  smaller  post,  in  which  you  will 
have  plenty  of  time  allowed  you,  to  pray  for  patience. 
and  better  luck  next  time.  It  must  be  this  way,  you  know, 
for  it  is  mighty  seldom  that  any  of  the  jobs  go  to  the  better 
men.  But  bless  me.  I  have  got  away  from  the  subject 
which  1  had  intended  to  start  in  on.  When  I  first  sat 
down  at  this  bit  of  pastime.  1  had  in  mind,  that  old  jape 
anent  boy  sailors.  And  the  committee  to  which  I  referred 
somewhere  up  the  page,  passed  a  resolution  in  connection 
with  the  class  of  humanity  known  as  "boy  sailors." 

WITHOUT  bothering  about  quoting  that  resolution,  let  me 
just  say  that  it  called  attention  to  the  fact  that,  in  the 
opinion  of  the  committee,  the  "  wheeze  "  for  the  encourage- 


SEVERN 

SEA 
SPRAY! 


mentof  "boy  sailors."  should  be  continued  until  the  adoption 
of  some  alternative  scheme.  Good,  isn't  it?  The  "encourage- 
ment of  boy  sailors."  Good  heavens!  What  possible  encour- 
agement to  a  boy  is  it,  to  know  that  he  is  being  exploited  for 
the  benefit  of  his  employer  ?  Here  have  we  been,  for  quite 
twenty  years  past,  with  the  personnel  of  the  Mercantile  Marine 
gradually  dwindling— in  so  far  as  the  Briton  is  concerned 
until  to-day,  the  case  is  about  as  rocky  as  makes  no 
odds  ;  but  go  on  with  the  "  encouraging."  Boys  will  start 
away  for  a  sea-life,  but  all  the  "  encouragement  "  that  has 
been  offered  up  to  now,  is  useless  from  any  point  of  view. 
Those  boys  will  make  one  or  two  voyages  ;  but  they'll  see 
everybody  concerned,  away  in  Timbuctoo,  before  they  will 
continue  at  the  life.  This  fact  cannot  be  gainsaid,  and 
most  of  those  committee-men  must  know  it,  don't  you  think  ? 
A  TRAMP  comes  into  the  Roath  Dock ;  she  has  two 
"  boy  sailors "  on  board.  In  the  evening,  those  boys 
meanoer  for'ed  to  the  forecastle,  where  a  couple  of 
hobblers  are  sitting  on  as  many  bollards.  Between  the 
puffs  of  smoke  engendered  by  fire  and  "  Irish  roll  "  'baccy, 
the  hobblers  allow  themselves  to  be  interviewed.  The 
"boy  sailor"  asks  :  "  How  much  do  you  fellows  get  paid  for 
your  work,  here,  of  a  night?"  Hobbler  replies;  "Ten 

shillings  for  a  tide's  work." 
Boy  is  aghast !  Ten  shil- 
lings !  Great  heavens,  this 
man  has  a  job  that  should 
make  him  wealthy  beyond 
the  dreams  of  avarice ! 
Think  of  it.  Ten  shillings 
for  one  tide,  when  as  an 
able-bodied  seaman,  this 
"boysailor"may  ultimately 
hope  to  receive,  anything 
up  to  £4  per  month. 

WHAT  think  you,  is  the 
result  ?  Simply  that  the 
"boy  sailor"  elects,  right 
away,  to  become  a  nobbier 
—or  to  throw  up  the  sea, 
in  any  case,  so  that  he 
may  look  for  a  better  job 
than  that.  Shipowner  curls 
his  lip,  even  as  he  sarcas- 
tically remarks:  "Has  the 
boy  no  more  ambition,  than 
is  implied  by  a  decision  to 
become  a  dock  nobbier?" 
Spare  the  sarcasm,,  sirs. 
Everybody  may  not  hope  to 

be  shipownery  inclined.  Somebody  has  to  run  the  humbler 
jobs  :  and  if  to  be  a  dock  nobbier  will  bring  in  ten  shillings 
for  a  tide's  work,  and  going  to  sea  as  a  "boy"  or  other  sized 
sailor  is  merely  worth  £4  per  month  ;  for  seven  days  a 
week  ;  night  time  or  d&y-time  :  are  you  going  to  blame 
the  boy  for  leaving  the  poor  old  crocklet  to  the  mercies— or 
otherwise --of  the  foreign  anarchists  that  are  only  too 
ready  to  flop  into  the  job  ? 

AFTER  all.  happiness  is  merely  a  relative  term  ;  so  is 
success  in  life.  The  Dago  imagines  he  is  in  clover,  pro- 
viding he  is  in  von  fine  Eenglis  skip  at  "tree  pounds  de 
months;"  the  Briton  considers  it  is  merely  "hell  afloat" 
at  the  same  price.  One  shipowner  imagines  he  has  done 
himself  proud  with  two  steamers  :  another  won't  be  happy 
until  he  has  annexed  a  fleet  of  twenty  ships !  The  business 
is  all  relative,  sirs.  And  meanwhile,  the  British  Mercantile 
Marine  is  becoming  relatively  denuded  of  the  class  of 
dressing  which,  alone,  will  make  it  a  paying  concern.  That 
is,  the  genuine  "  boy  sailors  "  who.  in  the  past,  worked  the 
thing  into  its  present  state  of  power,  and  majestic  might, 
have  no  present  day  successors'.  Yet  shipowning  M.P.'s 
will  form  committees  for  the  purpose  of  prevailing  on  each 
other  and  the  powers  that  be,  to  continue  a  dodge  that  has 
partially  wrecked  the  country.  Funny  people  in  this  world 
— or  it  seems  so  to  PETREL. 


March  24,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


PATENTS  &  TRSDE 

Relating    to    SHIPPING   and    the    COAL    TRADE. 


Specifications  published  on  March  9,  1905,  together 
with  an  indication  of  their  subject  matter,  the  title 
being  printed  in  Italics. 

5,964  04  — REILLY — Improvements  in  mechanism  that  may 
be  employed  either  in  the  propulsion  of  ships  or  boats,  or  for 
transmitting  power  from  a  river  or  like  running  water. 

According  to  this  invention  a  frame  is  mounted 
centrally  in  a  boat  or  other  vessel  or  between  two  boats. 
At  each  end  of  the  frame  sprocket  wheels  are  mounted 
on  horizontal  power  driven  transverse  shafts.  A  pair  of 
endless  chains  carrying  paddles  are  led  over  these 
sprocket  wheels  and  around  leading  pullies  on  parallel 
shafts  situated  below.  The  paddles  are  caused  to  dip 
beneath  the  surface  of  the  water  by  the  approach  of  the 
leading  pullies  towards  one  another  This  apparatus  is 
also  adapted  to  transmit  power  from  running  water. 

7,084  04  -  FIELDING—  Improvements  in  luffing  derrick 
cranes. 

This  invention  relates  to  an  arrangement  of  the  hoist- 
ing ropes  in  cranes  whereby  the  height  of  the  load 
remains  constant,  whilst  the  jib  is  being  luffed  inwards 
or  outwards.  This  is  effected  by  forming  a  loop  in  the 
hoisting  rope  by  leading  the  rope  carrying  the  weight 
from  the  pulley  at  the  end  of  the  jib  over  a  leading  pulley 
at  the  top  of  the  post,  around  another  pulley  mounted 
near  the  pivot  of  the  jib,  from  thence  again  over  a  pulley 
at  the  top  of  the  post  and  afterwards  to  the  hauling 
barrel.  The  luffing  or  upward  raising  of  the  jib  causes 
the  paying  out  of  the  hauling  rope  and  vice-versa. 

7,840  04  —  HARBINGER  —  Improvements  in  automatic  valves 
for  ships'  life  boats  and  the  like. 

This  valve  comprises :  an  automatic  mushroom  valve 
located  in  a  chamber  formed  by  two  suitably  recessed 
metal  bosses  located  one  on  each  side  of  a  hole  in  the 
ships'  bottom  and  screwed  together  or  secured  by  bolts ; 
and  a  non-automatic  screw  valve  formed  by  a  cap  which 
screws  on  an  extension  of  the  upper  boss. 
9,672  04— GUMBEL — Improvements  in  apparatus  for  open- 
ing and  closing  bulkheads  by  hydraulic  power. 

This  invention  relates  to  apparatus  for  operating  bulk- 
head doors  by  hydraulic  power,  either  from  a  central 
station  or  from  points  close  to  the  respective  doors. 

18,639  04— ROGERS,  FARNSWORTH&  DUKE— Apparatus 
for  preventing  mine  cages  from  falling  in  the  event  of  the 
winding  rope  being  fractured. 

According  to  this  invention  a  pair  of  horizontal  shafts 
are  mounted  in  bearings  on  the  top  of  the  mine  cage,  and 
a  similar  pair  beneath.  The  superposed  shafts  are 
coupled  together  by  levers  and  connecting  rods,  which 
latter  are  connected  by  chains  to  the  hoisting  rope 
The  ends  of  the  shafts  are  right  and  left  threaded  and 
enter  threaded  sockets  formed  in  the  guides  of  the  cage 
which  embrace  the  guide  ropes.  When  the  hoisting 
rope  breaks,  the  weight  of  the  levers  and  connecting 
rods  will  turn  the  shafts  and  screw  their  ends  into  the 
sockets  and  so  jamb  the  screwed  ends  against  the  guide 
ropes.  Where  guide  timbers  are  employed  in  the  place 
of  guide  ropes  then  the  ends  of  each  shaft  are  provided 
with  small  pinions  which  engage  with  racks  formed  on 
each  of  two  members  of  a  clip  which  are  drawn  together 
and  grip  the  guide  timber. 

21,601  04— WILLIAMS— Improvements  in  trolley  sheaves 
for  engaging  electric  power  wires,  applicable  also  to  sheaves 
and  guide  pulleys  used  with  wire  ropes,  cables  and  the  like. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  method  of  restricting  the 
wear  of  the  groove  of  a  sheave  to  the  centre  thereof. 
This  is  effected  by  forming  two  narrow  parallel  spaces 
perpendicular  to  the  axis  of  the  sheave  extending  to  a 
depth  of  about  one  third  of  the  diameter  and  at  a  distance 
apart  equal  to  the  diameter  of  the  cable.  An  alternative, 
to  forming  the  space  by  parting  in  a  lathe,  is  to  construct 
the  central  portion  of  the  sheave  in  one  piece  with  the 
boss  and  secure  the  two  side  cheeks  to  the  boss  with  a 
narrow  space  intervening. 


22,795/04 — BRADLEY — Improvements  in  and  relating  to 
driving  mechanism  for  bucket  conveyors. 

This  driving  mechanism  for  bucket  conveyors  consists 
of  an  endless  driving  chain  arranged  parallel  to  the  chain 
of  buckets.  Each  link  of  the  driving  chain  is  formed 
with  a  tooth  or  dog  which  engages  the  axles  of  the  buckets. 
By  this  means  the  driving  strain  is  distributed  over  a 
number  of  points  along  the  conveyor  chain. 

26,548,04—  Wl  LLIAMS— An  improved  method  of  ventilating 
and  refrigerating  cargoes  and  goods  in  ships  warehouses  and 
the  like,  and  apparatus  for  carrying  the  same  into  effect. 

According  to  this  invention  a  grating  or  perforated 
false  bottom,  extending  over  the  entire  floor  of  the  cargo 
space,  Ac.,  is  provided  so  as  to  form  an  air  space  or 
chamber  beneath  the  grating.  Air  is  blown  into  this 
space  by  fans  through  suitable  ducts  for  distributing  it 
more  or  less  equally,  the  air  ascends  through  the  cargo 
and  is  drawn  off  at  the  top  and  discharged  into  the 
atm«sphere,  or  returned  for  recirculation.  When  the 
cargo  is  to  be  cooled  or  refrigerated  as  well  as  ventilated 
the  air  is  previously  passed  through  a  cooler  or 
refrigerator. 

28,607/04—  P\HGGIO  -Improvements  in  and  relating  to 
lifting  and  transporting  devices  for  use  in  ship-building  yards. 

This  invention  consists  in  the  arrangement  of  lines  of 
stationary  pillar  cranes  between  and  parallel  to  the 
vessels  under  construction.  The  total  area  of  action  of 
the  cranes  covering  that  occupied  by  the  ships  under 
construction. 

These  applications  for  patents  are,  until  April  22,  1905, 
open  to  opposition  by  any  person  having  a  statutory 
right  to  oppose. 

Copies  of  the  specifications  may  be  obtained  from  the 
Patent  Office  or  through  the  under-named. 


TRADE   MARKS. 


The  following  application  for  the  registration  of  Trade 
Mark  relating  to  the  shipping  and  coal  trades  was 
advertised  on  March  15,  and  is  open  to  opposition  by 
interested  parties  within  the  period  ending  April  15. 

Class  4 — Including  Coal. 

No.  269,062— 5th  Jan.,  1905--SAP— for  coal  and  coke. 
William  Baines,  22,  Victoria  Road,  Great  Crosby,  Liver- 
pool ;  Engineer. 

Class  8 — Including  nautical  instruments. 

^No.  269,851  -3rd  Feb.,  1905— GERYK— for  educational 
'appliances  (included  in  class  8)  and  philosophical  instru- 
ments, scientific  instruments  (included  in  class  8)  for 
useful  purposes,  and  instruments  and  apparatus  for 
teaching.  The  Pulsometer  Engineering  Co.,  Ltd.,  Nine 
Elms  Iron  Works,  Oxford  Road,  Reading,  Berkshire; 
hydraulic  and  general  engineers. 

Class  20—  Explosives. 

No.  2C9.837— 2nd  Feb.,  1905  ABBC1TE— for  explosive 
substances.  Kynock  Ltd.,  Lion  Works,  Witton,  near 
Birmingham  ;  manufacturers. 

Class  21. — Naval  Architectural  contrivances  and  Naval 
equipments. 

No.  269,777  1st  Feb.,  1905— The  device  of  a  piece  of 
an  electric  cable  in  section,  supported  on  trunions 
between  two  pedestals,  and  words  "The  St.  Helens 
Cable  Co.,  Ltd.,"  for  all  goods  included  in  class  21.  The 
St.  Helens  Cable  Co.,  Ltd.,  The  Electric  Cable  and 
Rubber  Works,  Bank  Quay,  Warrington,  and  of  93, 
Liverpool  Road,  St.  Helens;  manufacturers. 

Compiled  by  Messrs.  PHILLIPS  &  LEIGH,  Chartered  Patent 
Agents,  22,  Southampton  Buildings,  Chancery  Lane,  London, 
W.C.  Local  Consultant:  Mr.  S.  W.  ALLEN,  Engineer,  of  Cardiff 
Exchange,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


March  24,  1905 


• 


OUR  MARITIME  DIRECTORY. 


i«ni|iN> Him' 


CARDIFF. 


Colliery  Proprietor*. 


BROS.  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff  and 
London.   Dep6ts  at  all  the  principal 
Coaling  Stations  in  the  World. 

T.I..-.  — . •.    "CORY,  CARDIFF"  ; 
eiegrams  .    "CoRYi  LONDON." 


INSOLE,  GEORGE  &  SON,  Cardiff.   Sole 
Shippers  of  Cymmer   Steam    Coal, 
Windsor  Steam  Coal,  and  Insoles  No.  2 
Rhondda  Coal. 

Telegrams:  "INSOLES.  CARDIFF." 


F  EWIS    MERTHYR    CONSOLIDATED  COL- 
LIERIES, LTD.,  Proprietors  and  Ship- 
pers  of    "  Lewis  Merthyr "   Navigation 
Steam  Goal. 

Toi»<r,         .    "LEWIS  MERTHYR.  CARDIFF"  ; 
"  LEWIS  MERTHYR.  LONDON." 


MARQUESS     OF     BUTE     COLLIERIES, 

Aberdare,  Hirwain.   and   Rhondda 

Valley.     Shipping  ports  : — Bute  Docks, 

ardiff :      Penarth     Dock  :      Swansea ; 

Briton    Ferry:     and    Newport    (Mon.) 

Telegrams  :  "  SEMA.  CARDIFF." 

QCEAN    (MERTHYR)    COAL   Co.,   LTD., 
11.  Bute  Crescent,  Cardiff,  proprie- 
tors of  Ocean  (Merthyr)  Steam  Goal. 


I  JNIVERSAL  STEAM   COAL  Co.,  LTD., 
Bute  Docks.  Cardiff.  Proprietors  of 
'  Universal  Steam  Goal." 

Telegrams  :   "  VERSATILE,  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF  -Continued. 


VIVIAN.    H.   C.   &  Co.,    Bute   Docks, 
Cardiff.     Sole  European  Agents  for 
"  The  Puritan  Coal  Mining  Co.,  Phila- 
delphia. U.S.A." 

Telegrams  :  "VIVIAN.  CARDIFF." 

WATTS,    WATTS  &  Co.,   Cardiff    and 
London.  Contractors  for  the  supply 
of  Coals  at  all  Depots  abroad. 

Telegrams  :  "  WATTS,  CARDIFF." 


Dock   Owners. 


SHE  CARDIFF  RAILWAY  COMPANY,  Bute 
Docks.  Cardiff. 


Ship  Repairers. 


CHEARMAN,  JOHN  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff, 
and  at  Barry  Dock. 

T"HE   BUTE  SHIPBUILDING,  ENGINEERING, 
AND   DRY   DOCK   COMPANY,    LIMITED, 
Roath  Basin.  Cardiff. 

Telegrams  :  "  CAISSON,  CARDIFF." 


XHE  CARDIFF  CHANNEL  DRY  DOCKS  AND 

PONTOON    Co.,    LTD.,     Cardiff    and 

Barry  Dock. 


ram-;  •    "  Entrance,  Cardiff." 
rams  .    ..  Ghannel|  Barry." 


"HE   MERCANTILE    PONTOON   Co.,   LTD., 
Roath  Dock,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams  :   "  MERCANTILE,  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF     Continued. 


Miscellaneous. 

f  EWIS  &  TYLOR,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 

Sole  patentees  and  manufacturers 

of  "Gripoly,"  a  patent  woven  belting; 

and  "  Burals,"  a  semi-metallic  packing. 

Telegrams  :  "  BELTING  CARDIFF."        Telephone,  Nat.  231. 


Steamship    Owners. 


D 


AN.   JENKINS    &     Co..    Steamship 
Owners  and  Brokers,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams  :  "  Stonewall,  Cardiff." 
Nat.  Telephone  :  1318. 


BARRY. 


Dock  Owners. 

PHE  BARRY  RAILWAY  Co.,  Barry. 


Ship  Repairers. 


RARRY   GRAVING   DOCK  &  ENGINEERING 
U     Co.,  LTD. 

Telegrams  :   "  BARDOCK,  BARRY." 
National  Telephone  No.  7.         Post  Office  Telephone  No.  7. 


To    the    Proprietors    of 


"THE    MARITIME    REVIEW," 


DOCKS,     CARDIFF. 


SUBSGRI 


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190 


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VOL.  V.— No. 


FRIDAY,    MARCH    31,    1905. 


THREEPENCE. 


WILLIAM  JONES.  Esq.. 

President  of  the  Cardiff  Chamber  of  Commerce. 

(S«e  cue  110.) 


104 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


March  31,  1905 


**»  NOTICES.*** 

ALL  LITERARY  COMMUNICATIONS  must  be  addressed  THE 
EDITOR,  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW,  CLARENCE  ROAD,  DOCKS, 
CARDIFF. 

THE  MARITIME  REVIEW  is  published  every  Friday,  and  can 
be  obtained  direct  from  the  PUBLISHERS,  or  through  NEWSAGENTS. 

Prepaid  yearly  Subscription  (post  free):  At  Home.  15s.:  Abroad  21s. 

Remittances,  to  be  made  pay  able  to  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW,  LTD. 
together  with  all  BUSINESS  COMMUNICATIONS,  must  be 
addressed  to  CLARENCE  ROAD,  DOCKS,  CARDIFF.  Telegraphic 
Address  :  "Review.  Cardiff."  Nat.  Telephone  :  -  No.  1 0 1 9. 

Company's  Reports  and  Balance  Sheets,  Books  for  Review,  etc.,  are 
invited,  and  should  be  addressed  THE  EDITOR. 

Contributions  (either  literary  or  pictorial),  if  intended  for  the  next 
issue,  must  reach  the  EDITC  R,  not  later  than  the  first  post  on  Monday. 
Neither  the  Editor  nor  the  Publishers  will  accept  responsibility  for  the 
accidental  loss  of  MSS.  or  illustrations  submitted,  but  every  effort 
will  be  made  to  return  unsuitable  contributions,  provided  stamped  and 
addressed  envelopes  are  sent. 

Correspondence  :  The  Editor  does  not  necessarily  identify  himself 
with  the  opinions  expressed  by  Correspondents,  whose  letters  must, 
in  every  instance,  be  accompanied  by  the  name  and  address  (if  not  for 
publication,  then  as  evidence  of  good  faith),  of  the  writer,  and  must  be 
written  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only. 


•=».»«  CONTENTS.  * 

MARITIME  MARK  MAKERS    WILLIAM  JONES.  ESQ. 

MARITIME  MURMURS 

SHIPBUILDING 

THE  CARDIFF  CHAMBER  OF  COMMERCE 

••BROKEN  UP.  CONDEMNED.  ETC." 

CARDIFF  (AND  OTHER)  COAL 

COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES  ... 

MARITIME  (AND  OTHER)  MONEY  MATTERS 

SEVERN  SEA  SPRAY 

PATENTS  AND  TRADE  MARKS 


..  103 
...  104 
...  Ill 
...  112 
...  115 
...  114 
...  116 
...  117 
...  118 
..  119 


MARITIME    MURMURS. 


DOCKS.  CARDIFF. 

Thursday  Afternoon. 

THE  MARITIME  REVIEW  has  passed  through  its  first  libel 
action,  particulars  of  which,  our  daily  contemporaries  have 
already  given  you.  and  we  take  this  opportunity  of  thanking 
them,  for  the  able  and  impartial  manner  in  which  they 
marshalled  the  facts  for  your  enlightenment.  At  the  same 
time,  there  are  a  few  points  which  have  escaped  the  lynx- 
eyed  representatives  of  the  local  daily  Press,  and  it  might 
be  of  interest  if  we  particularise  a  little  on  the  subject, 
ourselves.  On  December  14  and  21.  1904.  we  published 
certain  articles  which  were  objected  to  by  Mr.  S.  Fisher: 
so  much  so.  that  he  was  of  opinion  that  we  had  damaged 
him  to  the  extent  of  £1.000.  Personally,  we  had  no  such 
belief,  nor  had  we  any  such  intention  :  otherwise,  it  is 
certain  that  the  articles  referred  to  would  not  have  been 
printed.  Silently,  but  firmly,  we  refused  an  apology  that 
was  suggested  in  Court,  where  the  matter  was  laid  before 
the  proper  tribunal.  We  elected  to  pose  the  subject 
matter  of  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW,  as  it  stood,  so  to  speak; 
to  stand  or  fall  by  the  interpretation  which  twelve 
good  men  and  true  should  place  thereon.  With  this 
decision  in  mind,  we  sat  out  the  trial ;  said  no 
single  word  in  extenuation  of  our  writing;  called  no  witness 
on  our  behalf  ;  made  no  effort  to  interfere  with  the  reading 
of  the  jury  ;  listened  to  a  pathetic  appeaj  from  Mr.  S.  T. 
Evans.  K.C..  M.P.— an  appeal  which  should  have  moved 
us  to  tears,  but  didn't :  listened  attentively  to  the 
Judge's  summing  up— which  could  scarcely  be  considered 
as  unduly  favourable  to  ourselves  :  and  in  the  result,  had 
the-  perhaps  you  will  say—questionable  satisfaction 
of  hearing  that  our  expressions  of  opinion  on  the 
dates  referred  to  had,  in  the  opinion  of  the  Jury,  damaged 
the  plaintiff  to  the  extent  of  £50,  instead  of  £1.000  as 
claimed.  Taking  into  consideration  the  fact  that  we  had 
never  met  Mr.  Fisher,  personally  ;  nor  had  ever  come  into 
contact  with  him.  in  any  way,  we  believe  that  this  little 
explanation  is  due  us ;  for  we  wish  it  to  be  distinctly 
understood  that,  in  our  strictures,  we  have  no  particle  of 
malice:  and  ever  have  felt  that  opinions  which  are  worthy  of 
attention,  should  stand  without  additional  explanation,  or 
the  introduction  of  extraneous  evidence.  How  far  wrong 
we  were  on  this  occasion,  is  exemplified  by  the  difference 
between  the  damages  granted,  and  those"  claimed  ;  the 
difference  between  £50  and  £1.000. 


ELSEWHERE  in  this  issue,  we  have  considered  the  Annual 
Report  of  the  Cardiff  Chamber  of  Commerce,  and  have 
culled  a  few  points  from  its  wealth  of  facts.  The  study  is 
a  most  fascinating  one.  and  we  see  no  reason  why  a 
further  garnering  of  useful  knowledge  should  not  be 
indulged  in,  especially  as  the  Report  is  a  history  of  Cardiff's 
yearly  progress,  drawn  from  reliable  sources.  For  instance, 
Cardiff  exports  some  21,000.000  tons  of  coal  per  annum. 
Where  does  it  go  :  who  is  the  greatest  patron  of  the  world- 
famed  fuel  ?  Well,  Cardiff  coal  goes,  practically,  every- 
where. At  any  rate,  the  Report  has  a  matter  of  460-odd 
ports  arranged  in  alphabetical  order,  and  commencing  with 
Aden  and  its  "taking"  of  127.146  tons  ;  we  jump  along  to 
Algoa  Bay,  where  the  figures  are  merely  27,515  tons; 
another  leap,  and  we  reach  Antofagasta  with  its  18,054 
tons  :  more  sprinting,  and  we  gain  Aarhus  and  a  poor  4,7 12 
tons,  in  justification  of  the  foreign  competition  which  has 
brought  it  thus,  from  15,000  tons  in  the  previous  year. 
Making  a  jab  into  the  "B's"  we  find  that  Bordeaux  has 
speculated  to  the  extent  of  285,147  tons:  Buenos  Ayres, 
616,452  tons ;  Brindisi,  95.264  tons :  and  Bangkok, 
12,877  tons.  We  have  purposely  "skipped  the  world 
over  "  in  our  gleanings  from  the  list,  and  are  of  opinion  that, 
as  a  sample  of  the  whole,  the  "A's,"  and  the  "B's" 
mentioned,  are  about  as  comprehensive  as  makes  no  odds  ? 

fi?  & 

As  to  the  individual  ports  which  are  the  greatest  patrons 
of  "good  old  Welsh,"  we  find  that  honours  are  about 
divided,  between  Genoa  and  Port  Said.  For  instance,  the 
former  port,  in  1903.  took  in  some  1,179,639  tons,  and  in 
1904,  972,668  tons:  while  the  figures  for  the  latter  port, 
and  for  the  two  years  indicated,  were  1,089,639  and 
1,1 14,086  in  tons,  respectively.  True,  this  gives  the  palm 
to  Port  Said,  to  the  extent  of  51,418  tons  in  two  years  ; 
but  in  view  of  the  fact  that  the  whole  amount  is  for  the  use 
of  passing  steamers,1  and  that  any  downward  trend  in  the 
popularity  of  the  Canal  route  would  adversely  affect  the 
export  to  that  Scene  of  Desolation,  it  is  but  right  to  say 
that  Genoa  is  Cardiff's  best  supporter?  Contrary  to 
popular  belief,  Alexandria  is  a  poor  Mediterranean  second, 
with  503.739  tons  to  its  credit.  As  already  shown, 
Buenos  Ayres  beats  Alexandria,  and  for  the  year  under 
consideration.  Hong  Kong-  thanks  to  the  Far  Eastern 
war— is  glorified  with  576.148  tons,  as  its  "  little  lot." 


March  31.   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


The  difference  made  by  the  war  will  be  appreciated. 
when  we  state  that  Hong  Kong's  quantity  for  1903,  was 
merely  57.471  tons—  and  there  was  a  jump,  good  people  : 
one  that  is  calculated  to  convince  you  as  to  the  favour  in 
which  Welsh  coal  is  held,  by  the  navies  of  the  world  ? 


AGAIN,  as  a  result  of  the  war.  we  find  that  Cronstadt  has 
"jumped  "from  172.518  tons  in  1903,  to  208.094  tons. 
in  1904:  while  emphasising  the  dire  effects  of  foreign 
competition,  we  see  that  Dieppe  has  come  down  from 
101.055  tons,  in  1903.  to  69.397  tons,  in  1904.  On  the 
other  hand.  Havre  has  increased  from  328,191  tons,  to 
370.1  10  tons,  in  the  same  period,  so  in  all  probability,  the 
"old.  old  bogie"  man  will  ship  his  superior  smile,  even  as 
he  murmurs  "quite  so  !  "  So  far.  we  have  given  attention 
to  merely  the  "  big  folk."  There  is  another  side  to  the 
shield,  here,  as  in  every  mundane  arrangement.  Even  as 
no  quantity  is  too  big  for  the  pushful  coal  person  at  Cardiff  : 
neither  is  a  small  parcel  beneath  his  consideration.  An 
expensive-minded  sort  of  "  kritter  "  in  Lobito  Bay.  needed 
a  first  consignment  of  nine  tons  and.  sirs,  he  got  it!  So 
did  another  merchant  in  Santa  Marta  !  In  each  instance. 
the  gentlemen  '  or  ladies  :  the  Report  is  a  bit  vague  on  this 
head  !)  were  pioneers  in  the  industry,  for  they  commenced 
to  see  the  beauties  of  Welsh  coal,  in  1904.  After  the 
nine-tons  consignments  enumerated.  20  tons  for  Savanilla; 
27  tons  for  Marbella  :  and  the  whole  of  159  tons  for 
Galveston  <  no  less  a  place  >  appear  quite  huge  ! 


SUNNY  Spain  deserves  a  paragraph  all  to  herself 
especially  in  view  of  its  rumoured  Royal  marital  arrange- 
ments with  this  country  ?  Barcelona  would  appear  to  be 
the  greatest  unit  in  the  Spanish  combination,  as  far  as 
Welsh  coal  is  concerned,  for  its  1  97.056  tons  represents 
the  greatest  on  this  particular  list  :  and  this  is  a  fall  of 
16.706  tons  on  the  total  for  the  previous  year  :  a  quantity 
which  Tarragona  nearly  manages  to  account  for.  seeing 
that  the  latter  place  imported  the  whole  of  1  6.209  tons  ! 
Neither  Carthagena.  Corcubion  nor  Corunna  are  worth 
bothering  about,  seeing  that  their  totals  are.  7.306.  5.055 
and  3.780  tons,  respectively,  indeed,  when  it  is  realised  that 
the  whole  of  Spain's  "  taking  "  is  represented  by  the  figures 
460.620  tons,  and  that  Barcelona  took  practically  one-half 
of  that  amount  :  well,  it  will  be  conceded  that  the  remain- 
ing ports  are  not  looming  unduly  tall  in  the  local  coal-owners' 
united  eye  !  We  agreed  to  give  Spain  a  paragraph  all  to 
itself.  It  was  in  one  of  our  weak  moments,  for  really,  the 


of  merit,   according  to   the  ideas   of   the  Cardiff    colliery 
manager : 

2.632.255  tons. 

2.439.279 


Italy 

France        

Egypt          

Argentine  Republic 

Brazil          

Hong  Kong 


1.640,241 
963.659 
704.256 
582.596 


and    for  anything  below  the  half-million  —  of  which  there 
are  dozens  of  names  in  the  list  -we  have  no  space. 


So  far  in  our  search  for  truth,  we  have  merely  investi- 
gated the  amount  of  coal  which  is  handled  at  Cardiff  Docks 
-that  is.  the  sea-borne  quantity  of  "gallant  little  Wales." 
which  is  annually  distributed  all  over  the  world,  to  gladden 
the  hearts  and  inflate  the  banking  accounts  of  all  sorts  and 
conditions  ™to  say  nothing  of  all  colours  —  of  men.  In 
addition  to  this  by-no-means-negligible  amount,  there  is 
the  portion  which  is  used  up  by  the  Briton,  on  his  own 
heath,  or  in  his  own  furnaces,  as  the  case  might  be.  The 
figures  for  each  year,  commencing  with  that  which 
immediately  succeeded  the  Year  of  Sin—  otherwise  the 
last  strike-  are  as  follow  : 

1899  ......   39.870.097  tons. 

1900  ......    39.328.209   „ 

1901  ......    39.209.059   .. 

1902  ......    41.305.583   .. 

1903  ......    42.153.287   .. 

1904  ...    43.730.415   .. 

or.  in  the  aggregate,  no  less  than  245.596.650  tons  of  the 
internal  economy  of  Wales  has  been  raised  "  to  bank."  for 
the  uses  of  the  universal  world  !  Is  it  any  wonder  that 
Professor  Boyd  Dawkins  gets  into  a  way  about  our  future 
coal  supplies?  Or  that  he  enacts  the  role  of  prophet,  with- 
out remembering  that  this  class  of  person  is  never  given 
the  honour  and  praise  that  is  his  due.  in  his  own  time 
and  generation  ? 

5?  & 

PERSONALLY,  we  are  sorry  for  these  prophetic  souls.  We 
are  prone  to  admit  that.  say.  300,000.000  of  tons  is 
calculated  to  look  a  big  heap,  if  one  imagines  the  lot  in 
one  place.  But  when  one  takes  a  journey  "  up  the  hills." 
and  gazes  around  on  the  landscape,  generally,  well,  one  is 
inclined  to  feel  that  in  comparison  with  the  awful  heap  of 
Wales  which  yet  remains,  a  paltry  300,000,000  tons,  in 
six  years,  is  a  mere  bagatelle.  Especially  when  one 
remembers  the  trend  of  modern  engineering  :  the  quiffs 
for  fuel-saving  that  are  constantly  being  patented  and 
worked  :  the  struggle  of  the  oil-fuelers  to  claim  attention 

and    profit:    the   petrol-working  machinery:    and  what 


exigencies  of  the  case  demand  that  the  Sunny  Land  shouTlT^rnt.     In   view  of  the   whole   arrangement,   one   is  hardly 


be  dismissed  with  a  small  notice.  Not  that  it  was  ever 
thus.  On  the  contrary,  rather,  for  time  was  that  the 
German  Syndicate  had  not  placed  its  inveigling  feet  and 
Westphalian  coal  in  this  part  of  the  world. 

fi?  & 

SEEING  that  our  freight  list  is  usually  well-filled  with  such 
places  as  Rio  de  Janeiro,  "The  Islands."  Colombo  (which 
spot  has  a  weakness  for  getting  its  coal  cheap).  St.  Malo. 
Rouen.  St.  Nazaire.  Savona.  Marseilles  and  Malta  it  will 
be  of  interest  to  know  that  the  1904  figures  for  those 
places,  in  tons,  are,  408.424:  311.389:  280.517: 
122.113:  111,026:  292,407:  207.706:  339.957  a 
fall  of  practically  218,000  tons,  in  consequence  of  the 
strike  at  that  port:  and  342.106  tons,  in  the  order 
mentioned.  But  to  avoid  wearying  the  reader  with  a  long 
array  of  figures,  it  will  be  as  well,  if  we  tabulate  the  chief 
receivers  of  the  "bottled  sunshine"  for  which  Cardiff  is 
world-famous.  Without  troubling  you  with  comparative 
tables,  here  are  the  figures  for  1904  and  in  their  order 


tempted  to  fuss  unduly  about  the  possible  dearth  of  any 
"  priceless  heritage  "  that  may  come  about,  yet  awhile. 
Beside,  there  is  always  a  certain  versatile  and  kingly 
gentleman  to  fall  back  upon.  Once  let  the  coal  supply 
become  short,  and  you  could  depend  on  his  giving  up 
telegrams,  and  swagger  uniforms  for  ten  minutes  :  for 
just  long  enough  to  put  us  all  happy  with  a  high-class 
though  "made  in  Germany"  substitute!  We  can  never 
understand  how  these  panicky  people  manage  to  overlook 
the  blessings  which  a  bountiful  providence  has  still 
vouchsafed  to  us  wicked  and  all.  as  we  are. 


HAVING  gone  into  the  supply  and  the  little  matters 
which  surround  it  let  us  consider  the  selling  price  of 
Cardiff  Best  Large  Steam  Coal  "according  to  quotations." 
And  mind  you.  there  is  an  awful  lot  in  the  quoted  sentence. 
Things  are  not  always  what  they  seem  anywhere  ;  they 
very  seldom  are.  in  coal-dealing.  The  world,  generally,  is 
apt  to  say  nasty  things  about  a  certain  class  of  horse-dealer: 


1 06 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


March  31,    1905 


but  Great  Caesar  !  The  average  horse-dealer  is  as  a  child. 
in  comparison  with  a  number  of  the  genus  coal-dealer.  We 
are  not  referring  to  the  gentlemanly  person  who  brings 
along  a  consignment  of  So-and-so's  "  red  ash  "  to  your 
back  door:  who  smilingly  offers  you  a  Corporation  (or 
Railway  Company's)  weigh  ticket:  and.  even  as  he  re- 
members the  terrible  temptations  which  beset  his  path. 
over  every  step  of  the  way  from  the  weigh-bridge  to  the 
back-door  aforesaid,  shudders  a  virtuous  shudder.  No. 
sirs!  We  mean  the  coal-dealer  who  "quotations"  you  a 
consignment  of  "  the  Best."  at  15s.  9d  ,  and  then,  in  great 
perturbation,  mops  the  moisture  from  his  manly  brow,  as 
you  smilingly  assent  providing  you  get  a  penny  in  the 
shilling  discount  !  At  times  like  these,  it  is  necessary  to 
write  "  according  to  quotations  "  ?  In  coal-land,  quotations 
are  merely  a  wile  of  that  old  gentleman  who  is  generally 
supposed  to  be  a  great  authority  on  coal  —or  fire,  if  you  like 
the  word  better. 


HOWEVER,  seeing  that  "  according  to  quotation"  is  as  near 
as  we  may  reasonably  hope  to  get,  it  is  as  well  if  we  review 
the  prices  as  given  —  again  since  the  Year  of  Sin.  In  the 
six  years  included  in  that  period,  the  selling  price  of  the 
coal  referred  to  in  the  preceding  paragraph,  works  out  as  : 

1899  ......    14s.  8!<d.    1902    ......    15s.  4d. 

1900  ......    24s.  7d.      1903    ......    14s.  5'2d. 

1901  ......    18s.  Id.      1904        ...    14s.  8'4d. 

Needless  to  say.  the  year  1900  was  remarkable  for  more 
than  "fancy  "  prices  f.o.b.  There  was  an  excessive  amount 
of  "  remarkability  "  hanging  about  the  frantic  efforts  made 
by  a  number  of  highly  respected  gentlemen  with  whom  we 
have  a  nodding  acquaintance,  in  an  endeavour  to  unload 
their  "faulty  "  properties  at  "  boom  "  prices.  We  remem- 
ber one  dear  old  chap,  who  went  to  bed  at  night,  and  in  the 
morning  had  "jumped  "  the  supposed  value  of  his  collieries, 
a  clean  £50.000.  It  worked  out  as  :  To-day,  the  property 
was  said  to  be  worth  about  £180.000  :  next  week—  seeing 
that  a  possible  buyer  had  sailed  above  the  horizon  —  the 
price  was  £200,000  :  and  then,  in  one  night,  as  explained. 
the  price  went  e'en  another  £50.000  higher. 


MOREOVER,  the  "dear  old  chap"  hied  him  to  the  firm  of 
London  financiers,  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  out  the  sale 
without  the  help  of  the  wicked  fellow  who  had  found  that 
prospective  buyer,  and  had  been  idiotic  enough  to  disclose 
his  name  on  the  assumption  that  coal-dealing  was  some- 
what different  from  horse-coping  :  he  has  other  ideas  now  : 
or  had,  when  last  we  discoursed  with  him  !  Still,  when 
coal-prices  are  up  around  the  25s.  stage,  any  "dear  old 
chap"  is  to  be  excused  for  losing  his  head  :.  for  forgetting 
that  noblesse  oblige  is  still  a  factor  with  some  business  men 

even  if,  as  is  stated  at  times,  the  age  of  chivalry  is  gone? 
Mind  you.  the  sale  didn't  "  come  off."  The  other  fellow, 
when  he  got  to  hear  of  the  transaction,  gave  the  whole 
show  away  which  was  mean  of  him,  and  as  far  as  we 
know,  the  same  old  concatenation  of  mining  property  is 
still  awaiting  the  next  "  boom."  Its  a  weary  world,  good 
sirs  :  especially  if  you  have  an  ambition  to  emulate  the  little 
soldier  boy  :  the  one  who  nobly  threw  down  the  bottle  - 
when  it  was  empty  !  Furthermore,  there  are  some  awfully 
'cute  people  engaged  in  working  the  selling  average  of 
Welsh  coal  into  "fancy"  stages.  You  may  take  that  from  us. 
By  the  same  token,  there  are  others  who  are  by  no  means 
'cute  merely  think  they  are.  when,  in  reality,  they  are  but 
unscrupulous.  But  this  is  a  digression  ? 


COME  we  now,  to  a  consideration  of  freights  during  the 
period   which  we   have   been    discussing    in    our    usually 


amiable  manner.  There  are  quite  a  number  of  good  people 
who  will  assure  us  that  there  were  not  any  freights  in  that 
period  :  merely  apologies  therefor.  So  be  it.  Ours  not  to 
reason  why,  etc.  But  let  us  compare  a  few  rates  that 
were  current  in  that  same  old  "  boom  "  year  to  which  we 
have  alluded,  with  those  which  were  in  vogue  in  1940. 
Here  goes  then.  We  will  not  tire  you  out ;  will  merely 
take  a  few,  and  solely  for  the  purpose  of  showing  that  you 
need  not  wonder,  when  hearing  of  so  many  reputably 
"  sound  "  firms,  going  "broke."  The  wonder  would  be  if 
they  didn't  go  "  broke."  From  Cardiff  :  first  figures  1900  ; 
second.  1904  : 


s.    d.        s.    d. 


s.     d. 


Antwerp 

...     6 

1 

4 

3 

Alexandria 

12 

2 

5 

6 

Christiania 

...     7 

6 

4 

9 

Constantinople 

10 

8 

5 

5 

Stockholm 

...     8 

4 

4 

10^ 

2  Rio  de  Janeiro 

17 

5 

8 

10 

Cronstadt 

...     8 

9 

4 

9 

Monte  Video  ... 

15 

11 

7 

3 

Dieppe  ... 

...     6 

7 

4 

0 

Aden    

19 

0 

7 

10 

Rouen  ... 

...     7 

0 

4 

9 

Bombay 

20 

10 

8 

4 

Bilbao  ... 

...     5 

0 

3 

8 

Hong  Kong     ... 

33 

8 

16 

6 

Lisbon  ... 

...     7 

11 

4 

6 

Shanghai 

40 

0 

18 

6 

Gibraltar 

...     8 

4 

5 

1 

Japan  

29 

0 

19 

6 

Palermo 

...    11 

0 

5 

8 

Singapore 

18 

11 

9 

8 

Genoa  ... 

..    10 

4 

5 

9 

Cape  Town     ... 

27 

9 

1  1 

10 

Do  you  need  any  more  —  after  the  foregoing  ?  You  don't? 
We  imagined  that  those  seductive-looking  figures  would 
about  sicken  you  !  And  yet,  in  face  of  it  all,  there  is  almost 
as  big  a  rush  to  acquire  new  tonnage,  as  if  there  were  a 
veritable  "  boom  "  due  in  about  twenty  minutes,  from  now  ? 
After  all,  the  rush  for  tonnage  is  merely  carrying  out 
nature's  first  law.  That  one  which  provides  for  a  survival 
of  the  fittest.  It  is  certain  that  the  more  up-to-date  the 
new  tonnage  is;  the  larger  —  as  things  are:  the  better  fitted 
with  labour-saving,  and  quick-despatch  appliances  ;  in  short, 
the  more  generally  efficient  :  the  better  chance  will 
there  be  for  earning  a  dividend.  The  only  fear  is.  that 
what  has  been,  will  be.  That  is,  with  the  advent  of  the  new 
tonnage,  the  displaced  portion  will  be  handed  over,  at  giving- 
away  prices,  to  the  foreigner.  That  way  madness  lays,  and 
if  the  shipowner  will  do  nothing  in  the  matter  to  save 
himself,  the  legislature  should  step  in  and  compel  him  to. 
If  the  old  crocks  were  differentiated  against  in  the  matter  of 
freight,  there  would  be  need  for  no  complaint.  Seeing  that 
the  veriest  old  crock  commands  as  fair  a  freight  as  a  brand- 
new.  up-to-date  sample  of  steamer,  there  is  such  a  need. 
A  very  urgent  one,  at  that. 


IN  leaving  this  review  of  the  Annual  Report  of  the  Cardiff 
Chamber  of  Commerce,  we  cannot  do  better  than  follow 
the  plan  adopted  by  its  able  compiler  —  give  you,  as  a  finale. 
the  particulars  of  traffic  as  handled  by  the  three  companies 
whose  properties  go  to  make  up  the  Port  of  Cardiff.  Here 
they  are  : 

CARDIFF   RAILWAY,  COMPANY. 

Statement  showing  the  Trade  and   Registered  Tonnage  which  has 

used  the  Bute  Docks  for  the  Years  1903  and  1904. 

PARTICULARS. 


IMPORTS,  Viz.  :  — 

1903. 

1904. 

Cattle          

No. 

2,354 

— 

Sheep 

No. 

3,808 

—  " 

Iron  Ore     

Tons 

827,126 

806,164 

Pig  Iron 

5,022 

4,515 

Iron  and  Ironwork         r,1     ... 

36,244 

41,669 

Timber  (Round  and  Square)  

Loads 

40,329 

25,909 

Deals  and  Deal  Ends    

• 

104,861 

91,047 

Flooring  Boards  and  Sundry  Wood 

13,249 

19,811 

Mining  Timber,  Pit  Props  &  Sleepers 

67,018 

82.304 

Pitwood 

Tons 

369,191 

340,484 

Grain  and  Flour  

275,529 

303,241 

Potatoes 

58,668 

60,836 

Bricks         

1,741 

2,852 

General  Merchandise    ... 

» 

257,046 

242,104 

Total  Imports 


2,056,024         2,020,936 


March  31,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


107 


EXPORTS,  Viz.  :  — 
Coal  and  Coke  (including  Bunker  Coali 
Patent  Fuel 

Tons. 
7.169,912 
372  444 

Tons. 
7,490,481 
457  517 

Iron  and  Steel  Rails 

85  939 

60  990 

Iron  (Pig   Iron.   Speigel.   and  other  of  like 
nature) 

2  127 

5QS7 

Iron  (Sundry)  and  Ironwork  ... 
Bricks 

58,425 
1  303 

67,080 

General  Merchandise    ... 

128  177 

167  876 

Total  Exports 
Imports  and  Exports  (together! 


7,818.327         8,250,082 


9.874,351        10.271.018 


REGISTERED  TONNAGE  CLEARED. 


Steam 
Sailing 


1903.         1904. 
No.  of  Vessels. 
6,326        6,678 
2.043         1.805 


1903.  1904. 

Tons  Register. 
3,772.153         4.040.502 
285.377  250,204 


Total 


8.369        8.483 


4,057.530        4,290.706 


BARRY  RAILWAY  COMPANY. 

Statement  showing  the  Trade  and   Registered  Tonnage  which  has 

used  the  Barry  Docks  for  the  Years  1903  and  1904. 

PARTICULARS. 


IMPORTS.  Viz.  :  — 

Pitwood  (including  Props)       
Timber       
Rails           
Iron  
1  ron  Ore 

1903. 
Tons. 
330,953 
26.179 
460 

3  491 

1904. 
Tons. 
340,257 
33.329 

18.832 

9.008 
22.052 
350 

Building  Material 
General  Merchandise 
Patent  Fuel 

13,749 
14,764 

Total  Imports 

EXPORTS.  Viz.  :— 
Coal  and  Coke 
Rails            
Pitch  and  Fuel     
Iron  and  Iron  Ore 
General  Merchandise    

Total  Exports 
Total  Imports  and  Exports 

REGISTERED  TONNAGE 
1903.         1904. 
No.  of  Vessels 
Steam                                   3.016        2,979 
Sailing  ...                                112            103 

389.596 

423.828 

...     8.840.891 
1.801 

630 

11.858 

-.       8.855.180 

9.113.762 
314 
915 

10.439 
9.125.430 

...     9.244.776 

9,549.258 

CLEARED. 
1903. 
Tons. 
4,218.892 
68.821 

1904. 
Tons. 
4.298.070 
53.902 

Total 

3,128        3.082 

4.287,713 

4.351.972 

TAFF   VALE    RAILWAY  COMPANY. 

Statement  showing  the  Trade  and   Registered  Tonnage  which  has 
used  the  Penarth  Dock  and  Harbour.  1903  and  1904. 


PARTICULARS. 


IMPORTS.  Viz.  : 

Iron  Ore     

Iron  and  Ironwork 

Sleepers     

Sundry  Wood 

Pitwood      

Wood  Pulp 
Gas  Coal    ... 
General  Merchandise 


EXPORTS.  Viz. : 
Coal  and  Coke 
Patent  Fuel 
Iron  and  Ironwork 
General  Merchandise 


1903. 

1904. 

Tons. 

Tons—  • 

262 

163 

1.760 

1,322 

816 

1.194 

10.072 

8,611 

32.842 

35.557 

72.859 

82,556 

33.103 

41,872 

Total 


151,714 


171.275 


3.800.700  3.871,279 

275  868 

610  875 

758  3,053 


Total 
Total  Imports  and  Exports 


3.802,343 
3.954,057 


3.876,075 
4,047.350 


Steam    ... 
Sailing   ... 


REGISTERED  TONNAGE  CLEARED. 

1903.         1904.  1903.  1904. 

No.  No.  Registered  Tons. 

2.437        2,403  1.687,148         1,689,157 


991 


897 


85.230 


82.268 


Total 


3.428        3.300 


1,772.378          1771,425 


WE  suppose  it  is  alright,  this  new  departure  in  securing 
neophytic  Nelsons  for  Britain's  First  Line  of  Defence  ;  this 
"  ten  minutes  chat  with  possible  candidates  "  :  but  to  our 
mind,  there  is  a  large  amount  of  the  grotesque  about,  when 
a  number  of  "  old  'uns  "  sit  in  judgment  on  one  or  two 
"  young  'uns."  Tommy  comes  in,  with  a  nicely  burnished 
face,  and  is  told  by  mamma,  before  engaging  on  the  inter- 
view lay.  that  he  must  "  just  be  natural."  Tommy  says  he 
will  :  goes  in  to  the  sacred  room  :  is  put  through  his  paces  : 
and  the  Solons  decide,  as  to  whether  this  boy  of  twelve  is 
likely  to  make  a  smart  man  at  thirty,  and—  well,  and 
there  you  are  !  Past  experiences  which  tend  to  show  that 
a  boy  may  be  a  duffer  at  twelve,  and  a  genius  at  twenty—  or 
vice  versa  —  are  ignored,  completely.  Telepathy,  and  pre- 
science are  switched  on.  so  that  in  future,  the  fool  of  the 
family  is  going  to  be  left  to  worry,  only,  the  authors  of  his 
being  —  with  the  foolishness  which  they  have  passed  on  to 
him  !  Mind  you.  there  is  a  code  of  rules  laid  down  for  use 
in  these  "  informal  interviews."  You  see,  some  boys  are 
thoroughbred,  while  others  are  well,  not  thoroughbred. 
being  more  inclined  to  mongrelism,  if  we  may  be  forgiven 
such  a  term  in  connection  with  blue  blood  ? 

fi?  & 

ANYHOW,  if  you  get  a  thoroughbred  on  the  tapis,  you  have 
to  say  something  funny  :  something  that  is  calculated  to 
make  him  laugh.  Not  to  laugh  immoderately,  you  under- 
stand. for  sometimes  you  have  to  remember,  that  "the 
loud  laugh  bespeaks  the  vacant  mind  "  :  therefore,  you 
have  to  make  the  neophyte  laugh,  a  bit  —  even  if  you  tickle 
him  with  a  feather  ?  On  the  other  hand,  you  are  impressed 
with  the  fact  that  what  will  make  one  boy  laugh,  will  gar 
another  to  greet  !  This,  of  course,  might  be  a  dilemma  that 
may  not  be  too  easily  overcome  ?  If  it  were  all  a  matter  of 
feather-tickling,  the  thing  would  be  easy  enough.  With  the 
naturally  inclined-to-laugh  lad.  any  kind  of  feather  would  be 
permissible:  but  with  the  other  sort,  you  would  need  to 
hustle  around  for  a  bit  of  eider-down,  or  the  split-end  of  an 
ostrich  plume.  We  are  not  at  all  sure  as  to  whether  we 
have  read  aright,  the  suggestions  concerning  the  laugh;  but 
we  are  sure  that  a  worthy  vice-admiral  is  of  opinion,  that  a 
question  which  will  make  one  lad  laugh,  will  make  another 
youngster  cry.  And  that  is  clear  enough,  don't  you  think?  As 
already  suggested,  there  are  merely  two  kinds  of  breeding 
recognised  by  the  authorities.  As  usual,  there  is  no 
middle  course.  You  have  to  bang  her  to  hard-a-port.  or  to 
hard-a-starboard.  and  "  a  touch  "  either  way  is  out  of 
bounds. 


VERY  well  then.  As  "good  breeding  is  an  indispensable 
oualifictaion  for  future  naval  officers:"  and  as  it  doesn't 
seem  to  matter  a  toss  as  to  their  ability  :  we  are  surprised 
that  any  alteration  in  the  old  rules  were  thought  necessary. 
From  time  immemorial,  none  but  the  scions  of  noble  houses 
were  accounted  fit  to  bear  a  Royal  commission,  and  if  those 
scions  are  not  chock-ful  of  "good  breeding,"  what  is  there 
left  to  the  nation  ?  In  future—  even  as  in  the  past  the 
same  darlings  of  the  gods  will,  alone,  be  considered  as  fit  to 
pose  as  the  nominal  heads  of  the  King's  Navee.  Under 
the  circumstances,  therefore,  why  all  this  pother  about 
good  breeding,  and  its  indi&pensability  in  connection  with 
the  naval  officer  of  the  future  ?  On  the  authority  of  a 
one-time  assistant-master  of  a  public  school,  we  are 
assured  that  the  two  kinds  of  breeding  stand  out  as  "  a  real 
inferiority  of  tone."  and  "a  superficial  deficiency  of 
manners  "—quite  a  pleasing  fashion  in  which  to 
put  it  ?  One  would  hardly  dare  to  suggest  that  the 
Honourable  Tommy  were  bound  to  be  either  a  gentleman 
or  a  Hooligan—  would  one,  now  ?  All  the  same,  it  would 
be  the  truth,  and  the  leanings  would  be  all-to-often  toward 
the  Hooligan  side  of  the  bulkhead. 


loS 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


March  31,  1905 


HOWEVER,  it  is  sad  to  note  that  the  real  inferiority  of  tone 
can  hardly  be  disguised,  "  even  in  a  boy  who  has  been 
brought  up  under  favourable  social  influences,"  because 
the  natural  result  of  this,  will  be  an  insufficiency  of  naval 
officers—  if  the  present  torn-fool  notions  are  allowed  to 
continue.  Here  let  us  quit  the  indulgent  tone,  and  adopt 
the  plain  questioning.  Will  it  be  contended  that,  in  a 
nation  the  size  of  Britain,  we  have  no  good  material  that  is 
fit  to  be  moulded  into  creditable  naval  officers,  save  only 
within  the  ranks  of  the  cult  which,  hitherto,  have  had  it  all 
their  own  way  ?  What  about  the  hundreds  of  mercantile 
sailors  who,  year  in,  year  out.  command  the  fastest  ships 
afloat  :  who  run  with  what  is  almost  an  uncanny  freedom 
from  mishap  :  who  carry  about  princes,  dukes,  lords,  and 
every  other  sort  of  noblemen  :  and  who  never  get  hauled 
over  the  coals  for  a  lack  of  good  breeding  ;  or  for  acting 
other  than  as  a  gentleman  under  all  conditions,  which 
demand  such  conduct  ?  Are  not  these  men  fit  to  have 
charge  of  a  warship  ?  Is  there  any  scarcity  of  them  about? 
If  you  add  a  hundred  liners  to  the  existing  fleets,  will  you 
have  a  moment's  difficulty  in  finding—  among  the  thousands 
of  officers  enough  gentlemanly  commanders  to  supply 
the  new  additions  which  we  have  suggested  ? 

5?  $3 

OF  course  you  won't,  only  some  ignorant  folk  have  tried 
to  persuade  you,  that  a  Mercantile  Marine  officer  is  a  bundle 
of  swear-words  and  general  cussedness  :  that  he  can, 
under  no  circumstances,  be  a  gentleman.  It's  all  fudge, 
sirs  !  In  the  ranks  of  Mercantile  Marine  commanders, 
there  are  no  scions  of  noble  houses  ;  but,  practically  every 
man-Jack  is  a  natural  gentleman,  or  the  survival  of  the 
fittest  would  have  made  it  impossible  for  either  of  them  to 
be  in  command.  The  merchant  sailor  who  has  attained 
command,  is.  in  the  majority  of  instances,  in  a  position  to 
pose  as  a  gentleman,  or  as  a  seeming  blackguard.  His 
virtues  are  positive,  on  both  heads.  Experience  has  taught 
him  that  to  pose  as  a  gentleman  to  a  number  of  Continental 
anarchists,  would  be  merely  a  casting  of  pearls  before 
swine  :  so  he  adopts  the  role  of  blackguard,  for  the  time 
being,  and  successfully  puts  the  fear  of  God  into  the  ruck 
with  which  he  is  cursed—  these  days.  But  to  see  the 
same  man  at  dinner  ;  with  his  Grace  of  Somewhere  on  the 
right,  and  the  Earl  of  Something  on  the  left  ;  with  a  fairly 
decent  sprinkling  of  other  titles  scattered  around  the 
saloon  :  well,  it  is  to  see  a  nautical  gentleman.  A  man 
who  is  an  epitome  of  courtesy  and  good  breeding—  and  a 
sailor  to  the  finger  tips,  notwithstanding. 


THIS  old  talk  of  "  gems  of  wisdom  ;  "  of  well-deserved 
encomiums  to  this,  that,  or  the  other  Naval  authority  :  of 
praise  -from  sources  which  probably  know  as  much  about 
the  circumstances,  as  we  know  of  why  the  fly  got  in  the 
amber—  that  is  merely  intended  to  act  as  a  bit  of  syco- 
phancy :  makes  us  tired.  Throw  the  navigating  appoint- 
ments of  the  Navy  open  to  the  nation  :  merely  stand  aside 
and  allow  nature's  inexorable  laws  to  operate  ;  and  you 
will  be  surprised  at  the  number  of  really  high-class  and 
altogether  dependable  officers  the  nation  will  possess. 
inside  of  five  years.  Go  on  with  this  mutual  admiration 
business  :  this.  "  Oh,  my,  how  nice  of  Lord  So-an'-so  ! 
How  patient  he  is,  and  what  a  wealth  of  positive  brains  the 
man  possesses  !  "  :  and  you  are  on  the  fringe  of  the 
toughest  time  that  has  ever  faced  dear  old  Britain.  We 
have  told  you,  repeatedly,  that  things  are  not  well  with  the 
Navy  ;  we  tell  you  again.  Furthermore,  they  never  will 
be  well,  until  this  pocket-borough  business  is  relegated  to 
the  limbo  of  the  past.  There  is  no  man  on  earth,  who  can 
successfully  forecast  the  future  possibilities  of  a  lad  of 
twelve—and  you  know  it.  Seeing  that  you  do,  why  be 
imposed  upon  by  a  quantity  of  old  piffle  on  the  subject  ? 


THINK  over  the  foregoing,  friends.  Having  thought,  we 
are  convinced  that  you  will  agree  with  us.  Think  of 
examples  in  your  own  families  —  and  thinking,  remember 
that  you  have  no  sort  of  copyright  for  human  surprises. 
Your  own  lad,  at  twelve,  perhaps,  was  a  dullard  :  or  so  you 
sadly  opined  ;  at  twenty-five  he  was  head-and-shoulders 
above  his  fellows  —  and  you  wondered,  even  as  you  felt 
proud,  and  glad!  On  the  other  hand,  you  might  have  had 
an  infantile  prodigy  :  a  lad,  who  at  twelve,  was  a  bundle  of 
scintillating  brilliancy,  but  who  at  twenty-five,  was  -well, 
the  least  said  about  him  at  that  precise  age  (and  after), 
the  better  for  all  concerned  !  With  the  good  people 
descanted  upon  in  this  present  writing,  there  appears  to  be 
altogether  too  much  of  the  academic,  and  too  little  of  the 
real.  They  are  arguing  from  hearsay,  or  from  a  knowledge 
of  one  side  of  the  subject,  only.  It  is  utter  nonsense  to 
pretend  that  Britain  has  any  difficulty  in  obtaining  a 
sufficiency  of  meritorious  officers.  She  has  not.  There  is 
a  difficulty  in  getting  the  requisite  number  from  the  upper 
reaches  of  British  "  Society  ;  "  but  there  are  other  reaches 
from  which  to  fish.  Why  not  drop  a  line  therein,  and 
stand-by  for  results  ? 


"  BUT,"  you  might  be  inclined  to  hazard,  "  is  not  this  a 
different  sort  of  man  to  what  we  have  been  taught  to 
consider  as  the  ordinary  skipper  of  commerce  ?  "  He  is, 
undoubtedly  :  but  they  all  graduate  in  the  same  school, 
don't  forget.  He  took  his  trick  at  the  wheel  ;  kept  his 
look-out  :  washed  paint-work  :  chipped  bulwarks  ;  handed, 
or  reefed  a  sail  :  polished  brass-work  ;  stripped  the  ship  to 
the  lower  yards-  which  he  "cock-billed"-  that  time  we 
were  caught  in  a  hurricane  at  Mauritius  :  and  passed 
through  every  successive  grade,  from  boy  to  master.  That 
is  mainly  why  he  is  in  a  position  to  pose  as  either  gentle- 
man or  blackguard,  and  to  be  sure  that  he  never  uses  one 
phase,  when  the  other  should  be  de  riguer.  He  was  one 
of  the  fittest,-  and  has  survived.  That  is  all  !  But  in  con- 
nection with  this  dodge  to  secure  neophytic  Nelsons,  their 
virtues  will  be  all  of  the  negative  kind.  They  might  never 
hope  to  be  in  a  position  to  pose  as  a  blackguard  :  but  then, 
they  will  experience  just  as  much  difficulty  in  acting  up  to 
modern  notions  of  a  gentleman.  They  will  be  merely  a 
kind  of  "  betwixt-and-between."  and  for  the  simple  reason 
that  they  have  been  wet-nursed,  instead  of.having  to  stand 
the  racket  of  natural  laws. 


DEAR  us  !  "  Sharks  have  become  so  numerous  in  the 
Adriatic,  that  the  maritime  authorities  at  Trieste  have 
offered  bonuses  ranging  from  7s.  6d.  to  £20,  for  their 
capture."  Here  is  an  opportunity  for  some  of  the  local 
philanthropists  !  Sharks  are  just  as  numerous  "  up  Butey 
Roadey,"  and  yet  never  a  body  thinks  it  worth  while  to 
offer  a  bonus  for  their  capture.  What's  that  ?  Bonus-giving 
for  this  purpose,  would  break  any  philanthropist  that  ever 
was  ?  Not  it,  sirs  !  Once  round-up  one  or  two  of  the 
gentry,  and  the  others  would  flit  to  pastures  new.  The 
shark  is  the  biggest  coward  on  earth  —  or  in  the  waters 
under  the  earth,  for  that  matter.  He  merely  multiplies 
where  he  has  no  opposition,  or  no  molestation.  Of  course. 
you  could  not  expect  to  get  much  of  a  shark  for  7s.  6d., 
could  you  ?  But  on  the  £20  lay,  phew  !  You  could  gather 
them  in,  in  full  and  plenty.  The  only  trouble  that  we  can 
see  in  the  action  of  the  Trieste  authorities  is,  that  Cardiff 
will  soon  have  more  than  her  proper  share  of  these  pests. 
Drive  them  out  of  the  Adriatic  towns,  and  they  will  work  a 
passage  to  Taff-side.  As  things  are,  at  present,  we  have 
enough  and  to  spare  of  this  class  of  fakement  ;  by-and-bye. 
things  are  going  to  be  worse  ! 


March  31,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


109 


EH,  eh !  There  are  troublous  times  ahead  of  the  poor 
engineer.  These  wicked  turbines  are  going  to  cause  a 
slump  in  the  engineering  markets  of  the  world  !  Consider 
the  maiden  passage  of  the  Allan  Line's  Victorian,  if  you  are 
seeking  any  proof  to  our  remarks.  Here  is  a  "  wireless  " 
which  wandered  shoreward  from  the  telegraph  house. 
away  for'ed  :  "  Fine  weather :  turbines  working  smoothly  : 
no  vibration."  No  noise :  no  clanketty-clank  :  no  serious 
looks  upon  the  faces  of  the  staff  :  noquerulousness  from  the 
"chief."  Everything  in  tip-top  order,  and  in  the  midst  of  a 
north-east  gale,  the  happy  passengers  sweetly  sleeping 
within  their  bunks  !  Is  it  any  wonder  that  Daily  Mail  labels 
the  whole  caboodle  as  a  "turbine  triumph  "?  Of  course, 
not !  Why.  "  with  a  speed  of  seventeen  or  seven  knots. 
there  was  scarcely  a  perceptible  tremor  through  the  ship." 
That's  what's  the  matter,  and  as  we  have  asked  on  previous 
occasions,  who  is  going  to  be  the  first  Cardiffian  to  include 
among  the  tonnage  registered  at  the  port,  a  turbine-pro- 
pelled steamer  ?  Here,  locally,  we  have  turrets,  trunks, 
shelter-decks,  life-boat-likes,  half-tide-rockers,  and,  oh. 
heaps  of  other  kinds  :  but  they  are  all  driven  with  the  out- 
of-date  reciprocating  engines  :  the  machinery  which  has 
seen  its  day  !  Who  is  going  to  break  ground  that  will  be 
new  locally  ? 

*fe 

WITHOUT  going  into  the  merits  or  demerits  of  the  over- 
loading case  which  was  tried  at  Cardiff,  on  Friday  last,  we 
yet  are  of  opinion  that  the  law.  in  this  particular  direction, 
is  in  sad  need  of  revision.  The  result  of  the  trial  was  "  a 
fine  of  £50  and  costs,  or  two  months,  distress  in  default  of 
payment  to  be  levied  upon  the  ship."  Is  there  any  sense. 
reason,  or  justice,  in  thus  branding  a  man  as  a  criminal, 
when  he  has.  at  the  worst,  committed  a  merely  technical 
error  ?  It  will  be  admitted  that,  supposing  the  ship  were 
overloaded  to  trfe  extent  of  two  and  a  half  inches,  and  yet 
got  home  in  safety,  nobody  was  hurted  ?  Also,  that  if  the 
lynx-eyed  inspection  which  found  out  the  probability  of  the 
two  and  a  half  inches  <  and  the  nose  that  smelled  a 
fine),  had  been  passed  over  to  some  of  the  rotten  life-saving 
appliances  which  were  about  at  the  same  time,  then  some- 
body would  have  been  benefitted  ?  The  law  as  regards 
overloading  especially  at  Cardiff  is  ever  understood  and 
administered  on  the  assumption  that  the  shipmaster  is  a 
double-dyed  villain,  and  that  he  wilfully  allows  his  vessel 
to  be  overladen.  Now.  after  twenty  years  of  sea  life,  we 
are  convinced  that  not  one  in  a  thousand  overloading  cases 
materialise  from  malice  prepense,  nor  with  the  hope  of 
raising  two  or  three  additional  sovereigns  by  way  of  freight. 

0fe 

THE  fact  of  the  matter  is.  Cardiff,  like  a  number  of  other 
big  shipping  centres,  is  sadly  in  need  of  a  Marine  Court. 
A  tribunal  where  men  accustomed  to  marine  procedure, 
will  decide  as  to  the  why  and  wherefore  of  things  maritime. 
It  is  easily  conceivable  that  in  the  case  of  a  man  who  is  for 
ever  dealing  with  all  that  is  sordid  and  seamy  in  human 
nature  :  that  is.  in  the  case  of  a  man  acting  as  a  Police 
Court  magistrate  :  it  is  easily  conceivable  then,  that  such 
a  man  is  prone  to  see  wickedness  and  depravity  in  every- 
thing. Nobody  wishes  to  screen  a  scoundrel  from  the 
results  of  his  scoundrelism  :  but  on  the  face  of  it,  if  a  man 
is  equally  affected  by  any  possible  risks  that  come  about 
through  a  case  of  overloading  as  are  the  members  of  his 
crew  :  then,  it  is  open  to  believe  that  the  overloading  was 
the  result  of  accident,  pure  and  simple,  and  under  the 
circumstances  he  has  no  right  to  be  faced  with  "  the 
alternative  of  two  months"  in  jail,  'fore  all  the  world  as  if 
he  were  a  criminal  ?  Gainsay  the  fact  who  may.  a  sailor- 
man  at  Cardiff,  is  seldom  given  the  benefit  of  any  doubt 
that  hangs  around  his  case.  Fines  are  urgently  needed  : 
the  skipper  has  made  a  slip  :  ergo,  he  must  pay  a  fine. 


A  FINE.  too.  that  is  utterly  ridiculous  in  its  severity,  and 
which  is  another  factor  in  driving  the  Briton  from  the 
command  of  British  vessels.  With  a  marine'  Court  as 
suggested,  the  shipping  community  could  feel  satisfied  in 
leaving  their  cases  in  hands  which  were  nautically  capable. 
And  anyhow,  what  right  has  a  Police  Court  to  decide  as  to 
whether  a  technical  breach  has  been  committed,  or  other- 
wise ?  To  our  mind,  the  whole  thing  is  an  injustice,  and  the 
sooner  that  steps  are  taken  to  alter  such  a  tyrannical  state 
of  affairs,  the  better  will  it  be  for  all  concerned.  Cardiff, 
to-day,  has  nearly  350.000  tons  of  locally-owned  shipping  : 
yet.  whenever  a  case  occurs  in  which  the  aid  of  the  law  is 
invoked  ( and  naturally,  with  such  a  quantity  of  vessels, 
this  is  pretty  frequently)  the  parties  interested  have  to 
scurry  off  to  the  alleged  Hub  of  the  Universe,  there  to 
seek  what  should  be  every  Briton's  right,  on  his  own  heath 
— justice,  and  a  settlement  as  soon  as  possible.  Whether 
it  is  a  salvage  case,  or  a  collision  ;  a  disputed  charter-party. 
or  breach  of  contract ;  London  alone,  is  allowed  to  put  the 
matter  right.  In  the  old  days,  and  when  London  was  about 
the  only  place  on  earth  that  was  worthy  of  consideration 
from  a  nautical  point  of  view,  this  did  not  so  much  matter. 

5?^3 

TO-DAY,  however,  when  London  is  no  longer  in  the 
running  for  enterprising  effort,  such  conduct  is  a  sin  and 
shame.  With  a  properly  constituted  Marine  Court  at 
Cardiff :  a  Court  such  as  the  town— seeing  that  it  is  the 
Welsh  Metropolis  -should  have  :  any  maritime  case  could 
be  settled  with  the  promptitude  and  despatch  which  has 
made  Cardiff  what  it  is,  at  present,  and  for  which  it  is 
noted  the  world  over.  Under  the  suggested  conditions,  a 
shipmaster  could  depend  on  getting  justice  -as  distinct 
from  mere  law  ;  and  for  the  simple  reason  that  there 
would  be  less  of  that  "he  must  be  utterly  bad,  or  he  would 
not  have  been  haled  before  ME."  According  to  the  ethics 
of  modern  life,  there  is  far  more1  reason  for  the  Londoner 
to  come  to  Cardiff,  than  there  is  for  the  Cardiffian  to  go  to 
London — if  really  nautical  subjects  are  to  be  successfully 
dealt  with.  Because  a  state  of  affairs  has  been,  is  no  just 
reason  that  it  should  be  allowed  to  continue,  and  in  our 
opinion,  most  of  the  "  maritime  decisions "  which  are 
bandied  about,  should  be  relegated  to  the  Tower  of  London, 
to  pose  with  the  thumb-screws,  and  "blacksmith's 
daughters"  of  a  remoter — and  more  benighted — age. 

fi?  fc 

ANOTHER  abortive  meeting  of  the  parties  interested  in 
coal-trimming  eventuated  on  Friday,  last.  The  proceed- 
ings were  of  the  "  strictly  private  and  confidential "  kind, 
and  the  minions  of  the  Press  were  excluded  from  all 
knowledge  of  the  possibilities  of  an  ultimate  settlement. 
Exclusion  notwithstanding,  there  was  just  enough 
"  leakage  "  to  suggest  the  "most  cordial  character"  lines, 
so  if  everybody  save,  perhaps,  the  coal-trimmers  isn't 
satisfied,  then,  they  ought  to  be.  Really,  the  whole  affair 
is  becoming  dangerously  close  to  bathos.  Writing  as 
something  of  an  expert  on  the  question,  we  are  of  opinion 
that  if  a  settlement  is  really  desired,  this  can  be  brought 
about  with  one  meeting,  and  that,  not  a  long  one.  Of 
course,  if  the  status  quo  is  intended  to  continue  as  long  as 
possible  :  if  shipowner  is  to  be  forced  to  pay  up  on  the  old 
scale  "  under  protest :  "  and  if  the  ultimate  differences  in 
price  have  to  be  settled,  by  and  bye  :  well,  we  can  under- 
stand the  long-drawn-out  sweetness  of  the  whole  contrap- 
tion. It  is  an  old  saw  which  declares  that  none  are  so 
blind  as  they  who  will  not  see  :  on  the  same  assumption, 
none  are  so  contentious  as  they  who  will  not  agree.  Mean- 
while, the  trade  of  Cardiff  pursues  its  merry  way.  'fore  all 
the  world  as  if  no  shipowner  wished  to  prove  that  his  boat 
is  the  easiest  trimmed  on  earth :  or  that  a  colliery  man 
was  careless  of  annexing  an  odd  farthing  per  ton.  in 
perpetuity.  Queer  game  ? 


110 


THE     MARITIME    REVIEW. 


March  31,    1905 


THERE  is  a  good  time  coming  for  Falmouth :  At  least, 
there  would  be  a  good  time,  if  some  of  the  dear  old  fossils 
thereaway  could  engineer  it!  What's  the  matter  with 
turning  the  outer  edge  of  the  Fal  into  a  naval  base  ? 
Nothing,  is  there  ?  All  you  would  need,  would  be  to  dig  the 
place  out  a  bit :  spend  a  few  millions  on  docks  and  other 
improvements:  put  up  sheds  and  colleges— can't  have  a 
regular  Naval  Port,  these  days,  without  at  least  one 
college  nestling  under  a  hill :  restrict  the  natives  in  every 
possible  manner- -for  the  good  of  the  nation:  and  then 
stroll  off  to  some  more  suitable  place  !  Falmouth  is  a 
noted  place— on  many  counts.  It  is  principally  noted  for 
the  kind  of  decisions  which  its  own  particular  "  beak " 
enumerates  in  connection  with  shipping  cases.  Say,  where 
men  refuse  duty  :  or  where  a  shipmaster  dies,  after  arriving 
at  the  port.  Of  course,  these  are  but  the  natural  con- 
comitants of  nautical  greatness  ;  but  when  it  comes  down  to 
the  calm  suggestion  of  making  the  spot  a  Naval  base- 
right  under  the  lee  of  Devonport.  too.  well,  we  have  to  hunt 
around  for  something  in  which  to  hide  our  hilarity  !  We  have, 
really :  and  the  circumstances  do  not  admit  of  our  being  too 
particular  in  our  choice. 

5?^ 

HERE,  hold  our  heads,  please  !  Naval  "  accountant 
officers "  are  on  the  rampage,  because  they  are  somewhat 
afraid  that,  like  Othello,  they  will  find  their  occupations 
gone.  Economy— with  a  capital  E  is  on  the  bounding 
deep,  and  it  is  claimed  that  a  lieutenant  (officer  ?)  assisted 
by  a  competent  staff  of  "writers."  which,  in  'longshore 
talk  is  "  clerks."  could  manage  all  the  clerical  work  of  a 
warship,  quite  as  well  as  it  is  managed  at  present.  We 
should  smile  !  If  the  lieutenant  failed  ;  or  if  his  "  writers  " 
failed  him  :  then,  neither  the  lieutenant  nor  his  clerical 
staff  would  be  of  much  account,  commercially  considered. 
Naturally,  the  "  accountant  officers  "  have  different  views, 
and  if  the  wickedness  is  carried  through  ;  if  the  gentlemen 
are  turned  adrift  on  a  cold,  unfeeling  world— well,  it  will  be 
somewhat  rough  on  the  world  don'tcherknow.  It  is 
suggested  that  Admirals  will  always  be  in  need  of 
secretaries,  and  on  the  face  of  it,  there  is  truth  in  the 
contention.  But  then,  Admirals  are  scarcely  as  plentiful 
as  "  accountant  officers  ?  "  So  that  if  economy  is  really 
aimed  at,  it  would  be  cheaper  to  create  a  brand  of  short- 
hand "  officers  "  :  detail  one  to  each  Admiral :  and  wipe  out 
the  naval  lilies  of  the  field.  What  do  you  think  ?  It  would 
be  hard,  of  course:  but  these  are  hard  times. 

#  fc 

WELLINGTON,  New  Zealand,  is  going  the  pace  !  Among 
other  incidents  which  conclusively  establish  the  truth  of 
our  remark,  is  the  fact  that  a  twenty-ton  crane  is  by  way 
of  being  installed  on  the  Railway  Wharf,  by  order  of  the 
Harbour  Board.  No  less  than  four  British  firms  were 
asked  to  tender  for  this  fair-sized  piece  of  machinery,  and 
the  successful  tenderers  were  Messrs.  Tannett.  Walker  & 
Co..  Ltd..  of  Leeds,  who  have  earned  a  reputation  in  South 
Wales,  which  they  might  well  be  proud  of.  We  understand 
that  the  price  of  the  crane,  f.o.b.  at  Liverpool,  is  £3,009  : 
and  for  the  freight  and  insurance  to  Wellington,  at  a  sum 
not  exceeding  £1,205— or  £4,214  in  all.  The  crane  is  to 
have  three  lifting  powers  of  some,  6,  13.  and  20  tons 
respectively,  through  a  height  of  100ft.  This  means,  that 
the  jib  will  be  high  enough  to  clear  the  deck-houses  of  the 
largest  steamers  using  the  Railway  Wharf  at  Wellington, 
which,  in  addition  to  the  crane  mentioned,  is  to  be  fitted 
with  ten  hydraulic,  double-power,  gantry  cranes.  The 
lifting  power  of  these  latter  will  be  40cwt.  and  15cwt.. 
when  under  either  the  double  or  single  hydraulic  rams,  as 
may  be.  Taken  altogether,  it  will  be  conceded  that 
Wellington  is  progressive  ?  Look  out  for  trade  expansion, 
now.  sirs. 


MARITIME     MARK     MAKERS. 


WILLIAM    JONES,    ESQ., 
President  of  the  Cardiff  Chamber  of  Commerce. 


THAN  the  subject  of  this  present  writing,   it  would  be 
hard   to  find    a   more  difficult.      Not    because    Mr. 
William  Jones  is  a  difficult  person   in  himself  ;    but  rather 
that  it  is  practically  impossible  to  prevail  on  him  to  talk 
about  his  successes  in  life,  although,  that  these  have  been 
many,  may  not  be  gainsaid.    There  are  times  in  the  life  of 
the  biographist.  when  the  surroundings  are  altogether  the 
reverse  of  roseate-hued,  and  this  is.  distinctly,  one  of  them ! 
However,  seeing  that,  after  all.  a  man  is   known   by   his 
works,  it  is  possible  to  glean  some  facts  and  figures  con- 
cerning our  Maritime  Mark   Maker   of  the   present,  even 
though  the  gathering  thereof  has  been  carried  on  through 
many  channels.     Born  in  Cardiff,  some  sixty-seven  years 
ago.   and   being  intimately  connected   with  the  trade  and 
progress  of  the  port  during  most  of  that   time,    it  follows 
that  such  a  personality  is  well-known— and,  in  this  case, 
highly-esteemed.     We  have  remarked  that  our  friend  has 
been  connected  with  the  trade  of  Cardiff  "during  most  of 
that  time  "  included  between  his  birth  and  to-day,  and  did 
so  advisedly.      That  is,  there  was  a  portion  of  the   period 
spent  at  sea,  and  then,  although  he  was  not  directly  con- 
nected with  Cardiff's  progress,  he  was  still  gathering  up  the 
knowledge  which  has  proved  of  incalculable  value  to  him 
since,  in  his  business  of  a  successful  shipowner.     For  as 
the  head  of  the  firm  of  W.  and  C.  T.  Jones,   it  cannot  be 
denied  that  the  success  is  there.     Indeed,  it  is  not  straining 
the  point  in  any   particular,  when   we   state  that  the   W. 
and   G.   T.   Jones   Steamship  Company.   Limited— to  give 
it  its   newer   title— is   among    the    most   successful    in    a 
port  where  success  is   fairly   common.       Not    only    suc- 
cessful,   but    ever    striving   to   add   some  little  quota  of 
progress  to  an  industry  that   has    been    dealt  with   none 
too  kindly,  at  the  hands  of  successive  so-called  legislators. 
Concerning  the  sea-time  alluded  to.  it  is  unnecessary  to 
state   that  it  transpired    in   the   "good   old    days,"   when 
"  white  wings  "  carried  black  coal  the  world  over.     Not.  of 
course,  to  anything  like  what  obtains  to-day  :   but  to  the 
pioneers  of  that  time,  their  work  was  just  as  serious— and 
considerably  more  arduous — than  obtains  among  the  cult  in 
the  present  year  of  grace.      Personally,  we  have  tried   to 
glean  reminiscences  of  those  sea-going  days,  but  have  ever 
been   met  with   an   indulgent   smile !       Reverting  to   the 
steamship  line  of  which  Mr.  William  Jones  is  the  head,  we 
find  that   eleven   steamers  are    carrying  the    Company's 
house-flag — the   original    "Welsh  dragon"  and  that  their 
aggregate  tonnage  is  represented  by  the    figures  37.550. 
Essentially  a  worker,  our  Mark  Maker  has  ever  been   of  a 
retiring  nature,  and  in  effect,  has  found  more  pleasure  in 
giving  a  whole-hearted  attention  to  his  own  affairs,  than  in 
neglecting  them  for  the  purpose  of  putting  somebody  else's 
in  order.     That  his  shareholders  have  been  the  gainers,  is 
an  incontrovertible  fact.      All  the  same,  he  has  been  pre- 
vailed on  to  support  the  Cardiff  Chamber  of  Commerce  for 
three  years  as   a  vice-president,   and  on  Wednesday  last, 
without  opposition,  Mr.  William  Jones  was  elected  president 
for  the  ensuing  year.      To  pose  as  the  head  of  such  an 
influential   body   of  business  men   is,   in"  itself,   no    small 
honour ;    that    it    was  thoroughly  deserved,   and   will   be 
creditably   maintained,  goes  without    saying ;    for    to    be 
thorough   is  the  new  President's  motto,  and   is  the   one 
which  has  carried  him  along  from  a  sailor-boy,  right  up  to 
the  head   of  an  important  steamer  line.      Mr.  Jones  has 
been  Chairman  of  the  Cardiff  Shipowners'  Association — to 
which  he  rendered  good  service  ;  and  he  is  a  director  of  the 
Mount  Stuart  Dry  Dock  Company. 


March  31,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


1 1 1 


WE  understand  that  Messrs.  Armstrong.  Whitworth  & 
Co..  who.  last  week,  launched  the  battleship  Rashima.  for 
the  Imperial  Japanese  Navy,  have  just  received  further 
important  orders  from  the  Japanese  Government.  The 
Elswick  shipyard  was  opened  in  1884.  and  since  then, 
Messrs.  Armstrong.  Whitworth  &  Co..  have  launched  73 
war  vessels  for  15  different  navies.  21  for  the  British 
Government.  14  for  the  Japanese,  seven  for  the  Chilians, 
five  for  the  Brazilians,  five  for  the  Chinese,  four  for  the 
Norwegians,  four  for  the  Italians,  three  for  the  Argentines, 
two  for  Austria,  two  for  Spain,  two  for  the  Indian  Service, 
two  for  the  United  States,  one  for  Portugal  and  one  for 
Turkey.  The  aggregate  displacement  about  296.000  tons. 
and  the  horse  power  about  672.000. 

•f  -f  + 

THE  Admiralty  has  purchased  the  large  oil  tank  steamer 
Petroleum,  built  by  Messrs.  C.  S.  Swan  &  Hunter,  at 
Wallsend.  but  has  laid  idle  in  the  Tyne  since  her  trial  trip. 
The  Admiralty  intends  to  use  her  for  carrying  oil  fuel  to 
the  vessels  of  H.M.  fleet  burning  that  product,  and  as  oil 
fuel  is  in  growing  use  in  the  Navy,  there  should  be  work 
enough  for  the  Petroleum  to  do.  She  was  launched  in 
1905.  Her  dimensions  are  370ft.  8in.  x  48ft.  7in.  x  29ft. 
3in.:  deadweight  capacity  about  6.600  tons  :  with  engines 
25in..  41  in..  69in.  x  48in.  stroke  by  the  North  Eastern 
Marine  Engineering  Company.  Ltd.  We  understand  the 
price  paid  is  about  £56.000. 

•f  *   + 

MESSRS.  W.  FRANCE.  FENWICK  &  Co..  Ltd..  London,  have 
sold  their  steel  screw  steamer  Needwood.  to  the  Union 
Steamship  Company,  of  New  Zealand.  Ltd.  She  was  built 
by  Messrs.  Osbourne.  Graham  &  Co..  Sunderland.  in 
October.  1904.  1.977  tons  gross.  Dimensions  279ft.  Sin. 
x  4Oft.  lin.  x  18ft.  lin.:  carries  about  3.100  tons  dead- 
weight :  machinery  by  the  North  Eastern  Marine  Engineer- 
ing Company.  Ltd.:  with  engines  20'2in..  33in..  54in.  x 
39in.  stroke.  We  understand  the  price  paid  is  about 
£24.000.  The  steamer  is  to  be  renamed  Kaituna. 

+  +  + 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Falka.  owned  by  Messrs.  Hers- 
kind  &  Co..  West  Hartlepool.  is  reported  sold  to  foreign 
buyers  at  about  £9.000.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  W. 
Gray  &Co..  Ltd..  West  Hartlepool.  in  1889.  1.744  tons 
gross.  Dimensions  260ft.  x  36ft.  7in.  x  19ft.  5in.:  carries 
about  2.500  tons  deadweight :  with  engines  19in..  30'2in.. 
5 lin.  x  36in.  stroke,  by  the  Central  Marine  Engine  Works. 

•f   -«••«• 

DURING  the  past  30  years.  Messrs.  Russell  &  Co..  Port 
Glasgow,  have  built  535  vessels,  and.  including  last  year's 
work,  they  have  added  the  enormous  total  of  1.1  17.150 
tons,  to  the  mercantile  marines  of  various  nations.  Since 
1891.  when  the  dissolution  of  the  original  firm  of  Messrs. 
Russell  &  Co..  took  place,  the  average  yearly  output  has 
been  1 8  vessels,  with  an  average  of  over  50.000  tons. 

•»•*•»• 

THI  iron  screw  steamer  Boyne.  lately  owned  by  Messrs. 
Glover  Brothers.  London,  is  reported  sold  to  Italian  buyers 
at  about  £5.750.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  Wm.  Gray  & 
Co..  Ltd..  West  Hartlepool.  in  1881.  1.927  tons  gross. 
Dimensions  285ft.  x  35ft.  Sin.  x  25ft.  lOin.:  carries  about 
2,800  tons  deadweight :  with  engines  33in..  63in.  x  36in. 
stroke  by  Messrs.  T.  Richardson  &  Sons. 

•f  -f   -f 

THE  Indo-China  Steam  navigation  Company,  have  pur- 
chased a  steamer  now  in  course  of  construction  at  the  yard 
of  Messrs.  Wm.  Dobson  &  Co..  Low  Walker-on-Tyne.  She 
is  to  be  ready  for  delivery  in  June,  and  will  have  a  dead- 
weight capacity  of  about  5,000  tons  on  a  light  draft.  She 
has  a  limited  accommodation  for  passengers,  and  will  be 
employed  in  the  Company's  Eastern  trade. 


WE  understand  that  Messrs.  Watts,  Watts  &  Co..  London. 
have  sold  their  steel  screw  steamer  Hampstead  to  Japanese 
buyers,  for  delivery  in  the  Far  East  at  about  £14,000. 
She  was  built  by  Messrs.  Wm.  Gray  &  Co.,  Ltd..  West 
Hartlepool.  in  1887.  Dimensions  282ft.  3in.  x  37ft.  6in. 
x  22ft.  3in.:  2.322  tons  gross  :  with  engines  22in..  36in., 
59in.  x  39in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  Blair  &  Co..  Ltd. 

+  +  + 

THE  iron  screw  steamer  Roumelia,  lately  owned  by  the 
Ellerman  Lines,  Ltd..  has  been  sold  to  Messrs.  R.  White 
&  Sons.  Widnes,  at  about  £3.800,  for  breaking-up  purposes. 
She  was  built  by  Messrs.  T.  Royden  &  Sons.  Liverpool,  in 
1877.  Dimensions  320ft.  7in.  x  35ft.  4in.  x  25ft.  Sin. ; 
2.207  tons  gross  :  with  engines  28in.,  56in.  x  42in.  stroke, 
by  Messrs.  G.  Forrester  &  Co. 

+  -f  + 

ENGINEERS  employed  in  the  Clyde  shipyards,  have  lodged 
a  month's  notice  with  the  Employers'  Federation  for  a 
restitution  of  the  shilling  per  week,  deducted  in  August. 
1903.  and  a  further  advance  of  a  shilling  in  wages,  the 
rise  to  come  into  force  on  April  24th.  The  pattern  makers 
demand  one  farthing  per  hour  advance. 

•f  -f  + 

THE  Hamburg-Sudamerikanische  Dampfschiffahrt  Ges- 
ellschaft  have  invited  tenders  from  German  and  British 
Shipbuilding  yards  for  the  construction  of  two  fast  steamers 
for  the  Hamburg-Buenos  Ayres  service.  They  are  to  have 

a  speed  of  1 5  to  1 6  knots. 

•f   -f   -f 

MR.  SCHWAB,  late  of  the  Steel  Trust,  is  expected  at  St. 
Petersburg  in  a  day  or  two.  in  connection,  it  is  supposed, 
with  the  tenders  for  cruisers  and  battleships  invited  by  the 
Russian  Government  from  the  principal  shipbuilding  firms 

of  the  world. 

•f  •••  + 

NEW  shipbuilding  orders  are  now  very  scarce  and  in  the 
way  of  inquires  there  is  extremely  little  heard  of.  Messrs. 
Gibbs  &  Lee.  of  Cardiff,  have  ordered  a  new  cargo  steamer 
of  fairly  large  size  from  the  Northumberland  Shipbuilding 

Company.  Limited. 

•»•  +  + 

THE  Wear  Steam  Shipping  Company,  (Limited).  Sunder- 
land. has  been  formed  with  a  capital  of  £10.000.  to  acquire 
a  steamer  now  in  course  of  construction  by  the  Goole 
Shipbuilding  and  Repairing  Co.,  Ltd. 

•f  +  -f 

THE  Britain  Steamship  Company,  Ltd..  (Messrs.  Watts. 
Watts  &  Co..  Managers)  London,  are  the  purchasers  of 
the  steamer  Janeta.  recently  reported  sold.  She  has  been 

renamed  Henley. 

+  +  + 

LLOYD'S  Italiano  Steamship  Co..  Rome,  have  decided  to 
purchase  three  Transatlantic  liners  to  establish  a  new  line 
of  steamers  between  Italy,  New  York  and  South  America. 

•f  •»•  + 

MESSRS.  F.  C.  STRICK  &  Co..  Ltd..  have  ordered  a  cargo 
steamer  of  about  3,000  tons  dead  weight,  from  Messrs. 

Wm.  Gray  &  Co..  Ltd..  West  Hartlepool. 

+  +  -f 

MESSRS.  WM.  DOBSON  &  Co.,  Low  Walker-on-Tyne.  have 
received  an  order  to  build  a  steamer  of  about  3.000  tons 
deadweight  capacity,  from  a  Belgian  firm. 

•f  +  + 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Fa//s  of  Keltic,  recently  pur- 
chased by  Messrs.  Wm.  Esplen,  Junr.  &  Co.,  Liverpool,  has 
been  renamed  Hoyle  Bank. 

+  •»••»• 

MF.SSRS.  GLEN  &  Co.,  of  Glasgow,  are  the  purchasers  of  the 
steamer  Sultana,  recently  reported  sold. 


I  12 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


March  31,  1905 


FRIDAY.  MARCH  31.   1905. 


THE  CARDIFF  CHAMBER  OF  COMMERCE. 


NCE  more  we  have  the  privilege  of  reviewing 
the  Annual  Report  of  the  Cardiff  Chamber  of 
Commerce,  and  are  glad  to  do  so  for  the 
reason  that  the  energetic  secretary  of  the 
combination  Mr.  Willoughby  R.  Hawkins — 
has  made  our  task  both  easy,  and  pleasant. 
To  say  that  the  eighty-six  pages  of  that  Report 
are  filled  with  commercial  matters  of  absorbing  interest,  is 
but  to  speak  the  truth,  and  among  the  wealth  of  fact  and 
figures,  one  scarcely  knows  where  to  begin  !  When  dis- 
cussing this  phase  of  Cardiff's  industrial  life  in  our  issue  of 
April  20,  1904.  we  did  so  more  from  the  cause,  than  from 
the  effect,  side  of  the  undertaking  ;  discussed  the  personal 
side  of  the  Chamber  :  why  it  existed  ;  the  reasons  which 
had  helped  to  bring  it  into  being  :  in  fact,  the  why  and 
wherefore  of  the  Cardiff  Chamber  of  Commerce,  as  distinct 
from  other  similar  chambers  outside  of  Cardiff.  This  was 
as  it  should  have  been.  At  the  time  referred  to,  THE 
MARITIME  REVIEW  had  but  entered  on  the  path  which  was 
destined  to  lead  to  journalistic  success ;  was  a  mere 
youngster  at  the  business  :  had  never  said  a  word,  good, 
bad,  or  indifferent,  on  the  subject  of  commercial  com- 
binations :  and  as  a  natural  consequence,  felt  constrained 
to  deal  with  the  matter  in  an  introductory  manner.  But 
that  was  in  the  long  ago  !  Then,  we  animadverted  on  the 
doings  of  the  year  1903;  now.  we  intend  to  deal  with 
those  of  1904.  Getting  down  to  real  business,  we  find 
that,  once  again,  the  iniquities  of  the  Coal  Tax  are  com- 
mented upon,  and  that  "  its  baneful  influence  has  been  felt 
in  the  Cardiff  district  as  well  as  in  othsrs  in  different  parts 
of  the  country."  Furthermore,  we  are  assured  that  "  its 
results  are  likely  to  be  still  more  severe  in  the  current 
year."  They  are !  Considerably  so,  and  seeing  that 
Cardiff's  trade  is  absolutely  dependent  on  coal,  that  same 
Coal  Tax  is  of  very  much  more  importance,  hereaway,  than 
in  districts  whose  interests  are  not  so  vitally  wrapped  up 
in  the  "  smokeless  "  stuff  which  keeps  fleets  in  being,  and 
makes  it  possible  for  a  colossal  shipping  industry  to  con- 
tinue. Particularising,  a  bit,  in  this  connection,  we  find 
that  France,  our  erstwhile  best  customer,  has  dropped  back 
from  a  total  purchase,  in  1902.  of  2,951  ,.889  tons;  to 
2.439,279  tons,  in  1904— a  loss  to  Cardiff,  of  512,610 
tons.  When  it  is  further  remembered  that  the  decline 
between  1902  and  1903,  was  to  the  extent  of  241,940 
tons;  while  the  decline  again  between  1903  and  1904, 
was  270,670  tons— well,  with  an  annual  (and  increasing!) 
decrease  of  between  2/300,000  tons,  it  will  not  take  very 
many  years  before  France  is  the  Briton's  worst  customer, 
and  the  German's  and  Belgian's  best  ?  When  one  is  faced 
with  actual  figures,  one  has  to  admit  that  the  "  old,  old 
bogey  of  foreign  competition  "  has  a  terrible  amount  of  the 
real  McKoy  about  him  ?  Of  course,  specious  arguments 
may  be  to  the  'fore,  for  the  purpose  of  showing  that  this 
decrease  is  a  most  natural  one  ;  that  it  has  nothing  to  do 
with  the  Coal  Tax,  or  other  outside  influence :  that, 
in  short,  it  is  a  mere  coincidence  that  the  decrease 
of  some  250.000  tons  per  annum  in  our  coal  trade 
with  one  country,  should  synchronise  with  the  establish- 


ment of  a  tax  on  exports.  Quite  so !  But  the  so-called 
"  arguments "  are  merely  that,  and  do  not,  in  any 
wise,  dispose  of  the  absolute  loss  to  Cardiff's  colliery 
people  ?  The  Coal  tax  is  an  iniquity  ;  is  an  unjust  measure 
for  raising  national  funds  at  the  expense  of  but  one  portion 
of  the  nation  :  and  as  such,  should  be  discontinued.  We  all 
get  the  same  benefits  from  the  flag ;  therefore,  all  should 
equally  share  in  the  purchase  of  the  bunting?  With 
reference  to  the  cost  of  production  in  the  matter  of  Welsh 
coal,  and  with  regard  to  the  late  demand  of  the  coalowners 
for  a  reduction  in  the  colliers'  wages,  the  Report  in  alluding 
to  the  Independent  Chairman  of  the  Conciliation  Board, 
says  :  "  To  the  surprise  of  the  commercial  community, 
the  application  failed,  therefore  the  rate  (of  the  miners' 
wages)  will  remain  at  38%  per  cent,  above  the  standard  of 
1879,  for  the  next  three  months,  at  least."  From  this,  it 
will  be  seen  that  for  baneful  influence,  the  Goal  Tax,  and 
the  alleged  "Conciliation  Board,"  run  each  other  very 
closely  ?  The  tax  drives  away  a  big  portion  of  trade,  and 
the  "  Conciliation  Board  " — on  the  coalowners'  own  showing 
—unfairly  handicaps  what  is  left.  To  our  mind,  this  is  the 
whole  thing  in  a  nutshell.  It  should  not  be  forgotten  that 
although  the  coal  tax  is  an  incubus  that  will  take  a  quantity 
of  shifting,  the  "  Conciliation  Bathos  "  may  be  ended  by  a 
simple  notice,  and  the  time  necessary  to  make  such 
operative.  Concerning  the  attempts  which  have  been  made 
to  abolish  the  Goal  Tax,  the  president  of  the  Cardiff 
Chamber  of  Commerce— Mr.  E.  Franklin  Thomas— has 
rendered  yeoman  service.  After  several  preliminary  meet- 
ings under  the  aegis  of  the  president,  an  influential  deputa- 
tion ultimately  waited  on  the  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer, 
no  farther  back  than  February  23,  of  this  year.  The 
speakers,  on  this  occasion,  were  Mr.  Joseph  Shaw, 
representing  the  Monmouthshire  and  South  Wales  Goal 
Owners'  Association  ;  Mr.  E.  Franklin  Thomas,  as  chairman 
of  the  Central  Executive  Goal  Tax  Committee  ;  and  Mr. 
C.  H.  Wellesly  Wilson,  on  behalf  of  the  shipowning 
fraternity.  The  report  informs  us  that  "The  speakers 
confined  themselves,  principally,  to  calling  attention  to  the 
conclusions  arrived  at  by  the  Commission  on  Goal  Supplies. 
employing  and  illustrating  those  clauses  which  dealt  with 
the  supply  and  export  of  coal,  and  urging,  from  their 
personal  knowledge,  the  necessity  for  full  consideration 
being  given  to  the  recommendations,  with  a  view  of  an 
early  repeal  of  the  Goal  Tax."  Now,  it  is  difficult  to  con- 
ceive of  a  more  thoroughly  representative  deputation  than 
the  one  referred  to  ;  or  in  which  the  members  thereof, 
were  more  "  up,"  in  a  knowledge  of  the  subject  with  which 
they  were  dealing.  But,  again  in  the  words  of  the  Report: 
"  It  is  difficult  to  say  what  effect  the  representations  had 
upon  the  mind  of  the  Chancellor,  as  his  reply  was  of  a  non- 
committal character."  Also,  that  the  gentleman  was 
"  considerably  impressed "  with  the  facts  which  were 
brought  to  his  notice.  Of  course  the  gentleman's  reply  was 
non-committal !  He  knows  that  he  has  a  good  thing  in 
this  squeezing  of  the  coal  industry,  and  doesn't  wish  to 
be  convinced  of  its  utter  wickedness.  The  Goal  Tax  will 
continue  just  as  long  as  public  opinion  will  allow  it  to 
continue,  and  not  a  day  longer.  If  we  were  Chan- 
cellor, we  should  be  non-committal,  every  time  that  a 
deputation  approached  us  with  intent  to  knock  chips  off  a 
carefully-thought-out — and  ever-expanding — Budget.  We 
should,  indeed  !  However,  going  along  with  our  consider- 
ation of  the  Report,  we  find  that  several  local  Bills  were 
attended  to  :  that  Chamber  of  Commerce  Scholarships  and 
Prizes,  figured  in  the  business  transacted  ;  that  such  affairs 
as  the  telephonic  communication  between  Great  Britain 
and  France  were  not  considered  beneath  the  notice  of  this 
progressive  body ;  that  the  Private  Legislation  Procedure 
(Wales)  Bill;  contraband  of  war;  import  trade;  New 
Zealand  steamship  service ;  a  new  set  of  Port  Sanitary 
Rules  ;  visit  of  one  poor  warship  :  a  London  to  Cardiff  mail 
service ;  the  unemployed  problem  :  the  Ministry  of  Com- 


March  31,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


merce  :  and  numerous  other  important  measures,  came 
under  the  purview  of  the  Chamber.  We  regret  to  note 
that,  during  the  past  year,  the  King  of  Terrors  has  been 
more  than  usually  busy  with  the  members  of  this  combin- 
ation, and  that  six  well-known  names  have  been  deleted 
from  the  members'  list  in  consequence,  in  the  period  under 
review.  The  total  membership  of  this  bulwark  of  local 
trade  interests,  runs  into  377  no  inappreciable  proportion 
of  the  whole  :  and  if  some  of  the  members  of  the  Council 
do  not  find  themselves  in  a  position  to  make  up  a  fairly 
decent  average  of  attendances,  others,  again,  make  up  for 
this  lack  on  the  part  of  their  colleagues,  by  being  "  in  their 
places."  at  nearly  all  the  Council  meetings.  For  instance. 
Mr.  E.  Franklin  Thomas  and  Mr.  William  Jones  are  credited 
with  twelve  attendances  out  of  fourteen  meetings  :  Mr.  W. 
North  Lewis,  for  ten  :  Mr.  J.  B.  Ferrier.  for  nine  :  Messrs. 
J.  A.  Jones,  and  T.  M.  Heywood,  for  eight :  while  for  the 
mystic  number  of  seven,  we  find  the  names  of  Messrs.  E. 
Handcock.  E.  C  Fry  and  H.  Wood  Davey,  scheduled.  One 
gentleman  saved  his  face  by  making  one  attendance : 
another  seemed  to  be  of  opinion,  that  he  wouldn't  spoil  a 
record  for  noughts,  by  keeping  away,  altogether !  When  it 
is  remembered  that  the  Council  is  composed  of  busy  men  : 
men  who  have  their  hands  very  full  with  their  own  affairs  : 
it  is  matter  for  deep  congratulation  that  so  many  are  to  be 
found,  with  enough  of  public  spirit  to  enable  them  to 
"  tighten  up  the  loose  pegs  of  business."  free,  gratis,  and  for 
nothing.  To  such  men  is  Cardiff's  colossal  trade  expansion 
due.  and  the  business  community  recognises  the  fact. 
Coming  along  to  a  detailed  account  of  that  trade  expansion, 
we  find  that  the  total  quantity  of 

Coal  shipped  to  Foreign  Port*  in  1904.  was  14.930.610  tons. 
While  that  shipped  in   1 903.  amounted  to     .    14.395.066    . 


Giving  an  increase  for  1904.  of         535.644 


Coal  shipped  Coastwise  in   1904.  was 
The   amount  for  1 903.  being 

An  increase  of 

Coal  shipped   for   bunkers,    in    foreign-going 

vessels  in  1904  was 
For  the  same  purpose  in  1903. 

An  increase  of 


2.548.894 
2.464.729 

84.165 


2.816.201 
2.760.385 

66.816 


Bute  Docks  returns,  for  the  past  five  years  : 

"1900        229,388  tons. 

1901         253.094  tons. 

1902        284.188  tons. 

1903        275,529  tons. 

1904         303,241  tons." 

in  addition  to  which,  and  "  occasionally,  a  small  quantity 
arrives  at  Barry  and  Penarth."  In  concluding,  we  cannot 
do  better  than  advise  you  to  purchase  a  copy  of  the  Annual 
Report  to  which  we  have  given  our  attention.  It  is  chock- 
full  of  interesting  matter :  is  ably  edited  ;  and  a  nimble 
shilling  will  give  you  a  pleasurable  occupation  for  quite  a 
number  of  hours  which  might,  otherwise,  be  less-profitably 
occupied. 


or.  in  coal  alone,  a  matter  of  20.295.705  tons.  Then,  if  we 
add  for  coke  shipped  to  foreign  ports.  40.082  tons  :  patent 
fuel  for  foreign  account.  469.985  tons :  and  a  jumble  of 
coal,  coke  and  fuel  shipped  for  ships'  use  on  coasters  and 
tugs,  and  coke  and  patent  fuel  exported  Coastwise,  a  total 
of  1 28.904  tons  :  we  get  a  grand  total  of  20.934.676  tons 
of  exported  "  steam  raiser  "  from  the  Port  of  Cardiff,  for 
the  year  1904.  No  wonder  the  Docks  man  puts  on  a  little 
"  side."  now  and  then !  We  have  seen  that  Cardiff  is 
justified  in  "  holding  her  head  up  "  when  tonnage  handled 
is  spoken  of :  she  is  in  the  same  happy  position  when 
Cardiff -owned  shipping  tonnage  is  the  subject  of  discussion. 
At  the  end  of  1904.  the  net  total  of  Cardiff-owned  vessels 
on  the  Register,  was  329.080  tons  a  total  which  has  been 
materially  added  to.  since  then  !  The  pitwood  trade,  too, 
is  of  far  greater  dimensions  than  is  realised  by  most  of  us, 
for  in  1904.  alone,  the  import  of  this  very  necessary  com- 
modity reached,  for  the  Port  of  Cardiff,  the  respectable 
total  of  689.352  tons :  while  to  this  must  be  added,  under  the 
heading  of  "  log  timber  and  deals  <  that  is.  all  timber  except 
pitwood  >"  a  matter  of  254.916  tons.  Eh?  Iron  ore  is  res- 
ponsible for  806.164  tons  of  additional  work  for  that 
portion  of  the  community  which  attends  to  such  things  : 
and  for  the  import  of  grain  and  flour  into  Cardiff,  we  will 
close  our  review  of  the  Cardiff  Chamber  of  Commerce's 
Annual  Report,  by  quoting  you  the  amounts,  as  per  the 


"BROKEN    UP,   CONDEMNED,    ETC." 


TO  the  nautical  mind — and  possibly  to  that  belonging  to 
the  'longshoreman— there  is  a  world  of  pathos  in 
that  portion  of  "  Lloyd's  Returns  of  Vessels  Totally 
Lost.  Condemned,  etc.."  which  treats  exclusively  with  the 
sailing  vessels  grouped  under  the  latter  portion  of  the  title. 
On  page  9.  of  the  latest  Returns  to  hand,  and  in  connection 
with  tonnage  which  figures  in  the  Register  Book  for 
1904-05.  we  find  but  one  "  windjammer"  which  has  come 
to  port  in  a  condition  which  necessitates  the  terse 
description  of  "Towed  into  Mazatlan  dismasted  and  water- 
logged ;  to  be  sold."  The  boat  in  question  is  the  Maria  E. 
Smith,  of  347  tons,  register :  American  owned  :  wooden  : 
three-mast  schooner  :  from  Port  Blakeley  to  Guayaquil, 
with  lumber.  The  sailor  can  imagine  the  conditions  in 
which  this  poor  old  servant  staggered  along  on  her  journey; 
how  she  was  met  with  conditions  which  her  over-wrought 
timbers  could  not  cope  with  :  how.  bit  by  bit.  she  was 
turned  from  a  smart  little  vessel  into  a  mere  wreck  :  and 
how,  eventually,  with  ne'er  a  stick  standing  :  with  as  much 
water  inside  her  hold  as  there  was  outside  :  she  received 
a  pluck  from  an  abler  vessel :  was  taken  into  port,  to  be 
scheduled  at  last,  with  the  "  broken  up.  condemned,  etc."  ! 
For  a  good  and  faithful  servant,  this  fate  is  bad  enough,  in 
all  conscience.  But  in  comparison  with  that  which  befalls 
many  of  her  one-time  contemporaries,  the  Maria  E.  Smith 
is  favoured,  indeed.  Still  quoting  from  the  list,  we  find 
that  out  of  seventeen  vessels  figuring  as  among  the 
"  nautical  dead  beats  "  from  causes  other  than  stress  of 
weather,  ten  are  just  "  broken  up  "  in  various  parts  of  the 
world  :  three  have  been  converted  into  coal  hulks :  two 
razeed  down  for  use  as  lighters  ;  one  converted  into  a 
pontoon  at  Civita  Vecchia  :  and  one  merely  dismantled. 
Again  we  note  that  out  of  that  "  little  lot,"  but  three  hail 
from  the  United  Kingdom  and  one  from  the  British  Col- 
onies :  four  owned  allegiance  to  Sunny  Italy :  one  to  France : 
two  to  Norway;  two  to  Sweden:  one  to  Russia:  and  one  to 
Austro-Hungary.  In  the  majority  of  instances,  the  vessels 
as  we  consider  them,  to-day—  were  small  :  in  fact,  and 
including  the  first  vessel  mentioned  above,  their  combined 
tonnage  does  but  amount  to  no  more  than  9,549  tons.  But 
where  the  pathos  lays,  is  in  the  fact  that  Britain's  maritime 
might  of  the  present  year  of  grace,  was  built  up  solely  on 
the  merits  of  such  picayune  vessels  as  they  which  have 
been  turned  to  those  base  uses,  in  their  "  played  out  at 
forty  "  senility  !  True,  we  have  used  the  "  played  out " 
term  in  a  metaphorical  sense,  only,  for  it  is  highly  probable 
that,  in  most  instances,  the  vessels  have  been  struggling 
with  an  adverse  fate  for  many  years  more  than  is  included 
within  the  period,  which  is  twen.-cent.  for  "  finishe'd  with" ! 
One  can  easily  imagine  the  pomp  and  panoply  which 
attended  their  launchings ;  can  think  of  the  hardy  sailors 
which  learned  to  dip  to  their  stays :  of  the  owners  who, 
in  those  days,  were  owners,  indeed  ;  and  imagining  all  these 
things  can  feel  sad,  and  sorry,  for  the  degeneration  which 
is  about  in  these  latter,  and  "  more  civilised  "  times.  Yes, 
the  pathos  is  there  :  right  in  that  column  which  deals  with 
the  "  broken  up,  condemned,  etc." 


it.} 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


March  31,  1905 


CARDIFF     (AND 


CARDIFF.  March  29.  1905. 

ALTHOUGH  we  are  unable  to  state  that  business  in  the  staple 
•rade  hereaway,  has  undergone  any  great  improvement,  there  is. 
undoubtedly,  a  much  steadier  feeling  attaching  itself  to  Cardi 
(and  other!  Coal."  That  is  to  say.  a  little  more  activity  than  was 
in  evidence  at  our  last  time  of  spreading  the  details  before  you, 
has  materialised  :  but  not  sufficient  to  enable  values  to  mount 
into  prettier  figures,  just  yet.  Shipments  have  certainly  t 
better,  and  as  a  natural  consequence,  stocks  have  been  largely 
depleted  With  this  in  mind,  you  will  understand  that  there  is 
nothing  like  the  quantity  of  coal  about  to-day,  that  there  was,  say, 
a  week  ago. 

HOWEVER,  outside  of  those  increased  shipments  -  most  of  whi 
have  been  on  contract  account  -there  is  anything  but  a 

Startling;  amount  of  business 

transpiring:  and  there  is  any  amount  of  room -to  say  nothing  of 
an  acute  desire-  for  those  new  accumulations  which  are  so  dear  to 
the  hearts  of  our  colliery  friends.  It  may  be  true— of  some  things 
-that  man  wants  but  little,  here  below  ;  also  that  he  wants  that 
little,  long  :  but  when  it  comes  down  to  the  places  where  the  coal 
person  of  commerce  meanders  around— well,  the  gentleman 
"  wants  "  a  big  little,  and  he  "  wants  "  it,  all  the  time  !  Philosophy 
of  the  abstract  kind— is  of  little  use  in  Coalville. 
STILL,  there  is  no  getting  away  from  the  fact  that,  as  already 
suggested,  prices  have  been  considerably  steadier;  and  when 
prices  steady  themselves  after  a  more  or  less  protracted  period  of 
fluctuation  :  there  is  ever  a 

Hope  of  a  better  time  coming. 

To  help  the  hope  along  on  this  occasion,  there  is  a  plentiful  supply 
of  tonnage  to  hand  :  collieries,  as  a  result,  have  been  busier ; 
chartering,  too,  has  been  fairly  active  ;  and  taken  altogether,  we 
are  of  opinion  that  the  hope  referred  to,  has  a  fair  chance  of 
blossoming  into  blessed  reality.  With  regard  to  the  fairly  active 
chartering  suggested,  we  note  that  the  bulk  thereof,  has  been  for 
moderately  prompt  loading. 

THAT  is  to  say.  there  is  a  disinclination  on  the  part  of  the  seller 
to  discount  future  opportunities.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  gentle 
seller  is  hardening  his  heart— er— his  quotations,  considerably 
more  than  he  has  been  in  a  position  to  do.  for  some  time  past. 

Indeed. 

Mr.  Seller  appears  to  be  convinced 

that  a  regaining  of  his  usually  good  position  (?)  is  a  matter  that 
may  not  be  unduly  prolonged.  When  the  festive  seller  is  in  this 

OP  a  similar — state  of  mind,  you  may  be  sure  that  there   is  an 

opportunity  of  a  "  better  time  coming  "—mighty  soon  !  We  hope 
he  will  not  be  disappointed  :  that  his  hopes  will  fructify ;  that  he 
will  gather  in  all  the  stuff  to  which  his  anticipations  prompt  him. 
BUT  the  worst  of  the  deal  is,  that  Mr.  Buyer  is  a  man  possessed 
of  notions.  Appears  to  be  convinced  that  he  is  a  portion  of  the 
commercial  entity  which  must  not  be  disregarded,  and  that  the 
conditions  which  obtain  at  the  moment,  continue  to  favour  him  to 
a  very  great  extent.  You  see,  he  has  it  in  his  knowledge  that 
outputs  are  altogether  too  heavy-  for  present  demands;  and  this 

latter,  he  is 

Doing  his  level  best 

to  still  further  curtail.  Therefore,  the  buyer,  as  usual,  must  not 
be  disregarded  in  the  mill  !  And  under  the  circumstances  which 
exist,  the  market  is  still  an  easy  one  to  negotiate  for  prompt  ship- 
ment, and  the  basis  of  the  transactions  scheduled,  is  that  of  the 
old  figures,  as  you  will  see,  further  along. 

BUT  writing  of  new  business,  'way  back,  reminds  us  that  there  has 
been  a  little  order  in  the  market,  for  German  account ;  indeed, 
that  same  "little  order"  is  now  under  process  of  execution.  The 
destination  at  least,  the  declared  destination- -is  Hamburg;  but 
we  should  not  be  surprised,  in  the  least,  if  on  arrival  there,  the 
whole  consignment  were  turned  over  to  our  seemingly  good  friends, 
the  Russians;  should  you?  Anyhow,  several  steamers  have  been 

Taken  up  by  the  German  agents, 

here,  and  we  believe  that  a  local  firm  has  also  a  share  of  the 
business  which  runs  into  an  approximate  20,000  tons.  Not  much, 
as  Cardiff  consignments  go :  but  yet  sufficiently  large  to  be 
worthy  of  consideration. 

THEN,  the  Belgian  and  Danish  State  Railway  contracts  are  also 
in  the  market — and  for  fairly  large  quantities.  Of  course,  these 
"  unconsidered  "  trifles,  in  the  aggregate,  mount  up,  and  help  to 
make  the  colliery  man  believe  that  his  day  is  dawning  ;  that  the 
dull  care  which  has  nearly  prostrated  him,  poor  man,  is  about  to 
be  dissolved,  even  as  is  the  morning  dew.  We  hope  he  is  right, 
for  take  him  as  you  will,  and  he  is  a  patient  kritter.  But  reverting 
to  the  Market,  generally,  its  feature  has  been  Smalls,  for 
which  there 

Has  been  no  end  of  a  demand. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  demand  is  about  all  that  has  been   around — as 
merchants  have  found  to  their  cost. 


SUPPLIES  of  SMALLS  have  been  disappointingly  limited.  So  much 
so  that  it  has  been  practically  impossible  to  obtain  even  small 
quantities,  for  prompt  shipment-  which  has  been  the  necessary 
condition  The  shipment  of  Large  Coal  has  not  been  sufficiently 
well-maintained  to  enable  the  output  of  Smalls  to  mount  to  it 
usual  level.  Then,  again,  the  free  arrival  of  tonnage  having 
materialised  "  one  on  top  of  t'other."  as  it  were,  prices  have  risen 
shillings  per  ton  as  you  will  see  from  our  tabulated  list,  further 
along.  Coming  to  the  Large  of  the 

BEST  CARDIFF  ADMIRALTY  descriptions,  we  do  not  find   that   they 

have    been 

Commanding  any  higher  figures, 

than  were  ruling  when  last  we  had  the  pleasure  of  unfolding  our 
weekly  dissertation,  for  your  kind  consideration.  Mind  you,  the 
quotation  is  up  to  13s.  6d..  and  although  buyers,  on  the  whole, 
have  found  this  very  firm,  indeed  ;  especially  with  one  or  two 
collieries  who  are  the  happy  possessors  of  full  stems  ;  there  has 
been  no  record  of  buyers  having  succumbed  at  the  quotation. 
You  will,  perhaps,  remember  our  last  week's  remarks  anent 
quotations  ?  Well,  exactly  the  same  thing  applies,  to-day  !  We 
mean,  that  although  the  "quotation  "  is  13s.  6d.,  it  is  still  possible 
to  rope  in  the  stuff  at  threepence  under ;  aye,  or  threepence 
under,  again  !  Collieries  are  certainly  busier,  and  stems  are 
better ;  but  there  is  an  insufficiency  of  coal  changing  hands,  to 
admit  of  any  marked  degree  of  actual  firmness. 

SECOND  ADMIRALTYS,  too,  while  showing  a  steadier  tone,  are,  in 
the  matter  of  value,  practically  unaltered. 

You  might  have  surmised  this? 

Might  have  decided  that  12s.  9d.  about  represents  the  figures, 
here?  Alright  then!  Collieries,  hereaway,  are  fairly  busy  ;  but 
as  is  the  case  in  other  quarters,  the  demand  is  anything  but  an 
overpowering  one  ;  and  while  the  better  qualities  are  holding  out 
for  the  nimble  ninepence,  other  sorts,  not  being  so  well  stemmed, 
are  disposed  to  take  lower  figures  which  is  to  say,  from  12s.  3d. 
to  12s.  6d.  Shipments  for  that  "  Sherman's  little  lot,"  have  been 
made  chiefly  from  this  section. 

ORDINARIES  continue  to  be  in  a  bad  way,  throughout,  for  a 
continued  absence  of  new  demand  keeps  this  phase  of  the  market 
in  a  weak  state.  Very  weak,  might  possibly  be  justified,  under  the 
circumstances.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  lack  of  demand  is  so 
pronounced  that 

Stoppages  are  of  frequent  occurrence. 

The  demanded  figure  is  a  level  12s.,  but  offer  the  would-be  seller 
a  prompt  turn  and— see  him  smile.  Hear  him  warble,  "  I  will  take 
11s.  9d. — or  a  bit  under  that — if  you  will  but  pass  me  the  order!" 
At  any  rate,  the  full  value  of  Ordinaries  is  nothing  above  11s.  9d., 
and  others  are  easily  obtainable  at  11s.  6d.  Stems,  too,  in  this 
direction,  are  decidedly  "  off,"  and  there  is  no  immediate  prospect 
of  an  early  recovery — worse  luck. 

DRYS  continue  to  romp  along  in  their  old  rut.  Business  in  them 
is  the  reverse  of  active,  and  although  the  quotation  for  the  better 
sorts  is  somewhere  around  12s.,  prompt  offers  would  bring  this 
tumbling  down  to  a  reconsidered  price.  Inferiors  are  easy  at  1  Is.  9d. 

MONMOUTHSHIRE  coals  may  be  said  to  have  held  their  own,  as  at 
our  last  ;  but  that  is  certainly  all.  Quotations  are,  more  or  less, 
on  a  par  with  those  of  the  previous  week;  but  even  as  then  there  is 

Nothing  amounting  to  firmness 

in  the  demanded  price,  because  of  the   limited   business    passing 
For   anything    required   with    promptitude    and    despatch,  buyers 
experience   no  difficulty   in  arranging   matters  on    the  old   basis. 
Hence,  BLACK  VEINS,  while  assuming  a  role  of  11s.  6d.,   are    by  no 
means  averse  to  accepting  a  trifle  less — for  immediate  shipment. 

ORDINARIES,  in  the  matter  of  demand,  have  been  favoured  with 
no  improvement.  True,  shipments  have  been  on  the  increasing 
grade,  but  the  demand  as  yet  is  anything  but  pleasing,  or  com- 
mensurate with  the  supplies  which  abound.  Therefore,  while 
this  continues  to  be  so,  it  is  useless  to  expect  that  prices  will 
harden.  The  quotation — drat  the  "quotation  " — has  certainly  been 
put  up  to  11s.  3d.,  but  the  circumstances  to  which  we  have 
referred,  do  not  permit  of  sellers  obtaining  those  figures.  Indeed, 
the  buyer,  here,  is  still  constrained  to  the  benevolent  role,  when  a 

Genuine  buyer  comes  his  way  I 

At    times   like   these,  the 'price'  is   likelier   to   be    11s.,    than    the 
"quoted"    11s.   3d. 

SECONDS  may  not  truthfully  be  considered  as  any  firmer  than  at 
our  last.  The  market  is  the  reverse  of  active  ;  indeed,  there  is 
but  precious  little  doing  herein,  at  the  moment.  This  means,  that 
lack  of  request  has  affected  these  grades,  even  as  it  has  other  and 
more  costly  samples.  There  is  but  little  difficulty  in  securing  as 
much  of  this  stuff  as  you  may  chance  to  need,  at  10s.  3d.  ;  and  it 
is  at  these  figures  that  the  majority  of  transactions  have 
materialised. 


March  31,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


"5 


RHONDDA  NUMBER  3  coals  remain  satisfactory,  for  the  reason 
that  sellers  fine  it  an  easy  matter  to  maintain  their  quotations 
which  do  not  differ,  materially,  from  those  current  at  our  last. 
LARGE,  remains  firm  at  13s.  9d.  to  14s..  and  collieries,  generally,  are 
still  full  in  stems.  A  good  enquiry  continues,  so  that  a  weakening 
in  No.  3's 

Need  not  be  anticipated, 

yet    awhile.     Forward,    there    might    be     when    the    spring-time 
comes  ;  but  you  know  ! 

RHONDDA  NUMBER  2  coals  have  been  steadier  accounted  for 
by  a  better  demand  for  bunkering  purposes.  So.  with  improved 
stems,  prices  are  more  firmly  given,  up  to  10s.  3d.  :  but  it  is 
possible  to  dock  Ud  off  this  price,  providing  you  have  firm 
business  in  hand,  and  in  the  right  position. 


SMALLS  on  the  other  hand,  as  we  have  already  explained,  have 
been  at  famine  prices.  BESTS  have  been  sold,  freely,  at  8s.,  and  it 
is  declared  that  the  stuff  has  passed,  at  threepence  better  than 
this.  SECONDS,  too,  have  been  extremely  scarce:  in  fact,  this  is 
the  condition  with  all  SMALLS,  and  the  quotation  in  this  grade,  is 
firm  at  7s.  9d.  For  next  week,  the  position  is  not  quite  so  tight, 
and 

Prices  are  likely  to  be  easier 

in  consequence.      ORDINARIES    have    been    selling   at  7s.  6d..    with 
Newport  qualities  almost  up  to  the  same  level. 

PATENT  FUELS  remain  steady  on  the  basis  of  12s.  9d.  to  13s., 
but  there  is  no  overpowering  demand.  PITWOOD  is  in  good  supply, 
but  not  request,  and  as  a  result,  prices  are  somewhat  weak  between 
16s.  6d.  and  16s.  9d. 


APPROXIMATK     FIGURKS     FOR     THF     \\'KKK,     ARE     AS     FOLLOW; — 

(All  quotations  f.o.b.  at  the  respective  ports  oj  shipment.; 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Best  Cardiff  Ad'alty  Urge 
Second         Ditto. 
Other  Second  Cardiff     ... 
Dry* 
Best  Newport 
Ordinary  Bests 
Seconds 
Best  House  Coal 

i3s.  od.,  133.  3d 

I2S.  Oxl. 
I2S.  Od. 
128.  Od.,   I2S.  jd. 

us.  31!. 
us.  od. 
los.  6d. 
16*.  6d. 

ijs.  od. 

I2S.  9(1. 
I2S.  Od. 
128.  3-1. 

iis.  3d. 
i  is.  od. 
ios.  3d. 
i6s.  3d. 

i3s.  3d. 

I2S.  6d.,   138.  Oil. 
iis.  (HI. 
12S.  61. 

iis.  3d.,  i  is.  6d. 
i  is.  o  •!.,  us.  3d. 
ios.  3d. 
i6s  31!. 

135.  3d. 

12S.  9.1. 

us.  9.1. 

128.  Od. 

us.  4£d. 

IIS.   1.1(1. 
ios.  4$d. 
i6s.  oil.,  I6s.  6d. 

133.  od.,  135.  6d. 
12s.  7jd. 
us.  6d.,  I2S.  od. 

US.  1)1  1.,    I2S.  Od. 

us.  4^d. 
I  IS.  i  .;.•!. 
ios.  6d. 
i6s.  od. 

133.  3d. 

12S.  6ll.,   I2S.  9x1. 
US.  91!.,    I2S.  Od. 

us.  10.'  d. 

US.  Oil. 

us.  3d. 
ios.  3d.,  ios.  6d. 
i6s.  oil     1  6s  6d 

No.  3  Rhondda 
No.  2          Ditto. 
Uhondda  3  "  Thro." 
Z 

133.  oxl..  145.  od. 
ios.  od.,  ios.  3d. 

128.  Ol. 

Ss.  6,1 

I4s.  od. 
ios.  l.'.d. 
us.  9d. 
-  6d. 

143.  od. 
ios.  od.  • 
i  is.  9d. 
Ss.  91!. 

ios.  od. 
Us.  6(1.,  I2s.  od. 
88.91!. 

i3s.  9.1. 

IOS.   Ijd. 

iis.  gd. 

s-     r.d      s-     yd. 

135.  6d.,  I4S.  ocl. 
ios.  od.,  ios.  3d. 
US.  od. 
8s.  7jd. 

Smalls: 
Best  Cardiff 
Seconds 
Ordinaries 
Best  Vwpnri 
Seconds 
Rhnndda  No.  Z 
.,       No.  3 

78.  .pi 

--.    V'-.  7--  6<i 

te.  6.1. 
6s.  91). 
6».  6.1 
(id. 
9».  oxl..  ios  0,1. 

78.  9,1. 

r»  fc'- 

6s.  7j(i 
7-  od. 
6s.6d. 
jd 

OS.    10.1(1. 

ixl. 
7-  6d. 
ad 

7*.  od. 
6s.  91!. 
7s.  od.,  7s.  6d. 
95.  lojxL 

8s.  0.1. 
73.  9d. 

)d.,   7S.  Oil. 

73.  31!. 
68.9.1. 
75.  6d. 
ios.  od. 

73.  91!.,  Ss.  od. 

7s.  od. 
73.  jd. 
6s.  6d.,  7s.  od. 
7s.  3.!.,  7s.  6d. 
ios.  od. 

7s.  gd  ,  8s.  o.l. 
7s.  6d. 
6s.  9(1.,  75.  od. 
73  od.,  73.  3d. 
6s.  gd. 
73.  od.,  7s.  6d. 
9s.  91). 

Foundry  Coke  : 
Special 
Ordinary 

-•i~  od. 
ifeod. 

2is.  od.,  Jis.  6d. 
>-<.  9d. 

»«.*. 

I7«.oxl. 

.MS.  Oil. 

17-    (xl.,   ISs.  oil. 

213.  0:1. 

17-   1 

2IS.  Od.,  22S.  Oil. 

173.  6d. 

furnace  Coke 
Patent  Fuel 
I'llKuud    c\  ship 

al. 
i.'-  oxl. 

•  '  -   •«•! 

ad 

12-.  9<1. 

!>.-     'i-l 

1  ",s.  9>1. 

0(1. 

L  i6~.  7.',d. 

n».  od. 
i3s.  od. 

lti~.  (xl. 

i6s.  oil. 
I2s.  6;!..  IV-  od. 
I6s.  ed^iiis.  yd. 

ISs.  6(1.,  His    ,,  |. 
us    yd.,  I3s.  oil. 
l6s.  6d. 

All.  less  2<7  per  c«nt.  discount,  with  payment  at  thirty  days,  except  where  otherwise  stated. 
All  quotations  for  large  Coals  imply  Colliery  Screened. 


SWANSEA.  March  29.  1905. 

THE  market  in  this  direction,  has  been  maintained,  although  prices 
have  undergone  but  little  change.  Generally,  these  are  on  a  par  with 
those  at  our  last  writing,  yet  notwithstanding,  are  fairly  steady. 
There  is  a  decided  improvement  in  the  amount  of  business  that  is 
about  :  but  insufficient  has  really  materialised,  to  warrant  any  start- 
ling firmness.  For  forward  shipment  there  is  good  enquiry,  and 
sellers  are  not  unduly  anxious  to  close  up  anything  for  this  position, 
at  current  prices. 

ANTHRACITE  shows  but  little  variation.  For  BEST  SORTS,  there  has 
been  an  average  demand,  and  seeing  that  collieries  are  well-stemmed, 
prices  have  been  maintained.  The  outputs,  however,  are  easily 
keeping  pace  with  the  demand  :  indeed,  are  in  excess  thereof :  conse- 
quently, prices  remain  as  before.  Inferior  sorts  are  quiet,  and 
prompt  shipment  there  it  any  quantity  of  free  coal  offering  :  as  a 
result,  prices  are  inclined  to  weakness.  Quotations  remain  at 
I  Is.  6d..  and  10s.  3d.  for  BIG  and  RED  VEIN  respectively  :  but  con- 


cessions   on   these    figures   are   obtainable,  and    without   any    undue 
persuasion  on  the  part  of  the  buyer. 

CULM,  on  the  contrary,  remains  a  passing  good  commodity,  the 
demand  therefor  being  firm.  Stems  are  full,  and  with  but  a  limited 
quantity  available,  sellers  have  been  enabled  to  maintain  values.  For 
the  Best  Sorts.  5s.  is  the  value,  with  others  at  4s.  6d. 

DUFF  is  also  a  steady  market  at  3s.  3d.  to  3s.  6d. 

STEAMS,  in  the  matter  of  quotation,  have  undergone  no  change, 
albeit  they  are  a  trifle  harder.  BESTS  are  offering  at  1 3s.  3d.,  but 
there  has  been  no  influx  of  new  business,  and  it  is  still  possible  to 
obtain  a  concession  of  3d.,  for  early  shipment.  SECONDS,  on  the  other 
hand,  are  decidedly  weak  at  12s.  With  no  improvement  in  the 
demand  :  with  supplies  in  excess  thereof :  these  qualities  may  be 
,  awinged  in  decent  quantities  at  lls.  9d.  BUNKER  SORTS,  rule  at 
about  1 1  s. 

PATFNT  Fueus  are  quoted  at  12s..  at  which  price,  there  is  good 
enquiry. 


BELOW,  we  give  the  average  prices  for  the  week  : — 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Anthracite: 

Best    Hand    Picked 

Halting  Large 

19*.  9,1 

19*.  (xl.,  199.  yil. 

193. 

6(1. 

19*.  o  i.    igs.  ml. 

193.  6d. 

19^.  o:l.,  2OS.  ocl. 

Seconds    do. 

6d. 

i  7-«.  6d. 

|Sv 

od. 

ISs     0,1 

i  7s.  gd. 

173.  6d.,  18s.  6:1. 

Big  Vein  Large 

i  i  -    6.1 

11^.  6d 

1  is. 

7'd 

iis.  7Jt 

1  is.  lid.,   l  is.  ml. 

us.  6d. 

Red     .. 

ios.  od.,  to~   3.1. 

los.  oil. 

IOS. 

3d 

I0>.  31!. 

ios.  6d. 

ios.  od.,  ios.  6d. 

Machine  Made  Cobbles 

9(1. 

lorn,  oxl. 

163. 

6(1. 

l6«.  6d. 

i'.^.  (id.,  I7s.  od. 

1           163.  oxl. 

..     Muts 

xl..  I7s.  oil. 

I7s.  od. 

i6s. 

9d 

Ids.  91). 

i6s.  6d. 

i6s.  6(1.  ,  I7s.  od. 

..     Peas 

low.  od..  1  1>.  ml. 

los.  (>d. 

ios.  od., 

ios.  (id. 

ios.  o:l. 

ios.  od 

ios.  3d. 

Bubbly  Culm 

•*!..  s;s.  od. 

Od 

od. 

53.  od.,  5s.  3d. 

5».  od. 

(s.  9(1.,  53.  od. 

jtarff 

: 

3s.  311. 

3s.  «L, 

3s.  6d. 

!•!.,  3s-  6il. 

3s.  3.1. 

33.  od.,  33.  6d. 

Patent  Fuel: 

od. 

12*.  0(1.,    I2s.  3(1. 

I2S. 

,.1,1. 

I2S.   3(1. 

I2s.  od. 

I2S.  Ol. 

Steam: 

Best     Large 

vl 

13-.  3,1. 

1  3*. 

6.1. 

i.3s.  6ii. 

'3s-  3('- 

I3s.  ocl.,  i^s.  3d. 

Seconds  ,. 

3d. 

I2S.  3  '. 

I2S. 

iM 

I2S.  0(1. 

I2S.  0(1. 

1  IS.  9(1.,    I2S.  Oil. 

Bunker    ,. 

1  1«  y\. 

1  1-.  ;d. 

1  1- 

od. 

1  is.  0(1 

•>•!.,  i  is.  od. 

i  is  oil.,  i  is.  31!. 

Thro'  and  Thro' 

9s«.  od. 

8s.  y.1. 

,  .Ss.  yd. 

Xs.  7.1d. 

Ss.    7.;i,l. 

116 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


March  31,   1905 


COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES. 


CARDIFF.  March  29.  /90S. 

THE  EASTERN  market  continues  to  jog  along  in  its  lately  amiable 
manner,  and  we  note  that  a  couple  of  boats  have  been  taken  up 
for  COLOMBO  at  8s.  6d.  JAVA  charterers  have  filled  their  require- 
ments at  9s..  and  other  steamers  have  been  fixed  for  ADEN  at  8s.. 
with  the  CAPE  posing  as  worth  1  Os. 

WESTWARD,  we  find  Plate  rates  continuing  fairly  firm  on  basis  of 
7s.  9d.  for  the  Lower  Ports  ;  with  Rio  DE  JANEIRO  ranging  between 
8s.  6d.  and  8s.  9d.  Other  fixtures  reported  are  :  A  handy-sized  boat 
for  PARA  at  9s.  6d.:  while  for  QUEBEC,  the  exceptionally  remunerative 
rate  (which  is  sort  of  sarkastic  ! )  of  4s.  7l2d.  has  been  taken.  Still, 
freights  for  this  port  are  few  and  far  between,  and  the  cargo  in 
question  was  probably  for  ballasting  purposes  ? 

HENCE  the  ISLANDS,  business  is  hardly  as  steady  as  it  was  at  our 
last  time  of  writing,  and  5s.  9d.  is  recorded  for  LAS  PALMAS.  with 
CAPE  VERDES  down  to  6s.  9d. 

MEDITERRANEAN  rates  are  a  trifle  easier,  tonnage  being  more 
plentiful,  with  very  few  new  orders  offering  on  the  market.  PORT 
SAID  has  receded  to  6s..  and  for  ALEXANDRIA,  current  figures  are  from 
6s.  6d.  to  6s.  9d.  For  GENOA,  the  demand  has  eased  considerably,  and 
in  one  instance,  at  least.  6s.  6d.  has  been  accepted. 

OTHER  fixtures  of  interest  are  BEYROUT.  at  7s.  9d.;  MALTA.  6s. — for 
a  small  boat ;  SICILY.  7s.  to  7s.  3d.;  and  SALERMO.  7s.  3d.  HENCE, 
MARSEILLES,  the  current  rate  remains  at  8  francs.:  with  ALGIERS 
paying  7'25  for  its  requirements. 

Week  Ending,  (Wednesday),  March  29,  1905 

(N)   denotes    Newport,    ;8)  Swansea,    (P.  T.)    Port    Talbot,    loading. 

EASTERN. 

Colombo,     .•Inafxi,  2,251  "•''•     <0>s-  6d. 

Prai'ini'ia,   2,2go  n.r.    8s.  6d. 
Cape,     Steamer,   los. 
Java,     Baron  Balfour,  2,552  n.r.   gs. 
Aden,     Steamer,    8s. 

WESTWARD,     Etc. 

Rio  de  Janeiro,     ()/vm/>ic,  3,20010113,    8s.  gd. 

Steamer,    8s.  6d. 
River  Plate.     Penare,  4,000  tons,    73.  gd. 

Fallodcn,  4, 100  tons,    73.  gd. 

Wilberforct,  3, goo  tons,   73.  6d. 

Steamer,    73.  7^d. 

Cape  Verdes,     Snowdon,  4,000  tons,   6s.  gd. 
Las  Palmas,     Albnera,  4,500  tons,  53.  gd.  option  Teneriffe 

Adriatic,  4,500  tons,  6s.   option   Cape  Verdes,  6s.  6d. 

Bray  Head,  3,600  tons,    53.  gd.   option    Teneriffe. 
Para,      Yanariva,   2,500  tons,    gs.  6d. 
Dakar,     Winnie,   2,000  tons,    75. 
Azores,     Steamer,   3,300  tons,   t;s.  gd. 
Quebec,     Atbara,  2,500  tons,  43.  7id. 
Teneriffe,     Lard  Duffenn,  6,000  tons,  53.  gd. 

MEDITERRANEAN,     Etc. 

Port  Said,    Nortliani,    5,500  tons,  6s.  3d. 

NessJieM,   5,000  tons,    6s.  3d. 

Knrrachee,    4,500  tons,    6s.  :^d. 

Sidmouth,   5,500  tons,    6s. 

Steamer,    5,400  tons,   6s. 

Annie,   5,400  tons,    6s. 

Baltonliall,  5,200  tons,    6s. 

Coquet,  5,400  tons,   6s. 
Alexandria,     C/iiivivtimf.   4,300  tons,   6s.  6d. 

Tn-gallinan,  4,200  tons,    6s.  6d. 

Slingsby,  4,000  tons,    6s.  gd. 
Genoa,     Steamer,    2,000  tons,    6s.  io|d. 

Steamer,    3,000  tons,    75. 

A miras,  4,500  tons,    6s.  gd.  option  Savona. 

Askfield,  3,200  tons,   6s.  gd.  (\). 

Lamia  L.  3,200  tons,   6s.  gd.  option    Savona. 

/-/•a/a,  4,500  tons,   6s.  6d. 
Spezzia,     Ktngswood,  2,200  tons,    73.  (s). 
Venice,     Steamer,  3,500  tons,   73.  6d.  option  Ancona. 

Ko/osvar,  2, coo  tons,  8s.  3d.   (s). 
Malta,     Carfierby,    2,500  tons,   6s. 

Adi-lina  Paiti,  4,200  tun-,    58.  6d. 
Sicily,      Ira,   3,303  tons,    6s.  lo.'.d. 

Steamer,    2,800  tons,    7*.  30!.  . 

Brindisi,     /Ww;;///s,    1.900  tons,    6-s.  -  id. 


Naples,     Dmirarcii,    4,700  tons,    6s.  6d.  optn.   Torre,  (N). 

Sara h  Radcliffe,  2,600  tons,    78. 

Dimeric,   2,400  tons,    6s.  6d. 
Torre,     I'ranns,    5,000   tons,    6s.    io^d.    option    Civita 

Vecchia  or  Leghorn.    (N). 
Salermo,     Islrns,  2,600  tons,  7*.  31!.  (N). 
Bona,     Skottsborg,  2,100  tons,    7   francs. 

Roseiieath,  2,100  tons,  7-50  francs. 

Valencia,,    Cynirian    i.iootons,  6s.  gd. coal,  73.  6d.  fuel,  (s). 
Marseilles,     Tom,  2,800  tons,  8  fcs.  option  Algiers,  7  fcs. 

Baclii,  2,600  tons,    8  francs. 

Maricial,   1,400  tons,    8  francs. 

J.  C.Jacobsen,   1,300  tons,  8  francs,    (s). 

Steamer,    1,500  tons,    8  francs. 

Steamer,  2,600  tons,  7-75  francs. 

Steamer,  4,200  tons,  775  francs. 
Barcelona,     Gwentlattd,  i,8oc  tons,    73.  3d. 

Sieglinde,   1.800  tons,   73.  6d.   (s). 

Carmen  Roca,  2,400  tons,    73. 

Isle  of  Caldy,   1,800  tons,    is. 

Siegfried,  1800  tons,  73. 
Raima,     Warwick,    i, 800  tons,  6s.   gd. 
Lisbon,     Bedale,   1,600  tons,    43.  7|d. 

Jeanie,  2,200  tons,  43.  7 id. 

Olive,  1,700  tons,  43.  j^d.  (.<). 
Oporto,     Skald,   1,400  tons,    43.  ioid. 
Oran,     La  Rochelle,  i, 600  tons,    7  fcs.  coal,  8  fcs.  fuel. 
Algiers,     Dalhcattie,    1,700  tons,    7 -37^  francs,     (s). 

Saltwick,    i, 900  tons,    7-25  francs. 

Emma,  1,700  tons,  7^25  francs. 
Syra,     Wimborne,  5,000  tons,  6s.  option  Piraeus. 
Bey  rout,     Duke  of  Cornwall,  2,100  tons,  73.  gd. 
Gibraltar,     Rolhesay,    2,500  tons,    53.  3d. 

Beitan,  2,300  tons,  53.  3d. 

BALTIC,  Etc. 

Pillau,     Steamer,    750  tons,    53.  6d. 
Kiel,     Steamer,    i,iootons,    53.  6d. 

BAY,     Etc. 

Chantenay,     Rosehi/l,   1,900  tons,  4-62!  francs. 
La  Rochelle,     Maliano,  2,200  tons,    4'izi  fcs. 

Behera,  2,100  4-37^  fcs.  option  Rocheforte,  4-62^  fcs.  (s) 
Bordeaux,     Leo,  2,200  tons,     4-45    francs. 
Rocheforte,     Peter  Hamre,    1,300  tons,   5  francs,   (s). 
Nantes,     Abi-nnacd,    1,300  tons,    5  francs,    (s). 

Anita,  1,400  tons,  475  fcs.  (P.T.) 
Charente,     Rive  de  Gier,    1,400  tons,    4-75  francs. 
Santander,  Steamer,   2,400  tons,  35.  6d. 

Abertawe,    1,600  tons,  33.  8d. 
La  Pal  I  ice,     Uriarle,  1,400  tons,  4  francs. 

COASTING,     Etc. 

Hamburg,  Ingrain,  2,100  tons;  Redwood,  1,400  tons; 
Mercator,  i  ,300  tons ;  Me/rose  Abbey,  i ,  500  tons  ; 
Ambient,  2,100  tons;  Consent,  ',700  tons; 
Ely  Rise,  1,500  tons  ;  Saxon  Briton,  1,600  tons; 
all  43.  6d. 

Rouen,     Ossian,  700  tons,    53.  3d.  (s). 
Peter  Berg,  800  tons,   53.   (s). 
Raloo,    1,300  tons,    43.7^.    (s). 
Jniites  Speir,    600  tons,    53.  6d.  (s). 
Havre,     Camille,   1,300  tons,  43.  (s). 
Caen,     Theodora,   1,000  tons,    43.  i^d.   (s). 
Rapid,    1,200  tons,    43.  ijd.   (s). 
Aninini,    1,150  tons,    43.  t|d.  (s). 
Honfleur,     Cumin,    1,400  tons,   43.  3d. 

Clonlee,    1,300  tons,    43.  3d. 
Dieppe,     Mersey,  55010113,    43.90!.  (s). 

Idygeta,    1,70010115,  43. 
Brest,     Alice  M.  Craig,    1,200  tons,   43. 
Bremen,     G.  N.  Wilkinson,  850  tons,  53.  6d.   (s). 

HOMEWARD. 

Bilbao  to   Cardiff,    Paniaron,   1,900  tons,   48.   ore 
Maliano,    2,400  tons,   43.   ore. 


March  31,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW 


"7 


Maritime, 

and  other 

Money ,  , 
Matters, 


SOME  week  or  so  ago, 
we  expressed  a  be- 
lief in  the  future  of 
the  Severn  Dry  Docks : 
suggested  that  it  had  a 
good  time  ahead  ;  and 
that  it  would  win  through 
the  ills  which  had,  ap- 
parently, surrounded  it, 
even  supposing  it  had  to 
change  its  name  in  the 
doing.  Somehow  or  other, 
our  words— viewed  in  the  light  of  later  events— were  of 
the  prophetic  ?  Mind  you,  we  did  not  intend  that  they 
should  be  considered  as  such,  for  we  were  merely  writing 
as  to  what  we  considered  to  be  "on  merit."  That  is,  the 
property  is  a  good  one,  and  in  able  hands,  should  return 
something  pretty,  to  those  who  have  footed  the  bill. 
That  it  has  not  done  so  in  the  past,  is  no  reason  to 
suppose  that  the  hands  have  not  been  able.  On  the 
contrary,  rather. 

BUT  there  is  a  tide  in  the  affairs  of  a  dry  dock,  even 
as  in  the  affairs  of  men.  That  same  old  tide  if  taken 
at  the  flood  will  wash  up  a  big  thing;  but  if  disregarded 

well,  of  what  use  is  to  set  sail  when  the  best  portion 
of  your  tide  is  gone?  If  we  were  asked  to  give  a  good 
tip  for  successfully  running  a  dry  dock,  we  should  un- 
hesitatingly say.  "  Pick  out  a  manager:  put  him  in  charge  : 
and  then  go  home  to  sleep  or  play  tennis,  or  golf."  If 
we  were  further  asked  "  What  should  you  do,  if  an  unkind 
fate  had  made  you  that  manager  ?  "  then,  just  as  unhesita- 
tingly, we  should  say  "  Well,  we  would  be  the  manager 
under  all  circumstances  or  chuck  the  job." 

*•    +   4 

OF  course,  we  admit  that  we  are  not  managing  a  dry 
dock ;  never  have  managed  one .  and  never  hope  to. 
All  the  same,  we  happen  to  know  a  few  gentlemen  who 
are-- and  have  been,  for  quite  a  time.  Another  item 
which  is  included  m  our  knowledge  is.  that  in  our 
opinion,  the  most  successful  dry  docks  are  those  where 
the  managers  do  even  as  we  would  do  "  Run  the  show! " 
On  the  other  hand,  we  know  one  or  two  concerns  where 
the  manager  is  somewhat  too  prone  to  be  "  directored  " 
in  small  things  :  as  a  result,  the  returns  in  those  con- 
cerns are  of  a  "small"  character.  Too  many  cooks 
spoil  a  broth.  That  is  admitted?  In  our  opinion,  too 
many  directors  spoil  a  dry  dock.  At  least,  they  spoil 
its  chances  of  leaving  a  dividend. 

44-4 

BUT  bless  us.  we  started  out  to  write  about  the  Severn 
Dry  Docks,  and  here  have  we  been  drawn  off  on  a  side 
issue,  and  one  which  has  nothing  whatever  to  do  with 
them.  We  apologise,  and  hasten  to  get  back  to  the 
track  from  which  digression  coaxed  us.  It's  like  this. 
The  Severn  concern  has  changed  hands.  Possibly  nay, 
probably — it  will,  eftsoon.  change  conditions!  That  is 
to  say,  the  one-time  "  Severn  "  is  now  a  component  part 
of  the  Cardiff  Channel  Dry  Docks  and  Pontoon  Company, 
Limited  ;  and  is  under  the  care  of  an  old  friend,  Mr. 
William  Jones.  What  that  means  in  calm  £  s.  d.  you 
are  likely  to  see.  later  on.  Yes.  the  "  Severn  "  has 
changed  hands ;  and  the  reason  for  the  change  "  is 
about  £65.000."  But  you  need  not  bother  unduly  as  to 
what  the  exact  price  is  or  was. 

•f   4-  4 

IT  is  more  to  the  point  to  wonder  what  the  result  will 
be.  In  the  past,  the  "Channel"  was  tangled  up  about 
as  much  as  was  necessary  for  comfort  ?  You  will  admit 
that''  Very  well,  then!  To-day,  the  tangle  is  very 
much  less  in  evidence?  Admit  that,  also?  Very  well, 
some  more.  What  smoothed  out  the  tangle  ?  Fairies, 


didn't  they?  No?  You  don't  believe  in  fairies?  Neither 
do  we.  for  we  would  far  rather  put  our  money  on  a  "  live  " 
man— that's  what  we  would  do.  And  anyhow,  when 
a  concern  can  get  out  of  a  tangle :  and  inside  of  a 
very  few  years  can  lay  down  up-to-date  plant  ;  can 
also  go  out  of  its  way  to  "  buy  in  "  other  going 
concerns,  and  things  of  a  like  nature ;  well,  there 
must  be  either  a  "  live  "  man  somewhere  about,  or  a 
pagoda-tree  in  the  back  office. 

•»•  •»•  + 

NOW,  the  day  for  the  pagoda-tree  is  done.  Personally 
we  do  not  believe  that  any  such  a  thing  existed,  and  that 
the  whole  wheeze  is  merely  a  traveller's  tale,  thought  up 
for  the  purpose  of  deceiving  the  young  and  innocent— 
which  is  us  !  But  although  there  are  no  pagoda-trees, 
there  are  "  back  offices."  They  sometimes  contain 
bottles  that  are  useful  in  alchemy ;  and  alchemy  is  the 
science  which  is  going  to  produce  the  philosopher's 
stone.  Do  you  follow  us?  The  philosopher's  stone  is 
said  to  have  the  property  of  turning  everything  it  touches 
into  gold?  Still  following  us?  Right  then  !  When  you 
have  a  philosopher's  stone  that  has  a  horse-power 
capable  of  "  touching  about  £65,000."  what  is  the  correct 
thing  to  do  and  say  ?  Give  it  up  ?  So  do  we — just  now ! 
But  keep  your  eye  on  future  issues  of  this  page.  We  do 
not  give  you  all  we  know  for  one  threepennypiece  not 

us. 

•f  +  + 

IF  we  were  built  after  the  fashion  of  some  of  our 
friends,  we  should  fall  over  our  best  boots,  in  a  wild 
endeavour  to  show  you  the  inward  workings  of  sundry 
apparently  obscure  facts.  But  we  are  not.  We  are 
built  on  our  own  plan,  and  all  in  good  time,  we  shall  tell 
you  what  there  is  to  know  ay,  whether  the  subject  be 
alleged  pagoda-trees,  back  offices,  "live"  managers,  or 
what  not.  Meanwhile,  we  feel  that  it  will  not  be  amiss  if 
we  congratulate  "  the  Channel,"  on  having  acquired 
"  the  Severn."  The  part  might  be  greater  than  the 
whole  but  it  isn't.  So  it  comes  about  that  as  in  nature, 
the  Severn  flows  into  the  Channel ;  well,  the  fitness  of 
things  is  even  as  it  should  be.  n'est-ce-pas  ?  Moreover, 
in  the  flowing,  the  Severn  runs  a  lot  of  stuff  into  the 
Channel.  What?  That  is  how  it  is  going  to  be  in  the 
case  of  the  "  Severn  "  and  the  "  Channel."  You'll  see. 

•f   -f   -f 

DRY- DOCKS  aren't  much  use  without  steamers. 
There  is  also  a  subtle  connection  between  them.  Thus, 
if  we  drop  from  dry-docks  into  steamer  companies,  we 
shall  be  in  order.  Just  so  !  The  Torrington  Steamship 
Company,  Limited,  has  been  registered  with  a  capital  of 
£53,000.  Here  is  another  9,000-tonner  for  the  Cardiffian 
lo  brag  about!  Second  one  in  the  same  group,  too. 
That  of  Messrs.  W.  J.  Tatem  and  Co.  One  thing  we  are 
glad  of:  There  are  already  fifteen  brass  plates  outside 
a  certain  door  in  "the  Square;"  there  is  room  in  the 
same  tier  for  nine  more  ;  there  is  also  room  for  several 
other  tiers ;  what  it  is  going  to  be,  by  and  soon—  well,  >ve 
shouldn't  like  to  suggest.  If  a  few  more  of  the  local 
shipowners  continue  on  the  path  that  has  been  followed 
by  such  firms  as  Messrs.  Tatem  and  Co..  Cardiff  will 
soon  need  a  Registry  of  her  own ;  to  say  nothing  of 
sundry  other  items  which  come  in  useful  in  steamer 
running.  Anyhow,  although  we  have  coupled  the 
Torrington  on  to  a  dry-dock  dissertation,  we  hope  she 
will  never  need  its  attentions  for  more  than  a  "spring 
clean,"  say  -which  might  be  considered  as  rough  on  the 
dry-dock  ? 

ANSWERS  TO  CORRESPONDENTS. 
*    t    * 

"TURNER."-  We  are  extremely  glad,  and  hope  you  will  let  it 
count  to  us  for  righteousness!  Generally  considered,  our  advice  is 
even  as  you  say  :  but  then,  we  are  modest  people  fortunately  for 
you  ! 


us 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


Mairh   31,    1905 


HERE  you  are  good  people!  Just  an  extract  from 
the  log  of  the  Scindia.  Time  and  again.  1  have 
been  instrumental  in  giving  you  "  log  extracts." 
of  one  kind  and  another :  but  hitherto,  they  have  ever  been 
suggestive  of  the  class  of  business  which  is  known  to  the 
vulgarly  inclined,  as  "  monkey  work."  You  know  the  sort 
1  mean,  don't  you?  The  "log  extract"  which  proved. 
more  or  less,  that  if  the  vessel  referred  to  wasn't  about  as 
near  a  wreck  as  made  no  odds  to  anybody  :  then,  in  the 
interests  of  truthful  journalism,  she  jolly  well  ought  to  have 
been.  But  this  present  "  extract  ?  "  Yes.  sirs  !  It  is  an 
extract  to  be  proud  of.  and  as  a  precis  for  a  dernation  pile 
of  work,  stands  out  big.  even  in  these  days  of  expert  precis 
writing.  Talk  about  much  in  little  !  But  I'll  give  you  the 
exact  quotation  : 

"SUNDAY.  November  9.  1902.  Latitude  46'40  N. 
Longitude  7  W.  Fresh  to  moderate  N.W.  gale  :  high  sea  ; 
ship  rolling  and  labouring  heavily  :  and  taking  seas  over 
decks  fore  and  aft.  At  9-50  a.m..  sighted  a  barque  flying 
signals  of  distress:  bore  down  on  her  and  rescued  the 
crew."  There  you  are.  sirs !  No  shinnannakin  about  it. 
Just  a  "  bore  down  on  her  and  rescued  the  crew."  The 
barque  was  the  Giovanni  S.,  of  Lussinpiccolo.  bound  from 

Cardiff  to   Maranham  with  _ 

Cardiff  "  smoke- 


good   old 

less,"    and    under    the 

command   of   one    Captain 

L.  Liereovich.  The  barque. 

with  her  rudder  gone,  and 

her    boats    more     or    less 

damaged  ;    sinking  rapidly. 

and  the  crew  too  exhausted 

to  prolong  their  fight ;  was 

in  sad  case.     So  sad,  that 

there  is  need  for  no  won- 
der that  those  who  may. 

decline    to    undertake  the 

hilarious  life  of  a  sailor  ? 
HOWEVER,     the     Scindia 

was  "  to  the  rescue,"  and 

although  she  signalled  that 

she  was  coming  on  in 
haste  :  that  her  boats  were 
manned  and  ready  for  the 

fray  :  the  crew  of  the 
derelict  had  seen  all  they 
wanted  to  of  Giovanni  S. : 

and  had  trusted  themselves 
to  the  barque's  damaged 
boats  which,  in  their 

opinion,  were  safer  than  the  storm-tossed  packet  which 
they  were  anxious  to  leave.  There  was  a  skipper,  a  mate, 
and  twelve  hands  to  deal  with,  and  although  the  seas  were 
running  "mountains  high."  the  Scindia  got  them  all.  That 
is.  the  Anchor  Liner  "bore  down  on  her  and  rescued 
the  crew."  Furthermore,  they  were  not  greatly  ahead  of 
fate  on  that  occasion,  for  within  one  hour  from  the  rescue, 
Giovanni  S.  gave  up  her  futile  struggle  with  the  world,  by 
foundering. 

THIS  was  act  one  in  the  drama.  A  damp  and  dreary  act, 
at  that.  Act  two  is  ever  so  much  brighter  and  pleasing  : 
is  almost  enough  to  reconcile  those  interested.- to  the  con- 
ditions under  which  they  annex  their  daily  bread— even- 
supposing  it  is  nothing  better  than  "  Liverpool  pantiles  ?  " 
And  before  going  into  the  details  of  Act.  11.,  let  us  suggest 
that  the  annals  of  our  Mercantile  Marine  are  freely  inter- 
spersed with  similar  instances.  With  tales  of  courage  and 
humanity  :  of  efforts  carried  out  in  the  face  of  grim  death  : 
and  all  for  the  purpose  of  snatching  another  sailorman. 
from  the  peril  that  has  surrounded  him  through  no  fault  of 
his  own.  Because  of  this,  and  for  other  reasons,  I  am 
proud  of  the  fact  that,  at  one  time  in  the  dim  vistas  of  the 
past.  I  posed  as  a  sailorman.  myself.  But  4,0  business  ! 
Act  II.  is  awaiting  an  opportunity. 


SEVERN 

SEA 
SPRAY! 


ON  Friday  last,  and  at  the  request  of  the  Austrian 
Consul-General.  the  Mercantile  Marine  Service  Association 
undertook  to  make  a  presentation  of  a  silver  loving  cup  to 
Captain  S.  Abrey.  of  the  Scindia.  in  commemoration  of 
the  rescue  which.  I  am  afraid.  1  have  given  but  a  poor 
showing.  Anyhow,  the  Association  mustered  in  force,  and 
in  addition  to  a  representative  number  of  shipmasters,  there 
was  also  present  the  Austrian  Consul.  Perhaps  I  ought  to 
mention  that  the  assembly  was  graced  by  the  presence  of 
ladies  :  in  fact  I  will.  For  among  the  guests  were  Com- 
mander Mac  Nab.  R.N.R.,  and  Mrs.  Mac  Nab.  ( But  I 
never  was  good  at  this  class  of  descriptive  writing,  so  must 
ask  to  be  excused  from  mentioning  anything  further  about 
it.  Beside,  the  esteemed  friend  who  passed  me  "  the  tip  " 
omitted  to  say  anything  further :  so  on  him  be  the  blame  !) 
ANYHOW,  it  was  Captain  J.  Keay.  president  of  the  M.M. 
S.A.,  who  made  the  presentation,  and  he  expressed  great 
pleasure  at  being  enabled,  for  the  first  time  during  his  year  of 
office,  to  preside  on  such  an  occasion.  The  Captain  sug- 
gested that  all  seamen  knew  the  Bay  of  Biscay,  in  its 
many  moods,  and  hazarded  the  opinion— to  which  I  respect- 
fully subscribe  —that  but  precious  few  of  them  amount  to 
much,  from  a  consideration  of  comfort !  Going  on  to 

discuss  the  reason  of  the 
present  gathering,  Captain 
Keay  touchingly  reverted 
to  the  rescue  ;  said  that  in 
accordance  with  honourable 
traditions.  Gapt.  Abrey.  as 
soon  as  he  saw  fellow  sea- 
men in  distress,  and  without 
stopping  to  count  the  cost, 
or  of  reckoning  up  the 
danger  to  himself,  sailed 
in  to  win  them  back  from 
impending  doom. 

CAPTAIN  KEAY  also  com- 
mented on  what  such 
conduct  meant  to  the 
wives  and  children  of  the 
rescued  men.  and  as  to 
the  probable  amount  of 
suffering  which  had  been 
obviated  by  the  plucky 
conduct  of  the  captain  and 
officers — who  ably  abetted 
the  rescue— of  the  Scindia  : 
and  that  as  fellow  members 
of  the  same  great  service, 
they  gladly  congregated 

to  do  honour  to  the  captain,  and  to  pay  a  tribute  to  his 
officers.  In  replying  to  these  remarks.  Captain  Abrey 
expressed  his  appreciation  for  the  kindness  of  the  Austrian 
Government,  and  assured  his  listeners  that  in  such  moments 
of  peril  to  fellow  seamen,  but  one  thought  ran  through  the 
minds  of  the  rescuers — "  the  joy  to  save  life."  Indeed, 
and  as  is  usual  with  men  of  action,  Captain  Abrey  had  not 
a  lot  to  say  ;  he  believed  more  in  doing. 

THE  Consul-General  for  Austria  —through  his  interpreter 
—  conveyed,  to  those  present,  the  thanks  of  his  Government, 
both  for  the  humanity  displayed  by  the  captain  of  the 
Scindia  in  saving  from  death  an  Austrian  crew  :  and  to  the 
Mercantile  Marine  Service  Association  for  their  aid  in 
helping  to  make  it  possible  for  their  appreciation  to  be 
expressed.  There  was  a  letter  accompanying  the  loving  cup : 
a  letter  which  I  should  like  to  reproduce,  but  cannot  for  lack 
of  space ;  and  for  my  part,  I  sincerely  hope  that  Captain 
Abrey  will  be  long  spared  to  quaff  his  favourite  beverage  - 
whatsoever  it  might  be— from  the  memento  which  has  been 
given  him,  for  proving  that  even  in  these  "bad  old  days." 
the  British  shipmaster  may  be  depended  on  for  maintaining 
the  traditions  of  a  thousand  years.  Here's  to  you  Captain 
Abrey.  from 

PETREL. 


March  31,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


0 


PATENTS  &  TRSDE  MSRKS 

Relating    to    SHIPPING   and    the    COAL    TRADE. 


Specifications  published  on  March  16,  1905,  together 
with  an  indication  of  their  subject  matter,  the  title 
being  printed  in  Italics. 

4,128  04 — LEUE — Improvements    in    appliances  for  trans- 
porting supplies  to  and  from  ships  at  sea. 

This  invention  relates  to  means  for  transporting  sup- 
plies between  a  ship  and  the  shore,  or  between  ships  at 
sea  where  the  distance  cannot  be  kept  constant.  For 
the  purpose  an  endless  cable  passes  around  sheaves  on 
each  vessel  and  the  invention  more  particularly  relates 
to  an  apparatus  for  keeping  the  cable  in  tension.  This 
is  effected  by  passing  the  cable  around  several  sets  of 
sheaves  mounted  on  parallel  shafts  on  one  of  the 
vessels.  One  of  these  shafts  is  fixed  whilst  the  other  is 
adapted  to  be  forced  away  from  the  former  by  the  piston 
rod  of  a  fluid-pressure  cylinder. 

5,496  04— BARNSLEY— Improvements    in    and    relating  to 
rock-drills,  pneumatic  hammers  and  other  percussive  tool. 

According  to  this  invention  the  bit  or  cutter  of  a  rock 
drill  is  made  separably  from  the  rod  or  stem.  The 
cutter  is  formed  with  a  shoulder  and  a  slightly  tapered 
shank  which  fits  a  corresponding  tapered  hole  in  the 
end  of  the  stem. 

7,900  04— BR I X     Rope  grip  for  suspended  rope  railways. 

According  to  this  invention  a  pair  of  jaws,  one  fixed, 
the  other  pivotted.  are  mounted  at  the  top  of  a  small  two 
wheeled  trolley  running  along  the  suspension  rope. 
This  clip  is  closed  to  grip  the  haulage  rope  by  a  worm 
spindle,  which  gears  with  a  toothed  segment  formed  on 
the  tail  of  the  pivotted  jaw  of  the  clip.  The  load  is  sus- 
pended from  a  lever  keyed  to  the  worm  spindle  so  that 
it  tends  to  close  the  clip.  The  end  of  this  lever  is  fitted 
with  a  roller  which  on  meeting  a  rail  causes  the  lever 
to  lift  and  release  the  clip. 

8,041  04  -MlKOLAJEZAK  Process  of  manufacturing  di- 
nitro  glycerine  and  di-nitro  glycerine  explosives  and  powders. 
This  invention  relates  to  a  process  of  manufacturing 
explosives  containing  di-nitro  glycerine  in  the  place  of 
the  usual  tri-mtro  glycerine. 

8,951  04     CALLIN  -  >4/7  improved    combined  screwed  and 
hinged  plug,  specially  applicable  to  ships  deck  plugs. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  plug  for  closing  the  ends 
of  pipes  flush  with  a  deck  and  its  object  is  to  prevent. 
the  plug  being  lost  when  inoperative.  According  thereto 
the  mouth  of  the  deck  socket  is  increased  in  diameter 
to  accommodate  an  annular  piece  hinged  to  one  side 
thereof.  The  internal  diameter  of  this  annular  piece 
corresponds  to  that  of  the  bore  of  the  socket  and  both 
are  internally  screw  threaded.  The  plug  is  externally 
threaded  and  screws  into  the  annular  piece  and  is 
prevented  from  being  completely  detached  therefrom  by 
a  lateral  pin  and  a  wide  annular  groove  in  the  piece. 
When  the  plug  is  completely  screwed  home  a  portion  of 
its  depth  is  screwed  into  the  socket  as  well  as  into  the 
annular  piece  hinged  thereto. 

9,084  04     MONRO     Improved  tackle  block. 

In  this  block  a  lever  weighted  at  one  end  is  pivotted  on 
a  pin  passing  through  the  top  of  the  block  above  the 
sheaves.  Cams  or  wedging  pieces  are  mounted  fast  on 
this  pin  and  are  normally  held  by  the  weighted  lever, 
clear  of  the  ropes  passing  over  the  sheaves.  On  pulling 
a  rope  secured  to  the  other  unweighted  end  of  the  lever 
the  cams  jam  the  ropes. 


9,374  04 — STEPHENS — Improvements     in    apparatus    for 
allaying  dust  in  connection  with  rock  drilling  machinery. 

This    invention    relates   to   the   provision    of   a  water 
spraying  device  attached  to  the  air  tap  of  a  pneumatic 
rock  drill. 
155,52  04— PETR IE—  Improvements  in  life  rafts. 

This  life  raft  is  composed  of  two  longitudinal  cylin- 
drical logs  of  Palo  de  Balsa  wood  dipped  in  wax  to 
render  it  impervious  to  water,  this  being  a  Spanish- 
American  wood  of  great  buoyancy.  These  logs  are  united 
by  cross  pieces  having  their  ends  shaped  to  fit  the 
curvature  of  the  logs  over  which  battens  forming  a 
grating  for  the  passengers  are  secured.  The  whole  is 
lashed  together  by  lateral  and  diagonal  tension  ties,  the 
cross  pieces  acting  as  compression  members.  Life  lines 
are  also  fitted. 

18,948  04— WATSON—  Apparatus  for  stopping  and  backing 
steam  and  other  ships. 

The  object  of  this  invention  is  to  enable  ships  to  be 
stopped  and  backed  without  reversing  the  engines. 
According  thereto  a  plate  or  scoop  shaped  drag  is  pivotted 
at  the  stern  of  the  vessel  to  the  free  ends  of  two  rods  or 
beams  which  in  turn  are  pivotted  amidships,  one  on 
each  side  of  the  vessel.  When  it  is  desired  to  arrest  the 
progress  of  the  vessel  the  drag  is  lowered  into  the  water 
behind  the  propeller  where  it  deflects  the  stream  of 
water  therefrom  and  tends  to  reverse  the  vessel. 
19,453  04— CARPENTER  An  improved  controller  for 
steel  wire  hawsers  or  cables. 

This  cable  controller  consists  dl  a  block  adapted  to  be 
secured  to  the  deck  to  one  side  of  which  a  piece  grooved 
to  form  one  jaw  of  the  controller  is  hinged.  This  jaw- 
piece  when  closed  against  the  block  is  secured  by  an 
eye  pivotted  to  it  passing  over  a  lug  formed  on  the  edge 
of  a  cover  plate  also  hinged  to  the  block.  The  other  jaw 
is  formed  by  a  sliding  wedge  located  in  a  recess  inside 
the  block  the  taper  of  the  wedge  being  so  directed  that 
the  tension  of  the  cable  tends  to  tighten  the  grip.  The 
wedge  piece  is  slackened  back  to  release  the  cable  by 
means  of  a  pinion  mounted  on  a  vertical  spindle  in  the 
block,  which  pinion  meshes  with  a  rack  formed  on  the 
side  of  the  v/edge.  The  end  of  the  spindle  is  squared 
to  take  a  key. 


These  applications  for  patents  are,  until   May    1,  1905, 
~"ofen  to  opposition   by  any   person   having  a  statutory 
right  to  oppose. 

Copies  of  the  specifications  may  be  obtained  from  the 
Patent  Office  or  through  the  under-named. 


TRADE   MARKS. 


The  following  application  for  the  registration  of  Trade 
Mark     relating    to    the   shipping  and  coal   trades    was 
advertised  on   March  22,  and  is  open  to  opposition    by 
interested  parties  within  the  period  ending  April  22. 
Class  8     Including  nautical  instruments. 

No.  269,754— 30th  January,  1905— The  fac-simile  sig- 
nature of  "J.  H.  Dallmeyer,  London."  For:  Lenses 
included  in  class 8  and  telescopes.  J.  H.  Dallmeyer,  Ltd., 
25,  Newman  Street,  Oxford  Street,  London,  Manufac- 
turers. In  use  since  15  years  prior  to  13th  Aug..  1874. 

Compiled  by  Messrs.  PHILLIPS  &  LEIGH,  Chartered  Patent 
Agents,  22,  Southampton  Buildings,  Chancery  Lane,  London, 
W.C.  Local  Consultant:  Mr.  S.  W.  ALLEN,  Engineer,  of  Cardiff 
Exchange,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


March  31,  1905 


> 


m 


OUR  MARITIME  DIRECTORY. 


iiniiiMii. 


CARDIFF. 

Colliery   Proprietors. 


CARDIFF    Continued. 


("ORY  BROS.  &  Co..  LTD..  Cardiff  and 
London.   Depots  at  all  the  principal 
Coaling  Stations  in  the  World. 


.      :• 


"CORY.  CARDIFF"  ; 
"CORY.  LONDON." 


INSOLE.  GEORGE  &  SON.  Cardiff.   Sole 
Shippers  of  Cymmer  Steam    Coal, 
Windsor  Steam  Coal,  and  Insoles  No.  2 
Rhondda  Coal. 

Telegrams:  "INSOLES.  CARDIFF." 


VIVIAN.    H.   C.   A  Co.,    Bute   Docks, 
Cardiff.     Sole  European  Agents  for 
"  The  Puritan  Coal  Mining  Co.,  Phila- 
delphia, U.S.A." 

Telegrams:  "VIVIAN.  CARDIFF." 


WATTS,    WATTS  &  Co.,   Cardiff    and 
London.  Contractors  for  the  supply 
of  Coals  at  all  Depots  abroad. 

Telegrams  :  "  WATTS,  CARDIFF." 

Dock   Owners. 


I  EWIS    MERTHYR    CONSOLIDATED  COL- 
LIERIES, LTD.,  Proprietors  and  Ship- 
pers  of    "Lewis  Merthyr"   Navigation 
Steam  Coal. 

LEWIS  MERTHYR.  CARDIFF"; 
"LEWIS  MERTHYR.  LONDON." 


VHE  CARDIFF  RAILWAY  COMPANY,  Bute 
Docks,  Cardiff. 


[MARQUESS  OF  BUTE  COLLIERIES. 
Aberdare,  Hirwain.  and  Rhondda 
Valley.  Shipping  ports: — Bute  Docks, 
Cardiff :  Penarth  Dock  ;  Swansea ; 
Briton  Ferry  :  and  Newport  (Mon.) 

Telegrams  :  "  SEMA.  CARDIFF." 


QCEAN    (MERTHYR)    COAL   Co.,   LTD., 
11,  Bute  Crescent,  Cardiff,  proprie- 
tors of  Ocean  (Merthyr)  Steam  Goal. 


[JNIVERSAL  STEAM   COAL  Co.,  LTD.. 
Bute  Docks.  Cardiff.  Proprietors  of 
'  Universal  Steam  Coal." 

Telegrams  :  "  VERSATILE,  CARDIFF." 


Ship  Repairers. 

CHEARMAN,  JOHN  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff, 
and  at  Barry  Dock. 


THE   BUTE   SHIPBUILDING,  ENGINEERING, 
AND   DRY   DOCK   COMPANY,    LIMITED, 
Roath  Basin,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "CAISSON,  CARDIFF." 

THE  CARDIFF  CHANNEL  DRY  DOCKS  AND 
PONTOON    Co.,    LTD.,    Cardiff    and 
Barry  Dock. 

Toio,rr  Entrance,  Cardiff." 

Telegrams  .    ..  Cnanne,  Barry  ., 


'THE  MERCANTILE   PONTOON  Co.,  LTD. 
Roath  Dock,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams  :   "  MERCANTILE,  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF     Continued. 


Miscellaneous. 


[EWIS  4  TYLOR.  Bute  Docks.  Cardiff 
Sole   patentees  and  manufacturers 
of  "  Gripoly."  a  patent  woven  belting 
and  "  Burals."  a  semi-metallic  packing. 

Telegrams  :  "  BELTINO  CARDIFF."        Telephone.  Nat.  231 


Steamship    Owners. 

P)AN.    JENKINS    &     Co..    Steamship 
Owners  and  Brokers.  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "Stonewall,  Cardiff." 
Nat.  Telephone  :  1318. 


BARRY. 


Dock  Owners. 

THE  BARRY  RAILWAY  Co..  Barry. 


Ship  Repairers. 


RARRY   GRAVING   DOCK  &  ENGINEERING 
Go.,  LTD. 

Telegrams:   "  BARDOCK,  BARRY." 
National  Telephone  No.  7.         Post  Office  Telephone  No.  7. 


To    the    Proprietors    of 


"THE    MARITIME    REVIEW," 


DOCKS,     CARDIFF. 


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DROP 

IN 
THE    SLOT 

AND  THE 


SHOUT    AND 
AVt     HIS 


DAI.  :  "  It  iss  a  shame,  look  you.     I  haf  put  in  my  money 
but  the  thing  is  out  of  gear-r,  yes ! " 


121 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


April   7,  1905 


*.».»•  NOTICES.  «  «  « 

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EDITOR.  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW,  CLARENCE  RCAD,  DOCKS, 
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Neither  the  Editor  nor  the  Publishers  will  accept  responsibility  for  the 
accidental  loss  of  MSS.  or  illustrations  submitted,  but  every  effort 
will  be  made  to  return  unsuitable  contributions,  provided  stamped  and 
addressed  envelopes  are  sent 

Correspondence  :  The  Editor  does  not  necessarily  identify  himself 
with  the  opinions  expressed  by  Correspondents,  whose  letters  must, 
in  every  instance,  be  accompanied  by  the  name  and  address  (if  not  for 
publication,  then  as  evidence  of  good  faith),  of  the  writer,  and  must  be 
written  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only. 


*  »>  CONTENTS.  «  *  * 


CARTOON  -THE  HUMAN  WINDMILL 

MARITIME  MURMURS 

SHIPBUILDING 

ABOUT  LAWS,  AND  LAW-MAKING 


120 
121 
128 
129 


CONCERNING  CRIMPING      •    130 

CARDIFF  (AND  OTHER)  COAL        ...  131 

COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES ..  133 

MARITIME  (AND  OTHER)  MONEY  MATTERS        134 

SEVERN  SEA  SPRAY          135 

PATENTS  AND  TRADE  MARKS      136 


MARITIME    MURMURS. 


he  tells  us  that  the 
left  in  Glamorgan, 
Pembrokeshire  and 
inches,  upwards — is 


DOCKS,  CARDIFF. 

Thursday  Afternoon. 

WE  note  that  the  final  report  of  the  Royal  Commission 
on  Coal  Supplies  has  been  published.  Among  other  items 
of  interest,  that  report  contains  Sir  William  Thomas  Lewis' 
decision  as  to  what,  in  his  opinion,  are  the  available  coal 
resources  of  South  Wales  and  Monmouthshire.  It  cannot 
be  gainsaid  that  Sir  William  is  an  authority  of  the  highest 
order :  that  what  he  doesn't  know  of  coal  is  scarcely 
worth  troubling  about ;  so  that  when 
estimated  available  quantity  still 
Monmouth.  Brecon.  Carmarthen,  and 
contained  in  seams  from  twelve 
28,335.788.150  tons  :  well,  we  ought  to  be  satisfied.  Our 
readers  will  remember  the  tremendous  uproar  that  was 
made,  some  months  ago.  concerning  the  "  wicked  and 
shameful  waste  of  a  priceless  heritage  "  that  was  going  on: 
the  said  waste  being  in  wantonly  selling  to  the  foreigner, 
the  precious  coal  that  was  needed  for  our  own  fleets.  The 
discussion—  if  such  it  may  be  termed — was  equally 
divided  between  pathos  and  bathos,  and  if  everybody  wasn't 
frightened  into  believing  that  the  first  hard  winter  was 
likely  to  freeze  us  all  up,  then,  it  wasn't  because  the  scare- 
monger had  not  done  his  best ! 


OF  course,  we  know  that  it  is  fashionable—  and  popular — 
to  "  sit  upon  "  the  colliery  man.  He  is  outside  the  pale 
—and  deserves  it !  Is  not  he  the  man  who  sells  coal  to  the 
foreigner,  at  13s.  6d.  f.o.b.,  at  the  Bute  Docks,  even  when 
the  supplier  of  our  domestic  needs,  is  impressing  upon  us 
the  fact  that  he  is  a  benefactor  to  the  human  race,  for 
delivering  inferior  stuff  at  our  back-doors,  for  anything  up 
to  26s.  6d.  per  ton  ?  Certainly  !  And  a  man  that  will 
indulge  in  such  tricks  deserves  most  of  what  he  gets  in  the 
way  of  opprobrium  ?  Most,  you  understand,  but  not  quite 
all !  Thus  it  comes  about,  that  when  a  few  more  or  less 
well-intentioned  sensationalists  trot  out  their  ideas  anent 
the  rapidly  diminishing  coal  reserves :  the  man  in  the 
street,  who  knows  next  to  nothing  of  the  real  circumstances, 
and  who  is  "  boiling  mad  "  because  he  has  ha£  to  pay  coal 
price,  for  a  quantity  of  not-too-good  shale,  helps  in  the 


so-called  discussion.  There  is  a  pooling  of  issues,  and  the 
seemingly  astute  newspaperman — who  has  also  been  "had" 
with  that  shale  affair — lends  his  aid,  and  the  columns  of 
his  paper,  for  a  high-class  thrashing-up  of  the  sort  of 
indignation  which  sane  business  men  describe  as  "bathos." 

.     5?  *9 

ON  occasions  such  as  these,  anything  which  sounds 
erudite  and  "  touchy,"  is  seized  upon  with  avidity  ;  diction- 
ary words  are  flung  around  with  a  profusion  that  is  supposed 
to  belong  merely  to  the  giving  away  of  the  "  priceless 
heritage  "  ;  the  needs  of  the  Fleet  are  animadverted  upon  ; 
all  hands  are  told  that,  almost  before  you  can  say  "  knife," 
the  nation's  coal  will  be  exhausted  ;  the  foreigner  will 
swoop  down  upon  us,  thanks  to  the  coal  which  he  has  saved 
from  those  other,  and  brighter,  days  ;  and  hey,  presto,  the 
knell  of  doom  will  reverberate  from  the  spires  where,  erst- 
while, the  sweet-toned  bell  summoned  the  faithful  to 
prayer.  At  this  stage  of  the  "discussion,"  an  easing  off  is 
apparent ;  the  crowd  seems  to  be  seized  with  one  common 
wish  to  give  time  for  their  weighty  pronouncements  to  sink 
in  ;  breathlessly  they  stand  aside  ;  and  in  anticipation,  can 
feel  the  foeman's  steel  up  against  the  extremely  high 
collar,  which  is  usually  affected  by  this  class  of  monitor! 
The  whole  "  agitation  "  has  been  worked  in  this  manner, 
time  and  again.  So  many  times,  indeed,  that  one  wonders 
how  it  is  that  there  are  still  people  who  will  give  serious 
attention  to  the  ancient  tale.  That  those  people  exist,  is 
certain.  Probably,  they  were  too  'busy  to  give  attention  to 
the  subject,  when  last  it  fluttered  across  the  daily  stage  ! 

e??  &H 

IW         IU? 

SEEING  that  the  sensationalists  had  worked  themselves 
into  that  pitch  of  fury  which  urgently  demanded  a  cessation, 
fora  time,  at  least— unless  they  meant  to  explode;  the 
calm  light  of  knowledge  materialised.  As  the  outcome  of 
the  spluttering  denunciations  against  the  wicked  colliery 
man.  a  Royal  Commission  was  created;  not  so  much 
because  the  powers  that  be  had  any  doubt  upon  the  subject ; 
but  rather  for  the  reason  that,  in  the  vistas  of  the  past,  a 
Royal  Commission  could  ever  be  depended  on  to  allay 
public  apprehension.  The  man  in  the  street  has  a  great 
belief  in  the  powers  of  a  Royal  Commission  ;  almost  as 
great  as  his  belief  in  the  utter  unworthiness  of  the  average 


April   7.    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


122 


colliery  man  !  And  that  is  saying  a  lot  !  Meanwhile,  the 
demands  that  what  remained  of  our  "  priceless  heritage  " 
should  be  reserved  for  Naval  purposes,  only,  were  pigeon- 
holed :  instead  of  loud  anathema,  sullen  murmurings  were 
the  vogue  :  and  the  soulful  cry  was.  "  Wait  until  that 
Royal  Commission  has  finished  its  labours  :  then  you'll  see 
that  we  are  right."  And  we  are  nearly  sure  that  the  sen- 
sationalists believed  their  own  rant.  Not.  perhaps,  at  the 
beginning  of  the  discussion  :  but  later  on.  and  when 
corroboration  had  eventuated  from  scores  of  other  sen- 
sationalists, the  originators  of  the  agitation  felt  that. 
somehow  or  other,  they  were  about  as  near  right  as  made 
no  odds  ! 

&t$ 

WELL,  as  already  stated,  the  final  report  of  the  Royal 
Commission  on  Coal  Supplies  has  been  published,  and 
among  other  things  we  find  that,  of  Welsh  coal  the 
priceless  heritage,  you  know  in  1904.  there  was  raised 
some  44.000.000  tons.  Of  that  by-no-means  small 
quantity,  the  British  Naval  authorities  purchased  just 
1.1  17.000  tons.  Yet  we  are  asked  to  seriously  consider  a 
scheme  which  shall  ear-mark,  so  to  speak,  the  national  coal 
supplies  for  the  use  of  the  Navy.  Makes  you  smile,  doesn't 
it  ?  You  are  wondering  why  otherwise  estimable  folk  will 
fash  themselves  with  subjects  upon  which  they  are. 
obviously,  all  at  sea?  We  have  it  on  the  word  of  Sir 
William  Lewis,  that  in  view  of  the  fact  that  there  are  some 
24  Welsh  steam  coal  collieries  upon  the  Admiralty  list,  as 
well  as  four  others  which  are  upon  a  limited  Admiralty 
list  if  we  may  put  it  thus  :  then,  the  available  supplies 
yet  in  the  earth,  and  for  the  collieries  interested,  amount 
to  3.956.657.410  tons.  Is  there  any  reason  to  go  on 
fearing  for  the  advent  of  that  wicked  foreign  man  ?  Need 
any  of  us  lay  awake  o'  nights,  imagining  that  we  can  hear 
some  alien  stealthily  trying  our  back-door  fastening  :  or 
need  we  awake  as  the  first  struggling  beams  of  day  creep 
in  through  the  slats  of  our  bedroom-window  blinds,  with 
the  impression  deep  upon  us  that  a  big  German  is  standing 
at  the  foot  of  the  bed.  carefully  "  going  through  our 
pockets  ?  " 

5?  *3 

No.  sirs,  on  all  counts.  At  least,  not  as  the  result  of  our 
getting  rid  of  any  "  priceless  heritage  "  connected  with 
Welsh  Coal.  There  are  several  other  reasons  tending 
toward  the  situation  which  we  have  endeavoured  perhaps 
with  some  little  success  to  sketch  out  for  you.  If  you 
will  be  well-advised  enough  to  turn  over  your  coal  attention. 
to  the  urgent  question  of  the  manning  of  your  fleets,  both 
Naval  and  Mercantile  :  well,  you  will  be  attending  to  some- 
thing that  is  calculated  to  serve  you  in  good  stead,  later 
on.  Don't  worry  about  the  coal  supply.  There  is  plenty 
of  it  left,  for  ages  to  come.  Your  greatest  worry  is  needed 
is  connection  with  a  supply  of  men  to  use  that  coal  on  your 
warships  :  and  for  a  further  supply  of  natives  to  carry  that 
coal  where  it  is  needed  by  the  former.  You  have  coal 
enough,  and  to  spare.  Where  you  are  drifting  down  the 
stream,  is  in  the  matter  of  stokers  and  sailors.  The  nation 
has  plenty  of  ships  :  whole  heaps  of  fuel  :  lashin's  and 
lavin's  of  ammunition  :  everything,  in  point  of  fact,  save 
men.  Indeed,  there  are  plenty  of  these  latter  :  but  the 
unfortunate  part  is.  they  will  not  take  to  the  sea.  preferring. 
if  they  must  starve,  to  do  it  on  shore,  and  without  hard 
work  and  continual  hardship  as  a  concomitant. 


THE  pity  of  this  latter  part  of  the  discussion  lays  in  the 
fact  that  quite  a  number  of  would-be  philanthropists  engage 
in  the  subject  :  offer  all  manner  of  panaceas  or  imaginary 
panaceas  —  for  removing  the  trouble  ;  talk  of  generous 
bills  of  fare  :  separate  rooms  for  each  mate/of  .•  libraries  on 


board  :  service  boxes  for  united  worship ;  free  mufflers 
and  mittens  for  those  engaged  in  cold  trades  :  but  never  a 
one  of  them  is  inclined  to  say  one  word  about  the  one-and- 
only  cause  which  keeps  the  Briton  out  of  the  British 
forecastle — poor  pay.  It  never  seems  to  strike  the  philan- 
thropist that  the  sailorman  is  a  human  being,  and  may  be 
depended  on  to  act  after  the  manner  of  his  kind,  under  all 
conditions.  Give  him  enough  pay.  and  he  will  be  in  a 
position  to  purchase  as  many  mits  and  mufflers  as  he  needs: 
if  he  doesn't  need  them,  he  won't  buy  them  :  and  anyhow, 
the  supply  of  any  article  for  which  he  has  no  use.  is  a 
superfluous  charity  ?  Of  what  use  is  it  to  offer  a  hungry 
and  dog-tired  man,  a  tract  which  treats  of  the  blessings  of 
repose  ?  He  needs  food  and  rest  ?  To  the  same  man.  too, 
is  a  separate  room  of  any  real  utility  ?  On  the  contrary, 
rather,  for  it  will  merely  conduce  to  more  sinfulness. 

era 

EACH  separate  sailor  will  retire  to  his  room,  and  curse 
the  fate  which  placed  him  there  :  when,  if  the  crowd  were 
altogether,  the  swearing  would  be  carried  on.  one  by  one  ; 
in  relays,  so  to  speak.  For  instance.  Bill  would  have  a  go 
at  the  business  and  his  shipmates  would  listen.  When  Bill 
became  tired,  Jack  would  "take  the  floor."  and  thus  would 
there  be  less  profanity  in  the  aggregate.  Again,  is  there 
sense  or  reason  in  offering  a  man  a  book  which  treats  of 
some  other  kind  of  martyr,  when  that  man's  body  is  yearn- 
ing for  nourishing  food,  and  his  soul  for  rest  ?  You  know, 
and  we  know,  that  the  "  libraries  "  <  save  the  name )  which 
are  dealt  out  to  Jack,  are  ever  of  the  canting,  hypocritical, 
kind.  The  hero  which  Jack  is  asked  to  emulate,  is  some 
unfortunate  (but  mythological)  kritter  who  never  knew 
what  it  was  to  be  hungry  in  the  whole  of  his  monotonous 
life  :  who  was  bounded  on  the  north  by  a  chapel :  on  the 
east,  by  its  pastor :  on  the  south  by  the  deacon  :  and  on 
the  west  by  the  saintly  heroine  who  had  plenty  of  money, 
and  an  absorbing  love  for  the  fiero.  We  tell  you  this, 
because  we  have  "  been  there  : "  have  flung  the  trashy 
rubbish  to  the  cavernous  depths  beyond  the  pawl-bit :  and 
have  thought  up  all  manner  of  punishment  <  in  the  abstract. 
you  know )  for  the  silk-hatted  and  cotton-gloved  .arrange- 
ment who  sent  the  "  books  "  on  board. 


IF  those  philanthropical  folk  really  wish  to  benefit  the 
sailor:  to  wean  back  to  the  sea,  the  good  men  who  have 
decided  to  have  no  more  of  it :  and  if  it  is  really  impossible 
to  offer  a  greater  monetary  inducement  than  obtains  at 
present :  why  not  re-stock  ships'  libraries  ?  Fill  them  up 
with  books  which  deal  with  heroes  who  have  been  starved, 
ill-clothed,  and  slave-driven.  Show  Jack  how.  and  under 
-what  conditions,  it  is  possible  to  glean  a  little  comfort  out 
of  the  circumstances  under  which  he  lingers  out  his  days 
-  and  nights.  Never  mind  so  much  of  this'  old  goody- 
goody  stuff  which  never  happened  :  this  metaphorical  hero 
who  should  be  in  a  glass  case.  If  you  can  show  the  sailor 
how  he  may  ease  the  pangs  of  hunger  without  food  :  how 
to  rest  his  weary  body  and  still  go  on  working  :  how  he 
may  keep  himself  cool  in  an  iron  box.  in  the  tropics  :  and 
warm,  when  wet  through  and  ill-clad,  on  the  Banks  of 
Newfoundland  :  then  you  will  be  doing  some  good.  Of 
course,  you  cannot  ?  Even  your  philanthropical  efforts 
stop  at  the  impossible  ?  So  !  Then,  adopt  other  tactics. 
Crusade  the  question  of  pay  for  a  time,  and  you'll  be  sur- 
prised how  quickly  you'll  rush  up  the  number  of  available 
seamen.  Anyhow,  don't  bother  about  the  coal  supply  : 
that's  alright. 

THERE  is  more  trouble  ahead  !  Admiral  Sir  John  Fisher 
will  be  the  unwitting  cause  of  it.  too  !  That  Admiralty 
committee  which  is  engaged  upon  the  reorganisation  of  the 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


April   7,    1905 


national  dockyards  are  "  on "  to  the  business,  in  style. 
The  result  is  going  to  be  that,  in  future,  warships  will  be 
turned  out.  in  less  time  than  ever !  The  "  dockyardee  "  is 
going  to  be  induced  to  get  a  hustle  on-  at  least,  it  is  hoped 
so.  although  we  are  inclined  to  doubt  the  possibility  of  the 
undertaking :  and  then,  warships  will  come  away  from  the 
yards  in  -well,  we  shouldn't  like  to  say  how  they  11  come 
away.  This  is  precisely  where  the  trouble  will  eventuate- 
To-day,  the  dockyards  turn  out  warships  faster  than  the 
Naval  authorities  can  turn  out  men  ;  what  the  situation 
will  be.  if  the  "dockyardee  "  really  is  constrained  to  hustle, 
heaven  alone  knows.  Anyhow,  there  is  talk  of  appointing 
a  professional  constructor  -  whatever  that  is.  in  Daily 
Express  at  each  yard,  and  a  "  system  of  surveying  will  be 
carried  out  by  naval  officers."  Eh  ?  This  is  a  move  in  the 
right  direction  ?  Soon,  the  naval  officer  will  know  some- 
thing about  the  practical  side  of  ship-making?  G'arn  ! 
We  merely  intended  to  talk  to  you  of  the  impending 
trouble.  Having  done  so.  we  have  finished. 

g'te 

GREAT  Ptolemy !  You  have  heard  of  that  fleet  of 
"  obsoletes "  which  have  been  turned  out  of  the  Navy  ? 
Of  course,  you  have,  for  we  have  told  you  of  the  matter, 
ourselves.  Well,  the  Admiralty  has  been  up  to  its  tricks, 
it  appears.  Has  been  wrecking  the  boilers  of  the  "  obso- 
letes." Not  only  wrecking  the  boilers,  but  "  mutilating  the 
propelling  machinery."  Been  cutting  off  the  tails  of  piston- 
rods,  and  notching  the  ears  of  the  high-press,  cylinders— we 
suppose  ?  Anyhow,  we  are  indebted  to  the  same  "shipping 
authority  "  which  we  quoted  in  the  par  above,  for  all  this 
"  intelligence."  The  fleet  of  cast-outs  will  soon  come 
under  the  hammer,  we  are  told,  although  judging  by  the 
"  wrecking "  and  "  mutilation."  the  hammer  must  have 
eventuated  already  ?  However,  because  of  this  sad  wick- 
edness on  the  part  of  the  Admiralty,  the  vessels  will  have 
to  be  towed  to  their  destinations,  for  "  they  will  not  be  able 
to  raise  an  ounce  of  steam."  Yea,  lor' !  Think  of  that ! 
Of  course,  there  is  not  an  undue  amount  of  potentiality  in 
an  ounce  of  steam-  even  if  it  could  be  raised  ;  but  it  is  not 
the  potentiality  that  one  has  to  bother  about ;  it  is  the 
principle  involved. 

5?^ 

WHY.  this  misguided  action  of  the  Admiralty  "  has 
depreciated  the  selling  value  of  the  ships  by  many  thousands 
of  pounds."  Think  of  that.  now.  Did  you  ever  believe  that 
an  ounce  of  steam  was  worth  all  those  shekels  ?  You 
didn't  ?  Well,  never  mind.  With  all  their  faults,  some- 
body'll  love  'em  still :  and  loving,  will  buy--  if  the  vessels 
can  only  raise  a  quarter  of  an  ounce  of  steam  between 
'em.  What  troubles  us  most,  is  the  parting  with  steam 
tonnage— some  of  which  is  brand  new — under  the  name 
and  title  of  "  obsolete."  The  ounce  of  steam  is  nothing  ;  it 
is  the  stokers  that  were  the  greatest  trouble.  As  we  have 
remarked  ere  this,  when  the  Admiralty  are  willing  to  turn 
Jollies  into  stokers  :  when,  shortly  afterward,  a  fine  group 
of  warships  are  offered  at  bargain  prices  :  it  should  show 
you,  fairly  conclusively,  that  stokers  in  the  Navy,  are  at  a 
premium  ?  Whether  it  shows  you  this,  or  not,  they  are  at 
a  premium,  and  even  at  the  time  when  the  unemployed  list  on 
shore,  is  of  alarming  dimensions.  If  reorganisation  is  not 
sadly  needed,  here,  then  we  should  like  to  know  what  is 
needed.  It  is  all  very  well  to  "  wreck  "  and  "  mutilate  " 
machinery  and  boilers  in  otherwise  sound  ships  :  but  it 
would  be  far  better  to  wreck,  mutilate  and  destroy  the 
system  which  keeps  a  Navy  short-handed,  when  there  are 
thousands  of  starving  men  seeking  an  opportunity  on  shore. 

5?  & 

IT  is  even  as  we  suggested  last  week,  that  there  is  by  no 
means  an  unanimous  opinion  concerning  the  "remarkability" 
of  the  new  dodge  which  has  been  inaugurated  with  refer- 


ence to  the  supply  or  selection— of  cadets  for  the  Navy. 
At  least,  among  those  who  are  best  qualified  to  know 
something  of  the  subject.  It  is  all  very  pretty  for  our 
venerable  contemporary.  Times,  to  prattle  of  "  the  complete 
success  of  an  experiment  so  novel  "  as  this  catching  a  boy 
of  twelve,  ,and  deciding  through  the  help  of  a  ten  minutes 
chat,  as  to  what  kind  of  sailorman  the  kid  will  be  at  thirty. 
Very  pretty,  but  as  we  have  already  contended,  very 
ridiculous.  We  admit  that  the  "New  scheme  of  Naval 
Training  "  has  points  in  its  favour  :  the  chief  of  them  is, 
that  it  is  new.  The  old  dodges  have  been  eminently  un- 
satisfactory ;  at  the  worst,  the  new  can  be  no  more! 
Anyhow.  Admiral  G.  G.  Penrose  Fitz  Gerald  has  been 
politely  chiding  "the  Thunderer."  for  "  soaring  boldly  into 
the  ethereal  regions  of  prophecy,"  and  we  suppose  that  it 
will  be  admitted  that  an  admiral  is  calculated  to  know 
something  of  a  naval  subject  ;  something  worthy  of 
attention,  we  mean,  and  outside  of  the  province  of  mere 
"  filling  "  for  a  daily  paper  ? 

&*& 

IN  the  words  of  the  gallant  Admiral,  "  it  is  just  a  little 
bit  premature  to  say  whether  the  new  scheme  is.  or  is  not 
a  success.^  For  in  spite  of  the  formidable  array  of 
authorities  which  you  quote  in  the  special  article  on  '  The 
New  Scheme  of  Naval  Training,'  I  would  venture  to  submit 
that  there  can  be  no  proof  of  any  sort  as  to  the  success  or 
otherwise  of  the  '  experiment'  for  the  next  10  or  15  years: 
until  the 'sons  of  Nelson' now  being  entered  have  arrived 
—at  least — to  the  rank  of  lieutenant  or  commander."  Of 
course  it  is  a  bit  premature,  and  the  wonder  is  that  such  a 
staid  authority  as  Times  undoubtedly  is,  should  commit 
tself  to  a  declaration  of  opinion  which,  in  a  newer  devotee 
of  journalism,  would  be  marked-down,  at  once,  as  rank 
rubbish  ;  and  as  merely  intended  to  pander  to  those  who 
are  in  authority.  Fancy  labelling  a  mere  idea,  as  being 
"  no  longer  an  experiment,  but  a  real  and  very  valuable 
discovery  !  "  Why,  the  "  New  Scheme  of  Naval  Training  " 
is  not,  as  yet,  an  experiment ;  it  is  merely  an  academical 
discussion  of  what  might  be — some-day.  An  attempt  to 
gloss  over,  what  everybody  who  cares  to  give  any  thought 
to  the  subject,  realises  as  another  endeavour  to  continue  the 
pernicious  system  of  patronage,  which  has  gone  so  far 
toward  making  our  First  Line  of  Defence,  the  "  hollow 
mockery  "  which  it  unfortunately  is. 

#& 

CONTINUING  with  Admiral  Fitz  Gerald's  comments,  we  get. 
"this  'entirely  new  experiment,'  when  stripped  of  its 
somewhat  theatrical  adornments,  which  remind  one  of 
the  puffing  advertisements  of  a  new  soap  (true,  oh, 
Admiral ! )  is  in  reality  a  retrograde  step,  in  the  direction  of 
a  return  to  the  '  pure '  patronage  which  a  competitive 
examination  (combined  with  a  later  age  of  entry)  did  so 
much  to  modify."  We  are  also  informed,  by  the  same 
authority,  that  the  new  quiff  is  "  directly  opposed  to  the 
democratic  spirit  of  the  age  :  that  the  'democratic  purists1 
will  be  bound  to  reverse  it  if  they  ever  get  into  power  again, 
and  that  they  will  be  quite  right  in  doing  so."  Our  senti- 
ments, to  a  T  !  Indeed,  and  as  we  have  already  suggested, 
the  powers  that  be  recognise  that,  to-date,  the  "  fool  of  the 
family "  has  far  too  often  found  himself  "  in  the  Navy." 
They  also  recognise  that  the  day  when  that  "  fool  "  could 
safely  be  carried  on  the  pay-sheet,  is  done.  But  instead  of 
appealing  to  the  country  at  large,  for  a  share  of  its  super- 
fluous brains,  they  tinker  with  a  dangerous  situation,  for 
the  purpose  of  having  a  reward  handy  for  some  of  the 
fathers  who  have  helped  them  in  time  of  stress. 

tf  fa 

To  put  the  whole  thing  on  a  commercial  basis,  it  will  pay 
the  nation  far  better  if  money  considerations  are  made  to 


April   7,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


124 


those  "  helpers  of  the  cause."  A  payment — a  sort  of  lump 
sum  pour  boire  after  this  fashion,  need  never  exceed  a 
few  thousands,  for  any  man  that  would  stoop  thereto,  has 
but  a  poor  opinion  of  his  financial  value,  and  would  never 
set  it  at  too  high  a  pitch.  In  this  way,  the  country  would 
be  mulcted  to  the  extent  of  a  certain  small  sum,  but  would 
be  saved  the  eventual  and  possible  loss  of  a  million  and  a 
half,  when  some  high-class  warship  were  dropped,  through 
the  inefficiency  of  these  ':  fools  of  the  families  ?  "  Is  not 
the  whole  matter  plain  enough.  The  promoters  of  "  The 
New  Scheme  of  Naval  Training  "  have  been  brutally  frank 
in  their  declarations  that  they  wish  to  exclude  the  "  fool  of 
the  family  :  "  ergo,  he  must  be  more  in  evidence  than  we 
ourselves,  have  believed.  But  in  their  efforts  to  serve  two 
masters,  those  promoters  have,  in  effect,  said  :  "  Well 
we'll  throw  out  the  fools,  but  we'll  unload  all  the  children 
of  which  you  may  be  the  happy  possessor,  on  to  a  long 
suffering  nation  !  "  There  is  a  dearth  of  seamen,  and  yet 
the  folk  who  are  entrusted  with  these  matters,  cannot  see 
that  there  is  a  way  open  to  them,  that  will  give  them  the 
refusal  of  Britain's  brightest  and  best. 

0* 

WHAT  is  that  way  ?  Simply  to  throw  the  nation's  war- 
ships open  to  the  nation  as  we  have  repeated,  more  times 
than  we  care  to  remember.  Not  that  our  repetition  has 
been  in  vain.  On  the  contrary,  rather,  for  there  are  quite 
a  number  of  experts  who,  to-day,  are  keen  on  giving  us 
their  support,  and  who  are  seconding  our  expression  of 
opinion  in  a  whole-hearted  manner.  By  throwing  the 
whole  of  the  national  service  open  to  the  whole  of  the 
nation,  you  give  an  opportunity  to  the  brains  that  would  be 
dissatisfied  to  stop  at  "  warrant  "  rank  :  the  ultima  thule  of 
the  present-day  "  middle  class  "  naval  aspirant.  No  matter 
how  "  smart "  a  lower  deck  man  may  be,  his  chances  of 
attaining  commissioned  rank  are  so  obscure,  that  they  are 
not  worthy  of  consideration.  On  the  other  hand,  no  matter 
how  big  a  duffer  an  aristocrat  might  be :  if  the  pater  has 
done  anything  out  of  the  ordinary  ruck  for  his  party  :  then. 
the  duffer  may  depend  on  pitchforking,  right  through  his 
career.  If  he  ultimately  succeeds  in  throwing  away  a 
warship  valued  at  a  million  and  a  half  to  say  nothing  of 
the  life  loss,  and  the  menace  to  ths  nation  if  a  war  is  on- 
well,  it  must  be  "  swallowed  :  "  'twas  all  in  the  bond,  even 
at  the  beginning !  No  wonder  that  Admirals  think  it 
incumbent  on  them  to  throw  in  a  word  for  the  nation's 
welfare  ?  Doesn't  the  whole  arrangement  disgust  you  ? 
It  does  us. 

tff  IS 

Tis  surprising  with  what  rapidity  the  gentle  barnacle  of 
commerce  will  increase  and  multiply,  on  occasion  !  As  far 
as  we  can  see.  a  barnacle  will  be  born  :  will  develop  shell: 
will  get  married  :  rear  a  family  :  and  die  :  all  in  the  space 
of  a  brace  of  shakes !  It  must  be  so,  for  that  dear  old 
French  barque.  Francois,  has  been  posing  as  an  object, 
lesson  thereafter,  to  some  of  the  young  men  on  the  Liver- 
pool Daily  Post.  You'll  probably  remember  the  vessel ! 
She  left  'Frisco,  grain-laden,  and  after  a  struggle  of  202 
days'  duration,  turned  up.  smiling,  at  Runcorn  after  no 
end  of  money  had  changed  hands  on  her  account,  at  that 
place  in  London  where  alleged  "doctors"  most  do  con- 
gregate. After  leaving  'Frisco,  the  poor  old  or  young— 
Francois  ran  into  a  sample  of  weather  that  was  bad  enough 
to  break  the  heart  of  any  self-respecting  shipmaster. 
Head-winds,  calms,  or  fogs,  followed  in  rapid  succession 
for  102  days,  during  the  whole  of  which  time,  the  hapless 
vessel  did  nothing  but  drift :  at  least,  she  did  little  else  but 
drift  and  rear  sea-grass  and  barnacles.  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  so  dense  did  the  parasites  become,  that  when  the 
vessel  was  favoured  with  a  slant  of  wind,  she  did  nothing 
better  than  "  half-speed  because  of  the  dirty  condition  of 
her  hull." 


IF  this  had  been  all,  there  would  not  be  so  much  to  won- 
der at.  But  there  was  worse,  and  more  of  it — according 
to  the  scribe  alluded  to  above.  For  "  when  the  men  had 
cleaned  one  side  of  the  hull  as  well  as  they  could  under  the 
circumstances,  it  was  as  bad  as  ever  by  the  time  they  had 
cleaned  the  other  side."  This  either  implies  rapid  growth 
on  the  part  of  the  barnacles,  or  terribly  slow  work  on  the 
part  of  the  French  sailors ;  or,  to  be  charitable,  a  little  of 
both  ?  However,  on  March  13,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the 
Azores,  and  when  the  "  wind  was  like  smoke."  the  whole  of 
the  sails  were  carried  away,  "and  the  ship  was  forced  (barn- 
acles notwithstanding?)  to  run  before  the  sea."  Great 
heavens !  It  must  have  been  terrible.  Especially  when  "  a 
heavy  wave  about  40  to  50  feet  high  (waves  that  high,  are 
generally  hefty,  you'll  find)  broke  over  the  ship,"  by  which 
token,  the  sea  would  appear  to  have  had  the  best  of  the 
race,  and  was  running  before  the  ship  ?  But  that  is 
merely  a  matter  of  opinion,  of  course.  Where  the  fact 
comes  in,  is  "that  the  captain  and  three  men  were  at  the 
wheel,  and  the  captain  shouted  out  to  the  men  to  save 
their  lives."  Nice  sort  of  captain,  that :  kind  and  thought- 
ful, too  ;  the  men  must  have  been  good  disciplinarians,  also. 
for  they  appear  to  have  followed  his  instructions,  to  the 
letter. 

THAT  is  to  say,  all  the  lives  were  saved,  and  now  we  are 
trying  to  conjure  up  an  idea  as  to  how  jthe  barque's  wheel 
looked,  when  manned  by  the  skipper  and  three  men.  She 
must  have  kicked  like  a  horse,  we  should  opine  :  sails  all  gone, 
or  not.  Anyhow.  "  for  twenty-four  hours  the  ship  ran  before 
the  storm  under  water."  which  is  a  feat  to  be  proud  of.  and 
no  mistake;  while,  "at  the  end  of  three  days,  the  storm 
abated  "—praise  de  lor'.  In  the  words  of  the  faithful  his- 
torian, "The  voyage  afterwards  was  uneventful."  We 
should  think  so.  indeed  !  Couldn't  expect  to  enjoy  a  series 
of  exciting  episodes  like  the  foregoing  right  over  a  202 
days'  passage,  could  you  ?  One  good  thing,  the  ship  was 
well-stocked  with  food.  If  a  British  wind-jammer  had 
been  out  all  that  time,  grim  hunger  would  have  added  to 
the  hilarities  of  t+i'e situation.  Still,  the  Frenchman's  first 
order  after  mooring  at  Runcorn.  "  was  for  beef-steak  and 
potatoes,  which,  late  as  was  the  hour,  were  supplied  from 
the  town."  Eh  ?  We  had  ever  a  belief  in  Runcorn  enter- 
prise, and  we  should  have  hated  like  all  that,  to  hear  that 
the  town  had  failed  the  skipper  of  the  Francois  at  the 
crucial— no,  the  beef-steak  and  potatoes  moment.  We 
should,  indeed,  sirs.  But  we'd  like  to  know  whose  compo. 
was  on  the  Francois,  all  the  same  for  that—or  whose  metal  ? 

WE  have  ever  admitted  that  there  are  black  sheep  within 
the  ranks  of  shipmasters.  Judging  by  recent  reports  to 
hand,  the  Antipodes  gets  more  than  its  fair  share  of  the 
gentleman.  At  Newcastle,  N.S.W.,  the  "  sailor  on  shore  " 
has  been  clainojng  a  little  of  the  'longshoreman's  attention. 
and  the  Sydney  Daily  Telegraph  is  good  enough  to  give  us 
a  resume  of  that  attention.  We  must  admit  that  there  is 
little  that  is  new  in  the  tale  as  spread  out  by  our  contem- 
porary, although  we  are  of  opinion  that  the  condemnation 
is  altogether  too  general,  and  is  likely  to  defeat  its  intended 
aim,  in  consequence.  We  know,  from  personal  experience, 
that  seamen  "  down  under,"  are  supplied  by  the  "bordins 
master,"  even  as  they  are  at  'Frisco,  and  other  godless— or 
godly  -  places.  But  then  we  are  also  certain  that,  in  the 
case  of  a  decent  sort  of  skipper,  the  consul  has  most  to  say 
in  the  matter  at  'Frisco,  and  the  Government  officials  at 
Newcastle.  According  to  one  Mr.  G.  H.  Hannell.  of  the 
last-mentioned  place,  and  a  shipping  master  of  42  years' 
standing:  "  Captains  often  preferred  to  take  men  without 
discharges  as  supplied  by  boarding-masters  to  men  with 
good  discharges  supplied  through  the  shipping  master's 


'-*5 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


April   7,  '90S 


office ....  About  2.000  seamen  shipped  at  the  port  of 
Newcastle,  yearly.  Only  three  in  ten  were  supplied 
by  the  shipping  master." 


NICE  sort  of  record,  this,  isn't  it  ?  Here  is  some  more  of 
it :  "I  blame  the  captains  for  a  good  deal  of  the  increase 
in  crimping,  and  the  illicit  supply  of  seamen.  Men  on 
board  have  a  lot  of  wages  due  them,  and  it  is  to  the  interest 
of  masters  to  get  such  men  to  desert,  because  they  would 
leave  their  wages  behind."  Of  course,  there  is  another 
side  to  this  shield,  and  we  know  the  devil  is  never  so  black 
as  he  is  painted.  Black  enough,  perhaps,  but  not  so  black 
as  we  are  told.  For  instance,  give  your  seaman  a  month's 
advance  leaving  home :  another  month's  money  in  the 
slop  chest:  sundry  consignments  of  tobacco  for  poker 
playing,  and— well,  he  hasn't  a  lot  to  leave  behind,  if  you 
run  him  out.  at  Newcastle  ?  Furthermore,  it  may  be  taken 
from  us  who  know,  that  the  man  who  will  submit  to  the 
running  process,  is  invariably  the  man  with  nothing  due 
him  He  is  ready  to  "  run  "  with  no  provocation  whatever: 
and  is  just  as  ready  to  lend  himself  to  the  boarding-master 
until  the  blood-money  has  been  paid— when  he  will  again 
"  run."  We  want  to  be  fair,  in  this  matter,  and  are  taking 
no  points  from  a  shipping  master,  no  matter  how  many 
years  he  has  been  practicing. 

5?  %? 

AND  even  in  this  instance,  our  Antipodean  friend  admits 
that  "  Some  captains  are  as  good  men  as  ever  lived."  That 
is.  they  would  scorn  any  of  the  shady,  and  no-man  tricks 
already  referred  to.  We  know  it.  We  also  know  that  the 
shady  ones  are  in  a  glorious  minority,  and  do  not  set  much 
stock  on  that  old  yarn  which  claims  that  it  is  to  the  interest 
of  skipper  to  run  his  men.  Have  heard  it  too  often,  for  it 
is  one  of  the  hardy  annuals  of  shipping  life.  We  are  at  one 
with.  "  Seamen  should  be  entitled  to  receive  a  portion  of 
their  wages,  as  they  earn  the  money."  We  also  realise 
that  under  existing  conditions,  this  is  impossible.  Whether 
"  a  third  <  of  the  wages  due)  would  be^cjuite  sufficient,"  is 
altogether  another  matter.  To  our  mincl.  there  is  a  little 
bit  too  much  of  the  wicked  boarding-master,  and  also  too 
much  of  the  ill-used  shipping  officer  in  this  phase  of 
nautical  life.  Boarding-masters  are  a  necessary  evil : 
whether  the  shipping  officer  is  an  unmixed  blessing,  we 
would  rather  not  say.  We  do  know,  from  personal  know- 
ledge, that  the  majority  of  the  shipping  officer's  white 
swans  have  turned  out.  in  practice,  to  be  ugly  ducklings  : 
we  also  know,  that  the  boarding-master's  "hard  cases" 
have  usually  been  right-down  good  men.  once  they  got  into 
deep-water,  and  understood  there  was  to  be  no 
shinnannakin. 

WHEN  all  is  said,  there  are  good  and  bad  skippers,  as  well 
as  good  and  bad  boarding-masters,  shipping  officers,  ship- 
owners, or  what  not.  But  it  is  the  fashion,  in  official 
circles,  to  blame  every  short-coming  on  to  the  unfortunate 
skipper  :  and  the  shady  ones  among  him,  help  along  the 
delusion,  in  the  minds  of  those  who  merely  judge  from 
hearsay,  and  cannot  differentiate,  from  personal  knowledge. 
This  is  where  the  pity  of  it  all  is.  Ill  news  flies  apace,  so 
does  a  knowledge  of  ill  conduct.  When  a  decent  ship- 
master carries  out  his  work  in  a  gentlemanly  manner,  his 
actions  are  overlooked.  Comment  thereon  is  unnecessary. 
so  the  world  is  "bluffed."  But  when  the  black  sheep  is 
caught  in  flagrante  delicto.  dear  us !  isn't  there  a  shriek  sent 
up  into  the  empyrean  blue  !  Rather  !  Exeter  Hall  and  its 
devotees  is  merely  a  circumstance  to  what  transpires  on 
those  occasions  !  The  'longshoreman  forgets  that  the 
shipmaster  is  around  in  thousands :  that  being  such  a 
numerous  body  he  is  bound  to  have  wrong  'unsin  his  ranks: 


the  argument  is  all  in  favour  of  "  He  is  a  skipper  :  he  is  a 
bad  lot  :  then,  all  skippers  are  bad.  We  know,  because  So- 
and-so  told  us."  Now  So-and-so  might  really  know  as 
much  of  the  circumstances,  as  we  know  of  Sanskrit.  Still, 
he  is  a  plausible  cuss,  and  so  he  carries  his  crowd  of 


CONTINUING  with  this  subject  for  yet  a  bit  farther,  we  note 
that  before  the  Navigation  Commission  considered  at 
Newcastle,  too  Captain  J.  B.  Brown,  the  local  manager 
for  the  Adelaide  Shipping  Company,  and  president  of  the 
Newcastle  Chamber  of  Commerce,  had  a  little  to  say  on 
the  crimping  subject.  Here  are  Captain  Brown's  words. 
"Newcastle  deserves  a  bad  name  for  crimping,  but  the 
signing  on,  on  board,  will  not  prevent  crimping.  I  have 
been  in  most  large  ports  of  the  world,  and  think  Newcastle 
no  better  than  the  worst  of  them  in  the  matter  of  crimping. 
...  An  improvement  in  the  conditions  of  work  and  living 
on  vessels  will  induce  a  better  class  of  men  to  remain  in 
the  Mercantile  Marine."  It  will,  Captain  Brown,  and  we 
are  glad  to  place  ourselves  in  line  with  you.  Circumstances 
are  first  allowed  to  drive  the  decent  men  on  shore  :  the 
riff-raff  that  remains,  conducts  itself  after  the  manner  of 
riff-raff—  and  those  interested  set  up  a  howl.  Cater  for 
good  men.  and  you  will  get  them  ;  go  on  catering  for 
rubbish,  and  just  as  surely,  rubbish  is  all  that  you  will 
command.  Demand  governs  supply  at  sea.  even  as  on 
shore  ;  and  you  can't  expect  silver  angels,  at  tin  angel 
prices.  If  you  do,  you  won't  get  them,  of  that  you  may  be 
sure.  A  certain  class  of  employer  will  offer  no  more  than 
blackguard  rates,  and  is  then  disappointed  in  that  he  does 
not  receive  undergraduates  at  the  price  ! 

§?^ 

THE  Sunderland  Shipowners'  Society  has  been  having  its 
annual  meeting,  and  Mr.  Scott  Gunn  presided  over  a  goodly 
number  of  his  colleagues  in  the  business.  The  question  of 
Suez  Canal  dues  came  up  for  consideration,  and  the  conduct 
of  the  London  Committee  of  the  Canal  Company  came  in 
for,  possibly,  a  well-deserved  share  of  uncomplimentary 
comment.  As  Mr.  Scott  Gunn  remarked.  "  This  committee 
has  recently  adopted  such  a  hostile  attitude  as  to  make 
people  feel  that  they  are  more  concerned  for  the  interests 
of  the  Canal  Company  than  for  the  shipowners,  and  I  think 
the  time  has  come  when  a  change  should  be  made  in  the 
composition  of  the  committee."  So  think  most  of  us. 
Either  a  change  in  the  composition  of  the  committee,  or 
the  much-talked  of  second  canal.  We  have  already  given 
our  views  on  this  momentous  subject,  and  if  people  will 
not  keep  to  their  expressed  agreements,  then,  means  should 
be  found  to  make  them,  or  to  see  that  the  conditions 
suggested  in  those  agreements  were  never  again  possible. 
With  the  advent  of  a  second  Canal,  it  is  certain  that  the 
existing  one  would  never  more  pay  a  26  per  cent,  dividend. 
That  is  a  statement  which  admits  of  no  two  opinions  ? 


THE  chairman  of  the  Sunderland  Shipowners'  Society 
also  touched  on  the  apprenticeship  question :  told  his 
friends  that  the  Act  applying  thereto  expired  with  March 
month  :  and  that  there  was  no  further  Act  to  take  its 
place.  "  It  will  therefore  be  of  some  benefit  to  shipowners 
if  they  pay  more  attention  to  the  Federation  scheme  on 
this  matter."  We  wonder !  Personally,  we  are  of  opinion 
that  neither  the  defunct  Act,  nor  the  Federation  scheme 
are  worth  shucks  in  the  matter  of  persuading  any  number 
of  boys  to  continue  at  sea,  after  they  have  once  tasted  the 
miseries  of  the  life.  This  has  been  exemplified,  again  and 
again  :  will  go  on  being  exemplified,  until  there  is  never  a 
Briton  left  in  the  whole  of  Britain's  Mercantile  Marine. 
We  are  wondering  which  will  happen  first,  the  total  decay 


April    7. 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


126 


of  the  British  Shipping  industry,  or  the  advent  of  a  public- 
spirited  man  with  sufficient  courage  to  run  a  crusade  on 
genuine  lines.  Such  a  man  would  certainly  deserve  well  of 
his  country,  and  the  country's  greatest  honour  would  be 
none  too  big  a  guerdon  for  his  efforts.  So  far,  we  have 
been  given  nothing  but  platitudinous  discussions,  and  in 
consequence,  the  "boy  sailor"  is  ever  less  in  evidence. 

THE  always  interesting  Shipping  Notist  of  the  Financier 
has  been  passing  remarks  concerning  the  liability  of  an 
employer,  for  the  negligence  of  a  servant,  and  as  is  only 
natural  for  a  notist  of  the  shipping  persuasion,  points  his 
moral  by  using  the  shipmaster.  Here  are  the  words, 
"  But.  as  we  have  before  observed,  we  think  that  it  (the 
employers'  liability  >  is  stretched  to  the  very  utmost  when 
it  makes  a  shipowner  liable  for  the  negligence  of  his 
captain."  Now.  without  going  into  a  discussion  as  to  the 
merits  or  demerits  of  this  phase  of  reasoning,  right  here, 
we  pass  on  to  our  contemporary's  next  ebullition  of  "  For 
that  captain  comes  to  him  (the  shipowner)  with  the  highest 
official  credentials,  and  the  shipowner  cannot  be  expected 
to  know  more  about  him  than  the  Board  of  Trade."  But 
is  this  so  ?  We  think  not.  The  shipmaster  has  no  official 
credentials,  either  of  the  highest  or  lowest  kind.  He  has 
a  tentative  certificate  of  competency,  which  the  Board  of 
Trade  trusts  to.  even  as  little  as  does  the  shipowner.  To 
our  mind,  the  B.T.  and  the  shipmaster,  are  like  the 
mother's  help  and  the  baby  at  washing  time.  If  baby  turns 
blue,  the  water  is  too  cold  :  if  red.  then,  the  water  is  too 
hot. 

fi?  ^ 

So  it  is  with  the  shipmaster.  If  he  manages  to  go  clear 
of  accident  not  negligence,  merely  he  is  a  duly-qualified 
skipper  :  if  he  comes  to  grief,  he  is  not  fit  to  command 
anything,  for  a  time— perhaps  for  ever.  This  cannot  be 
denied,  so  where  are  the  "highest  official  credentials?" 
They  are  merely  a  sham  :  a  pretence  :  a  means  of  robbing 
a  hard-working  British  subject,  first  of  an  examination  fee  : 
and  then,  of  all  the  good  name  he  has  ever  been  able  to 
save,  up  to  the  time  of  the  accident.  If  suspension  were 
merely  meted  out  for  proven  incompetency.  there  would 
not  be  so  much  to  take  exception  to  :  but  for  the  veriest 
error  of  judgment :  for  the  simplest  mistake ^to  which  all 
human  flesh  is  liable  those  "highest  official  credentials" 
are  merely  a  myth.  If.  in  addition  to  a  loss  of  livelihood, 
the  shipmaster  were  also  liable  for  damages  which 
materialise,  through  alleged  negligence,  then,  would  the 
shipping  industry  be  finished  up  at  once.  No  man  would 
undertake  the  command  of  a  ship,  if  he  had  to  be  personally 
liable  for  accidental  damage  that  might  result  from  bad 
machinery,  faulty  steering  gear,  rotten  hawsers.  non- 
English  and  therefore  non-understanding  crews,  or  any 
of  the  thousand-and-one  difficulties  which  surround  the" 
shipmasters'  path  :  not  if  a  hundred  K.C.'s  "proved  "  that 
the  whole  thing  were  negligence. 


notched  up  to  a  mark,  sufficiently  high  to  admit  of  his 
insuring  against  every  possible  contingency!  If  he  did  not 
do  so,  then,  he  would  be  ruined  through  the  parsimony 
which  is  about,  now  :  and  which  would  be  about  in  greater 
quantities,  once  allow  the  shady  portion  of  shipowning  to 
steer  clear  of  their  own  wickedness.  None  know  better 
than  the  shipmaster,  himself,  how  terribly  difficult  it  is  to 
have  the  most  urgent  repairs  carried  out  —  unless  he  is 
willing  to  engineer  same  through  the  help  of  a  faked  log- 
book. No,  no,  sirs  !  We  have  sailed  the  seas  too  long,  to 
be  taking  in  any  of  that  "  negligence  "  nonsense.  We  have 
really. 

K?e  9Cg 

t&        1C? 

NOT  everyone  of  our  Belgian  friends  are  suffering  from 
swelled  head  on  account  of  the  phenomenal  growth  of  the 
shipping  trade  at  Antwerp.  A  writer  in  Mouvement 
Maritime  is  giving  a  warning  shout.  While  admitting  that 
shipowning  is  a  difficult  and  complex  enterprise  ;  one  which 
demands  extraordinary  energy  and  experience  ;  and  also 
that  the  Belgian  lacks  both  ;  this  Mentor  is  asking  his 
friends  to  "go  slow."  He  exhorts  them  not  to  be  led 
away  with  the  apparently  colossal  trade  of  Antwerp,  and 
for  the  reason  that  his  countrymen,  although  in  the  pqsition 
of  large  exporters,  are  by  no  means  the  masters  of  the 
transit  trade.  That  is.  he  realises  that  Antwerp  is  merely 
an  -entrepot  for  other  people's  oversea  trade.  With  this 
before  him,  our  contemporary  counsels  a  beginning  with 
small  things-  that  is,  in  ships  ;  and  for  the  reason  that 
while  such  countries  as  Britain  and  Germany  are,  by  the 
very  nature  of  things,  enabled  to  supply  the  cargoes  which 
keep  their  fleets  running  :  Belgium,  on  the  other  hand,  can 
merely  depend  upon  the  business  which  other  nations 
favour  her  with.  There  is  good,  sound  sense  in  the 
argument.  And  the  Antwerpian  friend  would  do  well  to 

treasure  it  up. 

*X  9u 

s&i      tos 

THE  Jamaican  Gleaner  is  up  ag'in  this  withdrawal  of  the 
"  obsolete  "  warships  which  have-come  home  to  die  !  With 
terrible  scare-heads  which  s-uggest  such  appalling  items  as 
"Report  says  we  are  all  sick  of  England."  out  tropical 
contemporary  goes  on  to  point  out  what  is  going  to  happen 
-  by-and-bye—  as  the  result  of  the  withdrawal  referred  to. 
It  appears  that  we  do  not  usually  keep  fleets  around  in  fine 
weather  latitudes  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  off  cowans 
and  intruders  :  not  at  all  ;  for  it  is  the  native  population 
who  is  most  antagonistic  to  the  so-called  beneficent  British 
rule.  It  is  not  enough  that  the  United  States  have 
practically  guaranteed  the  integrity  of  the  West  Indies: 
we  have  to  get  the  good  will  of  the  mokey  part  of  the 
population—  and  that  is  the  predominant  part.  Now,  in  the 
withdrawal  of  the  warships,  the  gentle  and  unsophisticated 
moke  recognises,  a  dastardly  attempt  to  shorten  his  chances 
of  making  a  bit  out  of  British  Jack,  and  the  coloured  friend 
is  wrothy  in  consequence.  Great  Scott  !  It  isn't  all  beer 
and  skittles  running  a  show  the  size  of  the  British 
Empire  ! 


WE  are  prone  to  believe  that  by  making  the  shipmaster 
liable,  you  would  better  the  conditions  prevailing  at  the 
moment,  with  the  greatest  shipping  industry  which  the 
world  has  ever  seen.  Were  the  Old  Man  liable  as  suggested, 
he  would  see  to  it  that  everything  on  board,  were  ship- 
shape and  Bristol  fashion  :  he  would  take  no  chances  of 
sustaining  an  accident,  anc  then  having  it  ticked  off  as 
negligence.  Not  he!  In  our  experience,  nine-tenths  of 
this  so-called  negligence  of  the  master,  is,  in  reality,  the 
natural  corollary  to  a  set  of  conditions  which  had  no  right 
to  exist.  Alter  the  law.  and  you  kill  the  shipping  trade :  for 
ships  would  then  be  above  reproach:  and  to  allow 
for  the  unavoidable,  the  Old  Man's  wages  would  have  to  be 


BUT  there  is  a  quantity  of  sound  sense  in  Gleaner's 
arguments  all  the  same  up  to  a  point,  that  is.  It  bases  its 
deliberations  on  the  well-known  fact  that,  when  the  cat  is 
away  the  mice  will  play.  Furthermore,  it  knows  its  moke 
compatriots  and  subscribers,  even  better  than  we  know 
mice  —  and  after  living  on  mice-gnawed  "  biscuit  "  for  a 
number  of  years,  our  knowledge  in  the  direction  indicated 
is  not  to  be  sneezed  at.  as  the  phrase  goes.  Our  warmish 
friend  opines  thusly  :  "The  fact  is  that  the  West  Indian 
colonies  are  no  longer  deemed  important  or  necessarily 
integral  parts  of  the  empire.  If  the  Government  at 
Washington  were  to  say  to  the  people  of  Great  Britain  : 
'  Drop  that  bundle  no.  no.  we  are  misquoting,  hang  it. 


•37 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


April   7,  1905 


Should  have  been  :  '  Hand  over  your  West  Indies  to  us 
and  we  will  look  after  them.'  the  thing  would  be  done  in  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye."  Base  ingratitude,  we  call  it,  and 
after  all  that  Sir  Alfred  Jones  has  done  to  the  little  cuss  of 
an  island  !  In  conclusion,  our  contemporary  says  :  "  And 
no  one  in  this  part  of  the  world  has  any  doubt  that  it  would 
be  a  good  thing  for  the  West  Indian  Islands  to  be  handed 
over  to  the  great  American  republic."  We  swow  !  But 
who  owns  the  Gleaner?  Really,  we  mean?  Is  there  any 
appreciable  amount  of  capital  from  "  the  great  American 
republic  "  in  it  ?  We  don't  know.  Merely  ask.  because 
until  to-day,  we  never  heard  of  the  Gleaner :  but  it's  a 
great  sheet  you  bet. 

5?%3 

DEAR  us!  Here  are  we,  as  a  nation,  continually  fussing 
ourselves  as  to  what  we  should  do  in  war  time,  for  the 
humble  though  necessary  daily  bread ;  are  spending 
millions  annually  for  the  purpose  of  pretending  to  be  in  a 
position  to  protect  our  trade  routes;  and  yet,  all  the  time. 
we  are  hopelessly  wrong !  The  National  Review— the  Times' 
chum,  you  know — is  amiably  prattling  of  "  The  Invasion  of 
England."  and  tacks  its  lucubrations  on  to  a  "  German 
Staff  Officer."  In  effect,  this  Teutonic  Solon  is  good 
enough  to  tell  us  that  if  war  with  his  incomparable  country 
should  eventuate,  the  proper  thing  for  Germany  would  be, 
to  "throw"  an  invading  force  into  us.  Good  lor',  but  the 
chiel  writes  sensibly,  for  if  that  invading  force  really  landed 
it  would  be  "  thrown  "  away  for  all  time  !  We  do  not  like 
to  be  frivolous,  but  it  is  very  difficult  to  be  serious  at  all 
times.  This  is  one  of  them  where  we  cannot.  You  might 
throw  that  army  on  shore,  but  what  about  throwing  them 
the  necessary  sauer-kraut  ?  There  is  none  in  Britain  : 
there  would  be  none  after  war  had  commenced ;  so  what 
would  the  invading  force  live  on  ?  Themselves— or  us  ! 
Hugh  !  Makes  one  creepy  ! 

&  & 

ANYBODY  keeping  their  eye  on  the  Blufftic  Fleet?  You 
know,  that  concatenation  of  fishermen  matelots,  and 
independent  firing  admirals,  etc.  Latest  •  advices  seem  to 
indicate  that  Rozh-etc.  and  his  brother  bandits  have  "gone 
South,"  leaving  no  address.  To  our  mind,  this  is  a  piece 
of  hard-heartedness  which  only  a  Japanese  Admiral  will  be 
likely  to  correct.  Mind  you.  Rozh-etc.  has  a  reason  for 
seeking  colder  climes  (please  don't  say  things  about  his 
being  better  off  than  in  the  climes  for  which  he  was  origin- 
ally intended ;  it's  rude).  It  appears  that  his  fishing  has 
been  double-barrelled,  so  to  speak.  He  has  hooked  cat-fish, 
and  pilot-fish  :  but  his  crocklets  have  also  been  engaged  in 
the  mollusc  industry.  For  the  purpose  of  clearing  their 
underneath  parts- we  don't  like  to  use  the  other  word— of 
barnacles,  grass,  etc.,  the  gallant  Admiral  has  bunkered  off 
in  a  southerly  direction,  where  he  anticipates  a  total 
clearance  from  the  pests  of  his  life,  thanks  to  the  inter- 
vention of  colder  water.  The  old  chap  must  have  a 
geological  fiend  along  with  him  ;  but  he  would  have  been 
far  better  advised,  if.  before  starting  on  his  never-to-be- 
forgotten  voyage,  he  had  coated  those  underneath  parts 
with  a  truly-British-and-every-time-barnacle-busting-com- 
position  -  that-is-best-known-by-its-smell  -  and  -the-way-its- 

promoters-invest-in-shipping-to-get-the-bottoms-and-boot- 
topping.  yes.  Poor  Rozh.  ! 

#%3 

LORDY  us !  How  that  Daily  Chronicle  loves  Mr.  Joseph 
Chamberlain,  and  how  it  tries  to  stuff  itself  with  the  belief 
that  its  little  outbursts  will  put  back  the  hands  of  the  clock 
of  Protection.  We  hardly  know  which  to  be  most  sorry  for, 
the  D.C..  or  J.C. !  Anyhow.  D.G.  has  been  passing  remarks 
on  shipping,  at  which,  usually,  it  is  a  whole  team  with  a 
bull  pup  under  the  axle.  We  haven't  room  for  more  than 
the  tag  of  the  D.T.— no.  the  D.G.  stuff:  here  it  is: 


"  Meanwhile,  under  Free  Trade  the  shipping  industry  in  this 
country  has  attained  unexampled  prosperity  (there  you  are, 
shipowners  ;  out  with  those  belated  dividends  ;  no  nonsense 
about  it,  for  D.G.  has  its  eagle  eyelet  on  you).  Shipping  is 
'  going.'  but  not  in  Mr.  Chamberlain's  sense  (guid  faith )  ;  it 
is  '  going  strong '  (for  pity's  sake  send  the  Chronicle's  young 
lions  to  Cardiff  for  a  week-end)  and  going  also  against  Mr. 
Chamberlain."  There  you  are.  Sir  Chamberlain.  After 
that,  don't  you  dare  say  another  word  on  the  subject  which 
lays  so  near  your  heart — and  the  hearts  of  most  of  your 
countrymen,  as  will  be  seen  later  on,  and  what  will  Chronicle 
do  then,  poor  thing  ?  Will  it  "  hedge  " — or  merely  trim  its 
sails  to  the  altered  gale  ? 

#   ^ 

AN  extensive  sale  of  obsolete  war  and  other  ships  was 
conducted  at  Chatham  Dockyard  on  Tuesday  last  by 
Messrs.  Fuller,  Horsey,  Sons  and  Cassell.  There  was  a 
large  attendance.  The  majority  of  the  vessels  were  sold 
subject  to  their  being  broken  up  and  in  nearly  every  case 
the  machinery  had  been  so  mutilated  as  to  be  beyond  the 
possibility  of  repair.  In  the  case  of  Coastguard  Cruisers, 
however,  there  were  no  restrictions  as  to  their  being 
broken  up.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  vessels  sold 
and  the  prices  realized  : 

Purchased  by  £ 

Cruiser    Northampton,     Mr.  Ward,  of  Sheffield.                   at  15.800 

„        Arethusa,           Mr.  G.  Garnham.  of  London,           „  7.600 

„        Mersey.             Mr.  M.  Isaacs,  of  London,               „  7.200 

Australia.           Messrs.  J.J.King  &  Co..  of  Garston.,  10.900 

„        Cossack,            Mr.  G.  Garnham,  of  London,          ,,  4.800 
„        Barracouta,        Messrs.  P.  W.  McLellan  &  Co.. 

Glasgow,                            „  5.000 

Warspite,           Mr.  T.  W.  Ward,  of  Sheffield,         ..  18,150 

Severn,               Mr.  G.  Garnham,  of  London,          „  7,100 

Galatea.              Messrs.  J.  J.  King  &  Co.,  of  Garston,,  11.150 

„        Archer.               Messrs.  Forresters  Co.,  of  Swansea  4.850 

Mohawk,            Mr.  G.  Garnham,  of  London,          ,.  4,850 
Racoon,               Messrs.  G.  Cohen,  Sons  &  Co.. 

of  London.                       ,,  4.150 

Battleship  Simoon.            Mr.  G.  Garnham,  of  London            ,.  14.550 
Torpedo  )   Renard,            Messrs.  P.  W.  McLellan  &  Co., 

Gunboat/                                         of  Glasgow.                          „  2.900 
Gleaner,           Messrs.  G.  Cohen,  Sons,  4>  Co., 

of  London.                              „  2.600 
Coastguard  j  Redwing,     Messrs.  G.  Cohen,  Sons,  &  Co.. 

Tender                                                of  London,                              „  1.250 

Gunboat  Pigmy.                Mr.  Fox,  of  Falmouth                      „  2.000 

Starling,             Captain  Manley.  of  Liverpool          „  1.600 

Bouncer.             Captain  Manley,  of  Liverpool  740 
Training  i  Exmouth.          Messrs.  G.  Cohen.  Sons,  &  Co., 

Ship                                                       of  London,                       .,  4,150 

Old  Hulk  Royal  Adelaide,  Mr.  Laidler,  of  Sunderland             „  3,500 

Eight  Coastguard  Sailing  Cruisers  and  two  Sailing  Gutters 
were  also  sold.  The  total  of  the  sale  was  over  £138,000. 

F}8  9ts 
W  w 

NEW  YORK'S  World  intimates  that  "All  the  other 
nations  of  the  earth  are  grovelling  at  the  feet  of 
Great  Britain,  with  her  commanding  sea-power."  This 
is  World's  little  way  of  working  off  a  goak,  presum- 
ably ?  Where  the  grovelling  comes  in,  in  view  of  that 
North  Sea  outrage,  would  be  hard  to  say.  For  the 
matter  of  that,  it  is  just  as  difficult  to  size  up  the 
"  commandingness "  of  the  sea-power  which  allows  any 
old  combination  of  scrap  iron  to  sass  it !  At  least, 
that  is  how  it  appears  to  us,  at  the  moment. 

#  & 

HE,  was  a  young— and  "yark"— Docksman.  She  was  a 
cherubic  and  chiffony  chunk  of  cheerfulness  from  out 
Roath-way.  They  had  met  in  the  upper  reaches  of  High- 
street,  and  had  adjourned  for-  -well— for  coffee.  The  stuff 
was  good  ;  she  was  imaginative  ;  he  was  patient.  Said  she  : 
"  If  a  fairy  were  to  come  in  and  offer  you  the  dearest  wish 
of  your  heart,  what  would  you  do  ?  "  "  Do?  "  repeated  he, 
"  I'd  immediately  join  a  Band  of  Hope  :  then,  I'd  see  a 
Doctor."  Friends,  this  is  a  practical  age  ! 


April  7,    1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


128 


SHIPBUILDING 


THE  shipbuilding  returns  for  the  first  quarter  of  the  year> 
show  that  53  vessels  of  1 14.484  tons  have  been  launched 
from  Scottish  shipyards  during  the  three  months.  This 
compares  with  78  vessels  of  102,389  tons  for  the  corres- 
ponding period  of  last  year.  The  total,  therefor,  though 
less  in  the  number  of  vessels,  gives  an  increase  for  last 
year  of  a  little  over  12.000  tons,  notwithstanding  that  the 
autumn  of  1904  was  a  dull  period  as  regards  the  placing  of 
orders.  However,  the  boom  at  the  new  year  is  beginning 
to  tell  on  the  tonnage  launched,  not  that  the  vessels  then 
placed  are  now  being  floated,  but  the  boom  certainly  has 
hurried  forward  the  building  of  the  vessels  on  the  stocks. 
The  quarter's  tonnage  is  the  highest  recorded,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  that  of  1899.  when  1 17.940  tons  were  launched 
in  the  corresponding  three  months.  The  output  for  March, 
is  27  vessels,  of  45.408  tons,  as  compared  with  29  vessels 
of  45.633  tons,  in  March  of  last  year.  Clyde  yards  launched 
21  vessels  of  42.482  tons,  of  which,  ten  of  the  vessels  of 
16.259  tons,  were  for  Clyde  owners,  a  very  unusually  large 
proportion.  The  largest  vessel  was  the  Fuerst  Bismarck, 
for  the  Hamburg-American  Line,  built  at  Fairfield,  while 
one  turbine,  the  Onward,  for  the  South  Eastern  and  Chat- 
ham Railway  Company,  was  among  the  launches.  The 
contracts  reported  in  March,  aggregate  only  about 
14.000  tons. 

•f  -f   -f 

ON  the  30th  ult.  Messrs.  C.  W.  Kellock  &  Co..  offered  for 
sale,  by  public  auction,  without  reserve,  the  steel  screw 
steamer  Lame,  lately  owned  by  Messrs  Thomas  Dixon  & 
Sons.  Belfast.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  Harland  &  Wolff, 
Ltd.,  Belfast,  in  1886:  3,198  tons  gross:  dimensions 
340ft.  Sin.  x  42ft  lin.  x  25ft.  5in.:  carries  4.980  tons 
deadweight  on  24ft.  l'2in.  draft:  with  engines  also  by 
Messrs.  Harland  &  Wolff.  Ltd..  cylinders  24'2in..  37in.. 
64in.  x  48in.  stroke,  steams  10  knots  loaded.  She  was 

sold  for  £8.600. 

•f  +  + 

MESSRS.  A.  &  J.  INOLIS,  Port  Glasgow,  have  secured  the 
order  to  build  the  new  Royal  yacht,  in  face  of  keen  com- 
petition. In  this  class  of  work.  Messrs.  Inglis  have  an 
extensive  experience  and  it  may  be  taken  for  granted  that 
the  yacht  they  produce,  will  give  satisfaction  in  every  way. 
She  is  to  be  fitted  with  turbine  machinery,  but  it  is  not  yet 
settled  whether  they  will  make|the  turbines,  or  sub-contract 
them  to  Messrs.  Parsons. 

•»••»•   + 

A  NEW  steel  screw  cargo  steamer  building  at  Maryport, 
by  Messrs.  W.  Walker  &  Co.,  is  reported  sold  to  Messrs. 
George  R.  Haller  &  Co..  Ltd..  Hull.  Her  dimensions  are 
159ft.  x  24ft.  9in.  x  1  1ft.  9in.  moulded:  carries  abew* 
590  tons  deadweight,  on  lift.  Sin.  draft;  machinery  by 
Messrs.  Ross  &  Duncan.  Glasgow:  with  engines  18in., 
40in.  x  30in.  stroke  :  one  single  ended  boiler  13ft.  6in.  x 
10ft.  3in..  working  at  130  Ibs.  pressure.  We  hear  that  the 
price  paid  is  about  £7.500. 

•f  -f  + 

THE  Norddeutscher  Lloyd,  Bremen,  are  having  thirteen 
steamers  built,  six  of  5.500  to  6.000  tons  register,  for  the 
new  cargo  service  to  Australia,  three  of  8,500  tons  each 
for  the  mail  service,  one  of  10.000  tons  for  the  mail 
service  to  the  Far  East,  two  of  1,600  tons  each  for  the 
coasting  trade  between  Singapore  and  North  Borneo,  and 
one  paddle  steamer  of  350  tons  for  passenger  service. 

•»•  +  + 

THE  iron  screw  steamer  Beaconsfield,  lately  owned  by 
Messrs.  G.  Cleugh  &  Co..  Tynemouth,  has  been  sold  to 
foreigners.  She  was  built  by  the  Tyne  Iron  Shipbuilding 


Company,  Ltd..  Newcastle,  in  1877.  Dimensions  270ft.  x 
34ft.  x  24ft.  5in.;  1,737  tons  gross;  with  engines  28in., 
6  lin.  x  36in.  stroke,  by  the  North  Eastern  Marine  Engineer- 
ing Company,  Ltd.  We  understand  the  price  paid  is 

about  £4.000. 

+  +  + 

THE  iron  screw  cargo  and  passenger  steamer  Aranmore, 
lately  owned  by  The  Clyde  Shipping  Company,  Ltd., 
Glasgow,  is  reported  sold  to  Canadian  buyers  at  about 
£12,000.  She  was  built  and  engined  by  Messrs.  W.  B. 
Thompson  &  Co..  Ltd..  Dundee,  in  1890.  Dimensions 
241ft.  x  34ft.  Sin.  x  15ft.  7m.;  1,170  tons  gross;  with 
engines  23in.,  38in.,  61in.  x  48in.  stroke. 


THE  fleet  of  steamers  lately  managed  by  Messrs.  G.  H. 
Elder  &  Co.,  Newcastle-on-Tyne,  have  been  taken  over  by 
the  following  firms  :  the  Briardale  and  Dovedale  by  Messrs. 
Short  Brothers,  Shipbuilders,  Sunderland,  the  Briton. 
Cambrian,  Gornbank  and  Ionian,  by  Mr.  Joseph  Constant, 
Shipowner,  London,  the  Roman  and  Ormesby  Broad,  by 
Messrs.  L.  Dens  &  Co.,  Shipowners,  Antwerp,  and  the 
Cfoxdale  by  The  Tyne  Iron  Shipbuilding  Company,  Ltd., 
Willington  Quay  on  Tyne. 

-f   +  + 

THE  iron  screw  steamer  Ghilka,  lately  owned  by  the 
British  India  Steam  Navigation  Company,  Ltd.,  London, 
has  been  sold  to  Japanese  buyers  for  delivery  in  the  Far 
East.  She  was  built  and  engined  by  Messrs.  W.  Denny  & 
Brothers,  Dumbarton,  in  1878  :  Dimensions  285ft.  x  35ft. 
2in.  x  23ft.  9in.;  1.971  tons  gross:  with  engines  34in., 

60in.   x   42in.   stroke. 

+  +  + 

THE  steel.screw  steamer  Briar,  lately  owned  by  Mr.  N. 
H.  Coxon,  North  Shields,  has  b«?en  sold  to  Mr.  J.  S.  Cole, 
Newcastle-on-Tyne.  She  was  built  and  engined  by  Messrs. 
W.  B.  Thompson  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  Dundee,  in  1891.  Dimen- 
sions 100ft.  x  20ft.  x  9ft.  6in.;  188  tons  gross:  with 
engines  IS^i"-.  26in.  x  2  lin.  stroke. 


THE  employers  have  declined  to  allow  the  advance  in 
wages,  demanded  by  the  engineers  and  pattern  makers 
employed  in  the  Clyde  shipyards.  They  have  agreed  to  a 
conference  with  the  men's  representatives,  when  it  will  be 
made  clear  to  them  that  trade  does  not  yet  justify  an 
advance  in  wages. 

+  +  + 

LITTLE  or  no  demand  exists  for  second-hand  tonnage 
just  now,  an  improvement  in  freights  to  a  paying  figure,  is 
wanted  to  create  business  in  the  sale  and  purchase  depart- 
ment, and  meantime  brokers  are  experiencing  a  bad  time. 

+  +  + 

WE  understand  that  Messrs.  Glen  &  Co.,  Glasgow,  have 
resold  the  steamer  Sultana,  which  they  purchased  last 
month,  from  Messrs.  Wilson,  of  Hull. 

+  +  + 

MESSRS.  MINLOS  &  Co.,  Lubeck,  Germany,  are  the  pur- 
chasers of  the  steamer  Refugio,  recently  sold  by  Messrs. 
Orders  &  Handford,  Cardiff. 

+  +  + 

THE  steel  steam  trawler  Brilliant  Star,  built  by  Messrs.  A. 
Hall  &  Co.,  Aberdeen,  in  1896,  has  been  sold  to  Mr.  T. 

Davidson,   Aberdeen. 

+  +  + 

THE  steamer  Salisbury,  recently  purchased  by  Messrs. 
Wackerbarth  &  Co..  Liverpool,  has  been  renamed  Andalusian. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


April   7,    1905 


FRIDAY.  APRIL  7.   1905. 


ABOUT    LAWS.    AND    LAW-MAKING. 


T  is  generally  conceded,  to-day,  that  to  the 
shipping  industry  belongs  the  questionable 
privilege,  of  being  in  a  position  to  show  the 
greatest  example  of  over-legislation  combined 
with  under-legislation  which  is  a  seeming 
paradox  !  Indeed,  it  would  appear  as  if  the 
so-called  legislators  had  combined  to  try  their  'prentice 
hands  on  ships  and  shipping,  before  letting  themselves  go 
for  the  alleged  benefit  of  the  'longshoreman.  Under  the 
conditions  which  prevail,  this  is  not  to  be  wondered  at. 
seeing  that  it  is  possible  for  any  kind  of  brain  to  gain 
admission  to  the  place  where  Acts  of  Parliament  are 
manufactured— sometimes,  with  disastrous  results  to  the 
community.  It  will  be  admitted  that  to  put  a  "crank  "in 
the  position  of  law-maker,  is  to  do  a  foolish  thing  ?  Yet  in 
numberless  instances,  the  men  who  get  into  Parliament  are 
little  better  than  "  cranks  "  :  are  strong  on  their  one  be- 
setting weakness,  and  lose  no  opportunity  of  unloading 
their  very  peculiar  ideas  on  to  the  long-suffering  nation. 
As  long  as  a  man  is  moderately  sane  :  has  enough  party  or 
personal  influence  to  gain  him  the  necessary  majority  ;  and 
is  game,  withal,  to  "  try  his  luck  "  :  the  chances  are  all  in 
favour  of  his  writing  himself  M.P.  His  election  speeches 
might  be  written  out  for  him  by  the  Bosses  of  the  political 
club  which  "  runs  "  him  :  at  the  one  or  two  occasions  in 
which  he  appears  before  his  alleged  "constituents"  he 
might  stutter,  stammer,  hesitate,  talk  through  his  hat,  or 
what  not ':  but  as  long  as  he  is  well-supported  by  the  caucus 
which  is  engineering  him  ;  his  chances  are  roseate-hued  ; 
and  his  "  supporters  "  shake  hands  with  each  other  as  they 
knowingly  remark  that  "  our  man  is  strong  in  the  running  " .' 
It  is  not  a  very  entrancing  picture  we  know  ;  but  you  will 
admit  that  it  is  painfully  true.  Sometimes,  of  course,  a 
man  gets  into  the  talking  shop,  on  merit :  but  in  far  too 
many  instances  he  gets  in  for  the  reasons  which  we  have 
written.  When  these  little  facts  are  remembered,  is  it 
necessary  to  express  wonder  that  some  of  the  "  laws " 
(save  the  name)  are  monuments  of  idiocy?  Never  a  bit! 
Furthermore,  when  it  is  remembered  that,  to  the  ordinary 
mortal,  shipping  is  as  obscure  as  is  Sanscrit,  need  we 
express  any  surprise  that  shipping  "laws"  are  far  and 
away  the  most  idiotic  in  the  whole  combination  ?  We  say 
no  !  Send  a  ship  to  sea  with  her  Plimsoll  mark  submerged 
to  the  extent  of  an  inch  or  so,  and  the  law  regards  the 
matter  in  the  light  of  a  national  calamity  :  unload  the  same 
old  crock,  and  send  her  to  sea  in  alleged  "  ballast,"  and  the 
law  gazes  indulgently  at  the  spectacle.  It  is  matter  of  no 
moment  to  the  law-makers  that,  in  the  first  instance,  the 
ship  is  quite  as  safe  as  if  Plimsoll's  mark  were  a  few  inches 
out  of  the  brine  and  for  the  reason  that  it  is  physically 
impossible  to  place  a  loading  mark  where  it  shall  denote  the 
exact  margin  of  safety  under  all  circumstances.  The  aver- 
age Parliamentarian  knows  nothing  about  curves  of 
stability,  factors  of  safety,  or  any  of  the  thousand-and-one 
items  which  enter  into  the  work  of  the  seaman.  How  can 
the  A. P.  know  any  such  thing  ?  He  might  be  a  high-class 
brewer  and  turn  out  splendid  swizzle :  he  might  be  a 
toney  kind  of  cotton  merchant,  and  know  all  about  calico  ; 
he  might  even  be  an  alleged  lawyer— and  get  most  of  his 
practical  japes  from  Blackstone.  or  "  Goke-as-a-little-ton," 


if  you  like  ;  but  in  either  instance,  shipping  knowledge  is 
conspicuous  by  its  absence.  Furthermore,  with  Parliament 
as  constituted  to-day,  it  is  hopeless  to  expect  the  passing  of 
any  law-  no  matter  what  its  urgency— on  other  than  party 
lines.  One  or  two  interested  members  recognise  that  if  a 
certain  law  is  passed  it  will  mean  a  loss  of  unholy  gain  to 
them,  so  something  must  be  done.  The  "  something  "  is 
known  as  "  lobbying."  and  consists  in  obtaining  the  support 
of  as  many  more  hon.  members,  as  possible,  on  the  under- 
standing that  if  you  scratch  my  back,  then,  when  you  are 
being  tickled,  1  will  scratch  yours !  This  is  law-making, 
and  so  it  comes  about  that  a  perfectly  safe  ship  is  marked 
down  as  scandalously  overladen  :  while  a  veritable  menace 
to  life  and  property  is  allowed  to  pursue  the  wobbly  tenour 
of  her  way,  without  let  or  hindrance  from  anybody.  If  the 
Fantan,  say,  is  overloaded  to  the  extent  of  a  handful  of 
inches,  never  a  soul  on  board  cares  a  toss  ;  but  if  the  same 
steamer  is  ordered  to  proceed  for  instance,  from  Cardiff  to 
Galveston,  in  the  winter,  and  with  nothing  but  her  water- 
ballast  for  stiffening  purposes,  well,  everybody,  save  the 
executive,  will  leave  en  bloc.  The  executive  stays  on,  for 
the  reason  that  in  the  struggle  for  existence,  it  is  easier  to 
lose,  say,  a  mate's  job,  than  to  find  another.  With  the  rank 
and  file,  however,  and  to  whom  ships  are  as  plentiful  as 
blackberries,  they  simply  walk  ashore,  even,  as  they  wink  to 
each  other  at  the  mention  of  light  ship  passages.  True. 
it  is  possible  to  get  another  crew.  It  always  is.  But  then, 
it  is  usually  possible  to  muster  up  enough  men  for  a  forlorn 
hope,  in  any  undertaking.  Circumstances  ever  admit  of 
this  fortunately  for  Britain's  trade.  All  the  same,  those 
circumstances  do  not  justify  the  idiotic  laws  which,  from 
time  to  time,  are  inserted  in  the  Statute  Book,  under  the 
style  and  title  of  Merchant  Shipping  Act,  this,  that,  or  the 
other  Section.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  shipping  industry  is 
ever  the  butt  of  amateur  law-makers,  and  although  we  are 
prone  to  acknowledge  that  so-called  shipping  members  are 
mainly  responsible,  the  conditions  which  admit  of  such 
"  playing  to  the  gallery,"  should  not  be  countenanced  for  a 
moment.  It  is  human  nature  to  legislate  for  personal 
profit,  and  it  is  useless  to  pretend  otherwise.  That  is,  if  a 
brewer  finds  he  is  being  handicapped  in  any  way.  his  human 
nature  will  come  to  the  front  in  a  mad  endeavour  to  stave 
off  the  evil  day.  The  mere  fact  that  there  are  probably  less 
than  5,000  brewers  in  the  whole  country,  while  there  are 
40-odd  millions  of  folk  who  are  not  brewers,  has  nothing  to 
do  with  the  case.  The  40-odd  millions  are  not  in  Parlia- 
ment :  the  brewer  is  ;  so  what  can  you  expect  ?  Again,  if 
a  shipowner  legislator  finds  that  his  profits  are  likely  to  be 
clipped  through  the  advent  of  a  given  measure,  his  human 
nature  comes  out.  There  might  be  hundreds  of  shipowners 
outside  of  Parliament,  and  to  whom  the  suggested  legislation 
will  come  as  a  boon  ;  this  makes  no  difference  to  the  man 
who  is  inside  Parliament ;  he  is  there  ;  he  came  mainly  for 
the  purpose  of  having  a  word  to  say  in  his  own  interests  ; 
the  time  has  arrived  :  the  word  (many  words  and  much 
lobbying,  perhaps )  is  spoken,  and  the  outside  public  may  go 
hang.  If  the  whole  fit-out  of  Parliament  were  composed  of 
men  who  were  wealthy  beyond  the  dreams  of  avarice,  then, 
we  could  naturally  suppose  that  the  "  greatest  good  for  the 
greatest  number  "  would  be  the  everlasting  motto.  When, 
however,  it  is  remembered  that  a  great  number  of  the  cult 
had  scarcely  a  penny  to  jingle  on  a  tombstone  ere  finding 
themselves— they  hardly  know  how—in  "the  House";  is 
there  any  sense  in  pretending  that  human  nature  has  been 
changed  in  their  case  ?  We  say.  no.  once  more.  It  may  be 
a  mere  coincidence,  we  know,  but  the  facts  are  there  all  the 
same,  that  the  lawyer  as  a  Parliamentarian  becomes  more 
afluent  than  before  he  joined  the  magic  circle  :  so,  in  like 
manner,  with  the  brewer,  the  tailor,  the  ironmonger,  the 
"labour  leader."  the  shipping  magnate,  the— the  every 
grade  :  and  yet  members  of  Parliament  are  unpaid  for  their 
onerous  duties  !  Funny,  isn't  it  ?  To  our  mind,  instead  of 
fussing  around  with  so  many  Negligence  Bills  to  this  end 
and  that-  and  which  are  mainly,  for  the  purpose  of  crippling 


April  7,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


'3° 


the  one  industry  on  which  Britain  will  sink  or  swim  ;  there 
should  be  a  Negligence  Bill  rushed  through  at  once,  that 
would  make  it  penal  for  any  group  of  men  to  conspire 
against  the  public  weal,  by  picking  up  some  ''mouth-piece" 
who  is  willing  to  go  to  Parliament  for  a  consideration. 
( There  already  is  such  a  law.  you  say  ?  Well.  then,  make 
a  stronger  one  >.  Naturally,  this  class  of  man  must  speak 
by  the  book,  when  once  he  has  entered  Parliament ;  or  his 
paymasters  will  throw  him  overboard  !  You  can  see  that, 
can't  you  !  All  this  pretence  of  giving  one's  life  for  the 
good  of  one's  fellows  is  pure  moonshine,  to  our  way  of  think- 
ing. And  writing  of  negligence,  consider  the  latest  piece 
of  Parliamentary  inanity— The  Shipowners'  Negligence 
(  Remedies  >  Bill.  Here  is  a  law.  which  intends  to  deal  with 
a  'longshore  workman,  who  might  have  been  injured  by  the 
negligence  of  the  officers  or  crew  of  a  ship  "  while  he  is 
engaged  in  discharging  or  loading  cargo."  The  hugeness 
of  the  injustice,  here,  can  be  assimilated  when  it  is  remem- 
bered that  you  may  kill  off  as  many  officers,  or  as  much  of 
a  crew  as  pleases  you  in  any  fashion  short  of  actual 
murder— and  there  is  no  Bill  to  help  Jack.  But  once  allow 
the  sacred  biped  who  works  ashore  :  who  has  a  six  shilling 
vote  :  and  who.  because  he  is  probably  too  dense  to  move 
when  a  sailor  shouts  "  stand  from  under."  gets  hurted  ; 
then,  no  matter  what  the  circumstances,  you  are  safe  in 
assuming  that  "  negligence  "  will  be  brought  in.  and  that 
the  man's  "  damages  "  are  declared  to  be  within  the  meaning 
of  the  Act.  Asa  vote-snatching  ordinance,  that "  negligence  " 
monstrosity  has  much  to  recommend  it :  as  a  piece  of  bare- 
faced favouritism,  it  has  considerably  more.  Here  have  we 
a  crowd  of  sailors  who  are  not  allowed  to  work  at  their  own 
job  of  discharging,  because  they  haven't  joined  some 
labouring  "  union."  or  other  :  their  places  are  filled  by  a  mob 
of  labourers  who  have  joined  that  "union."  Because  the 
labourer  knows  nothing  of  the  business  on  which  he  is  em- 
ployed, he  is  hurted  in  some  manner,  and  the  shipowner  is 
mulcted  in  costs  and  damages.  Why0  "  Because  his  ser- 
vants have  been  negligent "  in  not  providing  easy  chairs, 
slippers,  and  a  good  cigar  for  the  poor  fellow  who  was  idly 
waiting  about,  when  the  iron-ore  tub.  say.  came  down  on  his 
head?  See!  That  nasty  tub  came  down,  without  first  ringing 
an  electric  bell:  moving  a  semaphore  signal  arm  to  the  danger 
mark :  and  operating  a  lever  which  set  the  necessary 
machinery  going,  that  would  silently  but  firmly  remove  the 
man  who  had  been  hurted  !  This  might  seem  far-fetched. 
but  analogous  cases  are  happening,  every-day.  True,  there 
is  no  mention  made  of  the  absence  of  easy  chairs :  but  the 
looker-on  is  convinced  that  nothing  short  of  automatic 
care-takers,  will  obviate  the  breaking  up  of  some  of  the 
"  labour"  which  is  employed  on  shipping.  Again,  our  friend 
who  has  been  hurted.  might  be  recovering  from  the  effects 
of  last  night's  debauch :  might  be  altogether  unfit  to  be 
trusted  on  a  ship,  for  any  purpose,  whatsoever :  but  even 
so.  shipowner  should  pay  if  that  man  is  hurted  through 
the  "  negligence  "  of  his  officers  and  crew.  What  we  mean 
to  emphasize  is.  that  every  hurt  will  be  claimed  as  .the.- 
result  of  negligence.  No  matter  how  shipowner  might 
reason  the  thing  out :  the  "  poor  workman  "  will  have  the 
sympathy— because  he  has  the  vote!  As  things  are 
tending,  now.  it  will  soon  be  necessary  for  every  shipmaster 
to  insist  on  having  a  doctor's  certificate  from  his  labourers. 
before  they  are  admitted  on  board  -and  another  certificate 
to  say  the  doctor  is  not  of  the  "  club  "  variety,  and  that  he 
has  absolutely  no  interest,  direct  or  indirect,  with  any 
workmen's  club,  of  either  colour,  or  shade  of  colour.  Even 
as  the  Employers'  Liability  Act  has  crippled  all  that  is  best 
and  most  enterprising  in  the  shoregoing  factory,  the  engi- 
neering works,  the  dry  dock,  the  ship-repairing  yard,  etc., 
so  will  this  newest  phase  of  labourer's  lullaby  legislation 
cripple  the  shipowner.  Of  course,  he  will  be  able  to  insure 
against  it  at  a  price  :  but  it  is  common  knowledge  that  the 
insurance  companies  are  contemplating  a  big  rise  in  "  com- 
pensation rates. "  for  the  reason  that  there  is  so  much 
swindling  in  the  claims  set  up :  and  already,  the  shipping 


industry  is  "  underwritten  "  until  the  margin  of  possible 
profit  is  painfully  small.  In  effect,  the  present  is  the  day 
of  the  labourer  ;  soon,  it  will  be  even  more  so,  for  as  things 
are  tending,  they  will  each  have  to  work  for  the  other — 
seeing  that  all  enterprise  will  have  been  "legislated  "  out  of 
the  country. 


CONCERNING    CRIMPING. 


ALL  the  regulations,  strictures,  and  promises  to  the 
contrary  notwithstanding,  the  business  of  the 
cunning  crimp  is  more  prosperous  to-day,  than  it 
was  in  what  are  popularly  supposed  to  be  the  "  bad  old 
days,"  when  the  sailorman  never  thought  of  going  to  sea 
as  other  than  a  pier-head  jumper.  Correspondents  from 
all  parts  assure  us  that  the  evil,  instead  of  becoming 
crushed  out,  is  more,  and  ever  more  in  vogue.  Liverpool, 
Glasgow.  Shields.  Grimsby.  Cardiff — all  of  them,  happy 
hunting  grounds  for  the  crimp  of  commerce.  The  Board 
of  Trade,  secure  in  its  feeling  of  haughty  irresponsibility  to 
anybody,  will  make  no  move  in  the  matter  ;  leaves  all  the 
minutiae  of  a  possible  prosecution  to  private  enterprise ; 
and  even  when  its  attention  is  called  to  a  bare-faced 
advertisement  which  is  openly  crimp-like  in  its  terms; 
politely,  but  firmly  insinuates  that  the  crimp  is  in  order  ; 
that  he  does  but  carry  out  his  promise  -no  matter  whom 
he  has  rooked  of  hard-earned  cash,  meanwhile.  The  fact 
of  'the  matter  is,  the  Board  of  Trade  man  is  too  busy  in 
hunting  up  possible  fines  from  people  who  can  pay  them, 
to  have  any  inclination  to  give  protection  in  a  case  where 
the  delinquent  is  a  man  of  straw.  As  already  stated,  if 
private  enterprise  will  concern  itself  with  the  crimp  :  will 
spend  its  money  in  securing  justice  for  the  crimp's  victims  ; 
well  and  good.  The  Board  of  Trade  will  offer  no  objection. 
A  dozen  soi-disant  "  shipping  masters  "  may  stalk  about  in 
broad  daylight:  everybody — save  "the  Department "- 
might  realise  that  the  "shipping  master  "  is  breaking  the 
law  :  that  he  is  engaged  in  the  illegal  supply  of  seamen  ; 
might  understand  that  continuous  discharge-books  are 
faked  up  by  the  hundred,  for  any  "poor  foreigner"  who 
is  in  need  of  s#me :  and  might  be  told  by  the  pigeon- 
Englished  foreign  seaman,  "dot  five  shillin's  .J  gifs  me  to 
de  schippin  maestro  for  de  shance  of  a  yaub : ''  but  an 
indulgent  smile  is  all  you  will  get,  if  you  mention  it  to  the 
puissant  Board.  The  B.T.  is  so  seemingly  secure  in  its 
belief  that  it  is  infallible,  that  it  is  utterly  impossible  to 
make  it  undertake  a  careful  consideration  of  any  of  the 
items  you  might  care  to  bring  to  its  notice.  Even  as  in 
the  matter  of  rotten  life-saving  appliances:  when  you  might 
be  dead  certain  that  a  given  ship's  stuff  is  rotten  beyond 
belief ;  then,  if  you  wish  the  Board  to  move,  you  have  to 
go  to  the  expense  of  bringing  irrefutable  evidence,  in 
substantiation  of  your  claims.  In  other  words,  you  have  to 
do  the  work  for  which  the  Board  of  Trade  was  constituted  ; 
if  you  are  right,  the  Board  will  take  the  credit ;  if  you  are 
right,  but  are  too  poor  to  be  able  to  pay  the  necessary 
witnesses  for  corroboration  :  then,  the  Board  will  smile, 
even  as  it  talks  about  mare's  nests,  assumptions,  and  the 
like.  Under  these  conditions,  is  it  any  wonder  that  crimp- 
ing is  equally  as  bad  here,  in  our  midst,  as  ever  it  knew 
how  to  be  in  'Frisco  ?  The  method  is  plain  enough.  "  If 
you  want  a  ship,  borrow  a  couple  of  quid  from  one  of  the 
tailors  in  the  swim,  or  get  an  outfit  on  tick.  He'll  get  you 
a  ship — and  he'll  draw  your  wages."  Same  old  game. 
Old  as  the  hills.  Old.  but  ever  new.  Won't  some  of  those 
tailors  get  hold  of  the  Board  of  Trade  on  the  same  terms  ? 
They'd  none  of  them  be  missed  !  In  fact,  if  the  B.T.  could 
be  shanghaed  in  the  lump,  so  to  speak,  the  country  would 
have  to  see  to  it  that  a  substitute  were  created.  Britain 
—after  all  these  years  of  mismanagement  in  matters 
maritime — could  not  be  expected  to  survive,  without  some 
kind  of  Board  of  Tinkers  ?  So  what's  the  matter  with 
a  set  of  continuous  discharge  books,  a  festive  crimp,  a  ship 
at  the  pier  heads,  and  a  clean  sweep  ? 


'3' 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


April  -,  1905 


CARDIFF 

(AND 

OTHER) 

COAL. 

CARDIFF.  April  S,  1905. 

THEM  can  be  no  getting  away  from  the  fact  that  the  times  are  out 
of  joint  and  that  the  situation  has  been  anything  but  improved,  by  the 
Irrepressible  One's  visit  to  Morocco.  Here  are  we  all.  struggling 
along  with  everything  in  our  disfavour,  and  just  because  a  Royalty 
won't  believe  without  demonstration  that  Satan  finds  some  mischief 
still,  for  idle  hands  to  do.  we  have  to  sit  tamely  down,  and  let  her 
hum.  so  to  speak.  Why  doesn't  the  great  Teutonic  race  find  some- 
thing for  its  Head  to  think  about  ?  Why  but  there  !  We've  got  'em 
bad.  this  week,  and  principally  because  there  is  nothing  worth 
writing  about,  as  far  as  the  coal  trade  is  concerned. 

WHEH  starting  out  on  this  particular  job.  we  had  intended  to  begin 
something  after  the  following  :  "  Once  again  we  have  to 

Chronicle  the  continued  lack 

of  anything  appertaining  to  the  new  and  strange  in  the  Coal  Market" 
and  now  that  we  have  written  the  words,  we  have  half  a  mind  to 
let  'em  stay  !  We  will  !  Especially  as  they  are  heart-breakingly 
true  !  Continued  lack,  forsooth  !  We  hardly  know  why  the  long- 
suffering  colliery  man  bothers  about  coming  to  the  Docks,  at  all 
these  days.  If  we  belonged  to  the  sacred  phalanx,  we  should  stay 
away  for  a  whole  month.  Should  stand  off  until  everybody  had 
become  about  as  near  mad  for  coal,  as  made  no  odds  ;  and  then  we 
should  pick  our  way.  carefully,  to  the  spot  where  the  biggest  crowd  of 
coal-seekers  had  congregated. 

WHY  should  we  do  this  ?  Well,  for  various  reasons.  One  of  them 
is.  that  by  this  course  of  action  we  should  convince  everybody  that  we 
belonged  to  the  phalanx  :  another  reason  is.  that  such  conduct  would 
be  distinctly  original  ;  and  the  world  is  longing  with  a  big  long  for 

Something;  Original  to  transpire, 

in  Coal-land.  Our  allusion  to  the  "  sacred  phalanx  "  was  merely  a 
playful  one,  you  understand,  for  in  point  of  fact,  there  is  no  such  thing 
in  coal-dealing.  The  whole  caboodle  is  a  disintegrated  mass  of  atoms  ; 
and  dog-eat-dog.  is  the  prevailing  fancy  therein.  By  holding  off.  as 
suggested,  we  should  convince  the  amiable  buyer  that  his  old  trick  of 
playing  one  concern  off  against  another  was  played  out.  and  that 
would  be  a  good  thing,  don't  you  think  ? 

MIND  you.  the  buyer  hasn't  the  sole  copyright  for  that  "  playing  off  " 
idea.  Not  by  a  very  great  deal  !  The  seller,  on  occasion,  is 

A  past  master  at  the  business, 

and  probably  the  only  reason  that  he  hasn't  the  thing  all  to  himself,  is 
that  somehow  or  other  the  buyer  is  a  "  paster  master  "  -if  we  may 
put  it  thus  ?  You  don't  mind  our  writing  it  in  thatjjrecise  style,  do 
you?  Particularly  when  you  realise  that  the  expression  is  sadly,  and 
distressingly  true.  Alright,  then.  There  is  nothing  new  to  chronicle  ; 
at  least,  not  very  new  ;  and  all  that  remains  for  us,  is  to  piece  out 
the  items  which  have  transpired.  In  the  first  place,  let  us  inform  you 
that  firmness,  in  nearly  every  phase  of  the  coal  market,  is  conspicuous 
by  its  absence,  and  that  already,  there  is  talk  of  the  Easter  Holidays. 
Fact,  we  assure  you !  Sales  may  come,  and  sales  may  go  but 
"  holidays  "  go  on  for  ever. 

HOWEVER,  we  are  glad  to  be  able  to  state  that  shipments  during  the 
past  week,  have  been  fairly  heavy — so 

Somebody  is  getting  a  little  good 

out  of  what  really  is  moving  ?  The  natural  corollary  to  big  shipments 
js.  that  there  is  no  undue  accumulation  of  coal  about;  but  unless 
matters  brighten  up  considerably,  there  soon  will  be !  Sufficient  for 
the  day.  etc.;  especially  when  the  evil  is  a  fine,  and  large-sized  one! 
And  even  if  there  are  no  undue  accumulations  of  coal  around,  there  are 
still  considerably  more  than  there  is  any  demand  for,  and  thus  it 
comes  about  that  prices  are  not  to  be  considered  as  in  the  hopeful 
stage.  Concerning  the  outlook  which  never  cost  anybody  anything 

this  is  said  to  be  brighter. 

THE  brightness  is  consequent  on  an  improved  enquiry  for  forward 
business.  But  when  it  is  remembered  that  this  alleged  enquiry  is 

Merely  a  wile  of  the  would-be  seller, 

well,  you  are  at  liberty  to  attach  thereto,  whatsoever  importance 
pleases  you.  We  have  been  told-  in  strictest  confidence— that  folk 
do  not  usually  waste  time  and  energy  on  enquiry,  unless  they  have  a 
certain  and  well-defined  reason  therefor.  We  admit  the  soft  impeach- 
ment, even  as  we  suggest  that,  as  often  as  not  the  said  reason  is 
merely  of  the  nature  of  bluff.  And  anyhow,  you  cannot  pay  wages 
to  say  nothing  of  dividends  with  enquiry.  Can 'you.  now?  And 
even  if  our  very  own  coal  expert  is  inclined  to  believe  that  there  is  an 
indication  that  the  market  is  likely  to  harden  ;  we  let  the  opinion  go, 
and  mainly  because  he  forgot  to  table  the  date  of  hardening. 

CRYSTALLISING  the  thing  as  much  as  possible,  we  find  that 

Business  Is  terribly  restricted, 

both  for  prompt,  and  forward,  undertakings.  Principally  because 
there  is  such  a  divergency  of  opinion  as  to  values,  between  seller  and 
buyer,  when  they  set  themselves  out  to  discuss  the  price  which  shall 
constitute  the  basis  of  negotiations.  Somehow  or  other,  there  is  ever 
a  divergency  of  opinion  a  misunderstanding  of  the  relative  beauties. 


shall  we  say?-  between  those  two  very  necessary  adjuncts  to  a  coal 
trade.  Furthermore,  the  divergency  is  usually  removed,  by  what  the 
vulgar  portion  of  the  community  would  term  a  "climbing  down"  on 
one  side  or  the  other.  Of  late,  we  are  grieved  to  state,  the  descending 
principle  has  been  all  on  the  side  of  the  seller— poor  thing. 

A  couple  of  railway  contracts 

have  been  concluded,  this  week.  The  L.  &  N.W.R.  has  been  placed 
among  the  Newport  group,  as  also  that  of  the  Midland  &  Great 
Western  of  Ireland.  We  believe  the  latter  is  for  about  60,000  tons. 
and  the  price  not  considerably  distant  from  12s.,  f.o.b.,  Newport. 
Good  business,  don't  you  think  ?  But  coming  down  to  a  detailed 
consideration,  we  find  that 

BEST  CARDIFF  ADMIRALTYS  have  undergone  no  variation,  for  the 
current  quotation  remains  at  around  1 3s.  3d.  But  don't  be  misled 
with  quotations,  please.  We  are  prone  to  admit  that,  as  quotations 
the  figures  have  been  hard  as  nails  ;  the  transactions  which  have 
passed,  however,  have  not,  in  many  instances,  been  even  distantly 
related  thereto.  Of  course, 

There  is  much  to  be  desired 

in  the  actual  passings  in  this  grade,  for  while  the  better  class  collieries 
are  possibly  favoured  with  good  stems,  others  'are  anything  but  so 
easily  situated.  Under  the  unfortunate  to  the  seller— circumstances, 
therefore,  it  will  be  matter  for  no  surprise,  when  we  assure  you  that 
it  is  fairly  easy  to  obtain  Best  Cardiff  Admiraltys  at  1 3s.;  and  for  a 
nimble  threepence  less  if  your  boat  is  in  the  right  position.  Yes  ! 

SECONDS,  are  being  maintained  at  12s.  9d.  At  least,  their  patron 
saint  declares  it  so.  So  far,  so  good  !  The  length,  in  this  case,  is 
merely  in  so  far  as  the  better-class  collieries  are  concerned.  These 
latter  keep  fairly  busy,  and  their  stems  are  passing  good.  This,  not- 
withstanding. 

Buyers  appreciate  the  fact 

that  there  is  anything  but  an  undue  difficulty,  in  securing  as  much 
prompt  coal  as  is  desired.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  there  is  an  uncom- 
fortable feeling  of  easiness  hanging  around  some  of  these  "  other 
qualities."  at  the  moment  ;  with  the  result  that  12s.  6d.  is  being  taken 
with,  more  or  less,  avidity  ;  and  threepence  less  than  that — after  a 
gentle  whine  or  so.  concerning  the  unholy  greed  of  the  intending  buyer. 
Taken  any  way.  there  is  precious  little  demand  for  Seconds. 

ORDINARIES  are  sadly  in  need  of  a  tonic.     They  are  weak  ;  have  been 
over-done,   and    over-taxed — the    latter,    especially.        This    means, 
generally  speaking,  that  they  are  suffering  from  a 
Great  lack  of  appreciation. 

When  coal  is  treated  this  way,  its  condition  is  exactly  the  same  as 
with  other  human  arrangements  ;  it  languishes.  Stems,  all  'round,  are 
woefully  empty,  and  there  is  very  little  request.  Hence,  immediate 
values  are  dependent,  almost  entirely,  upon  the  date  for  which  buyer 
is  prepared  to  guarantee  shipment.  The  quoted  mark  is  12s.;  that 
eventually  paid,  at  anything  between  1  Is.  6d.  and  1  Is.  9d.  ;  and  even 
at  this,  there  is  very  little  passing  in  the  grade.  When  there  is  no 
demand,  you  may  not  expect  much  booking,  may  you  ?  Well,  this  is 
how  it  is  with  Ordinaries. 

DRYS  have  undergone  no  exciting  change  for  the  better — or  for  the 
worse,  as  far  as  that  goes  !     This  being  so,  and  as  we  have  told  you. 
week  after  week,  their  position  remains  an  easy  one. 
Little  business  is  materialising 

in  this  branch  of  business,  and  to  use  a  colloquialism,  "  collieries  are 
quiet."  Where  buyers  intend  to  purchase,  they  may  do  so,  appreciably 
below  the  quotation  providing  the  necessary  prompt  shipment  is  the 
corollary.  Roundly,  the  figures  for  Drys,  at  the  moment,  are.  12s.  for 
the  Superior  sorts,  with  others  at  lls.  9d. ;  a  little  over  or  under,  as 
the  pertinacity  of  seller  or  buyer,  respectively,  determines. 

MONMOUTHSHIRE  COALS,  too,  are  every  bit  as  weak  as  at  our  last 
time  of  writing.  True,  prices  are  being  upheld— if  only  on  paper  :  but 
there  is  absolutely  nothing  startling  in  this  section.  In  fact,  there  is 
any  amount  of  room  for  improvement  in  the  volume  of  business  passing, 
which,  to  put  the  thing  mildly, 

Is  extremely  limited. 

Continuing  on  the  "  volume  "  idea,  Monmouthshire  coals  are  similar  to 
those  editions  de  luxe  of  which  one  reads  so  frequently  ;  their  sale  is 
disgustingly  limited  !  Considering  prices,  we  find  that  BLACK  VEINS 
are  offered  at  lls.  6d..  but  as  colliery  stems  are  by  no  means  full. 
sellers,  here,  are  no  better  off  than  their  colleagues  in  other  grades. 
That  is,  concessions  are  the  order  of  the  day  ;  particularly  when 
prompt  shipment  is  suggested,  and  the  suggestion  materialises. 

ORDINARIES,  again,  show  no  variation.  A  fair  business  has  been 
done  ;  but  it  would  be  wickedly  misleading  to  mark  it  higher  than 
"fair."  Moreover, 

This  fair  business  is  markedly  trifling, 

when  compared  with  the  outputs— which  certainly  are  much  larger 
than  any  demand  which  is  in  evidence,  at  present.  Quotably,  prices 
remain  at  lls.  5d.,  but  to  book  these  Ordinaries  at  the  old  mark  of 
lls.  is  by  no  means  a  matter  of  difficulty.  Prompt  stems  are. 


April   7,    1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW 


132 


admittedly,    slack  ;   and  contractors  are  by  no  means  unduly  fulfilling 
their  obligations. 

SECONDS  continue  in  practically  the  same  position  as  at  our  last, 
that  is  to  say.  they  are  quoted  at  1  Os.  6d..  subsequently  offered  at 
10s.  3d.  and  ultimately  obtained  at  the  level  10s.  This  has  been  the 
basis  of  most  of  the  bookings.  The  position  of  collieries,  here,  does  not 
materially  differ  from  that  of  the  premier  qualities  ;  that  is  to  say, 

Supply  is  greatly  In  excess  of  demand. 

With   this  in   mind,    you   will    understand    that    Seconds— here— are 
doomed  to  easiness  ? 

RHONDDA  No.  3's  are  unchanged,  with  their  values  standing  at 
1 3s.  9d.  and  steady  at  that.  There  is  not  an  undue  quantity  of  free 
coal  available,  and  the  market  has  been  maintained  on  this  account 
The  demand,  however,  has  eased  off  somewhat,  although  sellers' 
present  engagements  are  sufficient  to  keep  prices  ruling  at  old  levels. 

RHONDDA  No.  2's  may  be  scheduled  at  from  10s.  to  10s.  3d.,  and 
are  also  steady  at  those  figures.  Enquiry,  here,  has  been  of  a  fair 


average  ;  all  the  same,  the 

Section  is  a  firm  one, 

and  schedule  notwithstanding,  it  is  possible  to  "  get  a   little  bit  off " 
either  quotation,  providing  you  are  pertinacious  and  pleading. 

SMALLS — good  old  smalls  ;  dog-cart-producing  smalls  ;  motor-car 
making  smalls— are  still  the  pick  of  the  market.  Indeed,  we  often 
wonder  why  "  Large  dealings "  do  not  quit  their  fancy,  and  the 
Corporation  tramcar.  for  "  Smalls  and  a  '  smeller '  !  "  Values  in 
Smalls  continue  even  as  at  our  last  time  of  writing  ;  indeed,  in  some 
instances,  they  have  gone  beyond.  The  demand  is  a  bumping  one  ; 
supply  is  scarce  ;  Great  Scott  !  There  is  no  difficulty  in  disposing  of 
Smalls. 

Never  a  bit,  for  they  sell  themselves  1 

For  what  has  been  on  sale,  buyers  have  had  to   pay  up,   and  anyhow, 
you'll  find  'em  in  the  list,  below. 

PATENT  FUELS  are  a  trifle  harder  in  values,  which  range  between 
13s.  and  13s.  6d.  ;  but  PITWOOD  is  easy,  around  16s.  6d.  to  16s.  9d. 


APPROXIMATE:     FIGURES     FOR     THE     WEEK,     ARE     AS     FOLLOW  • — 


(All  quotations  f.o.b.  at  the  respective  ports  of  shipment., 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Best  Cardiff  Ad'altv  Urge 
Second         Ditto. 
Other  Second  Cardiff     ... 
|lr\~ 
Best  Newport 
Ordinar*  Bests 
Seconds 
Best  House  Coal 
No.  3  Rhondda 
No.  2         Ditto. 
Rhondda  3  ••  Thro." 
•t       2       •• 

135.  3d 

128.  9(1. 
I2S.  cxi.,    I2S.  jU. 
I2S.  Oil.,    128.  3d. 

1  1  v  6d. 
us.  31!. 
IDS.  6d 
i6s.  od. 
13*.  9<1..  145.  od. 
los.  3d. 
i  i-   •>!..  I2s.  od. 
»».<& 

135.  od.,  135.  3d. 

I2S.  6(1.,  I2S.  Oxl. 
12S.  Od. 
I2S.  0.1. 

us.  4,',<l. 

IIS.    l'-d. 

los.  6d. 
153.  9d. 
13*.  9d. 
los.  3d. 
us.  9d. 
gs.  oil. 

133.  od. 
I2s.  6d. 
us.  91].,  i2s.  od. 

128.  od. 

us.  4.V.I. 
lis.  lid. 
los.  3d.,  IDS.  6d. 
155.  9d. 
135.  9d. 

1OS.    l.'.ll. 

us.  gTr 

95.  od. 

i3s.  od. 

128.  6d. 

us.  gd. 
1  1  s.  gd. 
us.  3d. 
us.  od. 
los.  3d. 
153.  6d.,  1  6s.  od. 
13s.  6d.,  145.  od. 

108.    lid. 

its.  6d.,  iis.  gd. 
gs.  od.,  gs.  3d. 

I2s.  gd.,  133.  3d. 
I2s.  3d.,  123.  6d. 

123.  Od. 

iis.  gd. 
i  is.  3d. 
us.  ou. 
los.  4jd. 
153.  6d. 

13s-  9d. 
IDS.  od.,  IDS.  3d. 
us.  6d.,  123.  od. 
gs.  od. 

133.  od. 
12S.  6d. 
us.  6d.,  I2s.  od. 

US.  gel.,    123.  Oil. 

us.  3d.,  us.  6d. 
us.  od.,  us.  3d. 
los.  4|d. 
153.  od.,  i6s.  od. 
133.  gel. 
los.  ijd. 
1  1  s.  gd. 
8s.  gd.,  gs.  od. 

Smalls: 
Best  Cardiff 
Seconds 
Ordinaries 
Best  Newport 
Seconds 
Rhondda  No.  2 
No.  3 

8s.  od. 

gd. 
79.  ad.,  7*.  6(1. 

Ml. 

78.  3d 
7-  6d. 
los  od. 

8s.  3d. 
8s.  od. 
7s.  6d. 
7s.  9d. 
7».  3<1. 
73.  6d.,  8s.  od. 
os.  Oxl. 

8s.  6d. 
8s.  oil. 
7s.  gd. 
73.  91!. 
7s.  od. 
7s.  9d. 
98.  9d. 

8s.  6d. 
8s.  I'd. 
7s.  gd. 
73.  6d.,  7s.  gd. 
73.  od. 
7s.  gd. 
los.  od. 

8s.  3d.,  8s.  6d. 
8s.  od. 
7s.  7id. 
73.  6d. 
73.  od.,  73.  3(1. 
73.  6d. 
gs.  6d.,  los.  od. 

8s.  30  ,  8s.  6d. 
8s.  od. 
73.  6d.,  75.  gd. 
73,  3d.,  73.  6d. 
73.  od. 
75.  6d. 
gs.  gd. 

1  ,.un  Jrx  Coke  : 
Special 
Ordinan 

219.  0(1. 

17*.  6d. 

•2  is.  od. 

173.  '•<]. 

2os.  6d.,  2  is.  od. 
I7».  od. 

2os.  gd. 
173.  gd. 

213.  Od. 

173.  gd.,  183.  od. 

2  IS.  od.,  223.  od. 

173.  6d.,  i8s.  od. 

Furnace  Coke 
Patent  Fuel 
Hilwoml    e\  ^lp 

•  S-.  6(1  ,  ids.  od. 
ad. 

!''«.   '/I. 

1  5«.  6d. 
13*.  od.,  I3s.  6d. 

I0s.  o';l. 

158.  6d. 
133.  3d. 

16s.  (x\. 

155.  3d. 

13s-  3d- 
i6s.  6d.,  i6s.  gd. 

153.  3d. 
133.  od.,  133.  3d. 
i6s.  g<:. 

15*.  od.,  153.  6d. 
133.  od.,  133.  6d. 
1  6s.  6d.,  i6s.  gel. 

All.  less  2*2  per  cent,  discount,  with  payment  at  thirty  days,  except  where  otherwise  stated. 
Alt  quotations  for  large  Coals  imply  Colliery  Screened. 


SWANSEA.  April  5.  1905. 

THE  tone  of  the  Swansea  Market,  this  past  week,  has  been  weaker, 
and  although  prices,  generally,  have  not  varied,  for  prompt  shipment. 
the  market  is  rather  in  buyers'  favour.  This,  on  account  of  the 
limited  amount  of  business  that  is  passing,  at  the  moment,  for 
practically  all  descriptions  are  quiet. 

ANTHRACITE  COALS  are  at  about  last  levels,  with  prices  for  any- 
thing required  prompt  ruling  very  easy.  Certainly,  some  of  the 
better  class  coals  are  well  stemmed,  and  sellers  of  these  qualities  hold 
to  their  quotations  steadily  :  but  others  are  not  doing  much,  and  the 
stuff  can  be  secured  at  under  the  quotation.  RED  and  Bio  VEIN  are 
inactive,  and  whilst  the  demanded  figures  range  from  1 1  s.  6d.  down 
to  1  Os.  5d.,  they  can  be  secured  at  3d.  less,  in  each  grade,  if  not  even 
a  further  3d.,  where  buyers  can  guarantee  immediate  shipment. 

MACHINE  MADE  COALS  have  not  shown  much  variation,  and  supplies 


exceeding  the  request,  buyers  are  conciliated  a  little  in  the  matter  of 
price,  for  anything  of  the  prompt  description. 

CULM,  on  the  other  hand,  continues  with  good  enquiry,  and  coupled 
with  the  present  happy  state  of  stems  generally,  this  section  is  still  a 
satisfactory  one.  Bests  are  firm  at  5s.,  at  which  bookings  are 
recorded  ;  and  in  some  cases,  the  demanded  figure  is  higher  than  this. 
Inferiors  are  also  steady. 

STEAMS  have  not  been  active.  Prices  may  be  stated  to  have  been 
about  sustained,  but  nothing  more  ;  and  while  these  do  not  differ  to 
those  of  the  previous  week,  there  is  nothing  of  firmness  in  them.  For 
anything  required  immediately,  it  is  possible  to  arrange  Bests,  at  the 
old  figure  of  13s.  Seconds  are  weak  at  'round  about  12s.,  nothing 
more.  In  fact,  lls.  9d.  is  representative  of  actual  value.  Bunker 
Sorts  remain  at  about  1 1  s. 

PATENT  FUELS  are  firmer  at  12s.  to  12s.  3d. 


BELOW,  we  give  ttte  average  prices  for  the  week  :— 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

Anthracite: 

Best    Hand    Picked 
Malting  Urge 
Seconds    do. 
Bl*  Vein  Urge 
ted    .. 
Machine  Made  Cobbles    ... 
.,         ..    Nuts 
„        „     Peas 
Puhhlv  Culm 
Duff 

i8s.  od..  199.  od. 
179.  od.,  173.  6<l. 
us.  6(1..  us.  gd. 
IDS.  od.,  io".  3d. 
|6«.  6d.,  17*.  bd. 
l6n.  9(1. 

108.  «!..    10*.  6(1. 

5».  od.,  5S.  3(1. 
v.  31!. 

i8s.  ix  1. 
173.  6d. 

IIS.  '"' 

ios.  3(1. 
i6s.  9<1. 
i6s.  6d. 
loa.  od. 
5s.  od. 
3s.  3d. 

i8s.  od.,  i8s.  6d. 
173.  od. 
us.  6d. 
los.  od. 
i6s.  <i'l- 
i6s.  6d. 

I  OS.  Oil. 

53.  od. 
33.  3d.,  33.  6d. 

1  8s.  30. 
173.  od 
us.  oc.,  i  is.  od. 
los.  od. 
1  6s.  gd.,  173.  od. 
163.  6d.,  163.  gd. 
gs.  gd.,  IDS.  31!. 
43.  gd.,  53.  3d. 
33.  6d. 

1  8s.  3d. 
1  6s.  6d.,  173.  6d. 
us.  3d. 
gs.  gd.,  103.  31!. 
173.  od. 
i6s.  gd. 
IDS.  3d. 
55.  od. 
3s-  3d. 

i8s.  od.,  igs.  od. 
173.  od.,  173.  6d. 
us.  6d. 
IDS.  od.,  IDS.  3d. 
163.  6d.,  173.  od. 
163.  gd.,  173.  od. 
IDS.  od.,  los.  6cl. 
5s.  od. 
35.  od..  33.  3d. 

Patent  Fuel: 

las.  od.,  I2S.  3d. 

I2S.  Oil. 

128.  0(1. 

123.  3d. 

us.  gd.,  i2s.  3d. 

123.  Od. 

Steam  : 
Best    Urge 
Seconds  ,. 
Bunker    ., 
Thro1  and  Thro' 

139.  od. 
»!.,  I2s.  31!. 
i  is  od. 
95.  od. 

138.  6d. 

I2S.  O.I. 

us.  od. 
93.  od. 

13S-  3d- 

12S.  O(l. 

i  os.  gd. 
8s.  gd.,  gs.  od. 

133.30. 
us.  gd.,  123.  od. 
i  os.  gd. 
8s.  gd. 

133.  od.,  133.  3d. 
us.  ioj(!. 
us.  od. 
gs.  od. 

i3s.  3d. 
i  is.  gd.,  i2s.  od. 
iis.  od.,  us.  3d. 
gs.  od. 

'33 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


April  7,   1905 


COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES. 


CARDIFF.  April  5.  1905. 

As  stated  elsewhere  in  this  issue,  there  has  been  a  fairly  busy  week 
in  shipowning  circles.  Indeed,  the  docks  has  been  "  looking  up  " — for 
these  hard  times.  But  judging  by  the  number  of  fixtures  reported 
since  our  last  time  of  writing,  that  tonnage  has  been  of  the  nature  of 
what  Jack  would  term  "working  up  a  dead  horse." 

NOT.  perhaps,  in  the  dim  vistas  of  the  past :  but  merely  the  ordinary 
vistas.  Consider  the  EASTERN  market  what  there  is  of  it.  Of  course 
there  is  something  of  an  Eastern  market  left  For  instance,  it  has 
called  for  a  limited  amount  of  stuff  for  COLOMBO,  at  the  more  or  less 
according  to  how  you  view  it  magnificent  rate  of  8s.  4  ^d.  :  DJIBOUTI 
has  taken  the  whole  of  a  5.000  tonner  at  8s.  9d.  For  the  CAPE.  1  Os. 
is  still  quoted,  and  by  and  bye,  somebody  will  be  taking  on  at  the  price. 

WESTWARD,  the  little  worry  appears  to  have  decided  to  ease  off- 
There  is  a  Westward  market.  You'll  find  it  in  the  list  what  there  is 
of  it :  but  it  may  be  taken  for  granted  that  it  is  quite  a  mistake. 
Really  speaking,  there  should  be  no  Plate  business  doing  :  it's  against 
the  law  :  and  everybody  knows  what  that  me?ns.  Still,  what  has 
been  wickedly  engaged  in.  has  been  done  at  three  half-crowns  and 
then  those  who  are  interested  "  do  a  growl."  It's  a  very  indifferent  world 

for  anybody  who  is  endeavouring  to  fix  a  boat  up  for  the  River  Plate. 

HENCE  the  ISLANDS,  there  is  little  to  talk  or  write  about.  For  LAS 
PALMAS.  the  figures  remain  as  at  our  last  5s.  9d. 

Coming  along  to  MEDITERRANEAN,  we  find  that  the  fair  supply  of 
tonnage  has  had  the  inevitable  result  of  easing  up  rates. 

For  their  values,  well,  these,  and  others,  are  in  the  list  below. 

Week  Ending,  (Wednesday),  April  5,  1905 

N     drnotrs    Newport,    (8)   Swansea,    (P.  T.     Port    Talbot,    loading. 

EASTERN. 

Colombo,     Hank  fa-Ids,       8s.  4.jd. 

Ili-niili's,   2,742  n.r.    Ss.  4^d.   ppt. 
Djibouti,     Frank  Coverdale,    5,000  tons,    7*.  Qd. 
Aden,      Baron  Ardrossan,      75.  6d. 
Cape,     . -Iga/Hiiif/ins,  5,000  tons    i  os.  3d.  ppt. 
Walflsh  Bay,  (South  Africa), '    \Vhilby.    1,500  tons,   iSs. 

WESTWARD,     Etc. 

River  Plate.     Hiilgrovt,    -s.  6d.    ppt. 

( ity  «f  York,    1,959  n.r.    73.  6d. 

ComtnomptaJth,  ;s.  6d. 

Cobcr,  4,000  tons,    75.  6d. 
Cape  Verdes,     11'nrrior,    4,500  tons,    6s.  6d. 

Sliir/rv,   5,000  tons,    6s.  9d. 
Las  Palmas,     Inish<wen  Head,  55.  9d.    (P.T. ) 

Lord  Antrim,  5,500  tons,    55.  9d.  option  Teneriffe. 
Teneriffe,     Greenbank,  5,000  tons,   55.  gd.    •-»•» 
La  Plata,     Hfrnnia,   ^,179  n.r.   ys.  6d. 
Rosario.     DalUngtott,  3,300  tons,  ys.  fid.  "'•-, 
Rio  de  Janeiro,     Steamer,  5,000  tons,   8s.  9d. 

Strainer,    ;;.-.  fid. 

St.  Michaels,     lli-llenes,  2,300  tons,   6s   i'd. 
St.  Thomas,     Beeclilmrn,  3,000  tons,    75. 

MEDITERRANEAN,     Etc. 

Port   Said,    Steamer,    3,500  tons,  6s. 
Genoa,     Steamer,    4,400   tons,    6=.  fid. 

Steamer,    3.500  tons,    6s.  fid. 

Steamer,    3.700  tons,    6s.  fid. 

Phoebus,   4,800  tons,    6s.  4^d.    spot. 

.S/'i/.-rrt,     1,934  n.r.    6s.  fid. 

Steamer,    4,800  tons,    6s.  4d. 

Oakttalr,    1,500  tons,    fis.  7  jd.  coal,   ?s.  4^d.  fuel,  option 
Savona  Leghorn  oV  Spezzia,   (s). 

Lttigi  CiotHpa,  5,000  tons,  6s.  4-Jd.   option  Spezzia,  ppt. 

Nador,  3,300  tons,   6s.  fid.  option  Savona  Spezzia/or 

Leghorn. 
Alexandria,     \orllmin,    5,700  tons,  fis.  4jd. 

1'nlnriiiin,   3,950  tons,    fis.  3d. 

wtli,  6s.  9d.  coal,   75.  fid.  fuel,  (s). 
hitian,  73411.1-.  7s.  3d.   (s). 

Stramcr,   2,800  tons,  fis.  gd.  coal,   7s.  fid.  fuel,  (s). 

'/'«;•«.  5,000  tons,    6s.  4|jd. 
Algiers,     Dunstaffnagt,    1,75010115,   7-25  francs. 

Steamer,    1,800  tons,    7-25  francs. 

Lyntilmrsl,   2,800  tons,    7  francs. 

Porthcawl,  2,200  tons,    7-25  trains,    (\j. 

Nelherby,  2,600  tons,    7-25  francs. 

Kamiiia,   1,700  tons,   7-25  fcs.  coal,  8-25  fcs.    fuel. 

Bertneo,  3,800  tons,    7  francs.  (\). 

Steamer,   2,000  tons,   7-25  francs. 
Constantinople,     1'iotia,  4,500  tons,  os.  ijd. 
Gibraltar,     Dnnslev,     2,800  tons,    55.  3d.   usual,    43.  3d. 
free  discharge,  (Admiralty  a/c). 

Maggie  Schulle,   1,500  tons,  5$.  4 jd.    (N). 

Fiiira,   1,350  tons,   5s.  3d.   (N). 


(s). 
Palermo, 


coal, 


5'37-j 


tcs. 


Tunis,     Steamer.   3,200  tons,    8-50  fcs.    coal,    9-50  fcs.  fuel. 
Bona,     l)fii.\  <  Iniirn/cs,  2,000  tons,    8-25   francs. 
Malta,     Mendelssohn,   3,400  tons,   55.  3d. 
Porto  Ferraio,  (Jeorge  M.  Einbericos,  fis.  3d. 
Naples,     launiiina,    2,500  tons,    fis.  4^d.     (N). 

Steamer,  fis.  3d. 

Ancona,     Pennih,    4,000  tons,   73.  4|d.  (s). 
Piraeus,     Pendanvs,  3,200    tons,    fis.    lo.jd. 
fuel,  (s). 

Aberfcldy,    1,446  n.r.  fis.  fid. 

Steamer,    2,000  tons,    fis.  fid.    (reported). 

Steamer,  2,500  tons,   fis.  fid. 
Marseilles,     Steamer,  3,700  tons,  7-75  fcs. 

Aristea,  2,100  tons,    7-75  francs. 
Spezzia,     Goidelian,   1,400  tons,   7s.  3d.  (s). 
Venice,     Esemfilare,  3,300  tons,    73.   (N). 

Charley,  6,000  tons,    73. 

Cluinberliall,   5,000  tons,   ;s. 

Mitrillo,  2,400  tons,  78.  6d.  coal,  8s.  3d.  fuel, 
Civita  Vecchia,  Iberia,  2,100  tons,  6s.  9d.  (s). 
Brindisi,  Anna  Moore,  3,500  tons,  6s.  option 

fis.  9d. 
Palermo,     Ncwby,  2,700  tons,   fis.  9d.   option  Messina  or 

Catania. 

Bougie,     Steamer.   2,350  tons,   7-50  francs,    (s). 
Guilianova,     Steamer,    8s.  coal,    8s.  9d.    fuel.  (s). 
Oran,     Steamer,  i, 600  tons,    7-25  fcs. 
Cadiz,     Elizabeth,  700  tons,   55.  7|d. 
Lisbon,     Ragnsa,    816  n.r.    53.  3d.  fuel,  (N). 

Steamer,   2,000  tons,  48.  6d. 
Seville,     Auckland  Castle,   1,400  tons,  53.  6d. 

BALTIC,  Etc. 

Kiel,     Fri,    1,200  tons,    53. 

BAY,     Etc. 

Pasages,     Marzo,    1,750  tons,  43.   6d. 
Nantes,     Rocio,    1,700    tons,     4-87^    fcs, 
fuel,    (s). 

Axpe,    1,700  tons,  4-625  francs. 
Bordeaux,     Bavaria,  2,300  tons,     4-65    francs. 
Santander,  Matieiizo,   1,16411.1.  3S.  6d.   (N). 
Bayonne,     Adonr,   1,450  tons,    4-75  francs. 

Guslar  Bugel,    1,400  tons,   5-25  francs,  (s). 

Aasia,   1,550  tons,    5  francs,    (s). 
St.  Nazaire,     I7ng,   i, 600  tons,   4-25  francs   (s). 

Grane,    1,400  tons,    4-374  francs,  (s). 
La  Rochelle,     Steamer,  2,950  tons,    4  fcs.  (s). 

Diana,    1,300  tons,    4-20  francs,    option    Rocheforte, 
4-45  francs,    (s). 

Maliano,   2,300  tons,    4  francs.      ^ 
Chantenay,     Austria,   2,000  tons,  4-45  francs. 

COASTING,     Etc. 

Devonport,     Alice  M.  Craig,   1,150  tons,    33.  ijd.    usual, 

23.  /.jd.    free  discharge,    (Admiralty  a/c). 
Hamburg,     Wilton,    2,100  tons;   JotianSiem,  2,100   tons; 
Ingoldsby,    1,600  tons,  43.  6d. 

Steamer,   1,800  tons,    43. 
Dieppe,     St.  Kelvin,  720  tons,  43.  6d.  (s). 
Havre,     Fulton,   1,350  tons,  43.  (s). 
Rouen,     Glynn,  414  n.r.    43.  7|d.  (s). 

Start,    800  tons,    43.  io^d.    (s). 

Electro,  600  tons,    53. 
Passage  West,  Lodes,  410  tons,  43.    (N). 
Brest,     Lyetdas,    950  tons,   43.    300  dely.    6d. 
Rochester,     Opal,   650  tons,   43'.    (s). 
Newhaven,     Lady  Bertha,  700  tons,    43. 
Portland,     sllaa-ity,   1,200  tons.,    as.  4^d.  F.D.  (Adm'lty  a/c). 
Queenstown,     Eddie,  210  tons,  45. 
Sheerness,     Argus,    1,200  tons,    35.  6d.  F.D.   (Adm'lty  a/c). 

IVallscnd,   1,200  tons,    33.  3d.    (Admiralty). 
Belfast,     Croffhrad,  400  tons,    33.  4^d.   (s). 
Dublin,     Mav,  240  tons,   33.  6d.  (s). 
Port  Leven,     Bombardier,    300  tons,    43.  6d. 
St.  Brieuc,     Mersey,  550  tons,  53.  3d. 
Honfleur,     Ring,    i, too  tons,   4~s.    option  Caen. 
Caen,     Thisbe,   1,30010113,   43.  3d. 

HOMEWARD. 

Pasages  to  Newport,  Coventry,  2,100  tons,   43.  i£d. 

''Dao      ..         „  Espana,   2,200  tons,  43.  3d.  ppt.  ore 

Bilbao  to  Britonferry,  Steamer,  1,500  tons,  45.  4£d.  ppt.  ore 


April  ;,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


134 


MARITIME  ™R  MONEY  MATTERS. 


Hannibal,  but  here  is  an  opportunity  for 
you  good  folk  who  have  filled  up  the  stocking  so 
tightly,  that  you  have  to  look  around  for  another 
sock — or  another  stock  (without  the  "ing.")  "  Advance, 
Rhodesia."  There  is  a"tip"  for  you,  and  in  the  columns 
of  a  highly  respectable  London  journal  which  doesn't 
give  racing  tips— because  they  are  naughty  :  nor  divorce 
court  ditto — because  they  are  naughtier.  All  the  same, 
there  are  numberless  other  "  tips "  which  are  not 
altogether  of  the  nature  of  Holy  Writ,  and  pass  we  now, 
to  a  consideration  of  more  of  the  scare-heads  to  which 
we  have  already  referred. 

+  +  -f 

HERE  you  are,  then.  "New  Discoveries."  "  Char- 
tereds — their  increasing  value."  (Who  said  "  praise  de 
lor' '.'  "  or.  "  it  is  high  time  for  us  to  have  value  of  some 
sort?").  Again,  what  is  the  matter  with  this,  "Great 
Land  Boom  ?"  Nothing,  is  there?  Or  that  "scarcely 
a  mail  goes  by  but  it  brings  fresh  news."  What's  that? 
Why  does  the  mail  go  by  ?  And  you  thought  it  was 
merely  the  purchasers  of  Chartereds  that  indulged  in 
anything  of  the  "go  by"  trick?  Be  quiet,  please,  for 
"  London's  best  "  is  serious,  when  it  gets  off  on  this 
Rhodesian  ramble.  It  is.  indeed!  Moreover,  there  is 
something  remarkably  encouraging  in  the  fact  that 
every  mail  brings  different  letters  to  those  which  were 

brought    before ! 

+  +  + 

ON  the  face  of  it.  you  might  be  inclined  to  believe  that 
in  Rhodesia,  erstwhile,  the  custom  had  been  to  get  a 
number  of  letters  stereotyped,  and  then  dump  one  of 
them  into  the  post,  so  as  to  be  ready  for  each  mail  that 
means  to  "go  by;"  and  so  on— ad  infin.  But  if  you 
incline  to  any  such  belief,  then,  you  are  by  way  of  being 
deceived.  Every  mail  that  has  come  to  hand  from 
Rhodesia,  for  years  past,  now,  has  been  chock-a-block 
full  of  promises  of  a  good  time  coming.  Rhodesians 
always  make  us  think  of  that  case  where  the  eighteen 
soldiers  bought  buns  at  "a  bob"  each,  and  were  all  going 
to  pay,  Saturday!  You'll  have  heard  the  yarn  ?  If  not, 
it  doesn't  greatly  matter,  for  Rhodesians  are  always 
going  to  pay  something  startling — on  Saturday,  or 
Saturday  week  :  or  even  at  a  farther  distant  date. 

•f   •»•  -f 

BUT  you  may  take  it  as  a  dead  certainty  that  they 
are't  going  to  pay  much  in  the  immediate  future ;  at 
least,  to  the  merry  punster  who  takes  his  "tips"  from 
the  columns  of  a  semi-religious  newspaper.  When  the 
gentlemen  who  run  the  Rhodesian  ramble  have  anything 
that  is  particularly  good  about,  they  may  be  depended 
on  to  keep  it  all  to  their  little  lor  big)  selves.  Anyhow,- 
they  aren't  going  to  spread  it  out  for  the  delectation  of 
a  city  editor :  no.  sirs,  not  even  if  he  is  willing  to  trot  it 
all  out  for  nothing,  rather  than  at  so-much  per  line. 
Personally,  we  are  willing  to  allow  a  number  of  mails  to 
"go  by,"  before  we  have  more  than  a  critical  look  at 

Chartereds. 

•f  -f  + 

OF  course,  we  may  be  wrong ;  so  might  you,  if  you 
take  our  "  tip."  But  there  are  quite  a  number  of  very 
estimable  folk  who  have  played  with  Chartereds  on  the 
advice  of  the  "financial  expert,"  and  now  they  are 
seated  in  silent  and  sorrowful  solitude;  are  engaged  in 
the  soulful  game  of  trying  to  ascertain  which,  in  a  merry 
gamble,  is  the  better  part— to  be  sure,  or  sorry  !  Fur- 
thermore, they  are  absolutely  sure  that  they  are  sorry 
—  for  taking  the  "  tip"  which  landed  them  in  a  hole!  To 
our  mind,  the  only  "  fresh  discoveries "  which  have 
materialised  out  that  way,  is  in  a  new  method  of  baiting 


the  hook.  Old  fashions  have  palled  on  the  crowd  ;  the 
promises  which  were  good  enough  when  the  world  (at 
Rhodesia)  was  young,  have  lost  their  convincing  ap- 
pearances ;  where,  metaphorically,  a  gentle  was 
good  enough  in  the  old  days  ;  to-day,  you  need  a  really 
high-class,  and  artificial  fly. 

+   -f   -f 

IT'S  funny,  too,  when  you  come  to  look  at  the  thing 
dispassionately ;  but  our  semi-religious  Mentor  is 
inclined  to  be  apologetic,  even  as  he  prattles  to  you  of 
"new  discoveries,"  "great  land  booms"  ''further 
important  strikes"  and  things.  In  fact,  we  are  of 
opinion  that  the  Mentor  is  somewhat  ashamed  to  be 
seen  in  line  with  the  utterly  wicked  journals  which 
unblushingly  give  you  gambling  tips,  together  with  heaps 
of  other  unconsidered  trifles  for  your  ha'penny.  Judge 
by  this,  if  you  will  :  "  Progress  may  not  have  been  so 
rapid  as  desired  by  some  of  Rhodesia's  most  ardent 
supporters."  May  not  have,  be  hanged.  Don't  we  all 
know  that  the  less  said  about  the  progress  the  better. 
Rapid,  forsooth!  Can  anybody  imagine  rapidity  and 
Rho"desian  progress  in  the  same  thought? 

AND  here,  "  but  those  who  have  had  to  bear  the  heat  and 
burden  of  the  day" — did  not  we  suggest  to  you  that  our 
contemporary  was  of  the  semi-religious  type?  Heat  and 
burden  of  the  day,  in  the  middle  of  a  stock  gamble  isn't 
all  so  bad,  is  it?  -  "recognise  the  marvellous  advancement 
that  has  been  made  during  the  past  three  years."  Quite 
so,  but  those  who  have  merely  found  the  money ;  who 
haven't  unduly  bothered  about  the  heat  and  burden  of 
the  day — or  night,  for  that  matter — would  like  to  see 
something  else  beside  advancement.  You  cannot  put 
"  advancement "  in  the  bank  ;  nor  offer  it  as  collateral  to 
your  butcher,  can  you.  What  tha  gambler  in  Rhodesians 
is  out  for,  is  oof  ;  a  return  for  his  money.  We  do  not 
doubt  about  those  "further  important  strikes"  of  gold. 

They  ought  to  be  there.- 

+   -f   + 

IN  fact,  and  not  to  put  too  fine  a  point  on  the  matter, 
there  has  been  enough  of  British  gold  dumped  into 
Rhodesia,  to  offer  opportunities  of  several  sorts  of  high- 
class  "  strikes  "  being  dropped  on  by  now  ;  "  strikes  "  of 
the  same  stuff  which  has  been  dumped.  What?  Cotton 
and  tobacco  might  be  flourishing,  thereaway.  It  might 
be  also  "  satisfactory  to  know  that . . .  the  first  sale  of 
Rhodesian  wool  took  place  at  the  Wool  Exchange."  But 
why  did  they  sell  the  stuff?  Wouldn't  it  have  been  better 
to  save  it  up  for  future  use?  Rhodesia  is  not  out  of  the 
wood,  as  yet;  and  there  might  easily  be  a  number  of  uses 
lor  that  wool,  by  and  bye?  You  know,  wool  is  what  is 
"  pulled  over  the  eye,"  on  occasion.  To  our  mind,  there 
has  been  an  awful  quantity  of  it  pulled  over  the  eye  of 
the  British  investor. 

WE  are  also  of  opinion  that  there  will  be  need  forafur- 
ther  quantity — if  it  is  hoped  that  these  high  falutin'  tales 
of  "new  discoveries,"  "great  land  booms,"  etc.,  are 
going  to  rope  in  new  capital.  If  a  man  is  in  need  of  some- 
thing exciting  in  the  matter  of  finance,  he  need  never  go 
to  such  a  distance  therefor,  as  Rhodesia.  Beside,  the 
gamble  has  become  so  tame;  there  is  such  a  slight 
element  of  chance  about  the  thing.  You  merely  put  up 
your  money,  and  then  sit  down  and  wait  for  the  mail  to  '  go 
by,"  when  you  will  learn  of  all  manner  of  new  discoveries 
— save  the  one  you  are  hankering  after;  a  return  for  your 
shekels.  No,  sirs,  there  is  a  heap  more  excitement  in  a 
game  of  parlour  chuck  ha1  penny,  than  there  is  in  ten  games 
of  Rhodesian  "new  discoveries."  Take  that  from  us. 


'35 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


April   7,   1905 


SINGAPORE  is  a  long  way  from    free    and    happy 
England,  if  we  consider  the  distance  as  it  obtained 
in  the  dear  old  days  of  the  white  wings  which 
never  grew  weary,  although  sometimes  they  were 
"  patched  "  with  a  dab  from  a  tar  brush  !     But  it  doesn't 
really  matter  whether  Singapore,  to-day,  is  a  long  way  off. 
or  close  aboard— I  know,  in  point  of  fact,  that  it  is  either, 
according  to  how  you  consider  the  matter  :  all  that  matters 
to  me.  on  this  occasion,   is  the  item  that    the    seaport 
possesses  a  journal  after  my  own  heart— the  Sfrarts  Budget. 
to  wit:  and  that  a  portion  of  its  issue  of  February  16,  is 
of  interest  to  the  seafarer. 

VERY  well.  then.  Why  this  interest?  How  will  it 
affect  a  page  that  is  devoted  to  Severn  Sea  Spray  ?  I'll 
propound  to  you.  On  numerous  occasions,  this  same  page 
has  told  you  of  instances,  where  one  sort  of  maritime  law 
is  meted  out  to  the  Mercantile  Marine  man,  while  an 
altogether  different  sort  is  meted  out  to  the  more  fortu- 
nate-it slightly  more  fat-h— but  never  mind;  there  is  a 
different  sort  of  law  given  the  Naval  man.  Now,  that  you 
might  not  think  that  I  point  my  moral  in  this  manner  out 
of  pure  cussedness ;  that  my  judgment  is  not  so  warped 
as  some  would-be  Solons  have  essayed  to  show  ;  I  mean 
to  give  you  another  authority  on  the  subject ;  will  "  lift " 
a  whole  chunk  of  stuff 
that  was  originally  printed 
in  sun-baked  Singapore. 

HERE  you  are  :  "  It  would 
be  interesting  to  learn,  on 
what  authority  the  shipping 
laws  are  twisted  about,  so 
as  to  deal  kindly  with  such 
vicissitudes  of  the  deep, 
as  detrimentally  affect 
vessels  in  the  service  of 
the  Straits  Government. 
The  immortal  case  of  the 
50-ton  Seabelle  is  one 
instance.  A  later  one,  is 
the  stranding  of  the  Sea- 
mew  at  Gape  Rachado, 
last  Sunday.  Had  Captain 
Bill  Smith,  or  Captain  Jack 
Jones  run  foul  of  a  cape, 
with  the  s.s.  Buster,  or  the 
s.s.  Mary  Jane,  they  would 
have  had  opportunity  to 
enjoy  all  the  benefits  of  a 
public  enquiry  at  the 
Marine  Court,  as  soon  as 
they  reached  port.  No 

such  enquiry  has  been  held  in  respect  of  the  stranding  of 
the  Seamew ;  yet,  that  vessel  carried  a  most  precious  lot 
of  passengers,  including  the  Hon'ble,  the  Colonial  Engineer. 

"  Now.  had  the  Colonial  Engineer  and  some  of  his  friends 
been  drowned,  in  a  noble  endeavour  to  pull  off  the  Seamew, 
from  the  grasping  sands  of  Cape  Rachado,  we  would  have 
heard  a  lot  more  about  the  instance,  and  the  enquiry  into 
the  stranding,  would  have  necessarily  been  open,  and  above- 
board.  From  what  we  can  gather,  from  unofficial  sources, 
however,  the  enquiry  into  the  incident  was  really  held  sub 
rosa.  on  board  the  Seamew,  herself,  on  Wednesday  morn- 
ing." Eh  ?  What  ?  Do  you  believe,  after  reading  that, 
that  this  rotten  state  of  differentiation  is  even  as  we  have 
told  you  :  or  will  you  go  on  believing  that  I— and  others  of 
the  staff  of  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW- — are  merely  dreamers 
of  dreams  ?  Of  course,  not !  You  fully  realise  that  what 
you  get  on  this  page  is  the  plain  unvarnished  truth,  and  I 
am  but  joking  in  suggesting  otherwise. 

IN  the  case  which  I  have  quoted,  in  extenso,  there  is  no 
more,  and  no  less  than  usual,  of  the  jobbery  which  usually 
surrounds  these  naval,  or  semi-naval  pieces  of  "efficiency." 
Indeed,  the  procedure  here,  is  all  of  a  piece  with  what 
happens  in  all  phases  of  the  administration  of  the  Royal 


Sprap ! 


Navy.  In  the  first  place,  the  navigating  staff  must  be 
recruited  from  the  "  curled  darlings "  of  the  nation  :  and 
regardless  of  the  fact  that  this  is  a  strenuous  age  :  that 
the  British  Empire  cannot  be  run,  successfully,  on 
favouritism  ;  that  if  it  is  intended  that  Britain  shall  survive  ; 
then,  it  will  only  be  through  using  up  her  fittest,  in  contra- 
distinction 'to  her  least  fit.  I  have  told  you,  here,  full  many 
a  time,  that  you  really  do  not  care  a  toss  as  to  who  was 
father  to  your  national  hero,  as  long  as  you  get  the  hero  ? 
IT  is  the  truth,  too  ?  The  greatest  Naval  hero  which 
the  country  has  ever  had,  was  one  Nelson.  So  great  a 
hero  was  he,  that  every  sucking  skipper  of  the  Fleet  to-day, 
is  named  a  "future  Nelson."  an  "embryo  Nelson,"  or 
something  to  that  effect.  But  how  can  the  youthful  and 
wet-nursed  pieces  of  humanity  which  are  to  be  chosen 
through  the  agency  of  a  ten  minutes  chat  in  a  Government 
house  in  London,  be  a  future  Nelson  ?  The  old,  original, 
was  not  chosen  in  that  manner  ;  he  wasn't  a  curled  darling, 
even  ;  his  dad  was  merely  a  country  parson  :  and  he  won 
his  way  to  immortal  glory,  through  sheer  merit.  Very 
well,  then,  again.  This  being  so-  and  it  is — how  can  these 
juvenile  geniuses  (or  alleged  geniuses)  develop  into  Nelsons, 
by  and  bye  ?  They  cannot,  obviously,  for  they  are  not 
starting  in  any  wise  equal  to  their  supposed  prototype. 

IF  they  cannot  develop 
on  the  required  lines,  how 
will  they  develop  ?  Why 
simply  on  the  tack  so  ably 
spread  by  our  friend  of  the 
Straits  Budget.  That  is, 
they  will  cost  the  nation 
no  end  of  money  for  their 
supposed  training ;  they 
will  graduate,  with  more  or 
less  honour,  from  one  step 
to  another ;  the  best  of 
the  bunch  will  be  trusted 
with  a  high-class  fighting 
machine  and  plenary 
powers  to  hash  up  the 
country's  prospects :  and 
t'others  will  be  pitchforked 
into  metaphorical  Sea- 
mews.  There  is  the  whole 
course  and  distance.  It's 
as  plain  as  the  proverbial 
pike-staff.  I  am  not 
"  down  "  on  these  alleged 
naval  officers,  qua  naval 
officers  ;  I  merely  maintain 
that  a  nation  the  size  of 

Britain,  has  no  right  to  experiment  in  this  hazardous 
manner,  with  second-rate  stuff,  when  there  is  any  quantity 
of  first-rate  to  be  had. 

THE  mere  fact  that  this  slip-shod  method  has  obtained 
in  the  past,  is  no  just  reason  that  it  should  be  allowed  to 
continue  ?  Furthermore,  there  should  be  the  same  treat- 
ment to  both  branches  of  the  Service — the  Naval  as  well 
as  the  Mercantile  Marine.  There  are  not  wanting  plenty 
of  long  heads,  that  are  filled  with  a  belief  that  the  Mercan- 
tile Marine  is  more  essential  to  Britain's  majesty,  than  the 
Navy  can  ever  be  ;  in  view  of  the  so-called  North  Sea 
Outrage,  those  folk  are  about  right  ?  This  being  so,  let  us 
have  no  more  of  these  hole-and-corner  "  trials,"  and  a 
misguided  attempt  to  cover  up  the  shortcomings  of  the 
men  who  have  been  chosen,  not  for  their  merit,  but  for 
their  father's.  When  a  mere  shipmaster  comes  to  grief— 
in  whatsoever  manner— the  whole  world  is  told  of  the 
fact :  give  us  the  same  thing  with  the  Naval  (and  semi- 
naval)  man.  With'  the  merchantman,  too.  he  does  but 
work  with  private  capital ;  the  Naval  person 
with  that  which  belongs  to  the  nation, 
be  given  an  account  of  the  stewardship. 


is  trusted 
So,  let  the  nation 


PETREL. 


April   7.    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


,36 


PATENTS  &  TRSDE  MSRKS 

Relating    to    SHIPPING   and    the    COAL    TRADE. 


Specifications  published  on  March  23,  1905,  together 
with  an  indication  of  their  subject  matter,  the  title 
being  printed  in  Italics. 

25.882  03— STEVENS  &  RICHARDS— Improvements  in  the 
construction  of  propellers  Jor  ships,  and  of  fans  for  ventilators, 
fans,  blowers,  and  the  like. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  method  of  constructing 
propellers  and  the  like.  According  thereto  the  blades 
are  separably  attached  to  the  propeller  boss.  The  boss 
is  circular  in  cross  section  and  bored  longitudinally  to 
receive  the  propeller  shaft.  The  forward  end  of  the 
boss  is  formed  with  a  number  of  flat  faces,  corresponding 
in  number  with  the  blades.  These  faces  project  out- 
wards and  rearwards  at  an  angle  of  about  45°  0  with  the 
axis  of  the  propeller  shaft.  The  blades  are  secured  to 
these  faces  by  screws,  bolts  or  the  like. 

4,649  04— SPl  N  K  Instrument  for  indicating  a  ship's  position 
at  sea. 

This  invention  relates  to  an  instrument  by  means  of 
which  the  longitude  of  a  ship  at  sea  can  be  found  without 
the  use  of  a  sextant.  It  consists  of  a  circular  disc, 
mounted  on  gimbals  and  divided  along  its  edge  into 
twenty  four  hour  divisions  which  in  turn  are  subdivided 
into  minutes.  &c.  Also  a  midnight  point  N  and  a  noon 
point  S  is  marked.  A  second  reflecting  disc  or  mirror  is 
mounted  concentrically  over  the  first  disc  and  is  marked 
with  a  lubber  line  or  provided  with  an  indicating  finger 
normally  resting  above  the  noon  point.  Mounted  on  the 
central  spindle  of  the  mirror  and  disc  is  a  pointer  which 
extends  over  the  edge  of  the  mirror  to  the  graduations 
on  the  edge  of  the  disc.  A  slotted  sighting  vane  is  also 
mounted  on  this  spindle.  Two  semi-circular  arcs  are 
arranged  over  the  instrument.  The  instrument  is  used 
in  conjunction  with  the  ship's  compass  and  the  method 
in  which  it  is  employed  is  briefly  as  follows  : — The  meri- 
dian line  on  the  disc  is  set  by  means  of  the  reflections 
of  the  arcs  in  the  mirror.  The  longitude  is  ascertained 
by  moving  the  sight  vane  towards  the  sun,  the  pointer 
will  then  give  the  apparent  time,  and  by  applying  the 
equation  of  time  will  give  the  mean  time. 

5,259  04 — ECKERSLEY  Improvements  in  or  connected  with 
the  feed  for  coal-cutting  machines  and  the  like. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  feed  mechanism  for  coal- 
cutting  machines,  which  is  not  only  automatic  in  its 
action  but  is  also  self  regulating.  This  is  effected  by 
keying  a  worm-wheel  on  the  shaft  of  the  winding  drum" 
which  winds  the  haulage  rope  to  advance  the  machine, 
or  on  a  shaft  which  drives  the  drum  shaft  through  suit- 
able reducing  gearing.  Loosely  mounted  on  a  shaft 
arranged  at  right  angles  to  the  shaft  carrying  the  worm- 
wheel,  is  a  sleeve  formed  with  a  worm  which  gears  with 
the  worm-wheel.  The  one  end  of  this  worm  sleeve  is 
normally  held  m  engagement  with  a  collar,  fast  on  the 
shaft,  suitable  crown  teeth  being  formed  on  the  meeting 
places  of  each.  A  helical  spring  surrounding  the  shaft 
bears  against  the  other  end  of  the  sleeve  to  keep  it  in 
engagement  with  the  collar.  The  action  of  the  feed 
mechanism  is  as  follows:— The  shaft  with  the  collar  is 
driven  from  the  machine  and  normally  drives  the  worm 
and  with  it  the  worm-wheel  and  haulage  rope.  Should 
the  tension  on  the  haulage  rope  increase  above  the  limit 
determined  by  the  strength  of  the  spring,  the  crown 
teeth  surfaces  will  ride  over  each  other  the  worm  sleeve 




moving  longitudinally  along  the  shaft  against  the  spring 
but  will  not  be  driven  thereby  and  likewise  neither  will 
the  haulage  drum. 

10,209/04 — JAYNES — Apparatus  for  use  in  connection  with 
seine-net  or  other  drag-net  fishing. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  device  for  facilitating  the 
hauling  in  of  the  net  and  the  landing  of  the  fish.  It 
consists  of  a  floating  structure  hinged  to  the  stern  of  a 
vessel,  the  free  end  of  such  structure  being  formed  with 
compartments  which  are  adapted  to  be  submerged  by 
filling  them  with  water.  The  surface  of  this  structure 
forms  an  inclined  plane  for  facilitating  the  hauling  in  of 
the  nets.  The  flooded  compartments  are  adapted  to  be 
emptied  of  water  by  compressed  air. 

1 1,782/04  — PAR  I ZOT — Marine  life  preserving  ring. 

This  consists  of  an  annular  life-buoy  to  the  inner  per- 
iphery of  which  a  ring  of  soft  fabric  is  secured  and  the 
inner  edge  of  this  ring  of  fabric  is  provided  with  an 
elastic  band.  The  device  is  worn  like  a  collar  around 
the  neck.  Straps  secured  to  the  buoy  are  adapted  to  be 
passed  under  the  arms. 

22,313/04 — WALL — Improvements  and  aids  in  Marine  Sig- 
nalling. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  lamp  for  flashing  signals. 
The  lamp  is  composed  of  an  upper  and  lower  metal 
portion  united  by  a  cylindrical  lens  and  the  usual  burner, 
&e.  The  upper  and  lower  portions  are  held  together  by 
tie  rods,  on  which  a  cylindrical  opaque  screen  is  adapted 
to  slide,  so  as  to  obscure  and  expose  the  illuminated  lens 
in  aecordancfe  with  the  signal  cods.  A  further  improve- 
ment consists  |i|n  inscribing  the  code  on  a  translucent 
plate  mounted  on  the  lamp  so  as  to  be-illuminated 
thereby. 


These  applications  for  patents  are,  until  May  8,  1905, 
open  to  opposition  by  any  person  having  a  statutory 
right  to  oppose. 

Copies  of  the  specifications  may  be  obtained  from  the 
Patent  Office  or  through  the  under-named. 


TRADE   MARKS. 


The  following  applications  for  the  registration  of  Trade 
_M*rks  relating    to    the   shipping  and  coal   trades  were 
advertised  on   March  29,  and  are  open  to  opposition  by 
interested  parties  within  the  period  ending  April  29. 

CLASS  4 — Including  coal. 

No.  270,369— 22nd  Feb.,  1905— "'  Montrigg'  Navigation 
steam  coal "  for  coal.  The  Tilbury  Contracting  and 
Dredging  Co.,  Ltd.,  50  Mark  Lane,  London,  E.G.,  Light- 
ermen, Coal  Merchants,  Dredging  Contractors,  &c. 

CLASS  8 — Including  nautical  instruments. 

No-  269,338— 16th  June,  1905—"  Sirdar"  for  Binoculars, 
Telescopes  and  goods  of  a  like  kind  included  in  Class  8. 
James  Aitchison,  14  Newgate  Street,  London,  E.G., 
Optician. 

Compiled  by  Messrs.  PHILLIPS  &  LEIGH,  Chartered  Patent 
Agents,  22,  Southampton  Buildings,  Chancery  Lane,  London, 
W.C.  Local  Consultant:  Mr.  S.  W.  ALLEN,  Engineer,  of  Cardiff 
Exchange,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


April   7,  1905 


OUR  MARITIME  DIRECTORY. 


"MUM" 


illlllllll 


CARDIFF. 

Colliery   Proprietors. 


(~ORY  BROS.  &  Co..  LTD..  Cardiff  and 
London.    Depots  at  all  the  principal 
Coaling  Stations  in  the  World. 

"CORY.  CARDIFF"  ; 
"CORY.  LONDON." 


Telegrams 


INSOLE.  GEORGE  &  SON,  Cardiff.   Sole 
Shippers  of  Cymmer   Steam    Coal, 
Windsor  Steam  Coal,  and  Insoles  No.  2 
Rhondda  Coal. 

Telegrams:  "INSOLES.  CARDIFF." 


[  EWIS    MERTHYR    CONSOLIDATED  COL- 
LIERIES, LTD..  Proprietors  and  Ship- 
pers  of    "Lewis  Merthyr"   Navigation 
Steam  Coal. 

T.U.TT  "LEWIS  MERTHYR.  CARDIFF": 

•    "LEWIS  MERTHYR.  LONDON." 


MARQUESS     OF     BUTE     COLLIERIES. 

Aberdare.  Hirwain.   and   Rhondda 

Valley.     Shipping  ports: — Bute  Docks, 

ardiff :      Penarth     Dock  :      Swansea : 

Briton    Ferry:    and    Newport    (Mon.) 

Telegrams  :  "  SEMA.  CARDIFF." 

OCEAN    (MERTHYR)    COAL   Co..   LTD., 
1 1 .  Bute  Crescent,  Cardiff,  proprie- 
tors of  Ocean  (Merthyr)  Steam  Coal. 

I  JN1VERSAL  STEAM  COAL  Co.,  LTD., 
^  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff.  Proprietors  of 
'  Universal  Steam  Coal." 

Telegrams  :  "  VERSATILE.  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF    Continued. 


VIVIAN.   H.   C.   &  Co.,    Bute   Docks. 
Cardiff.     Sole  European  Agents  for 
"The  Puritan  Coal  Mining  Co.,  Phila- 
delphia, U.S.A." 

Telegrams:  "VIVIAN.  CARDIFF." 


WATTS,    WATTS  &  Co.,   Cardiff    and 
London.  Contractors  for  the  supply 
of  Coals  at  all  Depots  abroad. 

Telegrams  :  "  WATTS.  CARDIFF." 


Dock  Owners. 


CARDIFF  RAILWAY  COMPANY,  Bute 
Docks,  Cardiff. 


Ship  Repairers. 


CHEARMAN.  JOHN  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff, 
and  at  Barry  Dock. 

THE   BUTE   SHIPBUILDING,   ENGINEERING, 
AND   DRY    DOCK   COMPANY,    LIMITED. 
Roath  Basin.  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:   "CAISSON,  CARDIFF." 


'THE  CARDIFF  CHANNEL  DRY  DOCKS  AND 
PONTOON    Co.,    LTD.,    Cardiff    and 
Barry  Dock. 

TeJegrams: 


MERCANTILE   PONTOON  Co.,  LTD. 
Roath  Dock,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams  :   "  MERCANTILE,  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF     Continued. 


Miscellaneous. 

[EWIS  &  TYLOR.  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 

Sole  patentees  and  manufacturers 

of  "Gripoly."  a  patent  woven  belting; 

and  "  Burals,"  a  semi-metallic  packing. 

Telegrams  :  "BELTINO  CARDIFF."        Telephone.  Nat.  231. 


Steamship    Owners. 


HAN.   JENKINS    &     Co.,    Steamship 
Owners  and  Brokers.  Cardiff. 

Telegrams  :  "  Stonewall.  Cardiff." 
Nat.  Telephone  :  1318. 


BARRY. 


Dock  Owners. 

'THE  BARRY  RAILWAY  Co..   Barry. 


Ship  Repairers. 


RARRY  GRAVING   DOCK  &  ENGINEERING 
U     Co.,  LTD. 

Telegrams:   "  BARDOCK.  BARRY." 
National  Telephone  No.  7.         Post  Office  Telephone  No.  7. 


To    the    Proprietors    of 


"THE    MARITIME    REVIEW," 


DOCKS,     CARDIFF. 


SUBSCRI 


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FRIDAY,   APRIL    14,    1905. 


THREEPENCE. 


LAYING     A     BOGIE! 


•38 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


April   14,  1905 


NOTICES.  *  *  * 

ALL  LITERARY  COMMUNICATIONS  must  be  addressed— THE 
EDITOR  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW.  CLARENCE  ROAD.  DOCKS, 
CARDIFF. 

THE  MARITIME  REVIEW  is  published  every  Friday,  and  can 
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together  with  all  BUSINESS  COMMUNICATIONS,  must  be 
addressed  to  CLARENCE  ROAD.  DOCKS,  CARDIFF.  Telegraphic 
Address:  "Review.  Cardiff."  Nat  Telephone  :  No.  1019. 

Company's  Reports  and  Balance  Sheets.  Books  for  Review,  etc.,  are 
invited,  and  should  be  addressed  THE  EDITOR. 

Contributions  (either  literary  or  pictorial),  if  intended  for  the  next 
issue,  must  reach  the  EDITOR,  not  later  than  the  first  post  on  Monday, 
t  'either  the  Editor  nor  the  Publishers  will  accept  responsibility  for  the 
accidental  loss  of  MSS.  or  illustrations  submitted,  but  every  effort 
will  be  made  to  return  unsuitable  contributions,  provided  stamped  and 
addressed  envelopes  are  sent 

Correspondence  :  The  Editor  does  not  necessarily  identify  himself 
with  the  opinions  expressed  by  Correspondents,  whose  letters  must, 
in  every  instance,  be  accompanied  by  the  name  and  address  (if  not  for 
publication,  then  as  evidence  of  good  faith),  of  the  writer,  and  must  be 
written  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only. 


•»  *  *  CONTENTS.  *  «•  »* 


CARTOON  -LAYING  A  BOGIE        137 

MARITIME  MURMURS  •        138 

ON  THE  TRAINING  OF  SEAMEN 146 

QUANTITY  OR  VALUE  TAX?        147 

CARDIFF  (AND  OTHER)  COAL        148 

COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES 150 

MARITIME  (AND  OTHER)  MONEY  MATTERS        151 

SHIPBUILDING  152 

PATENTS  AND  TRADE  MARKS      153 


MARITIME    MURMURS. 


DOCKS,  CARDIFF, 

Thursday  Afternoon. 

IT  is  a  grand  sight  to  see  the  "daily"  of  commerce, 
awakening  to  the  importance  of  the  need  for  reform  in  the 
Mercantile  Marine.  All  the  same,  it  is  a  pity  that  the  poor 
thing  cannot  find  time  to  differentiate,  a  little,  in  its  efforts 
to  put  the  world  of  shipping  on  its  metaphorical  sea-legs. 
Personally,  we  are  acquainted  with  dozens  of  "dangerous 
policies "  which  abound  in  shipping  circles,  and  are  of 
opinion  that  the  most  dangerous,  to-day,  is  the  policy  which 
covers  for  war  risks,  an  East-bound  steamer  on  Russian 
account.  But  Daily  Express  has  toboganned  into  a  con- 
siderably worse  sample  of  the  genus,  and  it  has  to  do  with 
leaky  ballast  tanks.  It's  like  this,  one  "  Master  Mariner," 
hailing  from  Kensington — what's  the  matter  with  Forest 
Gate,  this  time  ?  For  quite  a  while,  now,  "  the  Gate  "  has 
been  the  London  equivalent  for  the  "  Matmoney  Parades  " 
of  the  Provincial  shipping  ports.  However.  "  Master 
Mariner"  once  had  a  steamer  which  was  cursed — or 
blessed,  according  to  whether  you  are  a  shipmaster  or  a 
shipowner-  "  with  very  bad,  leaky  ballast  tanks."  Not  nice, 
leaky  ballast  tanks,  you'll  observe  ;  but  uncompromisingly 
bad  samples  of  the  genus.  Moreover,  she  had  "  only 
recently  come  out  of  dry  dock,  and  was  reported  seaworthy 
to  the  owner." 

5?  $3 

VERY  well,  then  !  "  Master  Mariner"  had  great  trouble 
with  those  ballast  tanks-  as  you  might  readily  suppose  ; 
and  after  "a  lot  of  cargo"  had  been  damaged,  he  "reported 
the  cause  direct  to  the  owner."  See  !  This  was  one  up 
against  the  superman  !  Our  letter-writing  friend  had  gar- 
nered a  great  truth,  apparently  in  the  golden  days  of  his 
youth— you'll  know  why  we  consider  him  youthful,  later  on 

and  the  great  truth  is  exemplified  by  the  advice,  "Always 
go  to  the  fountain-head.  Don't  fuss  around  with  tributaries 
from  the  main  stream.  Go  to  the  Head  Bubble."  When 
you  do  this,  you  may  depend  on  receiving  the  same  attention 
which  fell  to  the  lot  of  "  Master  Mariner."  which  is  to  say 
that.  "  when  the  ship  arrived  home,  the  marine  superin- 
tendent came  on  board,  furious !"  Here  we  have  all  the 
elements  necessary  for  a  high-class  Barney,  for  when  the 
marine  superintendent  gets  his  back  hair  down— meta- 


phorically, of  course — there  is  bound  to  something  happen. 
We  know,  because  we  have  seen  more  than  one  superman 
in  the  suggested  state  of  dishabille — we  have  ;  and  of 
two  evils,  we  would  rather  contend  with  leaky  ballast  tanks, 
than  with  supers  who  are  in  the  mood  furious.  Good 
heavens !  When  the  superintendent  is  really  furious,  you 
never  know  what  is  going  to  transpire,  on  board.  You 

don't,  indeed. 

&3  %x 

V&      1C? 

HOWEVER,  this  particular — and  furious — marine  superin- 
tendent examined  the  ballast  tanks  about  which  "  Master 
Mariner"  had  complained,  "direct,"  and  when  Sunday  had 
arrived  — and  the  service  boxes  were  spread  out  to  be  dusted, 
etc. — "with  only  himself  and  the  master  in  the  hold,  spent 
the  afternoon  sharpening  pieces  of  wood  and  driving  them 
into  the  worst  of  the  leaks."  Yea.  lor !  Now  you  understand 
our  suggestions  concerning  the  golden  days  of  his  youth  ? 
Of  course  !  Any  "  leary  " — and  therefore  ancient — ship- 
master, would  have  seen  super  jiggered  before  he  "  spent 
the  afternoon  sharpening  pieces  of  wood  "  ;  he  would  have 
got  the  mate  -and  a  knife-with-a-shackle—  along,  wouldn't 
he?  Rather!  Still,  the  efforts  of  the  twain  must  have  been 
crowned  with  glorious  success,  for  we  have  it  on  the  word 
of  the  same  authority,  that  "  the  ship  went  acros.s  the  At- 
lantic again,  that  way."  Eh  ?  Which  way  ?  Why,  that  way, 
of  course  !  Case  of  keeping  her  head  somewhere  around 
West,  even  as  the  poor  crew  sat  on  the  stumps  of  those  pieces 
of  sharpened  wood,  so  that  they  may  not  get  forced  out  of 
place,  once  more.  You  can  see  the  pathetic  side  of  the 
unfortunate  circumstance,  can't  you  ?  Can  even  cease 
from  wondering  as  to  how  it  came  about  that  "  the  writer 
once  had  a  steamer,"  but  has  one  no  longer — as  exemplified 
by  the  word  "  Kensington  "  ? 

5?^ 

Now,  on  the  face  of  it,  "Master  Mariner's"  grumble 
appears  to  be  alright,  and  we  are  not  altogether  surprised 
that  Daily  Express  should  tumble  into  the  wicked  snare 
that  was  laid  for  its  ownest  "nautical  expert."  Some  of 
us-  say,  those  who  have  been  at  sea — would  naturally  ask 
how  it  came  about  that  "  Master  Mariner  "  waltzed  around 
the  waters  with  his  ballast  tanks  full,  and  at  the  same  time, 
with  his  holds  full  of  cargo  ?  Generally  considered,  it  is 


April   14,  1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


'39 


rather  exceptional  to  fill  both  holds  and  ballast  tanks  ;  it  is 
absolutely  impossible  for  two  men  to  put  an  afternoon  in, 
plugging  up  the  tops  of  a  ballast  tank  which  reclines  peace- 
fully beneath  the  sheltering  cover  of  a  more  or  less  complete 
spread  of  flooring-boards  ?  We  like  to  put  our  friends  of 
the  "  daily  "  persuasion  right  in  their  struggles  toward  the 
light :  consequently,  we  say.  most  emphatically,  that  this 
is  another  case  of  where  Express  has  had  its  figurative  leg 
pulled.  But  there,  we  suppose  the  little  ha'porth  would 
accept  it  as  truthful,  if  we  were  to  say  that  sharpened 
pieces  of  wood  were  nothing  to  use.  for  plugging  ballast 
tank  tops  :  that  we,  ourselves,  have  used  pieces  of  sun- 
dried  tinned  tripe  with  onions ;  that  the  stuff  cannot  be 
beaten  :  while  for  staving  off  an  excessive  dry  dock  bill, 
and  kerflummixing  a  commission-taking  superman  :  it  is 
miles  and  away  ahead  of  any  old  pieces  of  sharpened  wood. 

YES.  the  ship  went  across  the  Atlantic  again,  that  way. 
Talk  about  "  A  Dangerous  Policy  !  "  It's  more  than  that ! 
It's  a  national  calamity.  So  is  the  fact  of  allowing  such  a 
Munchausen  to  linger  along  under  the  name  of  "  Master 
Mariner."  If  we  were  not  absolutely  positive  that  the 
thing  is  practically  impossible  in  the  ranks  of  shipmasterdom, 
we  should  bring  in  some  questions  as  to  the  precise  angle 
of  obliquity  adopted  by  some  "writers."  while  engaged  upon 
the  wine  when  it  was  red  :  or  the  whisky  when  it  bubbled 
and  fizzled  in  the  bottom  of  a  glass  where  soda-water  was 
trying  to  enter.  Anyhow,  we  hope  the  whole  arrangement 
will  pose  as  a  warning  to  all  concerned,  and  that  other 
master  mariners  will  realise  that  when  they  wish  to  put  in 
an  unconsidered  Sunday  afternoon  at  sharpening  pieces  of 
wood,  their  safest  way  of  attaining  that  wish,  is  to  "  report 
the  cause  direct  to  the  owner."  This  is  bound  to  make  the 
marine  superintendent  furious — especially  if  he  knows  that 
there  are  holes  in  the  tank-tops,  and  also  the  precise  spot 
where  those  holes  are  located.  And  taken  anyway.  Express 
may  as  well  emulate  AllySloper—zs  a  comic  -in  this  fashion 
as  in  any  other?  Now,  please,  take  the  "moonshine "away. 

DON'T  tell  us  about  the  blessings  of  firing  on  a  mob  of 
mutineers  !  Firing,  under  such  circumstances,  is  wicked, 
and  is  also  an  unnecessary  waste  of  good  ammunition  to 
say  nothing  of  mussing  up  an  otherwise  clean  place,  with 
bits  of  broken  humanity.  A  case  in  point  occurred  at 
Havre,  the  other  day.  when  500  Greeks  met  600  Hun- 
garians on  the  decks  and  other  portions  of  an  emigrant 
steamer.  Most  of  the  combatants  were  beginning  to  gaze 
scowlingly  on  the  world— thanks  to  a  superabundance  of 
"  black  eyes  "  when  the  officer  of  the  watch  decided  to 
bring  order  out  of  chaos :  peace  out  of  war  ;  and  cleanliness 
out  of  filth.  With  this  decision  uppermost,  the  crew  were 
instructed  to  "fetch  along  the  hose."  which  they  did  in 
double-quick  time.  Splash,  ding,  wallop,  went  the  stream  of, 
Havre  dock  water,  and  in  an  infinitesimally  short  space  of 
time,  the  rightists  declared  an  amnesty,  for  the  purpose  of 
clearing  their  eyes  from  mud  !  This  was  probably  the  first 
square  wash  which  most  of  them  had  undergone— we  had 
almost  written  "  enjoyed  "—since  their  initial  bow  to  this 
world  of  sin  and  sorrow  :  but  it  was  a  thousand-fold  more 
effectual,  as  a  peace-regainer.  than  forty  policemen,  armed 
with  the  sword  affected  by  the  French  police-force. 

&   *!$ 

ANYHOW,  it  took  the  suggested  number  of  gendarmes  all 
their  time,  and  a  goodly  portion  of  their  skill  at  fence,  to 
separate  that  portion  of  the  damp  and  dreary  combatants 
who  had  meandered  on  shore  "to  have  it  out."  We  suppose 
the  hose  was  too  short  to  reach  the  quay-side,  effectually  ; 
or  else  the  officer  of  the  watch  opined  that  it  was  no  affair 
of  his,  as  to  how  the  'longshore  portion  of  the  community 


maintained  the  peace.  In  the  result,  the  forty  bold 
policemen  conquered— after  a  fashion -for  we  learn  that 
the  belligerents  were  eventually  overcome,  'and  subsequently 
confined  to  different  chunks  of  durance  vile.  Here  is  an 
object  lesson  to  the  Russian  friend,  and  when,  in  future, 
the  Russian  Prospect  does  the  reverse  of  pleasing,  all  that 
is  necessary  is  to  "fetch  along  the  hose,"  when  an  apparent 
tragedy  may  be  quickly  turned  into  a  screaming  farce. 
Moreover,  it  is  considerably  easier  to  get  a  wet  mob  into 
the  mind  that  dry  clothes  are  far  more  a  matter  of  pressing 
need,  than  reforms— even  if  you  spell  the  word  with  a 
capital  R.  Again,  it  is  easier— and  more  conducive  to 
good  temper— to  have  a  good  towelling  after  an  impromptu 
bath  ;  than  it  is  to  sort  out  your  ear,  for  instance,  from 
among  a  heap  that  has  been  scattered  about  on  the  side- 
walk, through  other  and  more  drastic  methods  ? 

KJ*     *Ct 

t£*l       kjs 

DOVER  is  certainly  coming  to  the  front !  What  with  new 
harbours  :  visits  from  the  heads  which  are  popularly  sup- 
posed to  "  lie  "  uneasily,  although  the  matter  is  somewhat 
debatable ;  and  several  other  items  too  numerous  to 
mention  ;  Dover  is  by  way  of  becoming  famous  !  Not  the 
smallest  claim  to  the  famous  idea,  in  as  far  as  fame  and 
Dover  are  concerned,  comes  to  hand  in  quite  a  new  form, 
for  somebody  at  the  Channel  sea-port  has  caught  a  devil ! 
A  sea-devil,  we  hasten  to  interpolate !  Think  of  that,  now ! 
Most  of  us  remember  how  "The  Newcastle  volks  'ev 
ketched  a  mune,  an'  turned  'im  intew  a  clock-feace  "—as 
the  song  had  it;  but  when  it  comes  down  to  catching  a 
devil—  On  the  authority  of  the  Daily  Chronicle,  this  par- 
ticular devil  is  of  "surpassing  ugliness."  Quite  so,  for  as 
ugly  as  sin  has  long  since  become  proverbial  ;  while  sin  and 
devil  are  synonymous  terms  ?  But  after  all,  this  newest 
capture  is  but  a  baby-devil,  so  to  speak  :  is  but  three  feet 
in  length:  so  its  sinfulness  will  be  but  a  comparative 
affair,  will  it?  You  cannot  expect  much  wickedness  out  of 
a  mere  three  feet  of  devil— not  even  if  its  head  occupies 
quite  the  half  of  its  length  ?  What  jve  should  like  to  know, 
is  who  that  devil  was  searching  around  for  :  a  Russian,  or 
a  Teuton  ? 

LIKE  the  poor,  the  seekers  after  "quick  coaling  for  the 
Navy,"  are  ever  with  us,  and  each  exponent  of  the  gentle 
pastime  may  be  depended  on  to  demonstrate,  that  he  is  a 
thousand-fold  smarter  than  the  other  fellow.  In  fact,  we 
know  a  "  quick  coaler  "  who  has  a  patent  somewhere  in  his 
back  office,  that  is  bound  to  revolutionise  the  whole  business, 
at  an  early  date.  This  newest  quiff  merely  calls  for 
furnaces  which  will  burn  small  coal — same  as  do  most  of 
the  tramp  steamers  which  ply  for  hire,  these  days  ;  a  big 
centrifugal  pump:  some  fathoms  of  armoured  hose,  and— 
well,  and  there  you  are.  The  whole  thing  is  so  simple,  that 
_w»are  wondering  why  none  of  the  commercial  giants  have 
exploited  it.  You  load  your  intended  collier  with  finest 
small.  Welsh,  "  smokeless  "  :  send  her  out  to  the  fleet,  when 
she  passes  the  end  of  her  hose  to  the  nearest  warship ; 
starts  the  pump,  which  mixes  water  with  the  small  coal, 
and  hey,  presto,  the  whole  consignment  is  quickly  pumped 
into  the  warship's  bunkers,  whence  the  superfluous  water 
is  syphoned  back  to  its  native  element  once  again.  Simple, 
isn't  it? 

Too  simple,  apparently,  for  most  of  the  coaling  geniuses 
prefer  to  muss  around  with  guys,  stays,  sheaves,  sets  of 
signals,  sacks,  snotters  and  trigging  lines,  generally  ;  then, 
you  have  to  get  derricks,  booms,  winches,  swear-words,  and 
things,  again,  generally  !  However,  as  coaling  a  warship — 
like  most  other  efforts  in  this  very  indifferent  world — has 
to  pursue  the  line  of  least  ( official )  resistance,  we  find  that 


140 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


April    14,    1905 


the  experiments  scheduled  for  trial  at  Portsmouth,  are 
coming  on  apace.  That  is  to  say,  the  floating  depot  which 
has  been  built  for  the  Admiralty  is  about,  and  by-and-bye. 
there  will  be  some  12.0OO  tons  of  superfine  coal  at  hand  in 
that  same  depdt.  all  ready  for  the  Fleet.  When  the  big 
coal  hulk  we  beg  its  pardon,  the  floating  coal  depdt — is 
anchored  in  the  harbour,  it  will  be  possible  to  coal  two 
ships,  on  opposite  sides,  at  the  same  time  :  it  might  also  be 
convenient  for  a  smart  torpedo-boat  belonging  to  a  possible 
enemy  to  account  for  that  12,000  tons  at  one  hit — with  a 
torpedo !  In  our  youth,  we  were  taught  that  it  is  ill 
business  to  carry  all  your  eggs  in  one  basket.  The 
Admiralty  people  have  assimilated  that  truth  for  all  it  is 
worth,  and  as  a  result,  have  promised  the  nation  that,  if 
depdt  No.  1  is  a  success,  another  shall  be  instituted, 
forthwith  ! 

5?%5 

EXACTLY  how  the  matter  of  "success"  is  to  be  determined, 
is  not  stated.  No  one  imagines,  for  a  moment,  that  it  will 
be  impossible  to  coal  from  the  floating  stores,  so  that  can- 
not be  the  subject  of  experiment  ?  It  is  all  very  well  to 
tell  us  that  "  should  the  experiments  prove  successful, 
orders  for  further  dep6ts  will  be  given,  and  the  present 
craft  will  be  substituted  by  one  with  a  larger  capacity." 
We  can  quite  understand  the  "  larger  capacity "  notion, 
because  that  will  mean  the  more  banging  of  saxpences; 
what  we  are  not  so  clear  upon,  is :  Did  any  of  the 
Admiralty  people  believe  that  there  would  probably  be  a 
latent  difficulty  in  getting  coal  from  an  anchored  depot-ship, 
when  it  has  been  proved,  beyond  doubt,  that  a  mere  tramp 
anchored  in  the  harbour,  presents  no  difficulties  of  bunkering, 
to  a  warship  ?  Or.  as  already  suggested,  have  we  to  wait 
for  that  coming  war,  at  the  conclusion  of  which,  it  will  be 
determined  as  to  whether  it  is  safe  to  purchase  more  float- 
ing depot  ships,  or  otherwise  ?  It  is  all  very  well  to  remark 
about  the  manner  in  which  the  coal  will  be  handled  ;  to  tell 
us  that  the  bags  will  be  filled  by  electrically-driven 
machinery  :  and  that  it  will  be  trans-shipped  by  means  of 
somebody's  transporters.  We,  most  of  us.  imagined  some 
such  thing,  seeing  that  we  have  precedent  to  go  upon.  But 
what  are  the  successes  of  the  new  departure  to  be  based 
upon  ? 

«f  fc 

THERE  certainly  is  something  of  the  pathetic  in  the 
manner  in  which  the  Government  will  strain  at  a  gnat,  even 
while  it  swallows  the  metaphorical  camel !  Here  is  the 
Mercantile  Marine  gradually  becoming  depleted  of  the 
British  element,  and  yet  if  you  ask  for  redress ;  for  ease- 
ment in  the  slightest  practical  degree ;  you  are  met  with 
the  assurance  that  any  such  thing  is  altogether  too  costly  ; 
that  the  results  are  not  likely  to  justify  the  expenditure  ; 
and  the  whole  gamut  of  official  objections  are  thrown  at 
you,  if  you  as  much  as  dare  hint  that  there  is  something 
woefully  rotten  in  the  State,  which  will  dilly-dally  with  its 
future  chances,  in  any  such  a  parsimonious  manner.  But 
when  it  comes  down  to  the  Navy :  that  ornamental 
combination  of  alleged  seamanship  of  which  we  all  are — or 
ought  to  be — so  proud:  then,  expense  is  nothing;  is  "a 
mere  shakings  ;  "  and  the  best  to  hand,  is  by  no  means  good 
enough.  We  have  animadverted  to  this  phase  of  national 
life— or  decay,  whichever  pleases  you— in  another  part  of 
this  issue,  and  merely  touch  on  it  here,  for  the  purpose  of 
calling  attention  to  the  subject,  which  appears  on  page 
146.  Surely  the  time  has  come,  when  a  little  enlightened 
conduct  would  work  wonders  in  staving  off  Britain's 
inevitable  debacle— if  the  present  disregard  continues. 

S?   fc 

13IN  the  matter  of  the  Australian  mail  contract,  much 
"thunder"  is  about.  With  regard  to  the  Orient-Pacific 
Line,  it  has  been  stated  that  their  increased  demand  was 


consequent  on  having  to  substitute  white  labour,  for  the 
lascars  who  have  erstwhile  posed  as  cinder-worriers.  As 
a  matter  of  fact,  there  is  but  little  difference  in  the  relative 
costs  between  "black"  and  white  labour.  With  lascars, 
the  extra  number  which  have  to  be  carried,  in  excess  of 
what  would  be  necessary  with  Tyndal  Street  worriers,  for 
instance,  about  levels  up  the  situation.  Anyhow,  we  note 
that  the  secretary  of  the  Orient  Line  has  been  writing  to  a 
London  contemporary,  for  the  purpose  of  showing  why  an 
increase  in  mail  subsidy  was  demanded.  Here  are  the 
words  of  the  Orient's  official.  "Our  experience  of  the  mail 
contract  has  convinced  us  that  the  sum  hitherto  paid, 
£85,000,  is  altogether  inadequate."  Yet  the  Australian 
cousin  is  labouring  under  the  delusion,  that  he  will  be  able 
to  suit  his  requirements,  for  very  much  under  the  sum 
named.  Who  was  it  declaimed,  feelingly,  about  the  beauty 
of  the  state  in  which  poor  suffering  humanity  was  likely  to 
get,  if  the  Lord  did  but  give  it  a  good  conceit  of  itself  ?  In 
some  instances,  thsre  appears  to  be  little  need  for  the 
declamation.  The  conceit  is  already  there  ! 


THE  German  friend  —  especially  he  of  the  shipping  variety 
—is  a  canny  individual  !  Moreover,  he  is  for  ever  emulat- 
ing that  ancient  gentleman  whose  business  in  life  was  the 
conquering  of  more  worlds  ;  and  who.  when  there  were 
none  left  to  be  operated  upon,  sat  him  down  to  greet.  We 
have  put  it  that  way,  because  the  chap  —  although  an 
ancient  —  must  have  been  a  Scot.  Anyway,  his  name  was 
Alexander,  and  that  is  Scottish  enough,  if  you  like  ?  It  is, 
if  you  don't  like  !  But  it  was  the  German  friend  that  we 
started  out  to  discuss  ;  the  German  Hansa  Line  friend,  to 
be  exact.  You  will  remember  that  this  particular  line,  'way 
back  in  last  month,  withdrew  from  the  Conference  Lines 
running  between  New  York  and  South  Africa,  mainly  for 
the  purpose  of  working  up  an  independent  service,  in  which 
it  should  be  facile  princeps.  With  that  idea  uppermost,  it 
has  been  seeking  new  opportunities,  Hansa  (!)  it  has  made 
a  bid  for  roping  in  all  the  cargo  trade  that  is  about,  between 
Antwerp  and  the  various  Indian  ports.  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  the  H.L.B.G.—  -no,  that  doesn't  mean  Heaven's  Last 
Best  Gift,  but  rather  the  Hansa  Line  of  Bremen,  Germany 
—  has  been  circularising  all  and  sundry  who  are  interested 
(as  well  as  a  goodly  number  who  are  not),  to  the  effect 
that  a  special  rebate  will  be  offered  the  exclusive  patrons 
of  the  Sherman  schips,  as  well  as  a  special  retrospective 
bonus  for  the  first  three  ^months  of  the  present  year,  when 
the  "exclusiveness  "  wasjiot  toward. 


Now,  on  the  face  of  it,  one  would  imagine  that  the  gentle 
Teuton  has  already  had  the  foolishness  of  this  line  of 
conduct,  demonstrated  to  him.  It  should  be  sufficient  to 
whisper  "  Atlantic  rate-war  "  in  his  starboard  ear,  when  he 
would  at  once  subside.  But,  bless  us,  as  none  are  so  deaf 
as  they  who  will  not  hear ;  so  is  it  with  regard  to  seeing, 
and  they  who  will  not  open  their  optics.  However,  there 
is  a  "  respectful  information  "  offered,  to  the  effect  that  if 
any  shipper  is  idiotic  enough  to  send  stuff  by  the  B.I.S.N. 
or  by  the  wicked  P.  and  0.,  then,,  the  ten  per  cent,  rebate 
which  has  been  already  promised  as  from  March  31,  last, 
will  be  invalidated.  Then,  as  another  little  "graceful 
concession."  the  same  concern  of  universal  benefactors 
intimate,  that  to  the  same  exclusive  patrons,  a  further 
pour  bo/re,  or  bonus— style  it  what  you  will— to  the  extent 
of  5  per  cent.  "  on  all  shipments  from  Continental  ports 
made  by  Hansa  Company's  steamers  between  January  1, 
1905.  and  March  31,  1905,  and  which  shall  be  payable  on 
the  same  terms  and  at  the  same  time  as  the  deferred 
rebates  accumulated  between  January  1,  last,  and  30th 
June,  next."  Shipping  would  appear  to  have  grown  pretty 


April  14,    1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


141 


mouldy,  when  hitherto  reputable  concerns  have  to  adopt 
the  tactics  of  patent  medicine  vendors  :  have  to  give  free 
samples,  before  succeeding  in  selling  their  stuff  in  a  lump 
so  to  speak  ? 

tff  *3 

THE  alien  pilot  question  is  still  dragging  its  weary  way 
along.  A  subject  which,  at  the  first  glance,  should  con- 
vince the  most  sceptical,  that  it  is  fraught  with  national 
importance,  yet  seems  to  be  cursed  with  the  same  dilettante 
treatment  which  is  meted  out  to  most  other  features  apper- 
taining to  our-  at  present—  greatest  national  industry.  It 
is  impossible  to  get  an  angel  from  heaven  to  assure  all  and 
sundry,  that  to  give  the  foreigner  the  right  to  learn  the 
navigation  of  our  ports  is  a  flying  in  the  face  of  providence  ; 
so  all  and  sundry  will  not  believe.  We  note  that  Mr. 
Sanford  D.  Cole,  of  Bristol,  is  again  sounding  the  warning 
note,  and  remarks  among  other  items,  that  "  every  local 
pilotage  authority  and  the  whole  seafaring  community 
disapprove  of  such  certificates  (as  pilots,  that  is)  being 
granted  to  foreign  captains."  Of  course  !  But  then, 
unfortunately,  local  pilotage  authorities,  and  the  whole 
seafaring  community,  are  about  the  last  bodies  on  earth, 
who  are  supposed  —  by  the  law-makers  —  to  have  any  know- 
ledge whatever,  of  ships  or  shipping.  What  the  dickens 
can  a  sailorman  know  about  the  needs  of  shipping  ?  He 
is  at  sea.  for  the  best  portion  of  his  life,  and  although  he 
ought  —  under  happier  constituted  laws—  to  be  the  man 
who  is  consulted  on  all  nautical  occasions  :  as  things  are. 
he  is  seldom  consulted,  at  all. 


To  further  quote  from  Mr.  Cole's  remarks.  "  The  United 
Kingdom  Pilots'  Association  has.  for  some  years,  made 
strong  efforts  to  secure  the  passing  of  a  prohibitive 
measure:  the  Navy  League  has  lent  its  aid  to  the  cam- 
paign :  within  the  last  few  weeks,  the  Association  of 
Chambers  of  Commerce  passed  a  resolution  on  the  subject  : 
and  an  increasing  number  of  Members  of  Parliament 
belonging  to  both  political  parties  is  opposed  to  the  present 
policy  of  the  Board  of  Trade.  Surely  it  is  time  that  public 
opinion  made  itself  felt  on  a  question  which,  from  the 
point  of  view  of  national  defence,  is  a  most  serious  one." 
Certainly,  it  is.  But  then,  what  can  any  Pilots'  Association 
know  about  pilotage  ?  Where  does  a  Navy  League  come 
in  ?  What  has  a  Chamber  of  Commerce  to  do  with  it  ? 
What  part  of  the  procession  would  Members  of  Parliament 
fall  into  ?  And  what  has  the  whole  caboodle  to  do  with 
public  opinion  ?  The  Board  of  Trade  :  that  concatenation 
of  ineptitude  which  invariably  signs  itself  "  Your  obedient 
servant."  in  accordance  with  a  time-honoured  joke  which 
is  perpetrated  on  those  who  pay  its  salaries  :  will  have 
none  of  it.  That  ought  to  be  good  enough  ?  Fancy  public 
opinion  daring  to  say  a  word  derogatory  to  the  estimable 
old-ladies-in-pants  who  pose  as  the  Board  of  Trade  ! 

5?*5 

BACK  in  the  days  when  Britain's  shipping  amounted  to 
about  a  million  tons,  the  Board  of  Trade  was  able,  and 
willing,  to  attend  to  nautical  matters.  Then,  as  now,  it 
"  went  to  business  "  from  ten  to  four  :  read  its  few  letters  ; 
twaddled  its  few  instructions  :  and  then  went  home  to 
dummy  whist  and  things.  Time  passed,  and  the  one 
million  tons  of  shipping  grew  into  two  millions  :  but  did  we 
get  two  Boards  of  Trade?  Shipping  still  advanced:  but 
did  the  Board  of  Trade  advance  with  it  ?  Of  course,  not  ! 
The  same  old  contraption  which  attended  to  the  million 
tons  somehow  still  has  the  hardihood  to  pretend  that  it  is 
attending  to  the  many  millions  of  to-day.  It  writes  "  notices 
to  mariners  "  :  dodges  around  after  a  possibly  over-laden 
ship-  on  which  a  fine  can  be  levied  :  answers  your  letters 
of  complaint  after  a  week's  delay:  assures  you  that 


somebody  has  been  instructed  by  the  Board  of  Trade  to  say 
this,  that,  and  the  other  thing :  and  all  the  time,  there  is  no 
such  thing  as  a  Board  of  Trade  in  existence.  The  whole 
fit-out  is  a  myth  ;  a  pretence  ;  a  gigantic  piece  of  bluff. 
When  you  get  unduly  mad  about  some  of  your  plans  having 
gone  agley,  through  the  manifest  ineptitude  of  the  Depart- 
ment, you  write  letters  to  the  papers ;  raise  Hamlet, 
generally ;  and  in  the  midst  of  your  heat,  are  told  that — 
bimeby— you  shall  have  a  Ministry  of  Commerce. 

K??     9t* 

vit      tea 

You  will,  too— if  the  alien  hasn't  mopped  up  the  whole 
of  the  country  before  that  time  arrives.  You  are  also 
likely  to  find  that  the  new  Ministry  of  Commerce  is  merely 
the  old  Board  of  Trade  under  a  new  name— unless  you  are 
pretty  watchful.  All  the  same,  isn't  it  high  time  that  we 
learned  something  definite  concerning  that  Ministry  idea  ? 
The  Mercantile  Marine  is  rapidly  increasing,  as  far  as  its 
actual  shipping  is  concerned,  yet  the  authority  which  is 
supposed  to  regulate  its  actions  is  still  at  the  same  old  notch 
which  obtained,  when  "  Adam  was  an  oakum-boy  at  Ports- 
mouth." And  under  any  circumstances,  doesn't  it  seem  rather 
infra  dig.,  in  a  country  the  size  of  Britain,  to  make  it  neces- 
sary for  private  Associations  to  band  themselves  together 
with  Members  of  Parliament,  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  a 
Government  Department  up  to  sticking  point ;  or  rather  for 
making  a  futile  effort  to  that  end  ?  Everybody  knows  that 
these  reforms  are  urgently  needed  :  there  is  no  shadow  of 
doubt  on  the  subject ;  yet  because  a  few  be-trousered  ladies 
elect  to  use  the  power  which  a  misguided  Government  has 
given  them  in  the  matter  of  putting  back  the  hands  of  the 
commercial  clock  :  a  whole  nation  has  to  sit  down,  and 
patiently  await  the  advent  of  Nirvana.  Truly  are  we  a 
progressive  nation  ? 

#  & 

NOT  often  is  there  a  case  before  the  Courts  where  in- 
sufficient dunnage  is  the  cause  of  a  claim  for  cargo  damage. 
In  fact,  these  days,  the  business  of  the  dunnage-layer  would 
appear  to  be  a  lost  art !  However,  there  was  a  case  a  few 
days  ago.  in  which  the  steamer  Commonwealth  figured  as 
defendant— at  least,  her  owners  did — and  a  Buenos  Ayres 
firm  was  plaintiff.  The  amount  that  it  was  sought  to 
recover,  was.  £2,300  17s.— and  we  are  sorry  that  the 
level  figures  were  broken  up  in  any  such  a  manner !  Accord- 
ing to  the  plaintiff,  the  damage  was  wholly  resultant  from  the 
uofitness  of  the  steamer  to  carry  a,  cargo  of  maize,  and  if 
his  claim  had  been  substantiated,  v,  then,  the  steamer 
Commonwealth  wouldn't  amount  to  a  very  great  deal,  as 
steamers  go,  these  days.  Most  of  us  who  have  carried  the 
lovely  stuff,  recognise  its  inherent  cussedness  that  tend 
toward  heating  :  and  also  know  that  if  maize— or  for  the 
matter  of  that,  any  kind  of  cereal,  although  some  more  than 
^ptjjers— is  inclined  to  the  least  bit  of  dampness  on  shipping, 
then,  it  is  all  Lombard  Street  to  a  China  orange  that 
there  is  going  to  be  trouble  a^  the  end  of  the  journey. 
From  the  remarks  of  Mr.  Justice  Channel!,  who  tried  the 
case,  we  should  incline  to  the  belief  that  this  particular 
consignment  was  all  in  the  way  of  being  inclined  to  heating. 

&*& 

INDEED,  in  the  result,  we  are  of  opinion  that  everything 
pointed  to  that  state.  On  the  other  hand,  it  would  appear 
that  there  was  "  contributory  negligence  "  on  board,  in  that 
there  was  an  insufficiency  of  dunnage.  In  other  words, 
the  bags  of  grain  were  placed  against  the  ship's  side 
(whisper  :  They  always  are  !)  and  the  condensation  which 
resulted  from  the  steamy  maize,  trickled  down  over  the 
grain,  and  thus  the  damage.  We  suppose  that  in  theory, 
there  should  be  dunnage-wood  laid  along  between  the 
sacks  and  the  vessel's  skin  :  but,  guid  sakes.  how  often  is 
this  done  ?  Fancy  carrying  dunnage  wood  in  a  grain 


THE     MARITIME    REVIEW. 


April   14,   1905 


steamer  !  Why,  something  would  transpire,  if  this  were 
persevered  with  !  Indeed,  and  taking  the  subject  up  in  a 
sporting  vein,  it  fs  all  in  favour  of  disregarding  the  dunnage 

-and  chance  it !  Once  in  a  way,  the  ship  is  bowled-out; 
she  was  in  this  case ;  and  while  admitting  that  it  is 
possible  to  buy  a  quantity  of  dunnage  for  £551  3s.  lOd. 

-the  amount  of  the  assessed  damage  -we  are  hardly  sure 
if  we  should  go  to  that  extent,  had  we  been  interested. 
The  great  trouble  in  grain  loading  is,  that  no  one  is 
appointed,  in  the  interests  of  the  ship,  to  see  that  the  stuff 
is  fit  for  shipment.  The  Old  Man  is.  as  a  rule,  fairly  'cute, 
in  these  matters  :  but  after  all.  he  is  hardly  a  grain  expert, 
and  that  is  what  is  needed. 

5?*? 

PERSONALLY,  we  have  seen  a  muster  of  shipmasters 
around  a  given  vessel's  main  hatch  ;  have  noticed  each 
one  of  them  with  a  handful  of  grain  poised,  as  if  to  size  up 
its  humidity  :  have  seen  them,  one  after  the  other,  lay  a 
bronzed  and  bearded  cheek,  lovingly  against  the  "  golden 
grain,"  and  then  remark.  "  Gap'n.  this  don't  appear  to  be 
very  (and  there  was  a  skipper-like  accent  on  the  word) 
wet!"  Each  in  turn,  would  give  his  opinion,  and  the 
skipper  with  most  at  stake,  would  reluctantly  agree  to  "let 
her  went;"  aye.  even  though  he  had  an  uncomfortable 
feeling  that  he  was  taking  more  chances  than  the  circum- 
stances warranted.  The  log-book  would  be  called  into  use ; 
protests  would  be  offered  and  refused  ;  Gain,  generally, 
would  be  raised ;  and  it  would  all  work  out  in  the  old 
sweet,  happy  way.  That  is.  if  the  stuff  got  home  in  fair 
condition :  then,  it  wasn't  too  wet  for  shipment— obviously  ; 
and  the  Old  Man  was  an  idiot  to  write  all  those  letters 
home  to  the  Boss,  by  way  of  preparing  him  for  what  might 
happen.  If  the  stuff,  per  contra,  got  heated  on  passage, 
the  Old  Man  was  a  greater  idiot  for  shipping  it,  or  for 
giving  a  clean  bill  of  lading— no  matter  what  letters  he  had 
written  in  explanation.  Anyway,  it  is  toujours  le  capitaine, 
mon  ami'. 

5?  $3 

MUCH  ado  about  nothing !  "  Cardiff  crew's  empty  fears  " 
is  the  way  an  up-town  contemporary  puts  it,  and  it  is  about 
"  on  the  spot ! "  It  was  all  about  the  Thomas  TurnbuII, 
owned  by  Messrs.  Watts,  Watts  &  Co.,  and  her  late  crew 
"  got  the  needle  "  about  something  or  other,  and  took  their 
complaint  to  Court  for  amelioration.  According  to  the 
bo'sun  of  the  outfit,  the  captain,  pilot,  and  compass- 
adjustor  were  squiffy— although  we  believe  the  gentleman 
rope-hauler  placed  it  as  uncompromisingly  drunk.  Further- 
more, there  was  enough  unseaworthiness  in  Thomas 
TurnbuII— \f  we  are  to  believe  the  evidence  of  that  bo'sun — 
to  comfortably  last  half-a-dozen  steamers  for  quite  a  while, 
Of  course,  the  thing  fizzled  out,  for  the  Stipendiary  gave  it 
as  his  opinion  that  the  "  unseaworthy  "  idea  "  had  worked 
on  the  minds  of  the  crew  as  such  little  matters  often  did 
in  the  mind  of  a  jealous  man."  Did  this  mean  that  in  the 
opinion  of  the  Stipendiary,  the  witnesses  had  departed  from 
the  truth  :  or  that  they  were  merely  dreamers  of  dreams  ? 
Again,  the  Stipendiary  stated  that  he  did  not  believe 
"  there  was  the  slightest  ground  for  the  charge  of  drunken- 
ness against  either  the  compass-adjustor,  the  captain,  or 
the  pilot."  Yet  these  sea-lawyers  go  scot  free,  notwith- 
standing all  their  attempts  at  dirty-water  throwing  ! 


WITH  tolerable  regularity,  the  question  of  the  use  of  the 
lead  at  sea  crops  up.  As  in  the  case  of  the  apprenticeship 
question,  all  manner  of  theories  are  propounded ;  but 
precious  little  real  help  is  offered.  The  latest  occasion 
which  we  have  noticed  in  this  connection,  was  at  the 
Royal  United  Service  Institution,  some  week  or  so  ago, 
when  Rear-Admiral  Sir  W.  J.  L.  Wharton,  K.C.B..  F.R.S., 


and  late  Hydrographer  to  the  Navy,  presided.  Lieut.  H. 
W.  H.  Helby,  R.N.,  had  something  to  say  concerning 
"Sounding  and  the  Admiralty  Charts,"  and,  among  other 
things,  opined  that,  among  seamen,  a  belief  in  the  lead  is  on 
the  wane.  The  worthy  lieutenant  is  wrong  ;  woefully  so  ; 
the  belief  is  there  firm  as  ever;  but  as  we  have  shown 
on  numerous  occasions,  the  ability  to  practice  the  belief  is 
non  est.  It  is  all  very  well  to  say  what  should  be  done, 
when  snugly  seated  in  the  lecture-room  of  the  R.U.S.I., 
but  it  is  altogether  up  another  street,  to  undertake  to  get  a 
chain  of  soundings  on  the  tramp  of  commerce,  under 
"  service  conditions."  We  should  like  to  put  Lieut.  Helby 
on  one  of  the  ordinary  tramps  that  we  wot  of  ;  with  three 
men  in  a  watch,  and  never  a  one  of  them  with  a  word  of 
English  between  them  ;  a  gale  of  wind  blowing,  and  green 
seas  breaking  over  her  ;  night,  pitch  dark,  and  the  Old  Man 
in  that  condition  which  is  expressed  as  "  'E  dunno  where 
'e  are." 

IT  must  be  remembered  that  when  soundings  are  most 
needed,  the  conditions  are  even  as  we  have  suggested  in 
the  foregoing.     The  crew  wet  and    hungry  ;    only   three 
inches  off  rank  mutiny;  the  old  crock  heaving  the  hearts  of 
everybody  on  board,  up  against  each  individual's  ribs  ;  and 
then  yell,  "  Pass  the  lead  along !  "     Makes  us  tired  !     To 
read  the  usual  clap-trap  which  is  bandied  about,  one  would 
imagine  that  every  vessel  afloat  had  a  patent  automatic 
sounding  machine;  that  all  you  need  do,  is  stop  her ;  take  a 
stroll  to  the  galley  for  a  warm  ;  and  meanwhile,  the  patent 
notion  gets  its  work  in,  ringing  a  bell  to  call  your  attention 
to  the  little  dial  which  gives  the  soundings.     As  a  matter  of 
fact,  "  taking  a  cast  of  the  lead,"  on  ship-board,  to-day,  is 
the   most  painful   operation  in  the  whole  fit-out  of  pain. 
Furthermore,   no  sane  man  will  believe  in  the   sounding 
after  it  has  been  taken,  and  mainly  for  the  reason  that,  in 
the  majority  of  instances,  everything  is  against  a  "  plumb 
cast  "  being  obtained.     No,  sirs !      No  sailorman  has  any 
waning  belief  in  the  efficacy  of  the  lead-line  ;  he  merely 
accepts  the  situation  ;  realises  that  it  is  all  buncombe  to 
try  to  get  a  cast  under  the  conditions  in  which  he  finds 
himself  ;  so  he  trusts  to  luck-  and  the  sweet  little  cherub. 

SOMEHOW  or  other,  the  sweet  little  cherub  is  still  there, 
or  we  should  have  a  thousand-fold  more  shipwreck  than 
we  really  get.  It  is  all  very  pretty  to  remark  that  "  when 
passing  over  a  regularly-inclined  bottom  there  is  nothing 
so  sure  as  the  lead."  Quite  so!  But  how  in  Sam  Hill  is  a 
fellow  to  find  out  about  that  inclination  from  the  surface — 
as  things  are  to-day  ?  You  can't  send  a  man  down  to 
stroll  around  for  a  bit ;  it  is  equally  impossible  to  get  a 
cast  of  the  lead  that  is  worthy  of  attention,  so  of  what  use 
are  "  regularly-inclined  bottoms  "  to  anybody  ?  Here  you 
are,  too  :  "  Nothing  can  make  soundings  what  they  should 
be,  except  infinite  surveys."  We  are  willing  to  admit  this, 
but  who  is  going  to  make  those  infinite  surveys  ?  The 
Government,  in  a  lack-a-daisical  fashion,  do  their  bit— and 
there  the  matter  ends !  Admiral  Moore,  at  the  meeting 
already  alluded  to,  declared  that  the  Government  should 
devote  a  few  thousands  of  pounds  more  per  annum  to  the 
business— but  it  won't.  In  fact,  the  Government,  when  all 
is  said,  appears  to  be  as  callous  about  good  soundings,  as  is 
the  average  navigator,  to-day.  We  are  willing  to  agree 
with  Lieutenant  Helby — in  the  abstract ;  but  for  really 
practical  purposes,  he  might  just  as  well  save  his  breath. 

EH?  What?  Here  is  William,  the  Supernal,  a-tryingto 
worm  the  Navy's  secrets  out  of  one  of  its  own  Admirals ! 
Geewillikin  !  It's  dref'ful,  and  if  we  didn't  believe  that 
William's  best  men  know  quite  as  much  of  Britain's  secrets, 
as  Britain's  best  men  know  about  William's,  well,  we  don't 


April    14,  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


143 


know  what  to  say  !  Anyhow,  when  his  Majesty  of  Germany 
went  on  board  the  King  Edward  VII,  at  Gibraltar,  the 
gentleman  asked  Vice- Admiral  May  some  questions  "which 
were  rather  embarrassing."  Why  were  they  that,  we 
wonder?  If  a  visitor— and  a  royal  one  at  that — so  far 
forgot  himself  and  what  was  due  him,  as  to  descend  to  the 
tactics  that  would  not  be  out  of  place  in  a  Cockney  coster, 
we  cannot  see  why  Admiral  May  should  feel  embarrassed. 
Impertinence  with  impertinence,  even  as  diamond  cuts 
diamond,  would  have  been  the  correct  thing,  we  should 
imagine.  At  this  late  date,  nobody  is  inclined  to  take  his 
Effulgence  as  altogether  an  ingenuous  piece  of  mortality  ; 
on  the  contrary,  rather,  for  most  of  us  know  that  when 
William  is  "  out "  for  knowledge,  he  isn't  particular  as  to 
how  he  gets  it.  In  objecting  to  supply  that  knowledge,  it 
would  be  well  to  remember  the  peculiarities  of  the  situation, 
and  act  accordingly. 

5?*5 

HERE  'tis  again !  Daily  Express  interesting  itself  in 
shipping  items  !  It  prattles  about  a  "  warship  in  a  street," 
the  same  old  ship  being  the  Havannah,  which  has  long  since 
gone  to  join  the  angels— if  old  warships  go  that  way. 
Rambling  on.  we  get  some  "  points  "  as  to  why  the  Cunard 
Company  has  paid  no  dividends  in  1904  :  are  assured  that 
the  failure  "  has  caused  no  surprise  in  shipping  circles  " 
(by  the  way.  it  would  be  interesting  to  size  up  what,  in 
reality,  the  Express  regards  as  "shipping  circles,"  and  what 
sort  of  a  diameter  they  have  ! ) :  and  that  depression,  there, 
has  been  general.  Next,  our  wise  friend  goes  on  to  give  us 
facts.  "The  fact  is."  it  says,  "there  are  too  many  vessels 
for  the  available  cargoes."  and  got  its  information  from  an 
underwriter  man  hailing  from  Lloyd's.  Now,  the  London 
ha'porth  is  wrong,  again,  for  the  real  trouble  is,  there  are 
too  few  available  cargoes  for  the  number  of  ships — which  is 
a  distinction  with  a  difference,  if  Express  can  only  rise  to  it. 
Then  a  worthy  M.P.  came  to  the  rescue,  so  to  speak,  with 
"the  depression  is  due  to  bad  trade  and  keen  competition  " 
—  which  doesn't  differ  much  from  the  version  of  that  Lloyd's 
man.  does  it  ? 

5?  *& 

NEXT,  came  in  the  shipowner,  and  he  added  his  quota  to 
the  general  information  bureau  of  our  contemporary.  Said 
the  shipowner.  "  It  is  a  mistake  to  imagine  that  the  cutting 
is  associated  with  Atlantic  freights,  alone."  By  this,  we 
should  imagine  that  the  shipowner  was  a  Cardiffian. 
Anyhow,  to  continue  with  the  latest  jeremiad.  "There  is  a 
fierce  fight  for  freights,  which  has  driven  profits  to  a  van- 
ishing point."  The  gentleman  forgot  to  remark  that  this 
merely  applies  to  the  suffering  shareholder :  not  to  the 
shipowner,  proper  :  for  personal  observation  still  shows  us 
his  merry  little  landau  :  his  motor  car:  and  things  like  that. 
However.  "  foreign  competition,  especially  from  German 
houses,  is  to  be  most  feared."  It  is.  and  if  the  nation  would 
only  remember  this  little  fact,  when  out  upon  the  purchasing 
lay,  there  would  be  less  of  the  "  made  in  Germany "  in 
evidence  :  especially  when  "  made  in  Britain  "  is  better- 
arid  cheaper  in  the  long  run.  Consider  this.  too.  "These 
firms  (Germans)  are  prepared  to  make  almost  any  sacrifice 
to  secure  trade."  They  are.  right  down  to  bonuses  and 
rebates  :  free  samples  to-day,  as  long  as  you  purchase 
to-morrow.  The  German  is.  truly,  our  greatest  rival,  and 
his  "  splendid  isolation,"  at  the  moment,  is  not  an  altogether 
unalloyed  ill. 

5?  ^ 

SYDNEY  "down  under"  is  an  ambitious  place.  At 
least,  it  imagines  it  is.  although  a  little  calm  consideration 
will  probably  dispel  the  allusion.  It  is  aiming  to  become 
the  London  of  Australia,  and  whether  that  is  an  ambition 
which  is  worth  a  cent.,  is  an  open  question.  London,  with 
its  river  filling  in  :  with  its  trade  departing  even  as  its  Great 


Men  twaddle  to  each  other  concerning  the  pressing  need  of 
the  moment — which  is  forgotten  tomorrow ;  with  its  City 
becoming  merely  a  conglomeration  of  tenantless  houses, 
because  the  struggling  population  cannot  bear  the  rates 
which  "  popular  "  legislation  has  brought  to  bear  upon  it ; 
well,  considering  all  things,  we  are  not  so  sure  that  Sydney 
is  really  ambitious,  in  its  aim  to  be  known  as  the  London  of 
Australia.  However,  the  Sydney  Harbor  Trust  (and  the 
absence  of  the  u  in  Harbor,  leads  one  to  imagine  that  it 
is  more  inclined  to  be  the  New  York,  than  the  London  of 
the  Antipodes  ?)  has  been  having  its  annual  picnic,  and 
during  the  continuance  of  the  function,  there  was  the 
smattering  of  labour  speeches  and  socialistic  stuff,  for 
which  that  end  of  the  world  has  become  famous.  As  far 
as  we  can  see,  each  speaker  had  done  more  for  the 
country,  than  the  previous  speaker ;  what  each  one  hadn't 
done,  was  left  out  because  he  hadn't  time  to  do  it  before  he 
lost  office !  This  is  where  the  London-like  propensity 
comes  in.  with  force  ! 

tf'te 

DEAR  us !  That  German  aggression  in  the  Marshall 
Islands  is  still  dragging  itself  along.  The  Earl  of  Jersey 
has  been  asking  what  steps  in  this  connection,  have  been 
taken  by  the  Government.  But  what  steps  can  be  taken  ? 
Every  nation  under  the  sun  is  enabled  to  dictate  terms  to 
Britain—in  the  direction  of  Protection  of  its  industries 
— ana!  Britain  can  merely  argue  the  point,  in  return.  Time 
was,  that  the  argument  was  efficacious — seeing  that  a 
somewhat  clumsy  attempt  at  covering  up  the  cannon's 
mouth  was  indulged  in.  But  the  foreigner  has  become  used 
to  that  moonshine ;  familiarity  has  bred  the  inevitable 
contempt  ;  and  now  Britain  is  forced  to  argue  out  a  losing 
case.  It  doesn't  much  matter  where  one  turns,  but 
Protection,  from  the  other  fellow,  stares  one  in  the  face  ; 
Protection  in  its  most  aggressive  form,  too  !  Yet  a  number 
of  estimable  folk  still  pretend  to  believe  that  Protection  for 
Britain  is  an  unheard  of  crime!  Well,  those  same  people 
shouted  themselves  hoarse  with  regard  to  the  Brother 
Boer ;  but  the  Transvaal  went  under,  just  the  same  ;  all  in 
its  good  time,  the  Protection  will  rise  above  foolish  Free 
Trade,  and  then  if  Earl  Jersey  again  asks  the  question 
which  we  have  referred  to.  he  will  receive  a  satisfactory 
answer.  Meanwhile,  the  German  will  please  himself  in  the 
Marshall  Islands—and  elsewhere  ! 

§?$3 

CONTINUING  with  the  theme,  we  note  that  Mr.  Reid,  the 
Federal  Premier,  has  been  openfrig  himself  out  with  a 
warning  to  Germany.  He  goes  straight  to  the  root  of  the 
situation.  That  is.  he  threatens  reprisals,  if  Germany 
continues  on  her  want-the-earth  policy.  To  our  mind, 
this  is  the  only  method  of  bringing  things  to  a  reasonable 
understanding.  There  has  been  considerably  too  much 
truckling  to  the  gentle  Teuton,  for  the  comfort  of  the 
^remainder  of  the  world.  Somehow  or  other,  the  whole 
world  has  taken  Germany  at  its  own  valuation  ;  has  marked 
it  down  as  a  power  in  the  world  :  but  why  ?  Has  the 
country  done  anything,  in  late  years,  to  warrant  any  such 
treatment?  Personally,  we  have  our  doubts.  It  managed 
to  get  the  upper  hand  of  France  in  18ZO,  it  is  true  :  but 
there  are  numberless  deep-thinking  men  who  are  of 
opinion  that  gold  did  more  in  the  deal,  than  lead  :  or 
personal  prowess.  Indeed,  the  conduct  of  Germany  for 
years  past,  has  been  merely  that  of  the  bully,  and  the  queer 
thing  about  it  all,  is  that  the  remainder  of  the  world  com- 
placently accepts  the  situation !  The  trouble  in  the 
Marshall  and  Caroline  Islands  is  merely  a  circumstance  in 
what  has  been  weaved  around  the  march  of  the  Teuton, 
for  years  ;  he  blusters,  and  threatens  a  lot ;  tells  us  of  the 
mailed  fist,  and  futures  on  the  sea ;  but  he  doesn't  fight, 
considerably  ? 


•44 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


April   14.    >9°5 


COME  to  think  of  it.  Cardiff  is  not  the  only  place  where 
corruption  runs  riot!     Ever  and  anon,   the  gentle  rate 
payer  in  our  midst  is  receiving  some  soothing  staterm 
that  now  is  the  hour  of  his  discontent  worked  out ;  but  it 
isn't,  by  any  means.     Still  he  should  bear  his  fate 
man  even  as  he  remembers  that  there  are  other  places 
where  the  "  same  old  game  "  continues !  Look  at  Australia 
and   having  looked -weep.     Adulteration,  corruption,  a 
all  the  evils  which  follow  in  their  train  are  rampant  there. 
"  Revelations "  have  been  made,  and  thanks  to  the  fact 
these,  "following  on  the  butter  and  jam   scandals,  have 
convinced  the  public  that  Australian  commerce  is  hope- 
lessly corrupt."     Eh?     Hopelessly!     Worse  than  it   is. 
here?     For  here,  we  are  promised   amelioration— at  the 
Greek  calends  :  there,  the  situation  is  hopeless.    Tell  us 
not  about  that  old  "  Advance.  Australia  "  jape  :   a  spot  that 
is  "  hopelessly  corrupt,"  cannot  advance  worth  tuppence  ? 
Tis  only  fair  to  say  that  the  latest  "  scandal  "  thereaway  is 
in  the  matter  of  the  extensive  adulteration  of  leather  with 
poisonous  chloride  of  barium.     We  trust  that  the  Cardiff 
Corporation  will  see  to  it  that  they  are  not  purchasers  of 
Australian  leather    and  poisonous  chloride  of  barium  ! 

A  LONDON  "  amalgamated  daily  "  has  been  easing  itself 
of  certain   qualms   of  conscience  concerning  the  British 
Fleet     Tells  us  that  "  our  fleets  are  always  an   imposing 
sight"  which  is  very  mean  of  the  "a.d."?    Those  fleets 
maybe   "imposing"  and  all  that,  but  any  self-respecting 
evening-daily  should  keep  clear  of  any  attempt  to  show  up 
the  imposition  ?     Especially  when  those  same  fleets  have 
imposed  upon  the  foreigner,  for  quite  a  time      But  hold  on, 
our  contemporary  didn't  mean  quite  that :  for  reading  on  a 
bit.  we  find  "  they  look  beautiful  with  the  grim  beauty  of 
the  bulldog,  and  smart."    Great  Scott !     What  is  meant  ? 
Is  a  bulldog  a  beautiful  canine  :  and  can  it,  by  any  stretch 
of  imagination,  be  termed  "  smart  ?  "     Let  us  get  on,  for 
then,  we  shall  find  more  unkindness  in  the  words  of  "  a.  d." 
"  In  future,  they  will  look  smart,  because  they  are  smart " 
-and  if  that  doesn't  suggest  that,  in  the  past,  they  were  a 
bundle  of  imposition,  what  does  it  mean?     However,  "no 
one  wishes  to  see  a  slovenly,  ill-kempt  squadron  of  British 
warships  "—and  now  we  are  wondering  if  Evening  Standard 
and  St.  James's  Gazette  imagine  that  because  a  warship  is 
termed    "  she."    it    is.    in    reality,    a    slatternly  female  ? 
"  Slovenly  and  ill-kempt "  in  connection  with  a  squadron  of 
warships,  is  rather  better  than  even  the  ordinary  "  daily  " 
can  get  off  its  paper-chest  ? 


GOING    further,    we    find    that     "  it  is   well   that     the 
policy  of  '  spit  and  polish '  should  be  supplemented  by  the 
blessed  policy  of  efficiency,"  and  at  the  first  glance,  one  is 
fain  to  believe  that  the  Navy  has  recently  been  supplied 
with  a  new  set  of  curry-combs,  mops,  and  the  like.     But 
according  to  the   Mentor   referred   to,    curry-combs    are 
exactly  like  the   flowers   which  bloom   about  now  ;  have 
nothing  to  do  with  the  case  !     No,  Sirs !.    All  the  grandilo- 
quence is  consequent  on  the  fact  that  the  Navy's  guns  are 
to  be  re-sighted !     Fact,  we  assure  you.  and  even  if  you 
cannot  see  why  fitting  a  new  sight  to  an  old  gun  will  do 
away  with  the  "  slovenly,  ill-kempt  "  arrangements  which 
have  flourished  to-date,  then,  that  is  your  misfortune.    The 
old  gun  sights  had  become  hairy,  and  their,  unmentionables 
had  developed  rents  and  tears  ;   the  new  ones,  naturally, 
are  spick-and-span ;  so    the    warships  "  will    look    smart 
because  they  are  smart."    There  is  to  be  no  more  of  the 
imposing  business  about  the  British  Fleet ;  and  when  next 
old  Rozh-etc.  undertakes  to  practice  gunnery  on  unarmed 
Britons,  the  Fleet  which  looks  beautiful  "  with  the  grim 
beauty  of  the  bull-dog,  and  smart,"  might  be  induced  to 
practice  its  new  gun-sights  up  against  the  noble  Russian  ! 


IT  is  impossible  to  gainsay  the  fact  that  the   average 
American  citizen  is  "up  to  snuff,"  and  is  willing :to  glean 
his  "points  "whithersoever  they  may  be  gleaned, 
just  as  willing  to  learn  from  the  Briton,  as  to  teach  the 
Briton  when  the  gentleman  is  in  need  of  the  teaching.     A 
case  in  point  is  to  hand  from  Chicago,  even  as  it  was  m 
connection  with  an  attempt  to  run  a  GREAT  international 
shipping  company.     With  regard  to  Chicago  s  latest,  it  is 
i  matter  of  tramway  organisation  that   is  on  top. 
American  city  is  going  in  for  municipalised  tramways  ;  sees 
that  Glasgow  is  top  of  the  tree  in  this  connection  :  so  offers 
to  pay  all  the  needful  expenses,  if  Glasgow  will  allow  its 
tramway  manager,  Mr.  James  Dalrymple.  "  a  thirty  days- 
vacation  "  to  run  across  to  the  States  and  show  the  good 
neople  there,  how  the  success  is  worked  up  even  as  it  has 
been  done  at  Glesca.    The  Fathers  of  the  " Second  City  " 
are  quite  agreeable,  and  thus  it  comes  about  that  Chicago 
is  by  way  of  being  "  municipalised,"  on  effete  British  lines  ! 

THE  foregoing  opens  up  a  splendid  vista  of   hope.     The 
idea  is  worthy  of  expansion,  and  we  should  like  to   know 
what  is  wrong  with  the  notion  of  sending  a  letter  to  the 
Glasgow  Corporation,  from  that    of    Cardiff,   offering  the 
same  terms  as  Chicago-and  for  the  same  purpose  ?     We 
are  of  opinion  that  if  Mr.  James  Dalrymple  were  to  visit 
Cardiff  it  would  soon  be  possible  for  a  man  to   leave   a 
suburban  terminus  by  electric-car,  and  to  feel  sure  that  he 
would  get  to  the  Docks  before  his  ship  had  passed  between 
the  pierheads-providing  he  gave  the   car  a  fair  time   in 
which  to  do  the  journey.     We  like  to  be  patriotic,  but  all  the 
same    we   are  of  opinion  that  Cardiff's  tramways  are   in 
anything  but  the  flourishing  condition  which-  in   view  of 
their  cost— the  ratepayer  has  a  right  to  expect.     Further- 
more, we  are  convinced  that  it  is  possible  to  "run  the  cars" 
with  a  little  more  regard  to  public  convenience  than   has 
obtained  to-date.     For  example,  it  is  a  bit  bewildering  to 
find,   on   every  rainy  day.    that  there  is    no    room    in    a 
"  through  "  car  which  is  about  to  start,  and  for  a  "through" 
passenger,    because    a    number  of    "penny   fares"   have 
sequestered    all    the     seating     accommodation! 
business  men  would  quickly  remedy  this  phase  of  the  non- 
paying  idea  ?  ^ 

tlj!        tS 

MR.  ALFRED  MOSELY  has  been  giving  the  British  workman 
some  home  truths  as  to   why  the  American  labourer  is 
romping  ahead.     Among  other  facts,  we  learn  that  "  The 
American   workman's  output  is  greater  than  that  of  the 
Englishman  " — which,  to  those  who  have  had  an  opportunity 
of  sizing  up  both  sides  of    the  case,   is   incontrovertible. 
Mr.  Mosely  is  able  to  give  the  reason,  too,  for  he  has  it  as 
the  result   of    the  American   "putting  his  back   into  the 
work,"  running  his  machinery  at  a  higher  rate,  and  seeing 
that  the  factories  are   organised  with  the   view   to   save 
labour.      It   is  impossible  to   get  away  from  the  truth  of 
these  remarks,  or  from  the  fact  that  in  Britain,  the  workman 
does  everything  in  his  power,  to  nullify  the  endeavours  of 
the   employer,  in  his  aims  at  cheapening  production,  and 
thereby   keeping  himself  in  the   front    of    the    industrial 
procession.     It    has  been   proved,    indisputably,    that  the 
introduction  of    machinery — instead    of    displacing  labour 
is   all    in    favour    of     providing    more    work.     Yet   our 
countrymen    will     listen     to    the    specious  tales   of    the 
professional  agitator,  whose  "  book  "  is  better  served  with 
"  fairy  tales  "  than  with  hard  fact,  and  who  in  consequence, 
insinuates  that  machinery  is  a  sin. 


IN  other  words,  the  agitator,  having  made  up  his  mind  to 
pursue  the  line  of  least  resistance,  in  "  educating "  his 
patrons,  does  so,  on  all  occasions.  He  finds  that  his  work- 
men paymasters  have  already  assimilated  the  belief  that 


April   14,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


145 


machinery  in  a  workshop  is  a  crime—  mainly  because  they 
have  not  been  educated  up  to  a  sufficient  pitch  of  dis- 
criminating intelligence  ;  and  instead  of  endeavouring  to 
show  them  that  they  are  wrong  —  in  which  case  he  would 
be  justifying  his  claim  to  "  labour  leader"  —  he  just  lets  the 
thing  slide  along  in  its  own  sweet  happy  way  ;  declaims 
even  as  his  employers  wish  him  to  declaim  :  and  thus  earns 
opprobrium  —  and  earns  it  honestly  !  —  where,  otherwise,  he 
would  receive  the  support  and  appreciation,  of  the  majority 
of  his  countrymen.  It  is  this  pandering  to  the  mob.  which 
has  brought  the  term  "  professional  agitator  "  into  such 
universal  abhorrence.  To-day,  the  "  professional  agitator  " 
is  an  industrial  pariah  :  is  thought  of  contemptuously  by 
those  with  whom  he  comes  in  contact  —  aye.  even  with  the 
very  men  whom  he  pretends  to  lead  :  and  mainly  because 
everybody  can  see  that  he  is  anything  but  serious,  in  his 
efforts  toward  the  amelioration  of  his  one-time  fellow- 
workers  :  being  intent,  rather,  to  keep  a  soft  job  —  at  all 
costs.  Honest  endeavour  is  as  praiseworthy  in  a  "  labour 
leader,"  as  elsewhere  :  the  pity  of  it  is,  that  but  few  of  the 
cult  realise  the  truth  in  this  respect. 

5?  fc 

WE  note  that  Sir  Alfred  A.  Jones—  as  Elder,  Dempster 
and  Co.—  has  been  giving  the  Times  his  company's 
experience  concerning  this  so-called  "boy  sailor"  dodge. 
Needless  to  say,  there  is  a  terrible  loss  on  the  "  carrying  '' 
of  these  boys,  and  a  sweetly  suggestive  table  of  cost  and 
loss  is  supplied.  We  have  no  room  for  those  figures,  nor  is 
there  any  reason  that  you  should  be  bothered  with  them. 
To  our  mind,  there  is  something  of  the  impertinent  in  this 
attempt  to  show  that  by  carrying  young  sailors,  a  shipowner 
is  bound  to  lose  money,  and  should  be  re-imbursed  by  the 
Government.  To  put  the  matter  plainer,  this  attempt  at 
posing  as  a  representative  British  fleet,  in  as  far  as  the 
Elder,  Dempster  combination  is  concerned,  is  exactly  the 
same  as  offering  the  Koh-i-noor  as  a  sample  of  the 
diamonds  which  are  usually  found  in  diamondiferous 
districts.  We  do  not  wish  to  infer  that  the  Elder  steamers 
are  diamonds  among  the  units  of  the  Mercantile  Marine  : 
but  it  is  very  certain  that  the  methods  obtaining  with  them, 
are  no  fair  criterion  with  those  existing  with  the  vast 
majority  of  Britain's  maritime  supremacy.  If  the  Elder, 
Dempster  steamers  ship  boys  as  supernumeraries,  you  are 
safe  in  assuming  that  nine-tenths  of  the  remainder  of 
shipping  does  nothing  at  all  of  the  sort. 


UNDER  the  circumstances,  therefore,  it  is  simply  mis- 
leading to  trot  out  any  such  statement  as  that  included  in 
Sir  Alfred  Jones'  letter.  We  know  :  and  all  sailormen 
know  :  that  in  the  majority  of  instances,  every  boy  that  is 
shipped,  means  the  displacing  of  a  man  :  that  in  a  steamer 
which  is  considered  as  fully-manned  with  six  seamen,  she 
will  be  in  exactly  the  same  condition  with  four  seamen  and 
two  boys.  With  these  conditions  ruling,  where  is  the  sense 
of  talking  about  the  loss  to  the  shipowner?  With  the 
Elder.  Dempster  fleet,  the  loss  is  there,  or  Sir  Alfred  would 
not  have  said  so  :  but  obviously,  such  a  letter  as  that  to 
which  we  have  referred,  is  calculated  to  lead  the  uninitiated 
into  supposing  that  the  same  tale  applies  everywhere  :  but 
where,  in  the  majority  of  instances-as  already  stated- 
exactly  the  reverse  holds  good.  Even  as  one  swallow 
doesn't  make  a  summer,  neither  does  one  decent  shipowner 
make  up  the  conglomeration  which  is  styled  "British 
shipping."  If  it  is  intended  to  do  some  good  in  this  manning 
question,  don't  humbug  us  with  the  metaphorical  Koh-i- 
noor  samples:  give  us  the  facts  which  obtain  with  the 
units-of-few-carats.  so  to  speak. 

gns 

THERE  has  been  enough,  aud  to  spare,  of  this  putting  of 
the  best  side  to  London  :    and  the  country  is  in   parlous 


state  in  consquence.  The  nation  doesn't  hanker  after  a 
knowledge  of  what  is  done  in  the  premier  lines,  and  for 
the  reason  that  this  class  of  concern  is  in  such  a  hopeless 
minority,  as  to  pose  altogether  as  a  negligible  quantity. 
It  has  been  demonstrated  beyond  all  cavil,  that  no  matter 
what  the  shipowner  is  paid  as  a  solatium  for  carrying  young 
sailors,  those  latter  will  see  him  hanged  before  he  will  help 
in  earning  the  bonus — for  somebody  else.  And  this  is 
exactly  as  it  should  be.  To  the  shipowner,  the  possession 
of  a  lien  on  a  number  of  youngsters,  is  merely  a  case  of  a 
small  decimal-fraction  in  the  ultimate  dividend  of  the 
steamer ;  to  the  youngsters,  themselves,  it  is  a  life-long 
consideration  :  a  reckoning-up  of  whether  it  will  be  better 
to  take  to  the  sea,  to  emigrate,  to  go  to  jail,  or  to  commit 
suicide.  Furthermore,  as  long  as  the  "  swagger  ships  "  are 
put  up  as  examples  of  what  is  being  done,  then  just  as  long 
will  the  present  wretched  conditions  prevail.  We  are  not 
of  they  who  affect  a  blind  admiration  for  a  man,  solely 
because,  out  of  his  abounding  chanty,  he  deigns  to  give 
us  "his  support." 

E#  9*3 

W    «3 

WE  retain  our  admiration  for  those  who,  in  our  opinion, 
are  deserving  thereof,  and  in  the  case  of  Sir  Alfred  Jones, 
we  are  of  opinion  that  with  the  advantages  and  opportu- 
nities which  are  undoubtedly  to  his  hand,  he  would  have 
been  better  advised  in  telling  Times  of  the  conditions  as 
usually  found  in  the  British  Mercantile  Marine  ;  and  not 
of  an  exceptional  instance.  Times  cannot  know  anything 
about  the  subject,  other  than  from  hearsay ;  Sir  Alfred 
ought  to  know  from  personal  knowledge  ;  if  he  does  not, 
and  wished  to  benefit  the  world  with  some  dependable 
knowledge,  he  could  easily  have  found  out  all  there  is  to 
know  of  the  circumstances.  Indeed,  we  cannot  understand 
how  a  man  who,  on  his  own  admission,  will  consent  to  lose 
much  money  in  an  endeavour  to  make  sailormen  ;  but  who 
will  pass  around  statements  that  carry  all  the  more  weight, 
coming  from  such  a  source  ;  but  which,  no  matter  how 
you  view  the  subject,  are  merely  one  side  of  the  case — and 
that  the  side  which  is  in  a  hopeless  minority. 

§?%5 

OUR  congratulations  to  both  the  Ocean  Goal  Company, 
and  to  Mr.  Thomas  Evans.  In  the  first  instance,  for  the 
business  acumen  which  prompted  the  installation  of  the 
right  man  in  the  right  place— the  place  erstwhile  occupied 
by  the  late  Mr.  Rees  Jones;  and  secondly,  because  Mr. 
Evans  undoubtedly  is,  the  "  right "  man.  When  a  person 
has  been,  for  some  twenty  years,  connected  with  a  colliery 
company  the  size  of  "  Ocean  ; "  when,  in  addition,  he  is 
universally  esteemed  by  the  community  among  which  that 
twenty  years  has  been  spent ;  well,  there  is  every  reason 
for  the  congratulations.  We  sincerely  hope  that  in  this 
new  appointment,  Mr.  Evans  will  find  it  the  "half-time 
survey  "  of  his  business  career,  and  that  the  latter  term 
-  will  be  as  successful  as  was  the  former. 

5?  $3 

Do  you  know  the  dirge-like  chant  that  is  affected  by  the 
giddy  shrimps  of  the  Baltic  ?  No  ?  Well,  it  is  "  Wull  ye 
no  come  back  again  ?  "  Furthermore,  echo  seems  inclined 
to  answer—"  Never  !  "  And  it  is  all  along  of  the  distinctly 
Cardiff  manner  in  which  the  Bannatyne  Challenge  Shield 
came  to  Taff-side.  A  London  contemporary  has  been  told 
that  the  Taffies  "  were  so  cock-sure  of  victory  that  they 
had  even  selected  the  precise  niche  in  the  Cardiff  Exchange 
wherein  the  trophy  was  to  repose."  Eh?  What?  Fancy 
spreading  that  shield  around  on  'Change— in  a  niche,  or 
otherwise  !  On  Cardiff  Exchange  where,  very  frequently, 
the  Baltic  youths  are  sent  to  acquire  wisdom — and  things  ! 
Makes  you  smile,  doesn't  it?  However,  the  best  side 
won,  so  'nuff  sed. 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


April   14,  1905 


J 


FRIDAY.  APRIL  14.  1905. 


ON    THE    TRAINING    OF    SEAMEN. 


IN   the  national  talking-shop,  some  few  days  ago, 
General    Laurie    asked    the    Secretary    to    the 
Admiralty,  for  information  as  to  how  many  effici- 
ent seamen  of  the  age  of  twenty  years  were 
obtained  by  the   nation,  for  every   1,000  lads  that  were 
entered  on  the  list,  at  the  ordinary  enrolling  age.     Now,  in 
view  of  the   so-called   precautions,  that  are  taken  in  the 
matter  of  securing  the  "  pick  of  the  nation,"  such  a  question 
would  appear  to   be   of  a  superfluous  kind  ?     One  would 
naturally  suppose  that,  bar  the  death-rate,  there  would  be 
no   other   item  that  was  calculated  to   interfere  with  the 
turning  of  one  thousand  boys,  into  one  thousand  able-sea- 
men ?     But  this  is  exactly  where  one  would  be  running  up 
against  the  bricks :  would  be  woefully  wrong— to  put  the 
matter  as    plainly    as    possible.     For    according    to    Mr. 
Pretyman— and  that  gentleman,  as  Secretary  to  the  Ad- 
miralty, should   know   something  of  the  business :  "  The 
number  of  seamen  of  twenty  years  of   age  obtained  from 
1 .000  entrants  as  boys,  is  about  800."     That  is,  in  spite  of 
the   extraordinary  care  that    is   taken    in    the  choice  of 
"entrants":    the    sky-pilot's    certificates;  the  looking    at 
their    teeth  :  their  medical-examination-in-the-nude  ;    the 
hemming  and  hawing  on  the  part  of  the  dear  old  fossils  who 
are  paid  to  attend  to  this  phase  of  the  nation's  business  ; 
there  is  still  a  wastage  of  twenty  per  cent,  on  the  overturn, 
so  to  speak !     After  that,  let  no  men  hesitate  to  harbour 
doubts  as  to  the  preparedness  of  the  First  Line  of  Defence; 
for  of  a  surety  will  other  features  in  connection  with  the 
Navy,  be  on  a  par  with  this  making  of  able-seamen  ?  When 
all  is  said,  it  is  extremely  doubtful  whether  the  Mercantile 
Marine   is  so   badly  off  in   this  respect,  as  is  the  Senior 
Service.     We  mean,  that  it  is  open  to  doubt  whether  out  of 
every  1,000  boys  who  are  persuaded  to  take  to   the  tramp 
of  commerce  for  a  livelihood,  merely  800  thereof  will  pan 
out  at  the  final  trial.     However.  General  Laurie  was  of  an 
inquisitive  turn  of  mind,  or  the  occasion  to  which  we  have 
referred,  for  in  addition  to  searching  out   percentages;  the 
gentleman   was  curious   as  to  the  cost  to  the  country,  of 
each  full-blooded   sailorman  who  had  arrived  at  years  of 
nautical  discretion.     Once   more  was   Mr.  Pretyman  in  a 
position  to  satisfy  the  General's  thirst  for  knowledge,  for 
we  find  that  the  cost  to  the  country,  of  every  sailor  up  to 
the  date  of  his  being  rated  as  an  able-seaman,  is  no  less 
than  £240.    In  the  words  of  the  Secretary  to  the  Admiralty, 
"This  figure  includes  cost  of  training,  pay,  victualling  and 
clothing,  both  for  those  who  attain  the  rating  of  A.B.,  and 
those  who  do  not."    That  is,  the  cost  has  to  be  lumped  in 
together,  so  that  although  you   charge  for  1 .000  at  £240 
each,  in    the    result,  you    get    but    800  seamen    for  the 
£240.0CO  !    This,  we  take  it,  means  that  for  every  efficient 
able-seaman  at  twenty  years  of  age.  the  country  has  to 
ante1  up  the  sum  of  £300  ?     From  this  it  will  be  seen,  that 
the  country  is  no  niggard  in  supplying  the  needful  for  its 
fighting  fleets    no  matter  what  may  be  the  case  with  re- 
gard to  its  food-bringing  servants.     It  is  highly   probable 
that  this  little  sum  of  £300  per  head,  is  the  chief  deterrent. 
when  the  advisability  of  the  Government  taking  over  the 
Mercantile  Marine  is  on  the  tapis  ?    Time  and  again,  it  has 
been  mooted  that  the  only  way  to  safeguard  the  nation's 
interests,  is  for  the  nation  to  take  over  the  Mercantile  Marine 


At  the  moment,  we  do  not  intend  to  concern  ourselves  with 
this  mostimportant  matter,  and  will  merely  remark  that  there 
are  very  many  cogent  reasons  why  the  Government  should 
take  over  the  merchant  navy  as  suggested  ;  and  outside  of 
the  subject  of  vested  interests,  there  is  but  little  to  urge 
against  it.     What  we  are  most  concerned  with,  now,  is  the 
disgraceful  difference  which  is  allowed  to  exist  between  the 
methods  obtaining  with  the   sister  services.     It  cannot  be 
denied  that  the  time  has  passed  when  the  existence  of  a 
fighting  navy  should  be  considered  as  justified  by  heaven  ; 
that  a  divine  right  for  its  continuance  is  in  effect  ?    The 
nation  has  been  educated  up  to  too  high  a  pitch  for  any 
such  old  poppycock  as  that.    Time  was,  no  doubt,  when  the 
Divine-right-idea  was  worked  for  all  it  was  worth  ;  indeed, 
there   are  remnants   of  it   stil!  abroad,  in  the   ridiculous 
assumption  that  none  but  the  sons  of  noblemen  are  fit  to 
command,  to-day.     Doubtless,  with  the  further  extension 
of  education,  this  last  relic  of  a  barbarous  age  will  be  swept 
away  into  the  limbo  of  forgotten  things  (such  as  feudalism, 
etc.),  and  the  nation  will  be  the  gainer,  in  consequence. 
But  harking  back   to  this  disgraceful  difference  to  which 
we  have  referred,  is  there  sense,  or  reason,  in  nursing  up  a 
moderately  efficient  fighting  force,  only  at  the  expense  of 
what  should,  naturally,  be  its  backbone  in  time  of  stress  ? 
Needless  to  say,  that  backbone  is  the  Mercantile  Marine. 
At  least,  under  proper  conditions  it  would  be  such,  although 
as  things  are  at  present,  it  will  be  the  very  rock  on  which 
the  nation  will  split,  as  soon  as  the  nautical  drum  beats  for 
battle.     The  late  Boer  War  showed  everybody,  in  a  most 
conclusive  manner,  that  without  the  Mercantile  Marine,  the 
nation  would  have  done  but  little  ;  yet  the  Boer  War  was 
simply   a  'longshore   muddle  through.     What  is  likely   to 
befall,  when  a  Naval  War  is  commenced  ?     In   the    Boer 
War.   the    Mercantile  Marine   was  merely  called  upon  for 
transport  purposes.     We  say  merely,  advisedly,  and  for  the 
reason  that  it  responded  in  a  manner  that  has  raised  envy 
in  the  hearts  of  all  our  commercial  rivals.     In   a  transport 
job,  it  doesn't  matter  a  lot,  whether  the  seamen  are  Britons 
or  foreigners.     Their  duty  is  solely  to  carry  out  the  in- 
structions which  are  given  by  the  Briton — who  is  about  in 
sufficient  numbers  to  see  "that  there  is  no  shinnannakin. 
But  when  a  Naval   War  commences,  the  country  which 
possesses  the   greatest  reserve   of  fighting  sailors,  is  the 
country  which  is  likely  to  win  through.     In  confirmation  of 
this  claim,  we  have  only  to  consider  the  possibilities  of  the 
two  fleets  which,  even  as  we  write,  may  be  pumping  shell 
into  each  other  for  all  they  are  worth.    Will  it  be  pretended 
that  the  Japanese  Navy  would  have  the  ghost  of  a  chance, 
supposing  Rozh-etc.'s  fleet  were  manned  with  sailormen. 
instead  of  a   mob   of  heaven-alone-knows-what  ?     Would 
the  Russian  butcher  have  wasted  his  time  in  a  pretended 
seance    after  cat-fish,  if   his    sea-boys    had    been    at    all 
worthy  of  the    name  ?      And  even  now,    are   any    of    us 
sure  that  instead  of  the  alleged  fishing  joke,  the   Russian 
genius  was  not  engaged  in   a    last    despairing    effort  to 
bring  order  out  of  the  chaos  which  existed  on  his  vessels, 
when  he  was  started  away  on  this  trip  which  is  bidding 
fair  to  be   the   one  from   which  he  will    never    return  ? 
We  are  not  sure  of  anything  of  the  sort.       Indeed,    the 
chances  -to  say  nothing  of  the  indications — are  all  in  favour 
of  the  supposition,  that  Rozh-etc  was  engaged  as  suggested. 
And  even  as  it  might  be  in  his  case,  so  would  it  be  with 
Britain,  "the  Mistress  of  the  Seas!"     Once  allow  Britain 
to  sustain  a  loss,  similar  to  that  which  was  sustained  by  the 
Russians  at  the  initial  stage  of  the  war,  and  her  remaining 
fleets  would  have  to  dodge  Pompey,  until  her  levies  of  'long- 
shoremen had  been  initiated  into  the  mysteries  of  cat-  (or 
other)  fishing.     We  know  that  the  picture  is  the  reverse  of 
inspiriting  ;  but  it  is  a  true  one,  nevertheless.     Yet  if  you 
dare  propose  that  the  Government  offer  a  matter  of  a  few 
pounds  per  annum  to  a  given  number  of  eligible  lads  by 
way  of  retaining  fee,  and  so  that  they  may  be  a  reserve  in 
time  of  need — heigho  !  there  is  nothing  the  matter,  is  there  ? 
Time  after  time,   tomfool   schemes   have  been  proposed, 


April    14,    1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


147 


tried,  and  cast  aside  as  utterly  useless:  so-called  "experts" 
have  assured  you  that  if  shipowner  is  offered  a  solatium,  he 
will  carry  boys  as  apprentices ;  and  you  have  believed  the 
nonsense.  Go  on  believing  it,  for  that  matter,  although 
you  have  had  proof  that  such  arguments  are  suitable,  only, 
in  Hanwell.  Shipowner  will  carry  boys  without  a  bonus— 
if  he  can  get  them.  Even  as  in  factories  on  shore,  where 
boy  labour  is  cheaper  than  that  of  men,  so  is  it  at  sea.  The 
trouble  is.  that  the  boys  will  not  go— in  anything  like  decent 
numbers.  Moreover,  is  there  any  valid  reason  that  they 
should  ?  There  is  not !  Why  should  they  sacrifice  their 
lives  for  you  ?  For  that  is  all  going  to  sea,  under  existing 
circumstances,  amounts  to.  Even  if  you  will  not  agree 
with  us  in  this  matter,  the  fact  remains  that  you  cannot 
get  apprentices  to  stay  at  sea— no  matter  how  much  you 
"  bonus "  the  employer.  This  being  so—and  it  is,  you 
know — can  there  be  any  harm  in  trying  the  obvious 
remedy  ?  Offer  the  boys  the  bonus,  and  then  stand  by  to 
see  what  happens.  Shipowner  offers  some  forty  pounds 
for  four  years'  scull-dragging  :  let  the  Government  increase 
this  by  another  forty  pounds  :  and  you  would  be  surprised 
at  the  number  of  lads  that  will  risk  it.  As  things  are  now, 
the  Admiralty  spends  £500  per  man.  before  a  twenty-year- 
old  A.B.  is  acquired  :  under  the  conditions  which  we  have 
suggested,  the  Admiralty  would  get  a  good  sailorman  for 
£40.  A  good,  reliable,  and  resourceful  sailorman  ;  the 
kind  of  stuff  which  present  naval  training  will  never  manu- 
facture. We  know  that  it  is  hard  to  have  to  admit  failure  ; 
and  it  is  doubly  hard  for  a  national  department  which  has 
hitherto  claimed  infallibility  :  but  then,  it  is  better  to  admit 
this  failure  of  one's  own  free  will,  than  to  be  compelled  to 
do  so  at  the  point  of  the  sword  :  and  that  is  what  is  going 
to  happen  unless  something  radically  different  is  brought 
about  very  soon.  Time  and  again,  we  have  called  attention 
to  the  national  fools'  paradise  which  has  been  worked  up 
around  us  :  have  called  that  attention  from  personal  know- 
ledge, and  as  the  result  of  living  among  the  surroundings  of 
which  we  write.  Our  words  have  been  attended  to  in 
numberless  quarters,  and  we  are  grateful  for  that  attention ; 
the  more  so  as  we  hanker  after  no  sensationalism,  and 
simply  write  as  experience  has  taught  us.  We  also  know 
that  there  is  an  awakening  in  the  public  mind  ;  an  awaken- 
ing for  which,  in  no  small  way.  we  have  been  responsible  : 
but  the  awakening  is  too  slow  :  there  is  too  much  hesitancy 
about  it :  the  hesitancy  which  is  born  of  ignorance  of  the 
conditions.  Meanwhile,  the  country  is  being  charged  £300 
for  every  Naval  sailor  that  it  is  given  :  and  this  takes  no 
cognisance  of  the  eventual  cost  of  the  man  :  simply  franks 
him  through  to  the  age  of  twenty  years.  His  cost  after 
that,  is  on  an  extended  scale,  and  in  the  end.  he  is  like  a 
tramp  steamer  that  is  going  a  three  years'  voyage  with  no 
spare  tail-shaft  in  No.  3  hold.  At  least,  his  warship  is ! 
In  commercial  sailorising.  it  is  considered  good  business  to 
have  spare  "  parts  "  to  the  machinery  that  earns  the  money  ; 
the  same  applies  to  the  Navy.  A  warship  is  fitted  out 
with  spare  this,  that,  and  t'other  thing :  and  the  only  - 
affair  in  which  she  runs  single-breasted,  so  to  speak,  is  in  the 
matter  of  her  "  hands."  Even  these,  in  far  too  many 
instances,  are  of  the  "  skeleton  "  persuasion  ;  are  altogether 
insufficient  for  peace  time.  What  is  going  to  happen  when 
the  dogs  of  war  are  unleashed,  needs  no  very  great  prophet 
to  determine.  In  conclusion,  let  us  assure  you  that  we 
know,  from  personal  knowledge,  that  there  are  any  number 
of  boys  on  shore,  who  are  ready— nay  anxious— to  embark 
on  a  seafaring  career,  if  you  will  but  convince  them  that 
you  have  an  interest  in  their  ultimate  welfare,  at  least 
equal  to  that  which  you  offer  to  the  Naval  man.  This 
latter  has  good  ships  :  continuous  service  ;  good  food  ;  ten 
men  to  do  the  work  of  one  mercantilely  considered;  a 
pension  :  doctor's  attendance  if  sick :  and  an  invaliding 
solatium  if  muckered  up  in  the  service  of  his  country. 
Compare  this  with  the  merchantman  and  his  life  in  a  sweat 
box  :  hunger  and  hard  work  :  small  pay  ;  non-continuous 
service  :  no  pension  :  the  workhouse  if  rendered  unfit  by 


arduous  service  ;  and  the  same  thing,  when  at  about  forty, 
he  is  told  that  he  is  "  too  old."  Having  considered,  say, 
candidly,  if  you  wonder  that  the  British  boy  will  have  none 
of  it.  If  you  do  not  wonder,  why  not  insist  on  a  better 
ordering  of  things  nautical ;  why  not  see  to  it  that  the 
nation's  money  is  spent  on  training  the  nation's  food- 
suppliers  ? 

QUANTITY  OR  VALUE  TAX? 

LNE  set  of  "teachers"  declare  that  it  is  human  to 
wish  to  fly  to  ills  we  wot  not  of,  rather  than  to 
incline  to  a  sojourn  among  those  whose  inherent 
miseries  we  have  sampled  to  the  bottom.  Another  cult 
declares  that  human  nature  is  convinced  that  it  is  better  to 
live  with  a — well,  yes,  with  a  devil  that  you  know,  than  with 
one  of  the  other  kind.  This  may  be  so,  with  ills  or  with 
devils :  but  we  have  our  doubts  as  to  whether  the 
"teaching"  lines  up  where  a  coal-tax  is  under  consideration, 
and  where  the  humanity  involved,  is  that  which  absolutely 
depends  on  coal,  and  the  trade  therein.  Here,  in  Goalville, 
the  present  consuming  thought  is,  "  Will  that  everything- 
that-is-wicked  coal-tax  be  wiped  away  ? "  The  reply 
thereto  is,  "  Yes,  and  an  ad  valorem  duty  will  be  imposed, 
instead."  Now,  it  is  a  good  policy,  in  every  phase  of  human 
life,  that  of  two  evils,  one  should  choose  the  least.  Mind, 
there  is  another  good  policy,  and  it  is  to  the  effect  that, 
when  possible,  an  evil  should  be  removed.  That  it  is 
so  in  connection  with  the  coal-tax,  there  is  no 
possibility  of  gainsaying.  No  matter  how  the  thing  is 
considered,  it  is  none  but  an  extremely  foolish  statesman 
who  would  attempt  to  justify  a  tax  on  exports.  If  a 
country  is  so  misguided  that  it  will  not  tax  imports,  pre- 
ferring to  give  a  free  stem  to  every  manufacturer  on  earth; 
it  is  still  beyond  the  bounds  of  practicality,  that  the  same 
country  should  stoop  low  enough  to  tax  one  portion  of  the 
community,  simply  for  the  reason  that  the  tax  is  "  popular," 
with  those  whose  business  is  not  identical  with  the  taxed 
portion.  It  is  a  law-maker's  business  to  be  impartial,  and 
directly  he  shows  bias — either  one  way  or  the  other — his 
law-making  should  be  determined,  and  a  better  man  placed 
in  authority.  That  the  coal-tax  is  all  a  question  of  bias, 
cannot  be  denied.  It  is,  furthermore,  based  on  the  assump- 
tion that  as  coalowners  "  make  "  piles  of  money,  they  can 
afford  the  imposition.  But  do  coalowners  make  these 
alleged  piles  of  money  ?  In  a  few  instances,  yes  ;  but  in 
the  vast  majority  of  colliery  concerns  in  South  Wales, 
"  regrets  "  are  about  all  that  is  issued  with  the  annual 
balance  sheets !  And  reverting  to  the  threatened  ad 
valorem  tax,  let  us  consider  how  it  would  effect  South 
Wales.  At  the  present  time,  the  district  supplies  about 
one  half  of  the  whole  amount  of  the  coal-tax  ;  but  if  the 
tax  assessed,  is  to  be  in  accordance  with  the  selling  price  of 
the  commodity,  then,  Wales  would  have  to  bear  the 
brunt  of  finding  the  amount  that  is  ear-marked  for  coal- 
tax.  There  is  no  getting  away  from  this,  no  matter  how 
--thfe  argument  is  worked.  Personally,  we  are  of  opinion 
that  the  threatened  change  is  merely  by  way  of  an  in 
terrorem  wheeze ;  a  sort  of,  "  Look  here,  you  fellows  in 
Wales ;  you  have  made  the  pace  rather  warm  in  your 
endeavours  to  find  easement  for  the  burden  which  we  have 
placed  upon  you  ;  you  have  knocked  all  our  arguments  into 
a  cocked-hat :  and  if  we  allow  you  to  send  any  more 
deputations  to  speak  to  us,  we  shall  stand  exposed  before 
the  country,  as  unduly  handicapping  a  given  industry.  So  ! 
Then,  if  you  have  any  more  old  talk  about  the  removal  of 
the  coal-tax — well,  we'll  remove  it,  or  the  nation  will  see 
through  our  machinations  ;  but  dern  it,  we'll  impose  an 
ad  valorem  tax — and  that'll  keep  you  busy! "  It  would,  too, 
and  thus  it  comes  about  that  those  with  a  vital  interest  in 
the  question— which  is  to  say  the  whole  of  the  community 
in  South  Wales— should  combine.  Should  sink  petty 
differences  until  the  main  issue  which  affects  all,  alike,  has 
been  disposed  of,  when  there  will  still  be  ample  time  to 
go  on  with  the  "  party  "  excitement  ? 


148 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


April  14,  1905 


CARDIFF     (AND    OTHER)     COAL. 


CARDIFF,  April  12.  1905. 

IN  reviewing  the  Coal  Market  for  the  past  week,  we 
cannot  say  that  any  very  great  change  has  materialised 
therein,  although  during  the  past  day  or  so,  a  reassuring 
steadiness  has  hovered  around,  so  that  prices  are 
stronger  than  for  some  time  past.  Increased  stemming 
ir  mainly  responsible  for  this  hardening  tendency,  and 
the  increased  stemming  again,  is  resultant  from  the 
fairly  good  tonnage  supplies  which  have  kept  the  merry 
chartering  clerk  somewhat  busy.  Another  item  which 
has  helped,  is  that  most  of  the  steamers  fixed,  have 
been  taken  for  this  side  of  the  approaching  holidays. 
However,  for  prompt  shipment,  buyers  have  been  faced 
with  no  increase  in  price,  although,  as  already  stated, 
there  is  a  hardening  tendency  toward. 

BEST  CARDIFF  ADMIRALTYS.  In  this  grade  we  find 
anything  but  an  appreciable  variation  in  price.  As  far 
as  the  premier  qualities  are  concerned,  sellers  show  a 
disposition  to  accept  nothing  below  13s.  3d. — seeing  that 
their  stems  are  fairly  full ;  indeed,  some  of  the  more 
blessed  among  them,  are  in  the  happy  position  of  being, 
to  all  intents  and  purposes,  compelled  to  abandon  the 
thought  of  entering  into  any  new  obligations,  for  at  least, 
the  next  week  or  so.  So  far,  so  good  !  But — alas  the 
word ! — there  are  still  others  who  are  not,  by  any  means 
so  well  off,  and  as  a  natural  consequence,  the  quotation 
varies  according  as  to  whether  the  quoter  is  of  the  full, 
or  rather,  the  empty  line.  That  is,  quality,  quantity, 
and  position  continues  to  be  the  determining  factors,  as 
of  old!  Mind  you,  there  has  been  anything  but  a  lot 
doing  outside,  and  although  enquiries  are  undoubtedy 
more  numerous,  actual  transactions  are  the  reverse. 
And,  as  we  have  stated  ere  this,  you  cannot  run  a  colliery 
on  enquiries.  Indeed,  the  Welsh  coalowner  is  altogether 
too  "  downy  "  to  attempt  any  such  thing.  Thus  it  comes 
about,  that  values  in  this  particular  portion  of  the  merry 
whirl,  are  ranging  along  between  12s.  9d.  and  13s.  3d.  If 
you  have  excessive  powers  of  persuasion,  you  can  buy 
for  12s.  9d. ;  if  the  other  fellow  is  best  at  the  persuasive- 
ness, he  will  sell  at  13s.  3d. ! 

SECOND  CARDIFFS  are  ticketted  for  sale,  at  between 
12s.  6d.  to  12s.  9d.,  and.  continue  in  much  the  same 
position,  generally,  as  afeaur  last  time  of  addressing  you. 
If  one  may  judge  from  indications — and  that,  after  all, 
is  about  what  one  has  to  judge  from  ? — these  qualities 
are  not  likely  to  show  any  great  improvement  in  the  near 
future.  Always,  of  course,  barring  the  unexpected. 
True,  there  are  a  few  collieries  in  this  group,  which  are 
rather  more  comfortably  situated  than  their  competitors, 
and  in  their  case,  the  prices  have  been  fairly  well-main- 
tained, by  their  exploiters,  at  around  12s.  9d.  But  on 
the  whole,  stems  are  certainly  easy,  and  with  a  supply 
considerably  in  excess  of  the  demand,  buyers  who  are 
enabled  to  fit  in  their  requirements  so  that  they  suit  the 
particular  colliery's  stem,  find  that  they  are  enabled  to 
"  consesh,"  to  an  appreciable  degree  below  the  quotation. 
Thus,  while  the  top  sorts  are  steady  at  the  9d.,  others 
are  obtainable  at  12s.  6d.,  while  with  a.  little  patient 
thinking  and  speechifying,  12s.  3d.  is  anything  but  an 
impossible  price.  And  this,  in  spite  of  the  approach  of 
the  holidays ! 

DRYS  also,  show  no  improvement,  for  they  are  easy 
both  in  condition  and  in  price.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  this 
grade,  in  so  far  as  new  business  is  concerned,  fulfil  their 
descriptive  !  Furthermore,  the  absence  of  demand  is 
tumbling  them  over  toward  greater  weakness.  The 
collieries'  stems  are  on  the  easy  grade,  and  buyers  have 


no  difficulty  in  securing  all  they  require  at  advantageous 
terms.  For  BESTS,  the  quoted  figures  are  12s.— the 
actual  figures  paid,  11s.  9d. 

MONMOUTHSHIRE  COALS  are  about  maintained  at 
previous  figures,  and  although  these  are  certainly 
steadier,  there  is  an  absence  of  any  firmness,  in  values, 
that  is  worthy  of  note.  The  collieries  are  working  more 
steadily,  it  is  true  ;  but  the  demand  is  by  no  means 
active— as  the  word  is  understood  among  the  "fancy." 
It  cannot  well  be  otherwise,  seeing  that  stocks  are  yet 
too  heavy,  to  admit  of  sellers  shipping  the  stiff  lip  which 
is  necessary,  when  quotations  have  to  be  maintained. 
Thus  it  comes  about,  that  juggling  with  quotations  is  by 
no  means  difficult,  when  anything  approaching  that 
blessed  word  despatch  is  to  the  'fore.  Itemising,  we  find 
that  BLACK  VEINS  are  offered  at  11s.  6d.— Newport; 
and  while  we  are  bound  to  admit  that  this  is  the  price 
in  the  majority  of  instances,  it  might — with  a  bit  of 
pushfulness — be  improved  upon. 

ORDINARIES,  in  as  far  as  quotations  are  concerned, 
are  unchanged,  that  current  being  1 1s.  3d.  This  is,  how- 
ever, by  no  means  firm,  and  prompt  cargoes  may  easily 
be  arranged  for,  at  about  11s.  Nevertheless,  stems  are 
not  so  easy  with  all  the  collieries,  and  it  is  stated  that 
some  of  the  stuff  has  changed  hands  at  11s.  3d.;  if  so,  it 
was  merely  an  isolated  ease,  or  so,  and  has  been  by  no 
means  common.  The  request  in  this  section,  is  a  negli- 
gible quantity,  no  new  accumulations  are  toward,  prices 
are  just  easy,  and  the  actual  value  may  safely  be  con- 
sidered as  1  Is.  For  anything  required  forward,  sellers 
are  inclined  to  be  a  bit  more  obdurate  ;  but  there  is 
nothing  to  brag  about,  even  here. 

SECONDS  are  steadier,  ..having  been  favoured  with  a 
slightly  better  enquiry.  For  shipment  over  the  present 
week,  they  are  arrangeable  at  1  Os.  3d.,  but  for  anything 
ahead,  the  demand  is  10s.  6d.  Collieries,  here,  are 
better  stemmed,  and  are  busier  than  has  been  the  case 
of  late  ;  this  accounts  for  a  hardening  of  the  quotation — 
and  that  is  all.  INFERIORS,  too,  are  pretending  to  hold 
out  for  the  odd  threepence. 

RHONDDA  NUMBER  3'§'are  showing  an  easier  tone, 
seeing  that  the  demand  hdfai'n  has  eased  off  considerably 
of  late.  However,  sellers  have  a  sufficiency  stemmed  to 
enable  them — with  enterprise- -to  maintain  their  market, 
and  taken  all'round,  13s.  9d.,  is  fairly  well  adhered  to 
for  anything  required  for  an  early  date.  Indeed,  and  for 
this  position,  there  are  they  who  are  unable  to  negotiate 
any  further  business.  Admittedly,  there  is  but  little 
doing  outside  of  contracts,  so  that  prices  ahead  have  a 
weakening  tendency,  as  already  suggested.  THRO'S 
are  at  from  11s.  6d.  to  11s.  9d.,  with  SMALLS  between 
9s.  9d.  and  10s. 

RHONDDA  NUMBER  2's  are  quoted  at  10s.  3d.,  and '» 
much  larger  business  has  been  done  in  these,  than  for 
some  time  past—  especially  for  bunkering.  All  the  same, 
stems  are  by  no  means  tight,  and  supplies  are  fairly 
plentiful ;  this  means  that  positive  business — the  kind 
which  admits  of  no  shinnannakin,  you  know — would 
induce  the  seller  to  modify  his  demand  to,  at  least,  the 
extent  of  1  J^d. — aye,  or  to  3d.,  if  the  shipment  suited  his 
own  particular  ideas  of  the  fitness  of  things,  don'tcher- 
know.  All  the  same,  No.  2's  may  be  safely  written  down 
as  fairly  steady,  at  this  precise  moment. 

SMALLS — good  old  Smalls — in  the  matter  of  values, 
have  been  ruling  high.  So  much  so,  as  a  matter  of  fact, 
that  some  few  buyers  have  been  turning  their  fickle 


April    14,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


149 


affections  to  inferior  large  coal  for  bunkering  require- 
ments, rather  than  fall  in  with  the  haughty  tone  of  the 
would-be  SMALLS  seller.  But  getting  away  from  our 
little  bit  of  badinage,  we  are  compelled  to  admit  that  the 
supply  of  the  humble,  though  necessary  Small  coal  of 
commerce,  continues  in  the  sadly  limited  stage.  As  a 
result,  there  has  been  little  change  in  price — downward, 
at  least.  BESTS  have  been  easily  commanding  8s.  6d., 
and  it  is  asserted  (fearlessly)  that  instances  are  not 
unknown,  where  higher  than  this  has  been  paid.  This 
may  easily  be  when  buyer  is  restricted  to  one  particular 
quality — or  where  buyer  is  merely  an  agent  for  an  out- 
lander  in  which  case  the  outlander  never  really  knows 


what  is  doing  ? — but  transactions  have  been  chiefly 
based  on  the  6d.  limit,  at  which  sellers  are  more  or  less 
firm.  SECONDS,  range  from  7s.  6d.  to  8s.;  ORDINARIES, 
from  7s.  3d.  to  7s.  6d.  And  during  the  past  few  days,  an 
easiness  has  been  noticeable,  on  account  of  the  increased 
shipments  of  Large  Coals. 

PATENT  FUELS  are  steady  at  recent  figures,  which' 
have  undergone  no  change.  The  demand,  here,  is 
merely  moderate.  PlTWOOD,  too,  has  shown  no 
improvement,  as  stocks  are  plentiful.  Moreover,  the 
business  in  Pitwood  is  the  reverse  of  brisk,  and  prices 
remain  easy,  at  16s.  6d./16s.  9d. 


FIGURES     FOR     THE     WEEK,     ARE     AS     FOLLOW; — 

(All  quotations  f.o.b.  at  the  respective  ports  of  shipment. j 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Best  Cardiff  Ad'alty  Urge 

129.  gd.,  133.  3d 

133.  od. 

133.  ocl. 

135.  lid. 

133.  od.,  135.  3d. 

133.  od.,  133.  3d. 

Second         Ditto. 

12s.  6d..  I2s.  gd. 

123.  gd. 

123.  7id. 

I2S.  "id. 

I2s.  6d. 

123.  gd. 

Other  Second  Cardiff     ... 

1  IS.  gd. 

i  is.  gd. 

iis.  6d.,  i  is.  gd. 

us.  7id. 

us.  gd. 

us.  gd. 

Drys 

I2S.  Oil. 

I2S.  Cvl.,   123.  3(1. 

us.  gd.,  12s.  od. 

123.  Od. 

us.  gd. 

us.  gd.,  i2s.  od. 

Best  Newport 

IK.  txl. 

us.  4'd. 

us.  4id. 

us.  6d. 

us.  3d.,  us.  6d. 

1  1  s.  6d. 

Ordinar)  Bests 
Seconds 

iis.  o  1..  iis.  3d. 
ios.  .vl 

us.  I'd. 
ios.  4T,d. 

us.  lid. 
ios.  6d. 

us.  od.,  us.  3d. 
ios.  6d. 

us.  3(1. 
ios.  3d.,  ios.  6d. 

us.  lid. 
ios.  6d. 

Best  House  Coal 

i6s.  6d.,  I7s.  od 

i6s.  gd. 

i6s.  gel. 

i6s.  6d. 

i6s.  6d. 

1  6s.  3d.,  1  6s.  gd. 

No.  3  Rhondda 

i  ;-.  gd. 

13*.  gd. 

133.  6d.,  133.  gd. 

I3b.  7id. 

133.  7id. 

133.  6d.,  135.  gd. 

No.  2          Ditto. 

ios.  od.,  ios.  3d. 

ios.  lid. 

ios.  ocl. 

ios.  ocl. 

ios.  od.,  ios.  3d. 

ios.  lid. 

Rhondda  :i  ••  Thro." 

i  -•-.  od. 

us.  gd. 

us.  gd. 

us.  6d.,  123.  od. 

i  is.  6d.,  i  is.  gd. 

1  1  s.  gd. 

..        Z        .. 

8s.  yl..  8s.  od. 

8s.  od. 

8s.  6d. 

8s.  3d.,  8s.  6d. 

8s.  6d.,  8s.  gd. 

8s.  6d. 

Smalls: 

' 

Best  Cardiff 

8s.  6d. 

8s.  6d. 

8s.  3  1.  8s.  6d. 

8s..  3d. 

8s.  3d. 

8s.  3d  ,  8s.  6d. 

Seconds 

7s.  6d.,  8s.  od. 

8s.  od. 

7s.  gd. 

73.  gd. 

73.  6d.,  73.  gd. 

73.  6d.,  73.  gd. 

Ordinaries 

79.  6d.,  7s.  9d. 

7s.  6d. 

73.  6d. 

73.  3d.,  73.  6d. 

7s.  4jd. 

73.  3d.,  73.  6d. 

Best  Newport 

7».  6d..  7s.  od 

:•*•  7i<i- 

73.  7id. 

73.  6d. 

7s.  6d. 

75  3d.,  73.  6d. 

Seconds 

79.  a!.,  79  3d. 

7--  3'1- 

73.  3d. 

73.  od. 

73.  od. 

Cs.  gd.,  73.  od. 

Rhondda  No.  2 

6<l. 

7*  3fl- 

73.  3d. 

75.  3d.,  73.  6d. 

73.  6d. 

7s.  3d.,  73.  6d. 

No.  3 

as.  r,d.,  IDS  od. 

10*.  od. 

93.  gd. 

93.  gd. 

93.  6d.,  ios.  od. 

gs.  6d.,  gs.  gd. 

Foundry  Coke  : 

Special 

219.  od.,  229.  O(l. 

213.  6d. 

2is.  6d. 

2  IS.  0(1.,    2  IS.  6d. 

2  is.  o:l. 

2  IS.  Od. 

OrJinan 

'•  -                    ' 

173.  6d..  iSs.  od. 

i-s.  6d. 

173.  6d.,  173.  gd. 

173.  6d. 

173.  od.,  1  8s.  od. 

Furnace  Coke 

159.  od.,  IDS.  od. 

l6s.  od. 

i6s.  od. 

153.  gd. 

153.  gd. 

153.  6d.,  1  6s.  od. 

Patent  Fuel 

.*!• 

133.  v\. 

133.  od. 

133.  od. 

123.  gd.,  135.  3d. 

133.  od. 

Pltwood    ex  ship 

16*.  6(1.,  ifs.  od 

1-  s.  fill. 

l6s.  6(1. 

l6s.  Q'l. 

i^s.  fid.  .  i~s.  od. 

All.  less  2,4  per  cent,  discount,  with  payment  at  thirty  days,  except  where  otherwise  stated. 
All  quotation*  for  large  Coals  imply  Colliery  Screened. 


SWANSEA,  April  12.  190S. 

THE  market,  here.  ha»  shown  no  improvement  since  our  last,  and 
for  prompt  shipment  prices  continue  weak,  all  'round.  New  business 
being  limited,  buyers  find  that  the  market  is  much  in  their  favour  ; 
but  this,  notwithstanding,  there  has  been  the  reverse  of  a  deal  of 
bookings.  The  demand  for  all  descriptions  has  been  very  moderate. 
and  the  prospects  of  any  improvement  is  not  reassuring. 

AHTHRACITE  COALS,  for  prompt  shipment  are  rather  plentiful,  and 
with  but  little  request  sellers  have  be|«n  disposed  to  conciliate  buyers 
in  the  matter  of  price.  BEST  MALTIMG  descriptions  are  fairly  well 
stemmed,  and  there  has  been  little  change  in  the  quotation,  which 
ranges  from  18s.  to  19s.  RED  &  Bio  VEIN  sorts  are  still  easy. 
although  shipping  has  been  heavier,  so  that  prices  are  about  main- 
tained :  but  nothing  more. 

MACHINE  MADE  COALS  show  no  improvement  and  the  absence  of 


new  business  is  making  itself  felt.     There  has  been  but  little  demand, 
and  stocks  being  heavy,  weakness  is  the  characteristic  of  this  section. 

CULM,  however,  retains  its  firmness.  Outputs  being  somewhat 
restricted,  the  demand  still,  exceeds  the  supply,  and  as  this  has  been 
well  up  to  the  average,  prices  have  shown  no  alteration.  Bests  are 
selling  at  5s. ;  with  Inferiors  at  from  4s.  6d.  to  4s.  9d. 

STEAMS  are  quiet,  and  there  has  been  no  improvement  in  the  enquiry 
during  the  week.  Consequently,  values  remain  on  a  par  with  those 
ruling  at  our  last  writing.  Here  and  there,  however,  these 
are  steadier,  where  better  stemming  has  resulted.  New  business  is 
still  far  too  limited  to  admit  of  any  firmness  in  values  which,  for 
prompt  shipment,  are  nothing  but  easy.  BESTS  can  be  marked  at  1 3s., 
SECONDS  1  Is.  9d.  to  12s.  BUNKER  qualities  are  a  trifle  steadier. 

PATENT  FUELS  are  rather  easier  at  from  1  Is.  9d.  to  12s.  6d.,  but 
there  is  not  an  active  demand  for  them. 


BELOW,  we  give  tha-average  prices  for  the  week  :— 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

Anthracite: 

- 

Best    Hand    Picked 
Malting  Ur«e      ... 
Seconds    do. 
BIX  Vein  UrKe 
9*    .. 
Machine  Made  Cnhbles    ... 
..    Nits 
„     Peas 
tibbly  Cilm 
Diff 

189.  gd 
179.  od.,  179.  6d. 
Its.  6d.,  I2S.  od. 
99.  gd..  ion.  od. 
ids.  ocl.,  179.  od. 
169.  6.1 

IO9.  Od.,    119.  Oil. 

59.  od..  59.  3d. 
3*.  od..  V-  <*'• 

i8s.  gd.,  igs.  od. 
179.  3d. 
1  1  s.  gd. 
gs.  gd. 
i6s.  6d. 
i6s.  od. 
gs.  gd. 
Ss.  3d. 

igs.  od. 
173.  3d. 
us.  gd. 
gs  gd. 
i  s.  6d. 
i6s.  gd. 
gs.  gd. 
;s.  3d. 
3S.  3d- 

183.  6d.,  igs.  od. 
173.  6d 
us.  6t.,  i  is.  od. 
gs.  6d.    gs.  gd. 
163.  3d.,  163.  6d. 
163.  gd. 
ios.  od. 
53.  i  id. 
3s.  6d. 

igs.  od. 
173.  6d.,  iSs.  od. 
us.  6d. 
93.  7,Jd. 
1  6s.  4jd. 
i6s.  6d.,  163.  gd. 
ios.  od. 

33.  od.,  33.  6d. 

i8s.  6d.,  igs.  od. 
173.  gd. 
us.  7jd. 
gs.  6d.,  gs.  gd. 
163.  3d.,  i6s.  6d. 
1  6s.  3d.,  i6s.  gd. 
gs.  gd.,  ios.  gd. 
53.  od.,  53.  3d. 
33.  od.,  33.  3d. 

Patent  Fiel  : 

128.  Od. 

129.  0(1. 

us.  gd.,  123.  od. 

123.  Od. 

.       . 

us.  6d.,  123.  od. 

us.  gd. 

Steam  : 
Best    Large 
Seconds  ,, 
Banker    ., 
Thro'  and  Thro' 

139.  od.,  ijs.  3<1. 
od 
ios.  6d.,  U9.  od. 
89.  6d.,  *9.  gd. 

iis.  cxl. 

123.  0  '. 

ios.  od. 

8s.  g.1. 

135.  od. 
us.  gd. 
ios.  gd. 
8s.  (d. 

i2s.  gd.,  133.  30. 
i  is.  gd. 
ios.  7',d. 
8s.  6d. 

133.  ocl. 
i  is.  gd.,  i2s.  od. 
ios.  6d.,  ios.  gd. 
8s.  6d.,  8s.  gd. 

133.  od. 
i  is.  6d.,  I2s.  od. 
ios.  7id. 
8s.  7^3. 

150 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


April  14,   1905 


COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES. 


CARDIFF.  April  12.  1905. 

HERE  we  are.  again,  as  some  other  fellow  said,  at  some  other  time, 
and  in  the  main,  we  think  we  may  safely  assert  that  the  freight  market 
is  a  bit  brisker  than  at  our  last  time  of  writing.  There  is  nothing  to 
brag  about  in  rates,  which  are.  practically,  unchanged. 

FOR  the  Eastern  theatre,  there  is  just  a  move  and  that  is  all.  When 
SINGAPORE  is  doing  for  8s..  and  MAURITIUS  for  10s.  6d.  well,  it  is 
unnecessary  to  pursue  the  vexing  subject  farther  ? 

WESTWARD,  the  Star  of  Empire,  and  rotten  rates  pursue  their  united 
way.  Not  that  the  Star  has  much  to  do  with  the  freights,  or  vice 
versa ;  but  with  the  PLATE  hopping  along  between  7s.  3d.  and  7s.  6d. 

option  ROSARIO.  at  8s.  6d.  :  well  it  is  of  little  use  to  write  overmuch 
about  it?  For  the  ISLANDS,  there  is  a  little  doing,  at  last  rates  ;  same 
thing  applies  to  Rio  DE  JANEIRO. 

FOR  MEDITERRANEAN  business,  there  has  been  a  little  more  activity 
than  during  the  previous  week,  at  rates  as  scheduled  below  ;  and  for 
the  Bay.  a  moderate  amount  of  business  has  passed,  again  at  prices 
below. 

THE  COASTING  trade  keeps  just  middling  in  quantity,  but  with  a  drop 
-  -some  instances  appreciable ;  other  not  quite  so  apparent  -in  most 
directions.  Taken  altogether,  the  outlook  is  not  so  overbright,  is  it  ? 
Nevertheless,  there  is  quite  a  rush  for  the  business  that  is  about,  and 
thus  it  follows  that  the  "  bulge "  is  still  with  the  gentle  charterer. 
Pessimists  declare,  that  never  again  will  shipowner  see  times  equiva- 
lent to  those  which  have  gone.  Personally,  we  shouldn't  wonder,  a 
bit.  Other  times,  other  manners  ;  other  manners,  other  freights— and 
there  it  is. 

Week  Ending,  (Wednesday),  April  12,  1905 

(N)  denotes   Newport,    (8)  Swansea,     P.  T.)   Port    Talbot.    loading. 

EASTERN. 

Singapore,     Steamer, 
Mauritius,     Allaiilon,   los.  Cd. 

WESTWARD,     Etc. 

River  Plate.     Roseinoitnl,  4,500  tons,    73.  jd. 

Steamer,  3,000  tons,    73.  6d.   option    Rosario,    8s.  6d. 

Steam  ?r,    js.  6d. 

Steamer,  3,000  tons,  73.  44d. 
Cape  Verdes,     Baifdale,    4,200  tons,   6s.  6d. 
Las  Pal  mas,     Concord,  3,800  tons,  55.  9d.    option    Cape 
Verdes,  6s.  6d. 

San  Tflmo,   1,700  tons,  6s.  6d.,  option  Madeira 
Dakar,     Hotgate,    73.  3d. 

Majestic,  4,200  tons.  73.  3d.  coal,  8s.  fuel 
Rio  de  Janeiro,     Persiana,  5,000  tons,   8s.  gd. 

Ponlof),  4,200  tons,    8s.  gd. 

Steamer,    5,000  tons,    8s.  gd. 

Montreal,     Atbara,   1,500  tons,  (part  cargo),  45.  gd.    (s). 
Tandjong  Priok,    Steamer,   8s.  Md. 
Madeira,  l)oim>,  800  tons,  6s.  6d. 

I'arringford,  4,000  tons,   6s.  option  Las  Pal  mas. 
Zarate,     Enterprise,  2, 300?  tons,    75.  6d. 

MEDITERRANEAN,     Etc. 

Port  Said,     Turringlon,  8,060  tuns,   6s. 

Moorfield,  5,400  tons,    6s. 

Ben  Nevis,     6s. 
Genoa,     Slanlmpc,    4,200    tons,    6s.  6d.    ppt. 

Segonlian,   1,300  tons,  6s.  4jd. 

Steamer,  8/900  tons,    i  zs.  6d.   plates. 

Selby,  2,500  tons,    73.  spot. 

Deipara,  3.500  tons,   6s.  gd.  ppt. 

Steamer,    3,300  tons,   6s.  6d. 

lifrlha,   2,900  tons,    6s.  gd. 
Alexandria,     Antonio,   4,100  tons,   6s.  4.jd. 

Rosslyn,  5,200  tons,    6s.  2d. 

Steamer,    5,200  tons,    6s.  i^d. 
Algiers,     Steamer,    2,600  tons,    7  francs. 

I. n  I'ininr,    2,000  tons,    7-50   fcs.   coal,    8-50    fcs.    fuel, 
400  delivery. 

Elorrio,   1,600  tons,    7-25  francs. 
Constantinople,    Jupiter,  2,600  tons,  6s.  4J<1. 

/><-;',i/ff,in,  3,000  tons,    6s.  fid.  option    Piraeus. 

Westow,  3,  i  oo  tons,    <>s.  6<l. 

AV/i/i'.sAw,   3,000  tons,   6s. 
Naples,     Steamer,    4,600  tons,    6s.  2d.      1,000  dely. 

r'urlur,  4,500  tons,    6s.  4. id.   1,000  dely. 
Venice,     Ittdtfidettter,  3,000  tons,    75.  fid. 
imer,  2,800  tons,    7*.  7  jd. 

Steamer,  4,200  tons,    ?s.    ppt. 

Steamer,  3,600  tons,  /s. 


Marseilles,     Dolcoath,  2,100  tons,   8  fcs. 

Steamer,    2,000  tons,    8  fcs. 

City,  4,000  tons,    8-50  francs. 

Ella  Saver,  3,600  tons,    8-50  francs,    spot. 

Peterslon,  3,600  tons,   8-50  francs. 

Steamer,  4,000  tons,   8  francs. 

Richard,    2,100  tons,    8-25  francs. 

Glenby,  2,600  tons,   8-25  francs. 

Inca,  4,400  tons,  8  francs 
Messina,     Licata,  2,800  tons,   6s.  7-jd. 

Steamer,   1,750  tons,  js.  6d.  (s). 

Torre,     Rosario,  3,500  tons,  6s.  gd.   option    Leghorn. 
Spezzia,     Arethusa,  2,300  tons,  6s.  7^d. 
Brindisi,     Bushmills,    3,300  tons,    6s.  6d. 
Porto  Vecchio  di  Piombino,     Duchess,   1,600  tons,  6s.  gd. 
Trieste,     Atlantico,  4,900  tons,    73. 
Marmarice,    (Near  Smyrna),    Pendeen,  3,100  tons,    55.  6d. 

New  Orleans,  5,400  tons,    53.  gd.   (Admiralty). 

Dmgwall,     2,600    tons,     53.  gd.  ,, 

Smyrna,     Austria,   2,500  tons,   6s.  gd.   (N). 
Bougie,     Steamer,   7-75  fcs.  coal,   8-75  fcs.  fuel,    (s). 
Licata,     Cheriton,   1,300  tons,    73.  gd.  (s). 
Lisbon,     Ulhenhorst,    45.  gd.    (N). 

Garth,  43.  gd. 

Valencia,,    Genova,    i.iootons,    6s.  3d.  coal,    75.    fuel,  (s). 
Piraeus,     Lova  I  Briton  3,400  tons,    6s.  fid.    (N). 
Gibraltar,     Corso,   2,700  tons,    33.  yd.  (Admiralty). 

Muriel,     2,800  tons,    33.  gd.  „ 

Rhio,  3,400  tons,  33.  gd.  (Admiralty  a  c) 
Sfax,     Helios,  2,000  tons,   8-50  francs. 
Bona,     Larpool,   1,700  tons,    8-j5  francs,    coal,   9-75  francs. 

fuel,    (s). 

Ancona,     Steamer,    2,600  tons,  js.  gd.  coal,  8s.  6d.  fuel,  (s). 
CivitaVecchia,  Steamer,  2,500  tons,  73.  6d. 
Aguilas,  Steamer,  6s.   lo.^d. 
Danube,  Steamer,   1,500  tons,  73. 
Bilbao  Jason,    1,000  tons,  33.  gd.  (N). 

BAY,     Etc. 

St.   Nazaire,     Abertay,   1,200  tons,    4-12!  francs 

Ollargan,   2,900  tons,    4  francs. 

Saxon,  or  sub.,  2,000  tons,  4-25  fcs. 

Bordeaux,     Mangara,  2,300  tons,     4'62.|    francs,     (s). 
Nantes,     Udsirc,    1,200  tons,     4-50  fcs,    (s). 

Devonia,    1.400  tons,    4-40  francs,    spot. 
Rocheforte,     Inncsmoor,    i, 800  tons,  4-12!  francs. 
Sables,     Louise,   i,6oc  tons,    4-12!  fcs. 

BALTIC,  Etc. 

Copenhagen,     F.  C.  Anderson,  53.   (s). 
Stockholm,     Rupel,  2,800  tons,   43.  3d. 

Rikard  Nordmak,  1,400  tons,  53.  (s). 
Swinemunde,  Refugio,  $600  tons,  43. 
Cronstadt,  Cornucopia,  1,500  tons,  53.  3d.  (s). 

COASTING,     Etc. 

Devonport,   Throstlegarth  2,100  tons,  23.  4|d.  (Adm'ltya/c) 

Elemore,     1,150    tons,    zs.  3d. 
Dalmuir,     Stream  Fisher,  500  tons,    33.  io^d.          ,', 

Diamond,     500    tons,    33.    io|d.  n 

Portland,     Sheldon,     1,750   tons,     25.    3d. 
Dover,     Tees,     280   tons,   53. 
St.  Malo,     Glynn,  1,450  tons,  33.  j±d.  spot. 
Fecamp,     Marchioness,  600  tons,  45.  6d.   (s). 

Iron  King,   510  tons,    43.  fid.     (s). 
Caen,     Lizze,  i.iootons,    43.  (s). 

Johanna,   1,500  tons,    43.   (s). 
Rouen,     Alice  M.  Craig,   1,200  tons,    43.  fid.  (s). 

Skrim,  (?)  850  tons,  45.  gd.   (s). 

St.  Andre,  1,450  tons,  43.  6d.  (s). 
Guernsey,     'lees,  260  tons,   4$.  gd.  (s). 
Sheerness     Speedwell,   1,200  tons,    33.  3d.     (Admiralty). 
St.  Valery  sur  Somme,     Sea  Spray,    500  tons,  6s.  3d.   (s). 
San  Feliu  de  Guixolles,    Steamer,    7/800  tons,  8s.  4id. 

coal,   gs.  4^d.   fuel  (s) 
Honfleur,  Ituna,  700  tons,  43. 

Brest,     Sound  Fisher,    500   tons,   4s.   6d.,   200  dely. 
London,  Ravensworth,  950  tons,  33.  gd.  (s). 

HOMEWARD. 

Huelva  to  Swansea,     Cassia,  r,76  n.   55.  3d.  ore. 

Gala  Conchas  to  Newport,  Dunsley,  2,800  tons,  55  6d.  f.d. 


April    14,    1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW 


MARITIME  OAT^R  MONEY  MATTERS. 


THE  need  for  an  extension  in  the  salvage  business 
has  been  commented  on  in  these  columns,  on 
several  occasions.  It  is  a  need  that  cannot  be 
gainsaid,  and  to-date,  but  few  people— comparatively 
few,  that  is-  have  concerned  themselves  with  the 
matter;  have  appeared  to  be  of  opinion  that  it  is  just  as 
well  to  depend  on  the  foreigner  for  salvage-plant,  as  it  is 
for  seamen  to  man  the  vessels  which  might  ultimately 
become  in  need  of  salvage.  Anyhow,  for  an  Empire  of 
the  size  and  importance  of  that  known  as  the  British, 
its  salvage  facilities  are  disgustingly  inadequate.  So 
much  so,  indeed,  that  whenever  a  really  important  case 
is  in  need  of  attention,  the  general  custom  is  to  obtain 
the  services  of  an  affair  made  in  Germany,  or  Scalwegia. 

+  •»••«• 

HOWEVER,  this  sinful  state  of  affairs  is  by  way  of 
being  remedied- to  a  certain  extent;  and  it  is  matter 
for  indifference  whether  the  Revival,  and  its  consequent 
Salvage  of  Souls  is  responsible  ;  or  if  some  other,  and 
merely  commercial  instinct,  is  at  the  bottom  of  the 
newest  venture  in  this  direction.  Whichever  way  you 
care  to  consider  the  business,  the  Cornish  Salvage 
Company.  Limited,  has  been  registered,  and  if  there  is  a 
startling  lack  of  nautical  gentlemen  in  the  subscribers  to 
the  registration,  this  is  a  little  matter  that  may  easily  be 
overcome,  later  on.  Anyhow,  we  note  that  the  occupa- 
tions of  the  originators  of  the  C.S.C.- as  it  will,  we 
trust,  be  known  to  future  generations — are  clerk, 
accountant,  accountant,  merchant,  accountant,  ac- 
countant, accountant. 

•»•  -f  -f 

NOW,  if  this  were  a  company  formed  for  the  salvage 
of  those  unfortunate  people  who  trend  toward  the  brink 
of  bankruptcy  because  of  a  tangle-up  with  ledgers,  and 
things:  we  should  have  no  personal  qualm  as  to  its 
ultimate  success.  With  five  accountants  out  of  seven- 
and  one  of  the  odd  members  a  clerk— you  could  depend 
on  having  your  financial  affairs  salvaged  into  the  strait 
and  narrow  way,  that  branches  off  at  about  five-hundred 
paces  from  the  office  of  the  Official  Receiver?  That  is 
what  we  think,  anyway.  But  when  we  come  down  to 
marine  salvage,  towage,  and  lighterage — well,  we  are  by 
no  means  so  certain  of  our  ground.  Especially  if  it  is 
really  intended  to  confine  the  operations,  to  the  coast  of 
Cornwall,  yes!  In  the  words  of  the  vulgar  little  boy,  the 
coast  of  Cornwall  is  no  "  cop,"  when  salvage  operations 

are  about! 

•f   -f  •«• 

IN  proof  of  this,  it  is  only  necessary  to  remember  the 
Mohegan.  Paris,  etc.  And  coming  to  the  capital  which  it 
is  intended  to  halo  around  this  newest  salvage  concern-- 
well,  it  is  scheduled  as  £5.000.  in  £1  shares.  We  do  not 
wish  to  appear  as  unduly  pessimistic,  but  we  are  of 
opinion  that  you  cannot  purchase  much  salvage  plant 
for  £5,000— no  matter  how  you  size-up  the  value  of  the 
shares.  Of  course,  if  it  is  intended  to  carry  out  the 
Cornish  salvage  business  with  motor-boats — well,  you 
can  purchase  quite  a  number  of  them  for  the  money. 
Can't  you.  now  '.'  But  when  it  comes  down  to  a  considera- 
tion of  really  high-class  tug-boats;  Worthington  or 
other  equally  efficient  -pumps,  anchors,  chains,  and  all 
the  other  impedimenta  which  go  to  make  up  an  up-to- 
date  salvage  plant;  well,  your  £5,000  won't  go  very  far; 
not  if  you  apportion  the  stuff  into  £10  shares,  instead  of 
the  £1  variety. 

•f  •»•  -f 

ALL  the  same,  we  wish  the  new  venture  every  success, 
and  are  of  opinion  that  the  same  should  coruscate  around 
the  efforts  of  the  clerical  gentlemen  who  have  rushed  in, 


so  to  speak,  where  nautically  experienced  men  have 
feared  to  tread.  It  is  because  of  such  enterprise  as  this, 
that  Britain  has  acquired  her  present  lead  in  the  van  of 
commercial  importance  ;  and  we  should  not  be  surprised 
to  note,  that  some  of  Cardiff's  shipowning  kings  had  now 
been  shamed  into  going  one  better;  into  floating  a 
company  with  a  capital  of  about  a  million— in  which 
case,  Cardiff  could  be  sure  of  having  a  salvage  plant, 
worthy  of  consideration.  Anyhow,  the  pioneer  salvage 
concern  has  a  fair  belief  in  its  own  reason  of  existence  ; 
at  least,  we  should  imagine  so;  for  there  is  to  be  no 
initial  public  issue;  and  Table  "A"  will  mainly  apply; 
while  the  registered  offices  of  the  company  will  be  down 
in  Bute  Street,  which  is  sufficiently  near  to  the  proposed 
venue  for  operations  '? 

WE  shall  keep  our  metaphorical  eye  on  the  future 
developments  of  this  plucky  little  combination.  We 
know  there  is  money  in  salvage  work — sometimes ; 
especially  where  the  work  is  undertaken  on  the  "  no 
cure,  no  pay"  basis,  and  where  ultimately  the  "  cure  " 
is  conspicuous  by  its  absence  !  Furthermore,  the  trouble 
with  some  other,  and  more  ambitious  affairs  which  have 
flourished — more  or  less — in  the  past,  has  been  in  the 
matter  of  over-capitalisation,  to  which  was  added  the 
weight  of  too  big  a  number  of  "  experts,"  for  whom 
salaries  had  to  be  found.  In  the  case  of  the  Cornish 
Salvage  Company,  Limited,  there  is  absolutely  no  fear 
of  over-capitalization  ;  and  if  the  tactics  which  were 
employed  in  the  registration,  are  carried  out  in  the 
working  thereof,  there  will  be  no  over-weighting  by  the 
"expert,"  and  the  need  of  finding  him  his  screw.  By 
"  expert,"  we  mean,  of  course,  the  nautical  gentleman 

who   is   going   to  show   his   employers    "all  about  it" 

by  and  bye ! 

WHAT'S  in  a  name?  A  lot,  sometimes.  So  is  there 
in  the  power  which  the  name  covers.  There  is  the 
Shawinigan  Water  and  Power  Company,  for  instance. 
It  is  a  Canadian  undertaking,  and  it  is  appealing  to  the 
British  investor,  for  a  few  shekels.  We  haven't  room  to 
go  into  the  particulars  of  the  capitalisation  of  the  Shaw- 
inigan concern.  We  are  more  intent  on  totting  up  the 
power  which  is  in  the  nan^f— or  in  the  undertaking 
which  shelters  behind  the  name.  When  you  remember 
that — according  to  the  Company's  prospectus — its  works 
are  now  developed  to  the  point  which  makes  available 
the  whole  of  100,000  horse-power;  well,  you  will  agree 
that  there  is  a  quantity  of  power  in  a  name,  at  times? 
True,  the  power  is  in  Canada,  and  the  British  investor 
-rW*ll  be  in  Britain — if  he  so  ehobses  ;  but  what  of  that  ? 
Still  the  thing  is  a  big  one,  as  Canadian  affairs  go,  to-day. 

IN  leaving  the  Shawinigan — we  like  the  name  ;  there 
is  such  a  tickling  amount  of  euphony  about  it — concern, 
we  might  as  well  show  you  how  very  important  it  is,  as 
to  capital  ?  Very  well !  Its  share  capital  is — all  in 
dollars — 6,500,000;  the  mortgage  bonds  authorised  tot 
up  to  5,000,000,  of  which  2,000,000  have  already  been 
issued ;  and  the  present  bid  is  for  another  2,000,000 — 
thus  leaving  yet  another  1,000,000  for  a  future  bid.  By 
this  you  will  see  that  not  only  is  Shawinigan  Water  and 
Power  Company,  an  "  influential  "  affair,  for  it  is  more. 
It  has  the  water  (at  Shawinigan  Falls,  you'll  note)  ;  and 
it  has  the  power  to  raise  another  million  dollars,  even 
after  the  present  bid  is  well-responded  to,  by  the  Briton 
who  has  become  sick  of  investing  in  shipping  which 
merely  floats  on  water— when  there  is  no  paper  about  1 
Here  let  us  leave  it ! 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


April  14,   1905 


SHIPBUILDING. 


IT  is  reported  that  five  of  the  steamers  managed  by 
Messrs.  Phelps  Brothers.  Liverpool,  have  been  sold  to 
London  buyers,  viz. : 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Powhatan,  built  and  engined  by 
the  Barrow  Shipbuilding  Co..  Ltd..  Barrow,  in  1886, 
2.536  tons  gross  :  dimensions  510ft.  x  38ft.  x  26ft.  8in.; 
about  3.500  tons  deadweight :  with  engines  18in..  38in.. 
60in.  x  42in.  stroke. 

THE  steel  screw  steamers  Pocahontas  and  Pocasset, 
sister  ships,  both  built  and  engined  by  Messrs.  R.  Stephen- 
son  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  in  1 889.  2,675  tons  gross;  dimensions 
300ft.  x  39ft.  2in.  x  27ft.  6in.;  about  3,800  tons  dead- 
weight :  with  engines  25in.,  39in.,  62in.  x  42in.  stroke. 

THE  iron  screw  steamer  Pawnee,  built  by  Messrs.  T. 
Royden  &  Sons.  Liverpool,  in  1881.  1,798  tons  gross; 
dimensions  277ft.  Sin.  x  34ft.  6in.  x  25ft.  6in.;  about 
2,450  tons  deadweight;  with  engines  21  '2  in.,  53in.  x  39in. 
stroke;  new  boilers  fitted  in  1897. 

THE  iron  screw  steamer  Picqua,  built  by  Messrs.  T. 
Royden  &  Sons.  Liverpool,  in  1882:  1,796  tons  gross; 
dimensions  277ft.  6in.  x  34ft.  6in.  x  25ft.  6in.;  about 
2,450  tons  deadweight ;  with  engines  22in-,  53in.  x  39in. 
stroke  :  new  boilers  fitted  in  1898. 

WE  understand  the  price  paid  is  £35,000  for  the  lot, 
they  will  be  sent  out  East,  where  the  purchasers  will  try 

and  re-sell  the  boats  to  Japan. 

•f  +  + 

MESSRS.  WM.  GRAY  &  Co..  Ltd..  West  Hartlepool,  an- 
nounce that  the  steamer  Pruth,  launched  last  week  to  the 
order  of  the  Mercantile  Steamship  Company,  Ltd.,  of 
London,  is  the  seven  hundredth  vessel  which  they  have 
built.  As  the  yard  is  by  no  means  the  oldest  in  the 
country — the  business  being  only  in  the  second  generation 
—the  record  is  very  remarkable  and  surely  not  many  firms 
can  boast  of  having  launched  700  vessels.  The  firm  was 
founded  by  the  late  Sir  William  Gray,  who  is  still  fresh  in 
the  memory  of  British  shipbuilders,  and  all  the  vessels 
have  been  put  into  the  water  since  the  advent  of  iron 
steamships,  so  that  only  a  shipyard  with  great  resources 
for  turning  out  work  quickly,  and  on  a  large  scale,  could 
perform  the  feat.  For  many  years  past,  Messrs.  Gray 
have  made  a  practice  of  engining  all  the  vessels  they 
build,  so  that  a  very  large  proportion  of  the  700  vessels 
have  been  built,  engined  and  fully  equipped  on  the 
company's  premises,  and  without  recourse  to  outside 

contractors. 

+  +  + 

THE  oil  tank  steamer  Prometheus,  built  by  the  Palmer 
Shipbuilding  and  Iron  Company,  at  Jarrow,  has  been  sold 
to  a  German  oil  carrying  company.  This  steamer  has  laid 
up  in  the  Tyne  since  she  was  launched  two  years  ago. 
She  was  built  for  Sir  Christopher  Furness,  who  sold  her 
about  two  months  ago  to  the  Anglo  American  Oil  Co.,  Ltd., 
who  have  resold  her  to  a  Hamburg  firm.  The  Prometheus 
is  a  fine  up-to-date  oil  carrier,  with  a  capacity  of  8,600 
tons,  and  the  original  contract  price  is  said  to  have  been 
over  £100.000.  but  we  understand  she  has  been  sold  at 

considerably  less  money. 

+  +  + 

WE  understand  that  Messrs.  T.  Stephens  &  Sons, 
London,  have  bought  a  new  steamer,  now  building  by 
Messrs.  Short  Brothers,  Sunderland.  for  about  £35,000. 
Her  dimensions  are,  363ft.  x  45ft.  x  25ft.  2in.:  two  decks, 
with  cargo  poop,  bridge  and  forecastle  :  about  5,750  tons 
deadweight.  The  machinery  will  be  supplied  by  Messrs. 
George  Clark.  Ltd.,  Sunderland,  having  engines  24Xin., 
40in.,  66in.  x  45in.  stroke,  and  two  single  ended  boilers 
13ft.  6in.  x  lift.  9in.  working  at  ISOlbs.  pressure.  The 
steamer  is  now  about  ready  for  launching. 


SHIPBUILDERS  on  the  Tyne,  Wear,  Tees  and  the  Hartle- 
pools  are  exceedingly  busy,  and  the  same  remark  applies 
to  the  Clyde,  but,  when  the  orders  at  present  on  hand  are 
executed,  builders  may  look  for  as  quiet  a  time  as  was 
experienced  at  the  latter  end  of  last  year.  This  statement 
is  made  in  view  of  the  present  condition  of  shipping  which 
is  anything  but  bright,  and  orders  for  new  tonnage  are 
now  very  scarce. 

WE  understand  that  Messrs.  Robinson  Brothers,  of 
Whitby,  have  sold  their  steel  screw  steamer  B.  T.  Robinson 
to  foreign  buyers,  at  about  £8,500.  She  was  built  by 
Messrs.  J.  Blumer  &  Co.,  Sunderland,  in  1889.  1,890  tons 
gross:  dimensions  275ft.  x  38ft.  x  19ft.  8in.;  about  2,800 
tons  deadweight ;  with  engines  21in.,  33in.,  54in.  x  39in. 
stroke,  by  Messrs.  Amos  &  Smith,  Hull. 

THE  iron  steam  trawler  Active,  lately  owned  by  the 
Pelham  Steam  Fishing  Company,  Ltd.,  Grimsby,  has  been 
sold  to  Messrs.  Neale  &  West,  Cardiff.  She  was  built  by 
Messrs.  Edwards  Brothers,  North  Shields,  in  1898. 
Dimensions  106ft.  x  20ft.  9in.  x  lift.;  with  engines  12in., 
18in.,  30in.  x  21  in.  stroke. 

MESSRS.  G.  &  J.  BURNS,  Glasgow,  have  invited  tenders  for 
the  construction  of  four  new  steamers  for  the  cross 
Channel  trade.  One  of  the  vessels  will  have  turbine 
machinery,  and  the  other  three  reciprocating  engines. 
They  are  all  to  be  larger  and  faster  than  the  present 

Burns'    boats. 

-f  +  + 

THE  turbines  of  the  new  Royal  turbine  yacht  for  his 
Majesty  the  King,  which  is  to  be  built  by  Messrs.  A.  &  J. 
Inglis,  of  Glasgow,  will  be  constructed  by  Parsons  Marine 
Steam  Turbine  Company,  Ltd.,  at  the  Turbinia  Works, 

Wallsend-on-Tyne. 

+  +  -f 

THE  North  British  Steam  Fishing  Company,  Ltd.,  of 
Aberdeen,  have  sold  their  steam  trawler  Ben  Edra,  to  the 
African  Fishing  &  Trading  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  North  Shields.  She 
was  built  and  engined  by  Messrs.  Hall,  Russell  &  Co.,  Aber- 
deen, 1901,  and  will  be  renamed  Star  of  the  Isles. 

+  -f  + 

THE  Belfast  Steamship  Company  have  ordered  two  fast 
steamers  for  the  Liverpool-Belfast  service.  Messrs. 
Harland  &  Wolff,  Ltd.,  have  secured  the  contract,  and  the 
new  vessels,  it  is  stated,  will  be  the  finest  and  fastest 
passenger  steamers  in  the  Irish  cross  Channel  service. 

THE  Navigazione  Generale  Italiana,  Rome,  have  ordered 
six  transatlantic  steamers  of  1 0,000  tons,  each.  The  Odero 
Shipbuilding  Company,  Genoa,  have  secured  the  contract. 

THE  steam  trawler  Robin,  built  by  Messrs.  J.  Duthie  & 
Co.,  Montrose,  in  1900,  has  been  sold  by  Mr.  J.  Lewis,  of 
Aberdeen,  to  Messrs.  Lyle  &  Carnie,  of  Granton. 

-f  -f  + 

THE  Wallasey  District  Council  will  shortly  invite  tenders 
from  shipbuilders  for  the  construction  of  two  ferry  steamers 
to  be  employed  on  the  Mersey. 

MR.  HANS  MULLER,  of  Stettin,  is  the  purchaser  of  the 
steamer  Ingleby,  recently  reported  sold.  She  has  been 
renamed  Friederike  Mueller. 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Henley,  lately  owned  by  Messrs. 
Watts,  Watts  &  Co.,  London,  has  been  sold  to  Japanese 
buyers. 

THE  steamer  Nord  II,  recently  purchased  by  the  Great 
Central  Railway  Company,  has  been  renamed  Wrexham. 


April   14,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


'53 


PATENTS  &  TRSDE  MSRKS 

Relating    to    SHIPPING   and    the    COAL    TRADE. 


Specifications  published  on  March  30,  1905,  together 
with  an  indication  of  their  subject  matter,  the  title 
being  printed  in  Italics. 

5,61 1  04 — CATLIN — Improvements  in  belt  conveyors. 

This  invention  relates  to  improved  means  for  driving 
and  supporting  the  belts  of  belt  conveyors.  According 
thereto  the  belts  pass  at  the  ends  of  their  travel  over 
leading  drums  and  are  driven  and  supported  by  one  or 
more  endless  cables  passing  over  separate  sheaves. 
The  actual  method  of  attachment  of  the  belt  to  the  cable 
or  cables  consists  of  a  number  of  hook-shaped  clips 
secured  to  the  edges  of  the  belt  which  clips  engage  the 
cable  or  cables,  after  the  belt  leaves  the  leading  drums. 

9,103  04— FABRIK  ELEKTRISCHER  ZUNDER— Improve- 
ments in  electric  igniting  devices  /or  miners'  safety  lamps  and 
the  like. 

This  invention  relates  to  an  apparatus  for  electrically 
igniting  miners'  lamps  by  means  of  a  relatively  fine 
wire  which  is  passed  over  the  wick  and  rendered  incan- 
descent by  a  relatively  feeble  current,  instead  of  the 
relatively  thick  durable  wire  now  employed  for  this 
purpose  which  requires  the  use  of  a  relatively  powerful 
current  to  render  it  incandescent.  For  this  purpose 
a  star  wheel  between  the  spokes  of  which  lengths  of  the 
said  thin  wire  are  stretched,  is  mounted  on  a  short 
vertical  spindle  so  as  to  be  able  to  rotate  horizontally  at 
the  end  of  a  tubular  rod,  which  in  turn  forms  a  spring 
ejected  plunger  arranged  to  slide  in  a  tube  secured  to 
the  side  of  the  wick  holder  of  the  lamp.  When  this 
plunger  is  forced  into  its  tube,  by  a  lever  pivotted  in  the 
body  of  the  lamp  and  actuated  externally  thereto,  it 
carries  the  star  wheel  and  wire  over  the  wick,  simul- 
taneously contacts  are  made  with  the  leads  from  a 
battery  located  in  the  bottom  of  the  lamp  and  one 
portion  of  the  wire  stretched  between  two  of  the  spokes 
is  rendered  incandescent  to  ignite  the  wick.  By  means 
of  a  pawl  and  ratchet  device  the  star  wheel  is  rotated 
through  an  angle  sufficient  to  bring  a  fresh  portion  of 
the  wire  into  operative  position  each  time  the  plunger  is 
moved.  In  a  modification  a  reel  of  wire  is  mounted 
alongside  the  star  wheel  the  arms  of  which  are  adapted 
to  clip  the  wire  and  unwind  same. 
10,055  04— CALLENDER'S  CABLE  &  CONSTRUCTION 
Co.,  LTD.  &  WARD — Improvements  in  supports  for  electric 
cables,  hydraulic  mains  and  other  conductors  of  power 
etpecially  suitable  for  use  in  mines. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  clip  for  supporting  an 
electric  cable  Ac.,  in  mines,  which  will  yield  and  release 
the  cable  should  a  fall  of  material  occur  on  to  the  same 
in  order  to  prevent  fracture  thereof.  The  clip  consists 
of  a  strip  of  sheet  metal  bent  into  the  shape  of  an  incom- 
plete circle  with  a  vertical  tail  opposite  the  gap.  This 
tail  is  formed  by  two  thicknesses  of  the  strip  being  nipped 
together  and  in  the  bight  at  its  end  a  short  pin  is  clamped 
for  supporting  the  clip  from  a  wall  hook. 
10,314  04—  DOBBIE— Improvements  in  ship's  logs. 

In  this  ships  log  the  reading  is  taken  from  the  grad- 
uated periphery  or  edge  of  the  dial  exposed  through  a 
window  or  opening  in  the  casing,  instead  of  as  heretofore 
by  a  finger  passing  over  the  face  of  the  dial.  The 
position  of  the  dial  may  be  caused  to  be  repeated  or 
followed  by  another  dial  located  for  example  on  the  ship's 
bridge,  by  means  of  electric  contacts  made  between  a 
finger  and  serrations  on  the  edge  of  the  dial  or  on  a 
wheel  fast  on  the  same  spindle. 

10,359  04     REED     Improved  contrivance  for  indicating  the 
change  of  immersion  of  ships. 

This  device  consists  of  a  chamber  mounted  at  the 
centre  of  area  of  the  plane  of  flotation  of  the  vessel. 
This  chamber  is  fitted  with  a  float  to  which  a  vertical 
rod  is  secured.  This  rod  actuates  a  pointer  moving  over 
a  graduated  dial.  The  chamber  is  connected  with_the 
•pace  outside  the  ship  below  the  water  level. 


degree  of  immersion  of  the  vessel  is  indicated  by  the 
pointer  on  the  dial.  To  provide  for  large  changes  of 
immersion  the  chamber  is  so  mounted  as  to  be  adjustable 
vertically.  The  graduations  are  figured  to  represent 
weight  as  well  as  heights. 

10,541/04—  RE1CHWALD— improvements  in  or  connected 
with  briquette  presses. 

This  invention  relates  to  the  class  of  briquette  press 
in  which  a  receiving  chamber  reciprocates  beneath  an 
open  bottomed  hopper  and  in  the  passage  of  which 
receiving  chamber  a  plunger  is  adapted  to  be  advanced 
and  carry  the  material  forward  into  the  press  chamber 
and  compress  same  into  a  briquette.  The  object  of  the 
invention  is  to  ensure  the  delivery  of  a  predetermined 
quantity  of  material  at  each  charging  of  the  chamber. 
For  this  purpose  the  relative  movements  of  the  parts 
are  such  that  when  the  open  topped  passage  of  the 
receiving  chamber  is  beneath  the  open  bottomed  hopper 
the  plunger  is  sufficiently  advanced  to  close  the  bottom 
of  the  said  passage  so  that  a  charge  sufficient  to  fill  this 
passage  only  is  taken.  On  further  advance  of  the  receiv- 
ing chamber  the  plunger  is  temporally  held  stationary 
so  aartoopen  the  bottom  of  the  passage  and  allow  the 
material  to  fall  in  front  of  the  plunger.  These  motions 
are  effected  by  suitable  cams. 

10, 550 '04  -GREGORY,  ELLIS  &  PLATER— A  new  or  im- 
proved signalling  apparatus  chiefly  intended  for  maritime 
purposes. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  lamp  for  emitting  signalling 
flashes.  It  consists  of  a  cylindrical  casing,  provided 
near  the  top  with  openings  through  which  a  light 
from  an  electric  incandescent  lamp  is  visible.  Sliding 
telescopically  inside  this  cylindrical  casing  is  a  cylindrical 
shutter  adapted  to  close  the  openings  in  the  former  and 
obscure  the  lamp,  under  the  influence  of  helical  springs. 
The  shutter  is  withdrawn  by  a  cord  secured  to  the  end 
of  a  central  rod,  which  passes  frorr.  a  spider  secured  to 
the  shutter  through  the  base  of  the  lamp.  The  whole  is 
adapted  to  be  clamped  to  a  standard  on  the  bridge  of  a 
vessel. 


These  applications  for  patents  are,  until  May  15,  1905, 
open  to  opposition  by  any  person  having  a  statutory 
right  to  oppose. 

Copies  of  the  specifications  may  be  obtained  from  the 
Patent  Office  or  through  the  under-named. 

TRADE   MARKS. 


—The  device  of  a  long- 
words  "TROGON,  Frank 
.E."—  for  raw  or  partly 
mineral  substances  used 
in  other  classes.  F.  W. 
Company,  Gainsborough 
N.E.,  Oil  Merchant  and 


The 


The  following  applications  for  the  registration  of  Trade 
Marks  relating    to    the   shipping  and  coal  trades  were 
advertised    on  April  5,  and   are   open   to   opposition    by 
interested  parties  within  the  period  ending  May  5. 
CLASS  4 — Including  coal. 
"No.  270,003— 8th    Feb.,    1905- 
tailed  bird  on  a  twig,  and   the 
How  &  Co.,   Hackney  Wick,    N 
prepared  vegetable,  animal,  and 
in  manufactures,  not  included 
How,  trading  as  Frank    How  & 
Road,  Hackney  Wick,  London, 
Refiner. 

No.  270,182— 15th  Feb.,  1905— JAPLITE. 
„    270,186—         „  „     — JAPSO. 

270,190 —         „  „    — JAPSOLENE — for  raw  or 

partly  prepared  vegetable  and  mineral  substances  used 
in  manufactures,  not  included  in  other  classes.  John 
Knight  &  Sons,  Ltd.,  The  Royal  Primrose  Soap  Works, 
Silvertown,  London  ;  Soap  Manufacturers. 

Compiled  by  Messrs.  PHILLIPS  &  LEIGH,  Chartered  Patent 
Agents,  22,  Southampton  Buildings,  Chancery  Lane,  London, 
W.C.  Local  Consultant:  Mr.  S.  W.  ALLEN,  Engineer,  of  Cardiff 
Exchange,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


April    14,  1905 


OUR  MARITIME  DIRECTORY. 


IIIIIIIMI 


CARDIFF. 


Colliery  Proprietors. 


CARDIFF     Continued. 


BROS.  &  Co..  LTD..  Cardiff  and 
London.    Depots  at  all  the  principal 
Coaling  Stations  in  the  World. 

Telegrams 


"CORY.  CARDIFF" 
"CORY.  LONDON." 


INSOLE.  GEORGE  &  SON,  Cardiff.   Sole 
Shippers  of  Cymmer  Steam    Coal, 
Windsor  Steam  Coal,  and  Insoles  No.  2 
Rhondda  Coal. 

Telegrams:  "INSOLES.  CARDIFF." 


VIVIAN.   H.   C.   &  Co.,    Bute   Docks, 
Cardiff.     Sole  European  Agents  for 
"The  Puritan  Coal  Mining  Co.,  Phila- 
delphia, U.S.A." 

Telegrams :  "VIVIAN.  CARDIFF." 


WATTS,    WATTS  &  Co.,   Cardiff   and 
London.  Contractors  for  the  supply 
of  Coals  at  all  Depots  abroad. 

Telegrams:  " WATTS,  CARDIFF." 


[EWIS    MERTHYR    CONSOLIDATED   COL- 
LIERIES. LTD.,  Proprietors  and  Ship- 
jers   of    "Lewis   Merthyr"   Navigation 
Steam  Coal. 

T«u___«  .    "Lewis  MERTHYR.  CARDIFF"; 
"LEWIS  MERTHYR.  LONDON." 


MARQUESS  OF  BUTE  COLLIERIES. 
Aberdare.  Hirwain,  and  Rhondda 
Valley.  Shipping  ports  : — Bute  Docks. 
Jardiff ;  Penarth  Dock  ;  Swansea ; 
Briton  Ferry ;  and  Newport  (Mon.) 

Telegrams  :  "  SEMA.  CARDIFF." 


[~)CEAN    (MERTHYR)    COAL   Co.,   LTD., 
1 1 .  Bute  Crescent,  Cardiff,  proprie- 
ors  of  Ocean  (Merthyr)  Steam  Coal. 


f  JNIVERSAL  STEAM   COAL  Co.,  LTD., 
Bute  Docks.  Cardiff.  Proprietors  of 
'  Universal  Steam  Coal." 

Telegrams  :   "  VERSATILE.  CARDIFF." 


Pock    Owners. 

'THE  CARDIFF  RAILWAY  COMPANY,  Bute 
1      Docks.  Cardiff. 


Ship  Repairers. 


CHEARMAN,  JOHN  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff, 
and  at  Barry  Dock. 


THE  BUTE   SHIPBUILDING,  ENGINEERING, 
AND  DRY   DOCK  COMPANY,   LIMITED, 
Roath  Basin,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:   "CAISSON,  CARDIFF." 

'THE  CARDIFF  CHANNEL  DRY  DOCKS  AND 
PONTOON    Co.,    LTD.,    Cardiff    and 
Barry  Dock. 

Tplcoram<;  •    "  Entrance,  Cardiff." 
elegrams.    "channel.  Barry." 


VHE   MERCANTILE   PONTOON  Co.,  LTD., 
Roath  Dock,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams  :   "  MERCANTILE,  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF    Continued. 


miscellaneous. 


LEWIS  s  TYLOR,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff 
Sole  patentees  and  manufacturers 
of  "Gripoly,"  a  patent  woven  belting 
and  "Burals."  a  semi-metallic  packing 

Telegrams  :  "  BELTING  CARDIFF."        Telephone,  Nat.  231 


Steamship    Owners. 


HAN.   JENKINS    &     Co..    Steamship 
Owners  and  Brokers,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "Stonewall,  Cardiff." 
Nat.  Telephone  :  1318. 


BARRY. 


Dock  Owners. 

''THE  BARRY  RAILWAY  Co.,  Barry. 


Ship  Repairers. 


|)ARRY  GRAVING   DOCK  &  ENGINEERING 
Co.,  LTD. 

Telegrams:   "  BARDOCK,  BARRY." 
National  Telephone  No.  7.         Post  Office  Telephone  No.  7 


To    the    Proprietors    of 


"THE    MARITIME    REVIEW," 


DOCKS,     CARDIFF. 


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A    GOVERNMENT    MARINE    DEPARTMENT 

(OF  THE  LONG  AGO?) 


THREEPENCE. 


^ '. ' 


PUZZLE:     FIND    THE    SPIDERS! 


•55 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


April  21,  1905 


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will  be  made  to  return  unsuitable  contributions,  provided  stamped  and 
addressed  envelopes  are  sent 

Correspondence  :  The  Editor  does  not  necessarily  identify  himself 
with  the  opinions  expressed  by  Correspondents,  whose  letters  must, 
in  every  instance,  be  accompanied  by  the  name  and  address  (if  not  for 
publication,  then  as  evidence  of  good  faith),  of  the  writer,  and  must  be 
written  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only. 


«  *. «.  CONTENTS.  *  >*  * 

CARTOON     A  GOVERNMENT  MARINE  DEPARTMENT     ... 
MARITIME  MURMURS 

TINKERING  THE  TINKER  ! 

"MOTHER  "  AND  "BABY" 

CARDIFF  (AND  OTHER)  COAL        

COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES 

MARITIME  (AND  OTHER)  MONEY  MATTERS        

SHIPBUILDING 

PATENTS  AND  TRADE  MARKS      


..  154 
...  155 
...  163 
...  164 
...  165 
...  167 
...  168 
...  169 

..  170 


MARITIME    MURMURS. 


DOCKS.  CARDIFF. 

Thursday  Afternoon. 

THE  stop-day  judgment,  has  brought  forth  a  very 
respectable  crop  of  opinions  from  the  ingenuous  people  who 
pose  as  friends  to  the  working-man,  but  whose  friendship 
is  of.  rather,  a  debatable  value.  To  our  mind,  there  is 
precious  little  friendship  in  the  advice  which  eventually 
mulcts  a  number  of  workmen  of  their  hard-earned  money. 
Of  course,  we  are  willing  to  admit  that  there  are  many 
well-informed  persons  who  argue,  and  not  without  reason. 
that  it  is  as  well  to  use  up  the  funds  of  an  union  in  the 
payment  of  damages,  as  in  another,  and  slower,  fashion  ; 
that  the  subscriptions,  after  being  paid  up  by  the  union's 
supporters,  may.  with  reason,  be  termed  "  lost  capital."  In 
view  of  the  results  of  the  stop-day  madness,  we  are  not 
altogether  sure  that  those  subscriptions  are  not  something 
of  the  kind  ?  But  we  are  absolutely  certain  that  the 
expressions  of  opinion  from  those  who  were,  in  part,  res- 
ponsible for  the  fiasco  to  which  the  country  has  been 
treated,  are  ingenuous  in  the  extreme.  If  an  union  is  to  be 
anything  —  in  the  eyes  of  its  supporters  —  it  has  to  be  ut- 
terly militant  :  must  be  brought  in  on  every  possible 
occasion  :  and  the  word  "fight,"  tacked  on  to  every  effort 
with  which  it  is  concerned.  The  whining  trait  usually  event- 
uates, after  the  union  has  been  taught  a  salutary  lesson. 


IN  other  words,  the  "  union  "  as  we  know  it  to-day,  is 
prepared,  on  nearly  every  occasion,  to  engage  in  a  gentle 
game  of  bluff  ;  to  threaten  all  manner  of  trade-dislocating 
tactics  :  and  unless  the  employers  sit  tight,  these  will 
undoubtedly  follow.  Indeed,  it  would  appear  that  the  idea 
toward  which  latter-day  unionism  tends,  is  not  so  much 
the  amelioration  of  the  worker,  as  it  is  antagonism  to  what 
has  stupidly  been  ticketted  "  the  workman's  natural 
enemy"  the  employer.  Under  these  conditions,  it  is 
small  wonder  that  the  men  who  go  to  make  up  an  union,  may 
be  worked  upon  in  any  manner  which  seemeth  good  to  the 
leather-lunged  gentry  who  are  "  leading  "  them.  The  pity 
of  it  is,  that  the  workmen  cannot  see  who  really  is  doing 
most  of  the  harm,  in  so  far  as  they  are  concerned.  Agi- 
tator declares  that  the  employer  is  exploiting  the  "  poor 


down-trodden  workman,"  and  in  a  few  isolated  cases,  this 
might  be  true  :  but  even  there,  the  workman  is  getting 
something  as  his  share  of  the  exploitation,  for  he  is  being 
paid  a  wage  which,  in  view  of  the  statistics  which  are 
available,  is  by  no  means  of  the  "  starvation  "  order.  When 
colliers,  for  instance,  indulge  in  the  questionable  luxury  of 
a  piano,  and  can  go  off  to  the  seaside,  enfamille,  for  a  fort- 
night or  a  month  on  end.  there  isn't  much  to  complain  of  in 
the  circumstances,  is  there  ? 

&*  9<s 

\G    w? 

AND  yet,  this  is  what  the  majority  of  them  are  in  a 
position  to  do.  an'  they  so  wish  it.  True,  there  are  a 
number  who  may  not  indulge  in  the  music  of  the  instalment 
-gained  "  box  of  strings  "  ;  nor  in  the  trip  to  the  seaside,  as 
suggested  ;  but  then,  if  a  man  will  take  the  major  portion  of 
his  earnings  into  "The  Blue  Pig,"  say,  or  will  "back  his 
fancy  "  with  another  sample  of  unearned-increment  liver, 
of  what  use  is  it  to  grumble  ?  As  a  matter  of  fact,  it  is 
this  latter  kind  of  "  unionist."  who  has  most  to  say  about 
the  iniquities  of  the  age,  and  of  the  parsimony  of  the  em- 
ployer. The  other  kind  of  workman,  is  too  busy  attending 
to  the  wherewithal  for  the  music,  and  for  the  shekels  which 
are  needed  for  the  seaside  trip,  to  take  any  stock  in  the 
jargon  of  mass  meetings,  where  the  professional  agitator 
insures  against  consumption,  by  throwing  his  chest  bare  to 
the  mountain  breezes.  We  know  that  the  Welsh  collier  is 
a  highly  developed  piece  of  human  nature :  but  his  develop- 
ment has  pursued  one  well-defined  path.  Where  the 
humour  of  life  comes  in,  the  collisr  is  as  undeveloped  as  a 
Maori  !  Were  it  otherwise,  he  would  see  the  humour  of  a 
situation  which  admits  of  his  being  experimented  upon  by  a 
number  of  non-workers,  who 'are  for  ever  chattering  about 
the  wickedness  of  the  employer  who  gives  Dai  his  wage. 

E?e    %3 

EU<  W? 

THUS  far.  in  a  general  sense.  Let  us  now  come  down  to 
the  aspect  of  affairs,  as  it  has  been  affected  by  the  stop- 
day  judgment.  We  have  already  remarked  on  the 
ingenuousness  which  pervades  a  number  of  the  "opinions." 
that  are  manufactured  as  a  sweetener  for  the  men  who 
have  to  stand  and  see  their  shekels  wangle  over,  to  the 
coffers  whence  they  originally  came  :  the  coffers  of  the 
employer.  A  loss  of  anything  up  to  £100,000  is  not  to  be 


April    -i,  1905 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


156 


sneezed  at.  is  it?  Indeed,  there  is  quite  a  number  of 
people  who  affect  a  mild  wonder  as  to  where  the  money  is 
really  coming  from.  In  view  of  the  frantic  efforts  which 
have  been  made,  to  "  peacefully  persuade"  the  non-unionist 
into  paying  up  for  the  "  good  of  the  Cause  "  ( which  he 
doesn't  believe  in  >.  the  mild  wonder  is  legitimate.  Further- 
more, it  is  justified  by  a  casual  glance  at  the  last  balance 
sheet  of  the  Federation.  However,  when  your  squad  of 
admirers  has  been  out-done  to  the  extent  of  £100,000 
-  more  or  less—you,  as  leader  of  the  squad,  have  to  put 
on  your  thinking  cap.  for  the  purpose  of  sugaring  the  pill, 
or  well,  you  will  soon  find  your  occupation  gone  ?  That  is 
how  it  appears  to  us.  anyhow  :  and  to  a  goodly  number  of 
thinking-persons,  beside  ourselves. 

5?  & 

WE  can  understand  that  it  w'ould  be  an  act  of  grace,  were 
the  employers  to  forego  their  damages.  An  act  of  grace. 
from  the  purview  of  the  agitator  :  but  one  of  altogether 
mistaken  kindness,  from  any  other  point  of  view.  Obviously. 
the  miners'  organisation  has  too  much  money,  no  matter 
how  much  or  how  little  the  amount  might  really  be.  Were 
it  not  so.  that  organisation  would  not  go  out  of  its  way.  to 
play  fast  and  loose  with  the  interests  of  that  portion  of  the 
community  which  is  not  of  the  collier  persuasion.  Dai 
evidently  doesn't  believe  it.  but.  all  the  same,  the  rest  of  us 
have  rights  :  rights  which  must  be  respected,  and  protected, 
even  as  much  as  those  which  belong  to  the  miner.  And 
thus  it  comes  about,  that  if  the  country  allows  the  colliers' 
"  friends  "  to  play  high.  low.  Jack  and  the  game,  with  the 
general  prosperity  of  "  gallant  little  Wales."  the  sooner 
that  the  vast  majority  of  us  who  are  not  colliers  emigrate. 
the  better  will  it  be  for  our  children,  when  they  grow  up  ? 
It  cannot  be  pretended  that  the  colliers,  or  their  "  leaders." 
are  altogether  unsophisticated  children  of  nature :  they 
have  proved  themselves  very  "downy."  on  several 
occasions :  and  when  they  engage  in  a  labour  fan-tan,  they 
do  so  with  a  full  appreciation  of  the  possibilities  to 
themselves. 

§?*? 

THIS  being  so,  were  the  employers  to  forego  the  damages 
which  rightly  belong  to  them,  they  would,  as  already 
stated,  be  guilty  of  a  mistaken  kindness.  It  is  perfectly  certain 
that  if  the  Federation  had  won.  there  would  be  no  question 
of  foregoing  their  costs-  not  by  a  very  long  way,  for 
they  would  certainly  have  exacted  the  uttermost  farthing  ? 
Another  point  must  not  be  forgotten  in  this  connection  :  As 
long  as  it  takes  the  agitating  fraternity  to  re-accumulate 
the  snug  little  amount  which  has  to  pass  away  as  a  "  war 
indemnity."  for  just  that  time  will  there  be  peace  in  the 
ranks  cf  collierdom.  With  peace  there,  prosperity  will  be 
likely  to  continue  elsewhere,  for  one  of  the  greatest 
obstacles  to  a  continued  prosperity  in  the  coal  trade,  is  the 
fact  that  the  foreign  consumer  never  knows  how  soon  his 
business  undertakings  may  be  ruined,  through  the  advent 
of  labour  troubles  at  the  source  of  supply.  This  is  a  point. 
on  which  the  professional  agitator  is  altogether  at  sea. 
The  consumer  is  merely  a  "  something  "  foreigner,  and  as 
such,  deserves  no  consideration.  Fortunately,  the  colliery 
proprietor  has  other  views,  and  the  best  portions  of  his 
waking  moments  are  used  up.  in  impressing  on  that  foreign 
consumer,  his  importance  in  the  world  of  coaly  commerce. 

$?*? 

AFTER  the  long-drawn-out  battle  over  the  stop-day  busi- 
ness, it  is.  to  our  mind,  crass  impertinence  to  suggest  that 
the  winners  should  give  up  the  spoils  of  war.  even  as  they 
accept  the  other  losses  which  the  judgment  will  not 
indemnify  them  against.  Of  course,  one  expects  to  hear  a 
quantity  of  nonsense  from  those  gentlemen  who  aspire  to 
Parliamentary  honours,  through  the  help  of  the  gentle 


miner.  There  is  Mr.  Keir  Hardie,  M.P..  for  instance,  out 
upon  a  searching  after  the  innate  meanings  of  the  stop-day 
action.  Wishes  to  know  what  it  means  !  Then,  he  goes 
on  to  explain  ;  tells  his  admiring  friends  that  it  means 
simply  this:  If  a  "working  collier"  (but  what  kind  of 
collier  is  that  ?)  dares  to  take  a  holiday  without  first  asking 
leave  from  his  master  (eh  ?),  he  is  liable  to  be  fined  for  so 
doing.  Fudge,  Mr.  Hardie  ;  nonsense,  Mr.  Keir  Hardie ; 
rubbish,  Mr.  Keir  Hardie,  M.P.  :  and  if  you  do  not  already 
know  that  your  words  are  fudge,  nonsense,  and  rubbish, 
in  our  opinion,  you  have  absolutely  no  right  to  sit  in  the 
national  talking  shop.  An  agreement  (whether  to  work, 
or  merely  to  pay)  will  have  to  be  just  as  binding  on  the 
hardy  lambs  of  Mountain  Ash,  as  on  those  of  elsewhere. 

THE  Federation  has  not  been  mulcted  in  damages  for  the 
reason  that  a  miner  stayed  away  from  work  :  but  rather 
because  it  conspired  against  the  public  weal,  and  broke 
agreements  which  it  had  entered  into,  without  stopping  to 
count  the  cost.  Keir  Hardie  further  wished  to  gather  the 
meaning  of  the  word  "  freedom."  Demanded  the  use  of 
talking  about  freedom,  if  a  man  were  not  at  liberty  to 
absent  himself  from  work  for  one  day.  without  leave  from 
his  master.  Fudge,  again !  Supposing  the  master,  for 
reasons^  of  his  own,  elected  to  make  the  man  stand  off 
without  pay,  during  the  continuance  of  an  agreement  to  the 
contrary.  What  would  happen  ?  Wouldn't  your  Keir 
Hardies  be  up  in  arms  against  this  superlative  wickedness  ; 
this  trampling  on  the  rights  of  the  poor  down-trodden 
workman  ?  Rather  !  And  we  should  be  treated,  in  a 
week,  to  more  soul-harrowing  prophetics  as  a  consequence, 
than  would  be  given  us  in  a  whole  life-time,  under  other 
circumstances.  Really,  these  alleged  "  ameliorators  "  make 
us  tired,  for  instead  of  taking  the  trouble  to  uplift  the  poor 
workman,  they,  as  far  as  we  can  see,  do  exactly  the 
reverse. 

CONSIDER  this — from  the  same  great  mind  :  "...  from 
4O  to  50  working  class  candidates  will  be  returned  to  the 
next  Parliament,  of  whom  one-half,  at  least,  will  be  labour 
candidates,  who  will  form  the  beginning  of  a  Labour  party, 
which  will  sit  in  opposition  to  every  Government  that  takes 
office,  whether  Liberal  or  Conservative,  until  the  Labour 
party  becomes  strong  enough  to  cross  the  floor  of  the 
House,  and  form  a  Labour  Cabinet."  Yea,  lor'  !  And  how 
long  it  will  be  after  this,  ere  Macaulay's  New  Zealander 
"  shall,  in  the  midst  of  a  vast  solitude,  take  his  stand  on  a 
broken  arch  of  London  Bridge  to  sketch  the  ruins  of  St. 
Paul."  is  not  stated  ;  but,  friends,  you  may  take  it  from  us 
that  the  time  would  not  be  unduly  extended.  We  write  this 
in  all  seriousness,  for  judging  by  Labour's  (Sacred  Labour's) 
tactics  to-date,  we  are  of  opinion  that  Britain's  sun  would 
set.  directly  that  Labour  Cabinet  were  in  force.  When  Bri- 
tain's sun  has  set,  there  will  be  a  fine  chance  for  that  artistic 
New  Zealander,  although  Macaulay  didn't  particularise 
how  the  gentleman  would  get  to  ruined  London  ;  whether 
he'd  come  by  a  swagger  liner  (!),  by  air-ship,  or  would 
merely  ship  his  wings,  and  fly  hitherward.  Really  speaking, 
we  are  of  opinion  that  Macaulay  as  a  prophet,  doesn't 
amount  to  very  much  more  than  Keir  Hardie.  Meanwhile, 
and  as  these  dreamers  are  frothing  at  the  mouth,  so  to 
speak,  the  rest  of  us  engage  in  hard  work,  so  as  to  find  the 
necessary  bricks  that  shall  keep  London  bridge  from 
falling  over.  It's  a  queer  world,  isn't  it  ? 


HERE  is  good  news  for  the  community  generally. 
"  Money  is  freer  in  America  this  year,  than  last,  and  we 
may  fairly  look  forward  to  a  boom  in  touring."  Eh  ? 
What?  The  gentle  American  brother  has  been  saving  up 


'57 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


April  21,   1905 


his  shekels  for  the  purpose  of  "doing  Yewrope,"  and  there 
is  a  fine  time  ahead  !  All  the  Atlantic  Lines  are,  metaphor- 
ically. stroking  out  their  moustaches;  some  of  them  have 
been  saying  those  cunning  little  things  to  the  daily  paper 
man  :  Cunard  is  in  the  glee  party  :  so  is  White  Star  :  and 
needless  to  say  the  German  friend  comes  in  somewhere  — 
if  only  with  a  trombone  accompaniment.  Anyhow,  and 
from  the  views  of  all  the  interested  units,  it  would  appear 
that  we  are  in  for  a  record  season.  Money  is  plentiful  ; 
there  is  no  counter-attraction  in  the  shape  of  a  St.  Louis 
Exhibition  :  and  the  Presidential  election  bar  accidents  — 
is  not  due  this  year.  The  latter  point  is  most  in  favour  of 
the  good  time  that  is  coming,  for,  practically,  every  American 
as  soon  as  he  is  put  into  pants  is  a  thorough  politician- 
Well.  we  are  glad  that  things  are  shaping  in  this  fashion. 
for  we  are  convinced  that  Jonathan  and  John  Bull  merely 
need  a  bit  more  mixing,  one  with  another,  to  be  convinced 
that  both  of  them  are  derned  fine  fellows. 


tion  with  several  other  items,  form  the  Riviera  of  England  : 
a  district  where  the  winter  atmosphere  is  so  mild,  that  sick 
people  may  remain  there,  with  safety.  We  have  always 
wondered  why  the  patriotic  Briton  is  so  ready  to  quit  the 
land  from  which  his  wealth  is  derived,  and  hie  him  away  to 
spots  where  he  is  merely  looked  upon  as  an  ill-mannered 
sort  of  pagoda-tree  :  where  he  is  marked  down  as  insular, 
ignorant,  and  impertinent  ;  and  where  his  only  claim  to 
tolerance,  is  in  the  fact  that  he  is  a  cheerful  spender! 
Perhaps  it  is  because  the  native  doesn't  go  in  for  the  high- 
class  (Continental  high-class,  you  understand  i  caravanserai 
and  pensions,  generally  ;  for  the  snug  little  domiciles  where 
the  green  blinds  are  suggestive  of  coolness,  and  other 
things  ?  Mind  you.  there  is  a  lot  in  the  suggestion,  and 
when  the  average  tourist  is  in  the  mood  for  spending  his 
money,  he  likes  to  feel  that  he  is  getting  something  in 
return.  To-date.  and  with  mighty  few  exceptions,  the 
tourist  gives  all.  and  receives  little  in  return. 


IN  the  past,  there  was  a  mistaken  notion  on  tap,  in 
America,  that  Johnny  Bull  was  everything  that  was  bad, 
and  unsatisfactory.  The  dawn  of  reason  is  with  us  both, 
and  when  it  has  brought  its  sun  above  the  fore-yard,  both 
sides  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  entity  will  be  the  better  therefor  : 
so  will  the  world  at  large.  Time  was.  that  every  petti- 
fogging nationette  laid  itself  out  to  foment  trouble  and 
misunderstanding  between  the  world's  two  great,  civilising 
forces,  and,  we  are  sorry  to  say,  both  those  forces  lent  a 
hand  in  the  fomenting.  That,  however,  was  in  the  vistas 
of  the  past  :  was  before  any  of  our  statesmen  had  a  correct 
idea  as  to  where  Americr.  really  was,  or  what  its  aims  in 
life.  were.  By  the  same  token,  a  goodly  number  of  other- 
wise estimable  Americans  laid  themselves  out  on  a  similar 
policy.  They  accepted  the  nonsensical  training  which  had 
been  pumped  into  them  from  their  school-books  -and  the 
fomenter  laughed,  even  as  he  played  one  against  the  other. 
In  our  opinion,  the  fomenter  will  have  to  be  mighty  keen,  if 
he  hopes  to  continue  his  old-time  tricks  ;  and  the  biggest 
factorin  the  saner  condition,  has  been  the  ocean  greyhounds. 
which  dash  from  side  to  side  of  the  Atlantic. 


THAT  is.  through  the  agency  of  British  Jack,  once  again, 
a  better  understanding  exists  between  America  and  Britain  ; 
each  one  is  willing  to  glean  points  from  the  other  ;  the 
world  is  a  much  finer  place  in  consequence  :  and  so  far, 
Jack  has  received  but  little  out  of  the  deal.  But  never 
mind  ;  he  will  "come  in,"  later  on  ;  for  the  very  existence 
of  that  better  understanding  between  two  powerful  nations, 
will  ultimately  tend  to  his  benefit.  Each  of  the  benefitted 
ones  will  find  time,  by  and  bye,  to  ask  how  it  is  that  the 
better  state  has  been  brought  about  ;  somebody  will  suggest 
that  it  was  for  the  reason  that  the  sailorman  brought  them 
together  :  another  somebody  will  question  what  the  sailor- 
man got  for  his  trouble  ;  yet  another  will  remark,  "  Not 
much  more  than  hunger  and  want  ;  sweating  and  modern 
slavery  ;  "  a  revulsion  of  feeling  will  eventuate,  and  Jack, 
at  last,  will  get  his  just  deserts.  You  wait  a  bit.  We 
don't  often  go  into  the  prophetic  business  ;  but  this  is  one 
of  the  occasions  where  we  feel  that  it  is  pretty  safe  to 
venture.  Meanwhile,  the  country  is  in  for  a  prosperous 
touring  season,  and  Brothers  Jonathan  arid  John  Bull  are 
going  to  love  each  other  better,  now  the  mists  have  rolled 
away.  So  mote  it  be  ! 

0  ^S 

WRITING  of  the  touring  idea,  we  note  that  dear  old  Cousin 
Jacker  is  out  upon  the  warpath,  with  the  same  notion 
uppermost.  With  some  truth  in  the  claim,  the  Cornish 
friend  is  declaring  that  his  rugged  moor-lands,  in  combina- 


THIS might  be  from  lack  of  enterprise  on  the  part  of  the 
providers,  or  it  might  be  from  some  other  cause.  But  the 
Briton  cannot  be  said  to  be  unduly  persevering  in  those 
arts  in  which  the  foreigner  excels.  If  one  considers  the 
gentle  Italian  organ-grinder,  in  this  connection,  and  com- 
pares him  with  the  Briton  who  engages  in  the  same 
industry,  the  decision  will  be  all  in  favour  of  the  Italian  ? 
When  the  friend  from  Sunny  Italy  undertakes  to  come  here. 
and  more  or  less  lighten  our  gloom,  he  invariably  starts  out 
with  a  high-class  piano-organ,  which  is  resplendent  in  a 
swagger  cover,  the  colour  scheme  of  which  is  a  sight  to 
gaze  at,  and  wonder  !  The  "music,"  too,  is  about  as  good  as 
it  is  possible  to  get  from  the  same  source  :  but  when  your 
average  Briton  takes  to  the  "  musical  profession,"  what 
happens  ?  Well,  he  usually  hunts  around  for  a  second- 
hand, and  terribly  battered  and  prehistoric  perambulator, 
that  is  on  its  last  legs—  or  wheels.  On  the  top  of  this 
monument  of  past  greatness,  a  wheezy  old  organette,  or  a 
"  Where  is  my  wondering  boy,  to-night  "  reed  organ,  is 
placed.  Needless  to  say.  the  picturesque  Johnny  from 
Italy  has  the  pull  —  and  principally  because  he  takes  to  the 
business  in  earnest.  The  perambulating-Briton.  on  the 
other  hand,  is  passed  by  with  a  cuss-word,  and  thus  is  the 
alien  question  once  more  brought  to  the  acute  stage  ! 

E#  903 
^t     a? 

As  it  is  with  the  "  street  music."  so  is  it  with  accommo- 
dation for  tourists.  The  providers  want  all  the  needful. 
but  object  to  give  anything  in  return,  for  after  all,  if  a 
district  is  half-a-dozen  different  sorts  of  a  Riviera,  a  seaside 
-resorter  can't  live  on  that.  He  needs  home  comforts— 
especially  if  he  is  prepared  to  pay  therefore.  However. 
Cornwall  is  out  upon  the  hunt,  and  taking  into  consideration 
the  magnificent  train  service  which  has  been  supplied  by 
the  G.W.R.,  Jacker  is  of  opinion  that  it  is  time  to  get  up 
and  dust  -his  home,  which  he  is  prepared  to  let  for  a  week, 
at  a  figure  which  should  reasonably  buy  the  whole  lot  for 
ever  !  After  all,  the  Cornishman  is  much  in  the  same  con- 
dition as  the  owners  of  other  "  health  resorts."  He  wishes 
to  grab  all  that  comes  his  way  which  isn't  much  and 
objects  to  set  aside  a  fair  proportion  of  his  unearned  incre- 
ment, for  advertising  purposes.  The  foreigner,  on  the 
contrary,  floods  this  fair  land  of  ours  with  all  classes  of 
advertising,  and  the  public  seeing  so  much  of  it  (and  so 
little  of  the  home  stuff;,  naturally  comes  to  the  conclusion 
that  there  are  no  "  Rivieras  "  nearer  than  that  of  the  Sunny 
South.  The  Cornishman  is  going  to  alter  all  this.  He  is 
going  to  advertise  his  natural  beauties—  or  the  natural 
beauties  of  his  county  :  by-and-bye.  Meanwhile,  the 
festive  foreigner,  as  of  old.  will  romp  in  most  of  the  tourist 
money. 


April  21,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


'58 


WE  note  that  the  Montreal  Star  has  been  holding  forth 
on  the  question  of  port  supremacy  at  its  native  place.  Our 
contemporary  suggests  that  the  present  discussion  on 
Canadian  water-borne  traffic  is  "not  a  question  of  Montreal 
against  any  other  Canadian  port  ;  "  but  to  our  mind,  that 
is  exactly  what  it  is.  It  is  all  very  pretty  to  say  that  "the 
moment  ocean-going  vessels  could  sail  up  the  River  St. 
Lawrence,  the  primacy  of  Montreal  was  established  ;  "  but 
it  is  only  partly  correct  ?  That  is.  in  the  old  days,  and 
when  there  were  no  possible  rivals  to  Montreal,  the  port 
was  safe  enough.  So  safe,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  that  its 
authorities  imagined  that  they,  alone,  owned  the  earth,  and 
the  fulness  thereof.  With  the  advent  of  a  possible  Hudson's 
Bay  traffic.  Montreal  has  had  to  set  its  house  in  order;  but 
dodging  facts  will  benefit  the  situation  to  no  appreciable 
extent.  Neither  will  this.  "They  might  as  well  try  to 
make  Dover  the  port  of  England,  when  the  ships  can  go  to 
London,  as  to  stop  ocean  traffic  below  the  foot  of  the 
Lachine  Rapids."  Our  Montreal  friend  may  take  it  from 
us.  that  if.  in  the  next  decade.  Dover  continues  to  expand 
and  London  to  degenerate  in  the  same  ratio  as  may  be 
applied  to  each  respectively  in  past  years,  then,  if  Dover 
isn't  quite  the  port  of  England-  which  is  a  slightly  silly 
style  of  putting  the  matter  -the  Star  might  lay  its  odd 
dollars  on  the  fact  that  London  will  not  be.  That's  a 
certainty. 


OH  the  other  hand,  we  are  quite  at  one  with  the  Montreal 
Star  in  its  claims  that  Montreal  should  be  made  a  free 
port,  as  soon  as  possible.  That  will  be  a  step  in  the  right 
direction,  and  also  cutting  the  ground  from  its  possible  rival. 
For  while  the  Hudson's  Bay  scheme  were  working  along 
merely  to  acceptance.  Montreal  would  be  forging  itself 
into  a  position  from  which  it  could  not  be  dislodged.  The 
trouble  with  the  St.  Lawrence  port,  in  the  past  (  aye.  and 
even  now.  at  the  present  time),  has  been  that  no  two 
authorities  have  been  agreed  as  to  what  is  really  essential 
for  Canadian  prosperity.  They  have  (those  authorities* 
agreed  to  sit  down  and  wager  a  paper  war.  even  as  the 
other  side  has  been  up  and  doing.  If  the  Montreal  folk 
would  only  agree  to  shelve  their  many  little  differences,  for 
long  enough  to  settle  the  navigation  question  :  they  would 
soon  have  the  satisfaction,  of  seeing  their  port  and  township 
in  the  van  of  maritime  progress.  This  is  the  whole  trouble. 
The  ice  in  winter  and  the  fog  in  summer,  is  as  nothing  to 
the  ice  and  fog  which  surrounds  the  places  where  Canadian 
councillors  most  do  congregate.  A  joining  up  of  issues 
would  work  wonders  -and  there  would  still  be  the  "  party  " 
questions  to  fall  back  upon,  in  dull  times.  We  commend 
this  advice  to  our  friends  "  out  there." 

5?  %? 

WE  do  not  know  why  it  is  unless  it  be  the  natural 
proneness  of  human  nature  to  pick  up  where  they  have  not 
strewn  but  there  appears  to  be  a  universal  attempt,  to 
curtail  the  pilot's  chance  of  making  a  decent  livelihood. 
Victoria.  B.C.  is  the  latest  arena  for  the  pilotage  trouble. 
and  although,  to-date.  there  is  but  a  scant  explanation  of 
what  the  powers  that  be  are  after,  it  is  fairly  clear  that  the 
pilots'  earnings  are  an  eye-sore  to  those  same  powers. 
There  are  several  alternative  schemes  suggested,  but 
every  one  of  them  tends  toward  the  same  end—  the  squeez- 
ing of  the  pilot.  Naturally,  the  various  pilotage  boards  are 
up  in  arms,  and  are  keen  to  amalgamate  for  the  purpose  of 
fighting  the  common  foe.  The  end  of  the  business  will, 
probably,  be  even  as  we  have  become  used  to  at  home  a 
cutting  and  paring  of  the  fees  until  inefficiency  results. 
Like  everything  else  on  earth,  good  pilotage  must  be  paid 
for.  If  the  demand  -and  emoluments—  are  merely  for 
inferior  service,  it  is  fairly  certain  that  this  is  all  that  will 


be  rendered  ;  while,  if  the  service  that  is  desired  must  be 
good.  then,  good  remuneration  will  ensure  it.  The  pity  of 
it  is,  that  those  with  most  interest  at  stake— that  is,  the 
mercantile  community,  on  shore — cannot  assimilate  the 
great  truth. 

eg*® 

NOT  only  in  the  Old  Country  have  we  "  Waterside 
Workers'  Wants."  for  they  have  them  in  golden  Australia  ! 
In  connection  with  the  Navigation  Commission,  to  which 
we  have  frequently  referred,  Brisbane  has  been  having  a 
field-day,  and  a  gentleman  representing  the  waterside 
workers  of  Rockhampton,  has  been  giving  his  opinion  as  to 
the  "  wants  "  alluded  to.  First  of  all,  there  should  be  some 
competent  person  assigned  for  the  inspection  of  all  gear 
used  in  loading  and  unloading  cargo,  as  at  present,  this 
class  of  gear  is  unsafe.  In  numberless  instances,  we  regret 
to  say,  the  said  gear  is  not  safe ;  is  very  much  the  contrary  ; 
and  we  are  of  opinion  that  to  repair  chain-runners  with 
"connecting-links."  is  a  poor  method,  to  say  nothing  of 
being  dangerous  to  life  and  limb.  We  know  that  the 
resultant  accidents  have  more  to  do  with  the  underwriter 
than  with  the  shipowner  ;  but  they  have  still  more  to  do 
with  the  man  who  is  unfortunate  enough  to  get  his  head 
under  a  tub  which  is  coming  down  in  a  hurry,  principally 
because  that  old  "  connecting  link "  has  got  across  the 
sheave  in  the  gin.  and  has.  incontinently,  given  out  ?  When 
a  nautical  man  settles  himself  down  to  think  of  these  kind 
of  accidents,  it  is  surprising  how  many  he  is  enabled  to 
catalogue. 

§?& 

BUT  even  in  Golden  Australia,  the  gentlemen  who  are 
responsible  for  Commissions,  have  a  nice  little  method  of 
relieving  the  tedium  of  their  work.  The  witness  who  is 
referred  to  in  the  preceding  paragraph,  was  asked  if  he 
would  tender  his  evidence  in  the  first  person  :  that  is, 
instead  of  speaking  as  the  representative  of  an  union,  would 
he  give  personal  episodes  of  broken  runners,  and  the  like  ? 
The  witness  was  quite  willing,  but  the  Chairman  of  the 
Commission  considered  that  such  a  request  was  "  most 
extraordinary."  Whatever  for?  Isn't  direct  evidence  of 
more  value  than  the  kind  of  stuff  which  you  get,  when 
"  Bill  told  Jim  :  and  Jim  told  Harry ;  while  he  told  our 
Sally:  who  told  Uncle  Dick:  who  told  Tom  Peters;  who 
spread  the  tale  out  to  Jane  Anne,  who  told  me  ?  "  Of 
course  it  is.  But  the  worthy  Chairman  alluded  to,  observed 
that  "  this  commission  has  power  to  inform  itself  in  other 
ways  than  a  Court  of  law.  and  even  a  court  of  law  can 
inform  itself  in  this  way  if  it  wishes."  Of  a  surety  can  it. 
Mr.  Chairman,  and  we  are  glad  that  you  put  the  straight 
thing  to  th^t  Mr.  Edwards  who  wanted  to  glean  personal 
information,  rather  than  stuff  which  came  along  in  the 
concrete,  so  to  speak. 

5?^ 

HOWEVER,  the  Chairman  wasn't  going  to  be  bested,  and 
offered  to  clear  the  room  for  further  discussion,  if 
Mr.  Edwards  so  desired.  The  latter  gentleman  having 
entered  his  protest,  "  let  her  go  at  that."  Thus  was  the 
"  passage  closed."  Very  well.  then.  The  next  thing 
desired  by  the  waterside  workers,  was  a  hatchman,  where 
loading  or  discharging  was  going  on.  This,  again,  seems  a 
reasonable  request.  Come  to  think  of  it,  the  winchman 
cannot  be  expected  to  attend  to  his  winch,  and  to  the  hatch 
at  the  same  time.  Not  in  these  degenerate  days,  at  any 
rate.  Time  was,  that  a  winchman  could  keep  an  eye  on 
the  hatch  continuously,  and  merely  drive  his  winch  by 
attending  (by  feel)  to  the  throttle-valve  ;  indeed,  we  have 
known  abandoned  wretches  who  never  even  bothered  about 
valves  of  any  kind  :  depended,  absolutely,  on  the  reversing 
gear !  That  is.  to  stop  the  old  bag  of  hammers,  'twas 


•59 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


April  21,    1905 


merely  necessary  to  "  put  her  on  the  centre."  and  there  you 
were.  But  other  times,  other  manners  :  and  with  the 
advent  of  education,  it  is  necessary  to  have  as  many  men 
as  possible—  because  (vide  a  certain  poster  that  is  enjoying 
a  vogue,  here,  at  Cardiff),  the  poor  must  live!  Anyhow, 
the  Commonwealth  is  likely  to  institute  a  hatchman,  in 
future  :  so  you  shipowner  folk  need  not  wonder  at  the 
addition  to  your  stevedoring  bill. 

6?$? 

CONCERNING  that  North  Wales  Quarries.  Ltd..  side-light 
on  how  workmen-employers  act.  yet  another  "letter  to  the 
Times  "  has  been  promulgated.  As  chairman  of  the  con- 
cern. Mr.  Richard  Bell,  M.P.,  remarks,  that  there  is  a 
conciliation  board  :  a  quarrymen's  union  which,  "  if  it 
fulfilled  its  functions,  should  have  represented  the  men's 
grievances  if  they  suffered  any  ;  but  the  company  had 
never  received  a  single  communication  from  the  union, 
from  the  time  the  company  was  formed  till  March  27. 
1905.  although  Mr.  Abraham  (  Mabon)  and  I  had  frequently 
seen  the  secretary  in  the  lobbies  and  smoke-room  of  the 
House  of  Commons  and  elsewhere."  This  is  all  very  fine, 
we  suppose,  and  it  is  as  well  to  use  the  lobbies  and  smoke- 
room  of  the  House  of  Commons  for  the  casual  meetings  of 
hon.  members,  and  their  friends  who  might  be  secretaries 
of  quarrymen's  (or  other)  unions,  as  for  other,  and  more 
important  purposes  :  but  did  the  "  labour  leaders'  " 
quarrying  company  pay  its  workmen  less  wages  than  were 
paid  by  the  ordinary,  and  wicked  employer,  who  is  not  a 
"  labour  leader?"  That  is  the  little  point  which  the  world 
is  most  interested  in.  As  far  as  we  can  see,  the  main  issue 
is  somewhat  obscured,  in  most  of  these  explanatory  letters, 
and  it  is  the  hard  facts  which  the  public  is  intent  on. 


therein:  "I've  come  aft  to  growl  about  the  grub,  sir." 
"  Growl  about  the  grub  ?  "  queried  the  Old  Man,  with  a 
supercilious  raising  of  his  expressive  eyebrows.  "  What's 
the  matter  with  the  grub  ?  Don't  you  get  enough  of  it  ?  " 
"Oh!"  begins  Jack,  in  a  light  and  airy  manner,  "there's 
enough  of  it,  such  as  it  is."  "Quite  so,"  admits  the 
skipper.  "  but  isn't  it  good  enough  ?  "  Jack  opines  that  "  It 
is  good  enough,  what  there  is  of  it."  and  thereafter  walks 
for'ed  with  the  remark  that  it  is  useless  going  aft  to  this 
skipper,  who  is  too  much  of  a  sea-lawyer  for  ordinary  and 
domestic  purposes. 

BUT  you'll  understand  that  the  food  continues  to  be  too 
little,  and  its  qualities  too  disappointingly  below  par.  That 
is,  the  little  pow-wow  on  the  poop,  has  neither  increased 
the  size  of  the  ration,  nor  the  amount  of  its  sustaining 
power.  So  is  it  with  the  mass-meeting  idea  ?  The  labour- 
leader  is  altogether  too  much  of  a  rock-lawyer — in  this 
instance— to  make  it  possible  to  hope  for  a  very  great  deal 
of  help  to  eventuate,  around  the  path  of  the  workman  who 
usually  did  not  know  that  he  was  down-trodden,  until  the 
advent  of  "  his  leader  ?"  And  as  far  as  we  can  see,  Mr. 
Bell,  and  his  friends  on  the  directorate,  are  merely  tasting 
a  little  of  the  base  ingratitude,  which  their  counsel  on  other 
occasions,  has  meted  out  to  professional  employers.  We 
can  quite  understand  that  to  these  amateur  traders,  the 
wicked  ingratitude  is  appalling.  Still,  and  while  admitting 
that  "  want  of  capital  "  is  an  awesome  situation  in  which  to 
place  a  company — whether  professional,  or  merely  ama- 
teur ;  we  are  by  no  means  sure,  as  to  whether  paying  less 
wages  than  is  paid  elsewhere,  will  enable  a  man  to  live 
better,  and  simply  because  the  payer  is  a  labour-leader 
combination. 


WE  can  quite  understand  all  the  little  points  which  Mr. 
Bell  gives  the  readers  of  the  Times.  For  instance,  when 
that  gentleman,  in  August  last,  and  at  a  mass  meeting  that 
was  held,  "  personally  discussed  the  affairs  with  them  in 
Welsh,  and  all  without  exception  seemed  quite  satisfied," 
well,  that  is  exactly  as  we  should  expect.  It  is  the  invari- 
able treatment  which  is  meted  out  to  other  employers  : 
those  of  the  non-labour-leading  kind.  Mr.  Bell  and  his 
"butties"  are  merely  experiencing  the  disadvantages  which 
other,  and  more  experienced  employers  of  labour  have  had 
to  contend  with,  ever  since  the  sacred  Cause  of  Labour 
became  dignified  with  capital  letter  importance.  As  a  rule, 
the  mass  meeting  mouthings  are  all  for  peace-  on  the 
surface  :  it  is  when  the  mass  meeting  has  dispersed,  and 
the  poison  dispensed  thereat,  has  had  time  to  sink  in  ;  to 
operate  ;  to  get  around  under  the  scalps  of  the  poor 
workmen;  that  the  dissatisfaction  eventuates.  The  bosses 
of  these  mass  meetings  are  generally  so  earnest  ;  so 
energetic  ;  so  strenuous  in  their  explanations  ;  that,  once 
more,  the  poor  workman  is  carried  out  of  himself,  and 
simply  dunno  where  'e  are  —  until  he  retires  to  the  Labourers' 
Laager,  which  has  taken  the  place  of  the  erstwhile 
"Blue  Pig." 

§?S5 

HAVING  got  away  as  suggested,  the  workman  has  had  the 
blessed  opportunity  given  him,  of  asking  what  it  was  all 
about.  He  cannot  find  out  —  for  the  life  of  him  —  and  so 
the  trouble  begins.  Mr.  Bell,  perhaps,  can  now  understand 
that  it  isn't  all  beer  and  skittles,  to  be  the  employer  of  the 
free  and  enlightened  workmen  who  attend  mass  meetings 
and  afterward  go  away  with  satisfaction  on  top,  but 
seething  discontent  everywhere  else.  To  our  mind,  these 
meetings  of  workmen  and  leaders,  always  partake  of  the 
dialogue  which  obtained  between  a  certain  shipmaster,  and 
his  hungry  crew.  Said  Jack,  that  time  when  he  took  the 
beef-kid  aft,  to  show  the  Old  Man  the  size  of  the  joint 


WE  mean,  that  the  rock-lawyer  talk  will  no  more  raise 
the  size  of  the  Saturday's  joint  of  beef,  than  did  the  sea- 
lawyer's  talk  in  the  case  of  Jack,  referred  to.  And  while 
we  are  willing  to  admit,  with  Mr.  Bell,  that  his  own 
particular  sample  of  the  'orny  'anded  had  "  the  following 
opportunities  of  securing  attention — (1)  by  approaching 
the  general  manager  ;  (2)  through  their  direct  representa- 
tion on  the  board  of  directors ;  (3)  referring  to  the 
conciliation  board  ;  (4)  through  their  union  officials  to  the 
directors :  and  (5)  the  joint  committee  of  the  representa- 
tives of  trade-union  and  co-operative  congresses  :  "  we  are 
in  no  manner  surprised,  that  the  wicked  and  abandoned 
wretches  declined  to  make  use  of  any  of  the  machinery 
alluded  to.  They  never  do,  Mr.  Bell.  Because  they  do 
not,  the  country  is  in  such  a  rotten  state,  as  regards  labour, 
that  it  constitutes  a  very  grave  danger  to  the  community. 
Personally,  if  we  could  believe  that  these  labour-leading 
gentlemen  had  learned  a  salutary  lesson  in  this  direction, 
we  should  feel  that  it  was  a  fine  day  for  the  land,  when  a 
group  of  labour-leaders  left  their  legitimate  business  in  life, 
for  the  purpose  of  becoming  employers  of  labour. 

g?^ 

ERE  leaving  the  subject,  we  should  like  to  ask  one  more 
question.  Why  is  it  that  the  correspondence  in  this  disap- 
pointing case,  has  been  carried  on  through  the  medium  of 
the  Times  ?  Is  it  because  the  directors  implicated,  wish  to 
shine  among  those  who  are  not  labourers?  It  cannot  be 
pretended  that  the  dissatisfied  quarrymen  are  among  the 
clientele  possessed  by  "  the  Thunderer,"  can  it,  now  ? 
One  hardly  expects  to  find  the  "  threepenny  Times  "  on  the 
breakfast-tables  of  the  employes — or  late  employes  of  the 
North  Wales  Quarries,  Ltd.?  When  those  labouring 
gentlemen  go  in  for  literature  at  all,  they  usually  purchase 
one  of  the  sensation-loving  ha'porths,  which  emanate  from 
the  same  great  city.  In  our  opinion,  and  remembering  that 
it  is  the  dissatisfied  labourers  who  have  to  be  appeased,  the 


April  21,    1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


160 


Times  might  well  have  been  spared  this  washing  of  dirty 
linen  :  for.  looking  at  the  matter  as  you  will  :  admitting 
that  there  was  a  soul-harrowing  want  of  capital  in  the 
company  interested  :  owning  up  that  the  men  had  five 
different  methods  of  making  their  wants  known  ;  it  would 
still  appear,  that  the  labour-leader-directored  quarrying 
company,  still  paid  its  workmen  less  than  the  quarries 
o-vned  by  the  altogether  bloated  capitalist  of  commerce  ? 
This  is  the  point  which  should  not  be  forgotten. 

5?  $5 

EH.  you  suffering  telephonists  !  Don't  you  wish  you 
were  "  operating  "  in  the  country  where  sauer-krout  and 
sausages  are  supposed  to  form  the  staff  of  life  ?  You  ought 
to.  anyhow,  for  we  note  that  in  Berlin,  a  short-tempered 
banker-man  has  been  fined  marks  to  the  extent  of  £5, 
English  money,  for  daring  to  dub  a  poor  telephone  girl,  "an 
impertinent  person."  There's  for  you.  too,  you  Docks 
gentlemen,  who  ring  up  the  "  Hello  Angel."  and  then  say 
rude  things,  because  she  won't  switch  off  everybody  else 
who  uses  the  system,  to  give  you  your  innings,  right  away. 
You  ought  to  bt  in  Kaiser  Williamville.  you  did  !  Think  of 
the  opportunities  for  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequerdom. 
which  lays  in  this  fining  for  the  breathing  of  impertinences 
"over  the  wire."  Why.  the  coal-tax  would  be  a  mere 
circumstance,  as  an  oof-raiser,  if  considered,  side-by-side. 
with  the  institution  of  fining  for  telephonic  wickedness.  Of 
course,  it  might  be  that  the  service  in  Berlin  is  so  ne  plus 
ultra-ey.  that  there  is  absolutely  no  necessity  for  even  a 
banker  to  lose  his  tempy.  Germany  is  a  perfect  country  ; 
so  is  its  administration-  we  are  told  :  and  therefore,  a  £5  fine 
but  meets  the  case,  under  the  conditions  suggested. 


in  Turkey— and  other  places  thereaway ;  France,  too 
might  reasonably  wonder  what  it's  all  about :  and  the  mere 
stay-at-home  Briton  is  forgiven,  if  he  wonders,  most  of  all. 
Possibly,  this  is  another  phase  of  diplomacy ;  if  so,  it  is 
anything  but  an  elevating  phase.  Of  course,  the  British 
Fleet  might  be  keeping  handy  to  run  messages— and  send 
telegrams -for  the  One-and-Only  :  it  might  be  engaged  on 
a  totally  different  bit  of  work.  But  the  nations  of  the 
world  may  only  judge  by  appearances— unfortunately. 

E??    9tg 

E&          W? 

THE  Natal  Government  folk  are  making  a  bid  for  support 
of  a  commercial  character,  in  a  sensible  manner.  That  is 
to  say,  they  have  issued  a  Government  Notice,  to  the  effect 
that  all  vessels  using  Natal  ports,  if  "  calling  for  the  sole 
purpose  of  taking  bunker  or  cargo  coal,  the  product  of 
Natal,  shall  be  charged,  inclusive  of  wharfage,  pilotage,  and 
light  dues,  one  half  the  ordinary  port  dues."  This  is  court- 
ing business,  don't  you  think  ?  Furthermore,  it  is  inclined 
to  be  of  use  in  ousting  foreign  coal  (which  of  course, 
includes  good  old  Welsh)  from  the  warehouses  on  the 
Natalian  dock-sides?  Fearing  that  the  quoted  promise 
may  not  meet  with  universal  satisfaction,  there  is  an  alter- 
native offered,  and  it  is  :  That  a  ship  shall  be  charged,  at 
owner's  option,  and  inclusive  of  wharfage,  pilotage,  and 
light  dues,  on  the  actual  quantity  of  coal  taken,  at  the  rate 
of  6d.  per  ton.  up  to  1,000  :  with  threepence  for  each  ton 
over  the  1,000  mark  But  it  is  also  provided  that  the 
minimum  charge  in  either  case,  shall  be  an  amount  equal  to 
the  ordinary  light  dues.  See,  the  authorities  are  willing  to 
let  their  improvements  go  for  nothing :  but  the  light  due 
dodge  must  be  maintained  at  all  costs  ! 


BUT  if  the  poor  fellow  were  talking  to  a  client  about  a  big 
deal,  and  he  had  his  conversation  varied  with  such  remarks 
as  :  "  Yes.  send  up  that  heliotrope  ribbon—  no.  I  said  a  ton 
of  that  you.  Smith  ?  say.  did  you  gi  I'd  like  to  go.  but  am 
not  sure  as  to  what  kind  of  a  worn  alright.  111  send  the— 
plain  shillibier.  madam  "  —  and  so.  on  :  well  we  are  not  quite 
sure  about  the  justice  of  that  fine  !  The  foregoing,  too,  are 
actual  quotations  from  conversations  heard  on  the  wire,  at 
this  particular  end  of  civilisation.  Not  that  it  affects  the 
dear  creature  who  "  puts  you  through."  Her's  not  to  rea- 
son why  :  her's  but  to  switch,  and  cry  —  "  Number,  please." 
All  the  same,  it  shows  that  our  boasted  civilisation  is  apt  to 
break  down,  when  an  uncivilised  strain  is  put  upon  it. 
Science  is  a  great  thing  :  the  telephone  is  one  of  the 
greatest  outcomes  thereof  :  but  the  human  element  will 
still  count  for  much,  and  personal  equation  is  not  a  feature 
to  trifle  with.  Thus  it  comes  about  that  we  have  no 
sympathy  for  that  Berlin  gentleman  :  not  a  bit  :  we  are 
nearly  sure  that  he  could  have  used  a  much  more  soul- 
satisfying  expression  than  "impertinent  person."  for  his 
£5  ?  Eh  ?  What  ? 

tfffc 

EVEN  if  the  expression  is  not  original,  there  is  no  getting 
away  from  the  fact,  that  we  are  a  great  nation—  sometimes. 
Especially  when  we  lay  ourselves  out  to  do  honour  to  the 
Kaiser,  while  that  irrepressible  gentleman  is  having  a  cruise 
around  the  Inland  Sea.  Those  of  us  who  have  been  there, 
quite  realise  the  preponderating  importance  of  German 
interests  over  British,  in  the  Eastern  Mediterranean  :  yet 
the  good  people  who  are  responsible  for  these  little  affairs, 
are  simply  getting  outside  of  themselves,  in  an  endeavour 
to  make  Kaiser  William's  progress,  a  sort  of  triumphal 
march.  The  British  Mediterranean  Squadron  is  following 
the  gentleman  around,  for  all  the  world  as  if  he  were 
Britain's  Suzerain  :  and  the  precise  personage  that  the 
Briton  had  "  to  keep  in  with."  We  may  all  of  us  be  sure. 
that  the  action  is  by  no  means  lost  upon  the  budding  heroes 


PROBABLY,  if  Natalian  light  dues  were  allowed  to  lapse  in 
any  degree  whatsoever,  it  would  strengthen  the  hands  of 
the  British  shipowner?  But  in  any  case,  the  Government 
authorities  in  South  Africa  are  'live  individuals,  and 
thoroughly  appreciate  the  duties  that  are  laid  upon  them  in 
opening  out  a  new  country.  If  some  of  the  older  colonies 
would  take  a  leaf  from  the  same  book,  there  would  be  less 
old  talk  of  retaliation  here,  there,  and  t'other  place.  So  far 
in  the  history  of  Britain's  colonies,  the  good  folk  who  have 
been  nursed  along  from  the  beginning,  on  the  stay-at-home's 
money,  have  appeared  to  covet  the  penny  and  the  bun 
That  it  is  a  policy  which  cuts  like  a  two-edged  sword,  has 
been  abundantly  proved.  It  is  admitted  that  the  colonies 
have  the  land,  and  the  probable  sources  of  a  future  supply  ; 
meanwhile,  the  Old  Country  has  the  money,  without  which 
the  colonial  land,  and  possible  sources  of  supply  are  utterly 
useless.  Furthermore,  the  money,  of  itself,  is  a  potential 
power,  while  the  colonial  land  is  merely  a  possibly  potential 
one.  Natal  is  setting  a  good  example  :  one  that  is  worthy 
of  following ;  for  when  there  is  a  concession  offered  to 
trading  concerns,  trade  flows  fast  to  that  particular  spot. 
And  anyhow,  when  the  trade  has  become  of  sufficient 
dimensions,  the  Government  may  be  depended  on  to  get 
its  own  back ! 

5?  & 

WELL.  well,  they  have  found  the  remains  of  that 
personage  who  was  held  up  as  the  nautical  bogie-man  of 
our  youth — Admiral  Paul  Jones !  As  far  as  we  can  see, 
there  is  no  possible  room  for  doubt  as  to  the  said  remains 
being  the  real  McKoy,  for  although  the  dear  old  fellow  died 
some  113  years  ago,  his  organs  were  so  well-preserved, 
that  signs  of  tuberculosis  have  been  indubitably  found 
therein — and  after  all  these  years,  it  is  remembered  that 
the  ancient  hero  died  (not  of  shot  and  shell,  but)  of 
consumption  !  There's  an  ignominious  death  for  the 
"Father  of  the  American  Navy."  Exactly  how  it  is 
brought  around  that  friend  Paul  stood  in  the  position  indi- 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


April  21,    1905 


cated,  is  not  explained:  nor  does  it  matter.  The  great 
American  nation  is  "out"  for  relics:  like  the  Dyaks  of 
Borneo,  they  are  after  heads— and  other  parts  :  they  have 
heaps  of  money :  so  the  heads— and  other  parts-  are 
found,  as  a  matter  of  course.  The  remains  that  have  been 
recovered,  are  exactly  5ft.  7in.  in  length  so  was  Paul 
Jones,  as  evidenced  in  the  particulars  held  by  the  Naval 
authorities.  "The  hair  is  dark  brown,  and  long,  curled  in 
two  rolls  on  the  temples  (after  113  years,  too),  and 
gathered  in  a  clasp  at  the  back  of  the  neck,  like  an 
admiral's  of  that  far  off  day  "—so  was  Paul  Jones',  when 
last  seen  by  his  sorrowing  friends. 

MOREOVER,  that  hair  is  slightly  grey,  in  places,  which 
indicates  a  person  of  about  his  age— forty-five  years.  All 
of  which  goes  to  show,  that  it  didn't  take  a  lot  to  be  Father 
of  a  navy  in  those  days  ?  To-day,  the  mere  sons  of  the 
business,  are  either  bald-headed  or  as  grey  as  badgers,  long 
before  they  have  arrived  at  the  age  of  forty-five.  But  let 
that  pass.  Admiral  Paul  Jones— or  all  that  remains  of  the 
ancient  gentleman— has  been  found,  and  there  is  joy  in  the 
circles  which  have  nothing  else  to  do  but  meander  around 
in  graveyards.  As  far  as  we  can  see,  there  is  but  one 
little  item  omitted  in  this  catalogue  of  particulars  :  possibly 
two  items.  The  real  gentleman  had  a  wart  on  his  chin- 
is  "  the  remains  "  similarly  decorated  ?  The  Simon  Pure 
of  piracy  had  a  hard  heart :  "  finding  that  the  organs  are 
well-preserved  "  in  the  "  find,"  has  it  been  ascertained  that 
his  heart  was  hard  ?  If  so,  all  that  is  necessary,  now,  is 
for  a  string  of  American  warships  to  escort  the  catafalque 
across  the  waves,  with  muffled  drums  beating,  arms 
reversed,  and  all  the  fakements  usual  to  this  class  of 
morbidity  :  after  which,  it  will  be  a  good  idea  if  Brother 
Jonathan  hustles  around,  to  find  the  father  of  the  modern 
mercantile  marine  that  he  intends  having— bimeby  ? 

You  know,  the  law  of  this  free  and  brilliantly  enlightened 
land  is  a  fearsome  affair.  It  is  useless  to  try  to  burke  the 
facts,  for  they  remain,  no  matter  what  you  say  to  the 
contrary.  We  have  commented  on  that  Houlder  Bros.  v. 
Griffin  case  as  who  has  not,  seeing  that  it  has  dragged  its 
weary  way  along  since  1902,  and  that  a  paltry  £150  was 
at  stake.  You'll  remember  that  Griffin  was  a  seaman  on 
the  Royston  Grange,  and  had  got  as  far  as  the  Alexandra 
Docks-  up  Channel  -when  he  was  struck  on  the  foot  by  a 
falling  torn  :  ultimately  recovered  ;  but  eventually  developed 
influenza,  and  died.  His  widow-  who  had  two  children 
depending  on  her  efforts— sued  Houlder  Bros,  in  the  County 
Court,  for  compensation.  As  far  as  we  can  see,  there  was 
no  disputing  the  facts  ;  merely  a  contention  that  the  Work- 
men's Compensation  Act  did  not  apply.  The  County 
Court  Judge  said  it  didn't,  and  the  case  went  to  the  Court 
of  Appeal,  who  said  it  did,  and  awarded  the  £150.  Not 
satisified  with  this  sort  of  law,  the  defendants— you  see, 
there  is  a  great  principle  involved — sought  the  help  of  the 
top  sample  thereof,  and  lo.  the  Court  of  Appeal  has  had  to 
climb  down,  even  as  the  County  Court  Judge  has  been 
exalted. 

THE  widow  ?  Where  is  she,  meantime  ?  Heaven  knows' 
but  we  don't.  But  what  we  should  like  to  .know  is  :  Did 
any  of  the  parties  interested,  believe  that  anything  other 
than  a  flouting  of  the  sailor's  friends  would  result  ?  The 
sailor  is  not  an  integral  portion  of  the  community  :  has  no 
right  to  live — much  less  to  die  :  and  so  we  feel  that  we 
have  a  right  to  ask  what  the  Appeal  Court  folk  were  working 
for.  when  they  awarded  that  widow-woman  £150?  If  we 
had  been  asked  an  opinion  at  the  time,  we  should  have  said, 
at  once  :  If  the  Appeal  Court  sides  with  the  widow,  the 


case  will  indubitably  go  to  the  higher  House.  The  ship- 
owner will  agree  to  pay  out  twice  the  amount  of  the 
damages  in  legal  costs— because  there  is  a  principal 
involved  :  but  to  help  that  widow  and  her  two  orphans- 
well  shipowners  are  business  men,  and  cannot  bother 
with  philanthropy,  can  they  ?  All  this  litigation  is  for  a 
principle  :  to  dispose  of  any  possible  precedent ;  but  is  any- 
body going  to  be  simple  enough  to  believe  that  any  future 
case  of  accident,  and  consequent  claims  for  damages,  will 
be  kept  out  of  court  because  of  this  Moulder  Line,  Limited, 
v  Griffin  settlement  ? 

5?^ 

WE  don't,  anyhow,  and  consequently,  we  cannot  see  where 
the  principle  comes  in— outside  of  the  principle  that  one 
lawyer  has  to  look  after  the  livelihood  of  another.  A  ship 
isn't  a  dock— within  the  Act ;  a  dock  isn't  a  ship  ;  a  sailor 
isn't  a  workman  ;  nor  is  a  workman  a  sailor  :  but  everytime 
and  always,  a  lawyer  is  that,  and  if  he  cannot  get  a  look  in 
on  one  side  of  the  claim,  he  must  get  it  on  the  other ! 
Precedents  are  fine  things  ;  so  are  Appeals  to  Caesar  ;  but 
after  you  have  been  to  Caesar,  you  might  find  that  he  is 
wrong  all  to  pieces ;  and  that  a  mere  common  or  garden 
centurion  is  the  better  man,  look  at  it  which  way  you  choose. 
The  mere  fact  of  a  widow-woman  being  starved,  has  nothing 
to  do  with  the  case.  For  if  a  printer-man  sets  "  theg " 
instead  of  "  they  "  because  he  was  severely  shaken  in  a 
railway  accident,  you  might  have  to  pay  him  anything  up  to 
£550  ;  but  if  you  kill  a  hundred  sailors— and  in  spite  of  the 
fact  that  they  are  daily  becoming  scarcer— and  the  butcher- 
ing takes  place  on  a  ship,  and  by  accident ;  well,  you  won't 
have  to  pay  anything.  That  is  clear  enough,  isn't  it,  and 
without  going  through  the  folly  of  trying  three  different 
sets  of  Solons? 

#  & 

IT  appears  that  the  West  Indian  mail  contract  is  gone  to 
Elder.  Dempster  and  Co.,  and  there  is  bother,  in  conse- 
quence. It  is  but  fair  to  state  that  most  of  the  trouble  is 
likely  to  materialise  from  the  island  of  Barbadoes.  Did  you 
know  that  the  spot  which  is  chiefly  noted  for  niggers  of  "the 
troo  free-bohn  Barbadians  "  type,  has  a  chamber  of 
commerce  ?  Well,  it  has,  and  its  members  are  talking  big 
things  in  connection  with  what  they  consider  the  wicked- 
ness of  passing  the  dear  old  Royal  Mail  Steam  Packet 
Company,  in  the  matter  of  the  mail  contract.  First  of  all, 
that  chamber  of  commerce  is  of  opinion  that  the  Home 
Government  had  no  right  to  settle  up  these  contract  things, 
without  consulting  and  "  submitting  full  details  "  for  the 
"  consideration  and  decision  of  the  Legislature "  in  the 
coral-bound  hummock  referred  to.  Especially  as  the  said 
hummock  has  been  paying  a  matter  of  £4,000  per  annum 
towards  the  mail  service.  You  know,  to  the  Barbadian 
£4,000  might  easily  appear  to  be  a  pile  of  money  ;  but  you 
and  us  thoroughly  realise,  that  it  doesn't  amount  to  much, 
when  a  mail  service  has  to  be  bought,  and  paid  for— 
especially  if  it  is  to  be  a  service  that  is  worthy  of  the  name. 

#$! 

HOWEVER,  the  Barbadian  chamber  has  been  passing 
resolutions  ( 'fore  all  the  world  like  real,  high-class  main- 
land affairs  !),  and  in  addition  to  the  portions  which  we  have 
already  quoted,  it  says  that.  "  having  regard  to  the  fact 
that  the  Royal  Mail  S.P.  Company  has  been,  since  the 
establishment  of  the  service  sixty-five  years  ago,  the  only 
line  which  has  held  the  contract  (which  it  has  performed 
satisfactorily )  " — well,  in  the  opinion  of  that  chamber  of 
commerce,  what  was,  is  good  enough.  Or,  in  other  words, 
the  R.M.S.P.  Co..  is  entitled  to  the  best  and  most  preferen- 
tial consideration  in  awarding  the  contract— or  that  is  how 
Daily  Chronicle  has  it,  and  its  good  enough  for  us. 
Obviously,  the  Barbadian  is  taking  no  stock  in  the  old  jape 


April    ;i.  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


162 


which  tells  of  a  survival  of  the  fittest,  unless  that  survival 
can  be  fastened  on  to  its  own  particular  "  fittest  ?  "  But 
after  all.  one  can  easily  understand  that,  in  the  heat- 
enervated  place  referred  to,  anything  in  the  nature  of  a 
change — and  therefore  a  fag — is  to  be  deprecated  ?  Twas 
ever  thus,  when  King  Sol  had  charge  of  the  business,  and 
as  long  as  a  simple  resolution  can  be  depended  on  to  put 
back  the  hands  of  the  clock— well  and  good. 

#  ^ 

BUT  in  this  case,  we  are  of  opinion  that  something  more 
than  an  island  resolution  will  be  necessary  ?  And  anyhow. 
who  is  the  more  likely  to  benefit  by  the  mail  service  :  the 
Home  Country,  or  the  island  of  Barbadoes  ?  Certainly, 
the  latter,  for  outside  of  an  inappreciable  number  of  folk 
who  have  a  few  friends  thereaway,  it  won't  matter  a  lot, 
whether  Barbadoes  is  joined  on  ( by  mail-boat)  to  the 
remainder  of  civilisation,  or  otherwise  ?  It  is  highly 
probable  that  the  world  would  still  continue  the  wobbly 
tenour  of  its  way.  supposing  the  Barbadian  were  to  wrap 
himself  in  a  mantle  after  the  build  of  some  other  fellow's 
"  splendid  isolation  ?  "  But  there  !  Tis  ever  the  picayune 
affair  that  has  most  to  say  about  these  matters,  and  we 
can  well  understand  that,  after  sixty-five  years  of  undis- 
turbed sway,  the  "  Royal  Mail "  has  built  up  a  clientele 
whose  collective  word  is  a  fearsome  affair—  at  Barbadoes. 
Whether  the  same  thing  will  apply  at  home.  here,  is 
altogether  another  joke.  The  fact  of  the  matter  is, 
Barbadoes  is  a  very  small  chunk  of  the  West  Indies,  and  an 
up-to-date  Imperial  policy  calls  for  the  doctrine  of  "the 
greatest  good  for  the  greatest  number."  Thus  far  in  the 
history  of  the  awakening  in  the  West.  Elder.  Dempster 
<  who  have  done  more  than  most  folk,  thereaway)  have  had 
but  a  poor  recompense  for  their  labour. 

fi?*9 

So  poor,  in  point  of  fact,  that  a  concern  with  less  grit 
would  have  tossed  up  the  sponge,  even  as  it  anathematised 
any  old  sunbaked,  or  tropical-under-growth-covered  crib 
such  as  the  West  Indies  undoubtedly  is.  And  to  our  mind, 
it  is  not  the  West  Indies  or  any  portion  thereof  that 
should  start  the  growling  business  over  this  new  mail  con- 
tract, if.  as  it  is  said  by  those  who  claim  to  know,  the 
Elder.  Dempster  Company  really  has  it.  Bristol  is  the 
spot  where  the  trepidation  and  several  other  items — 
should  eventuate  ?  We  all  of  us  remember  Sir  Alfred 
Jones'  caustic  remarks  in  the  past :  his  threatenings  and 
warnings  to  the  Ancient  City  Fathers,  and  their  uncles, 
their  cousins,  and  their  aunts,  as  to  what  would  happen  if 
certain  facilities  were  not  forthcoming.  As  far  as  we  know. 
those  same  facilities  are  practically  as  far  off  as  ever :  so. 
if  the  West  Indian  mail  boats  are  "out"  for  a  new  berth 
on  this  side  of  the  world,  it  wouldn't  be  a  bad  idea  to  see  if 
they  could  be  persuaded  to  come  to  Cardiff  ?  As  our  con- 
temporary before  alluded  to.  remarks,  "the  steamers  bring 
home  on  each  voyage  about  26.0OO  bunches  of  bananas." 
and  although  bananas  are  not  everything,  the  Cardiffian 
and  his  district  friends  could  easily  dispose  of  the  little 
number  mentioned,  and  yet  not  feel  too  well-fed. 

5?  *3 

IN  our  last  week's  issue,  we  had  something  to  say  about 
that  letter  to  the  Times,  from  Sir  A.  L.  Jones,  concerning 
the  apprenticeship  question.  We  note  that  Mr.  Walter 
Runciman  has  joined  issues  with  the  Banana  King,  and 
writes  "  Why  should  Messrs.  Elder.  Dempster,  or  any  other 
firm  of  shipowners  receive  money  from  public  funds  to 
expend  in  charity,  for  which  they  alone  get  credit."  Our 
sentiments,  right  down  to  the  ground,  and  we  are  heartily 
glad  to  note  that,  at  least,  one  shipowner  has  pluck  enough 
to  stand  up  for  the  sailor-boy,  even  as  he.  at  the  same 
time,  does  some  practical  good  for  his  country,  and  in 
connection  with  that  sailor-boy.  For  ourselves,  we  have 


continually  stated  that  this  whining  for  a  subsidy,  as  pay- 
ment for  carrying  boys  who,  in  the  majority  of  instances, 
displace  men,  is  a  disgrace  to  the  whiner.  And  now,  we 
have  an  authority  such  as  Mr.  Runciman  undoubtedly  is. 
coming  into  the  breech ;  standing  between  the  sailor-boy 
and  the  deep  sea,  so  to  speak  ;  an  authority  who  has  from 
100  to  120  "  well-conditioned  lads,  drawn  mainly  from  the 
lower  middle-classes,"  continuously  in  his  service.  Not 
only  that,  but  this  man  flouts  the  idea  of  seeking  State  aid 
for  what  individual  effort  can  easily  (and  profitably)  do. 

K#  Xa 

Vu      w? 

HERE  you  are.  Read,  mark,  learn  and  inwardly  digest 
the  following — even  as  you  grudgingly  admit  that  the 
claim  is  what  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW  has  taken  for  its  own, 
since  its  birth  :  "If  the  British  shipowners  have  an  earnest 
desire  to  bring  into  existence  a  body  of  properly  trained 
men,  their  course  is  very  simple,  and  I  am  glad  to  say  that 
many  of  them  are  doing  their  part,  without  dreaming  of 
asking  for  external  assistance."  Of  course,  the  British 
shipowner  can !  But  in  the  majority  of  instances  he 
doesn't  care  a  toss  for  properly-trained  men  ;  his  demand 
is,  openly  and  without  shame,  for  foreigners  ;  so  much  so, 
that  he  has  not  only  filled  the  service  with  the  scum  of  the 
earth  as  seamen  :  but  he  has  gradually  evolved  a  brand  of 
shipmaster  who  will  take  nothing  else — from  choice. 
Those  shipmasters,  too,  cannot  see  that  it  is  but  a  step 
from  foreign  sailor  to  foreign  skipper ;  that  the  foreign 
skipper  is  the  natural  corollary  to  the  foreign  sailor  ;  that 
when  the  "  natural  "  has  arrived,  the  shipowner  who  has  no 
practical  knowledge  of  the  business —  and  who  is  merely  a 
sweater  of  better  men  than  himself  -will  have  achieved  his 
end,  in  that  he  will  make  a  little  extra  profit  for  a  time, 
through  engaging  none  but  aliens. 

5?  & 

IN  the  case  of  men  like  Mr.  Walter  Runciman,  the  nation 
should  feel  proud  at  possessing  such  ;  and  if  their  adver- 
tising value  were  a  bit  bigger,  that  nation  would  probably 
hear  more  about  them.  As  things  are,  it  is  but  once  in  a 
way,  that  such  pillars  of  the  Empire  are  heard  of.  although 
they  probably  do  ten  times  as  mujh  good  as  the  much-ad- 
vertised individuals  who  give  a  little  from  out  their  super- 
fluity. While  admitting  that  the  Runciman  claim  of  "many 
of  them  (shipowners)  are  doing  their  part  without  dreaming 
of  asking  for  external  assistance,"  might  be  true  enough, 
we,  yet,  are  of  opinion  that,  so  far,  there  are  all  too  few  of 
the  sort  suggested.  Our  experience  has  taught  us  that  in 
the  majority  of  instances,  shipowner  carries  apprentices 
from  motives  of  "sweating"  ;  for  the  purpose  of  shrinking 
an  already  well-shrunk  portage  bill ;  and  not  because  he 
cares  a  Continental  and  cheap  swear-word  about  nautical 
supremacy  or  efficiency.  And  friends,  we  have  sailed  for 
him,  for  more  years  than  we  care  to  remember,  so  are  in  a 
position  to  tell  you  these  things  at  first  hand.  But  more  of 
this,  anon.  We  shall  practice  what  we  preach.  Shall 
"  keep  a  hollerin'.  " 

tf  IS 

AT  its  monthly  meeting,  on  Wednesday  last,  the  Cardiff 
Chamber  of  Commerce  added  another  resolution  to  its 
already  formidable  list  thereof.  Mr.  William  Jones,  Presi- 
dent of  the  Chamber,  made  some  interesting  remarks  with 
reference  to  the  celebration  of  Sir  William  Thomas  Lewis' 
50-years'-connection  with  the  Bute  Estates  and  Docks, 
after  which,  he  moved  a  resolution  as  follows :  "  It  is 
resolved  that  this  Chamber  begs  to  offer  Sir  W.  T.  Lewis, 
its  hearty  and  sincere  congratulations  on  his  completing  a 
period  of  fifty  years  with  the  Bute  authorities,  and  to  place 
on  record  its  thorough  appreciation  of  the  eminent  services 
which  he  has,  during  his  connection  with  Cardiff,  rendered 
to  the  trade  of  the  port."  This  was  seconded  by  Mr.  E. 
Franklin  Thomas,  ex-President  of  the  Chamber ;  cordially 
supported  by  Messrs.  John  Moore,  H.  Wood-Davey,  and 
Arthur  C.  Morgan ;  after  which  the  resolution  was 
unanimously  adopted. 


163 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


April  21,   1905 


FRIDAY.  APRIL  21.   1905. 


TINKERING    THE    TINKER! 


taw  Indians, 
in   unloading 


E  are  not  altogether  clear  as  to  what  an  up- 
town contemporary  means,  when  dubbing  the 
present  dry  dock  imbroglio  "an  interesting 
situation."  Personally,  we  have  our  doubts 
as  to  whether  that  would-be  critic  knows  any 
more  of  the  subject,  than  we  know,  off  hand, 
of  the  language  erstwhile  adopted  by  the  Choc- 
Still,  it  is  a  local  "daily"  :  it  has  succeeded 
one  of  its  representatives  on  to  "  a  well- 
known  local  shipowner."  and  behind  hissacred  body. launches 
a  quantity  of  more-than-usually-amusing  (which  is  ad- 
mitting a  very  great  deal)  light  literature.  Before  accepting 
the  diction  of  that  "  well-known  shipowner."  we  should  like 
to  know  who  he  is  :  whether  he  is  well-known  in  a  chapel : 
as  a  dividend-payer  :  or  merely  on  his  own  assurances, 
thereafter.  In  any  case,  he  doesn't  know  much  more  of 
the  situation,  than  does  Western  Mail,  and  if  you  can  strike 
depths  of  ignorance  on  shipping  topics  more  profound  than 
that,  well,  we  should  like  to  hear  of  them.  And  now,  let 
us  leave  the  "well-known  shipowner,"  his  favourite  scribe, 
the  whole  of  his  talky-talky  on  dry  dock  subjects,  and  let 
us  get  down  to  the  bed-rock  facts  of  the  situation.  Let  us 
see  how  the  dry  dock  man.  as  distinct  from  the  mere  ship- 
repairer,  stands.  Having  disposed  of  that  portion  of  the 
subject,  we  can  easily  find  other  topics  of  interest,  and  in 
the  same  line  of  reasoning.  For  some  time  past,  the  dry 
dock  man  has  been  engaged  upon  a  policy  of  dog-eat-dog ; 
he  has  been  acting  the  simpleton,  generally,  when  he 
considered  he  was  doing  the  keen-business-man  trick. 
Needless  to  say.  his  sin  has  found  him  out,  and  indications 
are  toward,  which  conclusively  show  that  he  is  awakening 
from  his  infatuation  ;  is  wiping  his  eyes ;  and  the  "  little 
man  " — he  who  has  a  soup-and-bouilli-can  arrangement  on 
the  dock  side,  and  can  readily  undertake  the  repair  of  a  few 
firing  tools— is  shouting,  in  consequence.  Really  speaking, 
Mr.  Tin  Shed  has  no  right  to  shout:  on  the  contrary, 
rather,  for  he  should  be  thankful  that  internecine  warfare 
among  the  cloth  of  which  he  is  the  simple  fringe,  should 
have  enabled  him  to  hold  his  head  up,  over  a  number  of 
years  when,  by  all  the  laws  of  nature,  he  should  have 
turned  to  something  new  and  strange ;  something  for 
which  his  "  works  "  are  really  fit ;  tin-whistle-making  for 
instance.  Here  are  the  facts  of  the  situation.  Up  to 
within  some  five  years  ago.  the  accepted  charge  for  dry- 
docking  a  vessel — including  the  shoring,  coating  the  bottom 
to  light-load  line.  etc. — was  threepence  per  gross  registered 
ton.  and  this  just  left  a  fair  profit  on  the  undertaking. 
Times  hardened  a  bit.  and  the  dry  dock  friend  (never  mind 
which  of  them,  as  that  has  no  bearing  on  the  subject)  was 
struck  with  a  "great  thought."  He  conceived  the  idea 
that  if  he  were  to  cut  docking  charges  a  bit :  knock  off  a 
halfpenny  per  ton,  say,  for  the  twenty-four  hours'  use  of 
his  dock-with-trimmings  :  he  would  surely  be  one  up 
against  his  competitors.  Right  !  He  did  ;  and  he  was. 
Those  competitors,  seeing  how  matters  had  tended,  instead 
of  denouncing  the  "  cutter."  simply  followed  suit :  and  2  '2d. 
became  the  alleged  charge.  Later  on.  the  cutting  con- 
tinued— on  the  off  chance  of  something  decent  turning-up. 
after  the  Flimsy  Whimsy's  bottom  had  been  sighted  —until 
it  became  rather  too  common  a  sight,  to  see  a  steamer 
docked  on  a  sporting  offer  of  from  anything  up  to  £7/8  (we 


did  see  one  big  steamer  "done  "  for  30s.)  Very  well,  then. 
Nobody  will  gainsay  the  fact  but  that  the  dry  dock  man  was 
very  foolish:  was  standing  in  his  own  light  ;  or  that  his 
clientele  at  £7  a  time,  was  any  bigger  than  when  he 
charged  the  full  3d.  per  gross  registered  ton.  Moreover, 
no  one  will  unduly  blame  the  proprietor  of  the  soup-and- 
bouilli-can  arrangement,  for  playing  the  one  dock  off  against 
the  other  ?  Asa  matter  of  fact,  the  dry  dock  man,  himself, 
doesn't  throw  any  blame  in  the  direction  indicated  ;  he 
merely  says  there  must  be  no  more  of  it :  hence,  what  the 
contemporary  already  alluded  to  terms,  the  "dry  dock 
boycott."  Mr.  Tin  Shed  worked  the  oracle  in  a  beautifully 
simple  manner.  He  whisperingly  remarked  to  shipowner, 
"  How  can  that  man  dock  your  ship  for  £7  ?  He  will  lose 
anything  up  to  about,  say,  £30,  and  will  then  try  to  '  stick  ' 
you  on  the  deck,  or  other,  repairs.  Will  you  let  me 
undertake  them  for  you  ?  You  see  my  little  place  over 
there  "—indicating  the  spot  with  a  lordly  and  tin-shoppy 
wave  of  the  hand — "  and  you  will  realise  that  as  my 
expenses  are  few,  my  profits  will  be  small  in  comparison 
with  that  great  dry  dock's."  Shipowner,  not  being  a 
born  idiot,  and — tell  it  not  in  Gath — having,  on  sundry 
occasions,  an  interest  in  the  little  place,  drinks  in  the 
words  of  Mr.  Tin  Shed  ;  allows  the  dry  dock  man  to  do 
the  essential ;  then  gets  his  ship  out  of  dock  :  hands  her 
over  to  Tin  Shed  :  and  on  occasion,  sits  down  to  reckon  up 
the  profits  that  should  come  to  him.  as  a  result.  On  the 
face  of  it.  Tin  Shed  can  do  the  work  cheaper  than  a 
reputably  efficient,  and  therefore  better-fitted  establish- 
ment :  but  does  he,  really  ?  Some  of  the  Tin  Shed  frater- 
nity are  so  little-expensed,  that  they  cannot  afford  to  keep 
a  regular  blacksmith,  say,  on  the  staff.  A  job  at  mending- 
up  some  firing-tools  comes  along  :  half-a-day's  work  for  the 
peripatetic  smith  :  he  is  paid  for  a  full  day,  or  will  see  Tin 
Shed  hanged  first ;  so  the  latter  has  to  charge  up  to  the 
extent  indicated.  All  is  not  gold  that  glitters ;  neither  is 
an  apparently  cheap  tinker's  job,  always  one  in  reality.  We 
are  not  taking  any  chances  on  this  "boycott"  idea:  we 
know  because  we  have  been  there  ;  and  while  admitting 
that  the  ;pse  dixit  of  a  "  well-known  ship-owner  "  is  good 
enough  for  the  "  daily  "  which,  somehow  or  other,  appears 
to  be  keen  on  hoodooing  the  chances  of  the  town  in  which 
it  circulates :  we  must  ask  to  be  excused  from  taking  on 
the  tale  ourselves.  We  know  that  the  dry  dock  cult  will 
not :  and  even  the  glorious  army  of  Tin  Sheds  indulge  in 
a  quiet  chuckle,  as  they  assimilate  to  what  extent  they 
have  pulled  the  leg  (metaphorically,  you  understand)  of 
the  esteemed  friend  who  runs  Western  Mail,  on  the  extreme 
eastern  edge  of  "gallant  little  Wales.  "  Funny,  isn't  it  ? 
No  if  that  esteemed  friend  would  but  remember  that  tag 
of  his  childhood's  days  :  the  ne  sutor  ultra  crepidam  of  his 
Latin  term;  then,  we  should  not  have  to,  so  frequently, 
give  him  the  words  of  wisdom.  Revival  rant,  nor 
double-breasted  politics,  have  anything  in  common  with 
shipping— in  either  of  its  varied  phases.  Reverting  to 
Mr.  Tin  Shed,  he  has  a  commercial  dry  dock  in  each  port 
wherein  he  may  labour  :  the  charges,  there,  are  between  3d. 
and  3/ad.  per  gross  registered  ton,  as  the  proprietors 
thereof,  cannot  see  the  fun  of  providing  a  dock  on  losing 
rates — not  even  for  their  good  friend,  Mr.  Tin  Shed.  Very 
well,  then,  again.  The  last-mentioned,  will  frequently  take 
a  docking  job  for  anything  ranging  around  a  "  tenner  :  "  but 
think  not  that  he  means  to  undertake  it  :  oh,  dear  no  :  this 
is  precisely  where  he  works  the  dry  dock  man  :  at  least,  he 
has,  up  to  now,  and  the  dry  dock  man  says  it  must  stop. 
With  a  perseverance  deserving  a  better  cause,  Tin  Shed 
will  "  approach  "—we  believe  that  is  the  correct  term— 
his  very  good  friend  :  will  insinuate  that  he  is  SO  busy  :  is 
sorry  that  he  took  the  Floppy  Doppy.  but  couldn't  well  get 
out  of  it :  in  short,  will  the  "  dear  friend  "  (Mr.  Dry  Dock, 
you  know)  relieve  him  of  the  contract  ?  Mr.  D.D.  asks  the 
price  ;  is  told  :  says  it  is  insufficient :  Tin  Shed  is  disap- 
pointed, and  suggests  that  D.D.  will  get  ALL  the  deck  and 
engine  repairs,  and  "  I  do  so  want  you  to  have  it,  instead  of 


April  21,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


164 


So-and-so  !    —the  latter  being  invariably  breathed  in  such 
a  Sunday  Schooly  tone  of  voice.      In  the  past.  Mr.  D.D. 
rather  than  see  the  work  go  to  that  problematical  So-and- 
so— has  been  inclined  to  grunt  out.  "  Alright,  we'll  take  her: 
but  the  price  is  ridiculous."     Of  course.  Tin  Shed  smiles 
the  smile  that  is  bland,  if  not  altogether  childlike— and.  in  a 
figurative  sense,  shakes  hands  with  himself,  as  he  remem- 
bers that  he  has  been  calling  the  price  to,  what  should  be 
(and  will  be,  soon  ),  his  formidable  rivals.      Beginning  to 
see  the  hidden  mysteries,  aren't  you  ?     It's  all  plain  enough, 
when  you  sit  down  to  view  it  in  the  light  of  reason  ?     Of 
course,  and  that  is  the  light  which,  happily,  has  dawned 
among  the  dry  dock  men.  who  may  be  calculated  to  find 
work  for  1.000  men.  where  Tin  Shed  will  find,  half,  or 
three-quarter-time,  for  half   a  dozen.      You    see,   if    the 
"small  men"  tender  for  work  on  what  we    may  term  a 
commercial  dry  dock  tariff,  how  may  they  hope  to  keep 
their  ends  up  in  competition   with  the  other  folk?     As  a 
consequence,  they  do  not :  rather  do  they  tender  on  the 
dog-eat-dog  plan,  and  then  unload  their  probable  losses  on 
Mr.  D.D.     That  unloading  is  scheduled  as  non-applicable. 
hence  all  the  fuss.     Furthermore,  a  big  dry  dock  concern 
might  easily  have  financial  objections  to  the  blandishments 
of  some  of  the  Tin  Shed  fraternity  :  for  not  always  is  the 
loudest    talker    the    best    payer    but    perhaps    you  have 
noticed  this,  even  as  readily  as  ourselves  ?     And  anyhow, 
we  presume  that  it  is  admissible  for  a  dry  dock  to  choose 
its  possible  customers  ?    To  decline  to  work  for  some,  even 
as  it  agrees  to  work  for  others  ?     The  plain  truth  of  the 
situation  is  :     If  tinker's  shops  would  be  satisfied  to  engage 
in  tinker's  work,  there  would  be  need  for  no  bad  feeling. 
There  is  room  for    all    of    them     tinker's   and    dry    dock 
establishments.     But  when  the  latter,  after  expenditure  of 
much  money  succeed  in  bringing  a  possible  repair  job  to  the 
Bristol  Channel.it  is  disheartening    to  say  the  least—  to  find 
some  little  tinkery  having  the  impertinence  to  tender  for  work 
which,  under  no  circumstances,  cannot  it  undertake  ;  and 
for  which  it  tenders  merely  for  the  purpose  of  getting  a 
free  advertisement,    in   the  kindly    "daily"  to  which  we 
have  referred.     Mind  you.  we  do    not  blame  the  tinkery 
for  those  tactics     when  they  can  be  got  away  with  :   but 
then.  Mr.  Tin  Shed  must  not  be  unduly  ruffled  when  he 
finds  that  the  dawn  of  reason  has  arrived,  and  the  tricks 
which  were  good  enough  in  the  last  benighted  century,  are 
altogether  "  off  side."  in  this.     This  is  where  the  trouble 
really  lays.     Mr.  Tin  Shed,   in    the  past,  has  been  taking 
himself  too  seriously  :  thanks  to  petty  jealousies,  he  has 
been  running  things  his  own  way.  until  at  last,  he  has  come 
to  believe  that  it  was  because  of  his  inherent  smartness. 
Naturally,  now  that  he  is  disillusioned  :  when  he  recognises 
that  he  isn't  smart  worth  twopence  :  he  is    sore  about  it. 
For  our  part,  we  sincerely  hope  that  Mr.  Dry  Dock,  be  he 
from  where  he  may.  will  see  to  it  that  a  better  ordering  of 
things  ship-repairy  is  in  evidence  in  the  future,  than  was  in 
the  past.  The  greatest  good  for  the  greatest  number,  isa  good 
saw  :  it  is  very  certain  that  Mr.  Tin  Shed,  even  if  you  take 
him  collectively- and.  oh.  there's  a  number  of  him!     will 
never  employ  that  greatest  number  :  while   it   is  equally 
certain  that  Mr.  Dry  Dock     even  if  you  take  him  individ- 
ually- will.     One  other  phase  of  this  Tin  Shed  arrangement 
should  not  be  forgotten.     It  is  not  unknown,  in  the  Bristol 
Channel,  for  a  place  to  be  run  under  a  swagger  name— and 
plenty    of    the    commodity    which  the  vulgar  sometimes 
name    "  old   buck "     when,    in  reality,  the  superintendent 
engineer  of  a  big  company  is  the  metaphorical  dark  horse. 
You  know  the  kind  we  mean  ?    The  place  where,  although 
a  steamer   is   repairing  in   another  port :  although  a  gang 
of  men  and  all  the  material  have  to  be  sent  on  railway 
journeys  :   and  although  there  are  sundry  other  reputable 
concerns  native  to  the  particular  spot  indicated  :   yet,  the 
tuper-run    "show"    gets    the  everlasting    bulge -if    you 
will  excuse  the  vulgarism  -  every  time,  and  always.     Now, 
this  is  just  exactly  as  it  should  not  be.     If  a  steamer  is  in. 
say.    Richibucto.   the  natives  of  that  port  should  attend  to 


her  repairs,  for  it  is  wickedness  and  worse,  for  the  work 
to  be  sent  across  to  Kingston — neither  of  which  ports  are 
in  the  Bristol  Channel,  which  is  mainly  why  we  have 
used  them  to  adorn  our  tale.  There  are  yet  other  phases 
of  this  regrettable  business  which  have  tended  toward  the 
alleged  "  boycott  "  ;  phases  which  we  shall  touch  on  by 
and  bye.  There  is  as  much  favouritism,  in  certain  quarters. 
as  there  is  soup-and-bouilli-can  work  in  others ;  and 
Cardiff  -  to  say  nothing  of  other  Bristol  Channel  ports — is 
altogether  too  big  a  spot  for  a  continuance  of  such  tactics  to 
be  permissible.  We  shall  tell  you  of  the  other  points, 
later  on — especially  of  the  super-run  jobs,  and  the  favourites 
of  fortune.  For  this  time,  you  have  had  enough. 

"MOTHER"    AND    "BABY." 


VIEWING  the  situation  in  which  Britain  stands  with 
her  own  colonies  in  the  matter  of  trade  preference, 
and  the  tariff  thereon,  generally,  one  can  scarcely 
get  away  from  the  idea  that,  in  the  past,  those 
colonies  have  been  wet-nursed  too  much.  So  much  so,  in 
point  of  fact,  that  to-day,  they  are  in  the  position  that  is 
ever  assumed  by  "spoiled  children."  Successive  Govern- 
ments have,  metaphorically,  employed  themselves  at  the 
not  over-dignified  task  of  listening  for  baby's  cry,  when  a 
wild  stampede  was  made  cradle-wards  for  the  purpose  of 
"striking  a  light."  to  exorcise  the  fancied  bogie-man.  As 
is  only  natural,  "  baby "  has  grown  in  the  belief  that  it, 
alone,  possesses  any  claim  to  consideration  ;  that  "mother" 
was  a  silly,  though  well-meaning  old  party  ;  and  that  no 
matter  what  "  baby  "  did  in  the  way  of  fooling-around  with 
other  children,  "  mother  "  would  stand  patiently  awaiting  a 
condescending  wave  of  the  hand,  to  be  again  ready  to  rush 
to  "baby's "  side,  with  another  box  of  matches!  In  the 
past,  tariffs  have  been  worked  up  all  in  the  favour  of 
"baby,"  and  because  "  mother  "  has  at  last  found  time  to 
ask  what  filial  consideration  or  help  she  is  getting  in  return 
for  her  love,  and  protection  against  those  bogies  ;  pro- 
tection which  costs  her  millions  per  annum;  "baby"  is 
froward.  impudent,  and  badly  in  need  of  the  words  of 
wisdom.  It  is  to  be  sincerely  hoped  that  those  words  will  be 
uttered  and  attended  to,  before  an  indefinite  estrangement 
occurs  between  "mother"  and  "baby."  We  are  moved 
to  these  remarks,  by  the  perusal  of  a  communication  which 
Sir  Richard  Tangye  has  sent  to  a  London  contemporary, 
Sir  Richard-  who  is  well-enough  known  as  a  successful 
business  man  without  any  explanation  from  us — is  paying  a 
visit  to  Australia,  where,  among  other  items,  he  has  been 
"twigging  moves "  in  connection  with  colonial  feeling  on 
the  tariff  question.  Here  is  one  of  Sir  Richard's  quotations  : 
"  The  Chamber  of  Manufacturers  has  adopted  a  resolution 
favouring  preferential  trade  with  the  United  Kingdom, 
subject  to  the  paramount  necessity  of  providing  for  and 
conserving  local  interests."  Cool,  isn't  it  ?  Australia 
must  be  allowed  to  "  conserve  local  interests  " — that  is, 
"must  be  allowed  to  set  up  PROTECTION  (all  in  capital 
letters):  but  "mother"  must  be  persuaded  to  go  on  with 
the  free,  gratis  and  for  nothing  idea  for  the  good  of  "  baby." 
In  concluding  his  remarks,  Sir  Richard  Tangye  asks  what 
would  happen  if,  after  the  conclusion  of  a  given  treaty,  a 
subsequent  Colonial  Parliament  should  denounce  it  ? 
"  Would  England  make  a  naval  demonstration  and  re-enact 
the  Boston  tea-party  of  1776  ?  "  It  is  a  terrible  pity  that 
admittedly  smart  business-men  cannot  recognise  that  the 
suggested  tariff  reform  will  obviate  that  naval  demonstra- 
tion idea.  As  things  are,  Britain  has  to  make  the  demon- 
stration, or  give  up  her  claims  to  what  has  cost  her  millions. 
With  the  tariff,  "baby"  would  soon  see  reason,  as  then. 
she  could  be  met  with  the  home  sample  of  "  conserving 
local  interests."  Oh,  the  pity  of  it !  Unless  Britain  is  pre- 
pared to  fight  for  justice  (with  rifles  and  things)  she  is 
flouted  at  every  tack.  Yet  one  small  war  would  cost  more 
than  years  of  Protection — if  it  were  the  mistake  its 
opponents  declare. 


•65 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


April  21,  1905 


CARDIFF     (AND    OTHER)     COAL. 


CARDIFF,  April  19,  1905. 

HOLIDAYS,  and  again  holidays,  and  by  the  time  this  is 
printed,  and  "out,"  you  will  be  knee-deep  in  holidays. 
Well,  more  power  to  you  :  in  the  main,  you  work  hard,  and 
take  your  pleasures  sadly,  for  the  reason  that  you  don't 
take  'em  often  enough,  so  are  partially  strangers  thereto .' 
Is  it  of  any  use  to  talk  business  to  you  ?  Not  much,  we 
suppose  :  but  we  have  traditions  to  uphold,  so  would  like 
to  insinuate  that  since  our  last,  business  in  Cardiff  (to  say 
nothing  of  other)  coal,  has  been  considerably  more  active: 
yes. 

COLLIERIES,  generally  considered,  have  been  busy,  all 
'round,  and  being  in  possession  of  better  stems,  pro  tern, 
the  seller  is  inclined  to  be  saucy  in  the  matter  of  quotations. 
But  'tis  merely  an  inclination,  sirs :  for  when  a  positive 
buyer  meanders  along,  the  sauciness  is  off  at  once  !  Ton- 
nage supplies  have  been  good,  with  well-filled  docks  to 
draw  on,  most  of  which  filling,  needless  to  say,  has  been 
anxiously  shaken  up.  in  the  hope  that  it  will  vamoose, 
before  those  hateful  holidays  ! 

IN  the  matter  of  BEST  CARDIFF  ADMIRALTYS,  we  find  that 
they  continue  firm  at  between  13s.  and  13s.  3d.;  the  latter, 
as  you  will  probably  realise,  being  the  figures  quoted  by 
your  esteemed  friend,  the  colliery  man.  He.  lucky  soul,  is 
in  the  satisfactory  position  of  having  but  little  to  spare,  and 
in  connection  with  his  business,  there  is  less  reason  to 
doubt  that,  for  the  (blissful)  time  being,  at  least,  his  stems, 
in  the  majority  of  instances,  are  full.  Chock-full,  sirs ! 
Furthermore,  there  are  a  few  collieries  in  this  group,  whose 
engagements  will  carry  them  along  well  into  the  merry 
month  of  May — which  is.  admittedly,  a  pleasant  time  o' 
the  year.  In  any  case,  stemming  for  the  present  month, 
is  rapidly  becoming  more  difficult — partly  because  the 
collieries  are  busy,  but  mainly  for  the  reason  that  when  the 
holidays  are  over,  there  will  be  precious  little  of  the  cur- 
rent month  left  in  which  to  attend  to  coal-selling.  Toujours 
les  holidays ! 

OTHERS,  again,  are  not  quite  so  favourably  circumstanced, 
and  because  in  the  coal  trade,  as  elsewhere,  there  are  ever 
favourites  of  fortune.  That  is  to  say,  we  heard  it  put  that 
way,  although  in  our  opinion  it  is  less  favour,  and  more 
ability — on  the  part  of  the  seller.  Still,  the  non-tryers  in 
coalville.  have  to  work  up  some  kind  of  excuse  for  their 
non-success:  and  to  put  the  "other  fellow  "upas  a  favourite 
of  fortune,  is  about  as  good  as  most  other  "  reasons." 
There  has  been  a  better  demand  for  prompt  shipment 
(naturally),  but  forward  items  have  been  few.  and  far 
between.  All  the  same,  the  market  for  this  section  is  very 
steady,  at  the  moment,  and  although  higher  prices  are 
asked  here  and  there—  you  may  place  the  values  at  the 
figures  already  given  you. 

SECOND  CARDIFF'S,  too,  are  showing  more  steadiness ; 
but  steadiness  notwithstanding,  the  volume  of  business 
actually  done,  is  insufficient  to  enable  sellers  to  raise  the 
price,  over  what  obtained  at  our  last  time  of  writing.  As 
a  matter  of  course,  prices— at  least,  quotations,  which  is 
somewhat  different,  when  you  come  to  view  the  matter 
dispassionately  -vary.  For  the  better  class  coals,  the 
enquirers  therefor,  have  been  stopped  in  their  onward  rush 
with  the  figures  12s.  9d.  But  don't  forgef  that  this  is  the 
quotation  launched  by  the  seller  who  has  a  good  stem,  and 
consequently  doesn't  bother  unduly  whether  he  opens  up 
new  business,  or  not.  At  least,  on  this  side  of  the 
festivities. 

AGAIN,  don't  forget  that  "  there  are  others,"  in  this 
merry-go-'round,  and  they  are  not  so  well-stemmed  ;  are  a 
bit  more  anxious:  are  ready  to  concede -if  your  smile  is 
of  the  right  dimension  :  and  wouldn't  quite  set  the  official 
dog  at  you,  if  you  were  to  brazenly  declare  that  12s.  3d. 


represented  your  "  outside  possible,"  for  Second  Cardiff's 
Moreover,  and  although  there  is  steadiness  in  this  section, 
there  is  no  great  amount  of  activity:  indeed,  the  steadiness 
is  caused  quite  as  much  by  the  lack  of  buyers,  as  by  any 
inherent  improvement  in  ruling  conditions.  Drat  the 
holidays ! 

ORDINARIES,  continue  in  a  state  of  slackness,  with  quota- 
tions ruling  easy  at  from  lls.  6d.  to  12s.  ,  as  the  case 
might  be :  and  with  actual  prices  paid,  quite  threepence 
below,  in  each  instance  !  However,  the  weakness,  here,  is  not 
quite  so  accentuated  as  of  late,  even  if  Ordinaries  are  some 
distance  off  being  a  steady  market.  There  are  altogether 
too  few  buyers  about,  for  a  real  improvement  to  materialise. 

DRYS  -good  old  DRYS — cannot  be  ticketted  as  firm,  for 
business  therein  continues  in  the  same  state  of  inactivity, 
which  has  prevailed  for  some  time,  now.  The  continued 
lack  of  that  indefinable  something  known  to  the  trade  as 
"  request,"  keeps  all  values  in  a  weak  state,  and  for  prompt 
shipment,  the  stuff  may  be  had,  freely,  at  anything  between 
lls.  6d.  and  12s.  Indeed,  and  for  this  position,  there  is 
absolutely  no  difficulty  in  booking  Bests  at  lls.  9d.,  with 
Inferiors  at  from  3d.  to  6d.  under,  as  stems,  all  'round,  are 
very  easy,  with  the  supply  much  in  excess  of  the  demand. 

MONMOUTHSHIRE  COALS  may  be  considered  as  showing  an 
improving  trend.  For  anything  approaching  early  shipment, 
prices  are  very  steady  ;  more  especially  in  the  case  of  the 
BLACK  VEIN  varieties,  and  here,  stems  have  been  rapidly 
filling,  for  this,  and  for  next  week's  attention.  Moreover  the 
collieries  are  busy  with  a  good  supply  of  tonnage,  which 
has  arrived  over  the  past  few  days.  Hence,  the  condition 
in  this  section  is  more  satisfactory  than  at  any  time  recently 
—but  "  holidays  "  are  mainly  responsible  ;  at  least,  that  is 
our  opinion.  Giving  prices  a  consideration,  we  find  that 
they  still  synchronise  with  those  ruling  at  our  last—  1  ]  s.  6d. 
—and  buyers  find  it  somewhat  difficult  to  improve  upon 
this,  seeing  that  there  is  other  than  an  abundance  to  be 
had,  just  now.  The  figures  quoted  are.  generally,  the  firm 
idea  of  the  sellers,  and  may  be  taken  as  representing 
present  value.  As  in  other  quarters,  the  bulk  of  the  trans- 
actions have  been  for  prompt  liftings,  future  business  being 
somewhat  slow. 

ORDINARIES,  too,  are  being  maintained  at  recent  figures. 
For  this  week's  shipment,  the  quotation  from  the  colliery- 
man,  is  lls.  3d.,  and  although  increased  shipments  have 
eventuated,  outside  of  present  commitments,  there  is  but 
little  doing.  In  fact,  the  attention  of  buyers,  has  been 
given  almost  exclusively  to  immediate  requirements  ;  sort 
of  letting  the  future  take  care  of  itself!  True,  collieries 
are  more  satisfactorily  placed  than  has  been  the  case  with 
them  for  some  time  past :  but  very  few  bookings  for  for- 
ward business  is  about.  Also,  it  is  fairly  easy,  in  the 
majority  of  instances,  to  improve  upon  the  quotation,  pro- 
viding the  right  tactics  are  forthcoming ;  and  a  more 
accurate  idea  of  price  may  be  gleaned  from  the  figures  1  Is., 
with  an  outside  touch  at  lls.  3d. 

SECONDS  are,  to  all  intents  arid  purposes,  an  unchanged 
section.  That  is  to  say,  latest  figures  still  obtain  :  but  it 
must  not  be  supposed,  in  consequence,  that  this  class  of 
coal  is  any  firmer  than  heretofore  ;  on  the  contrary,  rather. 
for  business  herein,  continues  on  the  lamentably  slow  notch. 
Sellers— with  their  usual  optimism  -are  asking  10s.  6d.  : 
but  you  may  take  it  from  us,  that  threepence  under  will  be 
thankfully  received— and  without  any  undue  pressure  on 
the  part  of  the  intending  buyer. 

RHONDDA  NUMBER  3's  remain,  quotably,  at  from  13s.  9d. 
to  14s..  but  as  previously  indicated,  easiness  marks  the 
grade.  True,  the  prices  given  have  been  fairly-well  main- 
tained, seeing  that  stems  are  moderately  full.  Beyond 


April   21,    1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


166 


this,  however,  there  is  no  active  demand,  and  to  our  mind, 
the  9d.  may  be  taken  as  present  representative  value,  here. 

RHONDDA  NUMBER  2's  also,  are  unchanged.  Supplies  are 
plentiful :  so  much  so.  that  they  are  well  in  excess  of  all 
the  demand  that  is  about,  so  that  prices  continue  easy  in 
the  neighbourhood  (.close)  of  10s.,  which  has  been  the 
basis  of  the  transactions  passing.  It  is  certain  that  they 
can  command  nothing  above  those  figures,  at  the  moment; 
while  from  3d.  to  6d.  below,  has  been  registered. 

SMALLS,  eh  ?  Here  you  have  a  feature,  once  again  !  A 
feature  which  continues  in  the  expanding  line  ;  the  exact 
line  which  has  been  their's,  for  quite  a  while,  now.  The 
gentle  seller  has  had  another  good  week,  in  so  far  as 
demand  is  concerned  :  and  supplies  have  been  as  restricted 
as  ever — accounted  for  by  full  stems,  and  near  approach  of 


APPROXIMATE     FIGLKKS 


FOR     THE     \VEKK,     ARE     AS 
(All  quotations  f.o.b.  at 


the  holidays.  It  is  a  fact  that  large  coals  have  been 
shipping  more  heavily,  and  the  supplies  of  Smalls  have 
improved  in  consequence  ;  but  the  demand  has  improved  in 
the  same  ratio,  so  that  the  stuff  is  selling  itself,  with 
prices  even  as  at  our  last  time  of  writing.  BESTS  are 
readily  cammanding  8s.  6d. — while  8s.  9d.  is  asked 
for,  and  had,  in  some  quarters  ;  SECONDS  range  along  from 
7s.  9d.  to  8s. ;  Ordinaries,  from  ^s.  3d.  to  7s.  6d. :  and 
there  has  been  a  flattering  demand  for  Newport  qualities, 
at  from  7s.  6d.  to  7s"  9d. 

PATENT  FUELS  are  firm- -not  so  much  on  actual  business, 
as  resultant  from  the  tightness  of  Smalls.  Values  may  be 
scheduled  at  about  13s. 

PITWOOD  is  quoted  at  from  16s.  9d.  to  17s..  and  this 
market  is  a  trifle  firmer. 

FOLLOW  ; — 

the  respective  ports  of  shipment.; 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Best  Cardiff  Ad'altv  Urge 
Second         Ditto. 
Other  Second  Cardiff     ... 
Drys 
Best  Newport 
Ordmar>  Bests 
Seconds 
Best  House  Coal 
No.  3  Rhondda 
No.  2         Ditto. 
Rhondda  3  ••  Thro." 
2 

13*.  od 
I2s.  6d..  i2s.  gil. 
1  1«.  6d.,  izs.  oil. 

1  >*.  Od. 

us.  3d.,  1  1 
i  i  -.  od. 
ios.  3d.,  ios.  6d. 
i6s.  6d. 
135.  gd.,  148.  od. 
ios.  od. 
us.  id.,  us.  gd 
•-.  gd. 

133.  od. 
i2s.  gd. 
us.  gd. 
us.  gJ. 

US.  J.'il 
i  is.  od. 
ios.  6d. 
i6s.  6cl. 
143.  oil. 
ios.  r,il. 
us.  gd. 
8s.  qd. 

133.  od.,  135.  3d. 
I2s.  6d.,  I2s.  gd. 
us.  gd. 
us.  gd. 
us.  6d. 
us.  od.,  us.  3d. 
ios.  6d. 
1  6s.  3d. 
135.  gd. 
ios.  od.,  ios.  3d. 
us.  ^d. 
8s.  gd..  gs.  od. 

133.  ijd. 
I2S.  gd. 
us.  6d.,  us.  gd. 
i  is.  6d.,  i  is.  gd. 
1  1  s.  fid, 
us.  i  Jd. 
ios.  4,jd. 
i6s.  3d. 
I3S.  gd. 
ios.  3d. 
us.  7±d. 
gs.  od. 

133.  3d. 
I2s.  3d.,  I2S.  gd. 
us.  gd. 
us.  7id. 
us.  3d.,  us.  6d. 
i  is.  3d. 
ios.  4jd. 
i6s.  od.,  1  6s.  3d. 
133.  6d.,  145.  od. 

IOS.  3d. 

i  is.  6d. 
8s.  gd. 

133.  3d. 
i2s.  gd. 
us.  gd.,  I2S.  od. 
1  1  s.  gd. 
1  1  s.  6d. 
i  is.  3d. 
ios.  6d. 
i6s.  od.,  i6s.  6d. 
133.  6d.,  143.  od. 
ios.  od.,  ios.  3d. 
us.  6d. 
•    8s.  6d.,  93.  od. 

Smalls: 
Best  Cardiff 
Seconds 
Ordinaries 
Best  Newport 

Mb 
Rhnndda  No.  2 
No.  3 

8s.  6d.,  8s.  gd. 
7-    '-i  .  Ss.  od. 
\<\. 
7-  6d. 
Oil. 
't   6d. 
gs.  Cd.,  ios  od. 

8s.  '.'..I. 
8s.  od. 

7-    '''1. 
73.  od. 
7s.  3d. 
gs.  gd. 

8s.  6d. 
7s.  gd. 

75.  3d.,  -s.  6d. 
6s.  gd.,  75.  od. 
?s.  31!. 
ios.  od. 

8s.  6d. 
75.  gd. 
7s.  4!(1. 
75.  4sd. 
6s.  lo.'id. 
7s.  6d. 
ios.  od. 

8s.  6d.,  8s.  gd. 
8s.  od. 
73.  6d. 
73.  6d. 
73.  od. 
73.  6d. 
gs.  gd. 

8s.  6d. 
73.  gd.,  8s.  od. 
73.  3d.,  73.  6d. 
73.  6d. 
73.  od. 
73.  3d.,  73.  6d. 
gs.  gd. 

Foundry  Coke  : 
Special 
Ordinary 

179.  qd. 

2  is.  od. 

gd. 

213.  Cxi. 

,           i8s.  od. 

2os.  6d.,  2is.  od. 
1  8s.  od. 

203.  6(1. 

173.  gd. 

2OS.  Od.,  213.  Od. 

173.  6d.,  173.  gd. 

1  urnace  Coke 
Patent  Fuel 
Pltwnod    c\  ship 

oil. 

13".  31!. 

i3s.  oil.,  13*.  31!. 
i6s.  gd. 

153.  gd. 
133.  od. 

i6s.  gd. 

153.  6d.,  153.  gd. 
135.  od. 

ifcs.  6d. 

i6s.  od. 
I2s.  gd.,  133.  od. 
i6s.  91;. 

1  6s.  od. 
133.  od. 

163.  6d.,  173.  od. 

ess  2*3  per  cent,  discount,  with  payment  at  thirty  days,  except  where  otherwise  stated 
All  quotations  for  large  Coals  imply  Colliery  Screened. 

SWANSEA.  April  19.  1905. 

BUSINESS  at  Swansea  is  still  rather  quiet  and  while  there  has  been 
a  little  more  moving  during  the  past  week,  the  market,  generally,  is  no 
firmer  in  tone.  Certainly  there  has  been  a  better  enquiry  for  prompt 
shipment,  and  stem*  for  this  position  are  improved  ;  but  the  demand 
n  by  no  means  active,  and  the  position  can  be  stated  to  be  practically 
unchanged. 

ANTHRACITE  COALS,  of  the  Malting  descriptions,  are  fairly  steady. 
Stems,  hereaway,  are  good,  which  enables  sellers  to  maintain  their 
market.  Beyond  these  however,  there  is  not  much  about  in  the  shape 
of  new  business,  and  while  quotations  vary,  according  to  the  quality 
sought  after  land  the  position),  for  anything  required  promptly,  buyers 
are  able  to  obtain  concessions.  RED  VEIN  LARGE,  however,  is  expe- 
riencing good  enquiry,  and  values  for  these  sorts  are  firmer  at  about 
,  1  Os.  3d.  Bio  VEIN  is  easy  at  1  1  s.  to  1 1  s.  6d. 

DUFF  is  fairly  active,  present  quotations  being  3s.  3d.  to  3s.  6d. 
Still,  there  is  room  for  improvement  in  the  demand,  supplies  being 
quite  equal  to  it.  at  the  moment. 

BELOW,  we  give  the  average  prices  for  the  week  :— 


CULM,  is  showing  no  disposition  to  weakness,  for  as  a  matter  of  fact, 
prices  continue  firm.  Stems  are  good,  and  seeing  there  has  been  a 
continuance  of  the  recent  good  enquiry,  values  have  been  easily  main- 
tained. Moreover,  the  slackness  in  Large,  is  restricting-  the  supply  of 
this  grade,  somewhat. 

MACHINE  MADE  COALS,  are  moving  off  to  an  improved  tune.  NUTS 
and  COBBLES  have  received  a  better  demand,  and  while  values  are 
nominally  unchanged,  they  are  steadier  on  this  account. 

STEAM  COALS  remain  quiet.  There  has  been  no  increased  business 
done  in  them  this  week,  and  consequently  prices  have  not  improved. 
Judging  from  indications  too.  they  are  not  likely  to  harden  just  yet. 
Stems  generally  are  easy,  and  for  prompt  shipment  quotations  rule 
the  same.  BESTS,  however,  are  steady,  as  Collieries,  here,  are  fairly 
well  stemmed.  Other  sorts.  SECONDS  and  BUNKER  qualities  are 
negotiable  at  under  the  quotation  for  prompt  shipment. 

PATENT  FUELS  are  nominally  unchanged,  remaining  at  about  1  Is.  9d. 
to  '.2s. 


QUALITY 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Anthracite: 
BeM    Hand    Picked 
Maltlnft  Large 
Seconds    do. 
Big  Vein  l.ar<e 
Red     .. 
Machine  Made  Cobbles 
.,     Nuts 
,,     Peas 
Ruhhly  Culm 

!..  19*.  od. 
17-.  oil. 
•  1.,  us.  gd. 
gs.  gil. 
l6s.  od.,  16-  dl 
l6s.  od..  17*.  w'- 
10*.  hd..  us.  od. 
5*.  3d- 

iSs.  gd. 
i7s.  od. 

US.  fill. 

gs.  gd. 
i6s.  6d. 
1  6s.  '6d. 
ios.  gd. 
J*  3d- 
38.  3d- 

i8s.  6d. 
i6s.  gd. 
us.  6d. 
ios.  od. 
1  6s.  3d. 
i6s.  6d. 
ios.  gd. 
53.  3d.,  53.  6d. 
3*.  .(''I. 

1  8s.  6d. 
1  6s.  gd 
us.  30  . 
ios.  od. 
1  6s.  3d. 
163.  od.,  163.  gd. 
us.  od 
53.  6d. 
33.  4£d. 

i8s.  od.,  iSs.  6d. 
173.  od. 
us.  3d. 
ios.  od.,  ios.  3d. 
1  6s.  od.,  i6s.  6d. 
163.  3d. 
1  1  s.  od 
53.  3d. 
33.  3d.,  33.  6d. 

<8s.  od.,  igs.  od. 
173.  od.,  173.  6d. 
us.  3d.,  us.  6d. 
ios.  3d. 
163.  od.,  i6s.  6d. 
ids.  3d. 
ios.  gd.,  us.  od. 
53.  3d.,  53.  6d. 
3*.  4id- 

DB(( 
Patent  Futl  : 

us.  gil. 

us.  gil. 

12S.  Oil. 

I2S.  0(1. 

us.  gd. 

us.  gd. 

Steam: 
Best    LarKe 
Seconds  ,. 
Hunker    .. 
Thro'  and  Thro' 

ijs.  O.I.,  133.  3d- 
\2~   od. 
los.  od.,  lis.  od. 
8s.  gil..  g*.  od. 

i3«.  31!. 

I2S.  O  •'. 

ios.  gd. 
gs.  od. 

135.  od. 
us.  gd.,  I2S.  3d. 
ios.  6d. 

5s.  od. 

133.  od. 
i  is.  gd.,  123.  od. 
ios.  6d. 
8s.  lo.Jd. 

I2S.  gil.,  13S.  o'l. 

I2S.  Od. 

ios.  gd. 
8s.  lo.Ul. 

133.  od. 

I2S    0(1. 

ios.  6d.,  us.  od. 
gs.  od. 

"'7 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


April  21,   1905 


COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES^] 


CARDIFF.  April  19.  1905. 

THE  past  week  has  been  a  fairly  busy  one  with  regard 
to  chartering,  although  EASTERN  business  is  still  on  the 
"retired  list  "  which,  remembering  the  all-pervadingness 
of  the  gentle  ally,  and  the  lately-engendered  timidity  of 
the  underwriter,  collectively,  is  not  to  be  wondered  at. 
Another  example  of  how  the  slip-initialler  makes,  or 
mars,  trade  ? 

WESTWARD,  business  has  been  moderately  good,  with 
rates  much  on  a  par  with  last  week's.  PLATE  freights 
continue  around  the  7s.  3d.  to  7s.  6d.  mark,  with  LAS 
PALMAS  option  MADEIRA  at  6s. 

FOR  the  MEDITERRANEAN,  an  average  amount  of 
tonnage  has  been  taken  up,  at  a  slight  improvement  in 
price,  with  GENOA  ranging  between  6s.  9d.  and  7s.;  and  for 
others,  see  list,  below. 

For  the  BAY,  BALTIC  and  COASTING  well,  are  not 
they.  too.  in  the  list  ?  Of  course  they  are,  and  whether 
the  hurry-up  is  in  view  of  the  holidays,  or  from  whatever 
other  reason,  the  current  week  has  shown  a  decent 
amount  of  tonnage  fixed  up.  Rates,  too,  all  'round,  are 
about  as  good  as  they  have  been  of  late  ;  and  if  this  is 
nothing  to  brag  of,  still,  the  shipowner  has  a  lot  to  be 
thankful  for.  seeing  that,  in  all  directions,  they  have  been 
much  lower  than  at  the  moment. 

BUT  viewed  from  any  standpoint  you  care  to  adopt, 
"  shipowning  isn't  what  it  was,  sirs  !  "  All  the  same,  some 
of  its  exponents  continue  at  the  ten-per-cent.  dividend 
game,  even  as  others  may  be  depended  on  to  chalk  up 
losses  against  their  long-suffering  shareholders.  So  the 
chartering  world  wags. 

Week  Ending,  (Wednesday),  April  19,  1905 

(N)   denotes   Newport.    (8)  Swansea,   (P.  T.)    Port    Talbot.    loading. 

EASTERN. 

Singapore,     Loch  Tin;  .^s.  6d. 
Bombay,     Ditto,  6,300  tons,  8s. 

WESTWARD,     Etc. 

Cape  Verdes,     Steamer,    4,200  tons,   6s.  6d. 

River  Plate.     Mane  Suzanne,  3,700  4,100  tons,    73.  6d. 

Steamer,  5,500  tons,  75.  6d. 

Edith,  3,900  tons,    75.  3d. 

•  /Ar'"'S    3,8oo  tons,    7&.  3d. 

Ethe&urga,  2,500  tons,  7s.  6d. 

IVhilrliall,   3,200  tons,    75.  3d. 
Buenos  Ayres,    Steamer,  4,500  tons,  73.  3d.  250  is.  ppt.  (N). 

Steamer,    75.  2d.    250  dely.  8d. 
Las  Palmas,     Lena,  3,000  tons,  6s.  option  Madeira. 

Moorgate,  3,500  tons,  6s.  option  Cape  Verdes  6s.  6d. 
Teneriffe,     Lord  Antrim,  5,500  tons,  55.  9d. 
Campana,     Steamer,    4,000   tons,    75.    3d.     200    is.    May. 

option  Villa  Constitution  or  Rosario. 
Rio  de  Janeiro,  Steamer,  4,700  tons,  8s.  gd. 

MEDITERRANEAN,     Etc. 

Genoa,     \vmpltaca,    2,400   tons,    75. 
l,i-rnlliiiin,   3,oco  tons,    6s.  lo.jd. 
Steamer,   6s.  9d. 

i.-i,  2,500  tons,    ;s.   option  Savona. 
Efliklii'.i,   5,400  tons,    6s.  9d.  (IM.) 
' 


,  3,700  tons,   6s.  9d.   option  Savona,  (N). 
Ilieroiiymi,   3.650  tons,    6s.  9d. 


o,  3,000  tons.  6s. 

Steamer.  4,000  tons,  6s.         . 
Algiers,      (ollivand,  1,700  tons,    7-50  franc-. 

Crimea,   ^,200  tons,  7-50  franc-. 

'liTi-ntry.  .5,600  tons,  7-25  fcs.,  option  Marseilles. 
Alexandria,     ll'otidn,    5.700  tons,   6s.  3d. 

Straits  of  Menai,  3,800  tons,   6s.  7  ^d. 
Smyrna,     Roumania,   3,300  tons,   6s.  yd.  (N).  • 
Tunis,     .-IM>\;   2,300  tons,    9-25  t'cs.     (N). 
Nice,    Chrap!*iili;    1,5001011-,    7s.  i)d.  coal,  8s.  6d.  fuel,  (s). 
Naples,     Steamer,    3,60?  ions,    6s.  3d. 

Girgfiiti,   2,600  tons,    6s.  4  Id. 
Palermo,      Steamer,    1,900  tons,    ys.    ppt. 
Barcelona,      Steamer,    2,400  tons,     7s. 

Man-  llorlon,    I,  150  tun-,    -  s.  (;d.    ppt.    (s). 

Brindisi,     Culednnii;    3,700  tons,    6s.  6d.    1,000  del  v.  ppt. 
Venice,     Steamer,   r/oo  tons,    7s.  3d. 

Steamer,  3,000  tons,    75.  6d. 

Steamer,  4,200  tons,  7».  6d. 


Karachi,     Steamer,  5,000  tons,    9*.  3d.    rails. 
Lisbon,     Glenpnrk,    1,200  tons,    45.  9d.    (N). 

Radnor,   1,600  tons,    45.  9d. 

Earl  of  Dumfries,  2, 200  tons,  43.  6d. 
Malta,     Eaton  Hall,    5,500  tons,   53  3d 

Camperdoiifii,    3,800    tons,     53.  gd. 

I'oninglon,  8,000  tons,  48.  gd.  (Admiralty). 

Scarsdale,  3,000  tons,  43.  9d.  ppt.  (Admiralty). 
Bilbao,     Bolnia,   1,400  tons,  35.  <;d.  (N). 
Bona,     Gnldborg,  2,000  tons,    8  francs. 
Torre,     Dagmai;  3,000  tons,   6s.  6d. 
Huelva,     Steamer,   i, 600  tons,    43.  yd. 
Marseilles,     in/liam  Broadley,  4,400  tons,    8  fcs. 

Salerno,   2,200  tons,  8-25  francs. 

Tiber,    i, 350  tons,   8-25  francs. 
Alicante,     Tliyra,  850  tons,    75.  6d. 
Trieste,     Adnaiico,  5,500  tons,    73. 
Zea,     Llanishcn,      5,700  tons,   6s. 
Barletta,     Shakespeare,  2,400  tons,  73.  ioid.  coal,    8s.  7|d. 

fuel,    (s). 

Arzew,  Glenmore,  2,200  tons,  8-50  fcs.  coal,  9-50  fcs.  fuel,  (s). 
Civita  Vecchia,     Ennlie,    1,90010113,     73.  6d.  coal,  8s.  3d. 

fuel,  option   Leghorn,     (s). 
Marmarice,     Row/or,  2,800  tons,   6s.   spot. 
Constantinople,     Penpol,    2,400  tons,   6s.  6d.  coal,   75.  3d. 

fuel,  option  Piraeus. 
Beyrout,  Steamer,   2,400  tons,   73.  7jd. 
Trapani,     Hekla,  700  tons,   73.  4^.   (N). 
Philippeville,     lolo  Morganii'g,    1,550  tons,   8-50    fcs.   coal, 
9-50  fcs.  fuel.   (s). 

BAY,     Etc. 

La  Rochelle,     Carma,  1,900  tons,   4  fcs. 
St.   Nazaire,     Castleford,  2,400  tons,    4-25  francs,    spot. 
Nantes,     Izaro,    2,300  tons,     4-50  fcs,    spot. 
Bordeaux,     Bclgica,  :,8oo  tons,     4-37!  francs. 
San  Miguel,   2,700  tons,    3-95  francs,    spot. 

BALTIC,  Etc. 

Aarhuus,     Rap,   800  tons,    43.  3d. 
Stettin,    ./.  D.  S.  Adolph,  2,ioc  tons,  43.  7|d. 
Alfred  Menzell.  1,600  tons,  43.  gd.  (s). 

COASTING,     Etc. 

Belfast,     Frontier  Town,  310  tons,    33.  3d.   (s). 
Caen,     Flandria.  500  tons,    43. 

Longwood,  650  tons,    43. 

Seagull,  700  tons,    45.   option    Honfleur. 
St.  Malo,     Mavivood,   1,550  tons,  33.  yd. 

Raloo,     i, 350  tons,    33.  od.   (s). 

Whimbrel,   600  tons,   48. 

Circe,   1,500  tons,    33.  gd. 
Glengariff,     Sagenite,  800  tons,    33.  gd. 
Brest,     Sando,    1,100    tons,    33.    io|d. 
Havre,     Speedwell,   1,300  tons,   33.  ioid.  (s). 

Alice  M.  Craig,   1,170  tons,    33.  cd.    (s). 
Cherbourg,     Progress,  450  tons,    43.  6d.  (s). 
Rouen,     Queens  Channel,  380  tons,    53. 

G.  Player,  750  tons,  55.  (s). 

Steamer,  700  tons,  45.  io|d.  (s). 

Portland,  Gnuisha,  1,500  tons;  Maywood,  1,500  tons; 
I'ync,  1,500  tons;  Tlirosllegarlh,  2,000  tons; 
Glynn,  i, 500 tons;  all  23.  7|d.  (Admiralty.) 

Tourmaline,    i,oootons,   23.  gd.   (Admiralty). 
Plymouth,     Guardian,  43.   i£d. 
Dieppe,     Cederic,   1,400  tons,  35.  7jd. 
Bremen,     Tjalve,  650  tons,  53.  3d.   (s). 
London,  Monkiwod,   i,6co  tons,  33.  6d. 
Hamburg,     Ino,   1,600  tons,    45.  3d. 
Malmo,     Saxon  /Jri/ou,   1,650  tons,   43. 
Sheerness     Tourmaline,    1,000  tons,    33.  6d.     (Admiralty). 
Portsmouth,     Haselmere,   1,400  tons,  23.  7id.          ,, 
Dublin,     Bombardier,   240  tons,    33.  gd.  (s). 
Marans,     Gram;   1,400  tons,    5-50  francs,    (s). 
Devonport,   Cnrran,  1,400  tons,  23.  4|d.  (Admiralty). 

HOMEWARD. 

Bilbao  to   Newport,     Steamer,    43.  ijd.  ore. 

,,         ,,  ,,  Steamer,  2,800  tons,  43.  i^d.  ppt.  ore 

,,         ,,    Cardiff,  Crimdon,  2, 200  tons;  Jane,  1,650  tons; 
Hasland,    2,200    tons;   Steamer,    2,100 
tons;  45.  ore. 
Decide  to  Cardiff,     Devonia,   1,750  tons,   43.  3d.   ppt. 


April   21,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


168 


MARITIME  <££-  MONEY  MATTERS. 


COMMENCING  our  tale  with  ships,  we  are  in  receipt 
of  the  accounts  of  the    Eaton    Hall    Steamship 
Company,   Limited,   and  gather  therefrom,  that 
the  gross  earnings  for  75  days,  amount  to  £8,323, 
while  the  working  expenses  over  the  same  period 
are  £2,540,  leaving  £783  to  the  good,  and  a  dividend  of  about 
10   per  cent,   has  been   handed  to  the   fortunate  share- 
holders.    In  the  present  "  tight  "  times,  this  is  extremely 
good  business,  and  it  doesn't  really  matter  whether  it  is 
because  of  a  smart    manager,    an    exceptionally   good 
steamer,  striking  the  market  at  its  best— or  merely  a 
combination  of  all  three  traits.      We  have,  on   several 
occasions,  reverted  to  the  Cardiff   Hall    Line,  and   the 
undoubtedly  good  investment  which  it  forms  ;   succeed- 
ing  voyages  give  us   no  reason  to  reconsider  our  good 
opinion,   for  to-day,    there    are    mighty    few    steamers 
returning   anything   like   the   dividends   earned    by  this 
new,   but   distinctly  prosperous  concern.       We   cannot 
command    success ;    we  may  deserve    it — when   it  will 
probably  materialise.     Verb,  sat  sap.  ! 

•»••*••«• 

"  HOW  do  the  holidays  affect  the  Money  Market :'  " 
There  is  a  question  for  you.  and  it  comes  from  a  source 
where  more  wisdom  than  is  exemplified  by  the  question, 
should  prevail.  Naturally,  those  holidays  affect  the 
Market  adversely.  Fancy  any  sane  man  thinking  about 
Rhodesians.  when  Rhoda  has  the  greatest  piece  of  his 
mind  ;  or  of  Grand  Trunks,  when  the  little  trunk  which 
is  going  to  tide  him  (and  Rhoda,  aforesaid)  over  the 
Thursday-to-Tuesday  touch  looms  tall  in  his  mind's  eye! 
Is  the  same  individual  likely  to  be  troubling  himself 
about  the  "copper  position,"  when  most  of  his  energies 
are  concentrated  on  corraling  the  gold  for  the  "  touch  " 
referred  to'.'  Well,  he  isn't,  and  that  is  how  the  holidays 
affect  the  Money  Market. 

+  -f  -f 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  there  is  no  Money  Market,  and 
quite  a  number  of  the  people  who  ought  to  know,  are 
almost  convinced  that  there  never  was  any  such  thing. 
They  ar<e  suggesting  now,  that  what,  in  the  dear  old 
past,  was  described  by  the  title  set  out,  was  merely  a 
spasmodic  effort  on  the  part  of  so-called  "financiers," 
to  make  a  honest  living  without  work.  And  after  mature 
consideration,  we  are  not  altogether  sure  that  those  good 
folk  are  very  far  wrong.  Anyhow,  it  is  useless  talking 
about  a  market,  when  those  who  have  the  money  will  see 
a  would-be  seller  jiggered  before  they  will  buy.  And 
that  is  the  blessed  situation,  at  present. 

•»•   +  •»• 

FOR  the  merry  punter  who  schemes  a  living  out  of  the 
financially  unwary,  our  hearcs  are  sore.  He  has  fallen 
on  evil  times,  and  has  much  solid  reason  to  doubt  the 
words  of  one  Thomas  Carlyle  :  words  which  were  calcu- 
lated to  assure  him  that  the  inhabitants  of  this  free  and 
happy  country  of  ours  (and  yours)  were  mostly  fools. 
Indeed,  that  same  old  Sage  is  indirectly  responsible,  for 
much  of  the  misery  which  is  coruscating  around  th«- 
domestic  hearths,  of  they  who  do  (more  or  less)  business 
in  stocks  and  shares— for  the  public.  These  days,  there 
are  not  nearly  so  many  fools  in  the  breech,  as  the  words 
of  Carlyle  would  suggest,  and  the  bucket-shop  youth  is 
beginning  to  assimilate  the  fact. 

•f   •»•  + 

THUS  it  comes  about,  that  we  have  "  stagnant  mar- 
kets. Principally  for  the  reason  that  the  erstwhile 
juggins  who  made  those  markets  "  buoyant,"  has  cut  his 
eye-teeth,  and  thanks  to  the  blessings  of  free  education, 
is  beginning  to  differentiate  between  mutton  and  goat, 
so  to  speak.  When  you  have  educated  your  one-time 
jays  up  to  the  notch  that  will  qualify  them  for  the 
position  of  brokers  and  dealers  to  say  nothing  of 
running  a  nicely-conducted  feather-fetching  establish- 
ment, which  is  a  nicer  expression  than  bucket-shop,  even 
if  it  means  the  same  thing  -it  is  useless  for  you  to 
expect  to  get  any  nibbles,  unless  you  have  a  sufficiency 
of  brains  to  enable  you  to  work  up  an  altogether  new 
style  of  bait. 


Now,  in  the  bucket-shops  of  commerce,  brains  are 
nearly  as  scarce  as  money,  and  so  it  transpires  that  the 
necessary  bait  is  conspicuous  by  its  absence,  and  "  stag- 
nant markets  "  are  the  natural  corollary.  There  is,  in 
reality,  nothing  wrong  with  the  Money  Market  ;  with  the 
public  who  patronises  it  ;  nor  with  the  actual  results 
which  reputable  financiers  are  still  able  to  command. 
The  reason  of  "  stagnant  markets  "  being  so  much  in 
evidence,  is  that  there  are  so  many  stagnant  financiers  ; 
fellows  who  endeavour  to  work  the-thimble-and-the-pea 
dodge  under  another—  but  woefully  transparent—  guise. 
Those  fellows,  being  more  or  less  erudite,  have  attached 
too  much  importance  to  the  words  of  Carlyle  already 
referred  to,  and  that  is  where  they  fail  to  shine. 

+   +  + 

INDEED,  we  have  a  nodding  acquaintance  wtth  quite  a 
few  of  those  would-be  financial  giants,  who  would  be 
better  engaged  in  engineering  a  religious  revival  ;  nature 
fitted  them—  bountifully—  for  the  job;  but  forgot  to  lend 
them  the  little  piece  of  common-sense  that  should  help 
them  to  assimilate  the  truth  of  the  situation.  Under  the 
circumstances,  therefore,  and  being  cognizant  of  the  fact 
that  their's  is  a  pleading  nature,  they  plead  for  shekels 
(direct),  when  they  should  plead  for  souls  (and  shekels, 
indirect).  It  is  all  very  simple,  when  you  give  the  matter 
that  consideration  which  is  its  due?  How  can  you  hope 
to  have  other  than  a  "  stagnant  market,"  when  a  number 
of  its  supporters  imagine  that  the  only  necessaries  for  a 
good  time  in  this  direction,  is  a  shaky  typewriter,  and  a 
pay-by-the-week  duplicating  machine'.' 


CONSOLS  are  lower.  Under  the  conditions  which  we 
have  referred  to,  no  other  state  is  possible.  But  they 
haven't  gone  down  so  much  because  the  Irrepressible 
One  is  snooking  around  on  a  Mediterranean  tour,  as 
because  the  gentlemen  who  endeavour  to  negotiate  their 
sales  ought  to  have  gone.  Thep,  foreign  stocks  are  dull. 
How  is  it  possible  for  them  to  be  bright,  when  there  is 
nothing  left  with  which  to  polish  them.  Home  rails  are 
inactive—  in  the  offices  where  the  pessimistic  bucket- 
shop  man  lingers  out  a  precarious  existence  ;  otherwise, 
they  are  "  looking  up,"  and  will  be  looking  upper  for  the 
next  week  or  ten  days.  Aye,  and  after  that,  for  Home 
Rails  are  a  good  investment. 


THEN,  Americans  are  lower.  Of  course,  they  are. 
This  is  just  the  time  of  year  to  expect  such  an  occurrence! 
This  is  the  betwixt-and-between  season.  The  weather  is 
bright  enough  to  keep  American  Rails  from  f'lopping-out 
altogether;  but  not  so  bright  that  they  may  be  boosted 
up  into  the  "  feverish  "  state.  You  have  to  possess 
yourselves,  patiently,  for  a  touch  more  of  sun,  ere  you 
may  hope  for  anything  of  the  feverish  idea  in  Americans, 
or  any  other  sort  of  rails.  Leaving  rails,  consider  the 
Tailoring  trade.  The  time  of  the  year  when  new  clothes 
is  a  desideratum  approaches,  and  some  local  gentlemen 
are  preparing  therefor.  West  End  Tailors  (Cardiff) 
Limited,  is  among  the  latest  preparation. 

4-    +    + 

WITH  a  capital  of  £10,000  in  £1  shares,  the  foregoing 
intends  to  do  the  whole  gamut  in  the  business  for  which 
they  are  catering.  The  qualification  for  the  directorate 
is  one  share,  and  although  the  gentlemen  couldn't  well 
hold  less  than  that,  and  still  be  shareholders,  each  of  the 
three  already  appointed  are  eminently  suited  for  the 
business.  Two  of  them  are  tailors;  the  other  is  a  jeweller 
and  pawnbroker.  There  is  no  initial  public  issue,  but 
that  is  no  reason  why  the  new  concern  should  not  suc- 
ceed, and  be  an  ornament  to  Cardiff  -and  other  towns 
''in  the  United  Kingdom  and  elsewhere."  There  is 
money  in  tailoring,  don't  forget,  for  men  (and  women) 
must  be  clothed  ;  it's  a  universal  weakness  with  suffering 
humanity,  even  if  it  doesn't  all  patronise  the  same  tailor's 
shop. 


>    9 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


April  21,    1905 


THE  returns  compiled  by  Lloyd's  Register  of  Shipping,  state, 
that,  excluding  warships,  there  were  474  vessels  of  1,251,343  tons 
gross,  under  construction  in  the  United  Kingdom,  at  the  close  of 
the  quarter  ended  31st  March,  1905.  The  vessels  in  question 
are  made  up  as  follows : — 

Description.  No.  Gross  Tonnage. 

STEAM. 

Steel        440         ...       1,241,661 

Iron         

Wood  and  Composite  1         ...  220 


Total       441 

SAIL. 

Steel        16 

Iron         

Wood  and  Composite  17 

Total  33 


1.241,871 

7,821 
1,651 


9,472 


Total  Steam  and  Sail  474  1,251.343 

The  tonnage  under  construction  is  now  nearly  202,000  tons  more 
than  at  the  end  of  December.  1904.  Compared,  however,  with  the 
total  reached  in  September,  1901,  which  is  the  highest  on  record, 
the  present  figures  show  a  reduction  of  about  161,000  tons. 

•f    4-    + 

THE  following  table  gives  the  total  figures  for  vessels  (warships 
excluded)  now  building  in  the  principal  ship-building  districts  of 
the  country,  as  compared  with  those  for  the  same  period  last  year. 
Each  district  includes  places  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  port  after 
which  it  is  named  : — 

March  3 1  st,  1 905.        March  3 1  st,  1 904. 

No.    Gross  Tonnage.    No.  Gross  Tonnage. 

22         192,425        20         193,633 


District. 
Belfast     ... 


Description. 

(Steam) 

(Sail) 


Total       22 

Barrow,  Maryporti  (Steam)   ...  7 

and  Workington      i     (Sail)     ...  3 

Total  10 


192,425         20         193,633 


3,330 
5,200 


12 
4 


8,530         16 


82,820 
600 

33,420 


Clasgow  (Steam) 
(Sail) 

Total 

...     85 

...       8 

233,480 
2,010 

70 
16 

187,540 
5,330 

...    93 

235,490 

86 

192,870 

Greenock            ...     (Steam) 
...       (Sail) 

Total 

...     57 
...     57 

181.641 

39 
2 

95,034 
6,200 

181,641 

41 

101,234 

Hartlepool  and*       (Steam) 
Whitby           ...  i'         (Sail) 

Total 

...     20 

69,500 

18 

58,520 

...     20 

69,500 

18 

58,520 

Middlesbrough)       (Steam) 
and  Stockton    i         (Sail) 

Total 

...     25 
...     25 

76,713 

24 
24 

69,455 

76,713 

69,455 

Newcastle         ...     (Steam) 
...       (Sail) 

Total 

...     75 

255,730 

72 

186,006 

...     75 

255,730 

72 

186,006 

Sunderland 

(Steam) 
(Sail) 

...     59 

190,241 

39 
1 

121,676 
260 

Tola         59         190,241         40         121,936 

The  above  figures  show  clearly  that  shipbuilders  have  got  back  to 
a  situation  of  activity,  the  result  of  the  boom  in  January  and  early 
February,  a  boom,  which  we  stated  at  the  time  to  be  absolutely 
unwarranted.  Freights  do  not  improve  and  there  is  nothing  in 
the  outlook  that  promises  prosperity  for  the  shipping  trade. 
There  is,  just  now,  a  very  marked  dearth  of  new  orders,  and 
likely  to  be  for  some  time  to  come,  as  many  owners  anticipate  that 
later  on,  there  will  be  a  large  number  of  new  boats  offering  for 
sale,  and  they  will  be  able  to  secure  them  at  low  prices.  There 
is  no  doubt  that  a  good  many  of  the  steamers  at  present  under 
construction,  are  merely  speculative,  and  will  be  offering  on  the 
market,  for  sale,  shortly,  and  this  is  bound  to  ha've  an  influence  on 
the  inquiry  market  and  on  shipping  values. 

The  warships  at  present  under  construction,  in  the  United 
Kingdom,  number  43,  of  262,670  tons  displacement.  Of  these,  38 
are  British  and  5  foreign.  The  former  include  3  first-class 
battleships,  and  5  first-class  armoured  cruisers,  building  in  the 
Royal  Dockyards,  and  in  private  yards,  7  first-class  armoured 
cruisers,  5  scouts.  1 1  topedo  boat  destroyers,  and  7  submarines. 
The  foreign  orders  include  2  battleships,  2  torpedo  boat  destroyers, 
and  1  torpedo  boat. 


MESSRS.  WATTS,  WATTS  &  Go..  London,  are  the  pur- 
chasers of  the  steamers  Powhatan,  Pocahontas,  Pocasset, 
Pawnee  and  Picqua,  reported  sold  in  our  last  issue  by 
Messrs.  Phelps  Brothers,  of  Liverpool,  and  it  is  now 
reported  that  they  have  sold  the  Peconic  to  foreign  buyers 
at  about  £6.500.  This  steamer,  the  last  of  their  fleet, 
was  built  by  Messrs.  Royden  &  Sons,  Liverpool,  in  1881. 
Dimensions  277ft.  Sin.  x  34ft.  6in.  x  22ft.  8in.;  1,795 
tonsgross:  with  engines  21'iin..  53in.  x  39in.  stroke, 
by  Messrs.  Fawcett,  Preston  &  Co.,  of  Liverpool.  She 
had  new  main  boilers  in  1897. 

+  +  -f 

MESSRS.  J.  B.  WESTRAY  &  Co..  London,  have  sold  their 
steel  screw  steamer  Duke  of  Portland,  to  Messrs.  H.  &  W. 
Nelson,  Ltd.,  Liverpool.  She  was  built  and  engined  by 
Messrs.  Hawthorn,  Leslie  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  Newcastle,  in  1890. 
Dimensions  350ft.  Sin.  x  47ft.  7m.  x  24ft;  3,822  tons 
gross;  with  engines  27in..  44in.,  71  in.  x  48in.  stroke. 
She  is  fitted  with  refrigerating  machinery,  and  will  be  em- 
ployed by  the  new  owners  in  carrying  frozen  meat  from  the 
River  Plate.  She  was  specially  built  for,  and  has  always 
been  employed  in  carrying  frozen  meat  from  New  Zealand. 
We  understand  the  price  paid  is  about  £17,000. 

MESSRS.  NEALE  &  WEST,  Cardiff,  have  purchased  three 
steam  trawlers  from  the  Pelham  Steam  Fishing  Go,,  Ltd.. 
Grimsby.  The  Brisk,  built  by  Messrs.  Edwards  Brothers. 
North  Shields,  1898.  Dimensions  105ft.  4in.  x  20ft.  9in. 
x  10ft.  9in.  The  Federal,  built  by  Messrs.  Cochrane  & 
Cooper,  Ltd.,  Beverley,  in  1898.  Dimensions  12ft.  6in. 
x  21ft.  x  ,11ft.  6in.,  and  the  Active,  reported  in  our 
last  issue. 

THE  iron  screw  steamer  Amity,  lately  owned  by  Messrs. 
G.  Haig  &  Co.,  Sunderland,  has  been  sold,  and  we  under- 
stand the  price  paid  is  about  £6,000.  She  was  built  by 
Messrs.  J.  Laing  &  Co.,  Sunderland,  in  1883.  Dimensions 
240ft.  x  36ft.  3in.  x  15ft.  7in.:  1,378  tons  gross:  with 
engines  29,1<>in.,  55in.  x  36in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  George 
Clark  &  Co..  Sunderland. 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Loch  Etive,  is  reported  sold  by 
Messrs.  A.  Leitch  &  Co.,  Dundee,  for  about  £8.500.  She 
was  built  and  engined  by  Messrs.  Gourlay  Bros.  &  Co., 
Dundee,  in  1886.  Dimensions  294ft.  x  37ft.  Sin.  x  23ft. 
8in.;  2.148  tons  gross:  with  engines  21/ijin.,  34in., 
56in.  x  42in.  stroke. 

AT  an  extraordinary  meeting  of  the  shareholders,  of  the 
Glen  Urquhart  Steamship  Company,  Limited,  Dundee, 
it  was  resolved  unanimously  to  empower  the  manager  to 
make  the  necessary  arrangements  for  offering  the  Com- 
pany's steamer  Torbay,  for  sale  by  public  auction,  at  a 
reserve  price  of  £7,500. 

PATENTS. 

27,883/04 — TRAYLOR — Improvements    in    and   relating  to 
rotary  screens  for  minerals  and  other  substances. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  rotary  screen  having  a 
central  spindle  with  radial  arms  between  which  the  screen 
members  are  arranged,  and  on  to  which  the  material  is 
fed  at  the  centre,  the  discharge  being  effected  eentrifu- 
gally  at  the  edge.  The  improvement  consists  in 
superposing  on  the  rotary  motion  of  the  screens  a  ver- 
tical vibrating  motion.  This  motion  is  obtained  by 
mounting  a  crown  ratchet  or  cam-wheel  on  the  spindle 
which  engages  with  a  similar  wheel  secured  against 
rotation.  The  spindle  is  depressed  against  the  force  of 
a  spring  and  on  the  recoil  of  the  spindle  its  motion  is 
arrested  by  impact  against  an  adjustible  screw. 


April  ji,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


170 


PATENTS  &  TRSDE 

Relating    to    SHIPPING   and    the    COAL    TRADE 


Specifications  published     on    April   6,    1905    together 


C0a/  kerving  and  slittinS  machines  with 


us  invention  relates  to  a  substitute  for  a  paddle 
heel  for  propelling  boats.     It  consists  of  a  pair  of  end 

he  l?nkasnofCtheneChed  tOgether  by  sPind1*'*  intervals 
s  of  the  chains  carrying   paddles   which  stanH 

!S?dtICUiar,t°   theiP   'ength-      The   chains    run   over 
•rocket  wheels  mounted  on  two  spindles  one  at  each 

L?i2!ft.*  lUe  s,tern  of  the  vessel  the  *B 

open  at  the  end  and  at  the  bottom.     The  ends  of 

iham-spind  es  are  fitted  with  rollers  which  run  in 

oves  on  the  ms.de  of  the  casing  for  the  purpose  of 

and  supporting  the  chains.     The  apparatus   is 

PaCt  "  '  m°tOr  fOP  Obtainin« 


' 


to  vessels  which  are  adapted, 
)ing  at  high  speeds,  to  skim  over  the  surface  of 
e  water  by  means  of  inclined  planes.     The   invention 
onmt.  ,„  the  employment  of  screw  propellers  for  pro 
mg  the  vessel  on  starting,  and  after  the  speed   has 

»^f  / r/'CLently  t0  raise  the  vessel  on  the  inclined 

the  propellers  out  of  the  water,  propulsion 

J  by  means  of  paddle-wheels  which  are  adapted 

•  suit  the  varying  depth  of  immersion   of 

the  vessel. 

7.237 
hand 

This  is  a  machine  for  cutting  a  slot  along  the  face  of 
:oal  seam      An  endless  cutting  chain  is  mounted  in  a 
*  which  one  end  is  conveyed  along  a   horizontal 
by  the  face  of  the  coal  seam  the  other  end  travers- 
ing a  guide  at  right  angles  to  the  face.      In   the   latter 
i  spindle  is  mounted  with  means  for  its  rotation 
By  means  of  bevel-wheels,  a  feather  key  and  long  key 
'ay  on  the  spindle  the  cutting  chain  is  operated  whilst 
rrame  in  which  it  is  carried  is  caused  to  traverse  the 
guides  by  pinions  and  racks. 

9,325  04     CARTAS  -  Improvements  in  the  bottoms  and  sub- 
merged parts  of  ships. 

This  invention  consists  in  rendering  vessels  unsink 
by   making   the   submerged    portions    of    cellular 
struction,  each  individual  cell  being  small  and  inde- 
pendent. 

11,06204     TANNETT-WALKER     Improvements  in  appara- 
tus for  lifting  and  loading  coal  and  other  materials. 

iis  invention  relates  to  raising  the  counterweights  of 

e  platform  of  coal  tips  and  other  hoists  by  hydraulic 

t  as  well  as  the  platforms  themselves.     The  rams  of 

counter-weights  are  so  arranged  that  when  the  load 

it  one  of  them  is  opened  to  pressure  instead  of  to 

naust  so  as  to  force  its  water  back  into  the  main  and 

economize  same. 

1.142  04    CARRON  COMPANY  AND  RODGERSON— Im- 
provements  in  steering  gear  for  ships. 

This  invention  relates  to  hand  steering  gear  for  ships 

>bject  is  to  hold  the  steering  gear  in  the  position 

and  prevent  the  blows  of  the  sea  on  the  rudder  from 

transmitted   through  the   steering-wheel    to    the 

•nan       On  the  spindle  to  which  the  steering-wheel 

Jured  is  mounted  a  sleeve  to  which  the  chain-barrel 

ened    or    geared-       Connecting   the   spindle    and 

e  and  a  rachet-wheel  mounted  on  the  sleeve  is  a 

way  clutch  the  teeth  of  the  ratchet  wheel  being  so 

med   that  its  pawl   rides  over  the  teeth  when   the 

die  drives  the  sleeve  by  means  of  the  clutch.     A 

idency  to  reverse  by  an  effort  applied  to  the  sleeve  is 

I  by  the  ratchet-teeth  and  pawl.     A  pair  of  clutch 


and  ratchet-wheel  devices   is  provided,  the  second  one 
the  pa,r  being  adapted  to  effect   the   same   result   in 
the  reverse  direction. 

12,421/04—  JONES—  Improved  wheel  for  colliery  trams  or 
corves. 

This  improvement  consists   in  forming  the  space  be- 
tween   two   of  the   spokes   of  a   corve   into   a   well   for 
eceivmg  the  lubricant.     This  space  communicates  with 
the  axle  through  a  hole  in    the   hub.     In   the  complete 
ntieation    two   such   spaces   arranged   opposite  each 
other  are  shown. 

27.198/04— THE  SIMPLEX  CONCRETE   PILING  COY- 
mprovements  in  the  construction  of  concrete  piles    and  in 

preparatory  piles  to  be  used  therefor. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  hollow  pile  having  a  point 

composed  of  a  number  of  pivotted   plates.      When    this 
is  being  driven  into  the    ground   the    edges   of  the 

p.votted  plates  meet  and  form   a  closed  pointed  end  to' 

the  hollow  pile  after  which  the  concrete  is   fed   into   its 

hollow  interior.     During  the  filling  the  preparatory  pile 
i    gradually   withdrawn,   the   plates   forming   the  point 

opening  to  permit  of  this. 

27,300/04—  WESS I  MANN—  Improvements     in     sieves     or 
screens. 

This  invention  relates  to  means  for  imparting  a  vibrat- 
ing  movement  to   a  screen    in   addition    to    the    usual 
ciprocatmg  movement.     This  is  effected  by  arranging 
tudmal  spring  bars  secured  beneath  the  transverse 
•s  of  the  inclined  screen  frame,  so  that  the  lower  ends 
these  spring  bars  rest  on  the   upper  edge  of  a  cross 
bar  mounted   in  the  frame   of  the    machine   and    their 
jpper  ends  which  are  fitted  with  shoes  on  the  peripheries 
of  wheels  having  multiple  cam  surfaces  and  mounted  on 
a  horizontal  transverse  shaft. 


These  applications  for  patents  are,  until  May  22,  1905, 
open  to  opposition  by  any  person  having  a  statutory 
right  to  oppose. 

Copies  of  the  specifications  may  be  obtained  from  the 
Patent  Office  or  through  the  under-named. 

TRADE   MARKS. 


The  following  applications  for  the  registration  of  Trade 
Marks  relating    to    the    shipping  and  coal   trades  were 
idvertised    on  April   12,  and  are   open   to   opposition    by 
interested  parties  within  the  period  ending  May  12. 
CLASS  4 — Including  coal. 

No.    270,750— 6th    March,    1905— '  MONSMEG  '     NAVI- 
GATION  STEAM  COAL-for:    Coal.      The   Tilbury  Con- 
tracting &   Dredging  Co.,  Ltd.,  50,  Mark   Lane,   London 
fcfgmermen,  Coal  Merchants,  &  Dredging  Contractors. 

No. _  271, 274— 20th  March,  1905— The  device    of   a   girl 
carrying  a  basket  and   flowers,   accompanied   by  a  wolf 
Raw   or  partly    prepared   vegetable,   animal,    and 
nneral  substances  used  in   manufactures   not   included 
in  other  classes.     Johann    Heinrieh    August    Brugmann 
and    Johannes     Heinrieh    Otto    Brugmann,   trading   as 
J.     H.    A.    Brugmann,    Vogelreth,   Hamburg,   Germany 
Manufacturers. 

CLASS  8 — Including  nautical  instruments. 

No.  270,294— 20th  February,  1905— ZON AC— for-  Tele- 
scopes, binoculars  and  glasses  of  a  like  kind  (included   in 
I.  dames  Aitchison,  14,  Newgate  St.,  London,  E.G. 

No.  270,498— 25th  February,  1905—  ElDELER— for-  All 
goods  included  in  class  8.     R.  &  J.  Beck,  Ltd.,  68,  Cornhill 
London,     Manufacturing     Opticians    and    Photographic 
Dealers. 

Compiled    by    Messrs.  PHILLIPS  &  LEIGH,  Chartered    Patent 
Agents,    22,    Southampton    Buildings,    Chancery    Lane     London 
W.C.     Local  Consultant:    Mr.  S.  W.  ALLEN,  Engineer,  of  Cardiff 
Exchange,   Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


April   21,  1905 


OUR  MARITIME  DIRECTORY. 


tllllMIIH'  ' 


"<i||||||lllll: 


CARDIFF. 

Colliery  Proprietors. 


CARDIFF    Continued. 


(~ORY  BROS.  &  Co..  LTD.,  Cardiff  and 
London.    Depots  at  all  the  principal 
Coaling  Stations  in  the  World. 

T.i.»,  " CORY.  CARDIFF"  ; 

Telegrams.    "CORY.  LONDON." 


INSOLE.  GEORGE  &  SON.  Cardiff.   Sole 
Shippers  of   Cymmer   Steam    Coal. 
Windsor  Steam  Coal,  and  Insoles  No.  2 
Rhondda  Coal. 

Telegrams:  "INSOLES.  CARDIFF." 


[  EW1S    MERTHYR    CONSOLIDATED  COL- 
LIERIES. LTD.,  Proprietors  and  Ship- 
pers   of    "  Lewis  Merthyr "   Navigation 
Steam  Coal. 


Telegrams 


"LEWIS  MERTHYR.  CARDIFF"; 
"  LEWIS  MERTHYR.  LONDON." 


MARQUESS  OF  BUTE  COLLIERIES, 
Aberdare.  Hirwain,  and  Rhondda 
Valley.  Shipping  ports: — Bute  Docks, 
Cardiff :  Penarth  Dock  :  Swansea : 
Briton  Ferry  :  and  Newport  (Mon.) 

Telegrams:  "SEMA.  CARDIFF." 

QCEAN    (MERTHYR)    COAL   Co.,   LTD., 
11,  Bute  Crescent,  Cardiff,  proprie- 
tors of  Ocean  (Merthyr)  Steam  Coal. 


UNIVERSAL  STEAM    COAL   Co.,  LTD., 
Bute  Docks,  Cardiff.  Proprietors  of 
"  Universal  Steam  Coal." 

Telegrams  :   "  VERSATILE.  CARDIFF." 


VIVIAN.    H.    C.    &  Co..    Bute   Docks, 
Cardiff.     Sole  European  Agents  for 
"The  Puritan  Coal  Mining  Co.,  Phila- 
delphia. U.S.A." 

Telegrams  :  "  VIVIAN.  CARDIFF." 

WATTS,    WATTS  &  Co.,   Cardiff    and 
London.  Contractors  for  the  supply 
of  Coals  at  all  Dep6ts  abroad. 

Telegrams:  " WATTS.  CARDIFF." 


Dock   Owners. 


VHE  CARDIFF  RAILWAY  COMPANY,  Bute 
Docks.  Cardiff. 


Ship  Repairers. 


CHEARM  AN,  JOHN  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff, 
and  at  Barry  Dock. 


T"HE   BUTE   SHIPBUILDING.  ENGINEERING, 
AND   DRY    DOCK   COMPANY,    LIMITED, 
Roath  Basin,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams  :   "  CAISSON.  CARDIFF." 


'THE  CARDIFF  CHANNEL  DRY  DOCKS  AND 
PONTOON    Co..    LTD..    Cardiff    and 
Barry  Dock. 

"  Entrance,  Cardiff." 
..  Channeli  Barry." 


MERCANTILE    PONTOON   Co.,  LTD. 
Roath  Dock,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams  :   "  MERCANTILE,  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF     Continued 


Miscellaneous. 

[EWIS  &  TYLOR,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 

Sole  patentees  and  manufacturers 

of  "  Gripoly,"  a  patent  woven  belting  ; 

and  "  Burals."  a  semi-metallic  packing. 

Telegrams  :  "BELTING  CARDIFF."        Telephone,  Nat.  231. 


Steamship    Owners. 

HAN.   JENKINS    &     Co..    Steamship 
Owners  and  Brokers,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "Stonewall,  Cardiff." 
Nat.  Telephone  :  1318. 


BARRY. 


Dock  Owners. 

PHE  BARRY  RAILWAY  Co.,  Barry. 


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You  V.— No.  63. 


FRIDAY,   APRIL   28,    1905. 


THREEPENCE. 


MERCHANT  SERVICE  KIDDY  :     "Please  father,  won't  you  carry  me.  some? 

I'm  tired  to  death." 


•74 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


April  28,    1905 


"  legal  costs  "  that  are  considerably  in  excess  of  the  wages 
in  dispute  :  and  the  whole  fabrication  is  worked  up  under 
section  this.  that,  or  the  other.  Merchant  Shipping  Act.  of 
some  prehistoric  (probably)  date.  Day  after  day.  you  are 
treated  to  these  exhibitions  :  and  just  as  frequently,  you 
shrug  you  shoulders  indifferently. 

STfc 

A  CASE  in  point,  was  offered  by  a  West  Hartlepool 
steamer,  a  few  days  ago.  The  crew  had  shipped  at  New- 
port, for  a  voyage  to  Naples.  Nicolaieff.  Hamburg  and 
Fowey.  Arriving  at  the  latter  port,  five  of  the  crew  elected 
to  consider  that  the  voyage  had  terminated  —  seeing  that 
Fowey  constituted  the  "final  port  of  discharge,  etc."  as 
provided  by  Articles  of  Disagreement—  commonly  supposed 
to  be  the  "Articles  of  Agreement."  But  the  master  argued 
otherwise,  and  on  the  assumption  that  the  vessel  merely 
took  in  a  cargo  at  Fowey.  and  had  to  go  to  Port  Talbot  for 
bunkers,  then,  said  the  master,  the  final  port  of  discharge 
must  be  Port  Talbot.  The  reasoning  in  this  case  was 
certainly  peculiar,  and  personally,  we  side  with  the  men— 
as  the  "Articles  of  Agreement"  are  framed.  But  the 
main  point  is  :  Would  anv  other  civilised  nation  submit  to 
all  this  straw-splitting,  in  a  simple  everyday  matter  of 
engaging  a  crew  —  any  other  civilised  nation  but  Britain, 
that  is?  We  doubt  it—  exceedingly.  In  the  result,  there 
were  a  handful  of  lawyers  on  the  men's  side,  and  another 
handful  on  the  owners'  side,  and  between  them,  it  was 
decided  that  a  port  of  discharge  was  that,  and  bunker-ports 
were  that.  also. 


position  of  modern  sailormen  ?  in  the  days  that  are  gone. 
when  a  paternal  Government  either  gave,  or  sold  cheaply, 
an  obsolete  wooden  ship  for  training  purposes,  it  was  all 
very  well  to  accept  the  present,  and  set  about  the  training, 
even  as  it  seemed  good  for  the  requirements  that  existed 
at  that  time. 

5?  %? 

BUT  in  the  present  year  of  grace,  to  be  guilty  of  the 
same  trick-  Great  Scott  !  What  is  the  world  coming  to? 
The  new  Exmouth  is  to  have  three  masts,  one  of  which 
will  be  full-rigged  ;  she  has  a  double-tier  of  gun-ports, 
"historical  figurehead,  square  stern,"  etc.  And  all  for 
what  ?  Heaven  knows,  and  that  is  about  the  only  place 
where  the  knowledge  is  likely  to  be  !  Double-tier  of  gun- 
ports,  forsooth  !  Is  this  in  the  happy  belief,  that  when  the 
"  boys  "  have  finished  their  training,  they  will  be  able  to  go 
from  the  Exmouth,  right  into  Naval  or  Mercantile  vessels, 
"  where  the  surroundings  will  be  the  same,  sirs  ?  "  The 
new  Exmouth  is  actually  going  to  have  the  boys'  lavatories 
under  the  forecastle-head.  Yes  !  So  that  one  of  the 
lads  —  for  meritorious  conduct  —  will  be  in  a  position  to 
strut  his  little  day  on  the  ship,  as  Captain  of  the  Head. 
Good  sakes  !  And  somewhere  in  the  bowels  of  this  hotch- 
potch of  ancient-and-modern,  there  is  to  be  an  electric 
light  installation  !  Why  ?  Admiral  Seymour  had  no  such 
quiff  as  that  ?  If  we  are  to  have  the  "days-of-old"  flung 
around  in  this  ridiculous  manner,  let  us  have  the  thing 
proper.  No  improvements  on  Admiral  Seymour's  time, 
please  ! 


IN  other  words,  the  decision  of  the  superintendent  of  the 
Mercantile  Marine  office,  who  had  already  sided  with  the 
men.  was  upheld  by  the  magistrates  —  and  rightly,  too,  for 
after  all.  it  is  highly  probable  that  in  the  majority  of 
instances,  the  superintendent  is  far  better  posted  on  the 
intricacies  of  the  Merchant  Shipping  Acts,  than  can  a  man 
be,  who  is  of  the  nature  of  a  general  practitioner  of  law  in 
bulk  ?  Anyhow,  it  was  considered  so.  in  the  dispute  under 
discussion  :  but  doesn't  it  strike  you  as  particularly 
ridiculous,  in  a  country  with  a  Mercantile  Marine  the  size 
of  Britain's,  that  in  every  paltry  dispute,  legal  costs  out  of 
all  proportion  to  the  benefits  accruing,  must  be  run  up 
before  satisfaction  can  be  given  one  way,  or  the  other  ? 
Surely,  it  is  possible  to  draw  up  an  agreement  for  employ- 
ment. in  such  terms  that  both  sides  can  understand  exactly 
what  they  are  bound  by  ?  If  time  really  is  money,  then, 
there  should  be  a  simmering  down  of  the  tommy-rot,  which 
encumbers  the  Statute  Book  under  the  guise  of  Merchant 
Shipping  Acts.  In  the  interests  of  the  country,  a  new  set 
of  laws  should  be  drafted,  agreed  on,  and  accepted  as  a 
modern  rendering  of  what  is  wanted  :  after  which,  the 
nonsense  to  which  we  have  to  bend,  as  yet,  should  be 
burned.  As  a  progressive  nation,  it  is  time  we  conducted 
our  legal,  as  our  other  undertakings,  on  business  lines  ? 

5?  $3 

ANOTHER  caricature  of  olden-day  methods  has  been  com- 
pleted !  The  new  Exmouth  training-ship  has  been  launched. 
to  take  the  place  of  the  prime  old  dodger  which,  at  some 
time  in  the  vistas  of  the  past,  carried  the  flag  of  Admiral 
Seymour,  in  the  Baltic,  when  last  we  were  at  hand-grips 
with  Russia.  Here  we  are.  in  1905;  with  a  dearth  of 
sailormen  absolutely  resultant  from  obsolete  methods  of 
training  ;  and  yet.  the  sentimentalists  will  actually  Jay 
themselves  out  to  build  a  replica  of  ^n  old-timer  —  at 
enormous  cost-  and  solely  for  the  purpose  of  satisfying, 
a  number  of  otherwise  highly  estimable  persons,  who  should 
have  been  relieved  of  their  duties,  long  ago.  Can  you 
fathom  the  colossal  brains,  which  deem  it  expedient  to 
build  some  300ft.  of  steel-and-iron  two-decker,  for  the 
purpose  of  "  training  "  a  few  lads  for  the  problematical 


AND  all  this  farrago  is  launched,  and  contributions  will  be 
earnestly  sought  from  a  long-suffering  public,  when  the 
Government  —  who,  at  least,  pretend  to  be  striving  for  the 
real  McKoy--is  all  in  favour  of  discarding  training-ships  as 
useless,  expensive,  and  a  solecism!  Yet,  in  private  —  or 
semi-private  —  deals,  the  errors  of  the  past  have  to  be  con- 
tinued, indefinitely.  It  is  no  matter  that  the  efforts 
to-date,  for  securing  sailormen,  have  been  proved  as 
woefully  inefficient  ;  it  is  supposed  to  be  the  fashion 
among  those  whose  knowledge  of  ships  and  shipmen  have 
been  of  the  scantiest  to  plead  for  a  sufficiency  of  money 
from  the  public,  for  training-ship  effort,  and  so  the  game 
continues.  The  mere  fact  that  the  Mercantile  Marine  is 
gradually  becoming  foreignered  to  death,  is  matter  for  no 
surprise  :  training  ships  OUGHT  to  fill  the  bill—  and  if  they 
do  not,  then,  it  is  not  the  fault  of  those  estimable  people 
who  put  all  their  faith,  at  least,  in  the  venture.  You  see, 
it  is  essential  to  make  the  future  sailormen  resourceful, 
and  obviously,  the  better  plan  for  attaining  this  end,  is  to 
keep  them  for  a  couple  of  years,  or  more,  cooped  up  in  a 
"full-sized  replica  of  the  old  Exmouth"  —  among  other 
dodges  ! 

e&  Xa 

B?     iS3 

BUT,  bless  you,  the  dear  old  fossils  might  just  as  well  put 
their  time,  and  the  charitably  disposed's  money,  into  train- 
ing ships,  as  into  homes  for  friendless  and  diseased  pussy- 
cats ?  The  one  object  is  quite  as  good  as  the  other,  and  if. 
meanwhile,  you  have  to  go  to  the  Continent  for  a  sufficiency 
of  hands  wherewith  to  sail  the  Pretty  Pimple,  of  what  odds 
is  it  ?  Even  if  you  throw  up  this  fooling-away-of-good- 
effort-on-training-ships  ;  go  in  for  shore  colleges  :  and 
spend  twice  as  much  money  on  the  business  ;  you  will  still 
continue  to  cull  your  merchant  sailors  from  the  Continent. 
You  will,  indeed  !  And,  mainly  for  the  reason  that  the 
British  lad  will  have  none  of  it.  Personally,  we  do  not  blame 
that  lad  ;  not  a  bit  !  If  he  has  made  but  ordinary  use  of 
the  education  with  which  a  patriarchal  Government  has 
seen  fit  to  cram  him,  for  nothing,  then,  he'll  see  us  all  in 
Jericho,  before  he  will  attempt  to  waste  it  in  the  fore- 
castles of  the  latter-day  tramp  steamer.  He'll  prosper, 


April  28,  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


'75 


considerably  more,  in  hawking  newspapers  and  wax-vestas  ! 
No  matter  what  road  your  "  training  "  of  sailor-lads  takes, 
you  will  still  be  as  badly  off  as  ever,  and  mainly  for  the 
reason,  that  neither  a  "  trained  "  lad  nor  the  other  sort,  will 
stay  at  sea.  for  a  minute  longer  than  is  necessary  for  each 
individual  to  sample,  the  utter  wretchedness  of  the  life. 


IF  these  alleged  philanthropists  are  really  earnest  in  their 
efforts  to  recruit  for  the  two  services  especially  for  the 
Mercantile  Marine  :  it  is  but  necessary  to  awaken  public 
opinion  in  the  desired  direction,  when  the  "  sweating,"  and 
"white  slavery  "  which  is  rampant  at  present,  will  become 
a  thing  of  the  past.  Once  remove  the  disabilities  which 
gravitate  around  those  who  wish  to  follow  the  sea  for  a 
living,  and  the  recruiting  will  go  up,  with  a  bound.  As  we 
have  told  you  on  many  occasions,  in  the  past  ;  have  told 
you  from  personal  knowledge  :  there  is  no  scarcity  of 
sailor-lads  ;  no  difficulty  in  securing  them  :  the  scarcity  is 
all  in  the  direction  of  sailormen  :  the  difficulty,  in  keeping 
those  lads  after  you  have  caught  them.  They  simply  will 
not  consent  to  hustle  around  the  world  in  a  dog's-house  : 
at  starvation  rates  of  wages  :  with  precarious  employment 
as  their  share  of  work—  no  matter  how  strenuously-inclined 
they  might  be  :  and  the  cold-shoulder,  at  somewhere  around 
forty,  "because  they  are  too  old  to  withstand  the  hard- 
ships that  will  naturally  be  their  lot."  Pay  up.  dear  people. 
Pay  up  !  That  is  all  that  is  necessary.  Give  the  sailor  a 
fair  wage,  and  leave  the  training  of  him  to  those  who  have 
attended  thereto  for  countless  ages—  the  shipmaster.  Of 
course,  you  won't.  You'll  continue  at  the  "  sweating  " 
game,  until  the  nation  is  ruined  ? 


EH  ?  What's  this  ?  The  Czar  of  all  the  Roosias  recog- 
nising merit  in  a  British  shipmaster  !  Almost  too  good  to 
be  true  although  it  is  true.  We  read  that  Captain  Batt. 
of  Exeter—  is  this  Captain  H.  Batt.  of  Topsham.  we 
wonder  ?  when  in  command  of  the  Ajax,  of  Liverpool. 
rendered  valuable  services  to  Russian  officers  and  men 
wounded  in  the  battle  of  Chemulpo.  As  a  result,  the 
Czar  of  Russia  has  presented  the  worthy  shipmaster  with  a 
gold  cigarette  case,  which  bears  the  Imperial  arms  in 
diamonds,  and  the  whole  being  contained  within  another 
case  bearing  the  Russian  Imperial  arms  in  gold.  The 
Mayor  of  Exeter,  has  been  asked  to  attend  to  the  presen- 
tation—mainly. we  imagine,  because  poor  old  Topsham  has 
no  such  dignitary  concealed  about  the  place  ?  —so  we 
presume  there  will  be  an  interesting  function  there,  directly 
(if  it  hasn't  already  been  held).  This  is  another  instance 
of  where  the  British  shipmaster  attends  to  the  cause  of 
human  nature,  without  any  thought  of  acknowledgment, 
or  reward.  Indeed,  were  it  not  that  the  different  Govern- 
ments are  invariably  grateful,  the  world  would  know  nothing 
of  these  little  sidelights  on  contemporary  history.  A 
'longshoreman  saves  an  old  lady,  and  the  "dailies"  reek 
with  it  until  another  sensation  is  toward  :  a  sailor  saves  a 
thousand,  and  you  know  nothing  about  it.  Queer  world. 
isn't  it  ? 

5?  *3 

LORDY  us!  But  there  is  a  terrible  lot  happening  on  the 
water,  after  all  '.  Furthermore.  Daily  Mail  generally  gets 
hold  of  it  or  as  much  of  it  as  is  calculated  to  make  sen- 
sational reading  !  Here  have  we  a  case  of  a  number  of 
imprisoned  sailors,  and  the  dread  tidings  come  all  the 
way  from  Port  Louis-  where  they  keep  hurricanes  on  tap. 
It  appears  that  the  German  steamer  Juliette-  frivolous 
name  !  is  one  of  the  many  merry  contrabandistas  which 
are  freely  following  the  fortune's  of  the  Freak  Fleet,  and  she 
has  arrived  at  Mauritius.  Her  crew—  at  least,  the  British 
and  American  portion  thereof  are  saying  things  up  against 


the  hard-hearted  skipper  who  has  been  imprisoning  them, 
"for forty-eight  hours  in  a  single  room  on  shore."  That  was 
bad  enough,  but  the  most  sensational  part  of  the  proceed- 
ings lays  in  the  fact,  that  although  the  poor  sailormen  were 
engaged  at  Southampton,  where — like  her  impudence — "the 
vessel  was  flying  the  British  flag,  on  February  11,"  she 
yet  "  left  the  same  day  for  Antwerp,  and  (please  note  this 
carefully)  during  the  night,  the  German  flag  replaced  the 
British  "  !  Eh  ?  What  ?  Can't  you  see  the  gol-dern 
wickedness  displayed  right  here  ?  The  sneaky,  underhand- 
ed, and  night-covered  deed  of  darkness  ? 

gy?  9tg 

%&    tid 

OF  course,  you  can  !  Those  consummate  sinners  couldn't 
take  down  the  dear  old  British  flag  at  sunset,  and  then  hoist 
the  German  sample — like  honest  men— at  eight  bells,  next 
morning  !  No.  sirs,  they  had  to  wait  for  the  shades  of 
evening  to  gather  over  them  ;  for  the  night,  in  point  of 
fact  :  and  then — well,  what  happened  ?  According  to 
Daily  Mail — and  it  knows  a  bit  about  shipping  quiffs—"  and 
during  the  night  the  German  flag  replaced  the  British  "  ; 
but  every  soul  was  saved  !  Yes  !  Is  it  any  wonder  that 
the  German  Consul  at  Antwerp,  gave  the  complaining 
seaman  no  satisfaction?  Never  a  bit,  for  when  an  aban- 
doned skipper  man  will  leave  the  British  flag  out  over 
night,  in  any  such  reckless  manner  that  is  suggested  here, 
we  Consider  that  it  is  a  meritorous  act  to  replace  it  with 
one  of  the  German  kind.  If  there  is  to  be  any  "running"  in 
the  colours,  then,  let  Germany  attend  to  it.  But  you'll  be  glad 
to  hear  that  the  imprisoned  seamen  have  been  released 
from  their  durance  vile,  and  although  we  are  sorry  that  we 
cannot  tell  you  anything  more  about  the  flag,  that  was  re- 
placed during  the  night,  you  may  take  our  assurance,  that 
the  whole  contraption  doesn't  amount  to  much. 

&  & 

PERSONALLY,  we  have  too  high  an  opinion  of  a  German 
skipper,  to  believe  that  he  would  risk  his  bunting  by  flaunting 
it  at  night  ( when  nobody  could  se$  it,  you  know)  :  further- 
more, you  might  be  glad  to  know  that  "the  ensign"  is 
hauled  down  at  sunset — at  latest.  But  never  mind,  in 
holiday  time,  it  is  tough  work — filling  up  a  column  ;  and  our 
enterprising  contemporary  might  just  as  well  fill  the  said 
column  with  one  kind  of  nautical  poppycock,  as  with 
another.  It  is  highly  probable  that  the  gentle  reader  did 
not  concern  himself  unduly,  as  to  whether  those  seamen 
were  confined  in  a  single  room,  or  in  a  married  one  ?  One 
thing  is  worthy  of  attention  :  As  far  as  we  can  see,  old 
(or  middle-aged)  Rozh-etc.  is  booked  for  a  long  stay  at 
Kamranh  Bay  ;  at  least,  Daily  Mail  says  so,  and,  in  con- 
sequence, we  may  reasonably  expect  trouble,  directly.  If 
the  Freak  Fleet  continues  there  until  one  seadog,  who  is  a 
beggar  Togo,  gets  in  the  vicinity  of  Kamranh  Bay.  then, 
there  will  be  considerably  more  trouble.  Anyhow,  Juliette 
'ha'd  to  report  to  the  Russian  Rover  at  Kamranh,  and  it 
takes  a  little  while— even  for  a  skittish  German  Juliette  - 
Togo  from  Mauritius  to  the  other  place  ?  Here,  let  us 
leave  them,  for  the  mere  fact  that  the  Freak  Fleet  has  left 
Kamranh  Bay.  is  as  nothing  -to  sensationalists. 

#   ^ 

WELL,  sirs,  the  Klado  Komicalities  have  been  published 
-  both  in  Russian  and  English-  and  while  the  self-adver- 
tising gentleman  has  made  a  bold  bid  for  the  awakening  of 
his  misguided  countrymen,  he  has  rather  spoiled  his  well- 
meant  efforts,  by  "slinging  mud"  at  perfidious  Albion 
The  worthy  captain,  while  admitting  that  his  country's 
vessels  are  manned  by  a  sort  of  nondescript  gathering  of 
what  we  should  term  hoboes,  is  equally  willing  to -declare 
that  Togo's  crews  are  practised  seamen.  Getting  away 
from  facts  which  cannot  be  denied,  our  newest  nautical 
writer  gets  off  on  to  fiction,  which  cannot  be  substantiated 
For  instance,  we  learn  that  the  Dogger  Bank  victims— or 


176 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


April  28,    1905 


what  was  left  of  them  were  bribed  to  lie.  indiscriminately: 
and  that  if  Russian  ships  had  been  torpedoed  while  crossing 
the  North  Sea,  Great  Britain  would  have  chuckled  up  her 
capacious  sleeve.  Funny  man.  is  Klado  ?  One  would 
imagine,  by  this  time,  that  this  newest  author  would  realise- 
that  if  Britain  were  spoiling  for  a  chance  to  burst  up  the 
hope  of  Russia,  the  opportunity  was  given  by  Captain 
Klado.  and  other  panic-striken  sailormen.  on  the  memorable 
occasion  referred  to  ?  But  there.it  is  useless  to  expect 
other  than  a  snarl  from  the  under  dog  :  it  is  outside  the 
bounds  of  earthly  possibility. 

«r  fc 

CONCERNING  the  declaration,  that  the  people  of  this 
country  would  like  to  see  old  Rozh-etc.,  bang-up  the 
Japanese  warships,  as  then  they  would  need  repairing  in 
Britain  :  Klado  is  more  komical  than  komplimentary  !  The 
gentleman  appears  to  realise  that  his  late  respected  chief 
hasn't  nous  enough  to  sink  the  Japanese  ships—  when  they 
would  need  no  further  attention  from  anybody  ?  All  the 
same,  it  is  distinctly  rude  to  write  such  impressions  in  a 
book  :  and  if  there  isn't  a  bit  of  Siberia  hanging  on  to  this 
little  literary  effort  :  then,  we  shall  be  surprised.  There 
certainly  will  be,  if  Rozh-etc.  succeeds  in  working  the 
humanly  impossible  !  The  sinking  of  Admiral  Togo's  fine 
assortment  of  fighting  units.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is 
highly  probable  that  Klado  realises  the  inwardness  of  the 
situation  :  feels  that  this  is  another  case  of  "  the  ship  that 
never  returned  ;  "  so.  perfect  safety  lays  in  this  attempt  at 
belittling  the  efforts,  of  the  Father  of  the  Freak  Fleet. 
Come  to  think  the  matter  over,  dispassionately,  one  is 
hardly  inclined  to  wonder  that  Klado  was  degraded,  "  and 
ordered  to  the  nebulous  command  of  river  steamboats  in 
Manchuria?"  Some  such  fate  is  meet  for  any  such  a 
man  ? 

5?& 

WE  are  glad  to  note  that  Engineering  is  sounding  a  note 
of  warning  in  connection  with  the  scarcity  of  British  sea- 
men. Our  contemporary  remarks,  that  "  In  the  past  fifty 
years,  the  tonnage  of  our  Mercantile  Marine  has  trebled, 
while  the  number  of  British  seamen  has  decreased  by  25 
per  cent.,  and  the  number  of  British  boys  by  85  per  cent." 
Yet  in  face  of  this,  the  nation  will  sit  quietly  down  to  its 
breakfast-and-a-ha'porth  :  will  hunt  out  .the  nicest  bits  of 
light  literature  which  that  ha'porth  contains  ;  and  will 
dismiss  any  qualms  of  uneasiness  which  might  eventuate, 
with  the  half  -formed  thought  of  "  Oh,  its  none  of  my  busi- 
ness." If  it  were  possible  to  make  the  country,  at  large. 
realise  the  terrible  danger  which  is  included  in  the  decrease 
alluded  to.  then,  would  there  be  some  hope  for  Britain  : 
but  as  long  as  the  "  popular  educators  "  pursue  the  line  of 
least  resistance  :  drift  along  with  the  stream  :  pretend 
that  all  is  well  with  the  nation,  because  the  nation  wishes 
to  be  assured  of  that  bit  of  humbug  :  just  so  long  will 
Britain  drift  into  the  position  which  will,  eventually,  mean 
extinction.  Here  is  a  bit  which  we  have  repeated,  dozens 
of  times,  "  Whether  we  lose  or  win  our  first  Naval  engage- 
ment. success  must  ultimately  depend  upon  the  facility  with 
which  we  can  recuperate  our  fighting  line." 


As  things  are  at  present,  this  is  exactly  what  we  cannot 
do.  There  is  absolutely  no  chance  of  our  being  able  to 
"  recuperate  our  fighting  line."  once  it  has  been  thinned  out 
by  the  enemy's  shot  and  shell.  Worse  than  that,  the 
"  fighting  line  "  as  it  exists  to-day,  is  that,  merely  in  name. 
The  lately  issued  yearly  report  of  Naval  progresses  glossed 
over,  as  is  usual  with  the  document  :  and  the  man  in  the 
street  is  under  the  impression,  that  all  is  well  with  the 
"  fighting  line  ;  "  but  we,  who  have  been  there,  realise,  only 
too  surely,  that  instead  of  being  well,  it  is  altogether  the 


reverse.  In  fact,  the  whole  situation  depends  on  the  course 
usually  adopted  by  Britain  ;  that  is,  she  will  muddle 
through,  by  heaven's  grace  and  tall  speaking.  At  present, 
we  have  no  fleet  reserves  ;  all  the  warships  are  "  in  com- 
mission," and  are  manned  by  "  nucleus  crews."  The 
worst  of  it  is,  that  those  which  are  supposed  to  be  "  Ready. 
aye.  ready  !  "  are,  in  most  instances,  no  better  off.  That 
is.  at  the  best,  they  may  only  be  considered  as  manned 
with  rather  a  full  nucleus  crew.  That  lovely  little  bit  in 
the  Annual  Naval  yarn,  which  tells  you  of  how  ratings 
other  than  those  of  stokers,  have  been  invited  to  "swop" 
over  into  cinder  worriers,  is  a  sweetly  seductive  attempt  to 
lull  you  into  further  lethargy. 

5?  & 

THE  Navy  is—  and  ever  has  been  —  undermanned  in  this 
respect  :  and  so  far,  all  the  efforts  of  the  powers  that  be, 
have  been  unavailing  in  obtaining  a  full  head  of  steam- 
raisers.  Then,  the  Mercantile  Marine  is  utterly  useless  as 
a  recruiting  ground  ;  and  for  the  reason  that  native-born 
firemen  (  or  stokers,  as  the  Senior  Service  elects  to  style 
them),  are  gradually  becoming  about  as  extinct  as  the 
dodo.  Under  the  circumstances,  therefore,  how  is  the 
nation  going  to  "  recuperate  our  fighting  line  ?  "  You  give 
it  up?  So  do  we.  even  as  we  rank  the  scarcity  of  seamen, 
along  with  the  boiler-trouble.  The  destroyers  which  have 
to  use  nothing  but  filtered  water  —  plain,  and  good  fresh 
water,  being  too  risky  for  these  touchy  bits  of  mechanism. 
These  are  a  few  of  the  wrinkles  which  the  world's  greatest 
sea  Power  is  depending  on  ;  and  yet  we  all  join  in  the 
chorus  of  "  Rule  Britannia."  with  as  much  unction  as  if  we 
believe  that  she  will  go  on  ruling,  once  she  has  been  put  to 
a  severe  test.  In  small  everyday  "scraps,"  Britain  will 
doubtless  come  out  on  top  :  whether  she  will,  if  tested 
severely,  is  altogether  another  question.  Most  certainly, 
she  will  not,  if  her  sailor-boys  are  allowed  to  go  on  decreas- 
ing at  the  present  alarming  rate. 


ANTWERP  is  still  making  more  bids  for  trade  supremacy. 
The  long-drawn-out  negotiations  for  that  grand  coupure 
thing  is  settled  at  last,  and  jubilations  are  about,  in 
consequence.  The  scheme  alluded  to,  provides  for  cutting 
a  channel  of  some  five  miles  in  length  through  the  bend  in 
the  Scheldt,  just  north  of  the  city  ;  and  this  channel 
would  form  the  approach  to  Antwerp,  instead  of  as,  at 
present,  using  the  "  bendy  "  Scheldt.  Moreover,  this  new 
cut  will  be  supplied  with  a  group  of  docks  and  quays,  so 
that  the  resultant  accommodation,  will  be  a  quadrupling  of 
that  already  exising.  There  can  be  no  gainsaying  the 
fact,  that  when  these  improvements  are  affected,  Antwerp 
will  be  the  largest  and  best-equipped  port  in  the  world. 
Whether  the  great  expense  will  be  justified,  remains  to  be 
seen,  for  Antwerp,  after  all,  is  not  the  centre  —  nor  even  on 
the  skirt  —  of  a  manufacturing  district;  and  £12,000.000 
—the  estimated  cost  of  the  new  works,  and  the  forts,  which 
will  be  needed  to  protect  them  —  sterling,  is  a  pile  of  money 
to  hypothecate  on  the  favour  of  other  people  ?  As  an 
entrep6t,  Antwerp  is  already  well  to  the  'fore  ;  but  com- 
mercial jealousy  might  well  be  counted  on,  to  do  all  that  is 
possible  in  wresting  her  position  from  her.  Of  course,  the 
new  facilities  might  reasonably  be  hoped  to  bring  manu- 
facturers that  way  ;  but  we  shall  see. 


THE  West  Indian  mail  contract,  to  which  we  referred  in 
our  last  week's  issue,  has  been  officially  confirmed,  and 
now  we  are  wondering  what  those  "  troo  bohn  Barbedians  " 
are  going  to  do,  next  ?  Will  they  decide  not  to  send  any 
more  letters  to  this  wicked  old  country,  which  is  callous 
enough  to  forget  all  the  water  that  has  gone  past  the 


April  28,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


wheel  er.  we  mean,  all  the  years  of  arduous  service  which 
has  been  rendered  by  the  Royal  Mail  ?  Anyhow,  there  is 
trouble  in  Jamaica  —  as  well  as  in  Barbadoes:  for,  somehow 
or  other,  the  good  people  thereaway,  cannot  quite  see  who 
it  is  that  is  doing  them  good.  They  appear  to  "  have  it  in  " 
for  the  Elder  Dempster  Line.  In  fact,  the  population  of 
Kingston  is  dref'fly  excited  about  the  subject,  and  their 
organs  are  suggesting  that  the  Legislature  should  refuse 
to  vote  the  Colony's  share  in  the  subsidy  !  Eh  ?  That  is 
the  manner  in  which  your  little  bantlings  talk,  once  you 
elect  to  do  as  you  should  have  done  from  the  first—  save 
them  from  themselves  !  The  most  indulgent  chronicler 
can  hardly  say  that,  in  the  past,  the  West  Indies  have 
been  famous  for  a  strenuous  life.  On  the  contrary,  for 
they  have—  collectively—  been  almost  as  badly  off  as 
another  distressful  isle  which  we  could  name.  However, 
they'll  get  over  it.  in  all  probability. 


ANYBODY  ever  heard  of  "  Pelorus  Jack  "  ?  No  ?  Then, 
you've  missed  one  of  the  chances  of  your  life,  and  we 
hasten  to  inform  you—  on  the  word  of  Daily  Express  —  that 
the  gentleman  in  question  is  a  dolphin,  although  a  number 
of  people  appear  to  believe  that  he  is  a  white  whale  !  It's 
like  this.  Some  forty  years  ago.  there  was  an  old  sailor's 
tale  —  no  a  sailor's  old  tale  !-  to  the  effect  that  a  school  of 
dolphin  had  grounded  on  the  shores  of  Cook  Strait,  out  of 
which  little  lot.  only  one  escaped  to  sea.  The  mermaids. 
out  there,  christened  him  "  Pelorus  Jack."  and  in  compli- 
ment to  their  wishes  on  the  subject,  the  New  Zealand 
Legislature  has  passed  a  special  Act  for  the  protection  of 
P.J.  If  anybody  is  caught  hitting  that  dolphin  with  a  broom. 
or  other  offensive  weapon,  the  hitter  will  straightway  be 
fined  £100.  supposing  he  hasn't  got  a  penny,  and  is  in  debt 
for  the  broom.  Why  is  this,  you  might  reasonably  ask  ? 
Well,  although  it  is  known  that  P.J.  is  at  least  forty  years 
of  age,  he  is  by  no  means  "  played  out."  for  he  "acts  as  a 
most  effective  pilot,  escorting  all  kinds  of  vessels  in  and 
out  of  the  French  Pass.  Cook  Strait,  always  keeping  to 
deep  water." 

5?  fc 

ANYBODY  harbouring  doubts  about  P.J.'s  identity,  need 
not  be  unduly  alarmed  :  need  never  fear  to  touch  another 
dolphin,  and  think  it  might  be  P.J.  The  dolphin  of  which 
we  are  telling  you.  cannot  be  mistaken  for  any  common  old 
fish,  for  according  to  another  "  old  sailor's  tale."  he  has  the 
name  "  Pelorus  Jack."  embroidered  on  to  his  port  fin  !  All 
other  claimants  to  the  title  are  rank  swindlers,  and  there  is 
no  special  or  other  -Act  to  protect  such  masqueraders. 
To  stand  on  the  bridge  at  midnight,  and  hear  P.J.  shout 
"  Starboard,  a  bit.  cap'en."  is  to  hear  a  treat  :  and  if  you 
don't  believe  us.  in  this  matter,  just  you  ask  Daily  Express 
nautical  expert.  Judging  by  his  tale  concerning  this  dolphin,  - 
the  gentleman  referred  to  must  be  a  "fair  cinch."  on 
anything  appertaining  to  the  sea  and  fish.  Yes  !  Further- 
more. "  as  he  is  never  absent  from  his  duties,  the  proclam- 
ation has  been  received  with  keen  satisfaction  throughout 
Australasia,  by  sailors  who  have  to  use  the  French^-ahem  ! 
•  -  Pass  "  See  that.  now.  You  don't  have  to  burn  two  blue- 
lights.  to  summon  P.J.  to  your  aid.  You  don't!  But.  after 
this,  shall  you  be  surprised  at  any  kind  of  absolute  drivel. 
with  which  a  "  daily  "  might  feel  inclined  to  stuff  you  ? 
Nautical  drivel,  we  mean  ? 


AMERICA'S  "Johnny"  Gates  has  come  a  cropper  in  his 
wheat  "corner"  at  least,  in  his  attempted  wheat  corner. 
Not  only  come  a  cropper,  but  himself  and  associates  are 
said  to  have  "dropped  "  nearly  £1.000.000  in  their  specu- 
lative manipulations.  If  the  report  is  true,  it  is.  for  once. 


exactly  as  it  should  be.  Every  one  of  these  "  cornering  " 
folk,  when  engaged  upon  the  raising  of  the  price  of  every- 
day commodities,  should  be  croppered,  every  time  ;  at  least, 
that  is  what  we  think  of  the  matter.  Of  course,  the  Beef 
Trust  people  are  just  as  much  in  need  of  a  shock,  and 
there  are  quite  a  number  of  us  who  would  like  to  see  it 
eventuate.  Why  don't  those  financial  giants  turn  their 
attention  to  "  cornering  "  the  universal  world,  by  which 
tactics  they  would  include  the  fleet  of  merchant  ships  for 
which  their  souls  are  said  to  hunger?  It's  a  funny  thing, 
though  :  Quite  ninety-five  per  cent,  of  these  attempted 
corners  fall  through,  and  yet  there  are,  ostensibly  sane 
business  men,  who  are  prepared  to  "go  Nap,"  on  being  one 
of  the  odd  five  !  We  can  understand  a  man  who  has  nothing 
to  lose,  going  into  these  wild-cat  undertakings  ;  but  when 
it  comes  down  to  men  having  millions  which  they  are  pre- 
pared to  risk—  well,  as  we  said,  'way  back,  it's  a  queer 
world,  so  it  is  ! 

#  & 

THE  go-to-sea-for-shelter  port  of  Poti  is  by  way  of 
becoming  civilised,  as  we  understand  it,  to-day  !  Poti, 
that  monument  of  Russian  official  ineptitude,  is  to  be 
brought  in  line  with  modern  ideas.  No  more  will  the 
patient  shipmaster  need  to  dodge  around  his  steamer's 
decks,  after  night-fall,  examining  those  coir  "fasts"  for 
which  his  owner  has  to  pay  fabulous  prices  !  The  old 
entrance  to  Poti  is  being  closed,  and  in  future,  in-coming 
vessels  must  use  the  new  entrance,  which  is  to  the  north- 
ward of  the  port.  We  are  indebted  to  the  Merchant 
Service  Guild,  for  the  information,  and  they,  again,  have 
received  it  from  one  of  their  members,  Captain  R.  Routledge, 
of  the  steamer  Amana.  The  pilot  for  Poti  harbour,  will 
board  inward-bounders,  from  a  small  boat,  at  the  entrance 
alluded  to  :  and  if  any  ship  undertakes  to  get  into  the  port 
without  a  pilot,  a  fine  of  25  roubles  will  be  imposed—  without 
appeal.  By  this  it  will  be  seen,  that  mediaeval  Russia  can 
still  give  points  to  Britain,  in  the  ^matter  of  looking  after 
her  own  ?  The  present  depth  iii  Poti  harbour,  is  26ft., 
and  it  is  suggested  that  ships  may  be  safely  loaded,  up  to 
24ft.  Other  times,  other  manners  ;  and  in  this  instance, 
they  haven't  arrived  a  minute  too  soon  ? 


GRATITUDE,  on  the  part  of  an  underwriter,  is  not 
altogether  a  lost  quantity.  It  is  still  in  existence,  and  when 
the  time  is  ripe  therefor,  may  be  depended  on  to  make 
its  appearance.  We  argue  thusly,  in  consequence  of  a 
consideration  to  the  happenings  of  the  four-masted  barque, 
Swanhilda,  which  was  seriously  battered  and  damaged  by 
the  gales  that  prevailed,  during  the  latter  end  of  January, 
of  this  year:  and  which  drove  the  vessel  as  far  north  as 
Greenland,  with  damaged  steering-gear,  and  compasses 
lost,  or  rendered  useless.  However,  the  master—  Captain 
McDonald—  succeeded  in  winning  victory  from  defeat,  and 
brought  Swanhilda  safely  to  the  Clyde.  As  a  pleasant 
aftermath  to  all  the  hardships  and  miseries  encountered. 
the  Committee  of  Lloyd's  have  conveyed  to  the  Scottish 
Shipmasters'  and  Officers  Association  of  which  society, 
Captain  McDonald  is  a  member  --  their  appreciation  of  the 
high  qualities  of  seamanship  and  resource,  exhibited  on  the 
occasion  referred  to.  This  is  as  it  should  be—  with,  perhaps 
the  addition  of  a  little  cheque,  in  settlement  of  the  overtime 
which  was  put  in  for  the  purpose  of  winning  through,  and 
thereby,  saving  a  total  loss  :  and  these  little  expressions  of 
gratitude,  go  far  toward  keeping  a  man's  endeavour  up 
to  concert  pitch. 

#  & 

THERE  are  numberless  occasions  where,  in  the  face  of 
dire  peril,  the  Old  Man  sticks  to  his  ship  and  brings  her  out 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


April   28,   1905 


of  the  tangle,  when,  were  he  so  disposed,  he  could  "  Leave 
the  poor  old  stranded  wreck,  and  pull  for  the  shore."  In 
some  of  these  instances,  too.  we  regret  to  say.  the  owner's 
"  book  "  would  be  better  served,  if  the  pulling  notion  were 
persevered  in.  A  casual  study  of  the  alleged  Police  Court 
proceedings  which  are.  occasionally,  to  the  'fore,  will  go 
far  to  convince  most  of  us  that,  in  the  opinion  of  the 
presiding  Solon,  the  unfortunate  shipmaster  is  ever  a 
scoundrel:  that,  he  has  wantonly  got  his  ship  hashed  up: 
and  as  a  consequence,  nothing  but  "  off  with  his  head."  will 
meet  the  case.  In  the  old  feudal  days  when  most  of  the 
sense  on  earth,  could  be  placed  on  the  inside  edge  of  a 
groat  —  this  was  good  enough.  Seeing  that  everybody  was 
more  or  less  ignorant  :  nobody  was  unduly  hurted  by  the 
"justice"  which  obtained,  then.  To-day,  however,  the 
country  has  been  educated  up  to  that  pitch,  when  cere- 
monial, and  the  tommy-rot  which  yet  lingers  in  our  law 
courts,  is  merely  a  piece  of  second-rate  buffoonery  :  an 
exhibition  which  can  be  beaten,  easily,  in  any  provincial 
"  empire  of  varieties." 


the  recent  launch  of  a  turret  steamer  from  the  yard  of 
Messrs.  Wm.  Doxford  and  Co.,  may  be  cited.  The  vessel 
in  question—  the  Queda  —  which  has  been  built  to  the  order 
of  the  British  India  Steam  Navigation  Company,  Limited, 
London,  constitutes,  we  believe,  a  world's  record  in  single- 
deck  steamers,  for  this  modern  leviathan  will  have  a  dead- 
weight carrying  capacity  of  12.000  tons  ;  and  a  single- 
decker  !  There  can  be  no  gainsaying  the  fact  that  the 
great  facilities  which  are  obtainable  in  the  loading,  stowing, 
and  discharging  of  cargo  in  single-decked  steamers,  are 
being  rapidly  realised  :  and  the  increasing  demand  for  this 
class  of  vessel,  is  centreing  great  attention  to  the  particular 
type  for  which  Messrs.  Doxford's  are  specialists.  In  the 
case  of  the  Queda,  we  find  that  she  has  a  length  of  480ft., 
with  breadth  and  depth,  58ft.  and  33ft.  respectively.  As 
already  stated,  her  d.w.  capacity  will  be  12,000  tons; 
while  her  gross  registered  tonnage  is  represented  by  the 
figures  Z.ZOO.  and  net  register,  4,900.  The  vessel  has  a 
cargo  space  of  no  less  than  690,000  cubic  feet,  and  is 
fitted  to  carry  4,000  tons  of  water  ballast. 


THUS  it  comes  about,  that  the  country  is  in  sad  need  of 
a  series  of  marine  courts  —one  for  each  seaport.  To  our 
mind,  the  public  have  no  right  to  be  mulcted  in  heavy  costs, 
merely  for  the  settlement  of  a  matter  of  opinion—  for  that 
is  all  that  a  stranding,  or  an  overloading  case  :  a  collision, 
or  what-not,  of  a  nautical  character,  amounts  to.  We  hear 
a  tremendous  amount  of  old  clack  concerning  the  inviolable 
right  of  a  Briton  to  be  tried  by  his  peers  :  and  in  substan- 
tiation of  the  claim,  find  a  shipmaster's  livelihood  often 
depend,  on  the  peerless  knowledge  of  shipping  subjects 
displayed,  by  a  number  of  farmers,  or  horse-dealers.  We 
know  that  we  have  passed  the  remark  before  :  but  this 
is  a  great  country.  So  great,  that  it  is  enabled  to  fuss 
along  under  conditions,  that  would  totally  wreck  a  land 
whose  inhabitants  were  less  great.  The  settlement  of. 
practically,  every  nautical  dispute  is  merely  a  matter  of 
opinion  ;  and  its  satisfactory  settlement  can  only  be  arrived 
at.  as  the  result  of  placing  it  before  a  tribunal  composed  of 
nautical  men.  That  this  is  half  admitted,  in  legal  circles,  is 
proved  by  the  fact  that  a  few  of  our  learned  judges 
take  up  nautical  work  as  a  speciality. 

5?  & 

THEY  are.  undoubtedly,  good  men.  and  "  know  the  ropes  ;" 
but  then,  there  are  but  half-a-dozen  of  them,  to  attend  to 
the  dissensions  whice  arise  among  the  operators  of  say, 
10.000.000  tons  of  shipping.  Under  the  circumstances. 
therefore,  a  provincial  man  with  a  grievance,  has  to  tote  all 
his  witnesses,  his  legal  advisers,  his  plans,  documents,  etc., 
to  London,  where  he  will  have  to  await  the  "  law's  delays," 
as  they  might  eventuate  ;  and  all  for  what  ?  Frequently. 
for  settling  whether  he  did.  or  did  not  charter  a  certain 
vessel  :  and  if  so.  under  what  conditions  !  Or,  it  might  be 
for  the  purpose  of  getting  it  settled  whether  Captain  Blank 
really  did  port  his  helm,  that  time,  out  in  the  Bay  of  Fundy  : 
or  whether,  as  it  is  contended,  Captain  Dash  (  of  the  other 
steamer)  improperly  starboarded  his  helm,  on  the  same 
occasion.  In  either  instance,  the  shipping  men  will  have 
to  pay  all  expenses,  and  this  being  so.  why  haven't  they,  as 
payers  of  the  piper,  the  right  to  say  where  the  music  shall 
be  ground  out  ?  As  already  stated,  in  the-  feudal  days. 
this  piece  of  imposition  passed  unheeded  :  to-day,  however, 
the  shipping  man  recognises  that  he  is  being  unfairly 
treated  :  hence  his  cry  for  a  local  Marine  Court—  which  will 
have  to  come  :  and  which  would  have  been  here,  long  ago. 
had  the  shipping  man  but  the  backbone  of  a  small,  and 
weakly  cockroach  ! 

5?  & 

As  showing  the  rapid  development  in  bulk  cargo  carrying, 


HER  tri-compound  engines  by  the  same  builders—  have 
cylinders  of  27  '2  in.,  45>2in..  and  75m.,  by  54in.  stroke; 
her  three  boilers  will  be  fitted  with  Howdon's  system  of 
forced  draught,  and  will  work  at  a  pressure  of  ISOlbs.  to 
the  square  inch.  The  cargo  gear  on  the  Queda,  is  of  the 
type  which  is  frequently  adopted  by  Messrs.  Doxford  —  and 
adopted  with  signal  success  ;  that  is,  the  style  here,  is  of 
the  twin  side-posts  and  side-derricks  order.  For  the  rapid 
operation  of  these  facilities,  a  large  number  of  steam 
winches  have  been  supplied,  and  when  Queda  is  "fairly  in 
it."  it  may  be  taken  as  a  foregone  conclusion  that  she  will, 
in  on.e  full  working-day  —  shift  "  an  awful  pile  of  stuff  !  " 
This  "shifting,"  is  exactly  what  the  enterprising  owner  of 
to-day  is  after  ;  being  so,  he  knows  where  to  get  it  :  know- 
ing, he  has  gone  :  and  thus  it  comes  about  that  the  British 
Corporation  have  given  their  highest  class,  and  have  entered 
on  their  books,  the  name  of  the  largest  single-decked 
steamer  afloat.  Queda  was  built  under  the  superintendence 
of  the  B.l.S.N.  Company's  surveyors—  Captain  Hodgkinson, 
Mr.  John  Clark,  and  the  resident  surveyor,  Mr.  Peter  Barr. 
And  now  —  seeing  that  this  is  an  enterprising  age—  who  is 
inclined  to  go  "one  better"  than  the  B.l.S.N.  ? 

E?P  9fa 

!&t    >& 

SOMEHOW  or  other,  the  cannie  lad  up  North,  is  smarter, 
on  occasion,  than  his  friend  farther  south.  Consider  him, 
in  the  matter  of  rounding-up  those  "  poor  foreigners,"  who 
make  a  fairly-decent  living  through  the  illegal  supply  of 
seamen.  Come  to  think  of  it,  these  pirate  shipping  officers 
are  generally  patriots,  who  have  left  their  countries  for 
their  countries'  good  ;  even  as  they  come  along  to  free  and 
happy  Britain,  where  they  take  blood-money  from  Jacks  of 
all  kind,  and  straightway  invest  it  in  real  estate,  in  the  land 
of  their  adoption.  At  South  Shields  Police  Court,  a  few 
days  ago.  a  gentle  Gaul,  by  name,  Henri  Yats,  was  fined  £1 
and  costs,  on  each  of  two  charges,  for  supplying  seamen 
without  being  in  possession  of  a  B.T.  certificate,  qualifying 
him  for  the  job—  as  provided  by  one  of  the  many  sections 
of  one  of  our  numerous  Merchant  Shipping  Acts.  Not 
only  did  the  gentle  Gaul  supply  those  seamen  illegally,  but 
he  also  had  the  impertinence  to  ask  and  obtain  remuner- 
ation for  his  work  !  Five  shillings  a  job  is  the  price,  my 
dears—  if  you  cannot  "knock  'em,"  for  more.  But  what 
did  the  Beak  imagine  that  Henri  was  practicing  for? 
Love  ?  Or  for  the  sole  purpose  of  proving  of  service  to 
the  hard-worked  shipmaster? 

#'  & 

AND,  anyhow,  5s.  is  by  no  means,  a  big  payment,   when 
you  come  to  consider  the  quantity  of  seeking,  persuading, 


April   28,    i<)05 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


179 


marshalling,  and  interpreting  that  is  essential,  before  your 
nimble  crown  is  safely  earned.  It  appears  that  Yats  was 
in  the  habit  of  ascertaining  from  shipmasters,  how  many 
good  sailormen  they  needed  :  on  being  told,  he  hustled 
around  :  gathered  up  the  boys  :  sent  them  on  board — with 
or  without  his  compliments  :  and.  in  the  end.  was  satisfied 
with  a  mere  5s.  out  of  the  departing  seaboy's  advance 
note.  To  our  mind,  this  Frenchman  was  a  decent  man.  and 
should  have  been  let  off  with  a  mere  caution.  For  here,  in 
Cardiff,  we  have  foreign  adventurers  who  would  scorn  to 
supply  seamen  at  5s.  per  head.  They  ply  their  nefarious 
trade  in  the  broad  light  of  day  :  with  the  full  cognizance  of 
everybody  concerned  ;  take  their  dupes  to  their  own 
particular  sheenyman.  who  will  give  them  the  value  of 
anything  up  to  one-quarter  of  the  advance  note's  face 
value,  dividing  the  remainder  between  sheeny  and  shark  : 
and  it's  all  done  in  the  dear  old  way  that  has  obtained  for 
ages.  Nobody  takes  any  notice  of  the  wickedness— not 
even  B.T.  people  :  and  mainly  because  you  have  to  per- 
sonally go  to  the  expense  of  gathering  the  necessary 
evidence  that  shall  convict,  before  the  B.T.  will  move  in 
the  matter*  gj  *£ 

BEING  busy  people,  and  rightly  fancying  that  you  pay 
your  share  of  taxes,  so  that  the  Board  of  Trade  may  be  in 
a  position  to  attend  to  this  matter  themselves;  you  cannot 
spare  the  time  to  collect  that  evidence  -although  it  is  as 
easy  to  get.  as  it  is  for  most  of  us  to  fall  off  a  log.  And 
this  is  where  the  nice  foreign  gentleman  comes  in  :  where 
he  accumulates  the  real  estate  referred  to  :  where  he  puts 
on  "  side  "  to  the  busy  shipmaster  :  and  tells  him.  unequivo- 
cally, that  unless  he  "  patterronises,  mineselluf,"  then. 
"you  don't  vause  no  sailors  get  dis  trip,  ma  tear."  And,  it 
is  even  so !  Boards  of  Trade.  Shipping  Federations, 
Continuous  Discharges,  etc..  ad  lib.,  mightn't  be  altogether 
modern  institutions :  but  they  are  whole  teams  for 
supporting  the  nice  foreign  shentlemans.  who  supply  seamen 
in  contravention  to  the  Merchant  Shipping  Acts  :  who  give 
their  dupes,  a  hook-pot,  plate  and  pannikin  :  one  packet  of 
matches  :  one  bar  of  soap :  a  bottle  of  chemical  whisky  : 
and  if  Jack  sticks  out  for  it  a  "donkey's  breakfast."  for 
the  amount  expressed  on  that  advance  note.  Which  is 
anything  up  to  £3  10s.,  in  fine  Eenglisch  moneysh. 

tffc 

LORDY  us !  Dear  old  "  Mabon  "  is  interviewed  when  in  a 
dramatic  mood  !  It's  dref'ful.  look  you  !  Can  you  imagine 
our  "  Mabon  "  guilty  of  brusqueness  and  sternness  ?  You 
can't  ?  Not  even  if  he  were  sitting  down  counting  up  the 
chances  of  paying  that  probable  £75.000.  for  moral  and 
material  damages  to  the  outraged  coalowners  ?  Anyhow. 
and  first  of  all.  the  hardy  warrior  declared  that  the  decision 
was  the  end  of  it .'  that  there  is  nothing  further  to  say.  All 
the  same,  the  wily  interviewer  "drew  him  out!"  Mar- 
vellous, ain't  it  ?  Can  you  imagine  a  mere  newspaper 
scribe  being  astute  enough  to  "draw"  "Mabon" — when 
that  gentleman  didn't  wish  to  be  drawn  ?  Nevermind.  It 
happened.  And  a  Western  Mail  man  did  it — indeed  ! 
However.  "  Mabon  "  takes  to  himself  the  credit  (or  blame, 
whichever  it  should  happen  to  be  >  of  advising  the  stop- 
day,  in  the  first  instance,  and  he  did  it  "  Because  prices 
were  going  down,  and  I  may  tell  you  this,  that  the  stop- 
day  was  the  means  of  arresting  the  low  prices,  and  thereby 
benefitting  the  employers."  You  may  tell  us  that, 
"  Mabon."  dear :  but  we  shan't  believe  it  :  neither  will  the 
employers.  The  Welsh  coal-trade  is  a  "  touchy  "  affair : 
but  it  isn't  that  touchy.  One  stop-day  will  put  the 
employers  into  a  serious  working-loss :  but  it  won't  affect 
the  trade,  a  cent. 

5?%? 

ANOTHER  contemplated  railway  trust  in  America,  and  as 
far  as  we  can  see.  John  D.  Rockefeller  is  having  nothing  to 


do  with  it—  publicly.  This  time,  it  is  a  western  man  who  is 
wire-puller-in-chief,  and  if—  that  nasty  little  word—  the 
deal  "  comes  off,"  the  new  arrangement  will  boss  the  whole 
railway  enterprise  in  the  northern  part  of  the  United 
States  ;  yes.  sirs,  right  along  from  the  Atlantic  to  the 
Pacific.  As  things  go  to-day  (in  America),  the  capital  of 
the  new  concern  won't  amount  to  much  ;  merely 
£400.000,000  :  and  for  this  nice  little  sum,  it  is  hoped  to 
amalgamate  the  New  York  Central,  the  Chicago  and  North 
Western,  and  the  Union  Pacific  railways  ;  to  bring  'em  all 
in  a  row  !  Of  course,  it  won't  "  come  off,"  but  we  might 
as  well  consider  the  thing—  especially  as  it  has  been  sprung 
upon  us,  out  of  season,  so  to  speak.  If  it  had  been  held 
over  for  a  month  or  so  longer,  we  should  have  passed  it  by. 
Then,  is  the  silly  season.  However,  this  greatest-trust-on- 
earth  (if  it  existed)  would  own  36,244  miles  of  track,  to 
say  nothing  of  quite  a  number  of  lovely  cars  and  things. 
Makes  one's  mouth  water,  doesn't  it  ?  Couldn't  one  make 
a  splosh  with  the  flotation  of  such  a  trust.  Let  it  go, 
please,  although  as  a  dream,  it  would  take  an  awful  pile  of 
lobster-salad  at  bed-time  before  you  could  beat  it. 

#  fa 

WE  note  that  the  Board  of  Trade  has  been  writing  the 
various  shipmasters'  societies,  for  their  ideas  concerning  the 
advisability  of  maing  kcompulsory,  the  carrying  of  a  second 
white  mast-head  light.  As  things  are,  at  present,  this  —  if 
we  may  term  it  —  after  mast-head  light,  is  almost  universally 
carried,  and  there  can  be  no  getting  away  from  the  fact 
that  it  is  a  distinct  aid  to  navigation  :  especially  in  these 
days  of  high-speed,  and  good  lights.  Indeed,  one  is  inclined 
to  wonder  why  the  idea  was  not  forthcoming,  ages  ago  ! 
It  is  very  certain  that  a  white  light  has  a  greater  range  of 
visibility  than  a  coloured  one  --all  things  being  equal.  It  is 
also  certain  that  the  movements  of  an  approaching  —  or 
receding—  steamer  may  be  noted  far  more  readily,  by 
watching  the  "  opening  "  or  "  closing"  of  two  white  lights 
that  are  far  apart  ;  than  will  be  possible  in  the  case  of  two 
coloured  lights  that  are.  comparatively  speaking,  close 
together.  In  fact,  and  in  these  days  of  trigonometrical 
endeavour,  there  would  appear  to  be  no  necessity  for 
arguing  the  point,  to  any  extent.  The  second  mast-head 
light  is  an  acquisition  ;  tends  toward  thesafeningof  naviga- 
tion :  and  as  such,  should  be  compulsory  in  every  instance. 
The  more  so.  that  in  this  particular  instance,  the  matter  of 
cost  is  of  very  little  weight. 


THE  Germans-in-the-South-Seas  trouble  continues.  The 
Caroline  and  Marshall  Islands  are  still  the  bone  of  conten- 
tion. and  the  latest  wrinkle  in  connection  with  the  subject, 
is  a  discussion  as  to  the  different  subsidies  which  are  being 
paid,  by  the  parties  interested.  Really,  though,  those 
lidies  haw;  little  to  cio  with  the  situation,  which  is,  no 
matter  what  may  be  said  to  the  contrary,  merely  a  demon- 
stration of  where  Protection  has  the  everlasting  pull  over 
Free  Trade.  The  exponents  of  the  latter  doctrine,  when 
faced  by  their  opponents,  have  nothing  to  offer  save  a 
quantity  of  will-you,  won't-you  ?  Naturally  enough,  the 
Protection  man  says  he  won't,  and  there  the  matter  has  to 
end.  A  little  newspaper  talk  might  result  ;  but  then,  that 
is  by  no  means  calculated  to  bring  back  the  lost  prestige- 
or  shekels.  On  the  other  hand,  if  Protection  were  met 
with  the  same  conditions,  all  that  would  be  necessary, 
would  be,  "  Look  here,  you  fellows.  If  you  wish  to  warn 
us  off  this  little  two-cent,  spot  then,  by  gosh,  we'll  chase 
you  away  from  the  big  markets  at  home."  Such  a  threat 
would  "fetch  them,"  every  time,  sirs  !  Modern  nations  do 
not  go  to  war  over  trifles.  The  risks  are  altogether  too 
big,  and  it  takes  an  awful  pile  of  "  working,"  ere  either  side 
gets  sufficiently  "up  to  scratch." 


i8o 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


April  28,  1905 


^^ 


FRIDAY,  APRIL  28.   1905. 


COMFORT    v.    CONSERVATIVISM. 


F  the  intelligent  foreigner  were  in  search  of  a  con- 
vincing proof  of  the  eternal  conservati  vism  of  the 
Briton,  he  need  go  no  farther  in  his  quest,  than 
to  the  nearest  British  steamship—  of  any  kind. 
Having  found  one  of  the  genus,  it  is  but  necess- 
ary  to   consider  her  upper  bridge,  when  the 
conservativism   will   be  apparent— also  the   crass  stupidity 
which  decrees,  that  the  men  on  whom  the  safety  of  the 
whole   structure  depends,  shall  be  as  uncomfortable,   as 
possible,   while   on  duty :  and  also  handicapped  in  every 
conceivable  manner,  in  their  efforts  toward  keeping  the  life 
and  property  which  is  entrusted  to  them,  out  of  danger. 
Right  down  the  ages,  it  has  been  looked  upon  as  a  nautical 
crime,  to  make  the  navigating  officer  comfortable,  during 
his  watch  on  deck.     Even   as   obtained  in  the  "  good  old 
days."  when  he  stalked  the  weather  side  of  the  poop  with  a 
pair  of  sennet-made  sea-boots  (because  leather  was  useless 
for  keeping  out  constant  applications  of  sea-water) :  so  it  is 
to-day,  when  he  mounts  that  portion  of  a  steamer  which 
has  been  grandiloquently  styled  the  upper-  (and  sometimes, 
the  navigating-)  bridge.     For  the  comfort  of  passengers, 
every  detail  which  modern  skill  and  forethought  can  sug- 
gest,  is  provided.      At   no   matter   what   cost :  luxurious 
fittings  :  heat :  light :  lifts  for  obviating  the  alleged  fatigue 
of  stair-mounting :  high-class  and  costly  engines— in  fact. 
everything  that  can   be    secured    in    this    connection,  is 
placed  on   the  latter-day   "  travelling  hotel."     But  for  the 
use  of  the  men  on  whose  efforts  the  safety,  or  otherwise,  of 
this  expensive  fabric  rests,  the  same  old  miseries  which 
obtained  a  hundred  years  ago.  are  considered  quite  good 
enough  to-day— in  British  shipping.   And  in  British  shipping, 
alone— hence  the  conservativism  to  which  we  have  already 
alluded.     Indeed,  it  would  appear  that  both  shipbuilder  and 
shipowner,  have  become  imbued  with  the  idea  that,  if  their 
navigators  are  made  comfortable,  then,  a  calamity  will  be 
the  natural  outcome  of  the  situation.  Consider  the  ordinary 
"bridge"   on   the  tramp  of  commerce,  and  what  do  you 
find  ?    Just  a  few  planks  hoisted  up  on  stanchions,  and 
exposed  to  every  kind  of  weather  that  may  happen  along. 
With  just   sufficient  width,    for  the  officer-in-charge    to 
struggle   across  from  side    to  side  thereof :  with   half-a- 
dozen  square  feet  of  space,  on  which  is  trigged  a  compass 
and   steering-wheel :    with     nine    times  out  of    ten — iron 
railings  as  a  fence  around  the  sacred  place  :   and — some- 
times— a  canvas  weather-cloth  on    the  weather   side    of 
those  railings,  to  form  the   only   shelter  which   the  officer 
and  helmsman  may  depend  on — the  former,  for  four  hours 
on  stretch  :  the  latter,  for  two  hours.    The  vessel,  carrying 
this   apology  for  a  navigating  platform,   might  be  worth 
£100.000:  but   even   so,  the   "bridge"  is  good   enough. 
The  officer  might  struggle  back  and  across  its  concentrated 
bleakness :  might  stay  there,  until  the  marrow  in  his  bones 
is  as  near  frozen  as  makes  no  odds  :  yet.  he  is  supposed  to 
have  all  his  energies  at  concert-pitch  :  to  be  prepared,  at  a 
second's  notice,  for  what  might  well  be  the  crisis  of  his  life; 
and,  if  he  makes  a  muddle  of  the  outcome,  he  stands  a 
chance   of  losing  that   £100,000  steamer — and  the  lives 
of  all  on  board  :  if  he  succeeds  in  winning  through — as  the 
outcome  of  a  miracle— he  meets  the  "off  with  his  head," 
which  is  also  another  token  of  the  conservativism  of  the 
Briton.      The   mere  fact,   that  everything  is  against  the 


navigator,  does  not  count,  in  the  least.     That  his  life-blood 
has  been  chilled  until  there  is  absolutely  no  energy  in  him, 
is  a  matter  of  sublime  indifference— to  the  stay-at-home 
who  "tries"  the  case:    that  stinging  sprays  continually 
deluged  his  coign  of  vantage  :  made  him  as  good  as  blind  ; 
filled  his  eyes  with  salt ;  and  his  body  with  the  tortures  of 
the  damned  — all  are  as  nothing,  to  the  geniuses  who  sit 
and   adjudicate   on  the   results  thereof,  in  a  comfortable 
board-room,  or  court-house.     It  is  useless  for  the  unfor- 
tunate officer  to  plead  the  conditions  of  his  late  position  :  to 
animadvert  on  the  conduct  which,  under  the  circumstances, 
marked  him  as  a  hero  :  he  has  made  a  mistake  ;  has  had 
the  impertinence  to  come  out  of  it  with  his  life  ;  fate  has 
been  kind  enough  to  spare  his  body  :  the  'longshore  tribunal 
which,  never  in  its  favoured   existence,  had  more  than  a 
nodding  acquaintance  with  the  miseries  that  brought  about 
the  catastrophe  whose  results  they  are  "trying,"  have  but 
one  remedy— and  "  off  with  his  head,"  is  the  verdict.     The 
officer  is  not  fit  to  take  charge  of  a  watch— at   £6  per 
month— because  in  the  midst  of  blinding  spray  ;  on  a  hope- 
lessly dark  night :    with  the  wind  shrieking  and  howling 
around  his  ears,  and  numbing  every  one  of  his  faculties ; 
with   the  platform   on   which   he   is  attempting  to  stand, 
rolling,  plunging,  and  wobbling  about  so  that  his  remaining 
energies  are  needed  to  keep  himself  right-end-up  :  under 
these   conditions,   something  happened,   so— off  with    his 
head,  sirs  :  there  are  plenty  more  to  face  the  same  music, 
next    voyage  !       Conservative    Briton,   did   you   remark  ? 
Idiotic  Briton,  would  be  better  !     The  wonder  is,  that  the 
travelling  public— that  are  generally  so  particular  anent 
their  safety— do  not  interest    themselves    in     this    very 
necessary  particular  ;  do  not  satisfy  themselves  that,  ere 
going  below  for  a  comfortable  night's  rest,  the  man  or  men 
who  will  be  responsible  for  their  safety,  have  at  least  a 
sporting  chance  of  being  sufficiently  comfortable,  to  admit 
of  their  attending  to  their  work  in  a  moderately  efficient 
manner.     But  no  !     The  traveller  is  a  Briton  ;  is  usually  a 
selfish  one  ;  and  thus  it  comes  about,  that  he  is  a  selfishly- 
conservative  (though  hopelessly  misguided)  Briton.     The 
wonder  is,  that   the   very   selfishness   which    makes   the 
traveller  go  in  for  the  best  in  most  instances,  doesn't  also 
prompt  him  to  see  that  his  servant  is  of  the  best,  and  has 
the  best  chances  of  winning  through  the  dangers  of  the 
night.     That  your  average  traveller  does  nothing  at  all  of 
the  kind,  the  navigating  sailor  knows,  only  too  well.     And 
thus  it  comes  about,  that  when  the  inevitable  happens,  the 
traveller    is  about  the  first  to    condemn    the    particular 
line   on    which    he    was    travelling ;    draws    comparisons 
(which  are   as  effective   and   true  as  one  has  a  right  to 
expect,   remembering   their   source)    between  the  British 
liner  and  the  foreign  sample  :  but  in  the   midst   of   it  all, 
he  omits  to  state  what  his  impressions  are,  concerning  the 
conditions  which,  in  all  probability,  were  solely  responsible 
for  the  catastrophe  which  he  is  deploring  ;  the  impossibility 
of  an  efficient  watch  being  kept,  by  the  officers  deputed  for 
the  business.     Even  in  the  ranks  of  the  shipmaster,  it  is 
fairly  easy  to  find  those  who  will  assure  you,  most  emphat- 
ically, that  if  you  make  the  officer  of  the  watch  "  comfort- 
able," he  will  be  certain  to  go  to  sleep,  on  watch  !     Indeed, 
we  have  sailed  with  this  sample  of  skipper  :  and  the  one 
point  which  struck  us  most,  in  .connection   with  these  old 
sea-dogs,  was  the  vast  amount  of  coddling  that  was  essential, 
on  the  very  rare  occasions  when,  in  their  opinion,  it  was 
necessary  for  them  to  face  the  rigours  of  a  winter's  gale, 
from  "the  upper  bridge  !  "     That  is,  it  would  be  impossible 
to  find  enough  canvas  on  board,  with  which  to  exclude  the 
alleged    "  draughts "    that    were    wandering    around    the 
bridge,    when    the    don't-you-make-the-mate-comfortable 
Old  Man  was  about !     That  it  is  quite  time  for  this  essential 
matter  to  receive  careful  attention,  goes  without  saying  ; 
and  on  the  assumption  that  a  chain  is  no  stronger  than  its 
weakest  link,  it  is  ridiculous  to  have  high-class  steamers, 
machinery,  and  every  detail  in  connection  therewith,  if  the 
man  who  is  responsible  for  the  safety  thereof,  is  placed  in 


April    28,  1905 


THE     MARITIME    REVIEW. 


181 


a  position  where  it  is  physically  impossible  for  him  to  attend 
to  that  safety  ?     Contrast  the  methods  obtaining  with  the 
American  steamer,  and  what  do  you  find  ?     Well,  you  find 
the  comparison  all  in  favour  of  the  American.     With  a  snug 
pilot-house  for  officer  and  helmsman  ;   a  house  that  is 
generally    placed    right   forward— where  the  attention  is 
needed     and  in  a  position  which  commands  an  all-round 
view  :  there  is  nothing  left  out  of  the  conditions,  which 
should  be  there.     We  remember,  on  one  occasion,  going 
from  New  York  to  Providence.  R.I..  in  a  "  Yankee  paddle- 
wheeler."     Being  nautically-inclined,  we  were  allowed   to 
"see  how  things   were  done,"  in  this   particular  vessel. 
There  was  a  pilot-house  forward,  and  inside  was  a  skipper, 
a  pilot,  a  mate  and  a  helmsman.     For   navigating    instru- 
ments, the  pilot-house  contained  a  chronometer,  an  engine 
counter,   compass,   telegraphs  and   telephones.      Starting 
from  the  East  River  Wharf  at  9  p.m..  the  night  was  about 
as  "  ugly,"  as  was  necessary,  for  most  people.     Fog,  rain, 
sleet,   and  heaven-knows-what-beside  :  but  through  it  all, 
the  boat  had  to  go  ;  she  was  scheduled  to  arrive  at  Provi- 
dence at  a  given  hour,  and— she  got  there !     But  then, 
the     navigating    folk,    here,     were    carrying    out     their 
work  on  business  lines.     The  outside  weather  was  bad.  but 
in  the  pilot-house,  everything  was  warm  and  comfortable. 
Anxiety,  yes  :  but  physical  fitness  was  everywhere.     Being 
a  paddle-wheeler,  one  revolution  meant  so  many  feet— 
hence  the  engine-counter :    so  many    feet    in    so    many 
seconds    '  or  minutes)  meant  so  many  miles — hence  the 
chronometer.     The  journey  was  made  from  buoy  to  buoy. 
A  given  buoy  should  be  on  the  port  bow.  at  a  given  time  ; 
stop  her.  and  use  the  genuine  binoculars  (three  of  them, 
and  three  pairs  of  eyes  to  peer  through  them)  ;     "There's 
the  buoy  Cap'en  !  "     "  Right !     Easy  ahead,  again  !  "     And 
so    the    game    continued— in    comfort,    and     in     safety. 
Needless  to  say.  we  got  down  to  Providence  as  arranged 
at  the  outset,  and   being  of  the  nautical   persuasion,    we 
gave    the    Old    Man   a    harder    hand-grip,  perhaps,  than 
the  circumstances    altogether   called    for.     But,  we   are 
of  opinion  that  he   understood— and  respected  our   reti- 
cence,  in   passing  any   kind   of  eulogistic  remarks.      He 
knew  that  the  Briton   is  a  conservative  animal ;  we  were 
British  :  what  more  need  be  said.    To-day,  we  are  wonder- 
ing what  would  happen  to  an   East  River  boat,  if  a  crowd 
of  British  navigators  were  put  in  charge  thereof  ?     Some- 
thing terrible  !     Why  ?     Because,  as  things  are  to-day,  the 
average  British  navigator  would  feel  out-of-place  in  that 
comfortable  pilot-house  ;  would  feel  choked,  so     well,  he 
would  want  to  hook  on  to  one  of  the  many  buoys,  until  the 
mists  had  rolled  away  :  that's  all !     It  isn't  even  humiliating 
to  admit  all  this,  and  for  the  simple  reason  that  the  Briton 
(even  as  with  the  American  >.  is  exactly  what  his  circum- 
stances and   conditions  have   made  him  :  and   will  go  on 
making  him.     Here,  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic,  you   have 
the  finest  raw  material  which  the  world  produces.     What 
are  you  doing   with  it?     Simply  stultifying  it,  until  in  the 
end.  you  will  be  out-classed  by  every  nation  under  the  sun. 
The  comfort  that   is  denied    the  British  officer,  is  merely 
one  of  the  phases  of  that  stultification  :  and   if  the  nation 
would  but  remember,  that  any  tradesman  is  merely  as  good 
as  his  surroundings  will  admit  of.  there  would  be  no  need 
for  us  to  be  continually  pointing  the  moral  in  this  direction. 
You  build  river  boats,  say.  for  Lonoon  river  :  but  what  are 
they  like  ?     Are  they  in  any  wise  befitting  the  age  in  which 
you   live  ?     Certainly  not.  for  to  the  nautical  mind,  they 
are  but   once  removed   from   old-time  cattle  ships.     You 
offer  all   manner  of  reasons  for  their  gaunt  discomfort : 
tell  us  that  it  is  more  sanitary  to  have  rough  benches  to  sit 
on.  as  there,  the  gentle  microbe  can  find   no  abiding  place. 
Fudge !     Is   Briton   the   only   place  on  earth,  where    the 
microbe  meanders  around  ;  can't  you  find  him  on  the  Con- 
tinent,  or  in  the   United   States  ?      Of  course  you  can  ! 
But  do  you  think  the  festive  German,  or  the  pleasure-loving 
American  would  patronise  your  river-boats  as  usually  met 
with  ?     You   know   that  neither  of  them  would  consider 


your  "  high-class  "  passenger  craft,  as  fitting  for  more  than 
the  cattle  trade  ;  and  all  excuses  to  the  contrary  are  un- 
availing. You  keep  to  the  old  style,  for  much  the  same 
reason  that  you  take  most  of  your  pleasures  sadly— because 
you  are  too  conservative  to  do  otherwise  ;  and  because, 
hitherto,  you  have  been  too  insular  to  go  abroad  for  the 
purpose  of  seeing,  what  other  nations  are  doing  in  this 
direction.  If  you  would  only  recognise  that  ordinary  com- 
fort to  the  worker,  by  no  means  implies  inefficiency  in  his 
efforts,  you  will  be  surprised  as  to  what  a  nice  world  this 
is — to  comfort-seeking  people. 


CONCERNING  COASTAL   LIGHTS. 

Vi  gather,  from  the  quarterly  report  of  the  Mer- 
cantile  Marine  Service  Association,   that  the 
lights  on  the  Smalls,  and  Bardsey  Island,  have 
again  come  in  for  a  well-merited  attention.  That 
the  lights  referred  to,  are  of  anything  but  the   character 
which  one  has  a  right  to  expect  in  these  days  of  high-power 
lights  (and,  in  view  of  the  very  large  surplus  which  remains, 
from  the  "  light-dues  "  which  the  shipowning  fraternity  are 
mulcted  in.  yearly),  will  not  be  denied  by  anybody  having  a 
knowledge  of  the  subject.     But   whether  any  betterment 
will  be  worked  up,  merely  as  the  result  of  asking  therefor, 
is  altogether  another  matter.      The  mere  fact   that  the 
swiftest  passenger  traffic  in  the  world  has  to  be  guided  by 
those  'lights,  is  as  nothing,  when  compared  with  the  fact 
that  the  Treasury  is  the    recipient  of  the   overplus  dues 
which  accumulate.     Trinity  House,  is  one  of  those  prime 
old   crusted    arrangements,    which    might    reasonably    be 
expected    to    go   on     "considering"    the    advisability    of 
establishing  better  lights,  on  both  Smalls  and  Bardsey  ;  aye, 
right  on  to  the  crack  of  doom  ;   but  if  it  is  expected  that 
the  better  lights    will    ultimately    materialise,   something 
stronger  than  the  arguments  which  have  been  to  the  fore, 
so  far.  will  have  to  be  thought  up.      The  M.  M.  S.  A.  has 
rightly  pointed  out,  that  in  the  case  of  the  English  Channel, 
the  coast  lights-- both  in  power  and  distinctive  character- 
are  about  all  that  may  be  desired.     Quite  so !     But  then, 
the  English  Channel  is  tne  natural  cruising  ground  of  the 
nation's  vessels,  and  of  course,  they  must  have  everything 
of  the  best— even  if  the  shipowner  is  taxed  for  the  purpose 
of  finding  the  wherewithal.     Great  Scott !     Think  of  what 
would   happen,   if  a  fleet  of    warships    were    to   become 
entangled  in  the  wiles  of  St.  Catherine,  and  no  better  light 
were  in   evidence,  than   the  figurative  purser's-dip  which, 
more  or  less,  shines,  from  Bardsey  Island  !     Eh  ?     What  ? 
Wouldn't  there  be  a  shout  about  the  wickednesses  of  the 
powers  that  be  ;   wouldn't   we   have   tales  concerning  the 
parsimonious  cheese-paring  which  was  guilty  of  risking  a 
valuable  warship,  and  all  her  Handy  Men  ?     Rather  !     But 
when  you  come  down  to  the  risking  of  a  hundred  valuable 
liners,  each  of  which  might  have  a  thousand,  or  more,  souls 
on   board — well,   the  thing  is  preposterous  ;  the  expense 
_gu8*ested    is  worse ;    and   the   whole    contraption    which 
dared  to  hint  at  such  reckless  expenditure,  ought  to — ought 
to — well,  ought  to  be  shot,  with  a  ball  of  mud  from  a  leather 
gun.  at  least !     Again,  is  it  of  any  use  to  state  that  some 
of  the  coast  lights  in  the   St.  George's  Channel,  date  their 
establishment  from  the  earlier  years  of  the  last  century  ? 
Certainly  not !     It  is  for  that  very  reason,  that  the  things 
have    been    hallowed    by    time — like  the  Trinity    House. 
Beside,  those  lights,  obviously,   were  good  enough  in  the 
earlier  part  of  the  last  century,  so  they  should  be  equally 
good  in  the  earlier  years  of  this  ?     Personally,  we  are  sur- 
prised that  our  good  friends  of  the  M.  M.  S.  A.  should  have 
been  so  far  left  to  themselves,  as  to  offer  age.  as  a  reason 
for  removal — or  renovation.     Why,  Land's  End  was  there, 
quite  five  hundred  years  ago;  it  is  there  now;  and  bar  acci- 
dents, it  will  be  there  five  hundred  years  hence.     So  with 
Trinity  House   -exactly  ?       But,    coax  the  Admiralty  to 
send  on   warships,   and--wel),  you'll  soon   see  new  lights 
established! 


182 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


April   28,  1905 


CARDIFF    (AND  OTHER)    COAL. 


CARDIFF.  April  26.  1905. 

IF  we  w*r«  to  pretend  that,  since  our  last  time  of  writing,  there  had 
been  an  abundance  of  business  in  the  local  coal  market  the  gaunt  and 
hungry  columns  below,  would  belie  our  words.  Under  the  circum- 
stances, therefore,  we  shall  pretend  nothing  at  all  of  the  sort.  Shall 
be  willing  to  admit  that  holidays,  in  the  present  unsatisfactory  times. 
play  the  very  deuce  with  the  business  man's  opportunities  of  making 
both  ends  meet :  and  that  if  he  isn't  disgusted  with  the  whole  para- 
phernalia, then,  he  ought  to  be. 

Birr  it  wasn't  always  thus  !  Time  was.  that  the  advent  of  the 
holiday  season  was  hailed  with  joy  :  its  glories  were  descanted  upon; 
and  tall  tales  were  spun  as  to  what  was  going  to  result  "  after  the 
holidays."  That  was  in  the  "good  old  days"  of  a  year  or  two  ago  ! 
Then,  when  holiday  talk  was  in  the  air.  the  gentle  coal  dealer  put  on 
"  side  ; "  declared  that  he  couldn't  oblige  you.  or  fill  your  wants,  at 
any  price.  Put  you  off  with  the  shibboleth  of  "The  holidays  are  too 
near,  my  dear  sir.  and  although  I  should  like  to  well,  it's  so  ab-so- 
lewt-ly  impossible."  And  it  was  even  so. 

THE  buyer,  too.  in  a  painfully  weak  manner,  endeavoured  to  make  a 
virtue  of  necessity,  by  suggesting  that  he  would  like  to  buy  that  little 
parcel  of  So-and-so's  "  best"  but  that  as  the  holidays  were  so  near, 
and  that  as  shipment  was  so  extremely  problematical  well,  he 
thought  it  would  be  best  for  him  to  wait,  until  "  after  the  holidays  ! ' 
If  the  bait  took,  so  to  speak  ;  if  the  coal  seller  allowed  himself  to  be 
bounced  in  this  amateurish  manner-  well  and  good.  In  either  case, 
the  holidays  served  their  purpose,  and  nobody,  much,  was  hurted 
by  the  war  of  wits. 

ALL  this,  however,  is  in  the  goneness  of  the  past,  as  a  lady  friend  of 
ours-  with  leanings  for  the  speech  that  is  in  favour  ayont  the  Tweed 

is  in  the  habit  of  putting  it ;  and  now.  both  buyer  and  seller  are  fain 

APPROXIMATE     FIGURES    FOR    THE     WEEK 


to  mingle  their  tears,  even  as  they  say  things  anent  the  degenerate 
days  upon  which  both  have  fallen.  Personally,  we  should  be  sorry 
for  both  of  them — if  we  didn't  happen  to  know  that  the  shipments 
increase,  even  as  of  yore  ;  and  that  all  the  commisseration  is  part 
and  parcel  of  the  gentle  bluff  that  eventuates,  around  the  paths  of 
those  who  do  business  in  coal. 

FOR.  viewed  in  any  light  you  care  to  adopt — electric,  acetylene,  plain 
gas.  or  ordinary  daylight ! — the  coal  trade  people  are  keen  in  assuring 
you,  that  things  are  not  what  they  were  :  that  the  trade  is  gone  to  pot 

or  other  ephemeral  place:  and  that  it  is  altogether  a  miracle  to 
themselves  if  not. to  everybody  else-  that  their  office  doors  continue 
to  swing  gaily  in  the  breeze  ;  that,  they  still  are  in  a  position  to  meet 
their  proper  calls  ;  and  goodness-only-knows  what  else,  in  the  same 
line  of  thought.  Poor  folk  !  If  it  weren't  for  the  weekly  lists  of 
steamers  which  use  the  docks,  locally,  we  should  almost  be  inclined  to 
believe  them  all ! 

HOWEVER,  the  business  during  the  past  week,  at  any  rate,  has  not 
been  of  a  startling  character — as  doubtless,  you  have  supposed.  When 
the  community  begins  to  search  out  its  holiday  togs  on  a  Friday  :  gets 
well  into  them  by  Saturday  :  takes  a  rest,  for  the  purpose  of  admiring 
them,  on  Sunday  ;  and  on  Monday,  starts  off  again,  as  fresh  as  paint  ; 
well,  you  don't  expect  much  dealings  in  BEST  CARDIFF  ADMIRALTYS.  or 
even  SMALLS  do  you.  now  ?  Especially  if  those  "  holiday  togs  "  have 
grown  so  beautiful  in  the  eyes  of  the  crowd,  that  on  Tuesday  morning, 
there  is  a  fresh  demand  for  boot  polish,  and  things  ;  and  that  in  spite 
of  the  down-pour  of  rain,  the  local  Races  must  be  attended,  and 
discussed.  That  is  how  it  is,  friends,  and  for  what  transactions  have 
really  materialised,  the  prices  are  scheduled,  below.  As  you  will 
observe,  our  own  especial  expert  has  had  the  pluck  to  mark  them,  in 
the  -najority  of  instances,  as  "only  nominal,"  or  something  to  that 
effect. 


ARE      AS      FOLLOW  ; — 


(All  quotations  f.o.b.  at  the  respective  ports  of  shipment. j 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Best  Cardiff  Ad'alty  Large 

13*.  cxl  ,  135.  3d. 

i3s.  3d- 

Second         Ditto. 

I2s.  6d.,  I2s.  9<1. 

I2S.  3d.,  12s.  9d. 

Other  Second  Cardiff     ... 

1  IS.  fxl.,   12S.  Oil. 

us.  6d.,  i2s.  od. 

Drys 

I2S.  0(1. 

us.  gd.,  i2s.  od. 

Best  Newport 

us.  4.'d. 

\ 

i 

1  1  s.  6d. 

Ordinary  Bests 

1  1  s.  3d. 

t—i 

<  • 

H-J 

o 

us.  od.,  us.  3d. 

Seconds 

IDS.  6d. 

Z 

55 

los.  3d.,  IDS.  6d. 

Best  House  Coal 

i6s.  3<1. 

•^ 

163.  3d. 

No.  3  Rhondda 

135.  oxl.,  145.  cxI. 

o 

§ 

3 

133.  gd. 

No.  2         Ditto. 

los.  od. 

Z 

9s.  lo.'.d. 

Rhondda  3  "Thro." 

us.  6d.,  us.  9<1. 

1  1  s.  6d. 

,.        2 

8s.  9d. 

>- 
-: 

> 

> 

$ 

93.  od. 

Smalls: 

Z 

Q 

Z 

Best  Cardiff 

8s.  6d.  • 

13 

c 

hH 

O 

8s.  6d. 

Seconds 

73.  oxi. 

O 

(fl 

0 

Cfl 

ys.  gd. 

Ordinaries 

73.  6<1. 

9B 

Z 

BC 

Z 

73.  6d. 

Best  Newport 

73.  6d. 

o 

o 

7s.  6d. 

Seconds 

•js.  cxl. 

H 

£H 

6s.  gd.,  73.  od. 

Rhondda  No.  2 

-s.  6d. 

< 

< 

7s.  6d. 

No.  3 

IDS.  od. 

O 

O 

gs.  gd.,  IDS.  od. 

Foundry  Coke  :-- 

5 
& 

D 

Special 

2IS.  dd. 

*~** 

2  IS.  od. 

Ordinary 

i?s.  od. 

173.  6cl.,  1  8s.  od. 

Furnace  Coke 

153.  gd. 

153.  6d. 

Patent  Fuel 

133.  od. 

I2s.  gd.,  133.  od. 

Pitwood  ie\  shipi 

l6s.  qd.,  175.  o:l. 

iys.  od. 

All,  less  2^  per  cent,  discount,  with  payment  at  thirty  days,  except  where  otherwise  stated. 
All  quotations  for  large  Coals  imply  Colliery  Screened. 


SWANSEA,  April  26,  1905. 

MOST  of  the  remarks  which  we  have  passed  on  Cardiff's  account, 
are  quite  as  appropriate  for  Swansea.  Perhaps,  a  little  more  so,  and 
mainly,  for  the  reason  that  our  good  friends  thereaway,  are  prone  to 
take  their  pleasures  a  little  more  sadly,  than  does  the  average 
Cardiffian-  owing  to  the  climatic  difference  (and  that  of  the  blend 
affected)  of  course. 


ANYHOW,  the  Swansea  exponent  of  the  art  of  coal  dealing,  is  girding 
up  his  loins  for  a  keener  struggle  with  adverse  fortune  ;  the  results 
thereof,  will  be  duly  appended  here,  in  our  next  week's  issue.  Mean- 
while, the  alleged  prices,  are  exactly  as  we  are  giving  them 
below.  No  more,  and  no  less.  In  fact,  we  have  it  on  good 
authority  that,  at  the  moment,  there  are  more  thick  tongues  down 
Swansea-way,  than  there  are  thick  pocket-books  ! 


BELOW,  we  give  the  average  prices  for  the  week  :— 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Anthracite: 

Best    Hand    Picked 

M.iiiin.  Large      ...  j      ... 
Seconds    do. 
Big  Vein  Large 
Red    ..       ., 
Machine  Made  Cobbles    ... 
,.     Nuts 
..         ..     Peas 
Rubbly  Culm 
Ml 

183.  6d. 
1  7*.  3d. 
us.  3d. 
los.  3d. 
1  6s.  od. 
1  6s.  od.,  i6s.  6d. 
IDS.  od. 
$s.  6d. 
3-.  od.,  33.  6d. 

> 
"~ 

3 

o 

5 
Z 

I 

P  S 

>J 
I 

o 

's* 

* 
-  J 

•/>  < 

2§ 

iSs.  od.,  183.  6cl. 
173.  od.,  173.  3d. 
us.  od.,  us.  3d. 
103.  od.,  los.  3d. 
i6s.  od.,  163.  3d. 
1  6s.  3d. 
IDS.  6d.,  us.  od. 
53.  3d. 

Patent  Fuel:  - 

us.  9(1. 

X 

2° 
o 

2% 

us.  6d.,  12s.  od. 

Steam: 

p 

D 

Best    Large                   ...            135.  od. 
Seconds  .  .                                      us.  od. 

c< 

a 

12S.  gd.,  i3s.  od. 

Bunker    ,,                                      tos.  gd. 

i  is.  gd. 

Thro'  and  Thro'             ...      8s.  gd.,  gs.  od. 

i  os.  gd. 
gs.  od. 

April  ;>;;,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


183 


AND  FIXTURES. 


CARDIFF,  April  26,  1905. 

THIS  is  another  instance  of  where  the  holidays  play  Old 
Harry  with  the  chances  of  the  commercial  man— both  of 
the  coalowning  and  shipowning  varieties.  If  there  are  no 
ships  at  hand,  there  can  be  no  carrying  of  coal  cargoes  ; 
and  when  holidays  are  about,  there  is  usually  a  terrible 
dearth  of  prompt  tonnage.  Shipowner  is  as  keen  as 
possible,  in  his  efforts  to  get  his  steamer  away  from  the 
Continental  port,  so  that  she  may  be  in  time  for  loading  at 
Cardiff.  "  before  the  holidays :  "  but  it  is  wonderful,  the 
amount  of  delay  which  materialises — at  this  precise  period. 

THIS  being  so.  a  large  influx  of  tonnage  arrives,  just  at  the 
last  moment  before  the  word  "  Holiday,"  is  in  force.  True. 
thos3  vessels  are  all  handy,  and  in  position,  for  the  rush 
which  is  due  after  those  holidays.  But  that  same  "  rush  " 
doesn't  always  come  off!  The  collier,  like  his  man-and- 
brother.  elsewhere,  is  just  as  reluctant  to  resume  delving, 
and  thus  there  is  a  "  hung  up "  condition  of  things,  all 
'round.  A  tense  sort  of  waiting  for  the  old  order,  and 
business,  in  galore. 

THE  fun  commenced  on  Thursday,  last,  which  was  a 
"  semi-holiday."  Most  of  the  chartering  lads  were  thinking 
of  where  they  should  take  her.  on  the  morrow,  and  at  times 
such  as  those,  chartering-  outside  of  hansom  cabs  -is 
distinctly  "  off."  But,  there  was  a  little  done  on  Thursday. 
Not  much,  as  chartering  goes,  these  days.  Still,  there  was 
enough  to  save  us  from  having  to  omit  a  freight  and  fixture 
yarn  altogether ! 

ON  Wednesday,  some  of  the  "boys"  made  a  heroic 
effort  to  straighten  out  the  tangled  threads,  although  in 
the  result,  one  has  to  take  the  will  for  the  deed.  Anyhow, 
there  was  little  done,  and  to-day,  to  the  time  of  writing, 
one  can  hardly  pretend  that  business  is  booming. 

THERE  is  but  little  need  for  us  to  particularise,  in  any 
direction,  this  week,  for  the  actual  fixtures  are  so  few, 
that  you  will  be  able  to  spot  them  all.  first  try.  Indeed,  it 
is  but  from  force  of  habit,  that  we  write  this  particular 
column,  at  all :  and  not  from  an  all-consuming  desire  to 
make  you  believe  that  holidays  do  not  affect  chartering. 
It  does  :  terribly  ! 

HOWEVER,  what  has  been  done,  is  exemplified  by  the 
following : 

Week  Ending,  (Wednesday),  April  26,  1905 

N     dcnotM    Newport.    (8)   8~«r.<«.     P.  t.)    Perl    Tall-ct.    loading. 

WESTWARD,     Etc. 

Las  Palmas,  etc.     Lord  AW«-//.s,    5s.  gd.  one,    55.  lojd. 

tW<>   [Hllt^. 

Campana,     Ariadne  Alexandra,     ys.  3d.    May  option    Villa 

Constitucion  or  Rosario. 

Rio  de  Janeiro,   Thimitiale,  3,600  tons,    8s.   yd.,  option 
Santos,   i  os.  6d. 

MEDITERRANEAN,     Etc. 

Port   Said,     ( liflloninn,  3,600    tons,    6s.  4jd- 

Genoa,     Mrdtfosia,    4,000   tons,    6?.'7^d. 

Barcelona,     St<  ;im<T,   1,750  tons,    ys.  3d.    (s). 

Tangiers,     l.ndy  Mostyn,  900  tons,  75.  6d.  coal,  8s.  3d.  fuel. 

Algiers,     Charing  Cross,   3,400   tons,    7-25  francs,  spot 

irm-r,    1,850    tons,   7-25  francs 
Marseilles,     Mireille,    2,400    tons,   8  fcs.  ppt. 
Malta,     Steamer,   6,200   tons,  55.  9d. 
Gibraltar,     Ruabon,   2,450  tons,   35.  9d.  (Admiralty). 

I '••>-ii,   ;-.  tid. 
Ergasteria,     Drnvlnn,  ys.  4^d.  d.w. 


Smyrna,     Kirkivall,  3,200  tons,   6s.  ioid. 
Vigo,     ffawtkom,    1,300  tons,  53. 
Seville,     Radyr,    1,200   tons,   6s. 

BALTIC,  Etc. 

Cronstadt,     Steamer,   1,800  tons,    43.  gd. 

BAY,     Etc. 

Chantenay,     General  Gordon,   1,700  tons,  4-75  francs. 

Camiile,    1,400  tons,    4-62^  francs,    (s). 
La  Pallice,     Talabot,   1,400  tons,   4-25  francs. 
St.   Nazaire,     Steamer,  3,000  tons,    4-15    francs 
Nantes,     Coventry,    2,200   tons,     4-62^    fcs.,   spot.  (N). 
Sables,    1'lng,    1,700   tons,    4-37!   francs   (s.) 

COASTING,     Etc. 

Devonport,     Raloo,     1,45010113,    23.  4id.    (Admiralty). 

Eleinore,  1,200  tons,  2S.  3d.  (Admiralty). 
Portsmouth,     Rocheforte,   1,100  tons,  23.  7£d.     „ 
Rouen,     Ossian,  700  tons,    53.  (s). 

Alice  M.  Craig,   1,200  tons,    43.  6d.    (s). 

The  Emperor,  700  tons,  43.  io4d.  (s). 

S?.  Kevin,   700  tons,   43.  gd.   (s). 
Dieppe,     Mersey,  550  tons,  45.  6d.    (s). 

St.  Patrick,  700  tons,  43.  3d.,  option  Rouen,  43.  io|d.  (s.) 
Cherbourg,     Bay  Fisher,   43.  gd.  coal,    43.  i  id.  fuel,    (s). 

Burton,    Soo  tons,   45.  6d.  (s). 

Bitrnock,  460  tons,    43.  6d.   (s). 
Trouville,     India,  420  tons,    43.  6d.    (s). 
Havre,     Clonlee,   1,300  tons,  35.  gd. 
St.  Malo,     Sheldon,   1,750  tons,  33.  gd. 

Sando,    1,100   tons,    33.   gd.   (s.) 
Honfleur,   Steamer,  1,200  tons,  43. 
Drogheda,    Adam  Smith,  250  tons,    33.    6d.    (s) 

HOMEWARD. 

Bilbao  to  Newport,   Pomanni,  2,000  tons,  43.  i£d.  ppt.,  ore. 
,,         ,,    Cardiff,    Steamer,  2,400  tons,  45.    ppt.,   ore. 
Tredegar,    2,000  tons,    43.  ppt.     ,, 

Almeria  Harbour  to  Cardiff,     Steamer,  3,800  tons  53. 
Tunis  to  Swansea,     Steamer,  1,900  tons,   6s.  gd. 

ON  the  3rd  instant,  at  London,  the  inquiry  into  the  loss 
of  the  steamer  Alba,  was  concluded,  and  the  Court,  con- 
sisting of  Mr.  R.  H.  B.  Marsham,  magistrate,  and  Captains 
Cosens  and  B.  Du  Santoy  Austis,  as  nautical  assessors, 
suspended  the  Master's  certificate,  for  three  months.  At 
the  time  of  the  accident,  the  vessel  was  in  pilotage  waters, 
and  the  directions  of  the  pilot--  which  appeared  to  the 
Captain  as  perfectly  reasonable  and  seamanlike — had  been 
carefully  followed.  The  Merchant  Service  Guild  (and 
every  other  navigation,  for  that  matter)  hold  it  to  be  an 
injustice  to  suspend  a  Shipmaster's  certificate  in  such  a 
case,  and  as  it  involves  an  important  point  of  principle 
affecting  all  mercantile  navigators,  they  have  now  instructed 
their  solicitors  to  proceed  with  an  appeal  in  the  High  Court 
of  Justice.  Needless  to  say.  the  result  of  this  appeal,  will 
be  awaited  with  considerable  interest,  by  mariners. 

Look  out,  next  week,  for  the  advent  of  one  of 
the  daintiest  magazines  published  "  In  and  around 
Cardiff."  It  will  probably  surprise  you  !  In  style, 
general  get  up,  and  price  (two-pence) — well,  buy  it, 
and  judge  for  yourself  ?  Publishers,  The  Maritime 
Review,  Ltd.,  Docks,  Cardiff. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


April   28,    1905 


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April  28,   1905 


THE     MARITIME    REVIEW. 


185 


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THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


April  28,    1905 


5?     SHIPBUILDING, 


THE  most  distinctive  feature  of  the  shipbuilding  trade 
at  present,  is  the  dearth  of  new  orders,  shipowners,  no 
doubt,  seeing  nothing  in  the  freight  outlook  to  justify 
building  more  tonnage.  Builders  report  that  the  enquiry 
has  practically  ceased,  so  far  as  the  ordinary  tramp 
steamers  are  concerned,  and  it  is  only  for  vessels  of 
special  type,  and  for  particular  trades  that  enquiries  are 
being  made.  In  the  meantime,  they  have  a  fair  amount 
of  work  on  hand,  and  employment  over  the  summer  is 

assured. 

•f  +  -f 

THE  arrival  of  the  Allan  Line  turbine  Virginian,  at 
Halifax,  in  the  record  time  of  6  days  and  18  hours  on 
her  first  voyage,  should  finally  settle  the  question  as  to 
whether  this  form  of  propulsion  has  come  to  stay.  It 
is  said  that  even  in  the  roughest  seas,  she  behaved 
admirably,  and  that  there  was  an  entire  absence  of 
vibration.  There  can  be  no  longer  any  question  of  the 
success  of  the  turbine  ocean  liner,  and  they  will  seriously 
rival  the  old  form  of  reciprocating  engines. 

4-    +    + 

WE  understand  that  Messrs.  Bucknall  Brothers, 
London,  have  sold  their  steel  screw  steamer  Matoppo,  to 
the  Union  Steamship  Company,  of  New  Zealand,  Ltd., 
at  about  £50,000.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  Armstrong, 
Whitworth  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  Newcastle,  in  1904.  Dimensions 
360ft.  x  47ft.  5m.  x  26ft.  7in.;  3,942  tons  gross  ;  with 
engines  25in.,  41  in.,  68in.  x  48in.  stroke,  by  the  Wallsend 

Slipway  Co.,   Ltd. 

+  +  + 

IT  is  reported  that  the  steel  screw  steamer  West- 
minster Bridge,  owned  by  Messrs.  Moore,  Innes  &  Co., 
London,  has  been  sold,  together  with  her  cargo  of  coal, 
to  Russia,  for  delivery  in  the  Far  East.  She  was  built 
by  Messrs.  Wm.  Gray  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  West  Hartlepool,  in 
1902.  Dimensions  331ft.  5in.  x  47ft.  2in.  x  24ft.  7in.; 
3,427  tons  gross  ;  with  engines  25in.,  40in.,  65in.  x  42in. 
stroke,  by  the  Central  Marine  Engine  Works. 

+  +  + 

A  NEW  steel  screw  cargo  steamer  building  on  the 
Wear,  is  reported  sold  at  about  £28,000.  Dimensions 
313ft.  x  45ft.  x  23ft.;  carries  about  4,800  tons  deadweight 
on  about  20ft.  draft ;  with  engines  23in.,  38in.,  61  in.  x 
39in.  stroke  ;  two  single  ended  boilers  14ft.  9in.  x  10ft., 
working  at  180  Ibs.  pressure.  The  steamer  is  about 

ready  for  launching. 

+  +  + 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Kolpino,  lately  owned  by 
Messrs.  Thomas  Wilson,  Sons  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  Hull,  has 
been  sold  to  Japanese  buyers,  at  about  £8,000.  She  was 
built  and  engined  by  Messrs.  R.  Stephenson  &  Co.,  Ltd., 
Newcastle,  in  1889.  Dimensions  295ft.  x  39ft.  x  19ft.  3in.; 
2,352  tons  gross;  with  engines  22in.,  35in.,  59in.  x 

39in.  stroke. 

+  +  + 

THE  iron  screw  steamer  Canute,  lately  owned  by  Mr. 
J.  A.  Hodge,  Newcastle,  has  been  sold  to  Messrs.  J.  d. 
King  and  Sons,  Ltd.,  Garston,  at  about  £2,500  for  break- 
ing-up  purposes.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  A.  Leslie 
and  Co.,  Newcastle,  in  1871.  Dimensions,  225ft.  5in.  x 
30ft.  6in.  x  17ft.  4in. ;  1,103  tons  gross,  with  engines  26in., 
52in.  x  30in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  R.  &  W.  Hawthorn. 

+  +  + 

THE  iron  screw  steamer  Lemnos,  recently  purchased 
by  Messrs.  R.  dobson  &  Co.,  West  Hartlepool,  has  been 
resold  to  Swedish  buyers,  at  about  £6,250.  She  was 
built  by  Messrs.  Short  Brothers,  Sunderland,  in  1880. 
Dimensions,  270ft.  3in.  x  34ft.  x  18ft.  7in. ;  1,530  tons 
gross,  with  engines  30in.,  60in.  x  39in.  stroke,  by  Messrs. 
George  Clark,  Ltd. 


A  NEW  steel  screw  cargo  steamer  built  by  Messrs. 
Connell  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  Glasgow,  for  Liverpool  owners,  is 
reported  sold  to  Germans,  at  about  £50,000.  Her  dimen- 
sions are:  376ft.  9in.  x  49ft.  Sin.  x  26ft.  3in.;  carries 
about  7,000  tons  deadweight ;  with  engines  24in.,  41  in., 
68in.  x  45in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  Dunsmuir&daekson,  Ltd. 

THE  iron  screw  steamer  Goldcliffe,  lately  owned  by 
Messrs.  Morel  Ltd.,  Cardiff,  has  been  sold  to  French 
buyers.  She  was  built  and  engined  by  the  Palmers 
Company,  Newcastle,  in  1881.  Dimensions  240ft.  5in.  x 
33ft.  2in.  x  16ft.  4in.;  1,224  tons  gross;  with  engines 
28in.,  54in.  x  36in.  stroke. 

THE  iron  screw  steamer  Peckile,  lately  owned  by  the 
Indo  China  Steam  Navigation  Company,  Ltd.,  has  been 
sold  to  Russians.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  W.  Hamilton 
and  Co.,  Port  Glasgow,  in  1874.  Dimensions,  239ft.  2in. 
x  33ft.  x  19ft.  5in. ;  1,160  tons  gross,  with  engines  28in., 
54in.  x  33in.  stroke. 

THE  iron  screw  steamer  Athenian,  owned  by  the 
Ellerman  Lines,  Ltd.,  is  reported  sold  at  about  £3,250. 
She  was  built  by  Messrs.  T.  Royden  and  Son,  Liverpool, 
in  1875.  Dimensions,  301ft.  6in.  x  31ft.  2in.  x  23ft.  Sin. ; 
1,621  tons  gross,  with  engines  22^in.,  60in.  x  36in.  stroke. 

THE  steel  steam  trawler  Aboyne,  lately  owned  by 
Messrs.  Young  &  dameson,  Aberdeen,  has  been  sold  to 
a  Bordeaux  firm.  She  was  built  by  Messrs,  d.  Duthie, 
Sons  &  Co.,  Aberdeen,  in  1901. 

+  +  -f 

THE  iron  steam  trawler  Prince,  lately  owned  by  Mr. 
W.  S.  Letten,  of  Grimsby,  has  been  sold  to  Spanish 
buyers.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  Cochrane  &  Cooper, 
Beverley,  in  1896. 

THE  Cardiff  steamer  Thor,  owned  by  Messrs.  Peter 
Rowe  &  Sons,  is  to  be  offered  for  sale  by  public  auction, 
in  London,  on  the  9th  May. 

4   +  + 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Portaferry,  236  tons  gross, 
lately  owned  by  Mr.  E.  Betspn,  of  London,  has  been  sold 
to  Mr.  George  Couper,  of  Helmsdale,  and  renamed  Ivy. 

THE  ferry  steamer  Sunflower,  has  been  sold  by  the 
Wallasey  District  Council  to  Messrs,  d.  d.  King  &  Sons, 
Garston,  for  breaking  up  purposes. 

THE  steamer  Georgios  P.  Bouboulis,  recently  purchased 
by  Mr.  doseph  Hoult,  of  Liverpool,  has  been  renamed 
Benam. 

THE  iron  screw  steamer  Alblasserdam,  929  tons  gross 
built  in  1883,  has  been  sold  to  a  Gothenburg  firm 
for  £4,000. 

IT  is  reported  that  Messrs.  Robert  Stephenson  &  Co., 
Ltd.,  Hebburn-on-Tyne,  have  received  orders  for  two 
cargo  boats  of  small  size  from  Cardiff  owners. 

MR.  C.  d.  BANK,  of  Helsingborg,  Sweden,  is  the  pur- 
chaser of  the  steamer  Guildhall,  recently  reported  sold. 
She  has  been  renamed  Banco. 

MESSRS,  d.  D'HAENE  &  CO,  of  Antwerp,  are  the  pur- 
chasers of  the  steamer  B.  T.  Robinson,  recently  reported 
sold.  She  has  been  renamed  Antigoon. 


April   i,S,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


PATENTS  &  TRSDE  MSRKS 

Relating    to    SHIPPING   and    the    COAL    TRADE. 


Specifications  published  on  April  13,  1905,  together 
with  an  indication  of  their  subject  matter,  the  title 
being  printed  in  Italics. 

9,758  04—CRAWFORD— An  improved  ship's  propeller. 

This  invention  relates  to  ships'  screw  propellers  and 
consists  in  constructing  same  with  their  blades  inclined 
aft  from  root  to  tip,  and  curved  circumferentially,  so  that 
the  tip  of  one  blade  overhangs  the  root  of  the  next  follow- 
ing blade. 

11.559  04 — WILLIAMS— Improvements  in  or  connected  with 
colliery  trams. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  device  of  the  ratchet  wheel 
and  pawl  type  for  preventing  colliery  trams  from  running 
backwards  down  an  incline  and  is  adapted  to  be  used  as 
a  substitute  for  a  sprag.  According  thereto  a  bracket  is 
secured  to  one  side  of  the  vehicle  so  as  to  overhang  one 
of  the  wheels.  This  bracket  extends  downwards  to  just 
below  the  wheel  axis  where  it  is  bifurcated.  On  each 
bifurcation,  at  each  side  of  the  wheel  axis,  a  pawl  is 
mounted  fast  on  a  spindle,  mounted  to  turn  horizontally 
in  bearings,  on  the  side  of  the  bracket  nearest  the  wheel. 
Each  pawl,  by  means  of  a  handle,  fast  to  the  end  of  its 
spindle,  is  adapted  to  be  turned  downwards  so  that  its 
nose  projects  into  the  path  of  the  spokes  of  the  wheel 
and  is  also  adapted  to  be  held  when  turned  up  out  of  the 
path  of  the  spokes,  by  means  of  bolts  on  the  bracket, 
which  can  be  projected  by  hand  to  engage  over  the  above 
mentioned  handles.  According  to  the  direction  of  travel 
of  the  vehicle  the  (for  the  time  being)  rear  pawl  is 
released  and  turned  down  into  the  path  of  the  spokes  of 
the  wheel.  On  progression  of  the  vehicle  the  pawl  is 
lifted  by  each  spoke  and  falls  by  gravity.  Should,  how- 
ever, the  vehicle  start  to  run  back,  a  spoke  will  engage 
over  the  pawl  which  is  prevented  from  turning  backwards 
below  the  horizontal  plane  by  means  of  a  tail  formed 
thereon  butting  against  a  recess  in  the  bottom  edge  of 
the  bracket,  and  the  vehicle  will  be  arrested.  On 
reversal  of  the  direction  of  travel  of  the  vehicle,  the 
Other  pawl,  being  then  the  rear  one,  will  be  turned  down 
into  the  operative  position  and  the  pawl  previously  in 
action  turned  up  and  secured  by  its  bolt. 
11,83404  BULLIVANT  &  SELBY-  Improvements  in  or 
connected  with  torpedo  nets. 

This  invention  relates  to  providing  torpedo  nets  with 
shielding  plates,  whereby  they  are  protected  frcm  being 
cut  by  cutters  etc.  attached  to  torpedoes.  These  plates 
are  of  rectangular  shape  and  are  provided  at  their  upper 
ends  with  two  lugs  bent  at  right  angles  thereto,  whereby 
they  are  adapted  to  be  secured  to  and  suspended  from 
two  adjacent  grummets,  by  the  grummets  being  passed 
through  holes  in  their  lugs.  The  plates  when  assembled 
overlap  at  their  edges  so  as  to  leave  no  portion  of  the 
net  exposed,  and  may  be  stiffened  by  corrugations. 
11.877  04  PLUNK ETT  Improvements  in  or  connected 
with  extension  conveyors. 

This  invention  relates  to  improvements  in  the  con- 
struction of  extension  belt  conveyors  of  the  type  having 
a  telescopic  extending  frame,  and  its  object  is  to  enable 
the  discharge  of  the  material  being  conveyed,  to  be 
effected  directly  over  the  end  of  the  extending  frame  at 
•II  degrees  of  extension  thereof,  instead  of  laterally  as 
heretofore.  Provision  is  made  for  supporting  the  extra 
length  of  operative  belt  on  the  extension  of  the  frame  by 
means  of  supporting  rollers  mounted  so  as  to  slide  with 


their  pedestals  along  the  main  frame  and  separate,  on 
the  extension  of  the  sliding  frame.  The  belt  is  kept 
taut  by  passing  in  a  zig-zag  direction  over  leading  rollers 
mounted  at  each  end  of  both  frames.  A  further  feature 
of  the  invention  consists  in  the  provision  of  closely 
adjacent  supporting  rollers  beneath  the  belt  at  the  point 
at  which  the  material  is  fed  on  to  same,  and  also  in  the 
employment  of  troughing  rollers  adapted  to  yield  against 
the  influence  of  springs  to  compensate  for  lumps  or  in- 
equalities in  the  load  passing  over  them. 
25,608  04— HULSM EVER—  Improvement  in  Hertzian-wave 
projecting  and  receiving  apparatus  for  locating  the  position  of 
distant  metal  objects. 

This  invention  is  an  improvement  on  the  Hertzian- 
wave  projecting  and  receiving  apparatus  described  in 
Patent  No.  13,17004.  In  this  former  patent  was 
described  a  method  of  locating  a  distant  metallic  object 
such  as,  a  ship,  wreck,  submarine,  etc.,  by  means  of  rays 
projected  in  all  directions  from  an  apparatus  located  on 
a  vessel  and  reflected  back  by  the  metallic  object  to  a 
receiving  apparatus  arranged  on  the  same  vessel,  so  as 
to  be  screened  from  the  direct  action  of  the  rays.  This 
former  apparatus  only  indicated  the  direction  of  the 
metallic  reflecting  object,  and  the  improvement  which 
forms  the  present  invention  consists  in  enabling  the 
distance  to  be  estimated  as  well  as  the  direction.  Ac- 
cording thereto,  the  waves  or  rays  are  emitted  from  a 
transmitting  apparatus  in  a  compact  cylindrical  bundle  or 
beam,  and  the  transmitting  apparatus  is  pivotted  so  as  to 
be  adapted  to  be  moved  through  an  angle  in  the  vertical 
plane.  The  distance  is  estimated  fri5m  the  angle  of  the 
transmitting  apparatus.  An  alternative  method  is  to 
deflect  the  rays  by  a  series  of  lenses  and  estimate  the 
distance  from  the  angle  at  which  the  lenses  are  set. 
28,168/04  -H ICKEY— Improvements  in  boats. 

This  invention  relates  to  shaping  the  hull  of  a  vessel 
so  that  it  has  a  sharp  bow  or  forward  portion  extending 
a  substantial  portion  of  its  length,  and  a  gradually  in- 
creasing swell  or  overhang  extending  to  the  stern.  This 
overhang  extends  gradually  upwards  from  the  keel  from 
its  point  of  inception  towards  the  stern,  till  it  becomes 
the  load  water  line.  >The  keel  is  inclined  downwards  aft 
from  the  bows  where  it  commences  at  the  load  water 
line. 

These  applications  for  patents  are,  until  May  29,  1905, 
open  to  opposition    by   any    person    having   a   statutory 
•    to  oppose. 

Copies  of  the  specifications  may  be  obtained  from  the 
Patent  Office  or  through  the  under-named. 

TRADE  MARKS. 

The  following  applications  for  the  registration  of  Trade 
Marks  relating    to    the    shipping  and  coal   trades  were 
advertised    on  April   19,  and  are  open   to   opposition    by 
interested  parties  within  the  period  ending  May  19. 
CLASS  4  -Including  coal. 

No.  271,238— 18th  March,  1  905^RONGALITE. 
No.  271,240— 18th  March,  1905— CORVAN. 

For  all  goods  included  in  class  4. 

The  Badische  Anilin  &  Soda  Fabrik,  Friesenheimer- 
strasse,  Ludwigshafen-on- Rhine,  Germany','  Manufac- 
turers. 

Compiled  by  Messrs.  PHILLIPS  &  LEIGH,  Chartered  Patent 
Agents,  22,  Southampton  Buildings,  Chancery  Lane,  London, 
W.C.  Local  Consultant:  Mr.  S.  W.  ALLEN,  Engineer,  of  Cardiff 
Exchange,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


April  28,  1905 


»*; 


OUR  MARITIME  DIRECTORY. 


Illllll 


CARDIFF. 

Colliery  Proprietors. 


("ORY  BROS.  &  Co.,  LTD..  Cardiff  and 
London.    Depots  at  all  the  principal 
Coaling  Stations  in  the  World. 

T.U—         .    "Cony.  CARDIFF"  : 
Teteirams.    "CORY.  LONDON." 


CARDIFF    Continued. 


INSOLE.  GEORGE  &  SON.  Cardiff.   Sole 
Shippers  of  Cymmer  Steam    Coal, 
Windsor  Steam  Coal,  and  Insoles  No.  2 
Rhondda  Coal. 

Telegrams  :  "  INSOLES.  CARDIFF." 


[EWIS    MERTHYR    CONSOLIDATED  COL- 
LIERIES. LTD.,  Proprietors  and  Ship- 
pers  of    "  Lewis   Merthyr "   Navigation 
Steam  Coal. 

Telegrams        "  LEWIS  MERTHYR,  CARDIFF"  : 
"LEWIS  MERTHYR.  LONDON." 

MARQUESS  OF  BUTE  COLLIERIES. 
Aberdare.  Hirwain.  and  Rhondda 
Valley.  Shipping  ports  :— Bute  Docks. 
Cardiff :  Penarth  Dock  :  Swansea ; 
Briton  Ferry:  and  Newport  (Mon.) 

Telegrams  :  "  SEMA.  CARDIFF." 


VIVIAN.    H.   C.   &  Co..    Bute   Docks, 
Cardiff.     Sole  European  Agents  for 
"  The  Puritan  Coal   Mining  Co..  Phila- 
delphia. U.S.A." 

Telegrams  :  "  VIVIAN.  CARDIFF." 


WATTS.    WATTS  &  Co.,   Cardiff    and 
London.  Contractors  for  the  supply 
of  Coals  at  all  Dep6ts  abroad. 

Telegrams  :  "  WATTS.  CARDIFF." 


Dock    Owners. 


"HE  CARDIFF  RAILWAY  COMPANY,  Bute 
Docks.  Cardiff. 


Ship  Repairers. 


QCEAN    (MERTHYR)    COAL   Co.,   LTD., 
11.  Bute  Crescent,  Cardiff,  proprie- 
tors of  Ocean  (Merthyr)  Steam  Coal. 


IJNIVERSAL  STEAM   COAL  Co.,  LTD., 
Bute  Docks.  Cardiff.  Proprietors  of 
"  Universal  Steam  Coal." 

Telegrams  :   "  VERSATILE,  CARDIFF." 


CHEARM  AN,  JOHN  &  Co..  LTD.,  Cardiff, 
and  at  Barry  Dock. 

THE  BUTE   SHIPBUILDING,  ENGINEERING, 
AND  DRY   DOCK  COMPANY,   LIMITED, 
Roath  Basin,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "CAISSON.  CARDIFF." 

THE  CARDIFF  CHANNEL  DRY  DOCKS  AND 
PONTOON    Co..    LTD.,    Cardiff    and 
Barry  Dock. 

Telpirrami  •       Entrance,  Cardiff." 
elegrams.    •' channel,  Barry." 


THE   MERCANTILE   PONTOON  Co.,  LTD. 
Roath  Dock,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "MERCANTILE,  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF—  Continued. 


Miscellaneous. 


&  TYLOR.  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff 
Sole  patentees  and  manufacturer 
of  "Gripoly,"  a  patent  woven  belting 
and  "  Burals,"  a  semi-metallic  packing 

Telegrams  :  "BELTINO  CARDIFF."        Telephone,  Nat.  231 


Steamship    Owners. 

F)AN.    JENKINS    &     Co..    Steamship 
Owners  and  Brokers,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "Stonewall,  Cardiff." 
Nat.  Telephone  :  1318. 


BARRY. 


Pock  Owners. 

THE  BARRY  RAILWAY  Co.,  Barry. 


Ship  Repairers. 


RARRY  GRAVING   DOCK  &  ENGINEERING 
Co.,  LTJP. 

Telegrams:   "  BARDOCK,  BARRY." 
National  Telephone  No.  7.         Post  Office  Telephone  No.  7 


To    the    Proprietors    of 

"THE    MARITIME    REVIEW," 


DOCKS,     CARDIFF. 


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VOL.  V.— No.  64. 


FRIDAY,    MAY    5,    1905. 


THREEPENCE. 


- 


JOHN  BULL:  "These  fellows  are  amusing!     Why  won't  they  remember 

that  this  is  1905." 


189 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May  5,  1905 


«,  *  *  NOTICES.  .*  *  * 

ALL  LITERARY  COMMUNICATIONS  must  be  addressed— THE 
EDITOR  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW,  CLARENCE  ROAD.  DOCKS, 
CARDIFF. 

THE  MARITIME  REVIEW  is  published  every  Friday,  and  can 
be  obtained  direct  from  the  PUBLISHERS,  or  through  NEWSAGENTS. 

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Address:  "Review,  Cardiff."  Nat.  Telephone  :  No.  1019. 

Company's  Reports  and  Balance  Sheets.  Books  for  Review,  etc.,  are 
invited,  and  should  be  addressed  THE  EDITOR. 

Contributions  (either  literary  or  pictorial),  if  intended  for  the  next 
issue,  must  reach  the  EDITOR,  not  later  than  the  first  post  on  Monday. 
Neither  the  Editor  nor  the  Publishers  will  accept  responsibility  for  the 
accidental  loss  of  MSS.  or  illustrations  submitted,  but  every  effort 
will  be  made  to  return  unsuitable  contributions,  provided  stamped  and 
addressed  envelopes  are  sent 

Correspondence  :  The  Editor  does  not  necessarily  identify  himself 
with  the  opinions  expressed  by  Correspondents,  whose  letters  must 
in  every  instance,  be  accompanied  by  the  name  and  address  (if  not  for 
publication,  then  as  evidence  of  good  faith),  of  the  writer,  and  must  be 
written  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only. 


«  *.  *.  CONTENTS.  *  it  * 


CARTOON    JOHN  BULL  :  -THESE  FELLOWS  ARE  AMUSING  ! 
MARITIME  MURMURS 
THE  WELSH  COAL  TRADE 
"THE  ANTI-ALIEN  SPIRIT." 

CARDIFF  (AND  OTHER)  COAL       

COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES 

MARITIME  (AND  OTHER)  MONEY  MATTERS 

SHIPBUILDING 

PATENTS  AND  TRADE  MARKS      


..  188 
...  189 
...  197 
...  198 
...  199 
...  201 
...  202 
...  203 

..  204 


MARITIME    MURMURS. 


DOCKS.  CARDIFF. 

Thursday  Afternoon. 

BEING  enterprising  ourselves,  we  can  appreciate  and 
admire,  the  same  trait  in  others.  Moreover,  our  feelings 
in  this  connection,  do  not  stop  at  simple  appreciation  and 
admiration  :  we  wish  to  help  :  and  thus  it  comes  about, 
that  we  want  to  call  your  attention  to  one  of  the  chances 
of  your  life,  which,  were  we  hard-hearted,  you  would, 
possibly,  miss.  It's  like  this".  You  have  probably  heard  of 
the  Imperial  Direct  West  India  Mail  Service  Company. 
Limited  ;  know  that  the  managers  thereof,  are  Messrs. 
Elder.  Dempster  and  Co.,  6,  Water  Street.  Liverpool ;  and 
might  be  of  opinion  that  the  concern  is  about  as  enterpris- 
ing, as  'tis  possible  to  be,  in  these  days  of  trusts  and  things? 
Very  well,  then.  What  you  might  not  know,  is  that  an 
illustrated  souvenir  of  the  somewhat-extended  company 
quoted  above,  including  a  history  of  this  "  famous  Line  of 
Steamers,  and  giving  full  particulars  and  interesting  details 
of  the  Island  of  Jamaica,"  is  about  to  be  issued.  You 
might  not  know,  and  again,  you  might  not  care  a  cheap 
and  over-the-waters  swear-word  :  while,  yet  again,  you 
might  be  interested,  and  care  a  care,  about  as  big  as  one  of 
the  steamers  of  the  "famous  Line."  You  see,  we  are  not 
only  appreciative  and  admiring :  we  are  anxious  to  side  in 
with  you  no  matter  what  your  religion,  or  shade  of 
politics.  So  far.  so  good. 

5?*9 

To  quote,  once  more,  we  learn  that  "  Sir  Alfred  L.  Jones, 
K.C.M.G..  has  agreed  to  take  3.000  copies  of  this  book  (the 
souvenir,  you  understand),  and  a  large  number  will  be 
placed  in  conspicuous  positions  (does  this  mean  precisely 
under  the  worthy  knight's  photograph,  in  the  grand  saloon  ?) 
on  all  Elder,  Dempster's  steamers,  whilst  the  proprietors 
of  the"— but  that  doesn't  matter  a  bit.  What  are  mere 
newspaper  proprietors,  alongside  of  shipping  knights,  and 
owners  of  conspicuous  positions  in  the  Imperial  Direct 
West  India  Mail  Line  steamers  ?  Not  much,  do  you  think  ? 
Be  that  as  it  may,  and  admitting  that  our  remarks  are 
merely  of  the  nature  of  a  matter  of  opinion,  we  next  find 
that,  "  The  printing  and  production  of  the  book  (that  is, 
the  souvenir,  you  know )  have  been  entrusted  to  Messrs. 
Spottiswoode  and  Co..  Ltd..  of  London  and  Liverpool,"  by 
which  token,  the  work  will  be  well  done.  So  far,  the 
matter  is  clear  enough,  and  reading  farther,  we  note  that 


"A  limited  number  of  Advertisements  will  be  inserted  (in 
the  souvenir,  see  ?).  for  which  full  particulars  are  given  on 
page  3,"— of  the  touting  circular.  That  page  3,  informs  us 
that  for  a  one-page  ad.,  you  will  have  to  pay  twelve 
guineas  ;  for  a  half-page  ditto.  £7. 

&*  *3 
£&i     w3 

THE  price  is  reasonable  enough,  and  even  if  one  wonders 
what  the  exact  meaning  of  "  a  few  special  positions  (not 
"conspicuous  positions,"  this  time)  by  arrangement"  is— 
well,  the  wonder  is,  after  all,  but  natural.  But  what  you 
have  to  remember  most  of  all.  is  that  "  early  application  for 
space  is  necessary  " — presumably  for  the  reason,  that  quite 
a  number  of  folk  are  anxious  to  share,  in  the  cost  of  these 
periodical  advertisements  of  the  great  Elder,  Dempster 
undertakings  ?  Personally,  we  have  but  little  faith  in  the 
necessity  for  any  early  application,  and  we  should  like  to 
know  just  exactly  what  is  meant  by  the  expression  "  A 
limited  number  of  Advertisements  will  be  inserted."  You 
see,  in  a  job  like  this,  the  limit  might  easily  fall  on  four 
pages,  or  it  might  spread  to  a  hundred— if  the  "  early  appli- 
cations" justified  that  amount  of  superfine  paper,  and  other 
things  which  need  not  be  enlarged  upon.  But  if  the  limit, 
is  really  fixed  at  a  hundred  pages,  then  for  our  part,  we  are 
not  going  to  believe  that  any  "early  application"  is 
necessary.  However,  this  is  more  matter  of  opinion,  and 
coming  down  to  matter  of  fact,  we  note  that  a  circular 
letter  accompanies  the  touting  circular  already  discussed. 

K?£  9<a 

Ki     H* 

FURTHERMORE,  the  said  circular  letter  is  on  the  business 
paper  of  the  I. D.W.I. M.S.  Co.,  Ltd. ;  is  dated  somewhere 
close  to  the  back-end  of  April  ;  is  printed  in  "  typewriter 
type  ; "  and,  most  impressive  of  all,  is  signed  with  what 
looks  like  the  autograph  (but  probably  is  merely  a  specimen 
of  lithographic  skill)  of,  no  less  a  person  than,  Sir  Alfred, 
himself.  Anyhow,  the  signature  reads  "  Alfred  L.  Jones," 
and  as  far  as  we  know,  there  is  but  one  of  that  ilk.  who 
signs  letters  for  the  Elder,  Dempster  Company.  This,  of 
course,  is  merely  a  detail,  and  the  letter  is  far  more  interest- 
ing. It  commences  in  the  usual  manner,  and  then  goes  on. 
"  With  reference  to  the  enclosed  prospectus  of  our  new 
Illustrated  Souvenir  of  the  Imperial  Direct  West  India  Mail 
Service  and  the  Island  of  Jamaica,  we  should  be  glad  if  yoi) 
would  give  same  your  best  attention.  It  will  be  a  splendid 
book,  and  we  have  arranged  to  have  it  well  distributed." 


May   5,  1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


190 


Somewhat  dictatorial-  not  to  say  "  bossy  "-don't  you 
Not  quite  the  style  one  would  care  to  have  slung 

supposing  the  little  wheels  of  one's  life  ran  clear  of 
anything  appertaining  to  Elder.  Dempster  and  Co.  ?  That 
"  we  should  be  glad  if  you  would  give  same  your  best  atten- 

just  a  leetle  bit  too  commanding-  especially  when 
on  the  hunt  for  twelve  guineas  a  page,  don't  you  think  ? 

5?  & 

Now.  if  we  were  running  a  dry  dock,  for  instance,  where, 
once  in  a  way.  an  I.D.  etc.  Company  boat  might  come  along 
i  repair  job-  well,  we  might  cuss  a  bit.  at  what  we 
should  style  the  impertinence  of  the  demand,  even  as  we 
paid  up.  and   looked    as  big  and  expectant,   as  possible. 
Again,  if  we   were  in  the  habit  of  supplying  a  quantity  of 
coal  to  the  same  steamers,  we   might  ante   up  as  com- 
manded. for  under  either  of  the  conditions  suggested,  it  is 
good  business   to  throw  a  sprat  to   catch    a    mackerel  ? 
Under  any  other  set  of  conditions,  though,  we  should  think 
first  :   and  having  thought—  should  begin  to  think  up  other 
terns.     Par  exemple,  our  thoughts  might  easily  stray  to  a 
Times  letter  from   the   same   commanding  personage  ;   a 
letter  which  breathed  sadness  and  misery,  right  through  its 
length  and  breadth,  because  of  losses  sustained,  through 
carrying   a  number   of    "boy    sailors."      Having    dwelled 
sufficiently  long  on  that  letter,  we  might  go  off  into  equa- 
tions. for  the  purpose  of  deciding  on  the  possible  saving 
which  might  have  been  effected,  if  the  respected  head  of 
the  Elder,  Dempster  line  of  steamers,  would  stick  to  his 
last,   so  to   speak.     Aye.    even    as    he    left    the    simple 
advertisement   of  his  banana  boats  and  the   island  from 
whence   the   bananas  come,  to  the  fostering  care  of  the 
printers  of,  what  is  going  to  be.  on  his  own  knightly  assur- 
ances. "  a  splendid  book." 

S?$? 

STILL,  as  we  said  above,  we  can  appreciate  and  admire 
all  enterprising  effort  :  and  when  a  man  shows  that  he  has 
sufficient  skill  to  successfully  handle  his  many  ramifica- 
tions. nothing  need  be  said  about  it  ?  A  man  might  easily 
be  a  splendid  advertisement  canvasser,  and  yet  not  be 
worth  shucks  in  dealing  with  a  "boy  sailor"  dodge  —  or 
vice  versa.  But  when  the  head  of  a  shipping  company 
—or  group  of  shipping  companies  admits  that  he  cannot 
do  as  well  as.  for  instance.  Mr.  Walter  Runciman.  and  who 
is  the  head  of  another  shipping  company  :  well,  in  our 
opinion,  it  would  be  far  more  conducive  to  the  ultimate 
good  of  the  concern  involved,  if  the  first  "head"  left  off 
poaching  on  the  preserves  of  a  legitimate  advertisement 
agent  :  and  put  his  back  into  the  work  of  evolving  order 
out  of  chaos  which  appears  to  be  fastened  around  the 
Elder.  Dempster  "  boy  sailors."  To  an  advertisement  man, 
the  "  limited  quantity  "  of  business  announcements  that 
will  ultimately  appear  in  the  souvenir  to  which  we  have 
given  some  help,  is  of  prime  importance  ;  while  the 
financial  aspects  of  "  boy  sailor  "  carrying  in  the  same  — 
line,  should  be  of  magnificent  indifference.  To  the  head 
man  of  the  line  of  steamers,  the  placing  of  his  "  boy 
sailors  "  on  a  workable  basis,  should  be  of  incalculably 
more  importance,  than  the  mere  attempt  to  work  out  his 
own  advertisements  at  a  profit  —  thanks  to  the  advertise- 
ments emanating  from  any  number  of  his  business 
proteges  ?  At  least,  that  is  how  we  view  it,  and  we  know 
something  of  both  advertisement  men.  and  of  "  boy 
sailors."  Yes! 


other  importance  in  men's  sight—  or  understandings.  Later 
on,  came  its  value  as  a  "  dry  fish  "  emporium.  Yet  through 
the  whole  gamut  of  apparently  insignificant  changes  which 
were  materialising,  enterprise  was  around  in  quite  big 
chunks.  Newfoundland's  Mr.  Reid—  or  should  it  be  Mr. 
Reid's  Newfoundland  ?—  was  busy,  in  a  quietly  unobtrusive 
manner,  and  that  his  busyness  was  of  an  enterprising 
character,  may  be  gleaned  from  the  fact  that,  since  1901, 
the  gentleman  has  sold  his  materialisations  to  the  Colony, 
for  quite  respectable  sums  of  money.  Some  of  the  moneys 
passing  from  the  Colony  to  Mr.  Reid,  are  :  £200,000  for 
his  proprietary  share  in  the  railway;  £170,000  for 
"  relinquishing  lands  "—whatever  that  might  mean  ; 
£170,800  for  his  improvements  to  the  railways  aforesaid  ; 
and  £300.000  for  the  "abrogation  of  telegraph  franchises." 
Altogether,  a  snug  little  sum  of  £840,800  ! 

E?e  9u 

W    w? 

IN  a  country  which   was,  most  wrongly,  scheduled  under 
the  name  of  "the   place  where  'dry  fish  '  comes  from,"  a 
sum  of  well  on  toward  a  million  sterling  in  about  four  years, 
is  no   sae   bad—  off  one  bat—  is  it?     Moreover,  this  little 
amount  but  represents  a  portion  of  the  same  gentleman's 
enterprising  accretiveness.     You  see,  when  a  whole  com- 
munity —  bar  one   man—  puts  all  its  eggs  in  one   basket  ; 
well,  it  is  generally  a  good  thing  for  the  one  man  —  providing 
he  is  of  the  enterprising  brand  ?     Here  have  we  seen  the 
gentle  Newfoundland  persons,  metaphorically,  eating  each 
other  up  in  a  struggle  to  get  the  tongues,  sounds,  and  "the 
fish"  which  erstwhile  carried  them:  even  while  their  land  was 
carrying  in  its  bosom,  commodities  that  were  worth  many 
fish  !     Mr.  Reid  was  enterprising  enough,  to  see  the  oppor- 
tunities which  were  being  wasted,  in  that  mad  struggle  for 
fish  :   to-day,  the   remainder  of  his  compatriots  recognise 
those  opportunities.     Not  only  do  they  recognise  them,  but 
they  find   they  must   buy  them  -or  they  won't  be  happy 
until  they  do  !     Thus  it  comes  about,  that  a  large  propor- 
tion of  the  money  which  was  earned  by  the  crowd,  and 
mainly  out  of  fish,  has  now  to  be  handed  over  to  one  man- 
in  lumps  —  because  he  was  wise  enough  to  have  but  little  to 
do  with  fish,  in  any  shape. 

tf  & 

THIS  might  be  a  modern  rendering  of  that  old  saw  which 
told  about  the  Cornishman's  luck  -  wet  trousers  and  no 
fish  ;  we  don't  know.  But  in  Newfoundland,  there  would 
appear  to  be  the  same  fatality  hanging  around  the  exponents 
of  cod  ?  'Way  back,  the  colonist  caught  the  fish,  which  he 
parted  with  for  money  :  now,  he  has  to  part  with  the 
money,  that  he  may  be  in  possession  of  the  blessings  which 
should  have  been  his  from  the  start.  In  other  words,  it 
would  seem  that,  to-day,  the  Newfoundlander  has  no  fish 
and  no  money  —  merely  proprietary  interests,  relinquished 
lands,  and  telegraph  franchises.  And  there  is  more  of  it  to 
come,  for  Mr.  Reid  has  still  the  whip-hand  of  enterprise. 
The  Bond  Cabinet  —  this  being  the  particular  affair  which 
"cooks  the  fish,"  out  there  —  having  shown  a  disposition  to 
leave  Mr.  Reid  alone  with  his  enterprises,  that  gentleman 
has  offered  to  sell  his  eight  steamers,  and  a  46  years'  rail- 
road operators'  lease  to  the  Colony,  for  a  lump  sum 
running  into  some  £600.000.  This  sum  includes  the 
other  claims  which  the  new  Colossus  has  against  the 
Colony  ;  but  it  must  not  be  thought  that  the  money  will 
dispose  of  the  enterprising  person,  or  that  he  will  have 
nothing  further  to  sell,  thereaway. 


BUT.  after  all.  enterprise  is  somewhat  rife,  these  days,  in 
nearly  every  walk  of  life,  and  in  most  of  the  countries  in 
which  that  life  is  to  be  found.  Take  Newfoundland  as  a 
further  example.  Time  was,  and  that  not  so  long  ago, 
when,  outside  a  hymn  of  our  childhood  which  dealt  with 
Creenland>  icy  mountains,  that  part  of  the  world  had  no 


ON  the  contrary,  rather,  for  this  King  of  Enterprise 
intends  to  hang  on  to  his  dry  dock,  other  chunks  of  land, 
and  electric  concessions  ;  but  we  do  not  believe  that  there 
is  any  truth  in  the  sweeping  assertion  that  the  gentleman 
has  been  trying  to  dispose  of  his  mortgage  on  the  New- 
foundland sun,  and  the  seven  principal  stars.—  mainly, 


191 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


5,   '90S 


because  we  happen  to  know  that  he  has  no  such  mortgage. 
We  have  no  positive  information  as  to  whether  an  "option 
was  sought  thereon  :  but  we  do  know  there  is  no  mortgage, 
toward  :  so  the  Colonist  may  be  easy  in  mind,  as  to  the 
continuance  of  free  sunshine,  for  fish-drying  purposes- 
which  is  a  good  thing  ?  But  in  connection  with  the  offer 
to  sell  those  steamers  and  the  leasehold  rights,  Mr.  Reid  is 
disinclined  to  give  the  Newfoundland  Government  an  un- 
due amount  of  time  for  consideration.  Return  of  post,  is 
the  enterprising  method  to  be  adopted  as  far  as  we  can 
see.  True,  the  Government  has  asked  for  indulgence,  in  the 
way  of  extended  time  to  admit  of  considering  Mr.  Reid's 
proposal.  Probably,  the  Government  would  like  to  assure 
itself  as  to  how  much  of  that  £600.000  is  eight-coaster' s- 
value.  and  how  much  of  it  is  railroad-operator's-leasehold 
worth.  All  the  same,  the  thing  is  enterprising,  and  we  are 
proud  of  such  men. 

s?%? 

OF  course,  the  eight  coasting-steamers  might  represent 
a  goodly  slice  of  that  £600.000.  while  again,  they  might 
be  included  in  the  agreement  as  a  sort  of  "  lucky  penny  :  " 
an  earnest  that  something  of  actual  worth  had  changed 
hands.  We  have  no  precise  data  as  to  the  worth  of  those 
coasting-steamers,  mind  you  ;  but.  in  our  experience  of 
the  country,  it  should  be  possible  to  get  a  fairly  decent 
sort  of  vessel  for  £10.000  a  time.  However,  if  we  mark 
those  boats  down  at  £25.000  each  the  eight  as  a  job  lot 
for  £200.000— we  still  have  a  little  matter  of  £400,000 
for  the  railroad-operator's-leasehold  bit  of  stuff?  Perhaps, 
under  the  circumstances,  Mr.  Reid's  ultimatum  in  the 
matter  of  receiving  a  reply  to  his  offer,  is  not  the  least  of 
the  enterprising  talent  which  has  placed  this  gentleman  so 
much  to  the  fore  ?  In  making  an  offer  to  sell  stuff  for 
£600,000,  it  is  usual  to  give  the  possible  purchaser  an 
opportunity  of  sizing-up  the  value  of  what  is  offered. 
Everybody  realises  that  the  face  value  of  a  sovereign  is 
twenty  shillings—  all  over  the  Empire,  and  to  any  unit 
thereof.  But  to  a  railway-operator's-leasehold,  there  is  no 
such  face-value  attached. 

tf^ 

A  sanguine  seller  might  put  the  price  at  a  million,  while 
a  pessimistic  buyer  might  be  inclined  to  think  it  dear  at 
four-and-t'pence  ?  Between  the  limits,  is  fixed  a  wide 
gulf  ?  Yes.  and  thus  it  comes  about,  that  some  careful 
consideration  is  essential.  In  the  interests  of  the  New- 
foundlanders, generally,  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  the 
Government  will  insist  on  a  sufficiency  of  time  being 
allowed,  before  they  agree  to  hand  over  the  sum  mentioned ; 
for  £600.000— out  Newfoundland  way—takes  a  quantity 
of  gathering  together,  However,  in  view  of  the  trend  of 
affairs,  as  exemplified  to-date,  it  is  highly  probable  that  the 
Colony  will  buy  up  the  steamers,  etc.,  and  then  King 
Enterprise  will  have  an  opportunity  of  thinking-up  more 
sales.  There  will  still  be  the  dry  dock,  the  lands,  and  the 
electric  concessions,  you  know.  With  such  a  quantity  of 
valuable  assets  to  dispose  of — and  viewed  in  the  light  of 
past  transactions  the  poor  unfortunate  Newfoundlander 
might  have  opportunities  of  ant6ing  up  another  million  or 
so ;  at  least,  before  the  enterprising  Mr.  Reid  considers 
that  he  has  received  sufficient  guerdon,  for  showing  the 
native  that  there  are  things  on  earth,  more  profitable  than 
fish.  But  enough  of  enterprise.  Turn  we  now,  to 
something  else. 

5?  & 

DEAR,  dear!  We  cannot  get  rid  of  the  enterprising 
aspect  of  things,  this  week,  no  matter  where  we  turn.  In 
fact,  and  as  far  as  we  can  see,  at  the  moment,  this  issue  of 
THE  MARITIME  REVIEW,  is  foredoomed  to  be  an  enterprising 
one— right  through  !  You'll  remember  that  West  Indian 
mail  contract,  concerning  which  we  have  told  you  things, 


for  the  past  week  or  two  ?  Well,  there  appears  to  have 
been  more  enterprise— considerably  more — in  the  engineer- 
ing of  that  same  contract,  than  meets  the  eye,  at  the  first 
casual  glance.  There  does,  indeed  !  Anyhow,  one  of  the 
directors  of  the  Royal  Mail  Steam  Packet  Company  throws 
a  somewhat  lurid  light  on  the  whole  contraption,  and  if 
the  gentleman  is  altogether  correct — and  we  see  no 
reason  to  doubt  his  words — under-cutting  a  la  soup-and- 
bouilli-can-tinkery,  is  by  no  means  confined  to  the  sun- 
kissed  shores  of  the  Bristol  Channel !  Eh,  but  there  was 
a  fall,  somebody-or-other !  Sir  Joseph  Savory— the 
director  in  question — has  been  writing  to  a  London  con- 
temporary, and  among  other  items,  remarks:  "The 
Postmaster-General  in  July,  1904,  by  public  advertisement, 
invited  tenders  for  a  new  contract.  In  reply  to  this  public 
invitation,  the  Royal  Mail  Steam  Packet  Company  was  the 
only  one  who  responded." 

So  far,  you  have  it  exactly  like  the  usual  public  invitation 
(given  in  a  semi-private  manner),  to  tinker  up  the  Flat 
Aback.  There  is  also  another  similarity,  in  this  instance, 
for.  "  In  January,  1905,  the  offer,  of  this  company  was  made 
public  in  the  West  Indies,  and  transmitted  to  this  country." 
See  ?  Somebody  in  the  know — exactly  as  is  continually 
happening  in  dry  dock  land — gave  the  show  away,  and  hey, 
presto,  the  "  favourite  "  (being  of  an  enterprising  turn  of 
mind  ?)  is  able  to  shape  out  a  winning  tender,  without 
having  the  trouble  of  going  into  the  value  of  the  job,  worth 
a  cent !  Man,  dear,  it's  awful.  We  never  imagined  that 
Imperial  business  was  conducted  on  these  lines  ;  thought  it 
was  all  kept  for  the  "tin  sheds"  of  commerce!  We  did, 
really !  However,  let's  get  on  with  the  soul-harrowing 
tale  as  spread  out  by  Sir  Joseph.  Here  is  another  bit: 
"The  Postmaster-General  stated  at  the  interview  (of 
which  we  have  already  written),  .  .  .  that  subsequent  to 
the  publication  of  this  company's  (R.M.S.P.Go.)  tender,  he 
received  a  '  private  offer '  on  very  favourable  terms,  and 
said  that  he  would  have  been  justified  in  accepting  this 
private  offer." 

THE  idea  of  a  "  private  offer  "  in  this  connection  is  good, 
and  is,  of  course,  a  mere  coincidence,  after  all  ?  We  take 
back  the  suggestion  that  somebody  in  the  know, 
gave  the  show  away.  It  wasn't  that,  obviously  ? 
There  was  no  need  for  any  such  trick,  was  there  ? 
When  a  bit  of  Home  Imperial  business  has  to  get  to 
England's  taxpayers,  via  the  West  Indies— well,  things 
are  really  not  what  they  seem,  even  if  there  are  no 
visionS'about  ?  But  this  is  a  bit  of  stuff  worthy  of  careful 
attention — especially  to  the  fair-play-loving  Briton  :  "  It 
should  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  firm  who  made  the  '  private 
offer,'  had  an  opportunity  equally  with  this  company 
(R.M.S.P.)  of  sending  in  a  tender  last  autumn,  but  they 
did  not  do  so,  and  only  made  a  '  private  offer  '  when  they 
discovered  at  what  price  this  company  was  prepared  to  do 
the  work."  Hang  it  all !  It  is  a  series  of  conflicting  feel- 
ings that  one  has  to  undergo,  in  considering  this  bit  of 
seeming  back-stairs  work.  One  minute,  one  has  to 
magnanimously  mark  the  whole  thing  down  as  a  coincidence ; 
the  next,  one  is  inclined  to  think  up  the  tales  of  sharp 
practice  which  one  has  heard  of,  in  connection  with  other 
shipping  deals  ? 

IN  any  case,  Sir  Joseph  Savory  puts  the  matter  plainly 
enough  ?  The  "  private  offerer "  certainly  did  have  an 
opportunity  of  tendering,  at  the  same  time  as  the  Royal 
Mail  Company  :  the  opportunity  was  just  as  surely 
neglected  :  it  seems  clear  enough  that  the  "  private  offer" 
was  made,  after  a  full  knowledge  of  the  Royal  Mail  terms 
had  been  made  public  (via  the  West  Indies) ;  so,  as  business 


Mav    >,    1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


192 


men.  what  do  you  think  of  the  whole  caboodle  ?  Personally, 
we  should  imagine  that  the  makers  of  the  "  private  offer  " 
were  in  much  the  same  position  with  reference  to  the 
Government,  as  are  some  dry  dock  concerns  which  we 
could  mention,  with  sundry  specification-for-repairs  gentle- 
men that  are  known  to  us  :  that  is,  on  terms  of  pleasing 
intimacy.  Being  our  personal  opinion,  you  may  take  it  as 
such.  Continuing  with  the  West  Indian  mail  contract,  and 
the  worthy  Baronet  who  has  lately  discussed  it,  we  find 
that,  in  his  own  words  :  "  The  Postmaster-General  stated 
that  in  fairness  to  this  company  he  decided,  in  March  last, 
to  call  for  fresh  tenders,  but.  as  this  company's  tender  had 
been  made  public,  is  it  not  obvious  that  justice  demanded 
that  the  "  private  offer  "  should  also  have  been  disclosed  ?  " 
Most  certainly  it  is !  What  right  has  a  Government  Depart- 
ment to  accept,  and  treat  as  "  confidential."  any  offer 
which  calls  for  the  expenditure  of  public  money?  "Private 
offer  "  be  bothered. 

5?  $3 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  there  appears  to  be  altogether  too 
much  of  the  hole-and-corner  tactics  in  this  West  Indian 
mail  business.  Does  it  strike  you  that  way  ?  It  is  surely 
all  bunkum  to  pretend,  that  the  sum  total  in  the  so-called 
"  private  offer."  can  be  "  kept  dark."  indefinitely  ?  It  will 
have  to  appear  in  the  national  balance-sheet,  at  the  end  of 
the  financial  year,  won't  it  ?  And  there  is  no  suggestion 
that  the  figures  will  be  lumped  in  with  something  else,  so 
that  neither  the  name  of  the  "  private  offerer,"  nor  the 
amount  of  the  "  private  offer  "  will  be  recognisable  to  the 
man  in  the  street  ?  Here  is  the  Royal  Mail,  with  more 
than  half-a-century's  experience  on  which  to  gauge  their 
price  for  doing  certain  work  <  and  we  have  no  concern  as  to 
how  that  work  was  done,  for  it  might,  perhaps  have  been 
done  better,  and  yet  again,  it  might  have  been  done  con- 
siderably worse  :  and  anyhow,  it  satisfied  the  country,  and 
those  interested  over  the  period  referred  to?)  :  they  trot 
out  a  price,  and  a  "  private  offer"  is  made  (  after  the  Royal 
Mail's  tender  is  public  property)  under-cutting  it.  As  we 
have  already  remarked,  in  dry  dock  work  -unfortunately  - 
this  is  permissible  :  in  Government  undertakings,  it  certainly 
should  not  be. 

tffc 

To  our  mind,  it  doesn't  matter  twopence  whether  the 
Royal  Mail  is  "  conservative  "  in  its  methods  ;  whether  the 
word  "  conservative  "  can  be  defined  in  a  hundred  different 
ways,  and  every  one  of  them  derogatory-  or  otherwise— to 
the  company  interested  :  but  there  is  no  getting  away  from 
the  fact  that  the  "  private  offer  "  was.  at  the  best,  merely 
based  upon  assumption.  We  mean,  that  the  firm  making 
that  offer  had  no  data  of  its  own  upon  which  to  base  its 
calculations,  seeing  that,  for  many  years  now.  the  business 
had  been  solely  attended  to  by  the  Royal  Mail.  If.  as 
stated  by  the  Postmaster-General,  that  "  private  offer " 
was  "  on  very  favourable  terms."  and  that  "  he  would  have 
been  justified  in  accepting  this  private  offer,"  why  not  let 
us  know  the  amount  ?  The  firm  which  made  that  private 
offer  is  by  no  means  the  only  raisin  in  the  duff :  there  are 
others:  and  some  of  them  might  have  forgotten  more 
about  running  a  mail  service,  than  the  private  and  con- 
fidential concern  will  ever  know  ?  They  might  have,  you 
understand.  Moreover,  we  much  doubt  if,  under  any 
circumstances,  a  public  official  is  "justified  "  in  even  con- 
sidering a  private  offer  for  work  belonging  to  the  nation, 
and  which  has  been  advertised  publicly  ? 

6?  %? 

WHEN  Government  officials  pass  out  such  very  poor 
arguments,  is  it  any  wonder  that  a  poor  limited  company 
should  follow  suit,  in  going  through  the  farce  of  advertising 
for  a  manager,  say.  when  the  man  who  is  needed,  has  been 
already  ear-marked,  and  told  to  report  for  duty  on  a  given 


date  ?  Enterprise  is  all  very  well — you'll  remember  that, 
'way  back,  we  started  in  to  discuss  enterprise  ? — but  when 
it  partakes  of  the  nature  of  a  bucket-shop  style  of  floating 
a  tinkery,  or  something  after  the  same  style,  well,  the 
resultant  spectacle  is  anything  but  edifying  ?  We  have  run 
on  in  this  vein,  because  the  "  private  offer "  idea  has 
awakened  a  train  of  thought  in  our  mind,  which  we  had 
come  to  regard  as  buried  in  the  oblivion  of  past  years.  By 
and  bye,  we  might  be  persuaded  to  trot  out  a  sample  of  the 
train  of  thought  alluded  to,  and  then — well,  you  might  be 
surprised  !  Meanwhile,  it  would  be  well  if  the  pocket- 
borough  twistings  of  mail  service  contracts,  were  given  a 
little  of  the  broad  daylight  which  they  would  appear  to  be 
in  sad  need  of  ;  for  the  year  1905  is  no  epoch  in  which  to 
re-introduce  the  tactics,  which  might  have  been  allowed  to 
pass  muster,  say,  in  1795. 

THIS  will  have  to  be  stopped !  There  is  a  wicked 
"  Broker "  person,  who  has  been  and  gone  and  wrote  an 
equally  wicked  letter  to  the  press,  for  the  purpose  of 
stating  that  the  English  Bar  is  composed  of  very  obliging 
men  ;  says  that  he  has  known,  at  least,  one  case,  in  which 
an  eminent  K.C.  gave  two  opinions,  one  on  each  side,  in 
exact  opposition  to  each  other.  Good  heavens !  We 
shouldn't  be  surprised,  after  that,  if  "Broker"  were  to 
break  out  in  a  fresh  place  :  would  go  to  the  whole  extent 
of  assuring  us,  that  there  are  such  things  as  flying-fish  and 
pickled  walnuts  !  However,  "  Broker"  isn't  getting  it  all 
his  own  way,  for  "  A  Past  President  of  the  Law  Society  " 
— jeerush  !  what  a  nom  de  guerre ! — is  up  ag'in  him,  in  fine 
style.  The  P.P.L.S.  is  of  opinion  that  "Broker"  is  very 
unfair  to  the  English  Bar.  So  he  is  :  also  to  the  Long 
Bar.  the  Mahogany  Bar,  and  several  other  equally  interest- 
ing bars.  But  the  discussion  arose  over  the  vexed  question 
of  marine  insurance,  and  vessels  captured  in  war  as  con- 
nected therewith.  According  to  P.P.L.S..  the  editor  of 
"  Arnould  "  says  capture  is  prima  facie  a  total  loss,  but  if 
the  ship  is  restored,  the  loss  will  be  the  actual  damage 
suffered,  so  we  might  leave  that  phase  of  the  discussion, 
with  safety  ? 

BUT  reverting  to  the  original  contention  of  "  Broker," 
and  the  denials  put  forward  by  the  champion  of  down- 
trodden men— that  is  "  A  Past  President  of  the  Law 
Society  " — we  find  that  the  latter  gentleman  is  convinced 
that,  "In  an  experience  (not  small)  extending  over  forty 
years,  I  have  never  seen  an  opinion  not  honestly  based  on 
the  facts  stated."  That  is  alright,  and  as  far  as  we  can 
see.  "Broker"  never  suggested  anything  of  the  kind? 
"  Broker's"  contention  was,  that  he,  himself,  had  known  a 
case  where  an  eminent  K.G.,  had,  so  to  speak,  worked  the 
legal  equivalent  of  the  't.himble-and-the-pea  -and  anyhow, 
"  Broker"  has  as  much  right  to  his  opinion,  as  P.P.L.S.  ? 
When  all  is  said,  council  is  exactly  like  any  other  tradesman, 
— or*professional  man.  He  carries  on  "  law  "  for  a  living  ; 
and  opinions,  be  they  on  either  side  of  the  hedge,  is  merely 
in  the  day's  work  ?  If  the  "  opinion  "  is  worth  shucks- 
council  is  known  as  a  "  rising  man,"  and  can  command 
much  ooftish  as  a  result ;  if  his  opinions  are  merely  piffley 

well,  he  doesn't  get  an  undue  amount  of  work,  although 
his  customer  is  the  only  one  who  loses  in  the  deal  ?  To 
our  mind,  some  of  these  legal  friends  appear  to  be  some- 
what out  of  drawing  in  the  universal  picture.  Rather 
forget  that  superstition  and  ignorance  is  not  nearly  so 
prevalent  as  it  was ;  and  that,  to-day,  a  legal  luminary,  is 
merely  a  man  who  is  out  for  cash,  and  should  be  classed  as 
such. 

THE  arguments  put  forward  by  some  of  our  "daily" 
friends,  are  amusing,  in  the  extreme !  Daily  Chronicle  has 


'93 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


5.   '9°5 


been  discussing — at  least,  we  presume  the  stuff  is  con- 
sidered as  discussion — the  lately  issued  Blue  Book,  which 
deals  with  Chinese  labour,  in  the  Rand.  If  those  sapient 
scribes  knew  the  first-  or  any  other  thing  about  the 
subject,  there  wouldn't  be  so  much  old  twankey  scattered 
broadcast  through  the  land.  As  things  are.  the  "daily" 
young  man  sizes  up  every  subject  that  is  brought  before 
his  gaze,  from  the  point  of  view  of  a  law-abiding  British  sub- 
ject, and  under  no  circumstances,  can  you  make  the  gentle 
ink-slinger  understand-  or  believe  -that  there  are  things  in 
heaven  and  earth,  undreamed  of  in  his  philosophy.  It's  a 
pity,  we  know  :  and  pity  'tis,  'tis  true.  You  see,  in  handling 
the  Celestial  gentleman  who  have  been  imported  to  the 
South  African  mines,  treatment  somewhat  different  to  that 
which  would  be  useful  to  the  Briton,  under  the  same  cir- 
cumstances, has  to  be  meted  out,  and  D.C.  is  soppily 
sarcastic  in  consequence.  Tells  its  own  particular  circle 
of  admirers,  that  not  even  General  Trepoff  or  M.  Pobiedon- 
ostseffi  would  send  men  to  prison  for  "simply  refusing  to 
work." 

fi?  *& 

WHAT  would  Daily  Chronicle  have  ?  Would  it  suggest 
the  advisability  of  giving  the  Chinamen  a  double  dose  of 
opium,  every  time  they  felt  like  breaking  their  agreement  ? 
Papers  of  the  kind  referred  to.  make  us  tired,  and,  more- 
over, do  a  fearful  quantity  of  harm  in  their  time  and 
generation.  Instead  of  sending  their  young  men  out  to 
learn  something  of  the  circumstances  :  something  real  and 
valuable,  that  is ;  they  prefer  to  accept  any  old  twankey. 
providing  it  is  coloured  vividly  enough  with  the  particular  (or 
not  particular.)  shade  of  politics-  save  the  name  on  which 
its  alleged  "  policy  "  is  run.  Screeds  of  the  kind  to  which 
we  have  referred,  ever  remind  us  of  an  old  Blue  Nose 
shipowner,  for  whom  we  once  had  the  felicity  of  working. 
We'll  give  you  the  yarn,  and  perhaps  D.C.  might  benefit  by 
the  moral — who  knows  ?  Quite  a  number  of  the  gentle 
"daily  "  scribe  has  already  benefitted  by  many  of  our  little 
morals :  we  have  their  plagiarised  screeds  at  our  elbow, 
even  as  we  write  ;  and  although  they  are  palpable  chunks 
of  plagiarism,  we  do  not  mind :  mainly,  for  the  reason  that, 
eventually,  the  "daily"  will  learn  something  of  ships  and 
shipping,  after  which,  the  nation's  merchant  fleet  will  be 
the  gainer. 

&  & 

BUT  coming  back  to  that  Blue  Nose  man,  we  happened  to 
be  second  mate  on  one  of  his  old  wagons,  and  after  leaving 
New  York,  on  one  occasion,  the  crew,  all  Paddy  Westers, 
were  a  shade  worse  than  usual— which  is  admitting  a  lot. 
The  wagon  in  question  carried  sky-sails — and  other  canvas 
—and  perhaps  the  olla  podrida  with  which  Paddy  had 
supplied  us,  were  not  treated  as  if  they  were  youthful 
communicants,  or  the  pet  boys  of  a  Band  of  Hope.  You 
see,  those  "sailors"  didn't  believe  in  going  aloft — unless 
they  were  forced  to  :  and  as  sky-sails  (and  other  canvas) 
cannot  well  be  brought  on  deck  for  manipulation,  we  are 
sorry  to  say.  that  "force"  was  (  once  in  a  way)  in  evi- 
dence. It  was  alright,  really ;  and  nobody  need  have 
bothered  unduly  over  the  affair  ;  but  the  owner  person  was 
some  sort  of  relation  to  the  kind  of  writer  chiels  that 
practice  for  the  Daily  Chronicle.  Was  ready  to  throw  his 
contemporaneous  Russian  despot  at  you,  without  a  second's 
warning.  Alright !  The  boys  did  a  quiet  growl,  on  arrival 
home,  and  Blue  Nose  interviewed  the  second  mate.  We 
are  not  going  to  pretend  that  the  interview  was  altogether 
in  the  nature  of  a  prayer  meeting—  because  it  wasn't  All 
the  same,  it  was  no  worse  than  heaps  of  other  interviews 
which  had  transpired,  on  the  deck  of  the  same  old  crock. 

5?  fc 

OWNER  considered  that  it  was  highly  indecorous,  for  any 
self-respecting  second  mate  to  lay  himself  out,  to  chip 


pieces  off  the  craniums  of  a  number  of  Paddy  West's  pet 
hoboes — and,  perhaps,  the  consideration  was  near  the  mark  ? 
Anyhow,  the  dear  old  fossil  suggested  that  log-books  were 
instituted  expressly  for  recalcitrant  seamen  :  and  that  any 
officer— and,  eh,  didn't  he  lay  an  accent  on  the  word 
"  officer  "  ? — who  neglected  the  use  of  the  said  book,  was  a 
"  real  bad  man,"  and  anything  but  a  credit  to  his  ship.  We 
remember  smiling,  and  mainly  because  we  knew  that  our 
late  employer  was  arguing,  exactly  as  did  the  Daily 
Chronicle  man,  a  day  or  two  ago  :  that  is,  he  was  talking  of 
subjects  about  which  he  knew  nothing.  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  we  suggested  some  such  thing.  Went  on  to  say,  that 
if  we  were  idiotic  enough  to  bring  three  log-books  to  the 
after  hatch  of  the  ship;  wrote  six  pages  of  complaint  in  it 
concerning  a  number  of  Yahoos  whose  only  "  crime  "  was 
"  refusing  to  work  :  "  well,  we  knew  that  something  terrible 
would  happen,  meanwhile,  to  the  sky-sails  (and  other  can- 
vas) aforesaid.  But.  that  if  we  were  to  accidentally  cause 
one  belaying-pin  to  wobble  around  on  the  after  deck,  then, 
we  opined,  that  Mr.  Owner  would  be  surprised  at  the 
celerity  with  which  those  sky-sails — and  things — would  be 
rolled  up  on  their  respective  yards. 

K>?  9^3 

la     c? 

AFTER  a  few  impressive  assurances  after  the  foregoing, 
Mr.  Owner,  although  he  saw  that  he  had  been  arguing  on  a 
wrong  premise — exactly  as  did  the  D.  G:  on  the  occasion 
referred  to— stuck  to  his  guns,  and  played  parrot — again, 
as  did  the  D.C.  Taking  the  matter  in  a  broad  light,  we  are 
fain  to  believe  that  nothing  much  would  happen,  if  all  of 
the  D.C.'s  staff  were  to  go  in  on  "refusing  to  work." 
Nothing  outside  of  the  Chronicle  office,  that  is.  Of  course, 
such  a  "  crime  "  would  necessitate  the  hanging-up  of  the 
paper  alluded  to  ;  but,  we  are  by  no  means  sure  that  such 
a  condition  would  be  anything  "  much  ?  "  When  a  "  daily  " 
goes  out  of  its  way  to  disseminate  poppycock,  well,  you 
wouldn't  unduly  miss  it,  if  its  publication  were  suspended, 
indefinitely?  And  in  our  opinion,  the  whole  lot  of  the 
fantod  which  we  have  been  considering,  is  of  the  fanniest 
sort.  Blue  Books  are  all  very  well  in  their  way  ;  but  the 
readers  thereof,  are  supposed  to  exercise  a  little  discrimin- 
ation in  applying  the  necessary  moral.  In  dealing  with 
Chinamen  who  are  willing  to  leave  their  country,  it  may 
safely  be  considered,  that  they  leave  that  country  for  the 
country's  good.  Treatment  that  is  good  enough  for  the 
stay-at-home  Briton,  would  be  of  precious  little  use  to  any 
such  patriots. 

£??  %g  - 

t&      «3 

SOMETIMES,  you  know,  we  are  almost  inclined  to  pity  the 
Board  of  Trade.  Taken  collectively,  they  are  for  ever 
"putting  their  foot  in  it!"  Here  is  the  Institution  of 
Engineers  and  Shipbuilders,  in  Scotland,  having  a  tilt  at  the 
dear  old  souls  who  go  to  the  making  of  the  Board,  because 
they  appear  to  be  convinced  that  a  four  year's  training  in  a 
fitting  shop,  is  ample  for  the  making  of  a  marine  engineer. 
Well,  isn't  it?  Cannot  a  young  man,  of  ordinary  intelli- 
gence, learn  enough  in  four  years,  to  enable  him  to 
creditably  run  an  engine,  that  other  brains  have  thought 
out,  and  other  hands  have  made  ?  We  know  that  to  those 
interested,  such  a  statement  will  appear  as  rank  heresy  : 
but  all  the  same,  and  in  the  interests  of  truth  —based  on 
many  years  of  personal  observation — we  are  bound  to 
record  the  opinion  that,  if  four  years,  as  suggested,  is 
insufficient,  then,  a  hundred,  will  not  be  too  much.  It  is 
all  very  well  to  go -into  fustian  in  this  connection;  but 
facts  are  stubborn  things :  and  the  average  sea-going 
engineer  doesn't  usually  commence  to  learn  his  business, 
until  he  is  shipped  as  junior  engineer  on  a  steamer.  Up  to 
the  time  of  his  leaving  the  fitting  shop,  he  is  merely  a 
fitter,  and  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten,  has  never  seen  a 
marine  engine  at  work— until  he  is  shipped  to  take  a  watch 
with  his  elders. 


M,tv   5,  1905 


THE     MARITIME    REVIEW. 


194 


THIS  being  so— and  it  is— why  keep  the  kid  chained  down 
to  a  vice  bench,  when  al!  his  hopes  and  aspirations  are 
toward  keeping  some  old  coffee-mill  in  going  order  ?  You 
might  say  that  herein  lays  the  crux  of  the  Institution's 
pleacing :  and.  that  if  different  tactics  were  adopted,  there 
would  be  less  coffee-mills  about  ?  Fudge,  dear  sirs  :  don't 
believe  any  such  thing.  If  your  young  hopeful  is  shipped 
to  run  a  coffee-mill,  all  the  talent  in  the  world--at  sea— will 
fail  in  turning  that  old  box-of-hammers  into  anything 
different.  This  training  idea,  is  all  wrong,  and  if  the 
Board  of  Trade  were  to  do  the  right  thing,  they  would  see 
to  it  that  the  marine  engineer  apprentice  were  "  bound  "  to 
a  steamer,  even  as  the  would-be  navigating  youngster  is 
"bound  " — in  his  youth.  In  the  making  of  a  really  efficient 
marine  engineer,  of  what  use  is  it  to  fill  his  head  with 
a  number  of  the  notions  which  he  picks  up  at  the  vice- 
bench  in  a  fitting  shop  ?  To-date.  this  very  apprenticeship 
has  been  the  cause  of  half  the  degeneration,  which  has 
gone  on  in  the  ranks  of  sea-going  engineers.  The 
Mercantile  Marine  is  badly  in  need  of  marine  engineers 
not  of  embryo  Brunels.  To  attempt  to  fill  a  youngster 
up  with  ideas  which  are  never  used,  is  just  a  waste  of 
good  material. 

S?$3 

Or  course,  if  you  merely  teach  the  lad  to  look  upon  the 
marine  engineering  profession,  as  an  episode  in  the  struggle 
toward  the  super's  job.  that  he  is  going  to  get  someday  ; 
well,  the  Institution  is  about  right  in  its  reasoning.  As 
things  have  been  m  the  past,  marine  engineering  is  simply 
a  sham,  for  every  one  of  its  exponents,  at  some  time  or 
another,  has  been  "  in  the  running  "  for  that  high  falutin 
shore  job.  that  is  going  to  make  him  wealthy  beyond  the 
dreams  of  avarice.  As  a  result,  the  marine  engineering 
profession  has  been  practically  at  a  standstill,  for  the  past 
decade,  or  so.  There  certainly  isn't  much  sense  in  giving 
a  lad  a  smattering  of  all  manner  of  engineering  problems 
which  he  will  never  use —as  a  marine  engineer:  and, 
allowing  him  to  neglect  most  of  the  little  "  points  "  which 
will  -prove  of  incalculable  benefit  to  him—again,  as  a 
marine  engineer.  To  our  mind,  it  has  always  appeared  as 
utterly  foolish  to  allow  a  young  sea-going  mechanic,  to 
look  upon  his  profession  as  simply  a  stepping-stone,  if  we 
may  put  it  thus,  to  some  other  branch  of  engineering.  If 
marine  engineering  is  a  serious  undertaking —and  it 
certainly  should  be-  let  us  have  lads  trained  for  the  pro- 
fession, alone.  The  time  when  a  Jack  of  all  trades  is 
likely  to  be  an  ornament  to  his  profession,  is  gone. 

S?$J 

MOREOVER,  it  cannot  be  gainsaid,  that,  at  sea.  there  is 
mighty  little  opportunity  for  shining  as  a  great  repair-job 
specialist.  This  being  so.  of  what  use  is  it.  to  pretend  that 
the  fitting-shop  training  is  going  to  be  of  any  utility  ? 
Were  an  embryo  sea-mechanic  to  start  his  career  as  a  lad. 
afloat :  'hen.  by  the  time  he  came  to  man's  estate,  he 
would  know  something  of  practical  marine  engineering, 
instead  of.  as  at  present,  being  then  about  to  commence  to 
learn  the  business  for  which  he  is  cast.  The  most  worthy 
sample  of  engineer,  is  he  who  understands  the  intricacies 
of  the  machinery  with  which  he  is  entrusted  :  who  knows, 
from  long  association,  the  methods  which  are  to  be  adopted 
with  the  firemen  under  his  control  :  and  the  mere  abstract 
knowledge  of  knowing  how  to  do  a  job  of  fitting— in  a  'long- 
shore fitting  shop  will  avail  but  little,  when  a  breakdown 
occurs  at  sea,  and  the  only  tools  available,  are  a  few  chisels, 
a  hammer  or  two.  and  a  bulkhead  door  as  material.  As 
things  are  at  present,  the  factory  bell  is  the  determining 
factor  of  efficiency  on  a  steamer.  Fitting-shop  notions  are 
to  the  'fore,  and  the  resultant  conditions  are  so  bad,  that 
any  ambitious  young  man  will  do  anything— rather  than 
continue  at  sea.  after  he  has  secured  that  "  chief's  ticket." 


Fairy  tales  are  all  very  well— in  their  place  ;  but  the  sea 
has  long  since  given  up  everything  appertaining  thereto. 
Verb,  sat  sap.,  you  geniuses  of  the  Institution  of  Engineers 
and  Shipbuilders  in  Scotland. 

&  & 

THAT  submarine  express  idea  is  again  around.  It  is  a 
hardy  annual,  for  about  once  a  year,  it  crops  up  with 
refreshing  regularity.  True,  it  exponents  are  usually  of  a 
different  group,  on  each  occasion,  and  whether  this  is 
because  each  particular  group,  after  enjoying  its  bit  of 
brief  notoriety,  is  convinced  that  it  is  chasing  a  chimera,  or 
otherwise,  we  shouldn't  like  to  say.  But  the  subject  is  a 
fascinating  one— especially  since  the  late  Jules  Verne  gave 
us  the  yarn  concerning  Captain  Nemo  of  the  good  ship 
Nautilus.  As  far  as  we  can  see,  Professor  Lewis,  M.A.,  is 
the  latest  exponent  of  the  art  of  sailing  along,  so  many 
fathoms  below  the  surface  of  the  sea  ;  and,  if  the  scheme 
as  shadowed  forth  by  the  worthy  gentleman,  is  a  little  more 
opiumy  than  usual :  it  still  possesses  potentialities.  For 
instance,  what  can  be  more  sublimely  delightful  than  this  : 
"  As  our  land  countries  are  developed  by  the  building  of 
railroads,  and  new  colonies  spring  up  along  the  line  of 
route,  so  it  may  come  to  pass  that,  with  the  establishment 
of  a  submarine  service,  will  come  into  existence  a  submarine 
suburbia,  consisting  of  little  houses  and  villas  built  on  the 
bottom  of  the  sea."  Yea  lor'!  It  may,  but— fortunately 
for  us.  who  are  not  amphibian — it  won't,  Professor  Lewis. 

#  $3 

AND  it  is  rather  a  good  thing  that  nature  has  put  a  limit 
to  man's  ingenuity— or.  one  of  these  days,  the  whole  fabric 
of  the  universe  would  be  going  floating  away,  in  the  same 
shape  which  it  adopted  before  cohesion  brought  a  world 
into  being;  that  is,  the  world  would  resolve  itself  back  into 
its  initial  atomic  state!  There  may  be  a  quantity  of  fas- 
cination in  this  submarine  suburbian  idea,  but,  eh,  it  is 
calculated  to  make  one  creepy  -if  one  considers  it  seriously, 
which  of  course,  is  practically  impossible.  If  thsre  is  any- 
thing in  this  Lewisonian  contention,  future  generations 
of  men  and  maidens  will  naturally  do  their  courting  at  the 
bottom  of  the  sea-  and  morality  will  gain  much  in  con- 
sequence ?  The  gentle  shark  might  take  a  hand  in  the 
game :  might  run  off  with  the  girlies'  best  submarine  toque — 
and  other  things  ;  but  it  would  be  an  idyllic  life,  no  doubt. 
Really,  these  would-be  scientific  gentlemen  are,  at  times, 
a  terrible  cross  to  the  remainder  of  us  poor  mortals ! 

Run  down  with  me  to  my  ocean-villa  in  the  South  Pacific 
for  the  week  end,'  we  can  imagine  the  blase  Stock 
Exchange  magnate  saying  to  his  fidus  Achates."  and  we 
can  believe  it  all :  for  a  newspaper  (the  Warder)  in  the 
possession  of  a  young  man  who  can  think  up  such  tommy 
rot.  may  be  depended  on  to  "  imagine  "  anything. 

'*""  &')& 

WE  told  you.  last  week,  about  "Johnny  "  Gates  and  his 
wheat  crash  ?  Well,  it  was  alright !  The  crash  has  really 
materialised,  and  pots  of  money  have  been  sequestered  by 
the  other  side  of  the  combination  which  objected  to  wheat 
"  corners."  Of  course,  all  manner  of  "  reasons  "  are  given, 
for  the  dreadful  hash  up  of  things  which  has  materialised, 
around  the  house  of  Gates  and  Go.  ;  reasons  which  might 
easily  appeal  to  you— while  again,  they  might  not.  There 
is  the  usual  vague  insinuation  anent  the  exhaustion  of 
several  "  pools ; "  of  banks  throwing  out  their  loans,  and 
forcing  sales  of  stock  holdings  ;  markets  going  to  pieces  in 
consequence  ;  and  all  the  little  odds-and-ends  which  apolo- 
gists have  in  hand  for  these  occasions.  But  so  far,  we  have 
not  seen  the  opinion  set  forth,  that  "Johnny"  Gates  and 
Company  came  to  grief,  for  the  simple  reason  that — like  other, 
and  possibly  smarter  men — they  have  bitten  off  more  than 
they  could  chew,  in  thus  trying  to  corral  the  world's  west- 


«95 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May  5,  1905 


BARRY  DOCK— OUTSIDE. 

ern  wheat  supply.  After  all.  it  will  not  unduly  bother  any 
of  us  as  to  why  the  "  corner  "  caved  in,  will  it  ?  What  we 
are  most  interested  in,  is  the  knowledge  that  it  did  ;  that 
for  yet  another  occasion,  the  few,  are  not  in  a  position  to 
starve  the  many.  And—well,  most  of  us  are  heartily  glad. 

5?  ^ 

THE  question  of  "  crimping  in  America  "  has  got  out  as 
far  as  Australia,  for  the  Navigation  Commission,  out  there, 
has  been  considering  that  phase  of  nautical  life.  As  far  as 
we  can  see.  but  little  good  is  likely  to  result  from  these 
periodical  and  academical  discussions  on  a  painful  subject. 
It  is  useless  to  simply  sit  down  and  talk ;  to  admit  that 
"  crimping  "  is  as  rife  to-day,  as  it  was  fifty  years  ago  ;  and 
yet  in  face  of  the  knowledge,  to  allow  the  gentle  "  crimp  " 
to  pursue  the  battening  tenour  of  his  way.  without  let  or 
hindrance.  It  is  of  little  use  to  sooth  one's  soul  with  the 
remark  that  crimping  is  bad  in  America,  as  well  as  in  New 
South  Wales  :  in  Foo-che-foo,  as  well  as  in  Cardiff  ?  What 
is  wanted,  is  to  put  the  power  of  the  "  crimp  "  away  for  all 
time,  and  this  might  easily  be  done,  if  the  laws  concerning 
"  blood  suckers."  were  administered  as  they  should  be.  In 
Australia,  there  has  been  a  quantity  of  discussion  on  the 
subject,  but  the  same  old  game  continues.  Here,  in 
Britain,  there  is  a  scratching  at  the  evil,  when  a  wholesale 
carving  is  necessary.  Make  a  holy  example  of  some  of  the 
well-known  "  crimps"  who  walk  about,  here,  in  the  blessed 
sunlight,  and  you'll  soon  get  away  with  the  evil. 

<#  *SS 

THE  good  people  in  Newcastle,  N.S.W.  are  as  enterprising 
as  most  other  units  of  the  British  family.  This  is  evidenced 
by  their  works,  in  connection  with  the  break-water  on  the 
northern  side  of  the  Newcastle  Harbour,  and  which  runs 
out  over  the  well-known  Oyster  Bank — that  bourne  from 
which  many  a  fine  vessel  has  failed  to  return  !  Indeed,  it 
is  in  connection  with  those  same  vessels,  that  the  enter- 
prise referred  to,  comes  in.  The  old  time  vessels  which 
inclined  toward  a  rest  on  Oyster  Bank,  gradually  drew  to 
themselves  a  quantity  of  silt  and  sand,  and  thus  provided 
the  nucleus  of  a  fine  breakwater.  To  this,  the  Newcastle 
friends  have  added  much  stability,  in  the  matter  of  huge 
blocks  of  stone,  until  to-day,  there  is  a  continuous  break- 
water where,  erstwhile,  an  apology  therefore  stood  or 
aid,  as  the  case  might  be.  This  is,  distinctly,  a  case  of 


seizing  the  opportun- 
ities which  come  your 
way,  and  as  such,  may 
be  well-followed  by 
the  inhabitants  of  cer- 
tain other  ports  which 
we  could  m  ention 
where,  although  the 
wrecks  materialise, 
nothing  is  done  to 
make  use  of  them. 
Viewed  all  'round,  the 
Australian  is  fairly 
smart,  don't  you  think 
— even  if  he  does 
make  a  hash  of  some 
of  his  best  chances  in 
life;  which  might 
seem  a  paradox,  but 
is  in  reality,  a  mere 
bit  of  cussedness  ! 


THAT  rate  war.  be- 
tween the  Hansa  line 
and  sundry  British 
dittoes,  to  which  we 
referred,  some  weeks 

ago,  is  gradually  materialising,  and  indications  are  all  in 
favour  of  a  "  bitter  struggle."  Whether  this  will  be  another 
phase  of  nautical  flapdoodle  on  the  part  of  the  German 
friend,  remains  to  be  seen.  But  the  gentleman  certainly  is 
a  restless  kritter  ;  restless  and  amusing.  He  comes  across 
to  Britain  ;  floods  the  British  press  and  scenery,  generally, 
with  his  advertisement  of  counter-attractions  ;  while,  if  the 
Briton  were  to  attempt  the  same  thing  in  Germany, 
he  would  soon  find  himself  in  Queer  Street.  Not 
satisfied  with  those  gorgeous  advertisements,  the  Teutonic 
benefactor  next  inaugurates  a  rate-cutting  campaign,  and 
if,  in  the  end,  he  is  euchred— well,  his  paternal  Govern- 
ment will  smooth  away  the  financial  difficulties  :  while, 
if  he  wins,  well,  the  same  old  Government  will  come 
in,  just  as  extensively.  Meanwhile,  the  step-fatherly 
British  Government,  does  but  little  for  its  own  brand 
of  shipping,  outside  of  hazing  it  almost  out  of  existence. 
One  thing  about  this  latest  phase  of  German  competition 
is  :  The  British  contingent  is  considerably  bigger  than 
that  of  the  Fatherland.  Generally,  the  bigger  concern 

wins ! 

E#  %s 

EW      kJ? 

DESERTION,  because  of  discontent,  is  pretty  rife  in  the 
American  Navy,  just  now,  and  experts  are  setting  them- 
selves the  task  to  find  the  why  and  wherefore.  Numerous 
reasons  are  assigned.  One  authority  puts  it  all  down  to 
the  everlasting  "  grub  "  question — the  American  Handy 
Man  not  receiving  as  much  to  eat,  as  he  considers  he 
should  have  ;  another  authority— a  surgeon  -  says  it  is  all 
along  of  lack  of  exercise,  as  the  "  boys  "  are  allowed  to 
laze  around  too  much  ;  yet  another  decision  is,  that  the 
"  unreasonable  demands  of  the  officers,  and  the  unfairness 
of  their  treatment  of  their  men  "  has  had  much  to  do  with 
the  trouble.  Each  of  the  foregoing  might  reasonably  be 
supposed  to  have  a  little  to  do  with  the  subject— a  very 
little.  But  in  our  opinion,  the  journals  which  are  claiming 
that  the  root  of  the  evil  lays  in  the  fact  that,  in  times  of 
peace,  the  service  is  the  reverse  of  popular  with  the 
deserting  seaboys,  touches  the  spot.  We  have  consistently 
claimed  that  this  unpopularity  is  the  cause  of  the  American 
lack  of  shipping — in  both  services.  Moreover,  we  have 
suggested  that,  when  the  American  realised  the  facts  for 
himself,  he  would  quickly  do  something  to  remedy  the  evil; 
and  indications  point  that  way,  at  the  moment. 


M.iy    5,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


196 


IN  America,  no  man  is  idiotic  enough  to  waste  his  life  in 
a  vain  search  for  glory — of  the  pinchbeck  sort,  because 
there  is  no  money  in  it.  What  sensible  man  would  consen 
to  put  in  a  life-time  at  sea,  just  for  the  pleasure  of  satis- 
fying a  number  of  estimable  folk  who  are  "  piling  up  the1 
dollars."  on  shore  ?  This  is  exactly  what  is  happening  on 
the  other  side  of  the  Pond.  The  'longshoreman  is  able 
to  annex  quite  a  goodly  quantity  of  ooftish — if  he  is  smart : 
the  sailorman  merely  ekes  out  a  precarious  living.  The 
moral  is — and  will  be  for  years  to  come— that  no  sensible 
man  will  consent  to  waste  his  opportunities  on  the  water. 
He  "  runs."  "  deserts."  "  takes  the  beach" — express  it  as 
you  please,  as  long  as  you  realise  that  sailors  will  have 
none  of  it.  under  existing  conditions.  On  this  side  of  the 
Atlantic,  however,  there  is  no  possibility  of  realising  home 
truths.  Times  have  changed,  but  the  majority  of  folk  have 
changed  only  in  part,  with  them.  Thus  it  comes  about, 
that  when  British  Jack  elects  to  give  up  the  sea.  the 
'longshoreman,  instead  of  realising  that  his  whole  existence 
depends  on  the  efforts  of  the  seaman— well,  that  'long- 
shoreman simply  goes  off  and  sulks!  Meanwhile,  the 
state  of  the  Mercantile  Marine,  goes  from  bad  to  worse. 

THE  Merchant  Service   Guild  have  lately  placed  them- 
selves  in    communication   with  the   Prime   Minister,    the 
Home  Secretary,  and  certain  other  members  of  the  House 
of  Commons,  in   regard  to  the  Aliens  Bill.     Though  not 
entertaining  any  objections  to  the  principle  of  the  Bill,  the 
Guild  say  they  view  several  of  its  provisions  with  some 
alarm,  and  that  it  seeks  to  impose  duties  and  responsibilities 
on  the  Shipmaster  which  do  not   really  come  within   his 
province.     They  urge  that  the  safety  of  his  ship  and  the 
lives  on  board,  must  be  his  first  consideration,  and  that 
anything  which  tends  to  interfere  with  him   in  this,  cannot 
be  too  strongly  condemned.     It  is  pointed  out  that  if  the 
Aliens  Bill  becomes  law.  his  anxiety  will  be  greatly  increased. 
owing  to  the  strict  supervision  which  will  be  required  to  be 
exercised  over  passengers,  and  to  the  pains  and   penalties 
to   which  he  would   be   liable  for  infractions  of  the  law. 
Further,  those  on  board  the  ship  who  deal  with  the  pass- 
engers are.  it  is  said,  appointed  by  the  Owners,  though 
under   the    Bill,  the   responsibility  falls   on    the   Captain. 
Illustrating  the  difficult  position  in  which  a  shipmaster  will 
be  placed,  the  Guild  refer  to  the  fact  of  passengers  usually 
arriving  at    the    last 
moment  before    sail- 
ing, and    that  the 
Master    must    needs 
concentrate  his  whole 
mind   on    negotiating 
in  safety,   a  passage 
across    a  much   fre- 
quented  track    of 
shipping,    and     prob- 
ably amid  the  dangers 
of  fog  or  bad  weather. 


SUBSEQUENT  to  his 
arrival,  he  might  find 
that  an  undesirable 
alien  had  slipped 
through  as  a  pass- 
enger, with  the  result 
that  he  would  be  liable 
to  a  fine  of  £100.  and 
if  the  "  undesirable  " 
had  been  passed  by 
the  immigration  offi- 
cer, he  would  yet  be 
liable  for  the  expenses 


of  returning  him,  under  an  expulsion  order.  The  Guild  say, 
their  grievance  is  accentuated  by  the  fact,  that  no  matter 
what  their  quality  or  character,  it  is  open  to, aliens  to  serve 
in  British  ships,  and  to  compete  with  British  subjects.  Also, 
foreigners  may  command  and  officer  British  ships,  and  it 
was  felt  that  it  was  in  this  direction  where  reform  was 
most  required.  The  Guild  trusted  that  their  represent- 
ations would  result  in  the  provisions  of  the  Aliens  Bill  being 
so  modified  as  to  relieve,  as  far  as  possible,  British  ship- 
masters from  a  further  unjustifiable  burden.  In  the  course 
of  a  very  kind  and  sympathic  letter,  Mr.  Charles  MacArthur, 
M.P.  deals  with  one  or  two  points  where,  in  justice  to  ship- 
masters, this  Bill  might  be  altered.  He  states  however,  that 
the  responsibility  cannot  very  well  be  taken  away  from  the 
Master,  as  it  would  not  do  to  have  divided  control.  The 
Guild  in  replying  to  Mr.  MacArthur.  stated  that  they  are 
sure  shipmasters  do  not  wish  to  avoid  their  responsibilities 
to  the  State,  but  they  feel  that  the  State  on  its  part,  should 
extend  to  them  proper  assistance,  and  consideration  in 
carrying  out  their  difficult  duties. 

#  ^ 

ON  Tuesday  last,  at  the  Baltic  Mercantile  and  Shipping 
Exchange.  London,  Messrs.  Kellock  offered  for  sale,  by 
auction,  the  iron  screw  steamer.  Balmuir.  Built  at 
Dundee,  in  1879  ;  carries  2,050  tons  deadweight.  Dimen- 
sions 258ft,  x  52ft.  x  20ft.  2in. ;  with  engines,  32in.,  56in., 
x  36in.  stroke.  There  was  a  very  poor  attendance,  and  as 
there  was  no  bid  for  the  steamer,  she  was  withdrawn. 

§£  & 

DURING  April,  six  vessels,  of  20.905  tons  gross,  were 
launched  by  shipbuilders  on  the  Wear,  as  compared  with 
four  vessels,  of  12.689  tons  in  April,  last  year.  For  the 
four  months  of  the  year  now  closed,  there  have  been 
launched  on  the  Wear,  27  vessels,  of  85,779  tons ;  this 
being  a  substantial  increase  over  the  21  vessels,  of 
66.069  tons,  for  the  same  period  of  last  year. 

#&• 

BUT  this  is  awful !  "Mabon"  is  of  opinion  that  the 
colliers  must  close  their  ranks,  and  do  everything  possible 
to  avoid  the  rupture  which  he  sees  staring  them  in  the  face! 
Rupture  is  good — especially  if  it  brings  back  sliding-scale? 
Possibly,  this  is  what  is  feared,  and  then  good-bye  to  the 
"  expenses  "  from  Conciliation  Meetings.  Eh  ?  What  ? 


BARRY  DOCK— INSIDE. 


"97 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May  5,    1905 


FRIDAY.  MAY  5,   1905. 


THE  WELSH  COAL  TRADE. 


HERE  is  no  getting  away  from  the  fact,  that 
the  Welsh  coal  trade  is  passing  through  a 
time  of  severe  stress,  and  that  the  latest 
demand  from  the  coalowners,  to  the  effect 
that  they  are  entitled  to  a  7'2  per  cent, 
reduction  on  the  wages  paid,  is  a  just  one.  All  the  same, 
it  is  extremely  problematical  as  to  whether  that  reduction 
will  be  allowed,  and  there  are  many  local  experts  who  are 
of  opinion,  that,  while  it  is  good  policy  to  ask  for  much,  with 
the  hope  that  something  may  be  gained  ("wrung  out." 
they  style  it) ;  it  would  be  far  better  to  revert  to  the 
sliding-scale.  when  these  humiliating  "  demands,"  and  their 
constantly-recurring  refusals,  would  be  altogether  obviated. 
Those  same  experts  are  about  right,  too.  It  goes  without 
saying,  that  it  is  but  human  nature  for  a  workman  to  resent. 
by  every  means  in  his  power,  any  attempt  to  lower  his 
wages — once  they  have  been  raised  into  what  may,  in  reality, 
be  a  fictitious  phase.  That  the  colliers'  wages  have  been 
raised  to  a  fictitious  level — in  view  of  wages  current  for 
other  grades  of  labour— is  certain.  Moreover,  when  the 
general  good  of  the  community  is  aimed  at,  then,  those 
good  people  who  have  had  the  advantages  of  a  better 
education,  should  see  to  it  that  human  nature  is  confined 
into  legitimate  channels.  In  view  of  past  exhibitions  of 
conduct,  it  is  useless  to  expect  any  kind  of  treatment  from 
the  so-called  "  brawn  "  of  the  land,  other  than  that  which 
gives  it  the  lion's  share  of  the  blessings,  and  regardless  of 
what  may  be  the  share  of  the  "  brains."  One  may  not 
justly  blame  the  men  for  getting  all  they  can — on  whatever 
lines  are  easiest.  Indeed,  if  we  were  colliers,  we  should 
probably  adopt  the  very  same  tactics  which  they  are 
adopting  ;  should  adopt  them,  and  should  stick  to  them,  to 
the  last  ditch :  if,  after  that,  we  got  bested,  we  should 
accept,  with  what  grace  remained,  the  conditions  which 
resulted.  But  then,  again,  if  we  were  coalowners,  we 
should  remember  the  inherent  weaknesses  of  the  practically 
unreasoning  portion  of  the  community,  and  should  act 
accordingly.  In  other  words,  if  as  coalowners,  we  were  to 
find  that  our  just  demands  were  over-ruled—never  mind 
from  whatsoever  cause — then,  we  should  straightway  set 
ourselves  the  task,  of  instituting  some  set  of  conditions  that 
would  give  us.  at  least,  some  little  show  of  justice.  In  the 
days  of  the  sliding-scale,  there  were  none  of  these  alleged 
"coalowners'  demands  :"  neither  were  there  any  refusals 
to  abide  by  a  just  set  of  conditions.  Quietly,  unobtrusively, 
relentlessly  (if  you  like),  the  sliding-scale  did  its  work; 
wages  were  adjusted  automatically  :  the  coalowner  had  a 
sufficiency  of  time  given  him  to  hunt  around  for  new 
markets,  where,  to-day,  he  has  to  concentrate  most  of  his 
energies,  in  combating  the  unjust  demands — the  encroach- 
ments, say  of  b.bour  against  capital.  As  already  stated, 
it  is  useless  to  blame  the  colliers.  They  do  but  act  after 
the  manner  of  their  kind,  and  according  to  the  very  limited 
amount  of  light  which,  in  the  majority  of  instances,  has 
been  vouchsafed  to  them.  The  employer,  having  been 
given  more  light,  must  accept  more  responsibility,  and  to 
him  is  the  blame,  of  most  of  the  chaos  which  is  gradually 
entering  into  the  industry,  on  which  a  very  great  number  of 
persons  depend,  for  a  livelihood.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the 
turnings  and  twistings  of  present  day  "  negotiations  "  are 
most  pitiable,  and  they  are,  furthermore,  altogether  unbe- 


coming to  the  business  men  who  are  submitting  thereto. 
With  regard  to  the  accusations  of  underselling,  these,  of 
course,  are  merely  a  phase  of  the  plan  of  campaign  which 
is  usually  in  evidence.  It  is  a  good  plan,  too,  for  everybody 
knows,  that  if  it  is  possible  to  start  r.n  opponent  off  on  a 
false  trail,  the  real  issues  of  the  case  will  be  disregarded. 
What  possible  concern  can  the  collier  have,  with  the  exis- 
tence of  under-selling,  or  otherwise  outside  of  the  ficti- 
tious claim  that  his  wages  are  affected  by  the  selling  price? 
On  the  men's  own  admission,  selling  price  has  nothing  to 
do  with  the  business  :  that  was  a  wicked  sliding-scale 
arrangement  ?  In  the  happier  days  of  conciliation,  selling 
price  is  but  a  very  secondary  consideration  ?  Talkee- 
talkee  has  been  introduced  in  its  place,  and  this  being  so. 
why  not  remember  that  the  allegations,  concerning  under- 
selling, is  merely  of  the  nature  of  that  talkee-talkee  ?  But 
no  !  The  coalowner  listens  to  the  specious  tale  set  out  by 
the  men— through  their  alleged  leaders  ;  and  seeing  that 
his  time  is  taken  up,  almost  exclusively,  with  strivings  after 
a  way  out  of  the  impasse  into  which  his  business  has  been 
rushed,  the  colliery  proprietor  isn't  quite  sure  whether 
under-selling  is  in  evidence,  or  not.  This  is  exactly  what 
the  astute  "  leader  "  referred  to,  has  been  aiming  at.  He 
knows  that  if  coalowner  is  kept  busy  at  some  imaginary 
idea,  the  real  facts  will  be  forgotten.  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
under-selling  is  quite  as  much  a  bogey  — as  far  as  the  men 
are  concerned— as  is  that  old  tale  of  universal  foreign  com- 
petition, on  the  part  of  some  of  the  masters.  Foreign  com- 
petition is  a  very  real  danger,  we  admit;  but,  to-date,  it  has 
not  gone  to  the  extent  that  some  of  its  exponents  would 
wish  to  insinuate.  Moreover,  foreign  competition — in  much 
or  little — is  dependent  more  on  better  methods  of  working 
in  foreign  countries,  than  on  the  possibility  of  foreign  coal 
excelling  the  Welsh  product.  In  an  industry  the  size  of 
the  Welsh  coal  trade,  there  are,  doubtless,  a  few  misguided 
individuals  who  are  not  above  underselling  a  rival  ;  but 
whether  such  conduct  is  under-selling,  as  implied  by  the 
miners'  leaders,  is  altogether  another  matter.  And  any- 
how, what  facilities  have  the  workmen  or  their  leaders,  for 
arriving  at  a  decision  that  under-selling  is  rife  ?  At  the 
best,  their  ipse  dixit  is  nothing  better  than  a  matter  of 
opinion,  for  it  is  fairly  certain  that,  in  the  main,  their  know- 
ledge of  the  coal  trade  as  regards  its  selling  side,  is  of  the 
most  rudimentary  character  ?  Goalowners.  no  more  than 
other  business  men,  are  hardly  likely  to  take  either  their 
workmen,  or  their  workmen's  leaders  into  their  confidences  ? 
We  know  that  there  are  a  number  of  weak-kneed  ones 
among  the  cult ;  but  we  are  disinclined  to  believe  that 
they  are  sufficiently  weak  to  trot  all  their  business 
connections  out,  for  the  examination  of  men  who 
have  no  right  to  question  them.  Furthermore,  we  have 
our  own  ideas  as  to  the  ability  of  those  workmen, 
or  workmen's  leaders,  to  understand  much  about  the 
business,  supposing  the  whole  gamut  of  transactions 
were  spread  out  as  suggested.  It  is  impossible  to 
learn  the  intricacies  of  a  big  industry,  through  the  help  of 
a  merely  cursory  glance  at  one  set  of  conditions.  Under 
the  circumstances,  therefore,  it  would  appear  to  be  safe  to 
dismiss  this  claim  to  under-selling,  as  outside  the  question. 
With  regard  to  the  middleman,  it  has  ever  been  a  safe  game 
to  blame  him,  for  all  the  shortcomings  in  the  business. 
Whether  this  is  because  the  average  "  labour  leader  "  has 
become  imbued  with  the  idea,  that  the  coalowner  has  a 
standing  grudge  against  the  middleman,  and  that,  in  conse- 
quence, he  is  "  fair  game,"  we  should  not  care  to  say.  All 
the  same,  we  have  our  own  opinions  on  the  matter.  But 
in  all  seriousness,  the  middleman  is  the  coalowners'— and 
therefore  the  community's— best  friend.  Were  it  not  for 
the  middleman,  and  his  enterprising  methods  of  opening  up 
new  markets,  the  Welsh  coal  trade  would  never  have 
spread  itself  out  to  its  present  colossal  proportions.  This 
is  absolutely  certain.  For  in  the  ranks  of  collierydom,  there 
are  men  who  couldn't  sell  a  ton  of  coal,  if  their  lives 
depended  on  the  deed.  They  are  fine  fellows  to  sit  in  an 


M.i\ 


5.   "905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


office,  and  from  the  calm  seclusion  thereof,  send    out  their 
own  particular  "man  Friday  "  who  will  see  that  everything 
is  going  along,  according  to  the  book.     There    is  but  little 
-tness  needed,  to  sit  down  and  dictate  a  few  letters  in 
reply  to  orders  for  coal  which  have  come  to  hand  by  the 
ornmg's  mail :    but  there  is  a  bit  of  smartness  in  hustling 
3  persuade  the  foreign  consumer  to   send   those 
s  wh.ch  contain  the  orders  alluded  to  ;  and  that  is  ex- 
the  middleman  is  continually  doing.    In  short  the 
Jman.  ,s  the  very  best  friend  which  the  collier  possesses 
.hat  enterprising  personage,  the  Welsh  coal  trade 
would  be  eminently  respectable,  no  doubt :    but  it  would  be 
a  severely  restricted  affair- of  that,   the   collier   might  be 
And  coming  back  to  what  has  been  designated 
sensational  demands"   of  the  coalowners;    the 
simple  statement  that  if  the  men  do  not  agree  to  accept 
wages  which  are  more  in  accordance  with  the  commercial 
their  work,  there  will  be  gaunt  hunger  and   want 
district  for  quite  a  large  number  of  men  ;    of  what 
:  to  express  surprise  thereat  ?     Everybody  realised 
;hat.  at  the  last  time  of  asking— at  the  time  when  a  5  per 
.  reduction  was  asked  for-the  demand  was  a  just  one  : 
;hat  the  interests  of  the  community  demanded  it.     By  the 
usual  turning  and  twisting,  the  evil  day  (to  the  collier)  was 
;    now.  to   level   the   matter  up.   a  712    per  cent 
duction   is  called  for.     (  Tis  a  pity  that  compromise  is 
mpossible.  otherwise    they  might    split    the    difference? 
Thus  the  merry  game  continues,  and  yet— if  the  masters 
simply    act    up    to    their    responsibilities:     would 
the    thinking  for   those    whom    nature    has    intended 
for  other  niches  in  the   world's    economy ;     trade   would 
have  "  bucked  up."  long  ago.     Instead  of  this,  look  where 
you  will,  you  find  stagnation  and  uncertainty— the  former 
being  the  outcome  of  the  latter.     We  see  that  it  is  stated. 
that  the  Docksmen  are  not  surprised  at  the  latest  demand 
from  coalownerdom.     Why  should  they  be  ?    They  knew 
it  was  essential,  many  months  ago-     In  fact,  their  surprise 
was  most  intense,  that  the   reduction  was  not  allowed  at 
the  last  time  of  asking.    "  Not  allowed  !  "     Isn't  it  a  dignified 
manner  in  which  to  carry  on  a  trade  ?     Doesn't  it  make 
you  feel  proud  of  your  countrymen  ?    When  you  see  them 
playing  with  an  explosive  that  will  ultimately  blow  them  off 
the  earth     playing  with   it.    instead  of  firmly  but  gently 
placing  it  outside  the  possibility  of  harm  :  don't  you  fee] 
disappointed  ?    Thanks  to  petty  jealousies,  and  internecine 
warfare,  generally,  a  tried  and  trusted  methed  of  settling 
disputes  was  rejected,  abandoned,  thrown  overboard  :    even 
as  a  portion  of  its  conditions  was  used,  though  the  essential 
portion  was  discarded  :   and   now.  as  a  just  measure   of 
retribution,  those  same  people  have  to  go.  metaphorically. 
cap  in  hand,  to  plead  for  the  justice  which  they  should  be 
in  a  position  to  claim  as  a   right.     We  quite  realise  that 
muscle  has  rights  and   privileges :  but  then,  capital  and 
brains   have   rights  and    privileges,  also.     A  country  was 
never  built  solely  on  brawn  :    never  was.  and  never  will  be  ; 
for  in   every   phase    of    business    save    the    coal    trade, 
perhaps  !-  brains  must  always  claim  the  premier  position. 
We  have  heard  it  said,  that  even  in  the  coal  trade  the  same 
inevitable  condition  applies :    that  brains  are    ruling   the 
roost     If  so,  then  must  the  commodity  be  all  on  the  side 
of  the  colliers,  and  that  is  a  condition  which  should  not  be 
allowed  to  exist '.     If  the  colliers  really  have  the  most  of  the 
brains,  they  have  no  right  to  be  kept  as  colliers  ;  for  in  that 
business,  they  do  but  waste  a  precious  heritage.     "  It  has 
been  felt  for  the  last  three  or  four  months,  if  not  longer, 
that  selling   prices  would  justify  the  owners  in  asking  for 
this  concession,  and  unless  it  is  obtained  it  is  feared  that 
quite  a  number  of  pits  will  have  to  be  closed."     Ye  Gods  ! 
Concession  "  from   the  brawn,    so   that  brains   may    be 
allowed   to  continue  a  little   longer   in   evidence.     These 
days,  it  is  a  concession,  to  be  allowed  to  run  your  business 
your  own  way  !     We  are  a  great  country — thanks  to  the 
Tammany-like  propensities  of  the  political  situation  !     A 
few  weeks  ago,  a  "  prominent  shipowner"  told  us,  that  he 


was  disinclined  to  say  a  word  against  a  crowd  of  workmen 

icause  he   was  chairman   of  some   two-cent  workman's 

club,  and  that  as  the  General  Election  was  so  near-well 

t  would  prejudice  his  political  pull,  if  he  came  forward  to 

peak  the  truth.     But  that  is  another  matter,  and  will  come 

.long  at  another  time.     We  merely  mention  it  here,  for  the 

purpose  of  showing  how  the  workmen  have  managed  to  get 

the  nose   of  some  of  the  employers,  between  their  'orny 

Snger  and   thumb!     Anyhow,   don't  forget    that  "selling 

prices  justify  the  owners  in  asking  for  this  concession." 

It  s  one  way  of  putting  it,  don't  you  think  ? 


"THE  ANTI- ALIEN  SPIRIT." 

UNDER  this  heading,  there  is  a  terrible  quantity   of 
nonsense  going  the  rounds  at  the  moment.     Number- 
less would-be  specialists  at  the  business,  are  under- 
taking to  give  the  country  at  large,  a  wholesome  training 
i.  what  they  would  probably  term,  the  spirit  of  "  bear  and 
"  giving  it  from  out  the  profound  depths  of  their 
ignorance  ;  a  training  that  is  based,  absolutely,  on  a  merely 
academical  consideration;  and,  it  is  highly  probable,  that  not 
e  per  cent,  of  these  intending  regenerators-of-mankind, 
ever  met  a  genuine  alien,  anywhere  save  in  the  pages  of  a 
story-book  !     A  fair  sample  of  the  rubbish  which  is  offered 
the  patient  public,  appeared,  a  few  days  ago,  in  a  London 
daily  contemporary,  which  is  more  or  less   noted  for  its 
finnicky  purism    (on  its   own    showing,   you   understand)  ; 
ilso  for  its  home-made  claim  to  being  "London's  best"- 
whieh.  under  the  circumstances,  is  somewhat  of  a  funereal 
joke  !     Anyhow,  the  "  daily  "  in  question  gave  publicity  to  a 
letter,  which  was  obviously  from  the  pen  of  a  man   who  is 
not   overburdened   with   a  knowledge  of  his  subject— the 
anti-alien  spirit :  at  least,  it  appears  so.  to  us.     Here  is  a 
quotation  from    that  heaven-sent  counsellor:      "We  are 
asked  to  send  back  unfortunate  Jews  to  be  plundered  by 
Russian  Procurator-Generals.     How  then  can  we  complain 
if  the  workmen  of  other  countries  refuse  to  let  our  work- 
men share  the  chances  of  livelihood  with  them,  and  send 
back  our  workmen  to  take  the  chances  of  our  workhouses, 
which  are,  after  all,  more  humane  than  anything  which  is 
open   to  the   Russian  Jews?"      funny,   isn't   it?      Also 
exceedingly  wide  of  the  mark  ?     The  writer  whose  lucu- 
bration we  have  quoted,  doesn't  seem  to  have  a  very  robust 
grasp  of  the  subject,  does  he?     He  cannot   understand 
that  it  is  just  that  loading  up  of  the  rates  in  this  country, 
that  it  is  hoped  to  obviate.     Everybody  is  willing  to  admit 
that  British  workhouses  are  better  than  anything  which  is 
open  to  the  poor  Russian  Jews  ;  but  then,  those  workhouses 
were   not   instituted  for  the  use  of  the    paupers   of    all 
countries.      The   Briton  finds  it   quite    hard    enough,    to 
support  the  poor  of  his  own   race   and   country,  without 
giving  a  free  stem  to  anything  that  is  in  need  -much  as  he 
maydeplore  that  need.  Moreover,  is  it  nota  bit  of  mponshiney, 
to  preach  after  the  manner  of  "  how  then  can  w*e  complain 
if  the  workmen  of  other  countries  refuse  to  let  our  workmen 
share  the  chances  of  livelihood,  with  them  ?  "     There  is  no 
question  of  the  Briton  sharing  a  foreigner's  livelihood,  and 
mainly  for  the  reason  that  the  foreigner  has  no  livelihood 
to  share.     If  he  had  such  a  thing,  he  would  not  want  to 
come  to  Britain  as  a  pauper,  would  he  ?   If  the  writer  whose 
screed  caught  our  eye  on  the  occasion  referred  to,  knew 
anything  of  his  subject,  he  would  understand  that  it  doesn't 
matter  a  toss,  as  to  how  many  aliens  you  admit  into  Britain, 
for  under  no  circumstances  will  the  foreigner  reciprocate 
by  admitting  the  Briton  to  his  land—  even  if  that  Briton 
should  seek  admittance  ;  which  he  doesn't.     So  far  in  the 
merry  game,  the  Briton  is  giving  all,  and  getting  nothing- 
save  a  quantity  of  abuse  from  those  of  his  countrymen  who 
can  see  good  in  all  the  world,  outside  of  the  British  Islands. 
It's  a  quiet  country,  that  will   nourish  such  traitors  ;  it's  a 
queerer  "  daily  "  that  will  "  stick  up  "  for  such  tommy  rot  ? 
Indeed,  it  is  this  free  dumping  of  the  alien,  which  has  made 
such  journals  possible,  isn't  it  ? 


« 99 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


5.   '9°5 


CARDIFF     (AND    OTHER)     COAL. 


CARDIFF.  May  Z.  1905. 

DURING  the  past  week,  business  in  the  local  staple 
trade,  has  undergone  but  little  change.  As  a  matter 
of  fact,  there  has  been  but  very  little  doing,  in 
any  of  its  varied  branches,  although  indications,  at 
the  time  of  writing,  are  of  rather  a  more  pleasing  character. 
That  is  to  say,  there  is  somewhat  of  a  more  reassuring 
feeling  in  the  air -although,  after  all,  that  might  easily  be 
the  result  of  the  balmy  Spring  weather,  and  the  Mayey 
feeling  which  the  "  annual  show  "  brings  with  it !  As  a 
race,  we  are  such  a  "  nervy  "  lot,  that  it  takes  but  very 
little,  either  one  way  or  the  other,  to  affect  us  ! 

STILL,  there  is  a  bit  of  steadiness  about,  and  possibly  it  is 
attributable  to  the  restriction  of  output  consequent  on  the 
late  holidays,  and  also  to  the  fact  that  stems  are  fairly  full 
for  the  same  reason.  All  the  same,  it  cannot  be  truth- 
fully stated  that  the  market  is  being  favoured  with  an 
undue  amount  of  new  business,  even  if.  during  the  past 
day  or  so.  there  is  an  improved  enquiry  in  evidence.  But. 
as  we  have  remarked,  ere  this,  enquiries  do  not  enable  the 
coalowner  to  pay  his  men — and  his  own  incidentals.  He 
needs  considerably  more  than  enquiry,  if  he  would  steer 
clear  of  those  portals  of  which  we  all  wot  ? 

As  already  suggested,  tonnage  supplies  have  been  of  a 
fairly  good  order,  and  collieries,  generally,  are  likely  to  be 
busy  for  the  next  week  or  so.  Being  so.  their  quotations 
are  being  maintained  rather  better,  than  in  the  immediate 
past  especially  for  anything  of  a  prompt  nature,  and 
where  despatch  is  the  ruling  order.  But  with  it  all.  it  is 
but  a  hand-to-mouth  condition,  and  if  prices  are  being 
adhered  to  for  anything  required  ahead,  it  is  more  for  the 
reason  that  there  is  but  precious  little  of  that  kind  doing, 
than  that  there  is  any  undue  hardness  in  the  market. 
Indeed,  it  would  take  but  very  little  active  business,  to 
materially  discount  the  so-called  firm  prices  of  the  moment. 
You  know,  it  is  comparatively  easy  to  be  firm,  when 
away  from  temptation  ?  Eh  ?  Tis  when  the  dogs  of  war 
— as  exemplified  by  the  willing,  if  chary,  buyer — are  about, 
that  the  firmness  is  good  :  if  adhered  to.  Viewed  dis- 
passionately, you  cannot  blame  either  side  of  the  combination 
—  the  seller  for  affecting  a  disinclination  to  sell,  and  the 
buyer  to  buy.  There  is  something  doing—  all  the  time,  and 
if  the  Italian  Railways  contract  isn't  everything,  well,  it's  a 
bit :  a  drop  in  the  bucket  :  a  sobering  down  of  the  hour  of 
discontent !  Of  course,  some  people  would  growl,  if  you 
were  to  buy  up  all  their  stuff  at  30s.  per  ton,  net,  and  if 
you  insisted  on  payment  before  delivery-  with  an  additional 
"  new  hat "  for  every  youth  in  the  office. 

BUT  placed  in  figures,  the  Italian  contract  works  out  to 
295,000  tons — chiefly  of  Newport  qualities — and  it  has 
been  split  up  among  the  local  merchants  at  the  prices 
following : 

Genoa  Savona  Spezzia      .  .       170,000  tons,  at  18s.  2d..  c.if. 

Brindisi          50.000    „      „    17s.  lOd. 

Torre  Annunziata 60,000     „      „    18s.  3d. 

Regpo  30.000     „      „    18s.  7d. 

CivitaVecchia         30,000    „      „    18s.  4.^d. 

all  on  a  guarantee  of  5  per  cent,  ash,  and  not  more  than 
20  per  cent,  small,  on  arrival  in  the  Sunny  South.  If  this  is 
not  discounting,  then,  tell  us  about  it.  Moreover,  we  are 
of  opinion  that  both  coals,  and  freight,  have  shared  in  the 
process.  Coming  to  Large  of  the 

BEST  CARDIFF  ADMIRALTY  denomination,  we  find  that  here. 
as  in  practically  every  other  grade,  the  change  is  infini- 
tesimal since  our  last  time  of  writing.  That  is  to  say, 
13s.  3d.  is  the  demanded  figure  for  the  top  branches. 
Others,  for  "  something  prompt,  sirs."  are  disposed  to  give 
way  to  the  merry  buyer,  to  the  extent  of  the  humble  though 
necessary  threepenny  piece  per  ton  ;  but  sellers,  generally, 
are  inclined  to  be  firm  at  these  figures — until  the  advent  of  an 
overwhelming  temptation  !  It  cannot  be  said  that  there  is 


any  improvement  in  the  actual  demand  :  nibblings,  here  and 
there,  yes ;  but  actual  business,  no.  However,  stems,  here, 
are  sufficiently  good  to  help  maintain  prices  (at  least)  for 
the  time  being  ;  but  as  already  stated,  the  hand-to-mouth 
is  in  evidence  here,  as  elsewhere.  Personally,  we  are  of 
opinion  that  a  firm  buyer— aye,  even  if  he  were  not  unduly 
blessed  with  the  powers  of  persuasion— could  improve  on 
the  "  firm  quotation  "  of  the  moment.  Let  him  come  along 
and  try.  He  '  d  see  things. 

SECONDS,  quotably,  are  at  from  12s.  3d.  to  12s.  9d.— 
according  to  quality,  and  the  date  which  buyer  can  give 
for  shipment.  The  better-class  Seconds,  having  fairly 
good  engagements  that  are  sufficient  to  keep  them  com- 
fortably going,  and  out  of  the  wiles  of  the  buying  person, 
are  sticking  out  for  the  9d. ;  but  the  position  of  the 
collieries,  hereaway,  is  not  altogether  a  satisfactory  one. 
Some  are  well-stemmed  ;  others  the  reverse  :  thus  it  comes 
about,  even  as  we  have  already  told  you,  that  Seconds  are 
obtainable  at  as  low  down  as  12s.  3d. — with  an  absence  of 
undue  firmness,  at  that  !  Lack  of  appreciation,  slackness 
of  new  accumulations— name  it  what  you  will,  and  yet  the 
conditions  as  set  out,  remain. 

ORDINARIES,  have  maintained  their  late  figures — 11s.  6d. 
to  12s.— and  are  steadier  than  they  were.  Thanks  to  the 
recent  holidays,  supplies  were  restricted,  so  that  sellers 
were  favoured  with  an  improvement  in  the  demand. 
Naturally,  then,  stems  filled  up,  and  for  this  week,  there  is 
not  such  an  abundance  of  coal  about,  as  has  obtained  with 
Seconds,  for  some  time  past.  On  the  other  hand,  don't 
imagine  that  these  conditions  have  enabled  sellers  to  "get 
outside  themselves,"  so  to  speak.  They  haven't,  so  that 
the  named  sorts  command  nothing  more  than  11s.  9d.  to 
12s.,  with  others  at  11s.  6d.  Furthermore,  there  is  but 
little  that  is  new  in  this  section,  and  enquiries  for  future 
business  are  by  no  means  numerous,  or  common. 

DRYS,  too,  have  not  been  blessed— or  otherwise — with 
any  improved  demand,  and  stems,  in  this  direction,  continue 
in  a  state  of  slackness.  Naturally  then,  prices  are  yet  as 
weak  as  when  last  we  had  the  pleasure  of  addressing  you. 
Supplies  exceed  the  demand,  and  while  BESTS  may  safely 
be  quoted  at  12s.,  they  can  be  had  at  a  trifle  lower — if  your 
boat  is  in  the  right  position !  INFERIORS,  are  at  from 
11s.  6d.  to  11s.  9d. 

MONMOUTHSHIRE  GOALS  have  shown  a  steady  tone  through- 
out. For  anything  approaching  prompt  shipment,  stems 
are  well-filled,  so  that  requirements  for  this  position,  find 
the  quotations  firm.  Indeed,  in  one  or  two  instances,  an 
advance  on  late  rates  has  been  negotiated.  Generally 
considered,  however,  the  getting  of  them  is  "  up  another 
street !  "  There  has  been  a  little  more  enquiry  for  ship- 
ment ahead  but  nothing  to  become  excited  over.  BLACK 
VEINS  are  on  offer  at  between  lls.  6d.  to  1  Is.  9d.,  although 
they  are  really  worth  nothing  above  the  former  quotation  ; 
and  there  isn't  a  lot  passing  in  them,  even  at  that. 

ORDINARIES  may  be  summed  up  as  being  maintained  at 
lls.  3d.  At  any  rate,  that  is  the  quotation  of  the  seller, 
who  is  well-stemmed,  immediately.  But  here,  even  as  in 
other  qualities,  there  is  not  a  quantity  doing,  and  though 
stems  are  good  enough  to  keep  prices  at  present  levels— for 
the  time — the  tendency  is  toward  easiness,  rather  than 
otherwise. 

SECONDS  are  somewhat  firmer,  at  from  10s.  3d.  to  10s.  6d., 
and  the  latter  figures  represent  the  ideas  of  the  seller, 
generally.  There  has  been  a  better  demand,  and  a  fairly 
good  number  of  bookings  are  recorded.  Thus  it  comes 
about,  that  collieries,  having  little  to  spare,  are  somewhat 
inclined  to  puff  themselves  a  bit.  But,  bless  you,  the  feel- 
ing won't  last.  Nothing  does,  in  this  very  indifferent 
world.  We  have  it  on  the  word  of  a  poet — and  that  is  a 


May  5,   1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


brand  of  human  nature  that  generally  knows,  you  know  ? 

RHONDDA  No.  3's  are  a  steady  department.  For  prompt 
requirements,  prices  continue  firm  at  13s.  9d.  to  14s. 
Stems  are  remarkably  well-filled,  so  that  sellers  can  easily 
ship  the  lip  that  is  styled  stiff.  Forward  accumulations  are 
being  quoted  at  13s.  9d.,  and  taken  altogether,  things  are 
booming  a  bit.  in  Rhondda  No.  3's.  Truth,  however. 
compels  us  to  state,  that  for  forward  business,  there  is  not 
much  doing.  The  buyer  is  doing  the  wooden  act ;  is  sitting 
on  the  fence ! 

RHONDDA  No.  2's,  are  ruling  easy,  at  about  10s.  Busi- 
ness, here,  is  the  reverse  of  brisk,  so  that  the  "  half-a-thick- 

APPROXIMATE     FIGURES     FOR     THE     WEEK,     ARE     AS 

(All  quotations  f.o.b.  at 


'un  "  takes  it,  fairly  easy.  Moreover,  supplies  are  in  excess 
of  the  demand,  and  you  know  what  that  implies,  any- 
where. 

SMALLS,  on  the  other  hand,  have  continued  along  in  their 
highly  respectable  state  as  of  old !  Supplies  continue  to 
be  of  the  limited  order,  and,  once  more,  you  know  what 
that  means.  Then,  there  is  the  item  of  good  stems  to  be 
reckoned  with,  so  that  taken  altogether,  if  "  swelled  head  " 
is  not  the  feature  most  in  evidence  in  this  market — then, 
put  it  lower  down,  an'  it  pleases  you  !  Anyhow,  BESTS  have 
been  negotiated  at  from  8s.  3d.  to  8s.  6d. — other  sorts  in 
proportion. 

FOLLOW  ; 

the  respective  ports  of  shipment,  j 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Best  Cardiff  Ad'altv  Large 

i  3-v  3d. 

135.  3d. 

135.  od.,  135.  3d. 

133.  od. 

133.  od. 

133.  od.,  133.  3d. 

Second         Ditto. 

I2S.  gd. 

I2S.  6d..  12s.  gd. 

I2S.  7Ad. 

I2S.  6d. 

i2s.  6d. 

I2s.  3d.,  i2s.  gd. 

Other  Second  Cardiff      ... 

I2S.  Od.,    I2S.  31!. 

12S.  Od. 

us.  gd.,  I2s.  od. 

12S.  Od. 

us.  gd.,  123.  od. 

i  is.  6d.,  I2s.  od. 

Drys 

I2S.  CXl. 

I2S.  Od. 

us.  9(1. 

i  is.  gd. 

US.  g.1,    123.  Od. 

12S.  Od. 

Best  Newport 

n<.  (xl. 

us.  6d. 

11$.  3d  .,  us.  6d. 

us.  4id. 

us.  6d. 

i  is.  6d. 

Ordinary  Bests 

1  1  ~.  31!. 

us.  3d. 

us.  od.,  us.  3d. 

us.  ijd. 

us.  ijd. 

us.  3d. 

Seconds 

ids.  6d. 

los.  6d. 

los.  4kl. 

los.  4jd. 

i  os.  6d. 

IDS.  3d.,  IDS.  6d. 

Best  House  Coal 

l6s.  od.,  i6s.  M. 

i6s.  3<1. 

i6s.  3d. 

163.  od.,  i6s.  3d. 

1  6s.  od. 

i6s.  od. 

No.  3  Rhondda 

145.  od. 

143.  od. 

13$.  io.\d. 

133.  gd.,  143.  od. 

135.  gd. 

133.  gd. 

No.  2         Ditto. 
Rhondda  3  ••  Thro." 

IDS.  od.,  IDS.  3d. 
119.  od..  I2s.  od. 

IDS.   l.'.'l. 

113.911. 

IDS.  i  Jd. 
us.  gil. 

i  os.  od. 
us.  6cl.,  i2s.  od. 

los.  od. 
us.  gd>,  I2S.  od. 

93.  gd.,  los.  od. 
us.  gd. 

««        *        »t 

.)-   ... 

9s.  od.            j 

8s.  gd. 

8s.  gd. 

gs.  od. 

gs.  od. 

SMlls: 

Best  Cardiff 

8s.  6d. 

8s.  6d. 

8s.  3d.,  8s.  6d. 

8s.  4.',d. 

8s.  3d. 

8s.  3d. 

Seconds 

7».  gd.,  8s.  od 

8s.  od. 

8s.  od. 

73.  lo'd. 

73.  gd. 

•js.  gd. 

Ordinaries 

79.  3d.,  7s.  6d. 

;s.  6d. 

73.  6d. 

73.  3d.,  73.  6d. 

73.  3d. 

73.  3d. 

Best  Newport 

7s.  6d. 

73.  6d. 

75.  3d. 

7s.  3d. 

73.  ocl.,  73.  6d. 

73.  od.,  73.  6d. 

Seconds 

79.  od.,  7s.  31!. 

75.  od. 

t         7s.  od. 

6s.  gd.,  75.  od. 

6s.  gd. 

6s.  gd. 

Rhondda  No.  2 

78.  od.,  7s.  6d. 

75.  3d. 

73.  3d.  . 

75.  od. 

~s.  od. 

6s.  gd.,  73.  3d. 

No.  3 

JS.  gd..  108.  Od. 

i  os.  od. 

93.  gd. 

gs.  gd. 

gs.  6d.,  IDS.  od. 

gs.  6d.,  gs.  gd. 

Foundry  Coke  : 

Special 

2  is.  bd. 

218.  Od. 

2  IS.  Oil. 

2  IS.   3d. 

2  is.  3d. 

213.  Od.,  2IS.  6d. 

Ordinar) 

i8s.  od. 

173.  gd.           j 

175.  gd. 

i8s.  od. 

173.  6d.,  i8s.  od. 

173.  6d.,  173.  gd. 

Furnace  Coke 

i6s.  3<1. 

i6s.  3d. 

i6s.  od. 

i6s.  od. 

i6s.  3d. 

163.  od.,  163.  6d. 

Patent  Fuel 

13*.  <xl. 

133.  od. 

12s.  gd.,  135.  3d. 

133.  od.,  133.  3d. 

133.  od. 

123.  gd. 

Piiwniid    e\  >hlp. 

17-    c»l. 

173.  <x\. 

i6s.  gd. 

i6s.  91!. 

i?s.  oil. 

iys.  od. 

All.  less  2,^  per  cent,  discount,  with  payment  at  thirty  days,  except  where  otherwise  stated. 
All  quotations  for  large  Coals  imply  Colliery  Screened. 


SWANSEA.  May  3.  1905. 

WHILE  it  cannot  be  stated  that  business,  at  Swansea,  has 
been  active,  there  is  yet  a  steadiness  noticeable  in  the  coal 
market.  Prices,  generally,  have  not  changed  materially. 
since  our  last  report,  and  there  is  certainly  insufficient 
passing  to  warrant  any  improvement  in'  values,  at  the 
moment. 

ANTHRACITE  COALS  are  about  steady,  but  nothing  more. 
as.  while  stems,  with  a  few— more  especially  the  better 
class  coals  are  good,  the  demand  is  nothing  great,  and  for 
anything  required  promptly,  buyers  are  able  to  obtain  some 
qualities,  at  a  reduction  on  the  figures  quoted  below. 
Business  generally,  is  slack,  and  prices  are  being  maintained 
only  on  account  of  the  present  engagements  of  the 
collieries.  Best  Malting  Sorts,  range  from  18s.  to  18s.  6d.. 
and  it  is  possible  to  improve  upon  these  figures— if  your 
business  is  in  the  right  quarter.  Big  Veins  are  at  about 
1  Is.  to  lls.  3d.,  and  are  by  no  means  firm.  Red  Veins  are 
being  offered  at  10s.— a  little  higher  or  lower  as  the 
position  determines. 

DUFF,  keeps  steady.  For  prompt  shipment  the  demanded 
figure  is  3s.  3d.,  and  firm  at  that  for  the  Best  Sorts. 


in    an    easy    position 
a  quantity  of  business 


CULM  continues  satisfactory,  inasmuch  as  recent  figures 
have  obtained.  There  has  been  fair  enquiry,  and  this, 
coupled  with  the  present  good  state  of  stems,  enables 
sellers  to  maintain  figures,  which  are  from  5s.  to  5s.  6d., 
according  to  quality. 

MACHINE  MADE  COALS  remain 
throughout.  There  has  not  been 
passing,  and  supplies  are  free. 

STEAMS  are  showing  no  movement,  and  there  is  still  a 
quietness  in  trade,  in  this  department.  In  fact,  there  is  but 
little  that  is  new  to  record  in  the  position  hereaway,  which 
is,  by  no  means,  a  good  one,  for  sellers  are  not  meeting 
with  any  increased  enquiry.  As  a  consequence,  stems, 
generally,  are  slack,  and  prices  are  ruling  easy.  Bests  are, 
on  an  average,  13s.,  and  notwithstanding  the  paucity  of 
demand,  this  is  being  firmly  maintained.  Seconds  are  also 
holding  out  for  the  12s.  Local  Bunker  Sorts  are  an  easy 
section.  -»»' 

PATENT  FUELS  are"  being  quoted  at  lls.  9d.  to  12s.,  but 
the  former  figure  is  representative  value,  which  is  about 
steady. 


BELOW,  we  give  the-ftfetage  prices  for  the  week  : — 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Anthracite: 

lleM    Hand    Picked 
Maltin*  Large 
Seconds    do. 
Bin  Vein  Urge 
Red 

189.  od.,  19*.  od. 
i6s.  6d,  178.  6d. 
iis.  3d. 
los  od. 

i8s.  6d. 
173.  od. 
i  is.  3d. 
los.  od. 

i8s.  od. 
173.  od. 
us.  6d. 
gs.  gd.,  los.  od. 

1  8s.  3d. 
1  6s.  gd 
us.  od.,  us.  6c. 
gs.  gd. 

1  8s.  3d. 
163.  gd. 
us.  3d. 
los.  od. 

i8s.  od.,  183.  6d. 
i6s.  6d.,  173.  od. 
us.  od.,  us.  3d. 
IDS.  od.,  IDS.  3d. 

Machine  Made  Cobbles 
..    Nuts 

i6s.  od.,  i6s.  6d. 
l6s.  v> 

i6s.  3d. 
1  6s.  od.,  1  6s.  3d. 

l6s.  3d. 
1  6s.  od. 

1  6s.  6d. 
1  6s.  od. 

i6s.  6d. 
163.  3d. 

i6s.  3d.,  i6s.  6d. 
163.  od.,  i6s.  6d. 

Peas 

los.  90. 

tos.  gd. 

los.  6d.,  los.  gd. 

IDS.  7  id. 

IDS.  6d. 

los.  6d. 

Uuhhiv  Culm 
Duff 

59.  od.,  59.  6d. 

ys.  od..  v- 

5s.  3d. 
38.  3d- 

5s.  3d. 
39.  od. 

53.  od.,  53.  6d. 
33.  od. 

53.  3d. 
33.  od.,  33.  6d. 

53.  od.,  53.  6d. 
3S-  3d. 

Patent   Fuel: 

Iis.  9d. 

us.  gd. 

us.  6d.,  128.  od. 

us.  gd.,  i2s.  od. 

us.  gd. 

us.  gd. 

SIMM:  - 
Best    Large 

Seconds  ,. 
Bunktr    „ 
Thr.i    aid  Thro' 

139.  3d. 

129.    3d. 

tos.  M.,  109.  gd. 
8s.  gd.,  99.  od. 

135.  3d- 

128.   li'l. 

i  os.  oil. 
gs.  od. 

133.  od.,  135.  3d. 

123.    lid. 
IOS.  (>il. 

gs.  od. 

133.  od. 

I2S.  od.,   12S.  30. 

IDS.  6d.,  us.  od. 
8s.  gd.,  gs.  3d. 

133.  od. 
I2S.  3d. 
IDS.  gd. 
gs.  od.,  gs.  3d. 

133.  lid. 
i2s.  3d. 
IDS.  gd. 
gs.  od. 

201 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


May  5,   1905. 


|    COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURE^ 


CARDIFF.  May  Z.  1905. 

THE  holidays  are  over  !  Let  there  be  no  mistake  about  that !  If 
anybody  has  a  haunting  doubt  on  the  subject,  a  casual  glance  at  the 
appended  list  will  rapidly  dispel  it  ? 

GENERALLY  speaking,  rates  are  unchanged.  Especially  1  >r  tm 
Mediterranean  portion  of  the  merry  whirl,  which  as  usual  has  taken 
most  of  the  stuff  which  has  been  offered.  For  EASTERN  or  WESTERN 
business  well,  in  spite  of  the  rumours  which  are  about  to  the  contrary. 
there  is  but  little  doing  in  either  direction.  The  Russian  friend  might 
be  on  the  look-out  for  all  manner  of  handy  tonnage  -in  fact,  he  is : 
but  so  far.  the  look-out  act  is  all  that  has  eventuated. 

FOR  the  BALTIC?  Yes  !  There  is  a  movement-  and  that  is  all. 
For  the  bay.  there  is  nothing  startling,  either  in  volume  or  price  ;  and 
neither  outward  nor  homeward.  We  shall  not  particularise,  for  you  II 
find  'em  all  in  the  list. 

COASTWISE,  business  has  been  as  good  as  the  average,  with  prices 
at  the  precise  and  disappointing  notch  which  has  obtained  (apparently  .) 
for  ever. 

ANYHOW,  a  quiet  glance  over  the  following  fixtures,  will  put  you  in 
touch  with  practically  all  that  is  worthy  of  attention,  in  this  phase  of 
the  shipping  entity  : 

Week  Ending,  (Wednesday),  May  3,  1905 

(N)   denotes    Newport,    (8)  Swansea.   (P.  T.)    Por*    Talbot,    loading. 

EASTERN. 

Perim,     Huron  Eldon,  4,800  tons,    73.  io^d. 
Colombo,     /iiniiii,  ss.  3d. 

A  infer,  8s.  3d.  June. 
Mauritius,     Steamer,    6,000  tons,    los.  6d. 

WESTWARD,     Etc. 

Madeira,  AW/i.sviv,  2,500  tons,  6s.  6d. 

Blnfiiai'tiii,  2,500  tons,  6s.  6d. 
Vera  Cruz,     Asuncion  de  Larrinaga,  5,600  tons,  75.  6d. 

Biilisli  'I' ruder,    -js.  6d. 

Patras,     ,/W/wi.s,  2,800  tons,  73.  coal.^s.  gd.  fuel,   (s). 
Rio  de  Janeiro,  Steamer,  3,300  tons,  8s.  gd. 

MEDITERRANEAN,     Etc. 

Port   Said,    Huron,  4,000   tons,    6s.  6d. 
Klialif,  6s.  3d. 

Etonian,  5,500  tons,    6s.  4^d. 
Llandrindod,   5,500  tons,    6s.  4^d. 
Millicent  Knight,  4,800  tons,    6s.  3d. 
I'rcdfriclt  Kniglil,  4,900  tons,    6s.  3d. 
Steamer,  6,500  tons,   6s.  2d. 
Steamer,   3,700  tons,    6s.  3d. 
Genoa,     Steamer,    2,800   tons,    6s.  7|d. 
Barry,  3,000  tons,  6s.  7|d. 
George  M.  Einbcricos,   5,700  tons,    6s.  7|d. 
J.  M.  de  Pinillos,  6s.  7|d.  option  Savona/Spezzia. 
Atlila,  4,500  tons,   6s.  8d. 
Steamer,    4,000  tons,  6s.  7^d. 
Litigino,,    2,400  tons,  6s.  "Jd. 
Constantinople,     Aberporth,  2,400  tons,  6s.  6d.  spot. 

Red  Jacket,   2,400  tons,  6s.  6d. 
Alexandria,     Rninleh,    3,200  tons,    73. 
Bellerby,  4,000  tons,    6s.  gd. 
J////-S  (i.rerddle,  3,400  tons,  6s.  7^d.    spot. 
ll'ingrove,  6,000  tons,    6s.  4id. 
Colnniba,   5,200  tons,    6s.  3d. 
Ilalinna,    3,600   ton;-,  6s.   7|d. 

Syra,     Haetldem;      2,800  tons,   6s.  74d.  Option  Piraeus. 
Barcelona,     Diligent,  2,500  tons,    73.  ppt. 
Earnii'nnd,   2, 100  tons,    7*. 
Alrntttnia,   2,700  tons,    6s.  io4d. 
Tunis,    Jo/in  Maryclmrcli.     1,800   tons,    8-50    fcs.     coal, 

9-50  francs,    fuel. 
Clyiiiene,    1,650  tons,   8-75  francs. 
Naples,     M  interne,    4,200  tons,    6s.  3d.    (N). 
Valencia,     Cyinrinn,    1.200  tons,    73.  coal,    73.  gd.  fuel,  (s). 

lliingf^iindi  800  tons,   75.  (N). 
Venice,     .Steamer,  2,800  tons,    ;>.  7|d. 

. -In idni -fit-ssti  Marie  Teresa,  4,000  tons,   75.  gd. 
.In/lioiiY  Radcliffe,  3,500  tons,  8s.  3d.  coal,  ns.  fuel,  (s). 
Steamer,  3,400  tons,   78.  7Jd. 
Nordkyn,  4,500  tons,   7s.   7^d. 
Bnrlby,  3,000  tons,  8s.  4^d.  (s). 
Leghorn,     ('nraninn,    1,500  tons,    6s.  io4d.   (s). 
Torre,     Steamer,  3,600  tons,   75.  option  Civita  Vecchia/ 

or  Leghorn. 

Algiers,     Allmnim,  2,200  tons,    7-25  francs,  ppt.   (N). 
Lisbon,     RIM  in,   1,750  tons,   43.  7^d. 

Mariina,   2,100  tons,  43.  6d. 
Messina,     Steamer,  3,000  tons,   6s.  gd.  500    iod. 

Raguxa,   1,800  tons,    6s.  gd.   (N). 
Ortona,     Llanbcris,  2,800  tons,    8s.   (s). 


Marseilles,    Jane  Radcliffe,    2,200   tons,    8  fcs. 
Mont  Blanc,  3,200  tons,   7-75  francs. 
Steamer,   4,000  tons,    7-75  francs. 
Steamer,    5,000  tons,   7-25  francs. 
Monaco,     Silurian  or  Canganian,   1,200  tons,   8s. 
Reggio,     Steamer,  3,600  tons,    73.  3d. 
Huelva,     Rudolf  Retslaff,  1,550  tons,   4s.  ioid.  (N). 
Activo,   1,550  tons,  43.  gd.   (N). 
Cassia,    i, 300  tons,    53.  3d. 
Malta,     Steamer,   3,000   tons,  55.  yd. 

Peiicalcnick,  2,200  tons,  55.  gd.  (N). 
Pauillac,     Thomas  Coates,   1,300  tons,    4-15  francs.   (N). 
Spezzia,     Steamer,     1,900   tons,    6s.    io|d.    coal,    73. 

fuel,  (s). 

Salamis,     Trwose,  4,300  tons,   6s.  gd. 
Oran,     Cadoxton,    2, 200  tons,  7-50  fcs.  coal,  8-50  fcs.  fuel,  (s). 

I'li/in,  2,000  tons,  7-25  francs.  (N). 
Pasages,     Luise,   1,900  tons,   43.  i^d.   (N). 

Corrwg,   53. 
Oporto,     Invin,   1,150  tons,   43.  gd.    (N). 

Skald,   1,450  tons,    45.  lojd. 
Piraeus,  Steamer,   2,800  tons,  6s.  6d. 
Gibraltar,     Muriel,  2,400  tons,   33.  yd. 

BALTIC,  Etc. 
Cronstadt,     Altair,   1,200  tons,   43.  gd. 

i'aiil  Horn,   2,000  tons,  43.  gd. 
Copenhagen,     Lars  Kru&e,  2,100  tons,  45.  3d. 
Helsingfors,     Axpe,    i, 600  tons,    43.  gd. 

BAY,     Etc. 

Arcachon,     Aberlay,    1,200  tons,    5-87!  francs. 
Chantenay,     Trafalgar,  2,100  tons,  4-55  francs. 

Camargo,   2,400  tons,    4-50  francs. 

Nantes,     Adoiir,  1,400  tons,  4-87*  fcs.,  option  Chantenay. 
La  Rochelle,     Sharon,  1,800  tons,  4-25  fcs.  option  Roche- 
forte,  4-50  francs,    (s). 

COASTING,     Etc. 

Newry,     Bombardier,   220  tons,    33.  6d.   (s). 
Hamburg,     Steamer,  700  tons,    43.  6d.  (s). 

Steamer,    2,200  tons,    43. 
Rouen,     Queen,  600  tons,    43.  io|d.  (s). 
Alice  M.  Oai'g,  1,200  tons,    43.  6d.    (s). 
Curran,   1,450  tons,   43.  6d.   (s). 
Maywood,    1,550  tons,  43.  6d.   (s). 
SL  Kevin,    550  tons,    53.   (s). 
Boulogne,   Dolphin,  450  tons,    43.  6d.    (s). 
St.  Brieuc,     Steamer,  480  tons,    43.  gd.   (s). 

Steamer,   570  tons,   53.  (s). 
Havre,     Raloo,   1,350  tons,   33.  ioid.  (s). 
Gransha,  1,350  tons,    33.  gd. 
SniK/o,    1,000  tons,    33.  io|d. 
St.  Malo,     Clonlee,   1,350  tons,  33.  gd. 
Hawlbowline,     Bass  Rock,  800  tons,  33.     (Admiralty). 
Devonport,     Greenhill,  2,500  tons,   25.  3d.  (Admiralty). 

Speediuell,     1,200    tons,     as.    3d.  ,, 

Belfast,     Volney,  280  tons,    33.  3d.   (s). 
Caen,     St.  Kevin,  550  tons,    43.    (s). 
Fecamp,     Staglwund,  500  tons,   43.  '6d.    (s). 
Portland,     Eleinore,     1,100  tons,  as.  3d.   (Admiralty). 
Sheerness     Alice  M.  Craig,    1,150  tons,  33.  3d.  (Admiralty) 
Dieppe,     Speedwell,  1,200  tons,  33.  gd. 
London,     Steamer,     700/1,000    tons,     33.    gd.,     option 

Rochester,  33.  io|d.  (s). 
Brest,  Steamer,   580  tons,  43.  6d.  (s). 
Limhamn,  Steamer,   1,000  tons,   53.  (s). 

HOMEWARD. 

Bilbao   to  Cardiff,    Arriluze,  3,000  tons,    45.  ppt.     ore. 
,,  ,,  Elniville,  2,500  tons,  43. 

,,  „  Trewellard,  3,200  tons,  43. 

,,  ,'  Gena,  4,000  tons,  33.  gd. 

Almeria  Harbour  to  Cardiff,  Steamer,  3,300  tons  43.  ioid. 

f.d. 

Port  Vendres  to  Cardiff,    Steamer,  2,500  tons,  43.  y4d.  f.d. 
Bordeaux          „         ,,  Bavaria,  43.  gd. 

„  ,,     Card  iff/ Barry,    Me/rose    Abbey,     1,400 

tons,   45.    gd. 

Villagarcia  to  Cardiff/Barry/or  Newport,   Juno,    6s.  gd. 
Bilbao  to  Newport,    Thomas  Coates,    1,400  tons,    43.  i|d. 

ppt.,  ore. 

Pasages,,         „  Steamer,   1,650  tons,   43.  i|d.   ppt. 

„        ,,         ,,  Luise,   i. goo  tons,  43.   i|d. 


May    5.     1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


202 


MARITIME  <££.  MONEY  MATTERS. 


MATTERS  in  the  financial  world  might  easily  be 
worse,  you  know,  and— well,  for  that  matter, 
they  might  be  better.  In  either  case,  there  are 
bound  to  be  dissentients,  for  the  present  is  the  vogue  of 
that  class  of  individual.  We  heard  a  man  bewailing  the 
hard  lot  of  the  local  investor,  and  after  questioning  him 
a  littfe,  we  found  that  he  claimed  to  have  some  kind  of 
interest  in  the  Penarth  Promenade  and  Landing  Pier, 
Limited  ;  also,  that  the  partially  alliterative  'concern 
was  not  doing  so  well  as  it  might  be  doing — if  it  were 
only  doing  better!  For  our  part,  we  are  not  surprised 
that  the  dear  little  concern  is  "sinking  it."  When  folk 
engineer  an  alliteration,  it  should  be  perfect,  or  nothing. 

•f  -f  •»• 

NOW,  if  the  pretty  little  affair  to  which  we  are 
referring,  had  been  known  to  the  world  as  Penarth 
Promenade  and  Pier-landing,  Limited,  you  can  see,  at 
once,  that  there  is  ever  so  much  more  euphonism  in  the 
thing,  than  exists  at  present?  It's  all  very  well  for 
would-be  Sages  to  remark,  "What's  in  a  name?"  But, 
really,  there  is  an  awful  lot  in  it.  If  our  problematical 
Penarth  Promenade  and  Pier-landing,  Limited,  were 
paying  a  dividend  of  10  per  cent,  per  annum;  and  the 
Penarth  Promenade  and  Landing  Pier,  Limited,  showed, 
for  the  same  period,  a  loss  of  £20  15s.  2d.— especially 
the  tuppence — as  it  has  done  over  the  past  year's 
working ;  well,  there  would  be  a  considerable  difference 
in  the  name,  wouldn't  there? 

•f    4-    -f 

ANYHOW,  the  latter  amount  and  tale,  was  what 
Mr.  John  Cory  (Messrs.  Cory  and  Sons),  as  chairman  of 
the  twelfth  annual  meeting,  had  to  tell ;  and  we  can 
quite  understand,  that  he  might  have  felt  disappointed. 
Of  course,  the  gentleman  might  have  been  glad,  for  even 
on  that  showing,  the  little  concern  had  done  better  than 
it  had  managed  to,  over  the  year  immediately  preceding. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  in  the  previous  year,  the  loss  was 
£71  8s.  lOd.  (tuppence  short  of  the  level  9s.)  so  it  is 
merely  necessary  to  work  out  a  "  simple  proportion  "  to 
find  when,  at  the  present  rate  of  ''  increase,"  the  ultimate 
dividends  will  approximate  into  the  10  per  cent.  row. 

•f   -f   •»• 

HOWEVER,  the  twelfth  annual  meeting  has  been  held; 
the  loss  was  shown  to  be  £20  15s.  2d. ;  and  the  credit 
balance  to  be  carried  forward,  amounted  to — take  a 
breath,  here,  please— £1  14s.  (all  but  a  penny).  We 
believe  that  the  report  was  adopted  without  discussion. 
If  so,  this  is  another  sign  of  economical  working,  isn't  it'/ 
The  good  people  didn't  waste  any  breath,  and  absence  of 
waste  is  true  economy?  Still,  there  should  be  a  better 
showing  over  the  next  year,  for  with  two  lines  of  boats 
running  eh,  things  are  looking  up.  generally,  and  the 
Penarth  Promenade  and  Landing  Pier,  Limited,  should 
share  in  the  general  prosperity.  We  sincerely  hope  so, 
anyhow.  So  do  some  of  the  shareholders. 

•f  •»••»• 

BUT,  please  don't  run  away  with  the  idea  that  all  piers 
are  money-losing  concerns.  They  aren't.  There  are 
good  and  bad  among  pier  companies,  even  as  there  are 
also  indifferent  ones.  There  is  the  Hastings  Pier  Com- 
pany, for  instance.  It  certainly  did  better  than  its  com- 
petitor if  we  may  put  it  thus  at  Penarth.  The  Hastings 
affair  paid  up  to  the  extent  of  3i  per  cent.,  and  added 
another  £500  to  its  alterations  account.  Moreover,  it 
carried  forward  exactly  one  gross  of  sovereigns — £144.. 
Taken  altogether.  Hastings  would  appear  to  have  the 
bulge  on  Penarth  ;  but  even  so.  pier  concerns  do  not 
strike  one  as  being  hilariously  remunerative  enterprises 


there    is  so  much   of   the   capriee-of-the-eommunity    in 

connection  with  them  ? 

+  +  -f 

TIME  and  again,  we  have  told  you  things  about 
"bucket  shops."  Haven't  we,  now?  Yes?  Well,  our 
esteemed  contemporary,  the  Daily  Mail,  with  its  colossal 
circulation,  is  engaged  on  the  same  business.  In  its 
May-day  issue,  we  note  the  following: 

"The  'bucket  shops'  are  busy  with  their  invitations  to  the 
public  to  gamble.  It  may  be  as  well  to  state  that  any  circulars 
received  from,  and  any  advertisements  by,  professed  stockbrokers, 
are  not  those  of  members  of  the  London  or  most  other  leading 
Exchanges.  And  it  seems  a  pity  that  the  public  should  go  outside 
these  responsible  bodies  to  transact  business.  As  regards  mere 
gambling,  whether  upon  a  '  £10  strict  limit,'  as  advised  by — (supply 
what  name  best  suits  you),  who  ask  the  public  to  write  for  their 
booklet  (How  to  Crow  Wealthy,  say),  the  person  possessed  of  small 
savings  may  remain  absolutely  convinced  that,  if  he  indulges  in 
these  operations,  or  indeed,  in  any  form  of  market  gambling,  he 
will  lose  his  money." 

+   +   + 

THERE  you  are!  After  this,  don't  pretend  that  you 
haven't  been  warned.  Not  only  in  the  Golden  City,  does  • 
the  '  bucket  shop"  person  prosper,  in  a  manner  in  direct 
ratio  to  his  unscrupulousness.  There  are  places  other 
than  in  London,  where  Mr.  Buckets  preys  upon  the 
unwary,  and  poses  as  a  blot  on  the  legitimate  stock- 
broker's fair  escutcheon.  Of  course,  the  stockbroker 
is  partly  to  blame,  in  that  he  doesn't  sweep  the  reproach 
from  his  midst.  He  could,  an'  he  would,  you  know. 
And  don't  forget  that  in  many  instances,  the  suave  and 
semi-religious  "  bucket  shop"  man  is  most  to  be  dreaded 
in  this  connection.  He  is  so  "soapy,"  that  the  uninitiated 
could  not,  for  the  life  of  them,  believe  one  apparently 
unkind  word  about  him.  This  is  exactly  where  the 
gentleman  "  comes  in,"  and  where  the  investor-through- 

his-help  goes  out!     So,  'ware  Buckets  ! 

+  -»•  + 

WE  have  also  told  you,  times  out  of  number,  that  it 
takes  some  pretty  keen  struggling  to  make  a  dry  dock 
pay.  You  see,  there  are  just  as  many  metaphorical 
"  bucket  shops  "  in  the  dry  dock  world,  as  there  are  in 
stockbroking  -perhaps,  more  !  Anyhow,  even  as  the 
stockbroking  bucket-shop  keeper's  expenses  are  prac- 
tically nil ;  so  is  it  with  he  of  the  ship  repairing  fraternity. 
Thus  it  comes  about,  that  when  a  dry  dock  concern 
manages  to  pay  a  bit  on  its  year's  working,  there  is 
actual  reason  for  congratulation  to  those  concerned. 
When  business  is  flourishing  everywhere,  it  doesn't  take 
an  undue  amount  of  pushfulness  to  bring  in  a  dividend  ; 
but,  when  business  is  exactly  the  reverse,  well,  if  the 
•  ilness  is  not  in  evidence,  you  can  bo  absolutely 

sure  that  the  dividend  will  not  be. 

+  +  + 

IN  this  connection,  we  might  as  well  give  you  an 
excerpt  from  the  report  and  balance  sheet  of  the  Bute 
Shipbuilding,  Engineering  and  Dry  Dock  Company, 
Limited.  "The  balance  to  the  credit  of  profit  and  loss 
account  for  the  year,  after  allowing  for  depreciation,  etc., 
amounts  to  £4,270  12s.  8d.  To  this  amount  is  added  the 
£24,718  3s.  9d.,  brought  forward  from  last  account, 
making  a  total  of  £28,988  16s.  5d.  The  directors  recom- 
mend the  payment  of  a  dividend  of  2J  per  cent.,  free  of 
Income  Tax,  which  will  amount  to  £4,375,  leaving  £24,613 
16s.  5d.  to  be  carried  forward  to  next  account."  In 
addition  to  this,  we  note  that  ample  depreciation  has  been 
allowed  off  the  year's  working — over  £5,000,  in  point  of 
fact- -so  that  the  dividend  has  not  been  "  wrung  out  "  at 
the  expense  of  the  property.  More  power  to  your 
elbow,  over  there.  May  you  double  it,  during  the  next 
year's  working. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May   5,    1905 


5?     SHIPBUILDING, 


DURING  March.  Scottish  shipbuilding  figures  show  that 
the  launches  numbered  56.  and  the  vessels  measured 
38.490  tons,  making  a  total  for  the  first  four  months  of  the 
year,  of  155.206  tons.  This  is  less  in  number  of  vessels 
than  last  year  by  1 1.  but  larger  in  measurement  by  1 1.393 
tons.  To  the  month's  total,  the  Clyde  contributed  25 
vessels  of  52.745  tons,  the  Forth.  6  vessels  of  4.840  tons, 
the  Tay,  1  vessel  of  520  tons,  and  the  Dee  and  Moray 
Firth.  4  vessels  of  585  tons.  The  contracts  reported  for 
the  month,  make  a  total  of  only  about  15,800  tons,  which 
will  not  by  any  means  fill  the  berths  vacated  by  the  launches 
of  the  new  boats,  and  what,  with  the  promise  of  labour 
troubles,  and  the  dull  trade  which  must  follow  the  present 
slackness  in  the  placing  of  orders,  the  tonnage  produced 
during  1905,  by  Scotch  builders  is  not  likely  to  be  above 

the  average. 

+  +  + 

FOR  some  time  past,  the  once  famous  yard  of  Messrs. 
R.  Napier  &  Son.  Govan.  has  been  in  the  market  for  sale," 
but  as  yet.  without  a  purchaser,  the  upset  price  of  £1 10.000 
being  apparently  too  high.  The  last  vessel  to  be  launched 
from  the  yard,  was  a  spec,  boat  of  4.200  tons  gross,  which 
is  still  without  a  purchaser.  This  vessel  was  laid  down 
simply  to  keep  the  men  going  for  some  time,  when 
business  was  being  transferred  to  Messrs.  Beardmore's  new 
yard  at  Dalmuir.  a  more  commodious  yard,  and  one  where 
the  difficulty  of  launching  large  vessels  would  not  be  felt. 
The  immense  undertakings  of  this  firm,  made  the  removal 
a  matter  of  absolute  necessity,  and  means  that  the  history 
of  Napiers'  comes  to  an  end.  Mr.  Robert  Napier  who 
founded  the  original  firm  in  1841,  executed  about  400 
separate  contracts,  including  orders  for  machinery  and 
warships  from  the  French,  Russian,  Dutch,  Danish,  Turkish, 
and  of  course,  the  British  Governments.  The  business 
was  taken  over  by  Messrs.  Beardmore  &  Go.,  about  four 

years  ago. 

+  +  + 

ANOTHER  of  the  Nord  Steam  Shipping  Company's  steamers 
which  have  been  laid  up  in  the  Tyne  since  the  amalgama- 
tion of  that  Company  with  the  Finland  Steam  Shipping 
Company,  has  just  been  sold.  The  Nord  II.  was  sold  a  few 
weeks  ago,  to  the  Great  Central  Railway  Company,  to  run 
between  Grimsby  and  Antwerp.  The  Nord  I.  has  now 
been  sold  to  Mr.  M.  Jebsen,  of  Hamburg,  and  the  price  paid 
is  said  to  be  about  £22,500.  The  Nord  HI.  is  still  lying  in 
the  Tyne  for  sale.  The  Nord  I.  was  built  by  Messrs.  Sir 
Raylton  Dixon  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  Middlesbrough,  in  1902. 
Dimensions.  239ft.  7in.  x  55ft.  5m.  x  20ft.  7m. ;  with 
engines,  22in.,  55in.,  59in.  x  59in.  stroke,  by  Messrs. 
Richardson,  Westgarth  &  Co.,  Ltd.  She  is  of  superior 
type,  with  passenger  accommodation,  and  was  specially 
built  for  the  regular  provision  and  emigrant  service  between 
Finland  and  the  Tyne,  and  the  Humber. 

•»   +  -f 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Veronique,  at  present  lying  at 
Panama,  is  reported  sold  to  South  American  buyers  at 
about  £30,000.  She  was  formerly  the  Union-Castle  liner 
Harlech  Castle,  purchased  a  few  months  ago  by  the  Earl 
Fitzwilliam,  D.S.O.,  to  take  a  party  of  treasure  hunters  to 
the  Cocos  Island.  It  will,  no  doubt,  be  remembered  that  the 
expedition  was  abandoned,  owing  to  an  accident  to  the 
party  during  blasting  operations  on  the  Island.  She  was 
built  and  engined  by  Messrs.  Barclay,  Curie  &  Co.,  Ltd., 
Glasgow,  in  1894.  Dimensions  550ft.  x  42ft.  Sin.  x 
28ft.  6in.  ;  3,264  tons  gross  ;  with  engines  26Xin.,  44in., 

70in.  x  45in.  stroke. 

•f  +  + 

MESSRS.  ROBERT  STEPHENSON  &  Co.,  of  Hebburn-on-Tyne, 
have  secured  the  order  of  the  Cardiff  Railway  Company,  for 


two  large  hoppers,  which  are  to  have  an  exceptional  beam 
of  40  feet,  and  will  be  fitted  with  powerful  compound 
engines,  by  the  Shields  Engineering  and  Dry  Dock  Com- 
pany. The  builders  have  guaranteed  delivery  of  the  first 
hopper  in  twelve  weeks  from  the  date  of  receiving  the 
signed  order,  and  the  second,  in  fifteen  weeks,  very  quick 
work,  which  serves  to  illustrate  the  resources  of  the 

Hebburn  yard. 

+  +  + 

IT  is  reported  that  the  iron  screw  steamer  Castlefield, 
owned  by  the  Field  Steam  Shipping  Company,  Limited, 
Stockton,  has  been  sold  to  a  Glasgow  firm  at  about  £9,500. 
She  was  built  by.Messrs.  Richardson.  Duck  &  Co.,  Stockton, 
in  1890.  Dimensions  277ft.  x  37ft.  Sin.  x  21ft.  9in. ; 
2,254  tons  gross  ;  carries  about  3,200  tons  deadweight ; 
with  engines  21in.,  35in.,  57in.  x  39in.  stroke,  by  Messrs. 

Blair  &  Co.,  Ltd. 

-f  +  + 

THE  iron  screw  steamer  Robina,  lately  owned  by  the 
Stag  Line,  Ltd.,  North  Shields,  has  been  sold  to  Messrs. 
Bo-zo  &  Co.,  of  Genoa,  at  about  £6,500.  She  was  built 
by  the  Tyne  Iron  Shipbuilding  Company,  Ltd.,  in  1884. 
Dimensions  :  287ft.  x  37ft.  x  22ft.  2,058  tons  gross  ;  with 
engines  30in.,  63in.  x  39in.  stroke,  by  the  North  Eastern 
Marine  Engine  Company. 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Inverclyde,  has  been  sold  to 
the  Hamburg  American  Line,  at  about  £50,000.  She  was 
built  this  year  by  Messrs.  G.  Gonnell  &  Co.,  Ltd..  Glasgow, 
for  Messrs.  Royden  &  Wilson,  of  Liverpool.  Dimensions 
376ft.  9in.  x  49ft.  Sin.  x  26ft.  Sin.  ;  4,150  tons  gross, 
with  engines  24in.,  41in..  68in.  x  45in.  stroke,  by  Messrs. 
Dunsmuir  &  Jackson. 

+  +  + 

THE  iron  screw  steamer  Tremayne,  lately  owned  by 
Messrs.  E.  Hain  &  Sons,  St.  Ives,  is  reported  sold  to 
Norwegian  buyers  at  about  £8,000.  She  was  built  and 
engined  by  Messrs.  J.  Readhead  &  Go.,  South  Shields,  in 
1886.  Dimensions,  259ft.  x  36ft.  x  17ft.  9in.  1,578  tons 
gross :  with  engines  30in.,  58in.  x  36in.  stroke. 

+  +  + 

THE  Great  Eastern  Railway  Company's  iron  twin  screw 
steamer  Norwich,  has  been  sold  for  £3,075.  She  was 
built  and  engined  by  the  Earle's  Company,  Limited,  Hull, 
in  1883.  Dimensions  260ft.  x  31ft.  4in.  x  15ft.;  1,117 
tons  gross  :  with  two  sets  of  engines,  each  30in..  57in. 

x  36in.  stroke. 

+  +  + 

A  NEW  steamer  of  about  5,500  tons  deadweight,  now  build- 
ing by  Messrs.  Swan,  Hunter  &  Wigham  Richardson,  Ltd., 
Wallsend,  has  been  sold  to  Messrs.  Adam  Brothers,  of 
Newcastle.  She  is  nearly  ready  for  launching,  and  the 
price  paid  is  said  to  be  about  £35,000. 

+  +  + 

MESSRS.  GRAY  &  Co.,  LTD.,  have  received  orders  from  a 
Hartlepool  firm,  for  the  construction  of  two  single  deck 
cargo  steamers,  each  of  about  6,000  tons,  deadweight 
capacity. 

-f  +  + 

THE  Argo  Steam  Navigation  Company,  Bremen,  are  the 
purchasers  of  the  steamer  Lestris,  recently  reported  sold. 
She  has  been  renamed  Condor. 

-f  +  + 

MESSRS.  G.  NENCIOLI  &  Co.,  of  Leghorn,  are  the  pur- 
chasers of  the  steamer  Boyne,  recently  reported  sold.  She 
has  been  renamed  Giovanni. 


May  5,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


204 


PATENTS  & 


M»RKS 


Relating    to    SHIPPING   and    the    COAL    TRADE. 


Specifications  published  on  April  20,  1905,  together 
with  an  indication  of  their  subject  matter,  the  title 
being  printed  in  Italics. 

8,174  04  —  FORD—  Improvements    in    safety    apparatus  for 
pit  cages. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  safety  device  for  gradually 
arresting  the  descent  of  a  pit  cage  on  fracture  of  the 
winding  rope.  This  is  effected  by  providing  the  actuat- 
ing levers  of  the  device  for  gripping  the  guide  ropes,  with 
leaf  springs  which  on  fracture  of  the  rope  are  pressed  by 
pins  mounted  on  the  side  of  the  cage  and  gradually 
depress  the  levers.  The  levers  and  grips  are  mounted 
on  a  plate  which  has  a  limited  relative  motion  with 
regard  to  the  cage  so  that  when  the  safety  device  is 
called  into  action  the  cage  in  falling  in  advance  of  the 
plate  brings  the  pins  into  contact  with  the  springs  and 
eventually  with  the  ends  of  the  levers. 

9,032  04— SIEMENS  BROS.  &  Co.,  LTD.—  Improvements 
relating  to  cableways  for  use  in  conveying  material  over 
large  areas. 

This  invention  relates  to  cableways  for  use  when 
excavating  a  dock  or  canal  and  its  object  is  to  reduce  the 
number  of  cables  employed.  Hitherto  such  cableways 
consisted  of  a  number  of  cables  suspended  from  two 
moveable  towers  arranged  to  run  on  rails  one  each  side 
of  the  canal  &c.  According  to  the  present  invention  by 
the  use  of  an  electric  telpher  taking  its  current  from  a 
trolley  wire  and  adapted  to  automatically  lower  and  raise 
its  bucket  or  provided  with  a  cage  for  an  operator,  only 
one  cable  is  required  the  operating  cables  by  this  means 
being  dispensed  with. 

11,44504— THE    BRITISH    THOMSON-HOUSTON    Co., 
LTD. — Improvements  in  hoisting  systems. 

This  invention  relates  to  the  electric  hoisting  of 
anchors.  Its  object  is  to  overcome  the  defect  of  the 
blowing  of  the  fuses  or  burning  out  of  the  motor  when 
the  motor  becomes  stalled  by  an  overload  on  the  motor 
when  the  resistance  of  the  anchor  to  hoisting  becomes 
too  great.  This  object  is  effected  by  employing  a 
generator  of  less  current  supplying  capacity  than  the 
capacity  of  the  motor. 

11.943/04—  RE E.S— Improvements  in  electric  miners'  sajety 
lamps. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  miners'  electric  lamp  in 
which  the  circuit  is  held  closed  by  a  flexible  diaphragm 
arranged  at  the  bottom,  of  the  glass  lamp  bell  and  dis- 
placed by  a  fluid  forced  under  pressure  inside  the  bell. 
A  special  feature  being  the  use  of  a  spring  pressed  flap 
valve  for  preventing  the  escape  of  the  fluid. 
12,143/04 — PlNKERTON— Improvements  in  portable  tram- 
ways or  railways. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  portable  railway  track.  The 
rails  are  formed  of  angle  iron  secured  by  one  flange  to 
sleepers.  The  vertical  flanges  at  one  end  of  each  section 
are  bent  slightly  out  of  alignment  and  formed  into 
horizontal  spikes.  At  the  other  ends  they  are  bent 
inwards  at  right  angles  and  provided  each  with  a  hole 
into  which  the  spikes  on  another  section  fit. 
12,212  04— LALANNE— /mprovemente  in  sound  signalling 
apparatus. 

This  is  a  sound  signalling  apparatus  for  use  in  foggy 
weather  etc.     It  consists  of  the  combination  of  a  sound 


emitting  apparatus,  an  air  reservoir,  and  a  triple  hand 
pump. 

12,366/04 — STOVE — Improvements  in  and  connected  with 
fastenings  for  water-tight  doors  manholes  and  the  like. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  device  for  tightly  closing  a 
bulkhead  door  &e.  A  plate  having  an  inclined  surface 
is  mounted  near  the  edge  of  the  door.  A  spindle  fitted 
with  a  handle  at  each  end  passes  through  a  tube  lined 
hole  in  the  bulkhead.  The  end  of  the  tubular  liner  is 
provided  with  a  washer.  On  the  door  being  closed  the 
handle  at  that  side  is  turned  over  and  riding  on  the 
inclined  surface,  forced  the  door  tight  against  the  jamb 
and  simultaneously  moves  its  spindle  endwise  so  that 
the  boss  of  the  handle  on  the  other  end  of  the  spindle  is 
forced  tight  against  the  washer. 

12,604/04 — WOOD — Improvements  in  machinery  for  washing 
coal,  coke  and  other  materials. 

This  invention  relates  to  machinery  for  washing  coal 
&e.  in  which  the  coal  is  washed  by  jets  of  water  directed 
against  the  coal  ascending  on  an  endless  belt.  The 
invention  relates  to  means  for  altering  the  inclination 
of  the  belt.  This  is  effected  by  pivotting  the  end  portion 
of  the  belt  supporting  frame  and  raising  same  by  chains 
passing  around  a  winch  drum. 

24,682/04-  WHITEHEAD — Improvements  in  or  relating  to 
points  and  crossings  for  mine  railways. 

This  invention  relates  to  fixed  switches  and  frogs  such 
as  are  employed  with  horse  haulage.  The  invention 
consists  in  forming  the  base  plates  of  the  switches  &c. 
with  a  raised  portion  terminated  by  inclines,  so  on  the 
car  wheels  passing  the  switches  <&£.  the  flanges  mount 
the  inclines  and  so  obviate  the  wheel  treads  bumping  at 
the  interruptions  in  the  continuity  of  the  rails. 

27,476/04 —  Po  LLAR  D —  Improvements  in  weighing  machines 
This  invention  relates  to  means  for  enabling  a  platform 
lever  weighing  machine  to  be  used  for  either  of  two 
standards  of  weights  such  as  the  metric  and  the  British. 
The  two  different  systems  are  marked  on  a  scale  on 
each  side  of  the  weighing  arm.  Each  side  of  the  arm 
is  provided  with  notches  corresponding  to  the  respective 
scale.  The  main  sliding  weight  is  fitted  with  two  handles 
and  spring  stops  one  for  each  series  of  notches  and  on 
each  side  with  the  usual  small  sliding  weight  of  which 
the  one  not  in  use  remains  always  in  the  zero  position. 

3,554/05—  RENDER— Improvements  in  detonator  fuses  for 
electric   blasting. 

This  invention  relates  to  the  insertion  of  a  charge  of 
gun  cotton,  or  other  readily  ignitable  material  between 
the  perforated  disc  which  protects  the  detonator  charge, 
and  the  firing  composition  in  the  fuse  head. 


These  applications  for  patents  are,  until  dune  5,  1905, 
open  to  opposition  by  any  person  having  a  statutory 
right  to  oppose. 

Copies  of  the  specifications  may  be  obtained  from  the 
Patent  Office  or  through  the  under-named. 


No   TRADE    MARKS   THIS   WEEK. 

Compiled  by  Messrs.  PHILLIPS  &  LEIGH,  Chartered  Patent 
Agents,  22,  Southampton  Buildings,  Chancery  Lane,  London, 
W.C.  Local  Consultant:  Mr.  S.  W.  ALLEN,  Engineer,  of  Cardiff 
Exchange,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


May  5,  1905 


--•1 


OUR  MARITIME  DIRECTORY. 


mill!" 


CARDIFF. 

Colliery  Proprietors. 


(~ORY  BROS.  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff  and 
London.    Depots  at  all  the  principal 
Coaling  Stations  in  the  World. 

T.I..... 
Telegrams 


"  CORY.  CARDIFF  ": 
-  LONDON." 


INSOLE.  GEORGE  &  SON,  Cardiff.   Sole 
Shippers  of  Cymmer   Steam    Coal. 
Windsor  Steam  Coal,  and  Insoles  No.  2 
Rhondda  Coal. 

Telegrams:  " INSOLES.  CARDIFF." 


I  EWIS    MERTHYR    CONSOLIDATED  COL- 
LIERIES, LTD.,  Proprietors  and  Ship- 
pers   of    "  Lewis  Merthyr "   Navigation 
Steam  Coal. 

"LEWIS  MERTHYR.  CARDIFF"; 
MERTHYR.  ' 


MARQUESS     OF     BUTE     COLLIERIES, 
Aberdare,  Hirwain,   and  Rhondda 
Valley.     Shipping  ports  : — Bute  Docks, 
Cardiff ;      Penarth     Dock  :      Swansea ; 
Briton    Ferry  ;     and    Newport    (Mon.) 

Telegrams:  "SEHA.  CARDIFF." 


QCEAN    (MERTHYR)    COAL   Co.,   LTD., 
1 1,  Bute  Crescent,  Cardiff,  proprie- 
tors of  Ocean  (Merthyr)  Steam  Goal. 


[JNIVERSAL  STEAM   COAL   Co.,  LTD., 
Bute  Docks,  Cardiff.  Proprietors  of 
'  Universal  Steam  Coal." 

Telegrams  :   "  VERSATILE,  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF     Continued. 


VIVIAN.   H.   C.   &  Co.,    Bute   Docks, 
Cardiff.     Sole  European  Agents  for 
"  The  Puritan  Coal  Mining  Co.,  Phila- 
delphia, U.S.A." 

Telegrams  :  "VIVIAN.  CARDIFF." 


WATTS,    WATTS  &  Co.,   Cardiff    and 
London.  Contractors  for  the  supply 
of  Coals  at  all  Dep6ts  abroad. 

Telegrams:  " WATTS.  CARDIFF." 


Dock   Owners. 


CARDIFF  RAILWAY  COMPANY,  Bute 
Docks.  Cardiff. 


Ship  Repairers. 


CHEARMAN,  JOHN  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff, 
and  at  Barry  Dock. 


"THE   BUTE   SHIPBUILDING,  ENGINEERING, 
AND   DRY   DOCK   COMPANY,    LIMITED, 
Roath  Basin,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "CAISSON.  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF  CHANNEL  DRY  DOCKS  AND 
PONTOON    Co.,    LTD.,    Cardiff    and 
Barry  Dock. 

TniMtmmc  •    "  Entrance,  Cardiff." 
Telegrams  .    ..  Channe,  Barry  „ 


VHE   MERCANTILE   PONTOON  Co.,  LTD., 
Roath  Dock,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams  :  "  MERCANTILE,  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF     Continued 


Miscellaneous. 

LEWIS  &  TYLOR,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff 
Sole  patentees  and  manufacturers 
of  "  Gripoly."  a  patent  woven  belting 
and  "  Burals,"  a  semi-metallic  packing. 

Telegrams  :  "  BELTING  CARDIFF."        Telephone,  Nat.  231 


Steamship    Owners. 


F)AN.    JENKINS    &     Co..    Steamship 
Owners  and  Brokers,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "Stonewall,  Cardiff." 
Nat.  Telephone  :  1318. 


BARRY. 


Dock  Owners. 

T"HE  BARRY  RAILWAY  Co.,  Barry. 


Ship  Repairers. 


RARRY  GRAVING   DOCK  &  ENGINEERING 
Co.,  LTD. 

Telegrams:   "  BARDOCK,  BARRY." 
National  Telephone  No.  7.         Post  Office  Telephone  No.  7 


To    the    Proprietors    of 

"THE   MARITIME    REVIEW," 

^  ^  DOCKS,     CARDIFF. 


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VOL.  V.— No.  65. 


FRIDAY,    MAY    12,    1905. 


THREEPENCE. 


AT    LAST ! 


sv. 


VON  SCHIEPENHOPPER  (especially  hopper!):  "V-as  is  das,  Fritz? 
I  don't  skould  be  read—  gome  on  !  " 


206 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May  12,  1905 


***  NOTICES. *** 

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Correspondence  :  The  Editor  does  not  necessarily  identify  himself 
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written  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only. 


*  *  *  CONTENTS.  .*  *  * 


CARTOON     AT  LAST!        

MARITIME  MURMURS          

SHIPBUILDING          ...        .'. 

A  NEW  FREIGHT  MARKET?-   MANITOBA-ON-THE-SEA 

ON  MARITIME  SUPREMACY  

CARDIFF  (AND  OTHER)  COAL        


..  205 
...  206 
...  215 

...  214 

...  215 

..  216 


COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES 218 

MARITIME  (AND  OTHER)  MONEY  MATTERS        219 

WORDS  OF  WARNING          220 

PATENTS  AND  TRADE  MARKS      221 


MARITIME    MURMURS. 


DOCKS.  CARDIFF, 

Thursday  Afternoon. 

THAT  West  Indian  Mail  contract  continues  to  occupy  the 
public  attention,  and  the  latest  phase  of  the  subject  is,  that 
the  West  Indians,  having  decided  to  have  nothing  to  do  with 
the  Postmaster-General's  metaphorical  "  curly-haired 
boy."  in  future,  the  weighty  correspondence  intended  for 
the  Islands,  will  wander  thither  through  the  help  of  the 
common  or  garden  tramp.  Same  old  thing,  friends !  A 
nautical  axiom,  to-day,  is  :  "  When  in  doubt,  get  a  tramp 
steamer !  "  Time  was.  that,  under  the  conditions  sugges- 
ted, you  had  to  ask  a  policeman  :  but  times,  change — so  do 
manners  :  and  we  are  bound  to  intimate  that  the  change  in 
the  latter,  is  not  always  for  the  good  of  the  cause  of  civil- 
isation. As  we  have  already  remarked,  there  appears  to  be 
too  much  of  the  "  back  stairs  "  element,  in  this  latest  deal 
of  mail  contracts.  The  Elder.  Dempster  boats  might  be  all 
that  is  beautiful  and  bountiful,  from  a  Governmental  point  of 
view  :  they  might  easily  be  the  reverse,  from  the  standpoint 
taken  by  the  Colonies-  And  after  all,  it  is  the  Colonies  that 
are  to  ^be  served  in  the  matter  of  mail  carrying  ?  There 
can  be  no  getting  away  from  the  fact  that,  in  the  West 
Indies,  as  well  as  in  more  favoured  places,  petty  jealousies 
are  rife. 

S?   & 

THAT  is  to  say,  one  portion  of  the  West  Indian  colonial 
entity  is  jealous  of  the  other  ;  is  ever  to  the  'fore  in  saying 
things  up  against  it :  and  mainly  for  the  reason  that 
Jamaica  is  in  that  blessed  position,  which  will  safely  enable 
it  to  kick  against  any  sort  of  mail  contract.  Jamaica  is  so 
well  served  with  mail  facilities,  other  than  those  which 
might  be  supplied  by  the  Home  Government,  that  it  needn't 
really  care  a  dump  which  way  the  contracting  cat  might 
jump.  But  that  does  not  alter  the  fact  that  the  Colonies, 
as  a  whole,  have  been  held  up,  so  to  speak  ;  have  been  told 
to  "  take  it  or  leave  it"  :  and  this,  notwithstanding  the  fact' 
that  they  have  to  put  up  a  fair  share  of  the  expenses.  In 
the  year  1905,  it  can  scarcely  be  considered  as  good  bus- 
iness to  tell  a  dependency,  that  it  has  to  take  So-and-so's 
soap,  or  remain  unwashed — for  that  is  what  the  West 
Indian  mail  contract  has  practically  amounted  to.  It  is  all 
very  well  to  say  that  the  West  Indies  are  Crown  Colonies, 
and  that  as  such,  they  have  no  responsible  government : 
that  as  a  result,  it  is  bad  business  to  allow  them  to  commit 


commercial  suicide,  without  as  much  as  a  word  in  gentle 
rebuke.  For  that  is  what  has  really  happened.  You  take 
So-and-so's  stuff,  or  develop  the  dirt  disease  ! 

5#    *3 

Ki      c? 

EVEN  because  the  West  Indies  are  Grown  Colonies,  and 
are  therefore  a  portion  of  the  Imperial  family,  they  should 
be  protected  against  themselves  ;  saved  from  their  own 
sins,  so  to  speak.  They  wouldn't  have  the  "  curly-haired 
boy,"  so  they  should  have  been  allowed  to  state  their 
reasons  for  having  a  predilection  for  another  sort  of  boy. 
In  the  end.  it  wouldn't  matter  a  dime  to  the  Home  Govern- 
ment— especially  as  the  price  quoted  by  the  old-time 
contractors,  might  have  been  levelled  down  to  modern 
requirements,  if  the  business  had  been  handled  inafair-and- 
square  manner.  One  may  not  get  away  from  the  fact  that 
the  Royal  Mail  was  the  only  concern  which  tendered,  when 
tenders  were  invited  :  it  is  equally  clear  that  the  Elder, 
Dempster  firm  did  not  tender,  until  after  the  Royal  Mail's 
offer  was  public  property  :  it  is  also  fairly  obvious  that, 
when  new  tenders  were  asked  for,  the  Elder,  Dempster 
"  private  offer "  remained  as  such  ;  that  it  was  not  given 
out  to  the  world,  so  that  the  piper-payer  might  be  allowed 
to  see.  exactly  how  many  notes  were  to  be  included  in  the 
new  music.  Writing  as  nautical  folk,  we  say  that  if  the 
Elder,  Dempster  concern  could  tender  at  a  lower  price  than 
what  was  asked  by  the  Royal  Mail  —and  tender  with  hope 
to  "come  out  of  it,"  on  the  right  side;  then,  under  the 
same  conditions,  the  Royal  Mail,  with  over  half-a-century's 
experience  in  the  same  field,  could  have  done  likewise. 

g?e  9ts 
W  w 

As  things  are  at  present,  no  one  seems  to  have  any  idea 
as  to  what  the  Elder  boats  were  open  to  do.  So  far,  the 
country  has  merely  been  told  that  the  offer  was  lower  than 
that  sent  in  by  the  only  company  which  had  grit  enough  to 
answer  the  advertisement.  How  much  lower  ?  And  were 
the  conditions  offered,  exactly  as  those  which  were 
accepted  by  the  Royal  Mail  ?  In  view  of  the  fact  that 
competition  in  the  shipping  trade  is  about  as  keen,  to-day, 
as  it  is  possible  to  be  at  any  time,  it  would  appear  rather 
strange  that  out  of  all  the  British  Mercantile  Marine,  but 
one  company  was  prepared  to  answer  the  original  adver- 
tisement ;  and  that  as  soon  as  the  terms  of  its  tender  were 
made  known,  only  one  more  had  grit  enough  to  make  a 
"  private  offer."  If  everything  is  fair  and  above  board  in 


M.iy    12,  1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


this  little  connection,  then,  the  boasted  "  maritime  supre- 
macy "  of  Britain  cannot  amount  to  a  very  great  deal  ?  If 
a  Government  has  to  advertise  for  a  tender  ;  to  receive  it  ; 
to  divulge  it  :  and  then  wishes  to  accept  a  "  private  offer  " 
of  which  the  taxpayer  knows  nothing,  but  which  is  probably 
based  on  the  public  offer:  the  "supremacy"  referred  to 
cannot  be  worth  a  lot,  can  it  ?  As  things  are  to-day,  the 
West  Indies  are  by  no  means  the  most  loyal  portion  of  the 
British  Empire.  With  a  continuation  of  latter-day  tactics, 
they  will  be  less  so.  as  time  goes  on. 


COMING  back  to  the  soapy  simile,  if  the  West  Indies  were 
not  a  part  of  the  Empire,  it  wouldn't  matter  considerably, 
whether  they  allowed  themselves  to  become  dirty,  or  other- 
wise— of  course,  in  a  metaphorical  sense.  But  seeing  that 
those  islands  are  a  portion  of  the  Imperial  family  group 
which  is  known  to  the  world  as  the  British  Empire,  any 
lapse  from  strict  commercial  morality  on  their  part,  is 
bound  to  affect  the  remainder  of  the  family  —  in  time.  If 
the  West  Indies  develop,  say.  commercial  typhoid,  other 
colonies  will  be  infected  in  the  course  of  years  ?  This 
being  so.  it  should  be  the  aim  of  a  highly-placed  Govern- 
ment official,  to  see  that  perfect  cleanliness  existed  in  all 
the  many  branches  of  the  one  big  family.  The  present  is 
no  time  to  say  to  a  colony.  "  If  you  won't  have  this,  you'll 
have  nothing."  It  is  far  more  business-like  to  say.  "  Well, 
if  you  don't  like  Stingo's  soap,  there  must  be  a  reason. 
What  is  it  ?  Is  there  too  much  free  alkali  in  the  com- 
modity ?  And  does  the  presence  thereof,  hurt  your  sun- 
bathed complexions?  If  it  does,  we'll  see  if  we  cannot 
get  you  another  kind  —  for.  under  any  circumstances,  we 
must  keep  you  clean,  you  know." 

tf  %J 

WHAT  would  happen,  under  the  conditions  suggested? 
Why.  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten.  those  Colonies  would  say. 
"  Alright  !  Perhaps  we  are  a  bit  prejudiced  against  Stingo's 
stuff.  The  blotches  which  we  suffered  when  last  we  used 
it.  might  have  been  from  some  other  cause,  although  we 
said  'twas  all  because  of  Stingo.  We'll  give  it  another  trial 
—  as  you  seem  so  solicitous  on  our  behalf."  And  there  would 
have  been  peace,  and  partial  satisfaction—  which  is  as  much 
as  we  dare  hope  for.  in  these  very  peculiar  days.  As  things 
are.  there  is  no  peace;  nothing  but  seething  discontent,  in  a 
climate  which  is  naturally  prone  to  such  conditions  :  and 
why  ?  Simply  because  the  autocratic  act  has  been  indulged 
in  :  the  "  You  have  to  take  this,  or  nothing."  Will  it 
matter,  a  hundred  years  hence,  whether  the  Royal  Mail 
was  allowed  to  have  a  sight  of  that  "  private  offer."  so  that 
its  new  terms  might,  possibly,  approximate  into  the  regions 
of  the  possible  :  or  whether  the  "  high  and  mighty  "  rdle 
were  adopted,  by  a  department  that  can  always  depend  on 
getting  its  letters  delivered  by  the  quickest  methods  known 
to  modern  science  ?  It  won't.  But  the  outcome  of  such 
ridiculous  treatment  might  matter  considerably,  in  less 
than  the  suggested  hundred  years. 

tf%? 

COMPARE  the  cheese-paring  in  the  matter  of  the  West 
Indian  mails,  with  the  prodigal  methods  in  vogue  with  those 
of  the  trans-Atlantic  variety.  With  the  sailing  of  the 
Baltic,  this  week,  commenced  a  new  departure  that  is  going 
to  cost  the  Government  for  a  start  some  £6.000  per 
annum.  A  special  staff  of  sorters  has  been  created—  four- 
teen men  in  all  ;  two  for  each  steamer  implicated.  The 
conditions,  here,  are  "attractive."  and  there  was  a  grand 
rush  for  the  vacancies.  The  lucky  individuals  selected, 
will  receive,  in  addition  to  their  ordinary  wages  as  Post 
Office  servants,  rations  and  free  quarters  on  the  ship  :  they 
will  be  rated  as  "  officers  "  :  an  additional  £6  for  the  round 
trip,  and  10s.  6d.  for  each  day's  demurrage  at  New  York 


will  be  paid  them  ;  and  taken  altogether,  they  are  in  for  a 
good  time— particularly  as  their  "free  quarters"  will  be  of 
the  "  saloon  accommodation  "  variety.  Under  the  circum- 
stances, you  are  not  a  bit  surprised  to  learn,  that  there  was 
a  big  rush  from  the  Liverpool  Post  Office ;  that  the 
applicants  for  the  vacancies  were  far  in  excess  of  the 
required  number  ?  As  a  matter  of  fact,  some  40  per  cent, 
of  the  Liverpudlian  sorting  brigade  applied,  and  in  all 
probability,  the  unsuccessful  ones  are  breathless  with 
wonder,  at  such  magnanimity  from  the  Department ! 

$  ^ 

VIEWING  the  two  phases  of  Post  Office  administration, 
and  one  has  to  admit  that  it  is  better  to  be  a  home  bird, 
than  a  colonial--  sometimes.  If  a  little  of  the  same  prodi- 
gality were  meted  out  to  our  far  distant  colonies,  the  links 
in  Britain's  "earth  girdle,"  would  be  ever  so  much  more 
calculated  to  stand  the  possible  strains  of  any  future  lack 
of  diplomacy  ?  It  is  an  old  saying  at  sea.  that  "  the  Lord 
sends  grub,  and  the  devil  sends  cooks."  It  would  appear 
that  the  same  axiom  is  about  due  in  shore-going  businesses 
— in  matters  that  are  merely  indirectly  connected  with 
"  grub  ?  "  Britain — because  some  "  guardian  angels  "  sang 
the  strain  of  Rule  Britannia — has  been  allowed  to  assume 
the  r61e  of  Mistress  of  the  Seas.  Instead  of  laying  them- 
selves out  to  justify  the  "  angels'  strain,"  some  of  our 
puissant  administrators  appear  to  be  labouring  under  the 
delusion,  that  Rule  Britannia  is  a  heaven-sent  condition, 
and  has  nothing  in  common  with  mere  human  consideration. 
It  is  all  very  well  for  Mr.  Carnegie  to  playfully  remark  that 
some  of  our  Mighty  Ones  are  out  of  place,  when  pushed 
into  the  responsible  positions  of  the  Empire  ;  but  there  is 
a  quantity  of  truth  underlying  the  playful  suggestion. 
Round  men  in  square  holes,  may  only  be  counted  on  to  do 
the  spinning  act :  they  are  too  round,  to  be  able  to  get  a 
grip  on  the  corners,  so  to  speak. 

tffc 

THE  "  Principles  of  Naval  Administration  "  continue  to 
occupy  the  attention  of  those  who  are  calculated  to  know 
something  about  the  subject.  Xdmiral  Sir  Cyprian  A.  G. 
Bridge,  for  instance,  has  been  having  a  word  of  a  sort,  in 
the  columns  of  the  Times,  and  in  drawing  his  deductions 
against  the  present  Jack-of-all-trades  methods  which  are 
being  introduced  into  the  Navy,  says:  "If  in  the  eighteenth 
century,  when  the  provision  of  the  material  appliances  for 
carrying  on  naval  war  was  comparatively  a  simple  and 
almost  a  stereotyped  affair,  it  was  found  essential  to 
separate  it  from  the  conduct  of  hostilities,  how  much  more 
urgent  must  it  be  to  do  so  now,  when  .  .  .  '  we  have  passed 
from  stereotyped  simplicity  to  ever-varying  and  steadily 
increasing  complexity'?"  That's  it!  In  the  old  days, 
the  fighters  were  that,  and  nothing  else.  So  it  happened 
that  the  country  has  had  a  Hawke.  an  Anson,  a  Rodney,  a 
Hood— and  in  like  measure,  Howe,  Duncan,  St.  Vincent, 
and  last-  but  by  no  means  least  a  Nelson.  Neither  of 
those  warriors  found  war  such  a  picnic,  that  they  could 
afford  to  be  burdened  with  attending  to  the  provender  there- 
for. To-day,  however,  and  in  distinct  opposition  to  the 
tenets  obtaining  among  the  cult  which  has  made  the 
maritime  supremacy  of  which  we  are  so  prone  to  boast,  the 
Naval  authorities  imagine,  that  safety  lays  in  the  Jack-of- 
all-trades  idea. 

tf   fc 

IN  the  Mercantile  Marine,  the  shipmaster  has  gradually 
become  relieved  of  every  duty,  outside  of  navigating.  True, 
these  tricks  were  engineered  more  for  the  purpose  of 
crystallising  commissions  to  the  vicinity  of  the  office,  than 
for  any  kindly  feeling  toward  the  Old  Man.  All  the  same, 
the  Mercantile  Marine  has  gone  up,  by  leaps  and  bounds, 
and  to-day,  there  is  quite  a  respectable  following  getting  a 
living  out  of  our  mercantile  shipping,  outside  of  those  who 


208 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May   12,   1905 


are  mainly  responsible  for  its  being.  We  have  no  intention 
of  discussing  the  matter  as  regards  the  Mercantile  Marine, 
at  least,  on  this  occasion  ;  and  merely  touch  on  the  subject, 
en  passant:  but  that  the  Royal  Navy  has  gradually  become 
a  by-word  to  the  navigators  of  the  world,  is  an  incontrover- 
tible fact.  Furthermore,  it  has  come  about,  solely,  because 
the  Administrators  (save  the  name)  will  insist  on  their 
misguided  attempts  to  make  silk  purses  out  of  sow's  ears! 
As  the  Navy  is  to-day,  it  takes  a  man  all  his  days  to  learn 
something  about  the  handling  of  the  complicated  machinery 
with  which  his  country  trusts  him  :  and  he  has  absolutely 
no  time  to  waste  on  these  so-called  "first  principles." 

s?  fc 

IF  a  would-be  Solon  were  to  suggest,  that  before  a  man 
dared  venture  on  reading  a  newspaper,  he  should  first  pass 
an  examination  for  the  purpose  of  proving  his  knowledge 
of  the  mechanism  of  the  type-setting  machine  which,  in  the 
main,  produced  it — well,  you'd  smile  at  the  gentleman, 
wouldn't  you  ?  Would  suggest  all  manner  of  unkind 
things  anent  vacant  chairs  at  Hanwell,  or  other  asylum  for 
the  mentally  afflicted  ?  So,  if  a  lady  friend,  fired  with  a 
holy  desire  to  be  less  of  a  butterfly,  and  more  of  a  woman, 
should  undertake  to  purchase  a  sewing-machine,  you  would 
be  tickled  most  to  death  if  the  seller  of  that  machine, 
insisted  on  being  given  a  full  succinct  account  of  its  manu- 
facture, before  parting  with  it  ?  Or,  again,  if  your  legal 
adviser,  when  citing  some  alleged  precedent  or  other  that 
helped  you  to  "  get  off,"  should  first  have  to  explain  to  the 
Judge,  in  a  perfectly  lucid  manner,  how  the  particular  book 
which  has  been  used,  was  manufactured — wouldn't  you 
think  (and  rightly,  too)  that  the  world  was  considerably 
more  awry  than  the  circumstances  warrant  ?  Of  course, 
you  would,  and  the  instances  could  be  given  indefinitely 
where  the  same  arguments  would  apply.  You  could  think 
up  a  hundred  for  yourselves,  and  without  turning  a  hair 
over  the  business  ? 

tf'te 

BUT  when  it  comes  down  to  the  maritime  world  and  its 
procedure — methods  on  which  the  country  depends,  abso- 
lutely— this  old  "first  principle  "  bogie  is  thrown  around,  in 
a  highly  entertaining  (if  somewhat  damaging)  manner.  You 
have  a  handful  of  budding  Nelsons  ;  they  need  training  : 
what  shall  we  do  with  reference  thereto  ?  Instead  of 
asking  the  advice  of  a  number  of  seamen  who  have  been 
trained,  and  as  a  consequence,  know  something  of  the  bus- 
iness, what  do  you  decide  on  ?  Why,  you  simply  ask  the 
opinions  of  a  number  of  otherwise  estimable  old  frumps, 
who.  from  actual  practice,  couldn't  tell  you  which  end  of  a 
ship  goes  first.  They  tell  you.  You  act  on  their  advice. 
But  what  happens  ?  Well,  directly  a  fleet  of  warships  are 
moved  from  their  anchors,  it  is  all  Lombard  Street  to  a 
China  orange  but  that  a  big  per  centage  thereof  will  run 
amuck  at  the  very  first  opportunity.  Aye,  even  if  that 
opportunity  has  to  be  made-  -right  on  the  spot !  Admin- 
istration !  Maladministration  would  be  a  better  term,  as 
far  as  we  can  see.  Take  up  your  morning  paper—of  what- 
ever brand,  or  shade,  you  prefer—and  it  is  a  queer  day 
when  a  "  mishap  "  of  some  kind  or  another,  isn't  scheduled 
as  having  happened  to  a  warship. 

fi?  ^ 

IF  it  isn't  a  torpedo  boat  destroyer,  it's  a  cruiser  :  failing 
that,  it's  a  battleship.  In  any  case,  you  will  not  have  an 
undue  amount  of  difficulty  in  searching  for  a  sample  of  un- 
skilled navigation.  To  come  back  to  Admiral  Bridge's 
contentions,  alluded  to,  'way  back,  we  learn  that  in  that 
seaman's  opinion.  "  It  follows  as  a  matter  of  course,  that  a 
mind  engrossed  in  the  study  of  material  appliances  cannot 
be  so  well  fitted  to  deal  with  the  tremendous  problems  of 
warfare  as  one  that  has  been  occupied  in  studying  those 
problems."  Certainly  it  does !  As  if  it  is  essential  for  us 


to  know  who  made  our  Kelvin  compass,  and  how.  before  we 
can  set  a  course  by  it,  that  will  keep  our  vessel  clear  of  the 
Dog  Rock,  if  we  happen  to  be  making  a  number  of  herring- 
bone tricks  which  are  nick-named  "  night  evolutions  "  !  Is 
not  the  whole  contention  ridiculous  ?  Think  of  the  thou- 
sands of  shipmasters  who,  year  in,  year  out,  are  for  ever 
making  genuine  "night  evolutions,"  in  their  successful 
attemps  to  bring  you  the  wherewithal  to  live;  having 
thought,  say  how  few  mishaps  occur  among  them.  Having 
said,  tell  us  your  opinion  of  the  few  addle-pated  cranks  who 
are  for  ever  prattling  of  the  necessity  of  "  first  principles." 
First  principles  be  hanged.  The  country  is  in  need  of  nav- 
igators :  practical  navigators :  men  who  can  be  depended 
on  to  take  their  vessels  about  the  world,  without  tobogann- 
ing  into  every  mortal  thing  afloat,  or  partly  submerged. 

5?  & 

How  many  times  have  you  seen  a  communication  after 
the  following  :  "  We  are  informed  by  the  Admiralty  that  a 
telegram  has  been  received  from  the  rear-admiral  com- 
manding" such-and-such  a  flotilla,  and  which  goes  on  to 
tell  you  that,  for  instance.  "  During  night  exercises  of  torpedo 
craft  inside  Berehaven,  destroyer  Flip  Flap,  in  endeavouring 
(mark  the  word)  to  enter  harbour,"  ran  ashore  somewhere  ? 
These  are  among  the  "  stereotyped  "  bits  of  Naval  pro- 
cedure of  the  present-day.  The  Flip  Flap  might  be  a  little 
crock  approximating  the  300  tons  displacement  stage  ;  she 
might  have  a  speed  of  25  knots,  and  a  crew  of  about  60 
hands  -but  she  could  get  no  more  forward  in  her  "  night 
exercises,"  than  is  implied  by  the  fact  that  "  she  is  badly 
ashore  as  far  aft  as  foremost  torpedo  tube."  But  "  no  one 
of  crew  injured,"  ends  up  the  fateful  message,  so  it  is 
alright.  It  is  easier  to  get  more  ships  than  sailormen  to 
man  them,  so — muddle  along  with  your  'longshore  sailor 
tactics  !  You  know  that  this  is  a  great  nation— if  only 
because  we  have  told  you  so,  before  !  The  foregoing  might 
be  reported  on  May  3  ;  you  might  follow  the  matter  along 
until  May  6  ;  if  so,  you  will  drop  the  Flip  Flap,  for  the 
newest  sensation — the  cruiser,  Burned  Cakes,  if  you  like. 

a??  %3 

*u    w? 

IN  the  latter  instance,  you  might  be  told  that  the  cruiser 
in  question,  "  having  completed  to  full  numbers  (praise  de 
lor')  at  Chatham,  yesterday  morning,  and  afterwards  left 
for  the  Mediterranean,"  so  everything  is  alright  ?  But  hold 
on  a  bit.  Leaving  for  the  Mediterranean,  and  getting  there 
—  without  "mishap"  — is  altogether  another  matter. 
Burned  Cakes  left  alright ;  passed  through  Sheerness  Har- 
bour without  stopping — a  feat  to  be  duly  chronicled  and 
gloated  over  ;  but— alas  the  word—"  Later  in  the  afternoon, 
information  was  received  at  Sheerness,  that  she  had 
stranded  on  the  edge  of  Shoeburyness  Sands."  See,  she 
nearly  got  away  !  Merely  touched  the  edge  of  the  Sand  in 
question,  so  matters  were  not  nearly  so  bad  as  might  have 
been,  if  she  had  gone  far  enough  to  plump  into  the  middle 
of  that  Sand  ?  Of  course,  the  Gommander-in-Ghief  at  the 
Nore  "took  prompt  means  to  render  assistance  "  -even 
going  so  far  as  to  visit  the  stranded  warship,  "  during  the 
evening."  You  will  be  glad  to  know  that  "  every  pre- 
caution was  taken  after  the  accident  (our  italics)  by  the 
commanding  officer  of  the  Burned  Cakes  for  the  safety  of 
his  ship  "—ye  gods  ! — "  which  is  ashore  forward  for  nearly 
half  her  length."  By  the  foregoing,  you  will  understand 
that  warships  are  queer  kritters  ? 

£*& 

HOWEVER,  although  the  cruiser  was  ashore  for  "  nearly 
half  her  length,"  forward,  you'll  note,  at  dead  low  water 
(why  is  low  water  usually  said  to  be  dead  ?)  "the  bow  of 
the  vessel  was  from  8ft.  to  10ft.  out  of  the  water  (we 
should  smile  !)  and  she  had  settled  down  considerably  at 
the  stern."  What  ?  Still,  dockyard  tugs,  lighters,  chains, 


Mav   12.  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


209 


and  things  came  on.  and  as  her  timbers  yet  were  sound,  it 
was  supposed  that  she  might  float  again  !  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  she  did.  for  two  days  after  her  little  rest  on  the  Shoe- 
buryness  Sand.  "  A  Court  of  inquiry  "  was  held  on  board  the 
Burned  Cakes,  and  later  on.  she  left  the  Nore  for  the 
Mediterranean.  Do  you  think  there  was  any  "  off  with  his 
head."  because  of  that  stranding  ?  G'arn  !  Don't  be 
cruel.  Why.  there  might  have  been  somebody  on  board, 
who  wanted  another  chaste  salute  from  the  girl  he  left 
behind  him.  and  so  prayed  for  that  stranding.  When  a 
man  prays  for  a  thing — if  he  prays  hard  enough,  you  under- 
stand you  never  know  what  might  happen.  The  stranding 
might  have  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  problematical 
prayer  :  nor  with  any  girl  that  was  left  behind,  for  that 
matter  :  it  might  have  been  solely  the  outcome  of  a  "new. 
ship,  and  new  crew."  But  if  so.  it  is  high  time  that  these 
little  vicissitudes  were  guarded  against. 

5?*? 

To  salve  that  stranded  cruiser,  took  some  good  public 
money.  How  much,  of  course,  is  an  official  secret— because 
this  is  the  Senior  Service  heaven  bless  it.  All  the  sama, 
it  would  be  a  good  thing  to  know  just  exactly  what  the 
little  episode  cost :  what  happened  at  that  "  Court  of 
inquiry  :  "  whether  there  was  any  liquid  refreshment  and 
smokes  thereat :  or  what  really  did  transpire  ?  If  the 
thing  had  happened  on  a  merchant  ship,  you  wouldn't  have 
any  difficulty  in  sizing  up  the  job -would  you  ?  Just  "  off 
with  his  head."  See  that  such  an  idiot  is  never  again 
trusted  with  a  valuable  crock  :  put  him  back  as  mate  :  or 
send  him  to  the  dogs  according  to  the  liver  action  of  the 
Solon  who  tries  the  case  heaven  forgive  us  for  libelling  a 
man  who  does  really  "  try  "  a  case.  Is  it  any  wonder  that 
such  public-spirited  men  as  Admiral  Bridge  come  to  the 
front,  with  a  word  in  season  ?  Never  a  wonder !  We  have 
been  telling  you  the  same  tale  for  ages,  now.  Others  have 
used  our  words— for  which  we  don't  blame  them,  seeing 
that  those  words  are  good  :  and  one  of  these  days,  if  you 
are  spared  for  long  enough,  you  might  be  tempted  to  fuss 
around,  to  alter  all  this  mismanagement.  Might  go 
out  of  your  way.  say.  to  see  that  all  your  money  is 
safeguarded,  a  bit :  is  put  in  the  hands  of  sailormen  who  take 
to  the  business  in  earnest,  and  not  because  their  fathers 
are  too  poor,  to  keep  them  in  idleness,  on  shore. 

0fe 

OUR  congratulations  to  the  Simpson  Steamship  Company. 
Limited,  in  getting  that  £1.000  from  the  Premier  Under- 
writing Association.  Limited.  This  is  an  echo  from  the 
loss  of  the  Scaw  Fell,  which  happened  on  April  27.  1904. 
and  may  be  taken  as  a  very  fair  illustration  of  the  laws' 
delays,  don't  you  think?  Without  going  into  the  minutiae 
of  the  affair,  we  will  merely  quote  from  the  judgment 
delivered  by  Mr.  Justice  Bigham.  who  disposed  of  the 
matter  in  favour  of  the  steamer  company.  The  insuranoe- 
club  refused  to  pay  the  claim,  on  the  ground  that  there  had 
been  a  breach  of  warranty  as  provided  by  the  policy,  before 
the  loss  occurred.  Here  is  that  warranty  :  "  Warranted 
not  to  proceed  east  of  Singapore  except  to  Java  and 
Australasia."  It  will  be  remembered  that  the  Scaw  Fell  was 
bound  to  Kiao-chau.  from  Cardiff,  and  that  as  a  matter  of 
fact,  she  merely  got  as  far  as  Tunis  where  she  stayed  on. 
indefinitely.  But  the  club  people  contended  that  as  soon 
as  the  steamer  left  Cardiff,  and  started  on  her  ill-fated 
voyage,  she  was  "  proceeding  east  of  Singapore."  and  there- 
fore breaking  her  warranty.  Mr.  Justice  Bigham  held 
differently  :  so  will  most  people.  The  latter  might  easily 
hold  that  such  straw-splittings  will  not  be  in  the  interests 
of  a  club,  that  is  already  blessed  with  a  fairly  decent  amount 
of  keen  competition.  ^  ^. 

How  it  can  be  held  that  a  steamer  is  "  proceeding  east  of 
Singapore  "  before  she  has  arrived  at  that  port,  is  some- 


what difficult  -under  the  circumstances — to  determine. 
In  the  words  of  his  Lordship.  "  I  am  clearly  of  opinion  that 
this  contention  is  wrong,"  and  so  say  most  of  us.  ''  There 
was.  at  most,  merely  an  intention  to  proceed  east  of 
Singapore,  and  an  intention  to  commit  a  breach,  of  course, 
does  not  itself  constitute  a  breach."  One  would  naturally 
suppose  that  the  Premier  Underwriting  Association,  Ltd.. 
would  realise  such  an  obvious  fact  as  this,  without  using  up 
its  shareholders'  money  to  get  a  legal  definition  in  its  dis- 
favour. Tis  surprising  how  very  particular  folk  will  be,  on 
occasion.  Give  them  a  concrete  example,  of  something 
after  the  following  :  "  Smith  threatened  to  hit  Brown  in 
the  neck,  but  before  he  could  carry  out  his  threat-,  a 
thunder-bolt  hit  Brown  all  over.  Is  Brown  guilty  of  assault 
and  battery,  or  what  ?  "  and  a  smile  is  all  you'll  get  !  Yet 
if  a  steamer  is  "  covered,"  up  to  Singapore  but  not  beyond, 
still  if  she  hopes  eventually  to  get  "  beyond,"  but  fails  in 
getting  to  Singapore — geewhiz  !  Is  it  worth  pursuing? 
We  should  distinctly  say.  "  No,  sirs."  What  we  should  like 
tp  know,  is  how  much  money  the  Premier  affair  paid  out, 
to  admit  of  its  assimilating  an  apparently  simple  truth  ? 

&  & 

WHAT'S  this?  "Shipowners  trading  with  Far  Eastern 
ports  are  beginning  to  turn  their  attention  to  the  risks  of 
loss  through  the  floating  mines  which  are  constantly  being 
reported."  Thus  the  "  own  correspondent "  of  a  London 
contemporary  which  affects  a  "  marine  insurance  "  column. 
To  say  the  least,  the  contention  is  unkind  ?  Especially  in 
view  of  the  fact  that  the  mere  shipping  journal  has  been 
prattling  of  the  same  idea,  for  quite  a  twelvemonth  past. 
Indeed,  shipowners  generally,  have  been  grumbling  all 
manner  of  grumbles,  concerning  the  wicked  and  abandoned 
manner  in  which  the  Russian  monster  has  been  distributing 
his  alleged  mines,  broadcast  over  the  summer  seas — out 
East.  However,  "  our  correspondent  "  already  quoted, 
further  remarks  that.  "  A  full  policy  including  war  risks 
would,  of  course,  include  the  risks  of  mines,"  so.  presumably 
that  is  alright  ?  But  we  should  strongly  advise  the  young 
man  referred  to,  not  to  pin  too  much  of  his  trusting  faith 
on  the  "  of  course  "  part  of  the  business.  As  explained  in 
the  preceding  paragraph,  underwriting  people  take  all 
manner  of  fads  in  hand,  at  times.  So  much  so,  that  it  is 
not  altogether  unknown  for  a  claim  to  be  disputed,  where 
the  actual  words  "mines"  has  been  "  taken  as  read." 

#  & 

CONTINUING,  we  find  this :  "  But  where  vessels  are 
insured  under  marine  policies,  free  of  capture,  seizure,  etc., 
it  might  be  very  difficult  to  establish  the  liability  of  under- 
writers for  losses  due  to  the  careless  use  of  mines  by 
belligerents."  It  might  be !  Exceptionally  difficult ! 
Particularly  if  the  ship  which  monkeyed  with  the  mine  were 
blown  to  Hades,  and  her  lamented  crew  meandered  along 
o*n  the  same  path— instead  of  coming  home  to  formulate 
claims  for  wages  due,  since  leaving  the  poor  old  mine- 
struck  conglomeration  of  scrap-iron  and  other  things.  Still 
there  would  be  hope,  even  in  that  event  ?  If  the  ship  and 
all  hands  were  blown  up.  it's  twenty  to  one  if  the  late 
owners  didn't  get  their  money  on  a  total  loss  episode,  eh  ? 
All  the  same,  "own  correspondents"  will  be  "own  corres- 
pondents." and  if  they  didn't  fill  the  aching  void  which  is 
allotted  to  them  in  "ours,"  well  something  unpleasant 
would  happen — of  that  you  may  be  sure.  Meanwhile, 
shipowners  to-day,  even  as  they  have  been  doing  for  a  year 
or  more,  are  turning  their  attention  to  the  risks — no,  to  the 
hopes— of  loss,  through  those  floating  mines.  Come  to 
think  of  it,  it  is  wonderful  what  a  terrible  quantity  of 
crocky  steamers  have  been  sent  out  China  way,  of  late. 
Did  it  ever  strike  you  ? 

B*  %3 

t&      kS 

IF  we  had  the  necessary  time,  we  would   search  up  the 


210 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May   12,   1905 


files  of  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW,  for  the  purpose  of  showing 
you  how  many  of  Britain's  old  dug-outs  have  been  sent  out 
East,  in  the  sad  and  sloppy  hope  of  a  joyful  resurrection 
at  the  hands  (or  cheques)  of  the  generous  underwriter. 
If  we  were  to  put  those  steamers  in  a  nicely  tabulated 
manner,  you  would  surely  ejaculate  :  "  Well.  I'm  jiggered." 
Again,  supposing  you  were  not  one  of  the  owners  who  had 
indulged  thusly.  you  might  be  right  in  assuming  that  you 
had  been  jiggered  considerably.  One  of  the  latest  and 
most  approved  methods,  in  certain  well-known,  and  easily 
defined  quarters,  of  disposing  of  tonnage  that  has  outlived 
its  usefulness  as  exponents  of  British  shipping,  is  to  send  it 
out  East.  After  sending  it  thusly.  you  merely  sit  down  and 
reckon  up  the  exact  present  you  are  going  to  give  her 
when  you  have  received  the  fateful  telegram.  Eh  ?  Tell 
us  not  in  mournful  numbers,  shipping  is  a  played-out  theme, 
for  there's  heaps  of  chances  left  you.  for  the  hat  that  is  "  a 
dream  !  "  And  it's  good  to  know  that  "  insurances  are 
being  effected  covering  loss  from  floating  mines  (and  captive 
ones  ?  You  have  to  specify,  particularly  these  days,  you 
know)  and  stray  explosives  or  torpedoes  " — but  what  is  the 
difference  ?  Give  it  up?  So  do  we  ! 

GOOD  hevvings,  and  this  is  the  shipping  company  which 
those  misguided  Bermudians  said  things  up  against,  in 
their  silly  old  mail  contract  controversy !  Here  are  the 
hotels  and  restaurants  of  London  getting  their  blessed 
onions  for  nothing,  through  the  William  Whiteley-like  pro- 
pensities of  the  Elder,  Dempster  line  of  steamer  people. 
It  is  like  this.  The  Bermuda  Board  of  Agriculture,  is  keen 
to  spread  the  virtues  of  their  own  particular  brand  of 
onions,  in  contradistinction  to  the  speaking  sort  which 
come  from  France—and  other  places,  nearer  home  ;  want 
those  tubers  (say.  are  onion  tubers,  or  merely  bulbs?)  to 
be  "  recognised  and  appreciated  in  England  as  thoroughly 
as  they  have  been  in  America."  See  ?  If  you  are  walking 
down  the  Strand,  and  "  catch  a  whiff,"  the  Board  of  Agri- 
culture wish  you  to  be  in  a  position  to  diagnose  the  thing 
at  once  ;  to  be  able  to  say,  "  Ahem.  yes.  That  was  ess. 
Bermudiae.  Sure  of  it,  dear  boy  !  No  mistaking  the  waft, 
when  it  wefts  across  your  starboard  bow."  Anyhow, 
"  Messrs.  Elder.  Dempster  &  Co..  have  therefore  arranged, 
on  behalf  of  the  Board  of  Agriculture  of  Bermuda,  to  dis- 
tribute a  large  consignment  of  these  onions  throughout 
London,  by  way  of  experiment." 

THIS  is  imperialistic  conduct,  and  is  certainly  worthy  of 
future  elevation  on  the  part  of  its  kindly  originator.  The 
present  is  a  practical  age,  and  an  escutcheon  containing 
two  bananas  saltire,  with  a  pair  of  Bermudian  onions  argent 
—  geerush,  it  makes  one's  eyes  water;  the  onions,  we 
mean  ;  not  the  escutcheon  !  Anyhow,  it  is  "stated  by  the 
importers  that  the  Bermuda  onion,  apart  from  its  general 
superiority  over  other  onions  (of  the  common  or  unknightly 
brand;,  has  been  found  especially  beneficial  in  cases  of 
consumption."  We  shouldn't  like  to  say  that  this  is  because 
the  reek  is  too  strong  for  the  gentle  bacillus,  or  merely 
that,  in  these  days  of  higher  education,  the  microbe  of 
tuberculosis  is  more  particular  as  to  his  flavouring  :  and 
would  rather  leave  his  situation,  than  lower  himself  by 
eating  lungs  which  have  been  flavoured  with  Bermudian 
onion.  But  one  cannot  get  away  from  the  claims  of  the 
importer  man.  Can  one.  now  ?  You  wouldn't  expect  the 
importer  of  onions  to  pretend  that  his  stock-in-trade  was 
sort  of  squiffy,  would  you  ?  Why.  even  the  poor  onion  lad 
from  Britanny.  is  keen  on  assuring  you  that  his  stock  is 
"  sheep,  und  vera  goot,  meesus."  So  you  cannot  reason- 
ably expect  less  from  the  "importer"  in  this  instance? 
All  the  same,  it  is  a  bit  rough  that  only  Londoners  are 
coming  in  for  the  free  gifts  of  onions.  What's  wrong  with 


the  Bristolian  ?    Can't  he  manage  Bermuda  onions  ?    He 
took  the  bananas? 

S?  TS 

DEAR  us!  Destroyers  in  collision;  gunboat  Thistle 
anchored  off  Cape  Finisterre  badly  damaged.  Pile  it  up, 
sirs !  Let  us  have  the  full  list— and  all  from  the  early 
days  of  the  merry  month  of  May  !  At  the  moment,  it 
appears  that  most  of  the  national  vessels  which  are 
engaged  in  a  nautical  career,  may  get  into  port,  and  they 
may  not.  Why  doesn't  some  genius  come  along,  with  a 
code  of  rules  that  shall  be  of  sufficient  utility,  to  enable 
Naval  commanders  to  pick  up  their  moorings,  without 
jabbing  into  the  internal  economy  of  another  warship  which 
never  did  them  any  harm  ?  Failing  that,  why  not  elect  to 
keep  all  the  nation's  warships  in  a  snug,  and  safe  place, 
until  the  nation  has  managed  to  secure  some  few  navigators 
who  can  carry  these  costly  playthings  about,  without  for 
ever  necessitating  a  big  repair  job  ?  Or,  as  an  alternative, 
if  these  collisions  and  things  must  eventuate,  why  not  send 
some  of  the  necessary  repairs  around  to  the  Bristol 
Channel,  so  that  the  local  dry  docks  may  get  an  opportunity 
of  earning  a  bit  of  Income  Tax,  for  the  country's  good  and 
benefit?  As  things  are  now.  those  dry  docks  merely 
pursue  the  even  tenour  of  their  way,  piling  up  Income  Tax 
for  other  more-favoured  ship  repairing  centres  to  get  the 
benefit  of  it  all !  It  isn't  fair— to  say  the  least. 

t&  *3 
feGt     c3 

A  FORTNIGHT  ago,  we  commented  on  one  phase  of  the 
"  Articles  of  Agreement  "  that  is  supposed  to  be  the  binder 
between  captain  and  sailor— at  least,  between  the  captain, 
and  the  remainder  of  the  crew.  Really  speaking,  you 
know,  the  shipmaster  is  not  a  portion  of  the  crew  :  he  is  a 
sort  of  supernumerary,  and  if  his  Boss  comes  to  grief 
during  the  Old  Man's  absence,  then,  the  latter  ranks  in  as 
a  common  creditor.  In  other  words,  and  under  the  condi- 
tions suggested,  the  Old  Man  gets  nothing,  for  when  the 
Boss  comes  to  grief,  he  usually  does  so  a  la  "Johnny  " 
Ruthin  (takes  away  the  remainder  of  the  movables  in  a 
grip  sack),  or  has  passed  most  of  the  available  capital  over 
to  the  loving  care  of  an  accommodating  friend.  In  either 
case,  there  is  nothing  for  the  Old  Man  ?  This  by  the  way. 
But  reverting  to  the  "  Articles  of  Agreement "  notion, 
there  is  ever  an  instance  before  the  public,  which  goes  to 
prove  that  those  Articles  are  nothing  at  all  of  the  kind  :  are 
merely  a  bluff,  and  a  delusion.  The  latest,  is  in  connection 
with  the  Scarsdale,  and  where  a  fireman  sued  the  master 
for  balance  of  wages  alleged  to  be  due.  An  up-town  con- 
temporary labels  the  whole  fit-out  as  an  "  important  decision 
in  a  local  shipping  case  :  "  but  where  the  importance  comes 
in.  heaven  and  (perhaps)  that  contemporary  knows. 

\O      Q# 

&*  Xa 
vjt     a» 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  there  is  absolutely  no  importance  in 
the  whole  miserable  affair,  and  in  our  opinion,  there  should 
be  another  sueing  for  wasting  the  shareholders'  money  in 
such  a  manner.  Invariably,  these  alleged  shipping  cases 
are  given  against  the  ship,  and  rightly,  too.  A  sailorman 
signs  on  to  bring  his  ship  back  to  a  final  port  of  discharge 
in  the  United  Kingdom  or  Continent.  In  the  latter  event, 
there  is  usually  another  clause  which  provides  that,  "  if 
required,"  he  shall  also  bring  the  ship  from  a  Continental 
port  of  discharge,  to  a  loading  port  in  the  U.  K.  As  far  as 
we  can  remember,  we  never — in  some  twenty  years  of  it — 
knew  of  a  case  where  the  final  port  of  discharge  in  the 
U.  K.  was  supplemented  by  the  provision  to  bring  the  ship 
to  an  ultimate  loading  port.  Furthermore,  we  are  of 
opinion,  that  such  a  proviso  would  be  disallowed  by  the 
superintendent  who  attended  to  the  signature  business,  as 
being  against  the  law.  One  need  not  be  a  terribly  smart 
man  to  understand  that  a  voyage  must  necessarily  end,  at 
a  "  final  port  of  discharge."  That  when  the  vessel  leaves 


May    i  ;.   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


there,  she  is  either  about  to  begin  a  new  voyage  by  starting 
for  a  loading  port,  or  is  going  off  on  a  seeking,  or  laying-up 
undertaking.  Very  well.  then. 

5?  & 

IN  any  case,  a  "  final  port  of  discharge  "  cannot,  by  any 
possibility,  be  turned  into  a  voyage-commencing  loading 
port  ?  If  it  were  possible,  the  sailorman  would  never  know 
where  he  is  being  shanghaed  to  ?  However,  in  the  case  to 
which  we  are  referring,  the  contention  was  brought  before 
Mr.  Justice  Bargrave  Deane.  as  a  special  case,  which  had 
been  stated  by  the  Southampton  magistrates.  Naturally, 
there  was  a  "  principle  "  at  stake  here,  and  possibly  that 
accounts  for  the  legal  talent  that  was  appointed  to  look 
after  the  varied  interests.  The  complaining  sailorman  -  or 
fireman,  if  you  would  rather  put  it  that  way — had 
Mr.  Robson.  K.C..  and  Mr.  Emmanuel,  to  show  that  a 
discharging  port  was  not  necessarily  a  loading  port :  while 
the  master  of  the  Scarsdale.  thanks  to  what  we  consider 
the  mista«en  kindness  of  the  Shipping  Federation,  Limited. 
had  Sir  Edward  Clarke,  K.C..  and  Mr.  Lamport,  whose 
business  was  to  show  that  the  "  final  port  of  discharge  in 
the  U.K.  "  was  the  place  where  the  vessel  had  to  merely 
load  for  her  outward,  and  following  voyage.  In  addition  to 
the  foregoing,  the  Solicitor-General  (Sir  E.  Carson.  K.C..  M.P.) 
and  Mr.  Sutton  looked  after  the  business  for  the  Board  of 
Trade. 

5?  & 

WE  told  you  above,  that  in  this  instance  there  was  a 
"  principle"  at  stake,  so  please  don't  suggest  that  the  whole 
caboodle  reminds  you  of  the  man  who  took  a  topmaul  with 
which  to  kill  a  cockroach.  It  would  be  rude  of  you  to 
suggest  any  such  thing :  moreover,  it  wouldn't  be  a  good 
simile,  and  it  would  be  rough  on  the  cockroach  killer.  Still 
the  Judge's  decision  is  worth  attention.  Here  it  is  :  "The 
Act  of  1729  did  not  in  terms  define  the  end  of  a  voyage  *' 
—silence,  please,  gentlemen.  Tis  unseemly  to  laugh  in 
any  such  a  manner.  We  wrote  the  figures  1729.  so  did  the 
chap  from  whom  we  are  quoting,  and  anyhow,  1729  is  as 
good  as  any  other  date,  in  a  job  like  this.  Right,  then. 
"  But  the  place  of  final  delivery  of  cargo  should  be  deemed 
to  be  the  final  port  of  discharge"  eh?  What?  No 
ribaldry,  sirs,  or  we  shall  have  to  clear  the  court,  and  that 
would  be  dref'ful  ?  To  continue.  "  that  as  the  final  port  of 
discharge,  so  far  as  he  (his  Lordship)  could  judge,  was 
intended  to  be  a  correlative  term  with  the  home  port  where 
the  adventure  of  the  ship  was  absolutely  at  an  end."  In 
other  words,  the  final  port  of  discharge  was  just  that,  and 
nothing  else  ?  The  final  port  of  discharge  wasn't  Gib., 
where  she  might  have  bunkered  :  nor  Falmouth,  where  she 
might  have  called  for  orders  :  it  wasn't  even  Cardiff,  where 
she  might  have  loaded  up.  on  her  last  trip  ? 

5?*? 

No.  to  each  count.  The  "  final  port  of  discharge."  was. 
in  this  instance,  the  port  of  Southampton— where  the 
steamer  "  finally  discharged  "  her  homeward  cargo.  And 
yet  all  the  forensic  knowledge  aforementioned  was  neces- 
sary, before  Shipping  Federation  would  believe  it!  Indeed, 
we  are  not  quite  sure  whether  the  concern  believes  it  now, 
for  leave  to  appeal  was  granted  we  should  smile— and  we 
shouldn't  be  at  all  surprised,  if  the  Upper  House  were  not 
ultimately  called  upon  to  say  whether,  in  its  opinion,  the 
outward  loading  port,  last  voyage,  is  the  final  port  of  dis- 
charge, on  this,  and  if  not.  why.  in  thunder,  it  isn't  ?  Tis 
hard  to  treat  these  little  matters  seriously.  Especially 
when  you  have  more  than  a  nodding  acquaintance  there- 
with. If  we  could  conscientiously  believe  that  these  little 
legal  outings  were  productive  of  finality  :  would  settle, 
once  for  all.  a  question  which  in  our  opinion,  never  needed 
any  settlement  well  and  good.  But  if  you  wait  a  week  or 
so.  some  other  person  will  ring  up  the  law  ;  will  waste  his 
shareholders'  money,  in  an  attempt  to  prove  the  impossible 


And  yet  there  are  owners  who  allege  that  these  are  hard 
times  !  Fudge,  we  don't  believe  it.  When  hard  times 
really  eventuate,  business  men  do  not  throw  away  the  sum 
of  money  represented  by  the  "  retaining  "  of  the  gentlemen 
whose  names  have  already  been  given  you  ? 

&*  %3 

EU     id 

THAT  hard  times  are  really  here,  is  exemplified  by  the 
monthly  meeting,  and  the  outcome  thereof,  which  the 
Swansea  Harbour  Trust  held  on  Monday  last.  The  minutes 
of  the  finance  committee,  showed  the  month's  revenue  as 
£12,627 — a  by  no  means  startling  amount?  And  even 
this,  was  nearly  £2,000  less  than  for  the  corresponding 
month,  last  year,  which  in  exact  figures  was  £14.594.  On 
the  expenditure  side  of  the  account,  the  favour  was  for 
this  year.  For  the  same  period  in  last  year,  the  expendi- 
ture was  £13.095  :  this  year,  £12.579.  That  is,  on  this 
particular  occasion  there  was  a  profit  of  £47,  while  in  last 
year,  and  for  the  same  period,  the  profit  was  some  £1.500. 
We  note  that  Mr.  Price  stated  that  the  trade  of  the  month 
had  not  been  so  satisfactory  as  in  last  year — which,  in  view 
of  the  figures,  is  a  somewhat  superfluous  statement? 
Placed  in  actual  tonnage,  the  falling  off  for  the  month,  was 
23.000  tons— three  decent-sized  steamers,  as  boats  go  to- 
day ?  But  Swansea  may  hold  her  end  up,  after  all.  Not 
only  at  Abertawe,  is  the  year  1905  likely  to  be  anathema- 
tised by  most  business  men.  'Tis  the  "same  old  nip," 
broadly  considered,  wherever  you  look.  Of  course,  a  corn 
on  your  foot,  won't  ease  the  corn  on  ours  :  but  it  is  human 
to  gloat  over  the  fact  that  you  are  not  suffering  alone,  for 
all  that  ? 

tf  ^ 

COME  to  think  of  it,  there  is  a  terrible  pile  of  ambiguity  in 
the  matter  of  tonnage  handled  at  a  given  port !  Here  is 
Hong  Kong  coming  out— thanks  to  the  present  war  in  the 
East — as  a  rival  to  London,  no  less  !  In  the  past.  Hong 
Kong  has  become  known  as  the  "third  shipping  port"  in 
the  world,  although  why,  we  cannot  say.  The  same  persons 
who  talk  thusly,  too,  are  blissfully  ignorant  of  a  little  place 
on  the  Taff.  Cardiff  to  wit.  Daily  Chronicle  gravely 
informs  us  that  "The  official  returns  of  vessels  entered  at 
the  five  greatest  ports  in  1903  "  are  : 

London         10.958,739  tons. 

Hong  Kong 1  0,783,502    „ 

New  York     9,371,545    „ 

Antwerp       9.039,313     „ 

Hamburg  (excluding  Cuxhaven)  8.244.660     ,. 

We  suppose  it  is  alright?  Especially  when  you  remember 
that  the  Port  of  Cardiff,  during  the  same  period,  had 
registered  tonnage  cleared  to  the  extent  of  10,414,103 
tons  :  while  in  the  matter  of  tons  actually  handled,  Cardiff 
is  responsible  for  an  amount  that  is  2,000,000  tons  in 
excess  of  London's  and  Hong  Kong's  added  together  !  As 
a  matter  of  fact.  Cardiff's  "  little  lot,"  is  figured  out  as 
23.867.626  tons.  But  prejudices  are  hard  to  kill ! 

5?^ 

^WITH  further  reference  to  that  West  Indian  mail  contract 
fiasco,  we  are  of  opinion  that  the  Parliamentary  paper 
which  was  issued  on  Tuesday  night,  and  which  contained 
the  text  of  the  dispatch  dealing  with  the  situation,  adds 
but  little  to  the  elucidation  of  the  mystery.  Practically, 
everybody  will  be  willing  to  admit  that  as  the  Imperial 
Government  paid  some  two-thirds  of  the  subsidy,  it  should 
have  the  "  predominant  voice  "  in  the  settlement.  That 
was  not  the  bone  of  contention,  by  any  manner  of  means. 
The  two  dissentient  Colonies  jibbed,  because  they  had  not 
been  properly  consulted  in  the  matter  ;  had  had  a  meta- 
phorical pistol  pointed  at  them,  with  the  words  "  Take  this, 
or  nothing,"  as  a  concomitant.  Neither  does  the  reason 
of  the  Government's  flirtation  with  that  "  private  offer," 
appear  to  be  overmuch  in  evidence.  It  is  all  very  pretty 
to  remark  that  the  Imperial  Government  had  no  desire  to 
thrust  upon  the  Colonies  a  contract  which.  "  however 
advantageous,  was,  apparently,  distasteful."  As  a  matter 
of  fact,  the  Colonies  do  not  know  as  yet,  whether  the  offer 
was  "advantageous."  although  they  have  made  no  bones 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May  12,   1905 


about  the  distasteful  part  of  the  undertaking— which  dis- 
tastefulness  was  considerably  more  than  "apparent?" 
Don't  you  think  so  ?  &X  Xa 

HOWEVER,  those  Colonies  will  understand,  in  future,  that 
they  cannot,  by  any  possibility,  know  what  is  best  for  them. 
They  might  be  Colonies :    might  be  the   ones   with   most 
interest  as  to  how  they  shall  get  their  letters,  and  dispose 
of  any  surplus  stock  of  native  product ;    might  even  be  the 
reason  of  existence  for  a  mail  service,  and  that   if  there 
were  no  Colonies  there  would  be  need  for  no  such  thing  as 
a  Colonial  mail  contract.     All  that  doesn't  matter,   in  the 
least.     Mr.  Lyttelton.  and  his  "permanent"  friends  know 
best :    their  united  words  may  be  taken  as  final ;    and  if 
they    develop   a  predilection  for   one   particular    line    of 
steamers— no  matter  how  that  predilection  is  worked  up- 
well,  wise  colonising   persons  will   be   well-advised   if,  in 
future,  they  accept  the  diction  of  the  "man  in  power," 
come  what  will.     As  things  are.  and  because  those  foolish 
Colonists  attempted  to  have  their  business   run   on   lines 
that  would,  in  their  opinion,    best  suit  their  requirements, 
they  have  no  business  left !     Are  without  a  mail  service 
and    at    a    time    when    a    hardening-up    of  the  colonies, 
generally,  is  absolutely  essential  for  the  mutual  protection 
of    the    whole    Empire.     To   the  Home  Government,  the 
mail  contract  is  a  small  affair— to   the  Colonies,  however, 
it  is  possibly  the  greatest  factor  in  their  lives.     The  pity  is. 
that  Government  officials  cannot  assimilate   these   truths 
which  are  obvious  to  the  remainder  of  the  community. 

BASED  on  the  address  which  Lord  Ellenborough  delivered, 
on  Tuesday,  at  the  Royal  United  Service  Institution,  the 
Daily  Mail,  on  Wednesday  morning,  gave  attention  to  what 
it  described  as  "The  Peril  of  the  '  Week-End,'  "  and  there- 
by  deserved   the  thanks  of  every    Briton   who    has    the 
welfare  of  his  country  at  heart.     If  more   of  the  country's 
"  popular  educators  "   would  follow  suit ;  would   undertake 
to  remove   the  scales  from  the  eyes  of  the  public ;  would 
write  the  truth  without  any  nonsensical  varnishing;  then, 
the  "  week-end  peril "  would  soon  be  a  thing  of  the  past. 
Unfortunately,  it  has  become  the  custom  for  most  of  the 
journals  which  affect  to  deal  with  these  subjects,  to  do  so 
merely  from  the  point  of  view  of  their  own  particular  set  of 
"  supporters."      By    this    means,    "  class    journalism "   is 
rampant,  and  in  far  too  many   instances,  its   "  class "  is 
merely  told  that  which  it  desires  to  know.     The  truth  is 
either  disregarded,  altogether,  or  is  so  modified,  that  as  an 
expression  of  opinion  on  a  given  subject,  it  is  utterly  worth- 
less.    For  our  part,  we  have  ever  claimed  that  it  is  in  the 
public  interest,   for   all   newspapers  to   tell  the  truth,  the 
whole  truth,  and    nothing    but    the    truth ;  and    without 
political  or  religious  bias,  or  favour. 

MOREOVER,  we  are  honest  enough  to  admit,  that  where 
the  readers  of  a  class  publication  amount  to  thousands,  the 
readers  of  such  journals  as  Daily  Mail  will  tot  into  millions. 
For  the  latter  reason,  we  are  glad  to  know  that  the  "daily  " 
in  question,  has  had  pluck  enough  to  give  its  multitude  of 
readers.  "  the  straight  tip."  Has  shown  it  how  the  country 
is  running  to  ultimate  ruin,  because  its  rulers  are  "  off 
duty,"  from  Friday  to  Monday  :  that  if  a  war  should  even- 
tuate, say,  on  a  given  Saturday  night,  there  would  be 
nobody  in  attendance,  at  Headquarters — even  as  was  the 
case,  in  the  North  Sea  Outrage.  Also,  that  if  war  begins, 
our  probable  enemy  has  already  provided  himself  with  a 
number  of  skilled  pilots — thanks  to  the  idiotic  conduct  of 
those  of  our  rulers,  who  should  know  better ;  and  several 
other  points,  which  were  sadly  in  need  of  publication.  We 
have  touched  on  the  circumstances,  here,  more  for  the 
purpose  of  expressing  our  thanks  to  Daily  Mail,  for  thus 
breaking  a  lance  in  favour  of  the  sailormen  of  all  ranks, 
and  whose  cause,  in  season  and  out.  we  have  ever  upheld. 
With  Lord  Ellenborough's  address,  we  are  dealing  more 
fully,  in  another  column. 


COME  to  think  of  it.  Naval  Warrant  Officers'  Journal  is 
well  able  to  touch  the  spot,  on  occasion.  In  a  recent  issue 
thereof,  we  read  that  "  Nothing  can  be  more  ridiculous, 
than  for  the  different  ranks,  on  the  lower  deck,  to  expend 
in  quarrelling,  the  energy  which  should  rightly  be  used,  in 
a  common  fight  against  the  prejudices,  the  ignorance,  and 
the  customs  of  the  service,  which  hold  back  the  whole  of 
the  Naval  rankers  as  a  body."  There  you  are.  and  if  that 
doesn't  touch  the  spot,  we  should  like  to  hear  about  it. 
Furthermore,  it  exactly  re-echoes  the  teaching  which  we 
have  sought  to  inculcate,  ever  since  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW 
dawned  in  all  its  beauty,  on  your  admiring  gaze  !  In  effect, 
the  "  rankers  "  allow  themselves  to  be  played  off.  the  one 
grade  against  the  other,  so  that  those  in  authority,  by 
"  divine  "  or  other  right  (?),  may  continue  there.  If  those 
"  rankers"  would  let  it  be  seen  that  the  day  of  "  play-off" 
was  relegated  to  the  limbo  of  boarding-pikes  and  nettings- 
then,  we  should  soon  see  the  better  man  in  the  better  place. 
It  is  customary  to  mark  the  present  era  as  a  democratic  age. 
This  is  all  bosh.  It  isn't  a  bit  democratic.  It  is  simply  ed- 
ucated, and  as  a  consequence,  realises  all  there  is  to  know. 
Concerning  a  survival  of  the  fittest. 


To  be  truly  democratic,  an  age  has  to  be  governed  by  a 

horde  of  people,  who  have  nothing  to  back  them  up,  save 

"  mouth."      A  horde,  in  which  brains  is  terribly  conspicuous 

by  its  absence.     That  the   present  is  no  such  epoch  as  is 

here  suggested,  goes  without  saying,  for  look  where  you  will, 

and  you  have  examples  of  -.the  fittest  surviving  -which  is 

just  as  it  should  be.      What  sense—  or  reason—  is  there,  in 

allowing  a  smart  man  to  achieve  "  warrant  "  rank,  if  he  is 

then  to  be  "  closured  "  because  his  pa  is  unknown  to  fame  : 

and  that  as  a  "  warrant,"  he  must  act  as  wet-nurse  to  some 

other  man,  whose  only  claim  to  the  nursing  is  that  his  father 

was  so  known  ?     If  a  sailor-boy  is  considered  worthy  of 

promotion  from  nothing  to  warrant  officer,  is  it  going  to  be 

pretended  that  on  attaining  the  warrant  rank,  all  his  erst- 

while sense  and  perseverance  is  bound  to  leave  him  ?   That 

as  a  result,  he  must  never  hope  to  receive  a  commission  ? 

Tommy  rot  !     It  is  only  when  the  warrant  stage  is  reached, 

that  the  man  in  question  is  beginning  to  be  of  use  to  his 

country.     Why  put  the  brake  on,  then  ?     Simply  because  it 

"  was,"  in  the  "good  old  days;  "  and  so  far,  those  with  most 

interest  have  allowed    themselves  to  be    played  off,   one 

against  the  other,  as  suggested  by  Naval  Warrant  Officers. 

Journal.     That  is  all. 


Tis  somewhat  amusing,  to  watch  the  turnings  and  twist- 
ingsof  some  of  ourdaily  contemporaries,  when  circumstances 
compel  them  to  touch  on  Governmental  topics.  Pall  Mall 
Gazette,  some  few  days  ago,  thought  fit  to  touch  on  the 
subject  of  "  Naval  Officers  in  the  Dockyard  "  —  that  ideal 
which  Sir  John  Fisher  is  so  keen  on  bringing  about.  P.M.G. 
remarks  that  Sir  John's  idea  "  is  that  a  year  or  two  of 
dockyard  duty  would  be  a  welcome  alternative  to  service 
afloat  ;  that  efficiency  would  be  heightened  and  expenses 
decreased,  filling  more  dockyard  posts  from  the  active  list 
of  the  Navy.  On  this  matter,  a  good  deal  might  be  said 
both  ways."  Of  course  it  might  !  Indeed,  this  is  exactly 
the  trouble.  There  is  so  much  that  can  be  said  "  both 
ways,"  that  neither  way  gets  much  of  a  show  ?  Here  is 
another  sample  of  the  "two-wayed  tap,"  "  But  reform  here, 
must  begin  at  Whitehall  ;  for  it  is  usually  the  Admiralty 
who  are  responsible  for  the  blundering  that  costs  the  public 
so  much  every  year  (and  which  the  suggested  dockyard 
training  would  obviate  ?).  Sometimes,  however,  the  unbus- 
inesslike methods  of  the  dockyards,  are  the  cause  of  big 
sums  being  wasted."  There  you  are,  sirs  !  You  pay  your 
money,  and  you  take  your  choice.  If  you  are  an  Admiralty 
man,  you  put  it  on  the  dockyardee.  If  a  dockyardee,  shove 
it  on  the  Admiralty.  In  either  case  you  will  be  a  winner. 
for  P.M.G.  is  with  you  —  and  that  should  be  good  enough  ? 


May    12,    1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


213 


SHIPBUILDING. 


THERE  is  still  a  very  marked  dearth  of  new  orders  in  the 
shipbuilding  trade,  and  builders  cannot  look  into  the  future 
with  any  degree  of  confidence.  Opinions  will,  no  doubt. 
differ  as  to  the  future,  but  we  are  inclined  to  agree  with 
many  people  in  the  shipping  trade  who  hold  that  the  worst 
of  the  depression,  both  for  owners  and  builders,  is  yet  to 
come,  and  that  the  end  of  the  present  year  will  see  things 
even  worse  than  they  are  at  present.  Builders  are  cer- 
tainly living  on  past  orders,  and  as  the  freight  markets 
continue  very  disappointing,  the  dearth  of  new  enquiries  is 
not  to  be  wondered  at.  Not  for  many  years  past,  has  there 
been  so  many  boats,  under  course  of  construction,  offering 
in  the  market  for  sale  as  at  the  present  time,  and  some  of 
them  are  being  offered  at  prices,  which  mean  a  heavy  loss 

to  their  owners. 

•f  -f  -f 

ANattempt  is  to  be  made  to  revive  the  shipbuildingindustry 
on  the  Mersey.  The  Liverpool  City  Council,  last  week,  agreed 
to  the  recommendation  of  the  Estate  Committee,  that  the 
Town  Clerk,  the  City  Engineer,  and  the  Corporation  Sur- 
veyor be  instructed  to  prepare  a  report  on  the  practicability 
of  providing  shipbuilding  accommodation  on  the  Mersey 
within  the  city  boundaries,  which  will  tend  to  create 
employment  for  the  working  classes,  and  thereby  enhance 
the  value  of  the  Corporation  freehold  estate,  which  is 
under  the  management  of  the  Estate  Committee. 

+  •»••»• 

ON  Tuesday  last,  at  the  Baltic  Mercantile  and  Shipping 
Exchange.  London.  Messrs.  C.  W.  Kellock  &  Co.  offered 
for  sale,  by  auction,  the  iron  screw  steamer  Thor.  Built 
by  Messrs.  M.  Pearse&  Co.,  Stockton,  in  1882;  dimensions 
255ft.  x  35ft.  x  18ft.:  carries  2. 150  tons  deadweight,  on 
18ft.  Bin.  draft :  with  engines  29in..  60in.  x  59in.  stroke, 
by  Messrs.  Blair  &  Co.  Bidding  commenced  at  £4,500 
and  was  taken  to  £5,450.  at  which  the  steamer  was  with- 
drawn, the  reserve  price  not  being  reached.  Messrs.  Peter 
Rowe  &  Sons.  Cardiff,  are  the  owners  of  the  boat. 

•f  •*•  + 

MESSRS.  ORDERS  &  HANDFORD.  Newport,  have  purchased 
a  new  steamer,  now  under  course  of  construction  by 
Messrs.  Robert  Thompson  &  Sons.  Sunderland.  Dimensions 
513ft.  x  45ft.  x  23ft.  moulded:  single  deck  type  with 
cargo  poop,  bridge  and  forecastle  :  about  4,400  tons  dead- 
weight on  19ft.  9in.  draft.  The  machinery  will  be  supplied 
by  Messrs.  George  Clark.  Ltd..  Sunderland  :  with  engines 
23in..  38in..  61  in.  x  39in.  stroke:  and  two  single  ended 
boilers  14ft  9in.  x  10ft.  working  pressure  1801bs.  It  is 
reported  that  the  price  paid  is  about  £28.000. 

•f  -f  -f 

IT  is  reported  that  the  steel  screw  steamer  Londes- 
borough.  owned  by  Messrs.  G.  R.  Sanderson  &  Co..  Hull. 
has  been  sold  at  about  £22.500.  She  was  built  by  Messrs." 
W.  Gray  &  Co..  Ltd..  West  Hartlepool.  in  1898.  3.071 
tons  gross:  dimensions  324ft.  x  47ft.  x  24ft.  lOin.; 
carries  about  5.100  tons  deadweight :  with  engines  24in., 
58in..  64in.  x  42in.  stroke,  by  the  Central  Marine  Engine 

Works. 

•f  •»•   -f 

THE  General  Steam  Navigation  Company.  Limited, 
London,  have  sold  the  steel  paddle  steamer  Halcyon  to  the 
South  of  England  Steamboat  Company,  Ldl.  She  was 
built  by  Messrs.  J.  Scott  &  Co.,  Kinghorn,  in  1887. 
Dimensions  209ft.  2in.  x  26ft.  2in.  x  9ft.;  458  tons  gross  ; 
with  engines  ZZ*z\n..  61in.  x  60in.  stroke  by  Messrs.  J. 
Scott  &  Co..  Kirkcaldy. 

•f   •»•  + 

ON  Tuesday  last,  at  Dundee,  the  iron  screw  steamer 
Torbay.  was  sold  by  auction  at  £7,500.  She  was  built  by 
Messrs.  J.  Blumer  &  Co..  Sunderland.  in  1883,  and  had 


new  main  and  donkey  boilers  fitted  in  1901.  Dimensions 
243ft.  Gin.  x  33ft.  Sin.  x  17ft.  2in.;  carries  1,880  tons 
deadweight,  on  17ft.  Sin.  draft.  She  was  bought  by  the 
Shipping  Agency  Ltd.,  London,  for  foreign  clients  of  theirs. 

+  +  + 

THE  iron  screw  steamer  Hellenes,  lately  owned  by  Messrs. 
Donald  &  Taylor,  Glasgow,  has  been  sold  to  Mr.  Thomas 
L.  Weiss,  of  Newcastle.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  W. 
Pickersgill  &  Son.  Sunderland,  in  1884.  Dimensions 
270ft.  x  40ft.  x  18ft.  7in.;  1,983  tons  gross  ;  with  engines 
30in..  62in.  x  42in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  G.  Clark,  Ltd.  The 
price  paid  is  said  to  be  about  £7,500, 

+  +  + 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Enriqueta,  lately  owned  by  the 
Coast  Transit  Company,  Ltd.,  Falkirk,  has  been  sold  to 
Mr.  R.  Kay,  of  Glasgow.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  R. 
Williamson  &  Son,  Workington,  in  1895.  Dimensions 
153ft.  2in.  x  23ft.  6in.  x  lift.  3in.;  382  tons  gross  ;  with 
engines  19in.,  38in.  x  27in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  Dunsmuir  & 
Jackson. 

+  +  + 

* 

WE  understand  that  Messrs.  Peter  Rowe  &  Sons,  Cardiff, 
have  sold  their  iron  screw  steamer  Jane,  to  Swedish  buyers, 
at  about  £6,000.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  T.  Turnbull  & 
Son,  Whitby,  in  1879.  Dimensions  240ft.  2in.  x  34ft.  x 
17ft.  7in.;  1.384  tons  gross  ;  with  engines  30in.,  57in.  x 
33in.  stroke  by  Messrs.  T.  Richardson  &  Sons. 

+  +  + 

MESSRS.  ISMAY.  IMRIE  &  Co.,  Liverpool,  have  sold  the 
steel  screw  steamer  Gaelic,  to  the  Pacific  Steam  Navigation 
Company,  Liverpool,  for  £19,000.  She  was  built  and 
engined  by  Messrs.  Harland  &  Wolff,  Ltd..  Belfast,  in 
1885.  Dimensions  420ft.  3in.  x  42ft.  4in.  x  29ft.  6in.; 
4,206  tons  gross ;  with  engines  4oin.  x  86in.  x  60in.  stroke. 

+  +  + 

THE  steel  screw  tug  Mashona,  owned  by  Mr.  W.  Watkins, 
of  London,  is  reported  sold  to  a  Bombay  firm  at  about 
£6,200.  She  was  built  by  the  Irvine  Shipbuilding  Co.,  Ltd., 
Irvine,  in  1902.  Dimensions  100ft.  Sin.  x  20ft.  x  lift. 
5in.:  with  engines  13in.,  22in.,  35in.  x  27in.  stroke,  by 
Messrs.  J.  Stewart  &  Son,  Ltd.,  London. 

+  +  + 

THE  steel  screw  tug  Harold,  lately  owned  by  Mr.  J.  G. 
Hammond,  of  London,  has  been  sold  to  foreigners  at  about 
£5.300.  She  was  built  and  engined  by  Messrs.  Lobnitz  & 
Co..  Renfrew,  in  1898.  Dimensions  100ft.  4in.  x  20ft.  x 
1 1ft.  3in.:  with  engines  13in.,  22in.,  35in.  x  27in.  stroke. 

+  +  + 

MESSRS.  FERGUSON  BROTHERS,  Port  Glasgow,  have  secured 
an  order  from  the  Clyde  Trust,  for  the  construction  of  a 

dredger. 

+  +  + 

IT  is  stated  that  the  P.  and  0.  Company  will  shortly  be 
in  the  market  for  four  new  steamers.  It  is  probable  the 
orders  will  be  divided  between  the  Clyde  and  theTyne. 

+  +  + 

THE  steamer  Kate  B.  Jones,  owned  by  Messrs.  F.  W.  & 
A.  J.  Hutchins,  Cardiff,  is  to  be  renamed  Erminie. 

•f   +  + 

MR.  G.  SJOBERG,  of  Malmo,  Sweden,  is  the  purchaser  of 
the  steamer  Falka,  recently  reported  sold. 

+  +  + 

MESSRS.  W.  S.  MILLER  &  Co.,  Glasgow,  are  the  purchasers 
of  the  steamer  Gastlefield,  reported  sold  in  our  last  issue. 


214 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May    12,   1905 


<*''          ^  .~r^ 


FRIDAY.  MAY   12.   1905. 


NEW  FREIGHT  MARKET?     MANITOBA-ON-THE-SEA ! 

(  FIRST    ARTICLE). 


T  the  present  moment,  when  the  relative  merits 
of  rival  Canadian  waterways  are  looming  big 
in  the  public  eye,  it  will  not  be  amiss  if  we 
discuss,  generally,  the  varied  points  in  con- 
nection with  the  idea  which  many  Canadians 
have  named,  a  Manitoba-on-the-Sea.  Especi- 
ally as  a  little  calm  consideration  will  show, 
conclusively,  that  such  a  scheme  is  by  no  means  the 
impossibility  which  the  favourers  of  rival  enterprises  would 
pretend.  From  time  to  time,  we  have  given  much  attention 
to  this  phase  of  maritime  expansion,  so  are  of  opinion  that 
no  apology  is  necessary,  if  we  give  the  views  as  held  by  an 
ever-increasing  number  of  Manitobans.  It  must  be 
admitted,  seeing  that  it  possesses  an  area  greater  than  that 
of  the  United  States  and  a  population  less  than  that  of 
London,  that  Canada  has  a  magnificent  future  before  it. 
Furthermore,  it  is  obvious  that,  to-date,  nothing  more  than 
a  mere  nibbling  at  Canadian  trade  has  been  indulged  in, 
either  in  the  country,  itself,  or  in  the  lands  which  make  a 
great  pretence  of  being  in  possession  of  most  of  the 
"  maritime  supremacy  "  that  is  about.  Canada  is.  in  deed 
and  truth,  a  wonderful  country,  and  it  is  plainly  apparent, 
if  one  gives  but  a  cursory  glance  at  the  volume  of  her 
trade,  at  present,  and  compares  the  same,  with  that  which 
obtained  but  a  few  years  ago.  In  its  early  days,  when  the 
so-called  "  Red  River  Cart "  was  the  principal  means  of 
transport :  when  railways  and  canals  were  unknown  ;  and 
when  the  Indian  disputed  the  right  of  the  white  man  at 
every  turn  ;  the  land  of  Our  Lady  of  the  Snows  was  never 
thought  to  possess  that  importance,  which,  in  later  years, 
has  fallen  to  her  lot.  Neither  must  it  be  forgotten,  that  it 
is  solely  due  to  the  ocean  liner,  that  Canada  has  been 
enabled  to  take  her  present  position  of  importance  and 
rank,  among  the  peoples  of  the  earth.  Somehow  or  other, 
those  with  most  at  stake,  are  apt  to  forget  the  meta- 
phorical bridge  over  which  that  Western  Land  has  stepped 
to  prominence  ;  and  thus  it  comes  about,  that  with 
practically  each  succeeding  Government,  the  long-talked-of 
"  Canadian  Fast  Line,"  is  as  far  off  as  ever — far  off.  that 
is.  as  a  Canadian  enterprise.  The  same  old  lines  which 
have  done  such  yeoman  service  in  the  past,  are  still  at  it  ; 
but  every  step  forward  on  their  part,  is  grudgingly  acceded 
to,  by  those  whose  very  national  existence  depends  thereon. 
In  all  probability,  there  is  fault  on  both  sides,  and  principally 
because  until  very  lately,  neither  side  of  the  interested 
parties  had  more  than  a  nodding  acquaintance  with  each 
other.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  and  although  part  and  parcel 
of  our  glorious  Empire,  Canada  has  a  national  individuality 
of  her  own  ;  a  possession  which  some  of  us,  on  this  side 
of  the  waters,  are  prone  to  overlook.  That  individuality  is 
distinct  from  that  of  the  United  States  of  America  (with 
which,  we  are  assured,  Canada  is  ever  coquetting!)— is, 
in  short,  distinct  from  all  other  portions  of  the  Empire ; 
and  one  of  the  most  pleasing  signs  of  the  times,  lays  in 
the  fact  that  the  individuality  referred  to,  is  rapidly  becom- 
ing known  to  the  people  in  the  Mother  Land.  In 
the  ordinary  course  of  events,  and  when  the  fusion  of 
races  among  the  immigrants  which  are  for  ever  coming, 
has  eliminated  the  yet  existing  portions  of  the  foreign 


tongue  that  may  still  be  heard  in  parts  of  the  Dominion  ; 
when  the  rising  generations  have  been  educated  in  Canadian 
schools;  when  the  inevitable  chaos  which  surrounds  a 
"new  land,"  has  been  brought  into  orderliness,  and  mixed 
up  with  the  patriotism  belonging  to  such  a  state  :  then  is 
the  time  to  look  for  the  expansion  of  Canadian  trade  :  the 
progress  which,  as  yet.  has  merely  touched  on  the  fringe  of 
the  possible.  With  the  materialisation  of  the  present 
somewhat  nebulous  feeling  of  greatness,  will  come  natural 
pride  of  country,  which  will  hold  by  mutual  ties,  the  des- 
cendants of  practically  every  European  country — and  not  a 
few  from  what  is  still  known  as  the  "  New  World."  The 
ever-varying  changes  of  climate  which  must  necessarily 
exist,  in  such  a  colossal  expanse  of  territory  as  goes  to 
make  up  the  Dominion  Colony,  creates  many  interesting 
conditions.  These,  to  a  very  great  extent,  are  important  to 
navigation— without  which,  all  attempts  at  trade  expansion 
are  foredoomed  to  failure  ;  and  are  also  of  great  influence 
or.  the  future  internal  development  of  the  Canadian  race. 
Even  in  the  deadest  of  dead  winters,  one  is  confronted 
with  the  fact,  that  although  the  Ice  King  has  locked  up  all 
nature  with  his  iron  grip ;  that,  from  boundary  to  boundary 
—except  in  some  favoured  spots  where  the  "  Chinook 
winds  "  temper  the  otherwise  severe  cold— trade  is,  to  all 
intents  and  purposes,  "  held  up  "  ;  yet  in  the  midst  of  it  all, 
the  immigrant  is  pouring  in.  in  his  thousands  ;  continuously 
and  from  all  parts  of  Europe  ;  in  the  hope  of  finding  his 
el  Dorado  in  the  free  grant — and  other  lands— of  Manitoba 
and  the  Great  North  West.  At  Winnipeg,  thousands  halt 
for  a  needed  rest-  and  to  enquire,  in  the  case  of  those 
who  have  been  unable  to  satisfy  themselves,  beforehand, 
where  they  can  locate,  with  hope  to  justify  their  thousands 
of  miles  of  weary  travel.  In  the  Eastern  portion  of  the 
country — known  as  the  Maritime  Provinces — the  land  has 
been  developed  in  a  marvellous  manner.  Yet  millions  of 
acres  of  land  to  the  north,  are  yet  untouched  by  civilised 
feet— unsurveyed,  not  even  explored  !  In  that  portion  of 
the  Eastern  Provinces  adjacent  to  the  American  border, 
manufacturing  claims  the  attention  of  thousands,  and 
affords  them  a  good  means  of  livelihood.  Yet,  of  great 
towns,  Canada  possesses  but  few.  Of  these,  Winnipeg 
holds  third  place,  being  surpassed  only  by  Montreal  and 
Toronto.  The  Prairie  City,  known  as  recently  as  1870 
as  Fort  Garry,  possessed,  at  that  time,  but  a  few  hundreds 
of  inhabitants — 215,  to  be  exact.  From  a  small,  but 
important  trading  station,  the  city  has  grown  until  to-day, 
it  has  a  community  running  into  some  70.000,  and  taking 
as  a  standard,  its  increase  for  the  past  few  years,  its 
population  should,  in  another  decade,  approximate  into 
the  200,000  stage.  In  view  of  the  fact  that  there 
are  hundreds  of  thousands  of  immigrants  being  landed 
at  Montreal  and  Quebec,  and  the  ocean  ports  in  Canada 
and  the  United  States — the  latter  of  which  find  their 
way  into  the  Dominion  over  the  southern  boundary — it 
occurs  toustoaskwhatinfluence  they  have,  on  the  commerce 
of  the  world,  or,  more  particularly,  on  British  and  European 
trade  ?  The  answer  is  simple  enough  !  One  occupation 
stands  out  in  solitary  pre-eminence  in  Canada.  The  farmer 
is  the  back-bone  of  the  country.  He  adds  millions  of  acres, 
annually,  to  the  area  under  cultivation,  and  thus  it  comes 
about,  that  grain,  of  many  varieties  and  grades,  becomes 
an  article  of  value ;  the  one  consideration  on  which  the 
prosperity  of  the  Dominion  depends.  Manitoba  No.  1  hard 
— as  the  best  wheat  is  named  is  the  equivalent  for  bullion, 
providing  it  can  find  an  Eastern  market.  Naturally,  live 
stock  of  all  kinds,  claims  a  share  of  the  farmer's  attention, 
and  adds  a  value  to  the  trade  of  the  Colony,  for  which  its 
exponents  are  ever  seeking  a  new  outlet,  and  in  the  mean- 
time, increased  storage  and  transit  accommodation.  That 
is,  the  millions  of  bushels  of  golden  grain,  the  thousands  of 
herds  of  horned  beasts — are  all  useless  to  the  Canadian 
farmer,  unless  he  can  get  them  to  the  sea,  and  by  its  aid  to 
the  markets  of  the  world.  Thus  it  comes  about,  that  in 
surveying  the  prospects,  one  has  to  give  careful  attention 


May    12,    1. 105 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


to  the  railway  and  canal  facilities:  first. for  the  conveyance 
of  all  this  produce  to  the  sea  board  ;  and  then,  to  the 
steamer  of  commerce  that  will  bear  it  along  to  the  mint 
that  will  turn  the  stuff  into  golden  sovereigns — or  other 
coins  of  equivalent  value.  In  the  past,  the  farmer  has  been 
too  busy,  putting  his  house  in  order,  that  he  may  get  as 
much  as  possible  from  his  land,  to  give  much  attention  to 
transport  questions  :  the  remainder  of  the  community  have 
been  too  deeply  immersed  in  "  politics."  to  admit  of  their 
gaining  any  success  in  the  same  direction.  As  is  usually 
the  case  in  new  lands.  "  politics  "  have  ever  claimed  the 
most  attention  in  Canada.  Party  interests  have  been 
placed  far  ahead  of  the  general  welfare,  and  time  alone, 
could  be  depended  on  to  alter  all  this.  With  the  effluxion 
of  that  time,  the  Canadian  has  been  given  an  opportunity  of 
realising  that  politics,  as  generally  understood,  is  merely  a 
pastime  for  the  brainless  and  indolent :  that  to  succeed,  a 
country  needs  more  genuine  workers  than  a  "political  boss" 
will  ever  prove  himself.  Moreover,  signs  abound,  that  the 
day  of  the  Canadian  "  wire  puller  "  is  about  over  ;  and  that 
with  his  passing,  will  synchronise  a  healthier  state  of  trade. 
Indeed,  the  actual  progress  of  Canadian  trade  is  in  actual 
ratio  with  the  decrease  of  the  number  of  political  parasites 
which,  erstwhile,  reaped  a  golden  harvest,  in  return  for 
their  creation  of  cliques,  and  for  the  masterly  manner  in 
which  they  worked  one  off  against  the  other.  This  pro- 
gress, too.  is  a  steady  factor,  for  as  the  new  home-seekers 
break  the  virgin  prairie  and  add  their  quota  to  the  general 
improvement,  so  do  the  figures  which  tell  of  national 
advance  proclaim  the  fact,  that  slowly,  perhaps,  but  surely, 
the  food  supplies  of  the  Empire  are  constantly  being  brought 
within  the  "  ring  fence  "  of  that  Empire's  might.  This  is 
as  it  should  be.  and  as  most  of  our  strenuous  workers  have 
endeavoured  to  make  it,  for  quite  a  number  of  years. 
Coming  to  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  to  the  Atlantic  Ports,  the 
question  of  winter  transport  affects,  most  vitally,  the 
development  of  the  interior.  Obviously,  the  seaboard 
towns  are  of  little  use  as  trading  centres,  unless  they 
possess  trading  facilities.  Of  themselves,  they  can  make 
nothing  toward  the  advancement  of  the  Colony.  In  fact. 
their  one  reason  of  existence,  is  that  they  shall  pose  as  the 
jumping-off  place,  so  to  speak,  for  everything  that  is 
intended  for  other  lands:  and  the  jum ping-on  place  for 
everything  that  is  intended  for  the  Dominion.  Failing 
in  either  particular,  then.  Canada  might  just  as  well 
have  no  seaboard  whatever.  And  it  must  be  remembered 
that  it  is  not  the  Maritime  Provinces  which  suffer 
most  acutely  from  a  lack  of  winter  transport. 
(To  be  continued). 

ON  MARITIME  SUPREMACY. 

JUDGING  by  recent  examples  of  the  business,  an  attempt 
to  maintain  a  fairly-comprehensive  chunk  of  maritime 
supremacy,  is  a  tough  job  ?  For  years  past.  Britain 
has  been  taking  all  manner  of  niggling  Protection  fom  hec — , 
business  rivals  :  has  been  giving  them  unlimited  Free 
Trade  when  they  cared  to  dump  their  shoddy  stuff  on  the 
British  markets  :  from  a  mistaken  sense  of  magnanimity, 
has  been  taking  quite  a  number  of  commercial  snubs 
"  laying  down  :"  but  in  spite  of  all.  the  "feeling"  against 
the  poor  old  land,  as  far  as  sections  of  the  foreigner  is 
concerned,  is  anything  but  Christianlike.  The  fact  of  the 
matter  is.  Britain  has  been  engaged  in  a  task  of  emulation. 
Ha»  been  trying  to  work  out  her  destiny  on  the  lines 
adopted  by  the  proverbial  old  man  who  started  out  from 
home,  in  company  with  a  boy  and  a  donkey.  You'll 
remember  the  ancient  joke?  How  the  poor  old  father  rode 
the  moke,  and  earned  opprobrium  for  making  his  "  poor 
little  boy  "  walk  :  how,  in  an  endeavour  to  mend  his  ways, 
he  placed  the  boy  on  donkey-back,  did  the  walking  himself, 
and  was  blamed  for  being  in  possession  of  a  selfish  son  ; 
how.  as  a  last  resource,  he  carried  the  donkey  because  he 
had  been  dubbed  cruel  for  attempting  to  mount  both  him- 


self and  boy  on  the  long-suffering  animal  ;  how  he  was 
written  down  as  "fool,"  for  his  last  endeavour;  and  how, 
in  the  end,  the  old  man  elected  to  please  himself  in  the 
matter  of  handling  his  own  jackass  ?  Well,  that  is  how 
Britain  has  been  acting  for  quite  a  while.  As  a  result, 
Germany  has  gone  out  of  its  way,  to  pile  up  all  manner  of 
petty  obstacles  in  Britain's  path  ;  has  wired  wires  to 
Britain's  enemies ;  has  made  pilgrimages  that  were 
intended  to  capsize  the  equanimity  of  Britain's  friends  ;  has 
done  her  best  to  engineer  a  rupture  between  Britain  and 
her  Eastern  Ally,  by  doing  the  "man  Friday"  act  to  Russia, 
of  which,  erstwhile,  she  was  mortally  afraid  ;  in  fact,  has 
thought  up  every  possible  style  of  placing  Britain  in  the 
position  of  the  man  and  the  moke  alluded  to.  Filled  with 
a  feeling  of  conscious  power,  the  majority  of  Britons  have 
smiled  indulgently  on  these  "made  in  Germany"  paper 
bullets,  even  as  they  have  pursued  the  even  tenour  of  their 
way  :  although  every  one  of  us  understood  the  trend  of 
affairs,  in  connection  with  the  land  which  is.  more  or  less, 
loyal  to  Willie  the  Wanderer.  Now,  as  a  sort  of  set  off  to 
the  whole  pantomime,  a  British  admiral,  in  his  capacity  as 
an  ordinary  British  subject,  has  pluck  enough  to  translate 
the  "  writing  on  the  wall ;  "  to  translate  it  in  the  fashion 
which  was  already  understood,  only  too  well,  by  both  sides 
of  the  dissentient  parties  ;  and,  as  a  result,  poor  Germany 
is  "  up  in  arms !  "  Come  to  think  of  it,  to  get  Germany 
into  a  ranting  mood,  has  been  a  simple  occupation  for  years 
past.  Unexpected— and  undeserved — prosperity,  has 
made  the  dear  land  awfully  touchy.  That  is,  prosperity 
has  been  made  at  the  expense  of  Britain,  who  has  done 
all  in  her  power  to  advance  the  interests  of  the  Father- 
land even  to  the  extent  of  passing  a  law  which  made 
jt  essential  to  advertise-  all  Fatherlandish  goods  as 
"  made  in  Germany  ;  "  and,  at  last,  the  Teutonic  entity 
has  come  to  believe  that  its  progress  is  due  to  the 
inherent  smartness  of  its  people,  rather  than  to  the  indul- 
gence of  its  chief  rival.  As  far  as  we  can  see,  Admiral 
Fitzgerald  has  written  no  word  that  was  not  already 
believed  by  both  Briton  and  German  ;  has  made  no  sugges- 
tion but  what  will  eventuate,  if  the  same  tactics  are 
persevered  with  :  and  the  wonder  really  is,  that  any  feel- 
ing could  possibly  be  worked  up,  over  such  a  trivial  affair. 
To  our  mind,  Germany  is  posing  as  would  a  burglar  caught 
in  the  act ;  is  making  an  awful  fuss  of  wounded  dignity,  for 
the  purpose  of  deceiving  the  policeman  who  has  caught  her 
red-handed.  Of  course,  such  tricks  are  of  the  vain  order, 
these  days,  for  in  view  of  such  little  tricky  dodges  as,  for 
instance,  the  Marshall  Islands  incident,  no  one  is  going  to 
believe  that  the  Teuton  is  filled  with  an  overweening  desire 
to  act  on  the  square  with  any  other  nation  ;  or  to  be  unduly 
keen  on  rendering  unto  Caesar  that  which  is  Caesar's  ? 
When  William  wanders,  we  wot  that  his  wanderings  are  not 
for  the  pleasure  of  making  a  simple  yachting  tour;  he's 
"out  for  business,"  every  time  and  always;  and  William's 
business,  is  to  starve  the  commercial  appetites  of  other 
•ations.  Really,  when  the  trick  is  exposed,  the  Teuton, 
should  possess  himself  in  patience,  even  as  he  thinks  up 
some  other  quiff  to  win  a  bloodless  victory.  For  bloodless 
victories  are  the  vogue  with  the  German  gentleman. 
However.  Admiral  Fitzgerald  is  credited  with  helping  the 
German  Navy  League  in  a  most  solid  manner ;  the  great 
organisation  will  now  be  able  to  get  the  warships  for  which 
its  soul  -and  its  possible  enemies — hanker  ;  so  why  all  this 
pother  ?  As  far  as  we  can  see,  that  naughty  admiral  man, 
instead  of  being  blamed,  should  be  decorated  with  the 
inanimate  eagle  thing  ?  He  deserves  well  of  every  right- 
thinking  German  person— for  without  his  sterling  help, 
those  ships  which  are  to  work  up  Germany's  future  on  the 
sea,  would  never  have  materialised.  They  might  not,  even 
now  :  while,  again,  they  might.  Tis  a  touchy  age— this,  in 
which  we  live ;  and  you  cannot  carry  on  a  maritime 
supremacy  on  love,  after  all,  although  sections  of  con- 
tinental crammers  are  for  ever  pretending  that  such  is  their 
ambition  I 


216 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May  12,   1905 


CARDIFF    (AND  OTHER)    COAL. 


CARDIFF.  May  70,  /905. 

IN  giving  a  consideration  to  the  Coal  Market  during  the 
past  week,  there  is  certainly  little  of  a  startling  character 
to  write  about:  nothing  of  the  new  and  strange  in 
connection  with  the  prevailing  conditions  :  in  fact,  there  is 
no  appreciable  difference  in  the  various  grades,  size  it  up  as 
you  may.  Speaking  in  a  general  sense,  it  is  true  that 
prices  have  shown  a  fairly  steady  maintenance  of  recent 
figures  :  but  this  is  not  because  there  is  a  real  hardness  in 
the  manipulation  of  Cardiff  (and  other)  coal :  on  the 
contrary  indeed,  for  it  is  the  result  of  an  absence  of  any 
inducement,  for  either  a  raising  or  lowering  of  prices. 

WHEN  a  would-be  buyer  "  cocks  his  eye "  across  the 
scene  :  gives  it  as  his  straight  opinion  that  he  doesn't  care 
two-pence,  whether  he  eventuates  into  an  actual  buyer,  or 
otherwise  :  when  he  casually  asks  the  price  of  a  problem- 
atical quantity,  and  then  strolls  off  with  the  remark  ,that 
he'll  think  about  it— sometime  in  the  future  :  well,  you 
wouldn't  be  so  far  left  to  yourself,  as  to  pretend  that  things 
were  humming,  then  ?  Would  you.  now  ?  Of  course,  not! 
And  if,  in  the  middle  of  an  alleged  deal  in  coal,  the 
apparently  intending  purchaser  should  wander  off  into  a 
discussion  on  French  neutrality,  or  Russian  duplicity  ;  if. 
when  you.  firmly,  but  gently,  endeavoured  to  wean  him 
back  to  the  subject  which  laid  nearest  your  heart— or  its 
substitute  ;  if,  then,  under  any  or  all  of  the  conditions 
suggested,  that  buyer  man  merely  winked  and  walked— well, 
what  would  you  ? 

THE  foregoing  is  a  faithful  description  of  several  little 
episodes  which  came  our  way,  in  the  days  which  we  have 
set  ourselves  to  review.  Naturally,  there  has  been  some- 
thing doing.  There  always  is !  The  world  would  stop 
altogether,  if  there  were  not.  But  you  may  take  it  from 
us,  that  the  something  which  has  been  done  in  coal,  is 
merely  for  the  immediate  requirements  of  the  purchaser  ; 
and  even  then,  he  has  not  been  unduly  pleased  at  recol- 
lection of  the  fact  that  he  had  to,  you  know.  So  far.  we 
have  been  dealing  altogether  with  the  kind  of  business 
which  our  own  particular  one  styles,  "  new  accumulations." 
What  is  exactly  meant  by  the  term,  doesn't  really  matter  a 
bit.  It's  a  coally  combination :  our  o.p.  is  coally  :  his 
business,  too.  is  coal— so  there  you  are  ! 

A  FRIEND  looked  in  this  morning,  just  as  we  were  wrest- 
ling with  the  notes  which  are  eventually  planted  out  to  make 
this  page.  Being  in  the  coal  vein— metaphorically,  you 
know— we  asked  him  his  opinion  of  the  coal  trade.  Said 
he  :  "  Well,  it  is  beyond  the  bounds  of  possibility  to  expect 
any  rise  in  values,  as  long  as  the  demand  keeps  in  its 
present  limited  state :  while  new  business  is  non-existent 
as  it  is  at  present,  and  there  is  no  getting  away  from  the 
fact  that  outputs  are  greater  than  the  call  for  them,  at 
present."  There  !  That  was  his  yarn,  word  for  word,  for 
we  jotted  it  down,  warm  from  his  lips,  on  to  the  wrapper  of 
a  bumming  circular  to  hand  from  a  local  bucket-shop 
keeper.  What  did  he  mean  ?  Great  Gsesar,  don't  ask  us. 
We  have  given  you  his  words.  That  ought  to  be  good 
enough — if  you  remember  that  language  was  given  us  to 
hide  our  thoughts ! 

ANYHOW,  you  will  now  understand  that  BEST  CARDIFF 
ADMIRALTY'S  are  no  firmer  than  they  were  last  week.  A 
cursory  glance  at  our  scheduled  rates  will  show,  at  once, 
that  they  are  "  up  "  at  13s. — there  or  thereabout.  Still, 
this  section  is  fairly  steady  -subject  to  the  conditions 
already  given,  and  for  the  reason  that  the  colliery  stems 
are  good,  if  stale.  In  one  or  two  instances,  this  is  likely  to 
continue  right  on  to  the  end  of  the  month.  Quotations 
have  ranged  up  to  the  13s.  3d.  mark,  but  the  level  figures 
have  taken  the  major  portion  of  what  there  is  about — 
although  the  named  sorts,  are  somewhat  disinclined  to 
accept  anything  below  the  quotation,  again  for  the  reasons 


already  set  out.  On  the  other  hand,  there  are  they  who 
are  not  so  comfortably  circumstanced.  Here,  it  is  possible 
to  improve  upon  the  shining  figure  ;  at  least,  it  would  be, 
if  somebody  would  but  come  along  with  a  bonafide  purchase 
up  his  sleeve,  or  elsewhere  concealed  about  his  person.  In 
fact,  it  may  be  said,  with  truth,  that  Bests  are  just  about 
as  groggy  as  their  fellows,  for  outside  of  present  commit- 
ments, there  is  little  or  no  demand. 

SECONDS,  too,  are  certainly  inclined  to  the  easy  side  of  the 
fence,  so  to  speak,  and  the  price  at  which  it  is  possible  to 
secure  these  qualities,  depends  altogether  upon  the  state 
of  the  particular  colliery  affected.  The  position  of  the 
top  sorts,  approximate  that  of  the  premier— which  doesn't 
mean  a  lot :  and  in  plain  language,  it  is  written  that  stems 
here,  being  good,  outputs  are  being  satisfactorily  dealt 
with,  and  undue  anxiety  is  not  in  their  direction  for  a  while. 
For  this  variety.  12s.  9d.  is  being  adhered  to,  with  praise- 
worthy perseverance.  The  average  Seconds,  however, 
are  by  no  means  firm,  for  supplies  in  them,  are  certainly  in 
excess  of  the  demand.  When^his  transpires,  you  needn't 
be  a  prophet  to  determine  the  ultimate  result  ?  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  the  buyer  has  no  difficulty  in  booking  up  as 
much  as  he  needs,  at  12s.  3d.,  and  if  that  buyer  is  in  a 
position  to  relieve  the  seller  of  a  quantity,  at  an  early  date, 
he  can  be  depended  on  to  knock  another  1  '2d.  off  from 
that.  Such  is  the  wagging  of  it,  in  Seconds. 

ORDINARIES  show  no  appreciable  alteration  in  values, 
which  are  those  of  our  last  time  of  writing — 11s.  6d.  to 
12s.  At  least,  this  is  the  indication,  and  although  sellers 
endeavour  to  assume  side  ;  want  to  put  on  a  bit  of  their 
particular  idea ;  sort  of  wobble  as  they  walk  in  sight  of 
the  would-be  buyer — even  as  the  gentle  and  masculine 
turkey  does  in  presence  of  the  she-bird  which  he  wishes  to 
impress  ;  the — er — the  inactivity  of  the  demand,  does  not 
always  enable  them  to  command  their  quoted  figures.  It 
doesn't  really,  for  that  is  how  our  o.p.  -already  alluded  to 
—has  it  in  his  notes  !  Yes  !  At  times  like  the  present — 
indeed  in  the  present  times— quotations  do  not  amount  to 
much.  But  we  believe  we  told  you  that  before.  Never 
mind,  it  is  the  truth,  so  let  us  leave  these  common  or  garden 
—no,  no,  these  Ordinaries,  for  this  occasion. 

DRYS— good  old  Drys.  What  are  they  ?  Just  that.  Drys. 
in  deed  and  truth.  That  is  to  say,  business  therein  is  dry. 
Very  !  In  this  section,  there  is  practically  nothing  passing. 
Stems  slack  ;  demand  non-existent ;  values  consequently 
weak,  and  based  solely  on  the  date  of  shipment.  For 
prompt  delivery  — which  is  the  necessary  condition  —  Bests 
are  worth  nothing  more  than  11s.  9d.,  and  in  several 
instances,  this  could  be  materially  improved  upon.  Let  us 
pass  onward. 

MONMOUTHSHIRE  GOALS  continue  to  manifest  a  steady 
tone,  more  especially  in  the  SLACK  VEIN  variety,  which  are 
being  offered  at  11s.  6d.  Stems  keep  good,  and  with  satis- 
factory tonnage  supplies  at  hand,  collieries  are  keeping  on 
the  active  list.  In  view  of  all  these  felicitous  terms,  sellers 
are  firm  at  the  demanded  figure,  as  they  see  no  reason  to 
modify  their  notions  at  the  moment.  Probably,  their  time 
will  come.  Scuttle  will  be  the  action,  and  there  you  go  ! 
Even  as  things  are,  it  is  possible  to  discount  the  figures 
quoted,  to  the  extent  of  the  gentle  threepenny  piece,  for 
even  in  Monmouthshire  coals,  all  that  glitters  is  not  actual 
business.  For  ousiness  ahead,  there  is  practically  no  de- 
mand, and  it  is  somewhat  difficult  to  say  when  there  will  be. 

ORDINARIES,  as  we  suggested  last  week,  have  eased  off  to 
the  extent  of  3d.  per  ton.  and  for  prompt  shipment,  they 
can  be  had  in  abundance,  at  11s.,  for  stems  are  easier,  and 
there  is  anything  but  a  great  demand  in  evidence.  En- 
quiries for  future  business  too,  are  scarce,  so  that  the 
present  prospect  is,  that  Ordinaries  will  not  assimilate  any 
great  degree  of  firmness,  for  a  time." 


May   12,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


217 


SECONDS,  in  the  main,  are  unchanged,  with  values  re- 
maining at  about  10s.  6d.  A  fair  amount  of  bookings  has 
resulted  between  the  3d.  and  the  6d..  according  to  the 
quality  sought,  and  the  condition  of  individual  stems.  Yes, 
this  department  is  steady,  with  an  average  demand  in 
evidence,  for  bunkering  and  other  purposes. 

RHONDDA  NUMBER  3's  continue  as  steady  as  ever,  on  the 
basis  of  13s.  9d. .  the  seller,  generally,  being  sufficiently 
well-placed  to  enable  him  to  keep  values  ruling  at  this  level. 
Indeed,  stems  all  'round,  are  good,  and  the  worthy— as  well 
as  the  unworthy,  if  such  there  be -exponent  of  RHONDDA 
NUMBER  3's  is  in  the  mind  that  the  world  isn't  such  a  bad 
place,  after  all.  More  power  to  him. 

RHONDDA  No.  2's  can  be  negotiated  at  10s..  and  sellers 
find  a  difficulty  in  raising  things  a  bit  above  the  figures. 
You  see.  supplies  are  as  plentiful  as  make  no  odds — and 
when  supplies  are  thick,  you  can  be  sure  that  prices  will 
not  be,  unless  demand  is  on  a  par.  or  in  excess  thereof. 

Al'I'KOXIM.Vll         Flfll'KFS        FOR       THE       WEEK,        ARE       AS 

(All  quotations  f.o.b.  at 


And  that  is  exactly  what  demand  is  not,  in  the  matter  of 
RHONDDA  No.  2's.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  less  said  about 
demand  here,  the  better. 

SMALLS  !  Eh  ?  Are  they  good  ?  Yes,  but  considerably 
easier,  on  improved  supplies  and  a  falling  off  in  the  demand. 
More  particularly  for  this  week's  shipment,  and  as  a  result, 
prices  have  declined  to  the  extent  of  3d.  per  ton— in  some 
instances,  yes,  to  6d.  For  next  week's  shipment,  however, 
there  is  good  enquiry,  so  that  it  is  not  expected  that  there 
will  be  any  very  great  slump  in  Smalls — especially  in  view 
of  the  present  state  of  the  Large  market.  But  don't  forget 
that  there  is  no  accounting  for  the  vagaries  of  coals,  these 
or  any  other— days.  Anyhow,  bests  are  obtainable  at  8s.— 
in  some  cases,  lower  than  that.  Seconds  range  along  from 
7s.  9d. — which  is  the  price  asked  by  thefull-up  brigade — down 
to  7s.  3d.  Ordinaries  have  been  passing  at  around  7s.,  with 
Newport  Smalls  'round  about  the  same  figures. 

FOLLOW  ; —  . 

the  respective  ports  of  shipment.  / 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Best  Cardiff  Ad'altv  Large 
Second         Ditto. 

I3s.  oil.,  i3s.  3d. 
i  -'~.  6d. 

135.  o  i. 
i2s.  6*1..  I2s.  gd. 

135.  od. 

12-;.  t«l. 

i2s.  gd.,  133.  3d. 
I2s.  3d.,  I2S.  6d. 

133.  od. 

123.  6d. 

123.  gd.,  133.  3d. 
I2s.  3d.,  12s.  gd. 

Other  Second  Cardiff 

1  1-     '»!..    I2S.  0(1. 

1  1  s.  gd. 

i  is.  'gd. 

I2S.  od. 

12S.  od. 

1  1  s.  gd. 

|)r\x 

1  I-.    •  ll.,    I2S.  Oil. 

us.  gd. 

us.  gd. 

us.  6d  ,  us.  gd. 

us.  gd.,  I2s.  od. 

12S.  od. 

Best  Newport 

iis.  Oil.,  iis.  gd. 

I  I  s.  6d. 

1  1  s.  6d. 

us.  31!.,  i  is.  6d. 

us.  3d.,  us.  6d. 

1  1  s.  6d. 

Ordinary  Bests 

1  1  -.  31!. 

I  is.  31!. 

us.  (id. 

i  is.  od. 

us.  i£d. 

us.  ijd. 

Scuinds 

108.  6(1. 

ios.  6d. 

ios.  4.\d. 

ios.  6d. 

ios.  3d.,  ios.  6d. 

ios.  6d. 

Best  House  Coal 

31!. 

i6s.  oil. 

153.  yd.,  i6s.  oil. 

153.  6d.,  i6s.  od. 

i6s.  od. 

i6s.  od. 

khondda 

135.  gd.,  14*.  ol. 

I4S.  od. 

143.  od. 

135.  gil..  143.  od. 

133.  io£d. 

135.  gd. 

No.  2          Ditto. 

Ids.  od. 

gs.  gd.,  ios.  3<1. 

ios.  oil. 

los.  od. 

ios.  lid. 

ios.  od.,  ios.  3d. 

Khondda  3  ••  Thro." 

i.'-.  od. 

12S.  od. 

1  IS.    10.^1. 

i  is.  gd. 

us.  gd.,  I2s.  od. 

I  IS.  qd. 

2 

S-    0.1. 

-   od. 

gs.  od. 

8s.  gd. 

8s.  gd. 

8s.  6s.,  gs.  od. 

Smalls: 

Best  Cardiff 

;d 

Ss.  ocl..  8s.  3d. 

8s.  lid. 

8s.  od. 

8s.  od. 

73.  gd.,  8s.  3d. 

Seconds 

7*.  6ii  .  7s.  gd 

;-.  gd. 

7s.  gd. 

?s.  7»d. 

;s.  7£d. 

73.  6d.,  73.  gd. 

Ordinaries 

7».  3d.,  7s.  6d. 

7*  4.UI. 

7s.  3d. 

73.  3d. 

73.  od.,  73.  6d. 

73.  3d. 

Best  Newport 

6d 

;»  3ft. 

73.  3d. 

73.  od.,  73.  6d. 

7s.  3d. 

73.  od.,  73.  6d. 

Seconds 

0.1. 

7s.  od. 

6s.  gd.,  73.  od. 

6s.  lo.'.d. 

6s.  i  old. 

6s.  gd. 

Rhondda  No.  2 

>  6»l. 

73.  6d. 

3d. 

7s.  3d. 

73.  od.,  73.  3d. 

73.  od.,  73.  6d. 

No.  3 

OS.  Oil..    IIF-    Oil. 

IOS.  Oil. 

ios.  od. 

gs.  gd.,  ios.  od. 

gs.  gd. 

gs.  gd. 

Foundry  Coke  : 

Special 

20*.  Oil.,   2  IS.  0(1. 

20S.  0(1. 

2OS.  Oil. 

igs.  6d.,  203.  od. 

igs.  gd. 

ios.  od.,  2os.  od. 

Ordinary 

178.  91)..  iSs.  od. 

175.  od. 

178.  gd. 

173.  6d.,  iSs.  od. 

ijs.  6d.,  173.  gd. 

175.  gd. 

1  urnace  Coke 

16*.  y\. 

i6s.  3<1. 

i6s.  4id. 

i6s.  4',d. 

l6s.  3d. 

1  6s.  od.,  163.  3d. 

Patent  1  uel 

.«! 

i  }s.  od. 

i2s.  gd. 

I2s.  gd. 

123.  6d.,  12s.  gd. 

123.   7jd. 

I'ifWIIIxl      C\    vllip 

•1..  i;>    i<l. 

17-.  3-;. 

ijs.  3d. 

173.  oil.,  I7s.  31!. 

ITSjOd. 

I7s.  od. 

All.  less  2,4  per  cent,  discount,  with  payment  at  thirty  days,  except  where  otherwise  stated. 
All  quotations  for  large  Coals  imply  Colliery  Screened. 


SWANSEA.  May  10.  1905. 

THE  Coal  Market  at  Swansea,  has  continued  throughout, 
in  a  dull  state.  If  anything,  there  has  been  an  improve- 
ment in  the  enquiry,  but  enquiries  do  not  fatten  the  seller. 
you'll  have  noted  ?  Anyhow,  there  is  insufficient  doing  to 
enable  us  to  record  any  material  improvement  hereaway, 
since  our  last.  For  prompt  shipment,  prices  certainly  rule 
weak. and  all  in  favour  of  buyers:  but  in  view  of  the  limited 
amount  of  new  business  coming  on,  there  has  been  but 
little  advantage  taken  of  the  ruling  prices. 

ANTHRACITE  COALS  are  somewhat  quiet,  though  values 
are  quotably  unaltered.  They  can  scarcely  be  said  to  be 
steady,  and  there  is  little  prospect  of  any  immediate  im- 
provement. BEST  ANTHRACITE  malting  sorts  maintained 
itself  on  account  of  the  collieries'  present  commitments : 
but  nothing  more,  and  prices  are  subject  to  a  discount,  if 
the  merry  buyer  is  enabled  to  suit  the. stem  of  the  colliery 
implicated.  Inferior  sorts  are  plentiful  for  early  shipment,— 
and  the  absence  of  any  demand,  is  keeping  prices  weak. 

BELOW,  we  give  the 


For  the  respective  figures,  we  refer  y  ou  to  the  list,  below. 

COBBLES  and  NUTS.  too.  are  ruling  easy,  and  prices  show 
a  decline  on  those  of  the  previous  week.  For  early  delivery, 
concessions  are  freely  obtainable,  as  supplies  are  greatly 
in  excess  of  what  demand  there  is. 

RUBBLY  CULM,  on  the  other  hand,  continues  firm, 
and  prices  show  no  change,  being  easily  maintained.  A 
good  demand  has  resulted,  and  this,  combined  with  present 
stems  and  limited  outputs,  keep  prices  steady  at  from 
5s.  to  5s.  6d. 

DUFF  is  not  in  brisk  request,  and  quotations  are  lower, 
at  about  3s.  3d. 

STEAMS  are  much  in  the  same  position  as  at  our  last. 
That  is  to  say,  business  quiet,  stems  easy,  and  values 
governed  more  by  the  actual  position,  than  by  the  merit  of 
the  coal.  Those  who  are  able  to  comply  with  "  the 
necessary,"  are  easily  sure  of  securing  a  reduction.  Bests 
'  are  at  13s.:  Seconds. at  12s.;  Bunker  Large,  at  about  10s.  9d. 

PATENT  FUELS,  are  steady  at  about  lls.  9d. 

average  prices  for  the  week  :— 


THURSDAY. 


FRIDAY. 


SATURDAY. 


MONDAY. 


TUESDAY. 


WEDNESDAY. 


Anthracite: 

Hand    Picked 

Malting  Large 

,-                    •*!. 

i8s.  31!. 

l8s.  3d.                            iSs.  od.                           iSs.  o.l. 

i8s.  oJ.,  1  8s.  6cl. 

Seconds    do. 
Rig  Vein  Urge 
Re4    . 

17*.  od  .   i  ;-   '"1 

1  l>.  IF!..    1  I-.  6<l. 

•j                     od. 

'7--  3(i-                         '?s   3d. 
i  is.  3d.                        i  is.  3d. 
ios.  od.                         ios.  od. 

173.  od.,  i?s.  6u 
1  1  s.  3d.,  us.  61  . 
gs.  gd. 

173.  3d. 

i  is.  td. 
gs.  gd. 

173.  od.,  173.  6d. 
i  is.  od.,  us.  6d. 
ios.  od. 

Machine  Made  Cobbles 
KuH 

..      16*.  gd.,  17-*.  oil. 
9<! 

i6s.  gd.                         1  6s.  6d. 
16s.  Od.                               168.  6(1. 

l6s.  6d.                         i6s.  4,jd. 
i6s.  od.,  if-s.  •?(!.                 i6s.  od. 

1  6s.  od.,  i6s.  6d. 
163.  od.,  163.  6d. 

Pea* 

1  1  s  od 

1  is.  nd.                          ios.  od. 

ios.  gd.                        us.  od. 

ios.  6d.,  us.  od. 

Rubbh  Culm 
Duff 

gd. 
id. 

5*.  ml. 

5s.  6d. 
3s.  od..  3s.  6d. 

5s.  3d. 
3».  od.,  33.  31!. 

Ss.  3'1- 
33.  lid. 

53.  od.,  js.  6d. 
3s.  3'1- 

Patent  Fuel: 

Us.pd. 

its.  gd. 

I2S.  od. 

1  2S.  Od. 

us.  gd.,  I2S.  od. 

us.  gd.,  I2s.  3d. 

Steam: 
Best    Large 
Seconds  ,, 

!_ 

i  ;                      31!. 
oil 

I  -s.  oil. 
1  2*.  od. 

I3s.  od. 
us.  gd.,  i2s.  od. 

I2S.  gd.,  133.  3d. 
i  is.  lojd. 

i2s.  gd.,  133.  od. 

123.  0(1. 

133.  od. 

12S.  Od. 

Hunker    ., 
Iliru    and  Thro' 

ios.  6d.,  us.  od. 
H«.  gd.,  gs.  od. 

ios.  gd. 
od. 

ios.  gd. 
gs.  od. 

i  is.  od. 
8s.  loid. 

us.  od. 
8s.  loid. 

ios.  yd. 
8s.  gd.,  gs.  od. 

218 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May   12,   1905. 


COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES^ 


CARDIFF.  May  10.   1905. 

EVEN  as  we  are  getting  aU  sorts  of  weather  in  a  week,  so  are  we 
getting  all  kinds  of  fluctuations  in  the  Freight  Market.  Spasmodic,  is 
the  most  appropriate  word  that  we  can  find  to  fit.  In  the  earlier  days 
of  the  week,  there  was  something  of  a  rush,  and  Mediterranean 
business,  generally,  had  the  premier  position  as  will  be  seen  from  our 
weekly  list. 

FOR  the  FAR  EAST,  there  is  just  a  little  doing,  and  at  a  little  rate  ! 
Someday,  perhaps,  this  phase  of  chartering  will  declare  itself,  and  then, 
we  shall  be  busy.  Meanwhile,  you  will  find  about  all  that  has  passed 
since  our  last  time  of  writing,  and  for  this  part  of  the  world,  farther 
down  the  page. 

As  already  stated,  the  bulk  of  the  business  has  been  for  Mediterranean 
account  as  usual  with  the  best  for  GENOA  at  6s.  7  ^d.  VENICE 
appears  to  have  gone  "nap  "on  the  7s.  1  "^d.  rate,  and  ALEXANDRIA,  at 
6s.  3d.  MALTA,  is  "  no  sae  bad  "  as  times  are  at  5s.  5d. :  while 
CONSTANTINOPLE,  at  6s.  6d. — well,  what  will  you? 

IN  connection  with  the  RIVER  PLATE  section,  there  is  no  apparent 
reason  for  the  intending  charterer  to  be  acrobatic.  He  may  still  take 
his  time,  and  get  no  better  rate  than  would  result,  if  he  were  in  a 
hurry.  For.  after  all,  there  is  nothing  to  gloat  over  in  a  7s.  3d.  touch 
thereaway,  is  there  ? 

DURING  the  past  two  or  three  days,  chartering  has  been  quiet,  in  all 
sections,  although  some  of  our  friends  are  keen  to  convince  us  that 
there  is  a  fair  enquiry,  and  that  rates  are  beautifully  steady.  This 
may  be  so.  but  enquiry  doesn't  amount  to  a  very  great  deal  ?  If  the 
nimble  youth  whose  business  lays  in  ••fixing,"  can  get  no  farther  ahead 
than  is  implied  by  a  book  filled  with  enquiries— well,  he  won't  pose  as 
a  curly-haired  boy,  for  long  ? 

IN  the  Coasting  Trade,  there  is  a  fair  average  doing,  and  at  late  rates 
— generally.  For  the  actual  fixtures,  we  must  refer  you  to  the  schedule  : 

Week  Ending,  (Wednesday),  May  10,  1905. 

(N)    denotes    Newport,    (S)  Swansea,     P.  T.)    Port    Talbot,    loading. 

EASTERN. 

St.  Vincent,     Pilar  de  Larrinaga,  5,600  tons,    6s.  gd. 
Hong  Kong,     Khulif,  5,100  tons,    135.  6d.    spot,  (Adm'lty). 

Newby   Hall,     6,000   tons,     13*.    6d.  ,, 

Aden,     Steamer,    •js.  gd.  June. 
Seychelles,     Loiigwood,  500  tons,    135.  6d. 

WESTWARD,     Etc. 
Madeira,  Constance,  2,500  tons,  6s.  6d. 
Monte  Video,     Aslarloa,  3,000  tons,  js.  3d.  option  Buenos 

Ayres  La  Plata. 

Buenos  Ayres,     Steamer,    5,000  tons,   js.  3d.   ppt.   (N). 
Porto  Praya,     Thomas  Wayman,  2,600  tons,    75. 
Las  Pal  mas,     Lord  Charlemont,   6s. 

Fmti-ra,  800  tons,    6s. 

La  Plata,     Steamer,  6s.  io4d.   250  8d.,   (N). 
MEDITERRANEAN,     Etc. 
Port   Said,    Coniscliffe,  5,800    tons,    6s.  3d. 
Mary  Ada  Short,   6s.  3d. 

Tre ,  4,500  tons,    (,s. 

Tre ,    6s. 

Windsor,  5,300  tons,    6s. 
Groeswcn,  5,000  tons,   6s.  i.^d. 
Palestrina,   4,900  tons,    6s. 
Beethoven,   5,300  tons,  6s. 
Genoa,     Mind  3,400   tons,    (•>•?.   yjd.   option    Savona  or 

Spezzia. 

(ii^pitin,   5,000  tons,    6s.  yid. 
Steamer,  4,000  tons,    6s.  6d. 
Josef  Agosl  Foherczeg,    4,000  tons,    6s.  7jd. 
l-'.lorrio,  3,400  tons,  6s.  7.^.  option  Savona,  Spezzia/or 

Leghorn. 

Naples,     Thistledhu,    5,800  tons,    6s.  3d.  option  Leghorn. 
Whinjield,  3,300  tons,    •;&.  coal,  75.  gd.  (s). 
Marsala,   2,300  tons,  6s.  6d. 
Alexandria,      1'iewilley,    4,400  tons,   6s.  3d. 
Ritperra,   5,800  tons,    6s.  3d. 
Trei>ider,  4,700  tons,    6s.  3d. 
Venice,     „  lli^n^ald,  3,800  tons,    78.  7^d. 
Celtic  I'rince,  75.  gd. 

Steamer,    4,500  tons,  400  7s.  gd. ;   500  75.  7^d.  (N). 
Steamer,   4,800  tons,    73.  7jd.  (N). 
Balaton,   2,800  tons,    75.  7^d.    (NJ. 
Bracondale,  2,800   tons,    8s.   3d.   coal,    95.   fuel,   option 

Ancona,  (s). 
Eolo,  5,200  tons,  75.  6d. 

Valencia,     Canganian,    1.200  tons,  7 s.  coal,  73.  yd.  fuel,  (s). 
Marseilles,     Lee,    2,500   tons,   7-75  fcs. 
Barcelona,     Dora  Retzloff,  1,750  tons,  js.  coal,  75.  gd.  fuel. 


Steamer,  900  tons,    6s.  io^d.    (part  cargo). 
Gibraltar,     Moimtpark,    t,3so  tons,    55.  6d. 

Jennie,    2,200   tons,     48.        (Admiralty). 

Grcenhill,    2,750  tons,    43. 

Caimross,   2,200  tons,  43.  (Admiralty) 
Lisbon,     Holderness,  2,000  tons,    43.  6d. 

Forest,   2,000  tons,    43.  6d. 
Malta,     Afonwen,   4,500   tons,  53.  sd. 
Cadiz,     Steamer,    1,000  tons,    53.  6d. 
Almeria,    Jersey,  2,000  tons,    6s. 
Algiers,     Bachf,   2,700  tons,    7  francs. 

Saltivick,  2,000  tons,    7-25  francs. 

Gwendoline,    1,800  tons,    7^25  francs. 
Beyrout,     Steamer,  3,000  tons,   73.  6d. 
Ferrol,     Ragiisn,   1,700  tons,    43.  4_|d. 
Tunis,     Steamer,  1,250  tons,  9  fcs.  coal,    10  fcs.  fuel,    (s). 

Escaut,    1,200  tons,  9  fcs.  coal,  10  fcs.  fuel,  (s;. 
Barletta,     Steamer,    2,500  tons,    8s.  coal,    8s.  gd.  fuel,    (s). 
Bari,  Ethel  Radcli/e,  3,500  tons,   75.  3d. 
Constantinople,     Steamer,   2,800  tons,   6s.  6d.  option 

Haida  Pasha. 
Messina,     Maria    Vittoria,    3,000    tons,    6s.   gd.    option 

Catania,  (c.  or  N.) 

Catania,     Nellie,  2,200  tons,   6s.    ioid. 
Haida  Pasha,  Steamer,  2,700  tons,  6s.  4|d.  option   Piraeus. 
Vigo,     Lionel,   1,400  tons,    53.   (N). 
Seville,     Rapid,   1,200  tons,  53.  7|d.  (x). 

BALTIC,  Etc. 

Stettin,     Normandiet,    1,600  tons,    43.  gd.  (s). 

BAY,     Etc. 

Rocheforte,     Helenc  Lohden,   1,800  tons,    4-25  frnncs. 
La  Rochelle,     Clieveden,  2,100  tons,  4  fcs. 

Cairo,  2,300  tons,    4-25  francs,    (s). 
Nantes,     Gwenllian  Thomas,  1,400  tons,  4-87^5.,    (P.T.) 

Sanlnrce,    1,650  tons,    4-62^  francs. 
Charente,     Ingoldsby,    1,45010113,    4-50  francs. 
Chantenay,     Clarence,   1,400  tons,  4-75  francs.     (P.T.). 

COASTING,     Etc. 

St.  Malo,     Glynn,   1,350  tons,  33.  gd. 

Ennerdale,  1,500  tons,  33.  io^d. 
Havre,     Raloo,   1,300  tons,  35.  lojd. 

Clonlee,    1,350  tons,    33.  lod. 
Rouen,     Senga,  500  tons,    45.  6d.  (s). 
Curran,    1,450  tons,   43.  6d.  (s). 
Steamer,   650  tons,   43.  6d. 
Staghound,  550  tons,  53.   (s). 
Yorkshire,  2,000  tons,  about  43.  4^d.  (s). 
G.  Player,   700  tons,  43.  6d.   (s). 
Brest,  Cairo,  2,000  tons,  33.  8d. 

Iron  King,   580  tons,  43.  6d.    (s). 
Boulogne,    Gransha,   1,550  tons,    43.  3d.    (s). 
Caen,     Sando,  1,000  tons,    43. 
Honfluer,     St.  Kevin,  72010113,  43.  3d.    (s). 

Thistle,   560  tons,    58.  3d. 
Belfast,     Udale,  420  tons,    33.  3d. 
Taycraig,    250  tons,    33.  3d. 
Glassford,    350  tons,    33.  3d. 
Brookside,  300  tons,    33.  3d.   (s). 
Lady  Belle,  320  tons,  33.  ijd.    (s). 
Waterford,     Fred,   300  tons,  33.  fid. 
Queensferry,     Sheldon,   1,75010113,    43.  6d.    (Admiralty) 
Throstlegarth,     2,000   tons,     43.    6d.  ,, 

Tyne,      1,500     tons,     43.    6d.  ,, 

Argus,     1,450    tons,     43.    6d.  ,, 

Hal  field,     2,200    tons,    43.    6d.  „ 

Portland,  Diinmail,  1,200  tons,  2s.  2^d.  (?  25.  4|d.)  (Adm'lty) 
Fecamp,     Emperor,  700  tons,   43.  3d.    (s). 
Guernsey,     Clifton  Grove,    270  tons,   43.  gd.  (s). 
Fiddown,     Radium,   i So  tons,  43.  3d.    (s). 
Sheerness,     Rochefort,   1,100  tons,  33.  iid.  (Admiralty) 
Bordeaux,     Abe.rtawe,   1,600  tons,    4-75  francs. 
Dieppe,     Monarch  or  sub,  700  tons,  43.  i^d.  (s). 

Monarch  or  sub,  650  tons,  43.   option  Caen.  (s). 

HOMEWARD. 

Villagarcia  to   Cardiff/Barry/or   Newport,     Steamer, 

700  tons,  6s.  gd.  ;  Irwiil,  598  tons,  6s.  gd. 
Pasages  to  Newport,  Rosella,  1,800  tons,  43.  i£d. 
Castro  ,,  ,,  Aberlawe,  1,800  tons,  45.  3d. 


Mav   i ;,    1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


2ty 


MARITIME  ™R  MONEY  MATTERS. 


SOMETIMES— not  often,  perhaps— a  man  is  given 
the  credit  that  is  his  due  while  yet  he  is  with  us. 
Generally  speaking,  however,  the  credit  is  kept 
until  he  has  gone  to  join  the  angels— of  whatever  colour 
his  actions  warranted,  while  earning  that  credit.  In  the 
latter  instance,  there  is  a  job  for  the  sculptor,  and  the 
worker  in  brass  ;  in  the  first-mentioned  circumstances, 
the  job  falls  to  the  lot  of  the  newspaper  man  that's  us  ! 
Why  do  we  moralise  thusly?  Is  it  on  account  of  the 
weather?  No,  sirs  !  Living  in  a  place  like  Cardiff,  one 
has  to  moralise  on  occasion— mainly  for  the  reason  that 
the  atmosphere  here,  is  conducive  therefor.  Moreover, 
revivalism  and  moralising  go  together;  at  least,  they 
follow  in  sequence,  if  you'd  rather  have  it  that  way. 

•»•  +  + 

IN  the  past,  you  have  had  the  revivalism.  It's  about 
dead,  at  present.  Has  made  room  for  "  first  nightingale  " 
scaeeds;  tales  of  early  gooseberries:  and  by-and-bye. 
the  sea  serpent.  Out  goes  revivalism :  in  comes  moralis- 
ing ;  so  when  one  hears  of  a  dry  dock  meeting  at  which 
the  manager  receives  his  due  need  of  appreciation  -well, 
things  are  even  as  set  out  m  the  paragraph  above '.' 
That  brings  us  down  to  the  particular  occasion  of  which 
we  mean  to  write— presently.  There  is  no  necessity  for 
asking  if  you  kno,v  the  Cardiff  Channel  Dry  Dock  and 
Pontoon  Company.  Limited,  because  we  are  fairly  sure 
that  you  do.  You  might  not  know  the  all-embracing  title 
which  will  belong  to  it  in  the  near  future.  Neither  do 
we.  All  the  same,  we  shall  not  be  surprised  if,  eventually, 
the  title  will  be  about  as  comprehensive  as  the  work 
which  it  is  engaged  upon. 

•f   •»•  -f 

IT  is  like  this.  On  Tuesday  last,  the  company  which 
we  have  been  discussing,  had  an  extraordinary  general 
meeting  at  its  offices,  and  Mr.  John  Cory  (Messrs.  Cory 
and  Sons)  was  chairman.  Roughly  speaking,  the  chair- 
man was  at  the  head  of  a  meeting  which  represented 
some  £75,000,  and  they  had  congregated  for  the  purpose 
of  confirming  the  purchase  of  the  Severn  Dry  Docks. 
Limited  leaving  out  that  oft-quoted  piece  of  land  at 
Sully.  The  Board  have  long  felt  that  if  they  could  pur- 
chase a  desirable  property  like  this,  it  would  be  to  their 
interests  so  to  do.  That  the  Severn  concern  was 
"desirable,"  may  be  accepted  from  the  fact  that  it  is  said 
to  have  cost,  originally,  some  £170.000,  while  "the 
Channel  "  has  purchased  it  for  £65,000  as  we  remarked, 

some  weeks  ago. 

•«•   -f   + 

VERY  well.  "The  Channel  bought  "the  Severn," 
and  the  meeting  referred  to  had  to  busy  itself  in  raising 
the  necessary  capital.  In  the  words  of  the  chairman, 
"we  have  had  the  property  over  a  month,  and  Mr. 
William  Jones,  the  manager,  in  his  usual  way,  had  kept 
it.  as  well  as  their  other  works,  in  full  swing."  This  is 
the  portion  of  the  business  which  started  us  off  on  the 
moralising  line.  Personally,  we  knew  that  Mr.  William 
Jones  had  done  all  this:  but  it  is  ever  so  much  nicer  to 
hear,  that  the  chairman  of  his  directors  could  also 
recognise  it,  and  give  words  to  the  recognition,  in  public. 
That  the  same  results  will  continue,  there  need  be  no 

matter  of  doubt. 

•f  -f  + 

OF  course,  there  was  another  reason  for  the  meeting 
that  we  have  been  discussing,  in  addition  to  the  confir- 
mation of  purchase.  This  was  to  grant  power  for  the 
borrowing  of  £100.000  to  pay  for  the  new  property  and 


for  other  purposes.  That  the  directors  are  of  opinion 
that  they  have  in  hand  "  a  good  thing,"  is  exemplified  by 
the  fact  that  the  resolution  granting  the  borrowing 
powers,  was  carried  unanimously.  Mr.  Henry  Radeliffe, 
m  seconding  the  resolution  referred  to,  remarked  that 
he  was  entirely  in  sympathy  with  the  directors  in  the 
matter  of  purchasing  the  new  property,  and  that  as  the 
purchase  price  included  about  £8,000  worth  of  stores- 
well,  the  actual  cost  of  the  venture  would  only  amount 
to  £57,000. 

+   +   + 

MR.  J.  HERBERT  CORY  reminded  the  meeting  that 
the  cost  of  the  property  was  net,  and  that  there  was  no 
charge  for  commission,  of  any  kind.  Taken  altogether, 
it  would  appear  that  "the  Channel"  has  fallen  on  to  a 
remarkably  good  thing,  and  we  are  of  opinion  that  there 
will  be  no  difficulty  in  raising  the  new  capital.  For  there 
is  no  getting  away  from  the  fact  that  Mr.  William  Jones 
is  a  popular  manager,  and  has  the  happy  knack  of 
putting  folk  at  ease  with  themselves— and  with  himself; 
which  is  more  to  the  point  in  these  days  of  keen  business 
rivalry '.'  We  could  point  a  little  more  moral,  here,  an'  we 
would  ;  someday,  we  might  be  inclined  to  do  it.  Mean- 
while, we  wish  "the  Channel"  a  continued  share  of  the 
success  which  has  surrounded  it,  since  "  W.  J."  under- 
took to  dig  it  out  of  the  slough  of  ages.  That  he  has 
succeeded,  the  lately  held  meeting  is  amply  sufficient 
to  demonstrate  ?  So  does  the  balance  sheet  which  we 
will  give,  next  week. 

•f   -f   + 

WE  have  a  dry  docky  sort  of  feeling  about  us  to-day, 
so  turn  we  now,  to  a  passing  -consideration  of  the 
Newport  Dry  Dock  Company.  Really  speaking,  that  is 
merely  a  portion  of  its  title,  for  to  the  Registrar  of  Joint 
Stock  Companies,  the  undertaking  is  known  as  the 
Newport  Dry  Dock,  Wood  and  Iron  Shipbuilding,  and 
Ship-repairing  Company,  Limited,  and  if  that  isn't  a  long 
enough  name  to  satisfy  most  people's  hopes  for  ephe- 
meral fame  -then,  it  ought  to  be  ?  However,  the 
company  in  question  does  not  carry  on  quite  the  business 
which  is  implied  by  its  title,  for  not  to  any  very  great 
extent  does  it  shipbuild,  or  dry  dock.  Indeed,  its  dry 
dock  is  rented  to  a  local  concern,  at  the  fixed  rent  of 
£2,000  per  annum.  All  the  same,  the  company  has  paid 
a  4}  per  cent,  per  annum  dividend,  and  that  is  some- 
thing to  be  proud  of,  in  'these  days  of  cut-and-come- 
^again?  Some  of  these  quiet  little  affairs,  succeed  in 
romping  in  the  shekels'.' 

+   +•  + 

"THE  company  has  hitherto  paid  10  per  cent,  per 
annum  since  the  first  year,  1890  "!  In  this  case,  it  is  the 
Barry  Graving  Dock  and  Engineering  Company,  Limited, 
and  the  quotation  with  which  we  commence  this  par, 
is  from  a  local  sheet,  that  possesses  a  "  financial  editor" 
-yes!  If  the  Barry  Graving  Dock  Company  has,  since 
1890,  paid  back,  in  dividends,  some  £140  for  each  £100  of 
its  capital — and  sundry  little  bonuses  on  which  it  is 
unnecessary  to  dwell— well,  there  will  not  be  any  bitter- 
ness of  heart,  over  the  fact  that  its  present  divvy, 
is  "only"  8  per  cent,  on  the  ordinary  shares? 
Good  wine  needs  no  bush  you  can  see  the  point,  can't 
you  ?  Still,  it  is  well— in  view  of  the  depression  that  is 
general,  and  the  superhuman  efforts  that  have  been  made, 
in  some  quarters,  to  pay  "something" — to  remember 
that  the  Barry  Graving  Dock  Company  has  paid  8  per 
cent,  this  year.  Who  is  next  best,  in  the  Channel  ? 


220 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May 


1905 


Ulords  of  Warning* 


WHEN  a  retired  Naval  commander  gives  the  subject 
of  the  possible  invasion  of  England  his  careful 
attention,  and  without  fear  or  favour,  speaks  the 
plain  unvarnished  truth  as  it  appears  to  him.  the  country  is 
likely  to  receive  an  explanation  of  matters  Naval,  that  is 
worthy  of  attention  ?  Such  an  explanation  was  given,  on 
Tuesday,  at  the  Royal  United  Service  Institution,  by  Lord 
Ellenborough,  who  is  a  retired  Naval  commander,  with 
some  twenty  years  of  active  service  to  his  credit. 

As  pointing  the  moral,  his  Lordship  remarked  that 
Admiral  Togo's  attacks  on  Port  Arthur,  furnished  a  vivid 
lesson  to  Britain's  Naval  depots,  for  if  war  should  come 
to-day,  there  would  probably  be  about  as  much  notice  of 
the  enemy's  intentions,  as  was  in  evidence  with  t  the 
Japanese  on  the  occasion  referred  to.  That  is  to  say,  the 
notice  would  be  a  negligible  quantity.  And  that,  although 
thrice-armed  is  he  who  has  his  quarrel  just,  the  best  man's 
he  who  gets  his  blow  in  "  fust !  "  Viewed  in  the  light  of 
modern  expediencies,  there  can  be  no  getting  away  from 
the  truth  of  these  remarks,  which  are  placed  out.  accord- 
ing to  our  own  ideas  of  the  fitness  of  things. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  burden  of  Lord  Ellenborough's 
discussion,  was  to  the  effect  that  Britain  is  simply  muddling 
along  in  a  manner  that  is  a  direct  challenge  to  any  foreign 
power,  that  is  possessed  of  ambitions  toward  annexing  our 
trade  and  colonies — to  say  nothing  of  a  lion's  share  of  the 
spare  capital,  which  might  go  toward  making  up  a  war 
indemnity,  so-called.  For  instance,  the  Government  offices 
are  a  sort  of  lock-up  shop,  at  week-ends.  The  heads  of 
Departments  are  more  careful  of  their  records,  say.  as 
golfers,  than  as  successful  politicians  :  and  as  a  natural 
result,  Friday  afternoon  sees  them  wending  an  anxious  way 
to  the  links,  utterly  regardless  of  the  links  which  are  left 
behind  :  and  which,  by  the  time  an  attempted  resumption 
of  duty  is  toward,  might  be  irrevocably  broken,  for  all  time. 

OBVIOUSLY,  the  country  cannot  afford  to  go  on  in  this 
fools'  paradise.  Britain  is  too  big  an  undertaking,  to  admit 
of  its  responsible  heads  doing  the  three-quarter-time  act  ? 
Indeed,  the  situation  generally,  calls  for  a  night  and  a  day 
shift,  and  if  office-seekers  are  antagonistic  to  putting  their 
time  in  as  necessity  demands,  then,  other  office-holders 
should  be  given  the  job  ?  When  the  Russian  undertook  to 
blow  a  British  fishing  fleet  to  Hades,  there  was  no 
responsible  Government  Chief  comeatable — because  it 
happened  on  a  Saturday  !  Then,  the  country  was  in  a  dire 
crisis  ;  to-morrow,  there  might  be  another  ;  and  one  of 
these  days  there  will  surely  be  one,  that  will  ring  down  the 
curtain  on  Britain's  efforts. 

OF  course,  there  are  those  whose  ''leisure  hour  "is  in 
jeopardy,  who  will  assure  you  that  the  subject  has  been 
very  much  over-painted  ;  that  exaggeration  is  too  much  in 
evidence ;  and  that,  generally  considered,  the  would-be 
invader  would  find  that  he  had  bitten  off  more  than  he 
could  chew — were  he  to  attempt  a  descent  on  Britain's 
shores.  But  the  facts  point  altogether  to  a  different  con- 
clusion :  and,  after  all.  facts  are  what  the  nation  has  most 
to  do  with.  If  a  possible  enemy  would  really  give  our 
Government,  a  month's  notice  of  an  attempt  to  break  it  up 
—well  and  good.  The  fools'  paradise  wouldn't  be  nearly  so 
much  in  evidence. 

As  things  are,  however,  we  may,  all  of  us,  depend,  that 
when  the  dust-up  does  begin,  there  will  be  no  notice,  of  any 
kind  whatsoever.  In  the  words  of  Lord  Ellenborough- - 
and  don't  forget  that  he  is  no  novice  at  the  business  :  "  If 
simultaneous  attempts  to  sink  our  battleships,  the  positions 
of  which  were  shown  on  charts  that  could  be  bought  for  a 
few  pence  (and  which  the  enemy  already  knows  without 


the  expenditure  of  a  few  pence  !),  and  to  block  our  harbours 
were  successful  (and  under  existing  conditions  they  might 
easily  be  successful),  the  enemy  might  then  be  able  to 
protect  his  transports  from  torpedo  attacks,  and  so  rein- 
force an  invading  army." 

THERE  you  are !  Exactly  as  we  have  argued,  for  ages. 
Have  told  you  the  same  truths,  in  season  and  out,  until  we 
have  been  rather  of  opinion  that  nobody  would  take  the 
matter  up,  with  hope  to  organise  a  better  state  of  affairs. 
Obviously,  we  were  not  shouting  in  the  wilderness  ;  on  the 
contrary,  rather,  for  our  shouting  has  been  carried  out  in 
good  company.  And  now,  you  are  getting  corroboration 
from  a  nautical  man,  whose  sea  time  is  about  equal  to  our 
own.  Of  course,  we  are  perfectly  aware  that,  in  our  case, 
we  should  have  secured  more  encouragement,  if  we  had 
seen  fit  to  spin  you  the  tale  you  wished  to  hear.  We  have 
been  more  honest,  and  later  on.  when  you  have  realised 
that  honesty,  you  will  give  us  more  of  your  attention. 

HERE  is  another  quotation  :  "  We  are  in  far  greater  danger 
of  attack  when  all  our  fleets  are  assembled  at  Spithead  for 
a  naval  review,  than  on  any  other  occasion."  You,  who 
have  followed  our  arguments  for  the  past  sixteen  months, 
will  recognise  the  quotation  as  an  old  friend  ?  Will  admit 
that  we  have  told  you  exactly  the  same  thing,  repeatedly. 
Now,  Lord  Ellenborough  corroborates  our  contentions,  and 
we  are  glad.  Let  us  give  you  another  quotation  ;  one  that 
will  be  equally  familiar  to  you  as  a  reader  of  THE  MARITIME 
REVIEW  : 

"  THE  gravest  of  all  (dangers)  is  the  risk  arising  from  the 
fact  that  fifty-nine  foreign  pilots  are  employed  on  our 
coasts,"  a  quotation  from  the  reply  made  to  Lord  Ellen- 
borough,  by  Admiral  Sir  N.  Bowden-Smith.  The  latter 
gentleman  also  remarked  that  another  grave  danger  existed, 
in  the  fact  that  the  country  is  supporting  40,000  foreign 
seamen  in  its  Mercantile  Marine — to  say  nothing  of  the 
many  thousands  of  foreign  waiters  who  are  in  position,  and 
ready,  at  a  moment's  notice,  to  act  as  spies.  Altogether, 
you  have  a  fairly  good  intimation  of  what  awaits  you.  pro- 
viding you  are  willing  to  allow  things,  to  pursue  the  present 
very  uneven  tenour  of  their  several  ways  ? 

HALF  the  week,  nobody  in  authority  at  Headquarters  ; 
your  coast-line  secrets  in  the  hands  of  your  enemies  :  your 
merchant  fleet — the  natural  recruiting  ground  for  your 
First  Line  of  Defence— manned  by  foreigners  :  your  country 
honey-combed  by  a  high-class  system  of  espionage — so 
that  the  psychological  moment  may  be  "  spotted  '  with 
ease  ;  and  your  warships  in  the  hands  of  a  number  of 
amateurs  who  cannot  safely  navigate  them  in  times  of 
peace,  so  heaven  knows  what  they  would  do  in  war.  It  isn't 
at  all  a  nice  picture,  is  it  ?  And  you  will  be  doing  yourself 
more  justice,  if  you  refrain  from  dismissing  this  as  a  mere 
scare  ;  a  seeking  after  sensationalism.  It  is  nothing  at  all 
of  the  sort,  for.  worse  luck,  it  is  the  truth,  the  whole  truth, 
and  nothing  but  the  truth.  The  mere  fact  that  you  have 
been  lulled  into  a  false  security,  will  not  help  you  when  the 
dogs  of  war  are  barking  around  your  doors.  You  might  ask 
what  you  can  do.  to  remedy  the  matter?  You  can  do 
everything.  Public  opinion  "  runs "  this  great  Empire. 
Doing  so,  it  is  easy  for  you  to  alter  all  the  disadvantages 
which,  at  present,  exist.  Have  a  couple  of  field-days,  and 
all  will  be  well  ;  go  on  as  you  are  going,  and  it  won't. 

THE  matter  is  clear  enough.  See  that  you  have  responsible 
officials  continually  in  charge  of  the  Government  Depart- 
ments— this  is  not  1705,  when  the  world  took  its  time: 
this  is  1905,  when  everything  goes  with  a  rush.  Withdraw 
pilot  licences  from  the  foreign  holders  thereof— and  thus 
play  fair  to  your  own  men.  Be  a  bit  severe  in  handling 
your  aliens-  and  again  give  your  own  a  chance  to  live,  so 
that  they  may  fight  for  you.  Cleanse  the  Mercantile 
Marine  — that  you  may  have  a  reserve  to  fall  back  on  in 
time  of  stress.  See  that  your  Navy  is  handled  by  the  best 
men  which  the  country  possesses — for  you  cannot  afford 
to  take  the  chances  which  your  fathers  took.  These  are 
the  most  urgently-needed  reforms. 


Muv    I?.    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


221 


PATENTS  &  TRSDE 

Relating    to    SHIPPING   and    the    COAL    TRADE. 


Specifications  published  on  April  27,  1905,  together 
with  an  indication  of  their  subject  matter,  the  title 
being  printed  in  Italics. 

7,862  04— HUBBARD-  Improvements  in  optical  apparatus 
for  submarines  and  for  other  purposes. 

This  invention  relates  to  an  apparatus  for  observing 
objects  above  the  water  level,  whilst  the  submarine  itself 
is  submerged.  1 1  consists  of  two  vertical  tubes  arranged 
side  by  side  in  the  fore  and  aft  line  of  the  vessel.  Both 
tubes  are  provided  at  their  upper  ends  with  concave 
lenses  fitted  in  elbows,  the  elbow  and  lens  of  the  front 
tube  being  permanently  directed  forward  for  steering, 
and  that  of  the  rear  tube  normally  rearward  but  the 
latter  is  adapted  to  be  revolved  to  observe  all  points  of 
the  horizon  not  covered  by  the  front  tube.  The  tubes 
are  fitted  with  reflecting  prisms  and  eye  pieces  also  with 
magnifying  lenses  mounted  in  sleeves  so  as  to  be  adjustable 
for  focussing  and  magnifying  purposes.  The  rear  tube 
is  also  constructed  so  as  to  be  telescopically  extensible. 

1 1,547  04— SlVEWRICHT— Improvements  in  ship's  steering 
apparatus. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  method  of  constructing  a 
ship's  steering  gear  whereby  the  rudder  actuating  shaft 
may  be  connected  directly  to  either  the  steam  power 
gear  or  to  the  hand  steering  wheel  respectively.  For 
this  purpose  the  hand-wheel  is  mounted  fast  on  a 
separate  shaft  in  alignment  with  the  rudder  actuating 
shaft,  or  loose  on  a  prolongation  thereof  and  is  fitted 
with  a  clutch  portion  whereby  it  can  be  connected  to 
the  rudder  actuating  shaft  The  rudder  actuating  shaft 
passes  between  and  below  the  inverted  cylinders  of  the 
steering  engine  at  which  situation  a  loose  worm  wheel 
connected  by  a  worm  with  the  engine  crank  shaft  is 
mounted  thereon.  This  worm  wheel  is  likewise  fitted 
with  a  clutch  portion  whereby  it  can  be  connected  to 
the  said  shaft.  Located  beneath  the  shaft  is  a  right  and 
left  handed  screwed  spindle  along  which  travel  the  nuts 
which  are  connected  by  levers  with  the  sleeve  portions 
of  the  clutches  of  the  hand-wheel  and  power  worm-wheel 
clutches. 

11,721  04—  THORNLEY— Improvements    in    means    to   be 
employed  in  sinking  mine  shafts  and  the  like. 

This  invention  relates  to  means  for  guiding  buckets  in 
mine  shafts,  whilst  same  are  in  course  of  construction. 
It  comprises  an  annular  frame  adapted  to  be  secured 
a  small  distance  above  what  is  temporarily  the  bottom  of 
the  shaft.  This  annular  frame  is  provided  with  parallel 
cross  ties  or  beams  from  which  extend  upwards  guidf 
ropes.  On  these  guide  ropes,  skeleton  cages  for  con- 
taining the  buckets  are  adapted  to  move  up  and  down. 
These  cages  have  no  bottoms  and  the  hoisting  ropes  of 
the  buckets  pass  through  holes  in  their  tops.  To  each 
hoisting  rope  a  collar  is  secured  at  such  a  distance  above 
the  bucket  that  it  makes  contact  with  the  top  of  the 
cage  when  the  bucket  arrives  within  the  cage  after 
which  bucket  and  cage  ascend  together. 

12,029  04     LEWIS—  Improved  safety  coupling  for  vehicles 
or  other  purposes. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  shackle  and  pin  coupling. 
The  pin  is  provided  with  a  collar  which  fits  in  a  recess 
in  the  outside  of  one  of  the  arms  of  the  shackle  when 
the  pin  is  in  the  closed  position.  The  collar  has  a  flat 
formed  on  it.  whereby  it  is  enabled  to  enter  its  recess 


when  the  flat  is  in  alignment  with  the  edge  of  the  base 
plate  of  a  bracket  secured  to  the  side  of  the  shackle, 
which  plate  covers  a  slight  portion  of  the  periphery  of 
the  recess.  A  portion  of  the  pin  outside  the  collar  is 
guided  in  an  eye  in  this  bracket  and  is  provided  with  a 
slot  in  which  is  pivotted  a  narrow  bar  so  as  to  turn  in  the 
direction  opposite  to  that  of  the  flat.  To  this  bar  in 
turn  a  bow  shaped  handle  is  pivotted  so  as  also  to  be 
able  to  be  turned  down  only  in  one  direction.  This  bap 
and  handle  are  adapted  to  be  turned  inwards  towards 
the  shackle  and  secured  over  a  small  hook  on  the  bracket, 
for  the  purpose  of  preventing  the  shackle  pin  turning 
and  its  flat  coming  into  the  release  position.  The  outer 
portion  of  the  bracket  is  so  proportioned  that  the  collar 
on  the  pin  on  butting  against  same  will  prevent  the  pin 
completely  leaving  the  shackle. 

23,470/04— Wl MAN— Paddle  wheel. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  feathering  paddle  wheel. 
The  paddles  are  pivotted  at  the  ends  of  the  arms  of  two 
spiders  secured  to  a  rotatable  shaft.  The  feathering  is 
effected  by  securing  to  the  spindle  of  each  paddle  a  short 
lever  on  the  ends  of  which  anti-friction  rollers  are 
mounted.  These  rollers  run  in  eccentric  grooves  formed 
in  the  interior  surface  of  the  paddle  wheel  casing. 

27,272/04—  MAYO— Improvements  in  life  boats. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  life-boat  comprising  one 
cylindrical  shell  situated  within  another,  the  inner  rest- 
ing on  the  outer  through  the  medium  of  rollers  and 
races.  The  inner  cylinder  contains  the  crew  and  a 
motor,  and  is  connected  at  each  end  to  a  keel  which 
extends  beneath  the  external  cylinder.  A  propeller  is 
mounted  on  the  keel  and  is  driven  by  the  motor  through 
bevel-wheels  and  appropriate  shafting.  This  construc- 
tion permits  the  outer  cylinder  to  rotate  whilst  the 
inner  does  not.  Access  is  effected  by  openings  formed 
in  the  ends. 

2,409/05— W \GZELL~Navigational  sounding  instruments. 

This  instrument  consists  of  a  glass  tube  sealed  at  the 
upper  end  and  closed  by  a  cap  at  the  lower.  This  lower 
cap  is  provided  with  a  small  hole  which  communicates 
with  a  narrower  tube  open  at  both  ends  extending 
upwards  from  the  cap  inside  and  almost  to  the  top  of 
the  outer  tube.  In  taking  a  cast  the  water  will  compress 
the  included  air  and  pass  up  the  inner  tube  and  overflow 
into  the  annular  space  between  the  two  tubes.  The 
depth  is  indicated  on  a  suitable  scale  by  the  height  of 
water  in  the  tube.  A  feature  of  the  invention  consists 
-in  providing  the  surface  of  the  inner  tube  with  coloring 
matter  or  depositing  coloring  matter  in  the  space.  This 
will  color  the  included  water  and  facilitate  the  reading  of 
the  scale. 


These  applications  for  patents  are,  until  June  12,  1905, 
open  to  opposition  by  any  person  having  a  statutory 
right  to  oppose. 

Copies  of  the  specifications  may  be  obtained  from  the 
Patent  Office  or  through  the  under-named. 


No   TRADE    MARKS   THIS   WEEK. 

Compiled  by  Messrs.  PHILLIPS  &  LEIGH,  Chartered  Patent 
Agents,  22,  Southampton  Buildings,  Chancery  Lane,  London, 
W.C.  Local  Consultant:  Mr.  S.  W.  ALLEN,  Engineer,  of  Cardiff 
Exchange,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


Mav    i  2,  i  905 


OUR  MARITIME  DIRECTORY. 


MMIIIIII' 


CARDIFF. 


Colliery   Proprietors. 


("DRY  BROS.  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff  and 
London.   Dep6ts  at  all  the  principal 
Coaling  Stations  in  the  World. 

T.,.  "CORY.  CARDIFF"  ; 

Telejrrams.    ..CORY   LoNDON  .. 


TNSOLE,  GEORGE  &  SON,  Cardiff.   Sole 
Shippers  of   Gymmer   Steam    Coal, 
Windsor  Steam  Coal,  and  Insoles  No.  2 
Rhondda  Goal. 

Telegrams:  "INSOLES.  CARDIFF." 


F  EWIS    MERTHYR    CONSOLIDATED   COL- 
LIERIES, LTD.,  Proprietors  and  Ship- 
pers   of    "Lewis   Merthyr"   Navigation 
Steam  Coal. 

Tola,-,,  "LEWIS  MERTHYR,  CARDIFF"; 

leiegrams  .    -  LEWIS  MERTHYR,  LONDON." 


CARDIFF— 


VIVIAN.    H,    G.    &  Co.,    Bute   Docks, 
Cardiff.     Sole  European  Agents  for 
"  The  Puritan  Goal  Mining  Co.,  Phila- 
delphia, U.S.A." 

Telegrams  :  "VIVIAN.  CARDIFF." 


WATTS,    WATTS  &  Co.,   Cardiff    and 
London.  Contractors  for  the  supply 
of  Coals  at  all  Dep6ts  abroad. 

Telserams  :  "  WATTS,  CARDIFF." 


Dock    Owners. 


HTHE  CARDIFF  RAILWAY  COMPANY,  Bute 
Docks.  Cardiff. 


{MARQUESS  OF  BUTE  COLLIERIES. 
Aberdare,  Hirwain,  and  Rhondda 
Valley.  Shipping  ports  : — Bute  Docks, 
Cardiff :  Penarth  Dock  ;  Swansea ; 
Briton  Ferry  :  and  Newport  (Mon.) 

Telegrams  :  "  SEMA.  CARDIFF." 


QGEAN    (MERTHYR)    COAL   Co.,   LTD., 
1 1.  Bute  Crescent,  Cardiff,  proprie- 
tors of  Ocean  (Merthyr)  Steam  Coal. 


TJNIVERSAL  STEAM    COAL   Co.,  LTD., 
Bute  Docks,  Cardiff.  Proprietors  of 
"  Universal  Steam  Coal." 

Telegrams  :   "  VERSATILE,  CARDIFF." 


Ship  Repairers. 

CHEARMAN,  JOHN  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff, 
and  at  Barry  Dock. 

T'HE   BUTE   SHIPBUILDING,   ENGINEERING, 
AND   DRY   DOCK   COMPANY,    LIMITED, 
Roath  Basin,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:   "CAISSIN.  CARDIFF." 


'THE  CARDIFF  CHANNEL  DRY  DOCKS  AND 
PONTOON    Go..    LTD.,     Cardiff    and 
Barry  Dock. 

"  Entrance,  Cardiff." 
"Channel.  Barry." 


T 


HE    MERCANTILE    PONTOON   Co..  LTD. 
Roath  Dock,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams  :   "  MERCANTILE,  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF     Continued 


T  EWIS  &  TYLOR,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 

Sole  patentees  and  manufacturers 

of  "Gripoly,"  a  patent  woven  belting; 

and  "  Burals,"  a  semi-metallic  packing. 

Telegrams  :  "  BELTING  CARDIFF."        Telephone,  Nat.  231 


Steamship    Owners. 

f)AN.    JENKINS    &     Co.,    Steamship 
Owners  and  Brokers,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "Stonewall,  Cardiff." 
Nat.  Telephone:  1318. 


BARRY. 


Dock  Owners. 


FHE  BARRY  RAILWAY  Co.,  Barry. 


Ship  Repairers. 


P 
U 


ARRY   GRAVING 
Co.,  LTD. 


DOCK  &  ENGINEERING 


Telegrams:   "  BARDOCK,  BARRY." 
National  Telephone  No.  7.         Post  Office  Telephone  No.  7. 


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VOL.  VI.— No.  66. 


FRIDAY,    MAY    19,    1905. 


THREEPENCE. 


: 

! 


YE     INDEPENDENT    CHAIRMAN. 


Log. :  "Great  Coal  Taxes  !    Trade  must  be  bad,  when  Dai  passes  me  by  ! " 


hHH/HftrilH  ya,  *g#if>c2X2!K>a&c3SK2S&a 

^siSK&^saassssissaassasBAr 


ssasisissaaaii 


^ 


H 
fi 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May  if),  1905 


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*  CONTENTS,  it  *  * 


CARTOON     YE  INDEPENDENT  CHAIRMAN 
MARITIME  MURMURS 

SHIPBUILDING          

A  NEW  FREIGHT  MARKET?     MANITOBA-ON-THE-SEA 

To  PROTECT  LOCAL  INTERESTS 

CARDIFF  (AND  OTHER)  COAL        

COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES   ... 
MARITIME  (AND  OTHER)  MONEY  MATTERS 

AROUND  THE  DRY  DOCKS 

PATENTS  AND  TRADE  MARKS      


1 

2 
9 

10 
11 
12 
14 
15 
16 


MARITIME    MURMURS. 


DOCKS.  CARDIFF. 

Thursday  Afternoon. 

IN  all  probability,  the  action  of  the  Government  in  con- 
nection with  the  licensing  of  foreigners,  as  pilots  In  British 
waters,  forms  about  as  strong  a  commentary  on  the  neglect, 
to  which  the  interests  of  the  Mercantile  Marine,  and  through 
it,  the  country  generally,  is  submitted,  as  it  is  possible  to 
obtain.  For  ages,  now,  the  little  time  which  successive 
Governments  could  spare  from  party  questions,  has  been 
devoted  to  the  Navy  and  Army.  Quiffs  for  the  alleged 
betterment  of  either  Service  are  for  ever  to  the  'fore,  and 
these  little  notions  have  become  so  complicated  and  mixed 
up.  that  it  is  very  doubtful  if  any  of  the  "quiflfists"  know 
anything  more  about  the  subject,  than  is  embraced  within 
the  exceedingly  narrow  limits  of  each  particular  atom's 
work.  In  other  words,  the  administration  of  the 
nation's  defences,  is  carried  on  —  in  some  fashion  —  by  a 
disintegrated  mass  of  units.  There  is  no  cohesion  among 
them,  and  if  either  one  is  faced  with  a  possible  decision, 
then,  you  may  be  sure  that  it  will  be  backed  off,  on  to 
somebody  else.  If  the  whole  business  is  not  carried  out 
in  the  suggested  manner,  then,  the  results  warrant  the 
belief.  And  returning  to  the  licensing  of  foreigners  as 
pilots  in  our  home  waters,  is  anybody  going  to  pretend  that 
such  a  licensing  is  essential  ? 


EVEN  if  one  takes  that  old  bug-bear  of  successive  Govern- 
ments— foreign  susceptibilities-  -into  account,  there  is  still 
no  room  for  argument.  What  right  has  any  foreigner  to 
agitate  his  susceptibilities,  because  another  nation  objects 
to  lay  its  port  navigation  open,  to  the  knowledge  of  a 
possible  enemy  ?  'Moreover,  if  the  said  foreigner  is  idiotic 
enough  to  get  his  back  up  in  the  manner  described 
—  well,  let  him.  and  bless  him  therefor.  While  he  is 
developing  suscepticitis  on  this  head,  he  will  be  giving  some 
other  undertaking  an  opportunity.  But  it  doesn't  matter 
how  you  place  the  subject  before  the  various  Government 
departments,  they  are  all  in  accord  that  as  it  has  been,  so 
it  must  be,  for  evermore.  You  might  point  out  that,  to  date, 
merely  some  fifty-odd  foreigners  have  availed  themselves 
of  the  opportunity  to  become  London  pilots  :  that  the  said 
fifty-odd  men  are  drawn  from,  practically,  all  nationalities  : 


and  that  therefore,  the  amount  of  "  susceptibility "  that 
will  be  evoked,  wouldn't  unduly  worry  a  tame  rabbit ;  but 
'tis  all  the  same.  The  law  admitted  it.  in  the  past :  ergo, 
it  must  in  the  future.  As  things  are,  the  Government  is 
too  busy  in  deciding  on  the  kind  of  hat  that  shall  adorn  or 
otherwise--  the  head  of  Thomas  Atkins. 


You  might  go  to  the  extent  of  pointing  out.  that  as  there 
is  no  actual  "  run "  on  British  pilotage  licences ;  that 
seeing  there  is  but  comparatively  few  who  go  in  for  the 
business,  it  cannot  be  for  the  purpose  of  gaining  a  livelihood 
that  the  gentlemanly  foreigner  "  sits  "  for  an  examination  : 
then,  there  must  be  some  ulterior  object,  in  view.  You 
might  even  go  to  the  extent  of  declaring,  from  your  own 
personal  knowledge,  that  far  too  many  of  these  holders  of 
pilotage  certificates,  are  also  holders  of  commissions  in 
foreign  navies — but,  again,  'tis  all  the  same.  The  President 
of  the  Board  of  Trade — who  is,  probably,  as  fit  for  that  job, 
as  for  any  other  that  has  to  do  with  nautical  affairs — will 
patiently  listen  to  all  you  have  to  say  ;  will  incline,  grace- 
fully, his  learned  head  ;  will  assume  an  attitude  of  armed 
neutrality,  providing  you  are  ill  advised  enough  to  press 
your  subject  too  closely :  and  in  the  end.  will  dismiss  you 
with  his  blessing,  and  the  remark  that  as  long  as  the  law 
remains  as  it  is,  the  Board  of  Trade  is  bound  to  grant 
pilotage  certificates  to  aliens.  See  ?  As  long  as  the  law 
remains  as  it  is,  you  will  still  have  the  felicity  of  seeing 
your  home  waters  laid  bare,  to  the  wicked  invader. 


IT  is  just  possible,  that  you  might  be  inclined  to  argue 
the  matter  out  Commander  Lawley  did,  one  day  last 
week  :  wanted  to  persuade  the  President  of  the  Board  of 
Trade  that,  at  present,  the  law  on  the  subject  reads  that 
the  Department  "  may "  grant  those  certificates.  But 
that  Commander  was  more  or  less  frizzled  up,  with  the 
declaration  that  the  law  says  "  shall ;  "  and  although  there 
is  a  vast  difference  between  the  words  "shall"  and  "must," 
Lord  Salisbury,  "  did  not  propose  to  enter  upon  a  discus- 
sion." Eh  ?  Isn't  that  altogether  according  to  precedent  ? 
Of  course  it  is  !  The  susceptibilities  of  a  foreigner  are  at 
stake,  here,  so  "  shall  "  is  given  the  attributes  of  "  must." 
Were  it  the  other  way  about :  were  the  British  sailorman 


M.i\ 


1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


attempting  to  gain  the  benefit  of  a  doubt :  you  could  depend 
on  the  reading  of  the  particular  law  involved,  being  turned 
to  his  disadvantage.  Naturally,  it  is  utterly  impossible  for 
our  sapient  rulers  to  rise  to  the  occasion  :  to  realise  that  a 
law  which  obtained  currency  at  a  time  when  the  waters  of 
our  coasts  were  a  sort  of  Pandora's  puzzle-box,  is  of 
mighty  little  use  to-day  :  that  as  a  consequence,  it  should 
be  repealed  :  the  old-time  certificates  cancelled  :  and  a 
sufficient  alteration  made  in  coastal  navigation,  to  obviate 
the  successful  use  of  the  knowledge  gained,  by  the  present 
foreign  holders  of  British  pilotage  certificates. 

6?  & 

To  expect  any  such  thing,  is  wicked  in  the  extreme. 
Fancy  asking  a  self-respecting  Government  to  quit  fooling 
for  five  minutes,  so  that  a  thirty  word  Act  might  be  passed. 
to  annul  all  previous  Acts  on  the  subject,  and  to  debar  any 
foreigner  from  posing  as  a  British  pilot !  Why.  it's  utterly 
ridiculous !  Governments  are  not  expected  to  act  that 
way-  Their  business  is  to  squander  millions  of  good  money 
in  the  alleged  preparations  for  meeting  a  hostile  force, 
when  it  has  landed  on  these  shores.  If  the  foreigner  were 
debarred  from  gaining  a  knowledge  of  the  navigation  of  our 
home  waters,  he  would  never  be  able  to  line  his  torpedo 
craft  and  cruisers  up  against  our  dock  gates :  and  if  he 
cannot  get  his  war  machines  across,  of  what  use  is  it  for 
Britain  to  be  straining  every  nerve  in  an  endeavour  to  find 
something  that  will  burst  up  those  war  machines  ?  There 
is  no  sense,  in  some  people.  Here  is  the  Admiralty  playing 
funny-somethings  with  a  boom  at  Portsmouth.  A  boom 
whiflh  is  to  be  laid  across  the  Harbour—after  war  is 
declared  ?  If  the  declaration  doesn't  eventuate  until  after 
the  war  is  half  over  well,  the  enemy  will  find  the  boom 
handy,  for  keeping  in  the  British  prizes  which  they  have 
caught,  through  the  help  of  those  of  their  subjects,  who 
learned  the  intricacies  of  British  waters,  in  peace  time  ? 

#*? 

THAT  boom.  too.  is  a  fearsome  and  expensive  item.  Gives 
splendid  opportunities  for  the  expansion  of  the  inventive 
brains  of  Governmental  servants  !  In  fact,  it  is  making  a 
serious  attempt  to  turn  the  hands  of  the  clock  back  :  to 
bring  us  to  those  good  old  days,  when  a  chain  across  a  port. 
was  a  sufficient  protection  to  the  good  souls  who  were 
inside  !  It  never  seems  to  strike  those  inventive  souls,  that 
Providence  has  placed  a  splendid  boom  outside  the  same 
waterway,  in  the  shape  of  shoals  and  sands :  nice  little 
rocky  points  :  and  everything  that  is  humanly  necessary  for 
the  "  hooking  up  "  of  the  plating  of  the  possibly  vindictive 
torpedo-boat  from  other  lands !  Oh.  dear,  no  !  And  for 
the  simple  reason  that  the  said  inventors  realise,  only  too 
well,  that  they  have  given  away  their  birthright :  have 
allowed  any  scheming  foreigners  to  become  acquainted 
with  home  navigation  :  and  by  virtue  of  the  knowledge  thus 
stolen,  to  gain  preferment  in  the  warships  of  their  owrl 
nations.  Realising  all  this,  booms  have  to  be  made  :  fear- 
somely  :  at  great  cost :  and  at  greater  inconvenience, 
The  boom  is  a  success !  It  can  be  cleared  away  in  one 
hour  even  supposing  it  takes  a  week  to  prepare  :  and  by- 
and-bye.  you  will  find  a  few  foreigners  being  initiated  into 
the  secrets  of  the  "  movable  centre  "  thereof ! 

tff  fc 

MEANWHILE,  you  all  of  you  can  go  on  putting  up  your 
money  in  various  ways  :  can  go  on  scull-dragging  at  your 
work  to  find  the  wherewithal  :  and  if  you  dare  say  a  word 
about  the  neglect  of  natural  and  cheap  defences  :  if  you 
declare  that  you  are.  nearly,  too  surprised  for  words— 
Of  what  use  is  it  to  go  on  ?  The  present  is  the  cult  of  the 
"has  been."  The  nation  is  being  run  on  the  water  that 
has  gone  past  the  wheel :  is  being  fooled  with  the  belief 
that  "  like  father,  like  son  "  is  bound  to  eventuate  for  ever 
and  ever.  amen.  The  mere  fact  that  the  country  will  have 


to  pay  dear  for  its  experimenting,  later  on  —  well,  that  is  for 
later  on  to  decide.  At  the  moment,  there  is  just  as  much 
experimenting  in  officialdom,  as  there  is  in  the  workshops 
of  the  country.  In  fact,  look  where  you  will,  and  the  whole 
fit-out  is  being  carried  on.  on  experimental  lines.  If  the 
colossal  brains  which  have  been  pitchforked  into  high 
places,  really  turn  out  as  colossal—  well  and  good.  If,  on 
the  other  hand,  they  are  proved  to  be  of  the  amateur 
variety  :  if  chaos  eventuates,  instead  of  the  order  which, 
remembering  the  cost,  one  has  a  right  to  expect  ;  Britain 
will  muddle  through. 

&#  XB 

ft?    aS 

SHE  always  has  done  :  always  will  !  The  mere  notion 
that,  in  olden  times,  there  was  not  a  great  amount  of 
science  about,  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  case.  British 
pluck  was  rampant  :  the  Briton  was  as  good  as  any  other 
three  nationalities;  Rule  Britannia:  and  Britons  never 
shall  be  slaves—  to  anything  but  their  own  foolishness.  It 
is  highly  probable  that  you  could  train  a  monkey  to  fire  a 
machine  gun.  after  it  had  been  "  laid  "  by  electricity  ;  but 
British  pluck  will  always  tell  !  True,  that  British  pluck 
might  be  as  "  sick  as  a  dog  "  for  the  first  few  days  at  sea  : 
and  the  Naval  war  might  be  decided  in  one  hour  :  but  even 
so.  there's  a  sweet  little  cherub  that  sits  up  aloft,  to  keep 
watch  o'er  the  life  of  the  Briton  !  Time  was,  and  we  were 
taught  that  the  Lord  helped  those  who  helped  themselves. 
That  time  is  passed,  and  the  new  role  is  never  mind  your- 
selves :  help  the  poor  foreigner.  Heaven  didn't  see  fit  to 
give  him  the  blessings  of  a  big  Navy  ;  of  bigger  "  booms  ;  lf 
of  wire-wound  guns  that  "develop  a  split;"  of  undermanned 
ships  :  and  unmanned  merchant  vessels.  In  fact,  provi- 
dence was  altogether  unkind  to  the  poor  foreigner,  so 
Britain  must  carry  through,  that  which  providence  neglected. 


ONE  of  her  methods  of  so  doing,  is  to  give  a  free  stem  to 
every  foreigner  that  flatters  us  enough,  by  wishing  to  know 
the  navigation  of  our  coastal  waters.  Let  him  come  !  Give 
him  a  "  branch."  so  that,  by-and-bye.  he'll  have  the  whole 
tree  !  The  mere  fact,  that  our  countrymen  have  to  serve 
irksome  years  to  make  themselves  proficient,  has  nothing 
to  do  with  the  case.  The  other  fellow  was  a  stranger,  and 
we  took  him  in.  Soon,  he  will  be  in  a  position  to  "  take  in  " 
a  choice  sample  of  his  brother  squareheads  :  will  take  them 
in  to  every  dock-gate  in  the  country,  when,  with  one 
little  charge  of  dynamite,  or  other  then-fashionable  "ite." 
he  will  dislocate  the  whole  fighting  machinery  of  the 
country.  Then,  they'll  put  the  boom  across  the  harbour 
at  Portsmouth  :  the  local  band  will  strike  up,  "  Rule 
Britannia"  —  and  if  everybody  isn't  happy,  and  jovial,  well. 
then  they  ought  to  be.  The  Government  worked  it  out  on 
those  lines,  so  it  should  gravitate  around  according  to 
Cocker—  and  the  President  of  the  takes-a-lot-of-killing 
Board  of  Trade  !  We  write  strongly  on  this  subject,  for 
the  reason  that  we  have  gained  our  experience  at  sea  : 
not  on  an  office  stool,  where  the  prevailing  methods  is  for 
the  partially  blind  to  lead  the  totally  so. 

#  & 

THAT  experience  has  taught  us  that.  the  foreigner  acts,  as 
if  he  considered  that  his  pilots  were  essential  to  the 
welfare  of  his  country  :  and  that  any  alien  daring  to  say  a 
word  about  the  business,  would  be  firmly,  but  peremptorily 
escorted  out  of  temptation.  Try  to  enter  a  Russian  port 
without  a  pilot  ;  make  an  endeavour  thereafter  in  Germany; 
if  not  fatigued  with  the  attempt,  give  your  attention  to 
France,  Spain,  anywhere,  outside  of  Britain  :  and  what  is 
likely  to  be  the  result?  Well,  it  will  not  be  conducive  for 
your  comfort  in  either  of  those  countries,  if  you  happen  to 
be  a  Briton.  Of  course,  we  are  aware  that  the  officers  in 
the  British  Navy  are  encouraged  to  become  "  pilots."  for 
the  waters  which  lave  the  shores  of  the  various  countries 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May   19,   1905 


of  the  earth.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  if  occasion  serves,  they 
will  gladly  vouchsafe  the  information  that,  for  such-a-place 
they  hold  a  pilot's  certificate  !  Yea,  lor  :  And  it's  a  won- 
derful thing  to  hold— come  to  think  of  it !  It  is  nearly  as 
wonderful,  if  you  don't.  Here  is  a  bit  of  personal  know- 
ledge :  gleaned  at  sea.  The  Sea  of  Marmora,  to  be  exact, 
and  in  the  lovely  month  of  August,  when  day-light  was 
superabundant. 

5?%5 

TIME.  5.30  a.m.  Hora.  abeam,  and  Gallipoli  just  where  it 
ought  to  be — practically  ahead.  Old  Man  steering  :  mate  and 
three  hands  washing  down,  ready  for  the  usual  homeward- 
bound  paint-ship  seance.  On  the  bridge  with  the  Old  Man. 
sundry  Naval  officers  en  route  for  Besika  Bay.  and  the 
saving  of  their  bacon.  A  toss  up  whether  the  old  crock 
does  it  in  time,  or  whether  the  worthy  gentlemen  will  be 
cashiered  as  leave-breakers.  Conversation,  at  first — be- 
tween the  Old  Man  and  his  guests  somewhat  desultory  : 
both  wondering  if  this  is  to  be  a  short  passage,  or  merely 
the  commencement  of  a  longer  one — for  home,  in  both 
instances.  Old  Man  keeping  her  "  dead  on."  so  as  to  save 
a  brother  sailor  from  difficulties,  and  the  Chief  giving  her 
an  extra  prick' up  in  the  oacks.  for  the  reason  that 
Engineer-Lieutenants  were  among  the  guests.  Soon, 
conversation  becomes  general  :  passed  the  Dohan  Asian 
l.v..  so  that  the  chances  are  becoming  roseate-hued ! 
Naval  officer  intimates  that  he  is  a  Mormora  pilot,  and 
expresses  wonder  that  the  Old  Man  doesn't  indulge  in  cross 
bearings :  declares  that  the  beach,  right  along  behind 
Dohan  Asian,  is  chock-full  of  rocky-heads,  and  shoals, 
generally. 

£*& 

OLD  MAN.  as  he  gives  another  spoke  of  starboard  helm 

Gallipoli  l.h.  a  bit  too  much  ahead  !— merely  grunts : 
Naval  gentleman  becomes  emphatic  ;  assures  Old  Man 
that  he  speaks  the  truth.  Latter  merely  looks  at  him—  and 
squares  her  up,  again,  with  a  touch  of  port  helm.  Naval 
person  wishes  to  know  how  Old  Man  can  tell  about  those 
shoals,  and  the  Festive  Fanny's  clearance  thereof,  if  cross 
bearings  are  not  taken  ?  Thinks  the  whole  proceeding 
disgraceful,  and  admits  that  it  is  a  marvel—"  How  you 
merchant  seamen  get  your  ships  about."  What  ho  !  But 
still  harping  on  the  Mormora  pilotage,  the  presence  of 
rocks  and  shoals,  the  wickedness  of  only  one  man  on  deck 

and  he  "  the  skippah  !"~and  the  continued  absence  of 
cross-bearings,  that  Naval  man  finally  gets  on  the  Old 
Man's  nerves.  So  much  so.  that  he  remarks.  "  Mister,  I 
don't  doubt  your  word  in  the  least.  A  considerable 
number  of  voyages  up  this  way.  has  convinced  me  that 
there  are  rocks  and  shoals  along  the  beach,  there.  That's 
mainly  why  1  am  keeping  the  Festive  Fanny  out  here,  in 
deep  water.  Mister,  this  vessel  isn't  worth  shakes  at 
travelling  over  shoals  and  rocky  heads  :  she  wants  deep 
water  to  be  a  commercial  success. 

E*    *3 

t&      «? 

"  You  mightn't  think  it,  perhaps,  but  so  far  in  her  life,  she 
has  been  a  commercial  success,  and,  as  long  as  I'm  here, 
and  keep  her  in  not  less  than  22  feet  of  water,  she  is 
likely  to  continue  at  the  game.  1  don't  wish  to  appear 
rude  to  a  guest ;  but  I'm  not  paid  to  look  for  rocky-heads 
and  shoals :  my  Boss  pays  me  for  my  knowledge  of  deep 
water.  Past  voyages  have  taught  me  to  believe  that  I 
know  about  all  there  is  of  that  class  of  water  between  here 
and  Cardiff  dock  gates,  say  :  and  1  should  prefer  to  leave 
the  rock-dodging  to  you  gentlemen — who  are  working  for  a 
big  and  influential  firm."  And  then  he  starboarded  a  bit,  to 
keep  her  out  from  butting  into  Gallipoli  l.h.  Fact !  The 
Naval  gentleman  muttered  something  rude  about  com- 
passes that  were  merely  scrap-heaps,  and  by  the  time 
Nagara  Point  was  reached,  the  Old  Man  had  it  all  to 


himself,  on  that  bridge.  Mind1  you,  those  Naval  gentlemen 
were  landed,  in  time  to  save  the  cashiering  ;  they  were 
awfully  nice  fellows,  too.  socially  considered  ;  from  a 
nautical  standpoint,  however,  they  left  much  to  be  desired  : 
although  they  were  merely  victims  of  a  system  :  a  system 
which,  to-day,  is  manufacturing  pilots  for  foreign  warships. 
as  fast  as  they  can  possibly  need  them.  Rule  Britannia  ! 
It's  a  good  song,  and  we  might  as  well  indulge  in  it.  while 
it  holds  good—  or  bad  ? 

$  "$3 

To  live  up  to  the  teachings  of  the  words  "Ocean 
Empire,"  is  a  tough  job.  Most  of  us  have  grown  into  the 
belief  that  the  words  "  territorial  waters  "  mean,  anywhere 
within  the  three-mile-limit.  Apparently,  this  is  wrong,  and 
territorial  waters  to  a  Briton,  mean  anywhere  within  the 
wide,  wide  world.  We  are  constrained  to  the  foregoing,  by 
a  consideration  of  the  Racine  affair.  It  will  be  remembered. 
that  the  steamer  in  question  ran  into  a  sailing  vessel,  name 
unknown,  when  about  nine  miles  off  the  Foreland.  Racine 
was  put  back  to  Barry,  and  the  Receiver  of  Wreck  put  in  a 
claim  that  he  was  entitled  to  the  captain's  personal  evidence 
on  the  matter,  seeing  that  the  vessel  had  been  in  distress. 
"  on  "  the  coasts  of  the  United  Kingdom.  The  Shipmaster 
thought  differently  —  as  would  most  other  people,  under  the 
circumstances  —  and  declined  to  appear  before  a  power 
which,  obviously  —  at  least,  we  should  so  consider  it  —  had 
no  jurisdiction.  Well,  the  case  was  "  fought  out  "  at  Barry 
Police  Court,  one  day  last  week,  and  two  worthy  members 
of  the  Great  Unpaid,  rushed  in  where  real  nautical  men 
might  have  feared  to  tread.  Territorial  Waters  Jurisdiction 
Acts  are  nothing,  when  'longshore  Solons  are  entrusted 
with  a  sea-going  case  ? 

$  ^ 

THE  Acts  referred  to,  provide  that  territorial  waters  shall 
extend  to  a  limit  of  three  miles  from  dry  land  —  but  presum- 
ably, that  is  only  in  the  case  of  foreign  fishermen  intent  on 
poaching  ?  Anyhow,  it  doesn't  apply  at  Barry  Police 
Court,  for  the  captain  of  the  Racine  was  fined  —  exactly  for 
what,  doesn't  appear  —  to  the  extent  of  £1,  and  costs. 
Judging  by  the  smallness  of  the  fine,  one  should  be  justified 
in  believing  that  the  Bench,  of  the  occasion,  had  some 
doubts  as  to  their  position  ;  but  that  seeing  a  shipmaster 
had  come  to  grief,  then,  "  something  salutary  "  was  neces- 
sary ?  Tis  ever  thus,  and  so  the  farce  continues  ! 
Naturally,  leave  to  appeal  was  given  ;  you  may  always 
appeal  from  the  decisions  of  persons  who  do  not  appear 
to  be  blessed  with  very  extensive  reasons  to  act  as  trans- 
lators of  the  law,  as  connected  with  shipping  affairs.  Time 
and  again,  we  have  commented  on  the  necessity  for  the 
establishment  of  a  Marine  Court  at  Cardiff  ;  this  is  another 
instance  where  the  need  of  such  an  arrangement  is  strongly 
emphasised.  To  our  mind,  the  law  is  clear  enough  on  this 
point.  If  you  come  to  grief  within  territorial  waters,  you 
must  act  as  in  manner  provided  :  if  you  come  to  grief  out- 
side of  territorial  waters,  you  may  please  yourself  ;  and 
territorial  waters  are.  by  Act  of  Parliament,  to  extend 
seaward,  for  three  miles.  Yet  Solons  fail  to  grasp  such 
simple  translations  -when  the  modern  Ishmael  is  at  hand. 
Needless  to  say,  Ishmael,  here,  is  the  shipmaster  ! 


•  FURTHERMORE,  it  doesn't  appear  to  matter  a  great  lot. 
whether  the  shipmaster  is  a  Briton,  or  subject  to  a  foreign 
flag,  as  in  this  instance.  Of  course,  the  smallness  of  the 
fine,  might  have  been  because  the  shipmaster  was  a  "poor 
foreigner."  One  never  knows,  in  undertakings  of  this 
kind.  Again,  the  doubt  which  probably  existed  in  the 
minds  of  the  sapient  judges,  might  have  been  induced  by 
the  Board  of  Trade's  solicitor,  who,  in  opening  the  case, 
remarked  that  it  was  one  of  very  considerable  importance, 


ID.  n)0;, 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


the  point  being  a  very  interesting  and  simple  one.  See  ? 
When  a  man  is  somewhat  doubtful  of  his  ground,  you  may 
easily  conceive  the  possibility  of  "  putting  him  off  his  eggs." 
as  the  phrase  goes,  by  intimating  that  he  is  to  be  trusted 
with  the  decision  in  a  case  of  "  considerable  importance  :  " 
Dne  that  is  "  very  interesting."  but  is  "  simple,"  withal. 
See  how  nicely  the  B.T.  man  managed  to  work  his  cards  ! 
The  "  considerable  importance  "  was  calculated  to  put  the 
fear  of  the  Unseen,  into  the  hearts  of  the  magistrates  :  the 
"very  interesting"  was  bound  to  smooth  out  the  ruffles  of 
dignity  super-imposed  by  the  importance:  and  then,  the 
simplicity  of  the  whole  caboodle,  was  sure  to  get  a  verdict 
for  the  prosecuting  persons 9  Anyhow,  it  worked  out 
thusly.  and  we  are  wondering  what  the  next  move  will  be  ? 
If  a  ship  toboggans  into  another,  down  at  Otaheite,  will  that 
be  considered  as  territorial  waters,  too  ? 

THE  question   of  alien   pilots,   and   to   which    we    have 
already  given  some  extended  consideration,    is.   at  length, 
claiming  consideration  from  all  sections  of  the  press.     This 
is  a  good  sign,   and   in   the   near  future,   perhaps,   public 
opinion   will    have    become    too   strong    for    the    present 
idiotic  conditions  to  continue.     That    the    present    state 
of    affairs    in    this     connection    is     idiotic,    or    childish, 
goes    without     saying,     and     most     of     us     are     in     a 
state  of  wonderment,  that  a  mere  calling  of  attention  to 
the  affair,  hasn't  received  prompt,  and  efficacious  handling. 
The  Law  Times,  even,  is  having  a  gird  at  the  subject,  and 
in  a  recent  issue,  says  :    "  Englishmen  are   not  allowed  to 
obtain  pilotage  certificates  in  foreign  ports,  but  are  com- 
pelledTtlo  take  pilots  on  all  occasions,  while  at  the   present 
time  there  are  no  less  than  fifty-nine  aliens  who  hold  pilot 
certificates  for  the  London  district  and  approaches  to  the 
Rivers  Thames  and  Medway.  alone.     The  danger  of  such  a 
state  of  things  is  apparent."      It   isn't !     The  danger  is 
obvious    not  apparent.     All  the  same,  it  is  a  passing  good 
thing,  when  even  the  law  journals  can  find  time  to  go  into 
this  grave  national  danger.     When  a  few  more  of  them 
have  sounded  the  warning  note,  perhaps,  the  powers  that 
be.  will  find  enough   time,  to   give   some   little  attention 
to  the  matter. 

THE  wrangle  in  connection  with  trade  in  the  Marshall 
Islands,  and  to  which  we  have  frequently  referred,  would 
appear  to  be  by  way  of  settlement.  The  wicked  company 
which  has  been  playing  such  high  jinks  in  that  quarter,  will 
have  its  agreement  which  is  held  from  the  German 
Government  terminated,  as  from  March  31.  1906.  The 
Germans  have  been  inclined  to  act  fairly  in  this  matter,  and 
have  recorded  the  opinion  that  it  was  hardly  worth  while  to 
disagree  with  the  British  Government.  "  in  connection  with 
a  matter  of  such  trifling  importance."  Therefore,  the 
Jaluit  Company  will  have  its  Pacific  wings  cut.  as  sug- 
gested. Concerning  that  Isabel,  to  which  we  referred  away 
back,  it  would  now  appear  that  the  reason  she  was  refused 
a  supply  of  water,  was  that  the  Islands  were  suffering  from 
the  same  complaint,  and  so  the  vessel  could  but  receive 
enough  "  boiler  water  "  to  enable  her  to  proceed  elsewhere 
in  search  of  the  life-giving  fluid.  M'yes.  It's  alright? 
When  engaged  in  condensing  water,  it  is  fairly  easy  to  go 
until  enough  fresh  water  is  obtained  ?  However,  we  shall 
watch  this  special  corner  of  the  earth,  with  interest.  When 
our  good  friends  the  Germans,  are  in  the  mind  of  promising 
us  something  good,  they  can  generally  be  depended  on  to 
keep  their  word  ? 

OUR  good  friends  of  the  Straits  Budget  have  been  letting 
themselves  go.  in  style,  over  "the  Baltickers-  one  Rozh- 
etc.'t  fleet  of  freak-ships!  Here,  what's  the  matter  wiih 
this,  as  a  sample  of  how  they  can  do  it.  out  Singapore  way? 
Read  :  "  Never  in  her  history,  has  Singapore  witnessed  a 


spectacle  of  such  impressive  splendour,  as  the  passage  of 
the   Baltic   Fleet,    on    Saturday  afternoon,    and    never- 
according  to  all   the  chances  of  war.  and   precedents  of 

story-will  she  ever  witness  it  again."  Obviously,  the 
foregoing  is  meant  for  us  to  understand  that  the  lovely 
fleet,  is  composed  of  ships  that  will  never  return  ?  For 
'Since  the  Duke  of  Medina  Sidonia  took  the  Invincible 
Armada  out  of  Lisbon,  some  three  centuries  ago.  the  world 
has  seen  no  naval  pageant  (bit  rough  on  that  big  review  of 
Britain's,  'way  back  ?)  of  such  vast  magnificence  :  but 

ough  the  seemingly  irresistible  aggregation  of  sea  power 
that  steamed  through  in  the  afternoon  sun.  appeared  to  be 
the  most  overwhelming  fleet  that  man  could  possibly  bring 
together,  its  value  as  a  fighting  body  was  small,  and  any 
fair-sized  squadron  of  the  enemy  that  encountered  it,  might 
reasonably  expect  to  obliterate  the  entire  array  of  pal- 
pitant glory  between  the  rising  and  setting  of  one  sun." 

&    ^ 

MAKES  you  weep,  does  it  not  ?    You  start  looking  around 
for  a   sheet,  or  other  goodly-proportioned  piece  of  linen. 
cambric,    or    something?    That's   how   we  felt,  anyhow'. 
Here   is  a   spectacle    of   impressive  splendour:  one   that 
knocks  all  former  spectacles  of  a  like  nature,  into  the  pro- 
verbial  cocked  hat :   but  with   it  all,   poor  old    Rozh-etc.. 
prodding   he  falls  in    with  a  "fair-sized  squadron  "  from 
Japan,    is  going  to    lose  all  his  "  palpitant  glory,"  and  in 
double  quick  time.  too.     Yea.  lor' !     But  things  are   rough 
on  Rozzy  ?    Of  what  use   is  it  to  hump   a   scene   of  im- 
pressive splendour  all  the  way  to   Singapore— and   further 
its  "  palpitant  glory  "  (  say.  we  like  that  combination. 
and  are  wondering  where  our  contemporary  fell  across  it  ?) 
is  going  to  be  obliterated,  "between  the  rising  and  the  setting 
of  one  sun?       "Out  of  the   forty-four  great   ships   that 
sailed   so   proudly   by,   but    sixteen   were   proper  fighting 
ships.  '   And  yet  our  friend  enthuses  about  it  all !  Singapore 
is  a  fine  place,  and    contains   many  fine  things.     Its   pine- 
apples used  to  be  good  enough,   once  on   a  time  !     But  its 
whiskey  wasn't  much  of  it.     Sort  of  chemically  concocted. 
And  of  course,  the  stuff  might  be   of  the  same  kind,  now. 
Poor  old   Rozzy.      He   is  evidently    sailing  away  with  a 
funeral  ! 


THE  coal-trimming  confloption  still  pursues  its  merry  way, 
and  although  we  are  told  that  the  shipowners  interested, 
are  pressing  for  a  settlement,  we,    who   know,   are   con- 
strained to  smile.     There  is  but  precious  little  "  pressing," 
or  a  settlement  would  have  been  reached,  some  months  ago. 
Instead  of  pressing  on  to  the  goal  which  should  make  the 
trimming  charges  average  out  to  £20  per  boat,  where  from 
£40  to  £60  obtains,  at  present,  the  shipowners  are  filled 
with  a  holy  desire  to  convince  each  other,  that  each  one 
^.hae  the  easiest-trimmed  boat  on  earth.     One  of  these  odd 
afternoons,  we  shall  give  the  true  inwardness  of  the  trim- 
ming question— and  it  will  form  interesting  matter  ;  of  that. 
you  may  be  sure.     We  shall  explain  to  you  how  Mr.  Trunk 
is  convinced  that  his  boat  is   best,   while    Mr.    Turret  is 
equally  certain  that  coal  will  slide  around  the  sweep  formed 
by  a  turret  ship's  structure,  better  than   it  will  pass  the 
right-angle  formed  by  the  trunk.     Again,  we  shall  explain 
how  Mr.  Shelter-deck  is  convinced  that  his  boat  is  better 
than  either  trunk  or  turret :  while  the  double-decked  owner 
is  charry  of  passing  any  kind  of  remark,  and  mainly  because 
he   is   chairman   of  a  working-man's   club,   and   that  the 
General  Election  is  near.      You  bide  a  wee !     The  coal- 
trimming  fiasco  has  nearly  reached  the  limit  of  our  patience, 
and  we  do  but  watch  the  course  of  events— if  the  motions, 
here,  are  worthy  the  name. 

EH,  but  this  is  awful !     At  least,  it  would  be  awful,  if  we 
hadn't  considered  the  same  thing,  for  quite  a  while.     What 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May   19,  1905 


is  it  ?  Why.  that  bit  of  straight  talk  which  Mr.  Stephen 
Jacobs  has  been  giving  some  people,  up  at  Pontlottyn. 
Mr.  Jacobs  has  been  telling  the  crowd  that  "  Mabon."  and 
the  other  miners'  leaders,  are  to  blame  for  the  attitude 
which  the  miners  have  adopted,  with  reference  to  the 
Federation.  Exactly  as  we  conclude.  "The  leaders 
assumed  a  power  which  was  not  given  them,  and  the  rank 
and  file  of  the  Federation  are  resenting  it."  Small  blame 
to  them,  too  ?  As  far  as  we  can  see,  these  so-called  labour 
leaders  usually  do  "assume  a  power  which  is  not  given 
them."  We  are  never  going  to  believe  that  any  sane 
number  of  brother-citizens,  will  be  idiotic  enough  to 
empower  a  number  of  their  fellows  to  haze  them,  after  the 
manner  in  which  the  hazing  is  carried  on  by  the  Federation 
bosses.  To  stop  men  who  are  in  arrears,  and  on  the  public 
highway,  with  a  sort  of  "money  or  your  life"  demand-  well 
the  picture  is  not  at  all  pleasant,  or  reassuring,  is  it? 
Parliamentary  levies  are  all  very  well,  as  long  as  a  man 
agrees  to  its  being  levied  :  but  when  that  money  is  bounced 
out  of  one  on  a  claim  that  one  doesn't  agree  with,  it  is 
altogether  up  another  street  ?  Mr.  Jacobs  is  also  of  the 
opinion,  that  there  is  not  more  than  2s.  per  head  in  the 
funds  of  the  Federation  ! 

OF  course,  it  should  be  fairly  easy  to  disprove  Mr.  Jacobs' 
opinion,  in  this  connection.  A  presentation  of  the  Federa- 
tion's balance  sheet,  audited  to-date.  would  obviate  all 
these  nasty  suggestions  which  are  about,  and  we  are 
surprised  that  a  statement  of  accounts  has  not,  ere  this, 
been  trotted  out  in  the  columns  of  our  up-to.wn  contem- 
porary, which  assumes  an  inward  knowledge  of  the  work- 
ings of  the  colossal  brain  of  the  labour  leader.  Anyhow,  it 
certainly  lends  colour  to  the  assumption  that  the  Federation 
is  in  a  moribund  condition,  when  its  shekels  have  to  be 
hawked  for,  on  the  King's  highway  ?  Don't  you  think  so  ? 
When  a  concern  is  in  a  flourishing  condition,  it  usually 
elects  to  collect  its  dues  in  a  dignified  manner— at  least,  in 
as  dignified  a  manner  as  it  can  assume.  Of  course,  it  is 
just  possible  that  this  hawking  on  the  highway  is  all  the 
dignity  which  the  Federation  bosses  understand  ?  They 
might  know,  from  past  experience,  that  "  to  catch  'em  on 
the  hop."  is  about  the  only  way  to  catch  'em  at  all  ?  It  is 
impossible  to  class  Federations  of  this  kind,  with  ordinary 
businesses,  or  benefit  affairs  :  for  there  is  altogether  too 
much  of  the  bread-for-life,  among  the  "leaders"  of  the 
Miners'  Federation. 

IF  some  of  those  leaders  would  insist  on  standing  aside, 
so  that  others  of  the  crowd,  and  those  which  are  equally 
well-endowed  with  brains,  might  have  a  chance— well,  we 
should  pin  more  faith  to  the  arrangement.  As  things  are, 
however,  the  same  names  appear  on  the  "  board  of 
directors,"  and  as  far  as  we  can  see,  they  never  offer 
themselves  for  re-election.  On  the  contrary,  rather,  for 
they  certainly  seem  to  have  elected  themselves,  as  "  life 
guardians  "  of  the  Sacred  Cause.  That  is  to  say,  the  com- 
bination is  not  the  Miners'  Federation,  for  it  is  "  Mabon's  ?" 
And  now,  in  his  sere  and  yellow  leaf,  the  younger  members 
of  the  cult  are  rapidly  becoming  restive.  Possibly  the 
Board  School  education  which  was  denied  their  fathers,  is 
beginning  to  bear  fruit :  that,  in  the  near  future,  there  will 
be  less  of  the  one-man  dictation  about  the  thing.  If  so,  we 
shall  look  forward  to  the  time,  when  the  Miners'  Federation 
will  be  a  power  for  good  in  the  land.  As  things  are,  it  is 
merely  a  menace  ;  a  political  fighting  machine ;  and  the 
sooner  its  affairs  are  put  in  order,  the  better  will  it  be  for 
all.  But  is  it  really  worth  that  2s.  per  head  ?  If  so,  how 
many  members  are  there  actually  enrolled? 

tf  ft 

IN  other  words,   is   it  a  live   organisation,  or  merely  a 
pretended  one  ?   A  number  of  well-wishers  of  the  working- 


man,  would  like  to  be  clear  on  the  matter,  for  they  most  of 
them  realise  that  it  is  useless  wasting  time  or  money  in  an 
attempt  to  benefit  the  toilers'  conditions  of  labour,  if,  after 
all.  the  benefits  merely  gravitate  around  a  few  men  who  do 
no  work.  For  quite  a  while,  now,  the  impression  has  been 
gaining  ground,  that  any  help  extended  to  the  collier- 
through  his  alleged  Federation  will  but  benefit  the  leaders 
of  the  caucus  :  will  enable  them  to  flood  the  counsels  of  the 
nation  with  amateur  legislators  ;  and  that,  ultimately,  the 
last  case  of  the  genuine  worker  will  be  worse  than  his  first. 
Surely  it  is  not  too  much  to  ask  for  a  peep  at  the  financial 
standing,  of  this  public  organisation  which  has  ever  so 
much  to  say  ?  There  are  numberless  people  who  would 
lend  a  hand,  if  they  could  be  but  sure  that  their  help  went 
into  the  channels  for  which  it  was  intended.  But  to  swell 
the  funds  of  a  more  or  less  dying  combination,  which  appears 
to  aim  no  higher  than  to  be  put  into  a  position  to  do  back- 
stairs political  work—  well,  such  a  thing  is  not  to  be  contem- 
plated, is  it  ?  Of  course,  "  Mabon  "  will  reply  to  Mr.  Stephen 
Jacobs  ;  will  stigmatise  the  whole  contention  as  dastardly. 
or  something  equally  choice  ?  But  give  us  the  financial 
statement. 

&  ^ 

HERE  we  are  !  Mr.  William  Crooks  breaking  out  in  a  new 
place  !  He  is  of  opinion  that  only  the  incorrigible  boy  will 
make  a  good  sailor,  and  yet  folk  go  out  of  their  way.  to 
condemn  the  incorrigible  man  who  has  developed  from  an 
incorrigible  boy  !  We  suppose  that  Mr.  Crooks  is  as  well- 
posted  on  this  subject,  as  are  most  of  the  alleged  authorities 
which  for  ever  endeavour  to  stuff  their  logic  dow^fil  our 
necks?  All  the  same,  we  much  doubt  if  the  hardy  and 
strenuous  worker  knows  more  about  it,  than  he  does  of 
Sanskrit.  Naturally,  it  is  all  of  a  piece  with  the  conduct 
which  has  gone  so  far  toward  making  the  Navy,  and  the 
Mercantile  Marine,  what  they  are—  the  one  an  ill-manned 
conglomeration  of  warships  ;  the  other  a  foreign-manned 
group  of  merchant  ships.  Mr.  Crooks  was  discoursing  on 
the  training  ship  Exmouth,  at  the  time  of  giving  vent  to  his 
quotation,  above.  In  addition  to  the  incorrigible  speech. 
the  worthy  M.P.  declared  that  the  Exmouth  was  in  existence 
for  the  purpose  of  making  sailors  —  not  clerks  or  Sunday 
School  teachers.  If  this  be  so,  then  has  Exmouth  failed  in 
her  mission  to  date  :  for,  to  the  best  of  our  belief,  she  has 
done  precious  little  in  the  making  of  sailors  ;  and  in  the 
future,  she  will  do  less-  unless  the  unexpected  happens. 


TALK  is  cheap,  but  it  takes  money  to  buy  nuts  ?  And 
there  is  no  getting  away  from  the  fact,  that  training  ship 
boys  are  not  persona  grata  with  any  legitimate  sailormen. 
About  ninety-nine  per  cent,  of  them  have  been  "  trained  " 
altogether  too  highly  for  commercial  purposes,  and  instead 
of  being  lads,  proper,  they  are  oftener  young  "  old  men." 
Up  to  every  dodge  on  the  board  —  and  under  it.  for  that 
matter  ;  chock-a-block  full  of  sea-lawyer  ideas  ;  suddenly 
released  from  the  "  training  "  which  was  the  sole  reason  of 
the  existence  of  their  late  bosses,  but  which  is  merely  a 
portion  of  their  present  ones  ;  small  wonder  that  the 
training-ship  lad  is  the  reverse  of  an  acquisition.  The 
plain  truth  of  the  matter  is,  that  officers  in  the  merchant 
service  are  too  busy  to  bother  about  specialising  the 
training  of  any  young  men  that  may  favour  them  with  their 
presence  ;  and  up  to  the  time  of  shipping  on  a  "  merch.," 
these  training-ship  lads  have  had  nothing  but  a  specialised 
training.  Is  it  any  wonder,  then,  if  the  boys  soon  run 
amuck  ;  become  sat  on  ;  and  throw  up  the  lif  3  that  was 
supposed  to  be  so  full  of  enchantment  ?  Wonder  or  not, 
this  is  what  happens  —  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten  ;  and 
practical  experience  has  made  us  incline  to  the  belief,  that 
training  ships  are  far  more  efficacious  in  the  manufacture 
of  clerks  and  Sunday  School  teachers,  than  for  the  making 


M.iv  19,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


of  sailors — all  Mr.  Crooks'  assertions  to  the  contrary,  not- 
withstanding. 

5?*5 

REALLY,  we  are  becoming  a  sensation-loving  race  !  When 
everything  else  palls  upon  our  jaded  appetite ;  when  the 
sea-serpent,  fails  to  make  his  annual  appearance  ;  when 
gooseberries  elect  to  grow  all  of  a  size  :  when  the  nightin- 
gale has  sworn  off  bathing  the  limpid  moonlight  with  liquid 
sound  :  when  the  giant  Russian,  or  the  ju-jitsu  jujube  has 
ceased  to  charm  ;  then,  we  get  a  thrill  from  a  number  of 
shoemakers  "on  strike"!  Great  heavens!  What  is  the 
country  coming  to  ?  But  we  suppose  it  is  alright  ?  The 
march  of  the  men  of  boot-tags,  has  taken  place  :  they  have 
been  welcomed  to  London  by  a  blue-blooded  lady,  seated  in  a 
"blood-red  moty  car"  :  have  been  hailed  as  comrades  and 
"  brothers  "  by  the  lady  in  question  :  she  has  gathered  up 
the  brails  of  a  spring  confection:  waved  a  scented  hand  in 
adieu  :  pip-pipped  to  their  cheers,  and  scooted  away  :  the 
"  striking  "  gentlemen  have  vindicated  their  manhood,  by 
accepting  the  charity  of  the  mob  in  Trafalgar  Square,  'fore 
all  the  world  as  if  they  were  but  Punch-and-Judy  shows  : 
and  then  commenced  the  homeward  trail.  It  is  all  very 
funny,  but  oh,  it  is  pathetic  ?  And  in  the  midst  of  an 
educated  era  too  ! 

s?*z 

ONE  can  understand  the  lady's  little  flutter :  she  has 
nothing  else  to  do  with  her  time,  and  to  some  people,  a 
flutter  is  absolutely  essential ;  notoriety  must  be  won,  if 
only  as  an  eccentric.  But  when  one  considers  the  so- 
called  men  which  took  part  in  this  raree  show — what  can 
one  thick  of  them  ?  Presumably,  the  majority  of  the  gang 
will  be  married  men  :  will  have  families  depending,  more  or 
less,  on  their  efforts  :  but.  for  the  transient  glory  which 
coruscates  around  a  march  to  London  :  for  the  equivocal 
honourof  being  met  by  a  lady  of  the  land:  to  be  enabled  to  bum 
a  free  feed  or  so.  and  scramble,  like  hooligans,  for  the  coppers 
of  the  mob  :  all  their  responsibilities  are  thrown  aside,  and  a 
—  to  them— high-class  beano  is  indulged  in.  With  the 
grievances  of  those  misguided  bootmakers,  we  have  nothing 
to  say.  Nothing,  that  is,  outside  of  the  fact  that  men  who 
will  act  in  such  an  idiotic  manner,  scarcely  deserve  any- 
thing better  than  to  have  grievances.  If  a  manly  statement 
of  a  grievance  will  not  bring  redress,  it  is  a  positive 
certainty,  that  playing  the  mountebank  will  not.  "  Moty 
cars."  camaradie.  cunning  confections,  cooing  cajolery,  and 
the  like,  are  all  very  well  in  their  place  :  but  that  place  is 
nowhere  near  the  hearts  of  men  who  really  believe  that 
they  are  being  imposed  upon  ?  That  is  how  we  look  at 
the  matter. 

s?%? 

THE  Kaiser  has  been  a  bit  unkind  in  his  remarks  con- 
cerning the  Russian  officers  at  Kiaochau.  where  they  bought 
up  all  the  champagne  that  was  comeatable.  If  the  Kaiser 
had  such  a  sorry  outlook  as  those  Russian  officers,  it  is 
highly  probable  that  he  would  need  a  lot  of  champagne  if 
only  for  the  purpose  of  deadening  the  real  pain.  When  a 
number  of  men  are  about  to  sail  away  with  a  nautical 
hearse,  it  takes  something  of  an  effervescing  nature,  to 
enable  them  to  keep  her  head  East  for  the  boneyard. 
However,  the  Kaiser  had  some  really  good  advice  to  give 
his  officers,  when  addressing  them  at  Strasburg.  on  the 
occasion  referred  to.  His  Majesty  remarked  that  "  Young 
people  must  be  more  employed  :  they  must  work  hard  in 
the  day.  so  that  by  eventide,  they  are  healthily  tired, 
and  go  early  to  bed.  instead  of  seeking  enervating  pleasures." 
In  Utopia,  the  advice  would  be  good.  In  Material  Land 
however,  we  have  our  doubts.  To  work  all  day.  and  then 
turn  in  to  sleep,  doesn't  appear  to  be  the  ideal  existence  for 
"young  people."  these  days?  In  fact,  we  much  doubt  if 
the  Kaiser,  himself,  would  cotton  to  the  advice,  if  he 


happened  to  be  a  mere  "young  person,''  instead  of  being  a 
Kaiser  ?  After  all,  platitudes  do  not  help  the  cause  of 
civilisation,  overmuch. 

jOe  9t« 

*&     tSd 

WE  are  not  altogether  sure  that  there  was  anything 
startlingly  sensational  about  the  annual  meeting  of  the 
Bristol  Incorporated  Chamber  of  Commerce  and  Shipping, 
which  was  held  one  day  last  week.  In  fact,  the  whole 
affair  seemed  to  be  of  the  usual  stereotyped  character,  and 
originality  was  no  more  conspicuous  by  its  absence,  than  it 
is  at  functions  of  the  kind,  generally.  There  was  the 
accepted  amount  of  mutual  admiration  in  evidence,  and  the 
orthodox  prattling  of  trade  depressions.  The  President  of 
the  Chamber,  Mr.  George  E.  Davies,  "testified  to  the 
practical  work  that  was  being  done  by  the  Chamber  for  the 
trading  community  of  Bristol"  :  and  insinuated  that  manu- 
facturers and  merchants  to-day,  were  enjoying  many 
conveniences  and  facilities,  that  were  directly  attributable 
to  the  action  thereof.  This  is  quite  true,  and  is  matter  for 
no  surprise,  after  all,  seeing  that  a  chamber  of  commerce 
exists  for  this  very  reason.  We  note  that,  Mr.  Sydney 
Humphries  had  something  to  say  about  the  antiquated 
composition  of  the  Board  of  Trade  :  that  it  had  fallen  behind 
our  national  requirements  :  and  that  if  Parliament,  "  in  its 
wisdom,  could  create  a  Secretary  of  State,  with  a  Consult- 
ing Board  made  up  of  leading  representative  men  of  com- 
merce, then,  a  great  step  would  have  been  taken." 


IT  would  !  For  such  a  step,  the  country  has  been  waiting, 
for  years,,  as  the  institution  shadowed  out,  would  be  the 
long-talked-of  Ministry  of  Commerce.  Discourse,  there 
was  a  dinner  after  that  meeting.  There  always  is  !  On 
this  particular  occasion.  Lord  Salisbury  was  the  principal 
guest  of  Bristol's  Chamber  of  Commerce,  and  "  strange  as 
it  might  appear,"  his  lordship  came  before  them,  that  even- 
ing, "  as  representing  that  department  of  his  Majesty's 
Government  which  had  to  do  with  trade."  We  are  not 
quite  clear  as  to  whether  it  was  as  "  strange  "  as  his 
Lordship  suggested.  Not  at  all  !  As  President  of  the 
Board  of  Trade,  Lord  Salisbury  shines  at  least  as  bril- 
liantly as  others,  who  have  held  the  honourable,  if  some- 
what sinecurish—  if  we  may  put  it  thus  -position.  At  this 
stage  in  our  country's  history,  few  thinking  men  expect 
anything  great,  from  a  President  of  the  Board  of  Trade. 
At  the  best,  his  job  is  but  a  passing  incident  ;  a  modern 
instance  of  where  the  dog  is  wagged  by  the  tail—  instead  of 
vice  versa.  Is  anybody  going  to  believe  that  a  President, 
here,  will  do  other  than  follow  the  line  of  least  resistance  : 
or  that  the  said  line  is  other  than  that  mapped  out,  by  the 
permanent  officials?  Certainly  not,  so  that  any  considera- 
tion of  what  is  said  by  such  presidents,  is  merely  a  waste  of 
good  time. 

&  ^ 

IF  the  President  of  the  Board  of  Trade  were  endowed 
with  any  power  of  carrying  out  a  bit  of  initiative,  well,  it 
would  be  worth  while  attending  to  the  indirect  formation 
of  the  said  trait.  But  we  all  know  that  such  an  idea  is 
Utopian,  in  the  extreme.  That  the  secretary  men  are  they 
on  whom  the  administration  of  the  Department  falls.  Also, 
that  if  the  secretaries  are  little  other  than  betrousered 
ladies,  it  is  useless  to  expect  anything  forceful,  and  up-to- 
date  from  them.  No,  there  is  nothing  strange  in  finding 
Lord  Salisbury  representing  a  trade  department  of  the 
Government,  at  a  Bristol  dinner  ;  even  although  he  feels, 
himself,  that  such  is  the  case.  That  Britain  might  possess 
men  who  are  more  eligible  for  the  position  ;  men  who  have 
spent  a  lifetime  in  acquiring  a  thorough  appreciation  of 
the  duties  which  should  belong  to  a  'live  President,  of  a 
'live  Board  of  Trade,  is  open  to  discussion.  But  we  much 
doubt  if,  in  all  Britain,  there  is  a  man  who  has  had  a 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May  19,  1905 


better,  or  more  long-headed  father :  or  one  who  had 
rendered  better  service  to  his  King  and  country,  than  his 
Lordship.  This  being  so.  where  is  the  strangeness  in 
finding  that  father's  son  posing  as  head  of  the  Board  of 
Trade?  Haven't  we  all  grown  to  the  knowledge  that  the 
Board  of  Trade  is  exactly  the  place  to  train  all  Govern- 
mental novitiates  ?  We  are  a  trading  nation,  so  that  our 
Board  of  Trade  is  a  fitting  place  in  which  to  train  all 
experimentalists,  probationers,  apprentices — style  'em  what 
you  will.  xif  9ja 

IF  they  do  not  transgress  terribly,  while  bossing  the 
Board — well  there  is  hope  for  those  novitiates,  in  some 
more  important  position.  This  is  exactly  as  it  should  be. 
To  a  trading  nation,  a  Board  of  Trade  is  of  supreme 
indifference!  Any  mistakes  there,  do  not  amount  to  much, 
and  will  not  affect  the  country  to  any  great  extent— and 
principally  because  the  trading  nation  made  the  Board  of 
Trade  :  not  the  other  way  about,  as  should  really  be  the 
case.  Moreover,  there  is  less  strain  on  a  man's  intelligence 
in  this  phase  of  Governmental  work,  than  perhaps  in  any 
other  and  that  is  admitting  a  lot !  To  be  a  successful 
President,  here,  you  merely  have  to  sit  tight,  and  do  what 
you  are  told — by  the  permanent  officials.  If  there  is 
anything  going  wrong,  you  can  hunk  it  on  to  the  permanent 
secretaries  :  if  everything  goes  right  (from  your  point  of 
view )  you  can  claim  the  credit,  and  a  lift  in  the  way  of 
promotion.  That  is.  Whitehall,  is  the  Government's 
training-ship-of-state.  Put  in  a  term,  there ;  be  good  ; 
give  as  little  trouble  as  possible  :  and  heaven  only  knows 
what  there  is  before  you  in  the  way  of  a  political  career, 
thereafter.  It's  all  plain  enough,  don't  you  think  ?  And 
there  is  absolutely  no  "strangeness"  in  finding  Lord 
Salisbury  graduating  in  this  direction.  Nary  a  bit ! 

OUR  congratulations  to  Lieutenant  H.  T.  A.  Bosanquet, 
R.N..  for  his  able  remarks  on  the  subject  of  training  boys 
for  the  Mercantile  Marine.  It  is  a  crying  shame— and  a. 
national  danger — to  note  that  the  present  total  of  40.000 
foreigners  in  British  forecastles,  is  a  constantly  increasing 
one.  So  much  so.  that  it  must  give  uncomfortable  qualms 
of  conscience  to  all  who  have  the  interest  of  their  country 
at  heart.  The  worst  of  the  business  is.  that  the  remaining 
Britons  are  so  hopeless  of  anything  better  materialising, 
that  they  are  rapidly  degenerating  into  an  undisciplined 
mob.  However.  Lieut.  Bosanquet  has  interested  himself 
in  the  matter,  and  says  thai  "  to  pour  recruits  in  under 
present  conditions,  is  to  try  to  fill  a  basin  with  a  hole  in  it, 
for  as  fast  as  new  boys  are  sent  in.  the  older  ones  retire, 
just  as  they  are  on  the  point  of  becoming  useful."  That  is 
the  situation  to  a  nicety,  and  although  we  have  never  used 
the  basin  simile,  we  have  told  you  the  same  thing,  time  and 
again.  Indeed,  we  have  repeated  the  warning  so  often, 
that  at  length,  our  words  are  claiming  the  attention  that  is 
their  due.  Personally,  we  are  gla.d.  Not  so  much  because 
anything  valuable  has  yet  resulted  :  but  because  the  subject 
is  claiming  the  attention  which  it  deserves :  and  that 
eventually,  the  valuable  result  will  materialise.  When  it 
does,  we  shall  feel  that  we  have  not  wasted  our  continued 
effort.  «r#  ?<•« 

HERE  is  another  quotation  from  Lieut.  Bosanquet's 
lecture  at  the  Royal  United  Service  Institution:  "Any 
training  scheme  must  go  hand-in-glove  with  a  plan  for 
making  a  seaman's  life  more  attractive."  It  must,  or  in 
the  end,  you  will  not  have  a  British  sailor-left  you.  But 
after  all,  these  discussions  on  a  vexed  question,  usually  end 
up  in  the  same  manner.  There  is  ever  that  doctrine  that 
"something"  must  be  done;  but  the  something  is  never, 
outside  the  columns  of  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW,  animadverted 
upon.  The  only  "something"  which  is  necessary  to  call 
thousands  of  British  lads  to  a  seafaring  career,  is  to  pay 
them  a  wage  equivalent  to  what  they  would  earn,  in  a 
similar  capacity  ashore.  Only  that !  There  is  absolutely 
nothing  obscure  in  the  situation.  It  is  all  as  plain  as  day— 


to  those  who  have  been  there.  It  is  just  a  qu-stion  of 
cash.  Nothing  more.  If  the  shipping  trade  will  not  stand 
any  additional  expense  in  the  matter  of  wages — and  it  will, 
easily— then,  there  is  nothing  for  it,  but  that  we  must  sit 
down  and  see  our  maritime  power  pass  over  to  nations 
which  have  more  sense.  All  this  old  clap-trap  about  better 
food,  separate  rooms  for  the  gentle  matelot,  bathrooms, 
etc..  is  beside  the  question. 

&  $5 

FRANKLY,  the  men  who  are  remaining,  do  not  care  a  toss 
for  separate  rooms,  bath-rooms,  or  anything  of  the  kind. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  they  are  not  troubling  unduly  about 
better  pay.  and  mainly  for  the  reason  that  they  merely  look 
upon  their  spell  of  sea  life  as  an  episode.  Even  as  the 
hardened  criminal  will  boast  that  he  can  "take"  eighteen 
months  chokee  "on  his  head."  so  will  the  sailorman  tell  you 
that  he  cares  nothing  for  the  conditions  existing  on  ship- 
board to-day — because  he  is  hunting  around  for  a  shore 
job.  It  is  you  who  will  have  to  do  the  worrying,  in  future  ; 
and  if  you  do  not  take  up  the  business  with  a  little  more 
vim  than  has  been  apparent  of  late,  it  will  soon  matter 
nothing,  as  to  whether  you  offer  more  pay,  or  otherwise. 
The  plain  truth  is,  that  the  British  seamen  which  remain, 
are  of  mighty  little  use  to  anybody  ;  are.  in  nine  cases  out 
of  ten,  a  delusion  and  a  snare  to  the  men  who  employ  them. 
Why  is  this  ?  Simply  that  the  good  men  have  been  driven 
ashore,  and  until  you  wean  them  back  with  fair  pay  and 
conditions,  the  service  will  simply  go  from  bad  to  worse. 
We  have  discussed  this  subject  exhaustively  ;  have  shown 
you.  from  personal  experience,  how  matters  may  be 
mended  :  shall  go  on  showing  you— especially  as  you  have, 
obviously,  awakened  to  the  truth  of  our  strictures.  For 
this  occasion,  we  shall  leave  it — to  return  again,  later  on. 

gj6   9c* 

E&i      US 

"SHE  stoops  to  conquer!"  "Of  two  evils  choose  the 
least."  "  I'll  raise  you,"  said  the  bluff  player — or  anything 
you  like,  so  that  you  assimilate  the  truth  of  the  "big 
reduction  in  miners'  wages."  Toll  for  the  brave  ;  the 
brave  that  have  a  sufficiency  of  sense  to  see  that  it  is 
useless  to  run  one's  head  against  the  bricks ;  and  that  he 
who  fights  and  runs  away,  lives  to  fight  another  day  !  Is  it 
necessary  to  go  into  the  tortuous  twistings  which  ever 
mark  ihe  alleged  "fights  "  between  master  and  men  in  the 
coal  trade  ?  Certainly  not  !  It  is  quite  sufficient  to  know 
that  our  words  on  May  5.  have  been  justified.  On  that 
occasion,  we  wrote  :  "  Everybody  realised  that,  at  the  last 
time  of  asking — at  the  time  when  a  5  per  cent,  reduction 
was  asked  for  — the  demand  was  a  just  one :  that  the 
interest  of  the  community  demanded  it.  By  the  usual 
turning  and  twisting,  the  evil  day  (to  the  collier)  was  put 
off:  now.  to  level  the  matter  up.  a  7  '2  percent,  reduction 
is  called  for."  And  the  matter  has  been  levelled-up.  by  the 
men  submitting  to  the  5  per  cent,  reduction  originally 
asked  !  In  the  meantime,  the  men  have  enjoyed  the  bliss 
of  bluffing  their  employers  out  of  a  sum  of  money  which 
would  have  been  saved,  had  the  sliding-scale  been  in 
operation.  But  really,  the  masters  do  not  deserve  any 
consideration.  It's  a  rheumatic  cure  that  they  are  most  in 
need  of.  s*  9<s 

s&       Ms? 

LORD  MUSKERRY,  who  has  been  spending  the  past  three 
weeks  at  his  Irish  seat,  Springfield  Castle,  County  Limerick, 
has  just  returned  to  London  for  Parliamentary  duties. 
The  Merchant  Service  Guild  have  submitted  to  His  Lord- 
ship, various  important  matters  affecting-  ships  and  seamen. 
Two  Bills  of  which  he  is  sponsor,  have  been  read  a  first 
time  -the  Winter  Deck-loads  Bill,  and  the  Certificates  Bill 
which  seeks  to  provide  that  none  but  British  subjects  shall 
command,  or  officer,  British  vessels  ;  or  be  granted  pilotage 
certificates  for  British  waters.  His  Lordship  will  also  deal 
with  efficient  ballasting  and  life-saving  apparatus  on  board 
ship  ;  while  another  matter  of  great  importance  to  shipping, 
generally,  is  that  dealing  with  the  exclusion  of  British  ships 
from  profitable  trades,  by  other  Maritime  Powers. 


May    MI.    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


SHIPBUILDING. 


The  Ailsa  Shipbuilding  Company.  Limited.  Troon.  have 
launched  a  steel  screw  cargo  steamer  for  Messrs.  J.  T. 
Duncan  &  Co..  Cardiff.  The  vessel  is  of  the  following 
dimensions  :  287ft.  6in.  x  40ft.  x  20ft.  6in.  moulded,  and 
she  will  carry  2.600  tons  deadweight.  She  is  equipped  as 
a  collier,  with  eight  powerful  steam  winches  and  eight 
derricks,  for  the  rapid  handling  of  coal  cargoes.  She  has 
been  built  to  Lloyd's  highest  class,  with  all  the  latest  im- 
provements, including  electric  light  throughout.  The 
machinery  will  be  supplied  by  Messrs.  Muir  &  Houston, 
Glasgow,  triple  expansion  engines,  having  cylinders  22 '2 in., 
37in..  60in.  x  42in.  stroke,  and  designed  to  develop  2.200 
horse-power.  The  steamer  was  named  J.  Duncan. 

•f   •»•  + 

The  iron  screw  steamer  Bucentaur.  lately  owned  by 
Messrs.  Hall  Brothers.  Newcastle,  has  been  sold  to 
Norwegian  buyers,  and  we  understand  the  price  paid  is 
about  £4.500.  She  was  built  and  engined  by  the  Palmers 
Company.  Newcastle,  in  1875.  Dimensions  282ft.  Sin.  x 
33ft.  Sin.  x  24ft.  2in.:  1773  tons  gross:  with  engines 
30  "2  in..  61  in.  x  36in.  stroke.  The  Bucentaur  is  to  replace 
the  Beaconsjield.  bought  a  few  weeks  ago,  but  which 
stranded  on  the  Norwegian  coast,  on  her  way  out  to 
Spitzbergen.  and  became  a  total  wreck.  Mr.  Magnus  K. 
Giaever.  of  Christiania.  is  the  purchaser,  who  intends  to 
utilise  the  steamer  as  a  store  ship  for  blubber,  etc..  in 
connection  with  the  whale  fishing  industry. 

•f   -f  •»• 

A  new  steamer  of  about  1.800  tons  dead-weight' 
building  by  Messrs.  Osbourne.  Graham.  &  Co..  Sunderland. 
for  Messrs.  Furness.  Withy  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  West  Hartlepool. 
has  just  been  sold  for  about  £1 7.500.  She  is  a  single  deck 
cargo  steamer,  with  large  self-trimming  hatches,  specially 
adapted  for  the  coal  trade.  Dimensions.  235ft.  x  33ft.  9in. 
x  17ft.  Sin.  moulded:  draft  loaded,  about  15ft.  9in. 
Machinery  by  Messrs.  Richardson.  Westgarth  &  Co..  Ltd., 
with  engines.  IS'sin..  39in..  49in.  x  33in.  stroke.  One 
single-ended  boiler.  16ft.  x  10ft.  6in. :  working  pres- 
sure. ISOIbs. 

•»•   -f   •»• 

Messrs.  W.  S.  Kennaugh  &  Co..  of  Liverpool  and 
Whitehaven.  have  purchased  a  new  cargo  steamer,  now 
building  by  Messrs.  R.  Williamson  &  Son.  Workington. 
She  will  carry  about  730  tons  dead-weight  on  13ft.  draft. 
Dimensions.  163ft.  9in.  x  26ft.  6in.  x  13ft.  2in.  moulded. 
The  machinery  will  be  supplied  by  Messrs.  Ross  and 
Duncan.  Glasgow:  with  engines.  14in..  22''2in..  37in.  x 
27in.  stroke :  one  single-ended  boiler.  13ft.  6in.  x  10ft, 
working  at  160lbs  pressure.  We  understand  the  price 

paid  is  about  £8.250. 

*•»••»• 

Messrs.  Napier  &  Miller.  Ltd..  have  secured  fifteen  acres 
of  ground,  at  Old  Kilpatrick.  on  the  north  bank  of  the 
Clyde,  for  a  new  up-to-date  shipbuilding  yard  to  take  the 
place  of  their  persent  premises  at  Yoker.  which  they  have 
to  vacate,  on  account  of  the  ground  being  required  by  the 
Clyde  Trustees,  for  a  new  tidal  dock.  The  new  yard  will 
be  fitted  with  the  most  modern  (electrically-driven)  plant, 
and  it  will  be  most  conveniently  situated  to  the  Caledonian 

Railway. 

+  •••  + 

It  is  reported  that  a  new  spec,  steamer,  building  by 
Messrs.  Wm.  Hamilton  &  Co..  Port  Glasgow,  to  carry 
about  5.400  tons  deadweight,  has  been  sold  to  British 
buyers  at  about  £32,500.  Her  dimensions  are  :  330ft.  x 
45ft.  6in.  x  26ft.  6in.  moulded  :  draft  loaded,  about 
22ft.  Sin. :  with  engines.  24in..  40in..  65in..  x  42in.  stroke. 
Two  single-ended  boilers.  15ft.  6in.  x  10ft.  9in.  :  working 
pressure.  ISOIbs. 


The  steel  screw  steamer  Kinsman,  lately  owned  by  the 
Bear  Greek  Oil  and  Shipping  Company,  Limited,  of  Liver- 
pool, has  been  sold  to  the  Anglo-American  Oil  Company, 
Limited.  She  was  built  and  engined  by  Messrs.  Armstrong. 
Whitworth  &  Co..  Ltd..  Newcastle,  in  1901.  for  carrying 
petroleum  in  bulk.  Dimensions  360ft.  x  49ft.  7in.  x  30ft. 
3in.:  4.534  tons  gross:  with  engines  24in..  40in.,  66in. 
x  48in.  stroke.  She  will  be  renamed  Winnebago. 


The  steel  screw  steamer  Rotokino,  lately  owned  by  the 
Union  Steam  Ship  Company,  of  New  Zealand,  Limited,  has 
been  sold  to  Japanese  buyers  at  about  £15,000.  She  was 
built  and  engined  by  Messrs.  W.  Denny  Brothers,  Dum- 
barton, in  1890.  Dimensions  270ft.  x  37ft.  7in.  x  18ft. 
7in.:  2,064  tons  gross;  with  engines  18in..  27  '-gin., 
36in..  53in.  x  39in.  stroke. 

•f  +  -f 

The  steel  screw  cargo  and  passenger  steamer  Me/more, 
lately  owned  by  the  Earl  of  Leitrim,  Milford.  Ireland,  has 
been  sold  to  British  buyers  at  about  £9,000.  She  was 
built  and  engined  by  Messrs.  D.  J.  Dunlop  &  Go.,  Port 
Glasgow,  in  1892.  Dimensions  156ft.  2in.  x  25ft.  Sin.  x 
12ft.:  412  tons  gross:  with  engines  15in.,  23in..  38in. 

x  27in.  stroke. 

4   -f  -f 

The  'iron  screw  steamer  Sea  Lion,  owned  by  Messrs. 
Leach  &  Co.,  Ltd..  London,  is  reported1  sold  to  Japanese 
buyers.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  T.  Royden  &  Sons, 
Liverpool,  in  1870.  Dimensions  250ft.  x  28ft.  7in.  x 
21ft.  Sin.  ;  1  .040  tons  gross  ;  with  engines  18in..  25in., 
44in.  x  30in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  D.  Rolls  &  Sons. 

+  +  + 

Messrs.  J.  Bruce  &  Co..  Glasgow,  have  sold  their  iron 
screw  steamer  Stromboli,  to  Greek  buyers,  at  about 
£4.250.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  Laird  Brothers,  Birken- 
head,  in  1870,  and  had  new  engines  and  boilers  fitted  in 
1883.  Dimensions  258ft.  2in.  x  29ft.  7in.  x  20ft:  1.158 
tons  gross  :  with  engines  SOin..  56in.  x  36in.  stroke. 

-f  +  + 

The  Northern  Steam  Shipping  Company,  of  St.  Peters- 
burg, are  the  purchasers  of  the  steamer  Torbay,  reported 
sold  in  our  last  issue.  She  has  been  renamed  Alexy 
Morch.  and  will  be  employed  in  the  new  owners'  trade 
between  London  and  St.  Petersburg. 

+  +  + 

The  Corporation  of  Birkenhead  are  inviting  tenders  for 
the  construction  of  a  double  twin  screw  ferry  steamer  for 
conveying  vehicles  and  goods  across  the  River  Mersey, 
between  Liverpool  and  Birkenhead.  Tenders  are  to  be  in 

by  the  23rd  inst. 

+  -»-  + 

The  Admiralty  have  placed  an  order  with  Messrs.  John 
J.  Thornycroft  &  Co..  Limited,  of  Ghiswick  and  Southamp- 
ton. for  five  torpedo  boat  destroyers,  of  a  new  type,  intended 
for  harbour  and  coast  defence. 

+  +  + 

The  steel  steam  trawler  Strathisla,  built  in  1894,  by- 
Messrs.  Hall  Russell  &  Co.,  Aberdeen,  for  the  Aberdeen 
Steam  Trawling  &  Fishing  Co.,  Ltd.,  has  been  sold  by 
them  to  Mr.  W.  Forbes. 

•f  +   -f 

The  steamer  Matoppo,  recently  purchased  by  the  Union 
Steam  Ship  Company,  of  New  Zealand,  Ltd.,  has  been 
renamed  Wairuna. 


10 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May   19,   1905 


^vrgfriyrS*. 

••1C   .- 


_ - 


FRIDAY.  MAY   19.   1905. 

A" NEW  FREIGHT  MARKET?- MANITOBA-ON-THE-SEA ! 

(Second  Article). 


concluded  our  last  week's  discussion  of 
this  subject,  by  remarking  that  it  is  not  the 
Maritime  Provinces  of  Canada  which  suffer 
most  acutely  from  a  lack  of  winter  trans- 
port. This  is  an  indisputable  fact,  and  for 
the  reason  that  settlers,  there,  in  the  event  of 
the  Canadian  coast  ports,  from  any  cause 
whatsoever,  being  inaccessible,  can  always  find  "  open 
water."  by  going  south  to  an  American  port.  The  greatest 
sufferers,  then,  are  those  whom  fortune  or  circumstances 
— which  amounts  to  the  same  thing,  these  days  -have  sent 
into,  what  is  aptly  known  as.  "the  great  North-West."  Too 
far  away  to  be  able  to  stand  the  expense  of  sending  their 
produce  to  an  American  port — something  nearer  home,  must 
be  attempted.  Then,  again,  there  is  the  ice  in  winter,  and  the 
fog  in  summer,  to  spoil  the  utility  of  the  St.  Lawrence  ;  and 
to  make  it  and  its  approaches,  about  as  hateful  a  piece  of 
navigation,  as  it  is  possible  to  find,  on  earth.  These,  then, 
are  the  factors  which  are  calculated  to  make  the  intending 
freighter  search  around  for  an  alternative  route  ;  one  which, 
if  beset  with  many  dangers,  may  yet  be  less  cursed  than 
the  existing  route.  We  most  of  us  realise,  that  the  ice  and 
fogs  referred  to,  have  had  more  to  do  with  the  crippling  of 
Canadian  trade,  than  all  the  other  disadvantages — such 
as  those  which  are  inevitably  associated  with  a  "  new  " 
country,  scarcity  of  labour,  capital,  etc. — put  together.  It 
has  been  said  that  the  shipowner,  when  offered  a  Canadian 
freight,  is  prone  to  hesitate  and,  if  possible,  to  look  around 
for  something  better.  Personally,  we  are  of  opinion  .that 
the  underwriter  has  had  more  to  do  with  the  penalising  of 
Canadian  trade,  than  has  the  shipowner.  When  a  body  of 
men  find,  from  actual  experience,  that  "  the  graveyard  of 
the  Atlantic  "  is  also  a  graveyard  for  any  possible  profits 
from  underwriting — well,  the  gentlemen  interested,  are 
likely  to  search  around  for  all  manner  of  safeguards  for 
their  own  interests  ;  safeguards  which  act  detrimentally  to 
the  Dominion's  chances  of  ultimate  success  ?  One  fact, 
however,  stands  out  in  distinct  clearness.  Canadian  trade 
must  be  developed,  in  order  to  find  a  market  for  the 
produce  raised  by  the  hardy  souls,  who  are  opening  out  this 
brand-new  land.  The  numerous  elevators  which  are 
scattered  throughout  the  interior,  hold,  and  store,  grain,  to 
the  extent  of  many  millions  of  bushels.  Furthermore,  the 
number  of  these  elevators  is  growing,  rapidly.  Stock- 
raising,  too,  is  ever  on  the  increase,  and  in  conjunction  with 
dairy  produce,  fruit,  poultry,  eggs,  and  other  "  farmers' 
goods,"  makes  the  necessity  for  some  kind  of  moderately 
dependable  transit,  a  very  real  one.  Indeed,  the  nation  is 
fully  aroused  to  the  great  importance  of  finding  a  relatively 
cheap  method  of  transit — aye,  right  from  the  Atlantic  to 
the  Pacific  coasts.  This  brings  us  down  to  a  consideration 
of  the  title  which  we  have  elected  to  place  above  this 
present  writing.  For  many  years,  past,  the  pioneer  in  the 
interior,  has  cast  longing  eyes,  and  anxious  thought,  toward 
the  possibility  of  an  outlet  in  the  Hudson's  Bay.  Until 
quite  recently,  that  pioneer  was  too  busy  in  his  efforts  to 
place  matters  on  his  homestead  on  a  workable  basis,  to  be 
able  to  spare  more  than  an  anxious  thought  as  to  the  prob- 
abilities herein  contained.  His  summer  was  all  too  short  for 
him  to  spare  time  for  initial  incursions  into  unknown  territory 
—even  in  imagination.  Time  has  altered  those  conditions. 
His  homestead  is  a  flourishing  concern,  and  if  he  would  profit 


by  his  arduous  toil  in  the  past,  he  must  work  out  his  salvation 
on  new  lines— seeing  that  old  ones  have  proved  themselves  a 
delusion  and  a  snare.  Thus  it  comes  about,  that  an  outlet 
in  Hudson's  Bay.  used  in  conjunction  with  the  many  rivers 
flowing  thereinto,  possesses  an  attraction  for  those  whose 
future  depends,  absolutely,  on  some  such  means  of  trans- 
port. In  other  words,  the  hardy  pioneer  has  come  to  the 
conclusion  that,  if  a  man  may  not  have  what  he  would,  he 
may  still  make  the  best  use  of  what  he  has.  Obviously, 
there  is  no  efficient  waterway  any  nearer ;  what  can  be 
done  with  the  facilities  which  Hudson's  Bay  might  have. 
up  to  now,  locked  up  in  its  bosom.  In  addition  to  the 
fascination  which  ever  lays  around  the  unknown,  there  is 
the  possibility  that,  with  the  help  of  modern  science,  this 
particular  scheme  might  be  worked  on  a  commercially 
successful  footing.  There  can  be  no  getting  away  from 
the  fact  that,  in  the  event  of  this  project  materialising,  the 
farmer  in  the  North-West  Territories  would  be  nearer 
to  Liverpool  than  he  is  at  present — considered  from  a 
freightage  point  of  view—  by  some  thousand  miles,  or  more. 
That  is,  if  we  remember  what  it  means  to  get  from 
Winnipeg,  say,  to  the  Atlantic  ports,  at  present,  and  before 
the  sea-voyage  has  commenced.  What  is  the  incentive  for 
this  new  route  ?  Well,  the  United  Kingdom  has  been,  for 
years  past,  gradually  increasing  its  taking  of  grain  from  the 
Dominion :  an  increase  which  is  represented  by  many 
millions  of  bushels.  That  the  Old  Country  can — and  will- 
take  a  constantly  increasing  quantity— if  it  can  be  supplied 
—goes  without  comment.  Especially  is  this  little  item 
worthy  of  attention,  at  the  present  moment,  when  the 
supplies  from  the  United  States  have  been  greatly  restricted, 
due  in  some  measure,  to  the  increasing  needs  of  a  growing 
nation  within  the  confines  of  her  own  shores.  In  fact,  ihe 
removal  of  the  import  duty  on  grain  brought  to  the  Republic, 
enabled  American  millers  to  grind  Canadian  wheat,  for 
mixing  with  their  various  food  preparations,  and  tends  to 
enhance  the  outside  commercial  value  of  the  Canadian- 
grown  article,  quite  apart  from  its  intrinsic  worth,  to  those 
who  raise  it.  With  all  these  forces  at  work — forces  that 
will  be  multiplied,  indefinitely,  as  the  years  roll  on — Canada 
must,  in  self-defence  (or  in  her  struggle  for  survival),  find 
easier,  readier,  and  cheaper  means  for  handling  the  fruits  of 
her  people's  industry,  for  their  direct  benefit  and  prosperity. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  Dominion  is  thus  engaged,  and  so 
it  is  that  the  anxious  looks  referred  to,  are  cast  in  the 
direction  of  Hudson's  Bay.  At  present  the  Canadian 
Pacific  Railway  has  completed  the  only  trans-continental 
route.  But  the  Canadian  Northern  Railway  Company  is 
pushing  her  hurriedly-and-temporarily-constructed  track 
from  the  Great  Lakes  to  the  Pacific,  and  sooner  or  later,  as 
the  case  might  be,  will  be  another  factor  in  the  expansion 
of  Canada.  On  the  Canadian  Pacific  route,  extending 
though  it  does,  from  ocean  to  ocean,  but  a  single  line  of 
track  is  available,  for  the  purpose  of  handling  the  whole  of 
the  trans-continental  traffic.  True,  the  Company,  which;  at 
Winnipeg,  is  completing  the  largest  goods  which  the 
whole  world  contains,  has  promised  that,  during  the 
present  year,  it  will  extend  the  three  hundred  miles,  or 
so,  of  sidings  between  Winnipeg  and  the  east ;  and  also  to 
make  the  track  there,  a  double  one.  This,  of  course, 
will  be  a  great  relief  to  the  congestion  that,  so  far,  is 
always  in  evidence  there  : ,,  and  it  will  further  conduce  to 
the  safety  of  the  travelling  public.  It  is  highly  probable 
that  an  incentive  to  renewed  action  has  been  given  to  the 
Canadian  Pacific,  by  reason  of  the  approaching  competition 
which  will  be  their's,  when  the  rapidly-proceeding  lines  of 
the  Canadian  Northern  are  completed.  The  Pacific  end, 
noticeably,  of  the  latter  company's  track,  is  being  proceeded 
with  at  forced  effort,  though  a  long  distance  thereof  is  now  in 
daily  service  for  both  passenger  and  mineral  traffic.  Added 
to  this,  we  have  the  Grand  Trunk  Railway  system,  in  whose 
interests,  survey  parties  are  now  busily  engaged,  in  locating 
the  best  route  for  their  engineering  efforts.  Meanwhile, 
settlers  are  pouring  into  the  country,  in  shoals,  and  are 
thus  forming  a  community  and  a  commercial  basis,  which 


May    19,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


ii 


will  assure  prosperity  to  the  lines  under  construction. 
Naturally,  there  is  ample  room  for  millions  more,  for  the 
land  is  a  new  one,  and  as  already  stated,  has  an  area 
greater  than  that  of  the  United  States  of  America :  aye. 
after  allowing  for  the  great  amount  of  water  space  taken 
up  by  the  gigantic  lakes  and  swamps  ;  and  leaving  out  of 
consideration  the  vast  tracks  of  land  which  are  rendered 
practically  useless,  by  the  greater  severity  of  the  northern 
climate.  It  will  thus  be  understood,  that  many  generations 
must  come  and  go,  ere  the  hand  of  man  can  bring  under 
cultivation,  this  land  of  promise  of  full  and  plenty.  How- 
ever, as  we  have  already  remarked,  Hudson's  Bay  has 
long  been  the  goal  of  many  an  ambition.  As  a  trading 
point  for  fur  and  timber,  it  has  remained  an  outpost  for 
hundreds  of  years,  and  ever  since  the  year  1735 — with 
but  one  or  two  exceptions  a  trading  vessel  has  made  an 
annual  visit  to  Moose  Factory.  In  spite  of  all  this,  we  lack 
a  very  great  deal  of  necessary  information  concerning 
the  possibilities  of  this  region  :  information  that  is  abso- 
lutely essential,  if  it  is  intended  to  render  navigation  at 
least  as  safe  as  it  is  in  the  St.  Lawrence  :  especially  for 
ocean-going  steamers,  that  are  intended  for  the  negotiation 
of  Hudson's  Straits,  and  the  other  channels  of  the  Bay. 
This  is  the  initial  difficulty,  for  thence  to  the  Nelson  and 
Churchill  rivers,  it  would  appear  that  the  navigation  is  no 
more  difficult,  than  applies  ordinarily.  A  careful  analysis 
of  the  information  which  is  available,  tends  to  show  that 
the  "  open  season "  hereaway,  extends  for  five  or  six 
months  in  each  year  sometimes  longer,  sometimes 
shorter,  according  to  the  mildness  or  severity  of  the 
particular  year  under  consideration.  But  we  will  touch  on 
this  phase  of  the  subject,  later  on.'  Meanwhile,  we  might 
remark  that  one  of  the  greatest  signs  of  awakened 
interest,  lays  in  the  fact  that  the  Provincial  Government 
of  Manitoba,  in  their  Legislative  Assembly,  this  year, 
have  decided  to  seek  from  the  Dominion  Parliament  at 
Ottawa,  permission  to  extend  their  boundaries  in  a  northerly 
and  westerly  direction.  Northwards,  it  is  sought  to 
increase  that  boundary  to  the  Hudson's  Bay.  with  hope  to 
secure  a  site  for  an  eventual  seaport  that  shall  be.  as 
already  stated,  nearer  to  Liverpool  by  many  a  weary  mile 
than  is  Montreal,  on  the  St.  Lawrence.  If  this  "dream  of 
expansion  "  culminates  in  materialisation.  Premier  Roblin 
has  pledged  his  word,  that  he  is  prepared  to  send  out  an 
expedition  whose  business  shall  be  to  make  a  thorough 
study  of  the  weather  conditions  of  the  locality  :  to  survey 
the  entrances  to  the  various  rivers  which  pour  their  waters 
into  the  Bay  :  and  finally,  to  obtain  reliable  data  from  which 
to  prepare  charts  for  the  use  of  the  navigator. 
I  To  be  continued  I. 


TO  PROTECT  LOCAL  INTERESTS. 


'HAT  the  newest  "  combine  "  was  needed,  goes 
without  saying,  and  if  there  is  any  wonder  at 
all  about  the  subject,  it  is  that  some  such 
combination  as  that  of  the  Bristol  Channel  Dock 
Owners,  recently  effected,  did  not  take  place 
years  ago.  It  cannot  be  denied  that  the  interests 
of  the  whole  community  of  South  Wales,  depend  absolutely 
on  the  various  docks  with  which  the  district  is  blessed  ;  for 
if  the  shipping  were  diverted  from  this  quarter  of  the 
globe,  the  London  of  Macaulay's  prophesy,  would  be  a 
most  hilarious  place  in  comparison.  Sometimes,  the 
colliery  man  is  apt  to  overlook  this  little  fact :  indeed,  he 
overlooks  it  far  too  often,  in  his  dealings  with  shipowner ; 
and  frequently  conducts  himself,  as  if  he  and  his  coal 
business,  were  a  heaven-sent  arrangement :  while  ship- 
owner and  his  business  is  merely  an  accidental  group  of 
conditions.  That  shipowner  is  mostly  to  blame  for  this 
deplorable  state  of  affairs  is.  unfortunately,  true.  In  the 
past,  he  has  been  prone  to  sneak  in  anywhere  :  to  accept 


anything  that  was  offered ;  to  secede,  and  backslide, 
generally,  from  any  agreement  which  permitted  of  such 
secession  ;  and,  in  the  end,  he  has  been  treated  exactly 
as  he  deserved.  Nevertheless,  the  shipowner  is  the  reason 
of  existence  of  South  Walian  ports,  and  to  cater  for  his 
wants,  some  of  the  world's  finest  docks  have  been  provided. 
We  none  of  us  may  get  away  from  the  fact,  that  if  there  were 
no  shipping,  there  would  be  no  coal  trade,  and  if  past  actions 
have  taught  the  coalowner  to  believe  otherwise,  indications 
are  not  wanting  that  a  better  understanding  is  toward. 
When  it  eventually  dawns,  the  conditions  under  which  the 
community,  here,  exist,  will  be  greatly  improved.  As  it 
has  been  with  the  shipowner,  so  has  it  with  the  dock  owner. 
In  the  past,  he  has  been  uniformly  treated  as  if  he  had  no 
body  to  be  kicked,  and  no  soul  to  be  damned — although 
without  his  enterprise,  the  shipping  couldn't  come  here,  to 
help  the  coalman  to  pile  up  his  hundreds  of  thousands- 
But  even  as  is  the  case  of  shipowners,  so  is  it  with  the 
dock  owners.  They  have  realised,  for  quite  a  time,  that 
concerted  action  was  essential,  if  they  hoped  to  be  enabled 
to  keep  their  heads  above  water,  so  to  speak.  With  the 
knowledge  of  this  little  fact  before  them,  they  have  held 
informal  meetings  for  the  protection  of  their  common 
interests,  and  those  meetings  have  been  so  altogether 
successful,  that  at  last,  there  is  a  oona  fide  combination  in 
existence.  No  more  will  every  little  snivelling  arrangement 
be  in  a  position,  to  come  along  with  threats  of  "  strike  " 
and  trc.de  paralysis  ;  no  more  will  all  sorts  of  amateur 
lawyers  be  enabled  to  propose  all  manner  of  baby-like 
restrictions  on  men  who  have  forgotten  more  of  the 
business,  than  the  lawyers,  aforesaid,  are  ever  likely  to 
know.  No.  in  future,  every  enactment  which  affects  the 
whole,  will  be  met  by  a  united  front  from  the  whole ;  and 
where,  in  the  past,  the  handicappers  of  trade  were  enabled 
to  play  one  off  against  the  other  ;  the  future  will  see  some 
of  the  playing  done  by  the  dock  owners,  themselves. 
This  is  exactly  as  it  should  be,  for  after  all,  the 
dock  owners  have  a  greater  incentive  to  make  their 
properties  safe,  and  therefore,  paying  undertakings, 
than  can  any  number  of  amateur  dockites.  To  the  looker 
on.  it  is  somewhat  amusing  to  hear  Coals  and  Ships  prattling 
of  the  wicked  favouritism  which  has  been  shown  one  of 
their  number-  when  he  was  given  the  tip  that  had  been 
"  bespoken,"  perhaps  a  month  ago  ;  or  where,  thanks  to 
the  misrule  at  a  given  colliery,  its  coals  have  been  kept 
longer  en  route,  than  has  been  that  from  the  colliery  where 
the  people  knew  their  business !  However,  the  combination 
referred  to  is  an  accomplished  fact,  and  Mr.  A.  Beasley, 
who  has  already  done  so  much  for  South  Walian  interests, 
has  been  unanimously  elected  as  its  first  president.  Included 
under  the  aegis  of  the  combination,  will  be  the  Bute,  Barry, 
Bristol,  Milford,  Newport,  Port  Talbot,  Sharpness  and 
Swansea  docks — that  is,  the  whole  of  the  Bristol  Channel 
dock  systems  ;  and  when  they,  collectively,  find  reason  to 
dissent  on  any  of  the  thousand-and-one  nibbling  points 
which  are  for  ever  being  run  into  them,  well,  the  dissent 
will  be  attended  to.  Naturally,  this  combination  will  not 
effect  the  separate  policy  of  each  undertaking  ;  that  is  not 
to  be  expected  :  and  the  friendly  competition  which  has 
existed  for  years,  will  continue.  Where  the  power  of  the 
combination  will  be  felt,  is  when  a  united  front  has  to  be 
shown,  for  the  purpose  of  convincing  the  common  foe  that 
he  is  such — instead  of,  as  he  usually  imagines,  a  public 
benefactor.  A  fairly  good  idea  of  the  importance  of  the 
docks  alluded  to  may  be  formed,  when  it  is  stated  that,  in 
the  year  1904,  the  total  tonnage  handled  by  them— in  due- 
paying  tons,  that  is — amounted  to  no  less  than  18,728,752 
tons.  In  other  words,  the  "  combine  "  here,  is  the  most 
important  in  Britain.  That  Mr.  Beasley  will  have  his  hands 
full,  in  attending  to  the  multifarious  duties  which  will 
devolve  upon  him,  is  about  as  certain  as  that  he  will  be 
thoroughly-well  able  to  attend  to  them.  That  his  colleagues 
are  of  this  opinion,  is  evidenced  by  the  unanimous  manner 
in  which  they  elected  him  as  their  first  president. 


I  2 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May   19,   1905 


CARDIFF     (AND    OTHER)     COAL. 


CARDIFF.  May  17.  1905. 

BUSINESS  in  the  coal  trade,  since  our  last  time  of  writing. 
has  developed  anything  but  a  new  lease  of  life.  We  do 
not  wish  to  suggest  that  the  trade  is  in  a  moribund  condition, 
because  it  is  not.  It  is  merely  "  hung  up."  so  to  speak, 
during  the  alterations  and  repairs  which  have  been 
necessitated,  by  the  methods  of  administration.  Time  was, 
that  the  whole  community,  hereaway,  was  impressed  with 
the  fact  that  if  the  wicked  sliding  scale  were  discontinued, 
and  the  everything-that-was-lovely  Conciliation  Board  were 
instituted  instead  well,  trade  was  going  to  boom.  Every 
man  Jack  in  Coalville  would  have,  as  his  own  private 
property,  three  acres  and  a  cow— while  some  few  of  the  more 
fortunate  ones,  would  have  a  house  to  keep  her  in. 

COAL— for  the  native— was  to  be  at  giving  away  prices- 
while  the  wily  foreigner  was  going  to  pay  heaven-only- 
knew-what.  The  foregoing,  was  the  fairy  tale  with  which 
we  were  entertained.  The  materialisation  is  :  The  native 
pays  anything  up  to  24s.  per  ton,  while  that  wicked  foreign 
person  gets  as  much  of  the  premier  qualities  as  his  soul 
might  hanker  after,  for  13s.  per  ton.  f.o.b. !  Great  state  of 
affairs,  isn't  it?  Moreover,  the  collier  person  has  the 
felicity  of  seeing  his  wages  bound  down,  until,  at  the 
moment,  he  has  got  so  close  to  his  eternally-prated  of 
minimum,  that  the  poor  fellow  is  positively  shivering  in  the 
sun !  For  once,  the  labour  cult  has  actually  deigned  to 
compromise  with  the  employers— out  of  fear  that  the 
independent  chairman  would  grant  the  7'2  per  cent. 
reduction  ? 

MEANWHILE,  the  coal  trade  is  stagnant,  dull,  unprofitable, 
disappointing,  pippy.  what  you  will  —and  there  is  precious 
little  indication  that  it  will  be  any  better,  yet  awhile.  From 
the  Sacred  Cause,  we  hear  tales  of  underselling,  and 
regardless  of  the  fact  that,  at  the  moment,  it  takes  some 
powers  of  persuasion,  to  be  enabled  to  give  the  stuff  away  ! 
In  the  words  of  our  own  particular  coal  expert,  "The 
demand  for  all  descriptions  has  been  slack,  and  conse- 
quently— seeing  that  outputs  are  as  large  as  ever — stocks 
are  beginning  to  accumulate  ;  of  course,  to  the  detriment 
of  values."  Of  course  !  It's  obvious,  isn't  it  ?  Rather  ! 
And  personally,  we  think  that  it  is  for  the  reason  that  the 
Bulls  of  the  Sacred  Cause  knew  all  these  little  points,  that 
the  5  per  cent,  reduction  in  wages  was  "  submitted  "  to. 

THEN,    consider    the     tonnage     supplies.     That     very 
necessary  item  for  the  successful  manipulation  of  a  coal 
trade  has  been   limited    in   the   extreme.      Not  so   much 
because  the  amount  of  tonnage  afloat  has  suddenly  become 
limited.     On  the  contrary,  indeed  !     But  it  doesn't  really 
matter  whether  the  limited  tonnage  supply  is  consequent 
on  scarcity  of  steamers,  original  sin,  inherent  vice,  or  mere 
simple    cussedness :    the    effect    is  the    same    under  all 
conditions.     With  no  steamers  at  hand,  stocks  accumulate  : 
when  stocks  do  this,  prices  fall  ;    when  prices  act  in  that 
manner,    times  are  hard  :  anc  when   times  are  thus,  the 
smile  that  won't  come  off,  is  conspicuous  by  its  absence 
—yes!     Tonnage    arrivals— we    are     informed,    on    good 
authority— have  been  up  to  the  average  :  but  our  informant 
neglected  to  particularise  as  to  which  average  he  referred. 
ANYHOW,  where  the  buyer  is  in  a  position  to  advance  the 
necessary  conditions  to  the  seller,  the  word  "quotation  "  is 
anything  but  of  the  order  of  the  laws  of  the   Medes  and 
Persians.     There  is  a  certain  amount  of  swaying  motion 
about  the  word  quotation,  at  the  best  of  times :  for  it  is 
usually  assessed  on  the  mean-value  of  the  commodity  being 
disposed  of.     That  is,  if  you  are  a  soft  buyer  (  and,  once  in 
a   while,   you  do  happen   across  this  sample  :    say,   just 
previous  to  the  period  when  his  statement  for  the   Official 
Receiver  is  under  consideration),  the  quotation  is  3d.  below 
what  you  will  have  to  pay  ;  if  you   are  a  hard-case  buyer. 


then,  you  may  depend  on  dropping  conveniently  below  that 
"demanded  figure,"  to  quite  a  threepenny  piece;  perhaps 
more.  So  wags  the  coal  world. 

BUT  continuing  on  that  "  quotation  "  idea,  a  casual  glance 
at  our  weekly  list  will  convince  you  that  these  remain  "as 
before."  Not  that  there  is  anything  to  wonder  at  in  the 
fact :  they  have  to  be  scheduled  at  something,  and  when 
the  sun  is  becoming  oppressive,  and  the  flies  begin  to  swarm 
(thanks  to  the  advent  of  a  fishing  boat  !)— well,  a  coal  man 
must  not  be  blamed  for  declining  to  bother  himself  with  a 
matter  that  doesn't  concern  anybody  else,  overmuch  ?  That 
is,  no  matter  at  what  range  you  put  the  "quotation,"  there 
is  still  but  little  doing  !  Ergo,  the  quotations  are  "  merely 
nominal,"  as  we  have  seen  the  matter  written.  True, 
there  is  "  a  little  more  enquiry  about,"  but  it's  only  there  as 
a  blind,  so  to  speak.  Nobody  believes  in  it,  nor  do  they 
imagine,  for  one  moment,  that— bar  accidents,  or  the  un- 
expected happening,  say,  out  China  way— the  enquiry  will 
eventuate  into  big  purchases. 

FORWARD  buying  is  also  at  a  standstill— if  you  prefer  to 
put  it  that  way.  In  any  case,  there  is  nothing  of  it  about, 
and  the  merchant  appears  to  be  in  a  perfectly  free  and 
independent  feeling  over  the  whole  concatenation.  So.  for 
that  matter,  is  the  intending  seller.  The  reduction  in  wages 
is  naturally  supposed  to  be  in  the  seller's  favour.  It  would 
be.  too,  if  there  were  anything  doing.  But  then,  again,  had 
there  been  anything  doing,  the  reduction  would  not  have 
"  come  off."  So  taking  the  situation  from  any  standpoint 
which  appeals  to  you,  individually,  there  is  yet  no  reason 
for  you  to  adopt  the  optimistic  tone,  when  promising  a  lady 
of  your  acquaintance,  anything  appertaining  to  "dreams." 
and  things.  Particularising,  somewhat,  consider 

BEST  CARDIFF  ADMIRALTYS.  and  you  will  find  that  there 
has  been  no  appreciable  difference  between  the  alleged 
prices  ruling  now,  and  at  the  time  of  our  last  writing.  That 
is  to  say,  13s.  continues  as  the  basis  of  negotiation  for  the 
Best  Sorts,  and  to  a  certain  extent,  bookings  have  resulted 
at  these  figures.  It  is  useless  to  seek  why  sellers,  in  this 
connection,  have  been  enabled  to  do  what  most  of  us  were 
prepared  to  consider  as  impossible.  They  have  done  so. 
and  there  it  is.  Of  course,  some  of  the  premier  sorts 
are  comfortably  placed,  when  compared  with  their  com- 
petitors :  but  even  so,  there  is  nothing  for  them  to  develop 
elephantiasis  of  the  cerebrum  over.  Other  Sorts  in  this 
grade,  however,  are  in  present  parlous  condition,  in  that 
they  do  not  appear  to  be  in  the  rut  where  business  is  worthy 
of  consideration.  Putting  it  into  figures,  12s.  9d.  would  be 
considered  as  a  god-send — in  many  instances  :  if  only  for 
the  reason  that  a  number  of  wagons  would  thereby 
be  released. 

SECONDS,  in  the  matter  of  quotation,  continue  to  range 
along  between  12s.  3d.  and  12s.  9d.,  according  to  quality. 
Superior  Seconds  are  really  being  maintained  at  the  latter 
figures,  their  stems  being  still  sufficiently  good  to  enable 
them  to  do  so.  As  a  consequence,  this  grade  may  be 
marked  as  steady.  Forward  accumulations,  too,  are  being 
quoted  at  the  same  price  ;  but  generally  considered,  Seconds 
have  undergone  no  change  since  our  last.  Moreover,  as 
the  demand,  now,  is  practically  as  limited  as  then,  the 
department  is  characterised  by  the  same  old  easiness.  As 
a  matter  of  fact,  actual  figures  are  only  obtainable,  when 
the  buyer  comes  along  with  absolute  and  positive  offers. 
Stems  here,  are  too  neglected  to  give  prices  a  hardening 
chance,  and  anything  for  early  delivery,  would  enable  the 
seeker  after  a  consignment  of  this  grade,  to  obtain  a  con- 
cession of,  at  least,  3d.,  on  quoted  prices. 

ORDINARIES  range  from  lls.  6d.  to  12s.,  but  with  a 
demand  the  reverse  of  active,  and  with  stems  that  are  by 
no  means  full,  prices  have  been  barely  maintained.  Indeed. 
3d.  under  quotation  has  eventuated,  oftener  than  other- 


Mav    iv.    io:>; 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


wise-  providing,  of  course,  that  the  buyer  has  it  in  his 
power  to  do  the  conciliation  act  (  which  has  nothing  to  do 
with  one  Sir  Michael".  For  prompt -shipment,  therefore. 
Ordinaries  are  worth  nothing  over  1 1  s.  9d.  Moreover. 
there  is  but  little  improvement  in  the  enquiry  for  future 
delivery. 

DRYS  present  no  new  features,  and  business  therein 
continues  to  correctly  uphold  their  name.  To  the  time  of 
writing,  no  new  demand  has  been  apparent,  so  the  weak- 
ness which  has  been  in  evidence  with  them  for  goodness- 
knows-how-long-now.  is  likely  to  continue.  Drys  aren't 
worth  writing  about ! 

MONMOUTHSHIRE  COALS  are  nominally  unchanged,  although 
it  cannot  be  truthfully  said  that  values,  hereaway,  are 
other  than  easier.  The  quoted  figures  ?  Yes.  these  are 
maintained,  but  principally  for  the  reason  that  there  has 


been  no  incentive  for  anything  else.  Scarcity  of  tonnage, 
here,  is  responsible  for  a  lot,  and  although  stems,  in  one  or 
two  instances,  are  passing  good,  the  majority  of  those 
interested,  are  beginning  to  suffer  from  the  prevailing 
tightness.  Best  Black  Veins  are,  on  an  average,  at 
1  Is.  6d. ;  but  it  is  unwise  to  set  too  much  importance  on  that 
information.  We  happen  to  know  that  better— from  the 
buyers' point  of  view —has  been  done,  in  more  than  one 
"  deal." 

ORDINARIES  show  little  or  no  movement.  Stems  for 
prompt  shipment  are  slack,  and  there  is  but  little  difficulty 
in  arranging  for  as  much  of  the  stuff  as  is  wanted,  at  the 
lls.  mark.  Demand  is  limited,  so  is  everything  else 
connected  with  Ordinaries,  of  this  particular  group. 

FOR  the  remainder  of  the  weekly  whirl,  we  must  refer 
you  to  the  subjoined  list. 


APPROXIMATE      Fi'.i  iu>     U.IK     TIII      \\'KKK.     \nf.     AS     FOLLOW; — 

'  All  quotations  f.o.b.  at  the  respective  ports  oj  shipment.; 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Best  Cardiff  Ad'aln  Urge 
Second         Ditto.  * 
Other  Second  Cardiff 

Best  Newport 
Ordinary  Bests 
Stxunds 
Best  House  Coal 
No.  3  Rhondda 
No.  2         Ditto. 
Rhondda  3  "  Thro. 
I        »             -.., 

I3S.  6d. 
1  1-     i       i.~.  al. 
IIS.  <  d..  us.  al. 
lls.  6d.,  us.  91!. 
us.  od..  us.  3d. 
los.  6.1. 
i6s.  al. 
149.  al. 
los.  od. 

•  1.,  9-s.  od. 

I3s.ai.,  135.  3d. 
i.'s.  6d. 
us.  gd. 
i  is.  gd. 

1  1>.  ;.'.il. 
II-.  iid. 
los.  6d. 
i6s.  al. 
14*.  od. 
los.  al. 
1  1-    lo.jd. 
(,s.  al. 

133.  od. 
I2s.  31!.,  12s.  6d. 
us.  gd. 
i  is.  gd. 
us.  6d. 

US.    l.'.ll. 

155.  (.(1.   • 

133.  lo.jd. 
93.  lo.jd. 
us.  gd. 
8s.  od. 

133.  od. 

123.  3d. 

us.  (»!.,  i2s.  al. 

12S.  Od. 

1  IS.    Nil. 

i  is.  od. 
los.  4id. 
153.  gd. 
133.  lo.jd. 
93.  lo.jd. 
I  is.  gd. 
8.S.  gd. 

\ 
123.  gd.,  133.  od. 
12S.  3d. 
i  is.  6v.l.F  us.  gd. 

123.  O'-l. 

us.  3d.,  us.  gd. 

I  IS.  oil. 

ios.  3d.,  103.  6d. 
15*.  Gd.,  163.  od. 
135.  gd. 
gs.  gd. 
us.  6d.,  !2s.  od. 
8s.  6d.,  gs.  od. 



133.  od. 
us.  3d.,  123.  gd. 
1    us.  gd. 
us.  6d.,  i2s.  od. 
us.  6d. 
us.  od.,  us.  3d. 
ios.  6d. 
15s.  gd. 
133.  gd. 
gs.  gd.,  ios.  od. 
iis.  gs.,  i2s.  od. 
8s.  gd. 

ItMltoi 

Best  Cardiff 
Seconds 
Ordinaries 
Best  New  ion 
Seconds 
Rhondda  No.  2 
..       No.  3 

to.  ad. 

-  gd 
79.  31). 

60.911. 
-   6d. 
9*.  91!..  10-  al 

8s.  od. 
78.  6d. 
7»  3d. 

6s.  gd. 
7s.  6d. 
y*.  lojd. 

73.  gd.,  8s.  od. 
75.  6d. 
;s.  ixl. 
7s.  al.,  73.  3d. 
6s.  7}d. 
7s.  3''- 
9s-  9d- 

73.  4Jd. 
73.  al. 
73.  i.jd. 
6s.  7id. 
73.  3d. 
93.  gd. 

7s.  gd. 
73.  3d.,  73.  6d.    ._ 
6s.  gd.,  73.  3d. 
73.  od. 
6s.  6d. 
73.  od.,  7s.  6d. 
ios.  od. 

73.  gd. 
73.  3d. 
73.  od. 
73.  od. 
6s.  6d.,  6s.  gd. 
73.  3d. 
ios.  od. 

Foundry  Coke  : 
Special 
Ordlnan 

I9».  od.,  zoo.  od. 

19*.  al. 

igs.  od. 

igs.  6d. 
173.  6d. 

igs.  ocl.,  igs.  6d. 
173.  od.,  175.  6d. 

ios.  od.,  2os.  od. 
173.  od.,  i8s.  od. 

1  urnace  Coke 
Patent  Fuel 
Pilvond    c\  >hln 

its.  3<l. 

gd. 

od. 
I  J-   ixl..  12s.  gd. 

'7-    4'  : 

i6».  al.,  it- 
IM.6d 

17-    3d- 

i'.-    ;•' 
I2s.  6d. 
I7s.  3d. 

"-•  It- 
123.  gil. 
173.  od.,  i/s.  6d. 

1  6s.  od. 
12s.  6d.,  135.  od. 
i-s.  od.,  i/s.  6d. 

All.  le«s  2^  per  cent,  discount,  with  payment  at  thirty  days,  except  where  otherwise  stated. 
All  quotations  for  large  Coals  imply  Colliery  Screened. 


SWANSEA.  May  17.  1905. 

HERE.  too.  the  market  has  undergone  but  little  change  since  our  last 
writing,  for  business,  in  practically  all  departments,  continues  in  a 
state  of  quiescent  beauty.  Prices,  in  a  general  way,  have  shown  no 
variation,  but  for  prompt  shipment  seeing  that  coals  are  plentiful 
groat  reductions  are  possible  :  reductions  under  quotations,  that  is. 
Not  that  there  is  any  need  to  become  excited  on  this  account,  for  the 
demand  ha*  gone  holiday-keeping  ;  is  down  Mumbles-way  with  the 
fair  eh?  Indeed,  enquiries  for  future  handling,  are  in  the  same 
unhealthy  condition,  so  we'll  leave  them. 

ANTHRACITE  LARGE  is  an  easy  section.    Collieries   are  by  no  means 
well  off  in  the  matter  of  stems.    On  the  contrary,  rather,    for   at   the 
moment  those  are  disgustingly  slack.    This    means,   of  course,   that 
i  are  more  dependent  on  the  date  of  shipment,  than   on   any   old 
ations  which  might,  could,  would  or  should  be  trotted  out  to  the 
patient  buyer.     BEST  MALTING  SORTS  are.    nominally,    unchanged,  and 
:  is  still  easy  to  gather  them  in  at  the  18s.  notch.     RED  and  BIG  VEIN 


are  weak,  on  account  of  the  paucity  of  demand,  and  without  difficulty, 
may  be  secured  at  under  the  quotation  -  which  is  1  Os.  and  1 1  s.  3d. 
respectively. 

COBBLES.  NUTS  and  PEAS  are  not  showing  any  startling  inclination 
to  "  boom."  Indeed,  business  therein,  is  as  slack  as  possible. 

CULM  is  what  may  be  termed  the  cream  of  the  lot  !  But  values 
here,  have  been  maintained  without  much  trouble  on  the  part  of  the 
seller,  as  supplies  are  restricted,  and  unequal  to  the  call  therefor.  All 
the  same,  the  seller  plumes  himself  on  his  marked  business  acumen  ! 

STEAMS  are  blessed  with  no  demand,  and  as  stems  are  somewhat 
easy  all  'round,  it  is  unnatural  to  expect  any  improvement  ?  For 
early  shipment,  values  are  weak,  although  BESTS  continue  at  about 
13s.  SECONDS  are  procurable  at  under  the  quotation — 12s.  Local 
ft"*81"  Qualities,  too.  are  quiet. 

PATENT  FUELS  jog  along  at  about  1  Is.  9d.  and  a  fair  business,  only, 
is  passing  at  these  figures. 


BELOW,  we  give  the  average  prices  for  the 


QUALITY. 

Anthracite: 
Bent    Hand    Picked 
Malting  Larjte 

•ids    do. 
BIK  Vein  Larfte 
Red    .,        .. 
Machine  Made  Conhk* 
..     Nats 
..     Peas 
tfuhbly  Cnlm 
Dull 

Patent  Foci: 


Steam : 
Best    Large 


Hunker    .. 
Ihro'  and  Thru 


THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

i8s.   v1 

l.Ss.  1(1. 

l8s.  od. 

i8s.  oil.,  183.  6d. 

i8s.  31!. 

<;-  .V 

ii-     vl 

'7--  Jt'l- 
i  is.  al.,  us  '»l 

1  7s.  od. 
1  1  s.  3d. 

175.  od. 
1  IS.  4.',d. 

173.  od.,  173.  6d. 
i  is.  od  ,  us.  6d. 

173.  3d.,  173.  6d. 
i  is.  3d. 

io»  al. 

gs.  gd. 

ios.  od. 

ios.  od. 

gs.  gd.,  ios.  od. 

ios.  od.,  ios.  3d. 

168.  ud.,  17:1.  od. 

ios.  gd. 
i6s.  od. 

i6s.  gd. 
163.  3d. 

173.  al. 

i'  s.  3d. 

i6s.  6d.,  173.  od. 
i6s.  od.,  i6s.  6d. 

163.  6d.,  173.  6d. 
i6s.  od.,  i6s.  6d. 

ion.  gd.,  us.  3d. 

»•! 

1  IS.  (Hi. 
14        , 

i  is.  od. 
{•,  3d..  53.  6d. 

33.  al. 

i  is.  IK!.,  us.  3d. 
53.  6d. 
33.  od. 

1  IS.    l.'.ll. 

53.  6d. 
3s.  od.,  38.  3d. 

ios.  gd.,  i  is.  od. 
53.  od.,  53.  6d. 

1  1~   <«l  .  itf.  al. 

i  is.  gd. 

us.  gd. 

US.  fid.,    I2S.  Od. 

us.  gd.,  i2s.  od. 

us.  gd. 

•:  .  13-1.  3d. 
1  2-   al 

13*.  al.,  133.  3d. 

I2S.  0  I. 

us.  gd. 

133.  al. 
i  is.  gd. 

13s.  od. 
us.  lo.'.d. 

123.  gd  ,  133.  31!. 
i  is.  gd.,  123.  od. 

10*.  6d.,  i  is.  a]. 
99.  al. 

ios.  gd. 
8s.  gd. 

ios.  gd. 

Ss.    Cjd. 

ios.  6u..  ios.  gd. 
gs.  al. 

ios.  7^(1. 
8s.  6d.,  gs.  od. 

ios.  6d.,  us.  od. 
8s.  gd. 

'4 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May   19,   1905 


Pca\T  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES. 


CARDIFF,  May  IT.  1905. 

WHERE  are  the  ships  gone  '.  Some  of  them  are  still  about,  of  course, 
but  the  vast  majority  thereof  appear  to  have  been  lost,  stolen  or 
strayed.  Chartering  during  the  past  week  has  been  fair,  but  nothing 
like  what  one  has  a  right  to  expect,  in  connection  with  the  fleet  of  a 
country  whose  biggest  national  asset  is  maritime  supremacy. 

STILL,  there  has  been  something  done.  Consider  the  EASTERN 
range,  and  you  find  that  SHANGHAI  has  actually  paid  14s.  6d..  while 
COLOMBO  has  satisfied  her  needs  in  a  big  lump  at  the  everlasting  8s. 
rate,  and  for  forward  loading  ! 

COMING  to  the  Westward,  we  find  that  PLATE  rates  are  still  on  the 
old-time  rung.  Will  there  ever  be  a  rise  in  this  direction  ?  Who  is 
willing  to  prophesy  ?  Not  us  !  BUENOS  AYRES.  7s.  3d. ;  MONTE  VIDEO. 
7s.  3d. :  aye.  and  ROSARIO.  7s.  3d.  Good  old  semper  eadem  '.  Let's 
leave  it.  and  come  to  the 

MEDITERRANEAN,  where  we  find  that  GENOA  is  ranging  the  stuff  in 
between  6s.  6d.  and  7s.  :  PORT  SAID.  ?>t  5s.  9d.  which  is  a  shade 
better  (than  bankruptcy)  :  VENICF.  anything  between  7s.  6d.  and 
7s.  9o.  :  while  as  to  the  remainder  of  them,  are  not  they  in  the  list  ? 
Of  course  they  are.  and  proud  of  being  there,  too  ! 

FOR  the  BALTIC,  rates  are  about  as  unsatisfactory  as  for  elsewhere. 
STETTIN,  at  4s.  9d.  is  nothing  hilarious  :  nor  is  the  same  price  for 
COPENHAGEN.  BAY  rates,  too.  are  sharing  in  the  poor  acceptances 
which  obtains  with  other  trades. 

COASTWISE,  there  has  been  a  rather  better  demand,  but  prices  are 
rotten,  here.  also.  HOMEWARD  well,  we  haven't  room  to  particularise  : 
nor  is  there  any  need,  for  all  the  tale  of  woe  is  at  the  bottom. 

Week  Ending,  (Wednesday),  May  17,  1905. 

jN)   denotes    Newport,    'S)  Swansea,    (P.  T.)    Port    Talbot.    loading. 

EASTERN. 

Shanghai,     Steamer,  3,000  tons,    i4s.  6d.    spot. 
Colombo,  (via  Cape).     Mania,  8s.   June  July. 

(via  Cape),   Hornbv  Castle,   .•  s.  i.-ld.  June  1/15.. 
Simonstowrv    Dmvgale,    i  is.  3d.    ppt.    f.d.    (Admiralty). 
Jamaica,     Caf>e'm>r,  2,800  tons,    6s.  7|d. 

WESTWARD,     Etc. 

River  Plate,     Fainiiead,  2,500  tons,    73.  4|d. 
Buenos  Ayres,      Tvnedalc,    3,800  tons,   75.  3d.  option   La 
Plata. 

Malvern,  3,000  tons,    78.  3d. 

St.  Vincent,     Prnnrlli,   6s.  gd.    option  Daker,  73.  3d. 
Rio  de  Janeiro,     Planet  Neptune,    8s.  Qd.   300  del'y. 
Monte  Video,     Steamer,    75.  3d. 
Bahia,     Si.  Niman,    3,300  tons.   93.  gd.    option    Pernam- 

buco. 
Rosario,     Sydmonton,  or  suit.,  3,000  tons,    73.  6d. 

Steamer,  3,000  tons,    73.  3d. 
Teneriffe,  Cluden,  4,300  tons,  6s.  3d. 

MEDITERRANEAN,     Etc. 

Port  Said,    Steamer,   5,500    tons,    53.  <jd. 
Genoa,     Goidcliaii,    1,500    tons,    73.     (s). 

Steamer,    4,200  tons,    6s.  6d. 

Ekwick  //oust;    5,300    tons,    6s.    74d.   option    Savona/ 
Spezzia  or  Palermo. 

Steamer,    5,100  tons,    6s.  ;£d. 

Alleaiiza,  2,200  tons,    6s.  9d.    ppt. 

Apollo,  2,500  tons,    73. 

Maria,    3,900  tons,     73.  9d.    coal,     8s.    6d.    fuel,  option 

Savona. 
Venice,    Java,  5,200  tons,    73.  6d.    option  Ancona. 

Steamer,    2,810  tons,    73.  9d. 

Zicln;     1,800  tuns,    7s.  9(1. 

Borneo,   5,200  tons,   78.  7|d.    (.\). 

Steamer,  5,000  tons,   73.  6d.   (N). 

Tregiirno,  3,000  tons,    75.  Qd. 

Atliki,  4,700  tons,   73.  gd. 

Treglisson,   2,800  tons,   75.  gd. 
Valencia,    1'eiifdotiiin,  or  sub.  1,500  tons,  73.  option  Gandia 

Steamer,    1,200  tons,    75.  (s). 
Alexandria,     Leander,    4,000  tons,   6s.  3d.     June. 

Harrovian,    4,800  tons,    6s.  6d. 

Cabral,  3,500  tons,    6s.  io4.d. 

Westward  Ho,   5,200  tons,    6s. 
Marseilles,     Frascali    2,800   tons,  8  fcs.   (N). 

Foylemore,  4,700  tons,  8  francs.    (N). 

Steamer,   3,300  tons,  8  francs. 
Tunis,      llaxland,    2,000  tons,    9-50  fcs. 
Bizerta,     Hulfu-ld,  2,200  tons,   9-374  fcs.  coal,  10-37$  fcs. 

fuel,  (s;. 
Barcelona,     Serapis,    2,700  tons,    75.  2d.     (N). 


Cagliari,     Garth,   1,650  tons,    -*.  6d. 

Reggio,     Steamer,  3,200  tons,    73.  3d.  . 

Licata,     Regnant,    2,300  tons,   ?s.  9d.  coal,  8s.  6d.  fuel. 

Leghorn,  Oakdale,    1,500  tons,    53.  <>Ad.    (s). 

City  <>/ 'Belfast,  .',700  tons,  (>s.  i  id.   Genoa  terms. 
Palermo,    Steamer,  2,900  tons,  73.  3d.  option  Licata  75.  gd. 
Messina,     Crm/a,    3,000    tons,    6s.    7 id.    800 

Steamer,    3,200  tons,    6s.  6d.    800. 
Porto  Ferraio,     Blodwcn,  3,700  tons,    6s.  7.1(1. 
Naples,     Nordfarer,    5,000  tons,    6s.  3d.     1,000 
Torre  Annunziata,     Steamer,  4,500  tons,    6s.  3d.   July. 
Syra,     Llangollen,  5,500  tons,   6s.    option  Piraeus. 
Smyrna,  Steamer,  3,200  tons,  6s.  7.]d.  (N). 
Danube,     Steamer,  3,000  tons,    75.  6d. 
Gibraltar,     Ainnyti,   i ,000  tons,   53.  9d.    (N). 

Steamer,    1,600  tons,    53.  9d. 

Alicante,     Lesseps,  2,200  tons,    73.  3d.  coal,  8s.  3d.  fuel,  (s). 
Vigo,     Steamer,   1,200  tons,    55.  3d. 
Lisbon,     Pontypndd,   1,750  tons,   43.  74d. 

Collivaitd,    1,850  tons,    45.  7jd. 

Steamer,    2, too  tons,    43.7^8.    spot. 
CivitaVecchia,     Steamer,    4,200  tons,    6s.  io.]d.     (N). 
Sicilly,     Steamer,    2,100  tons,    73.  3d. 
Porto  Empedocle,     Steamer,   2,100  tons,    8s. 

BALTIC,  Etc. 

Stettin,     Geir,    900  tons,    43.  ad.  (s). 

Franz  Lansert,   600  tons,    (Private  terms),     (s). 

Steamer,    1,400  tons,   43.  gd. 

Trondhjem,     Steamer,    1,000   tons,    55.  option    Tromsoe. 
Copenhagen,     Steamer,    850  tons,    45.  ad.   (s). 

BAY,     Etc. 

Nantes,     Deerhonnd,  1,800  tons,  4-624  fcs. 

Johanna,    1,400  tons,  4-37$  fcs. 

Vlug,   5  fcs.  coal,    5-50  fcs.  fuel,    (s). 
St.  Nazaire,     Kathleen,    2,200  tons,    4-25  fcs.   (s). 

Innesinoor,    1,950  tons,    4-25  francs. 

CrimdoH,   2,200  tons,    4-25  francs. 

Steamer,  3,000  tons,  4-124  francs. 
La  Rochelle,     Hazclmere,  1,400  tons,  4-25  fcs. 
Sables,     Earl  of  Dumfries,   1,850  tons,    4-25  fcs. 
Chantenay,     Densto,   2,000  tons,  4-50  francs. 

COASTING,     Etc. 

Havre,     Curran,   1,400  tons,   33.  rod. 

St.  Kevin,   750  tons,    43. 
Rouen,     Clonlee,   1,400  tons,    43.  6d.    (s). 

Jet,    1,250  tons,  43.  6d. 

Mersey,   550  tons,   43.  6d.     (s). 
Dieppe,     Speedwell,  1,200  tons,    33.  lod. 

Queen,   or  sub.,   6/700  tons,    43.  (s). 
Bordeaux,     Arriluze,  2,800  tons,    4-374  francs. 
Caen,     Cape  York,  630  tons,    43.    (s), 

Thistle,  500  tons,   43.  (s). 

Advent,   2,000  tons,    43. 

Wismar,     Kale  Vick,  800  tons,   55.  6d.    (s). 
Shoreham,     Plover,  or  sub,  30010113,    43.  gd.  (s)    . 
Hamburg,   Hird,   1,400  tons,   45. 

Hero,    1,400  tons,    43. 
St.  Malo,     Clonlee,   1,450  tons,  33.  gd. 

Alacrity,    1,250  tons,    45. 

Steamer,  45. 

Steamer,  700  tons,  43.    (s). 
Granville,  Stream  Fisher,  580  tons,  45.  6d.   (s). 

Steamer,    700  tons,   43. 
Cherbourg,     Race  Fisher,    580  tons,  45.  4|d.  coal,  45.  io^d. 

fuel,  (s). 
Devonport,     Speedwell,   1,200  tons,    as.  3d.    (Admiralty). 

Sldkesley,   1,300  tons,    zs.  3d.    (Admiralty^. 
Littlehampton,     Progiess,  480  tons,    33.  6d.    (s). 
Belfast,     Onyx,  360  tons,    33.  i4_d.    (s). 
Irvine,     Brigadier,  220  tons,  43. 

HOMEWARD. 

Algiers  to   Cardiff,     Steamer,  43.  9d.  f.d. 

Riga         ,,         „  Steamer,  750  stds.    D.B.  and  B. 

Bilbao     „         „  Steamer,  45. 

Almeria  Pier  to  Newport,  Steamer,  3,200  tons,  43.  ad.  f.d. 

Povena  „  ,,  Steamer,  2,000  tons,  43.  3d.  ppt. 

Castro  „  „  Steamer,  2,200  tons,  43.  i  ^d.  ,, 


M;i\     i').     1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


THE  CARDIFF  CHANNEL  DRY  DOCKS  &  PONTOON  COMPANY,  LIMITED. 


maritime 

(AND   OTHER) 

inoncp 

matters. 


Dr. 


TH  E   Directors   submit 
herewith  a   Balance 
Sheet  of  the    Com- 
pany's affairs  made 
up  to  the  31st  March,  1905. 

After  paying  Interest  on 
the  "  A  "  and  "  B  "  Deben- 
tures and  Preference  Shares 
2i  per  cent,  on  the  Ordin- 
ary Shares,  for  the  Six 
Months,  ending  September 
30th,  1904,  also  redeeming 
£2.500  "  A  "  Debentures. 

BALANCE    SHEET, 


and  after  providing  for  depreciation  of  Buildings,  Plant,  and 
Machinery,  and  Office  Furniture,  the  Directors  recommend 
the  payment  of  a  further  Dividend  of  1\  Per  cent,  on  the 
Ordinary  Shares  for  the  last  Six  Months,  making  5  per  cent, 
per  annum  (free  of  income  Tax),  carrying  forward  a  balance  of 
£29,692  2s.  3d. 

The  whole  of  the  Company's  property  is  in  excellent  order. 
The    Directors    retiring    by   rotation    are    Messrs.   JOHN    CORY, 
R.   H.   HOLMAN,  and  C.  DORESA,  who,  being  eligible,  offer   them- 
selves for  re-election. 
The  Auditors  also  retire,  and  seek  re-electipn. 

JOHN    CORY, 

Chairman. 
31st    MARCH.    1905.  CP. 


To 

AUTHORISED  CAPITAL  : 
17,500  Shares  of  £10  each 

£        s.  d.            £         s.  d. 
175,000    0    0 

By   Pontoon  and  Goodwill,   as    per 
last  Account 
Expenditure  on  Construction  of 
New   Dry    Dock,   as   per  last 
Account   ... 

£ 

5,045 
154 

5,199 
253 

s. 

4 
8 

13 
8 

d. 

10 
8 

6 

£        s.  d. 
129,368     7     5 

145,812     3     5 
4,946     4     9 

12,076     8     1 
104     4     6 

12,069   11     0 

39,563     2     7 
4,459     2     3 

6,537     9     4 
9,400     2     4 
2,303   16     8 

Of  which  there  have  been  issued  :  — 
15.000  Ordinary  Shares  fully  paid 
2.500  5'V,  Cumulative  Preference 
Shares  fully  paid         

First  Mortgage  5";.  Debentures 
as  at  31st  March.  1904 
Less   drawn    Debentures 
paid  off    ... 

Interest  accrued  to  date. 
less  Tax  

Second"  B"  Mortgages",,  Deben- 
tures, as  at  31st  March.  1904 
Interest  accrued  to  date, 
/ess  Tax  

Mortgage    Debenture   Redemp- 
tion Account 
Reserve  for  Redemption  of  "  B  " 
Debentures        
Debenture*    Interest    Coupons 
Outstanding       
Unclaimed  Dividends     
Sundry    Trade    Creditors    and 
Outstandings     
Profit  and  Loss  Account  :  - 
Balance  brought  forward  from 
31st  March.  1904          
Deduct  Dividend  on 
Ordinary  Shares 
at    7V',.    free    of 
Tax.     paid    20th 
May.  1904          ...     6.790    0    0 
Transferred   to 
Reserve  for  Re- 
demption of  "  B  ' 
Debentures       ...     5.000    0    0 

Carried  forward  as 
per  1904  Report 
Add    Trading 

150.000    0    0 

25.000    0    0 
175.000     0     0 

82.500    0    0 
2.500     0     0 
80.000    0    0 

633    6    8 

80  633     6     8 

„     Buildings  at  Cardiff  Works,  as 
at  3ist  March,  1904     
Additions  since 

Less  Depreciation  written  off 

.,     Plant  and  Machinery  at  Cardiff 
Works,  as  at  3  1st  March,  1904 
Additions  since 

Less  depreciation  written  off 

,,     Office     Furniture     at     Cardiff 
Works,  as  at  31st  March,  1904 
Less  Depreciation  written  off 

,,     Purchase     of     Barry     Central 
Marine  Engineering  Business, 
including     Buildings,     Plant, 
4c..  'as  at   31st    March.    1904 
Further  Expenditure  to  date  ... 

Less  written  off  for  Deprecia- 
tion    of    Buildings,    Plant, 
Machinery.    Office     Furni- 
ture, &c. 

„     Sundry  Debtors  and  Outstand- 
ings,     after      provision     for 
Doubtful  Debts,  &c..  as  esti- 
mated   by    General    Manager 
„     Loose  Tools,   Pneumatic  Tools, 
Patterns,  &c.,  as  certified  by 
General  Manager         
„     Stocks    of     Materials,     &c.,    at 
Cardiff  and  Barry,  as  certified 
by  General  Manager  
„     Bills  Receivable    
„     Cash  in  hand  and  at  Bankers... 

12,162 
549 

3 
9 

1 
6 

30.000    0    0 

237  10    0 
30,237  10    0 

20.000    0    0 
20.000    0    0 

124  13  11 
26  11     0 

7.176     8     4 
39.361     3     4 

11.750    0    0 

12,711 
635 

115 
11 

12 

4 

9 

5 

7 
6 

9 
3 

12,242 
107 

14 

13 

6. 
•Q 

12,350 
280 

7 
16 

6 
6 

.611     3    4 

Profit  for  the  12 
months  ending 
31st  March.  1908 


Deduct  Amount  for 
Redemption  of 
Debentures  and 
Premiums  there- 
on  

Interest  on  "A" 
Debentures,  less 
Tax  

Interest  on  "B" 
Debentures,  less 
Tax 


18.709  10  II     ' 


46.320  14     3 


2.675    0    0 


3.838     9     0 


1.429     0    0 


Deduct   Dividend 

on  Preference 

Shares.  Year  to 

31  st        October. 

1904          1.190    2   10 

Interim      Dividend 

on      Ordinary 

Shares  paid  14th 

November.    1904     3.790    0     0 


7.938    9    0 
38.382     5     3 


4.940    2  10 


Contingent  Liability  on  Bills 
discounted.  £12.825  7s.  7d. 


33.442     2     5 


£366.640   12     4 


£366,640  12     4 


state  of  the  Company's  affairs  as  shewn  by  the  Books  of  the  Company.  ,  ,  -owr    wATPRuni  IQF  *,  rn 

tr  r-       ath   M*u    /oos  (Sad.)  PR  CE,  WATERHOUSE  &  C,O. 

3.  Frederick  s  Place.  Old  Jewry,  E.G.      ath   May.  MUD. 


i6 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May  19,  1905 


AROUND 


THE 


DRY 
DOCKS. 


1   combine,  or  not 
to  combine— that 
is    the    question, 
raging  at  the   moment, 
among     the     dry    dock 
managers    of    South 
Wales.      Meanwhile, 
every  second   man   one 
meets,  so  to  speak — and 
supposing  his  knowledge 

of  the  business  is  but  of 

$4    +    **     *    +    *+})     the  rockiest— is  prepared 

with    a    ready-made 

scheme,  which  is  alleged  to  be  a  panacea  for  all  the  ills, 
that  dry  dock  flesh  is  heir  to.  With  the  question  of 
amalgamation,  too,  all  manner  of  would-be  knowledge- 
boxes  concern  themselves,  and  if  some  of  the  letters 
appearing  in  the  local  press,  are  fair  samples  of  the  ideas 
which  are  about  in  "  influential  quarters."  then,  there  is 
need  for  little  wonder  that  matters  ship-repairey  are 
somewhat  rocky,  hereaway. 

SOME  few  days  ago,  a  friend  showed  us  a  cutting  from  a 
local  " daily,"  in  which  it  was  claimed  that  a  "ring"  had 
been  formed,  in  Cardiff  and  Newport.  Now,  what  is  the 
truth  about  this  terrible  affair  ?  Is  it  a  ring,  when  the  men 
who  have  been  exploited  in  the  past  ;  exploited  until  there 
are  a  number  of  two-penny-ha'penny  concerns  in  existence 
which,  under  other  conditions,  would  never  have  got  beyond 
the  embryo  stage :  is  it  a  ring,  we  ask,  if  the  dry  dock 
people  refuse  to  lend  their  aid  to  the  creation  of  any  more 
of  these  glorified  tinkeries  ?  Surely  not  ?  Indeed,  we  are 
of  opinion  that  those  same  tinkeries,  by  the  miserable  howl 
which  they  are  setting  up,  are  engaged  upon  the  not-too- 
pleasant  pastime  of  fouling  their  own  nest. 

-f  +  + 

LET  us  consider  a  metaphorical  instance,  which  we  will 
style  a  Newport  case.  Very  well,  then.  Newport  concern 
watches  the  shipping  list :  notes  that  the  Ipsy  Fip  is  bound 
Uskward  ;  sends  off  the  usual  touting  letter  for  the  honour 
of  her  docking  and  painting  :  receives  a  graciously  favour- 
able reply  -because  the  price  quoted  is  ridiculously  low  ; 
and  then  straightway  'phones  to  a  dear  friend  who  is 
managing  a  dry  dock,  praying  to  be  released  of  the  bargain, 
because  "the  commercial  "  is  full.  Dear  friend  jibs  a  bit 
at  the  price,  but  eventually  gives  in.  Newport  concern  is 
pleased  :  tootles  around  shipowner ;  breathes  words  of 
wisdom  in  his  ear,  anent  the  dreadful  "  sticking "  he  is 
going  to  receive,  if  any  developing  repairs  are  handled  at 
that  dry  dock  ;  shipowner  sees  it  all ;  declares  that  he'll 
see  Newport  concern  through,  in  this  job — and  does.  Act  I. 

LATER  on,  Newport  concern  tries  the  same  dodge  :  dear 
friend  is  wrathy  ;  tells  Newport  to  go  to  fiddler's  green- 
say  ;  won't  take  the  job  at  any  price  ;  so  Newport  concern 
whines  to  shipowner — and  underwriter—  concerning  wicked 
ring.  Naturally,  underwriter  is  keen  on  supporting  ship- 
owner :  equally  naturally,  shipowner— in  view  of  favours  to 
come  when  that  bill  is  presented— wishes  to  oblige  his 
underwriting  saviour.  Where  does  dry  dock  man  come  in  ? 
Well,  he  wouldn't  come  in  at  all,  if  Newport  concern  had  its 
way.  Of  that  you  may  be  morally  certain,  This  was  the 
method  in  the  bad  old  days.  The  present,  are  the  sensible 
ones.  Dry  dock  man  sees  he  has  been  more  or  less  a  mug 
for  helping  these  nautical  pirate-busses,  so  to  speak  :  but 
declares  he'll  have  no  more  of  it.  Act  II. 

COME  we  now.  to  Act  III.  Here  is  the  gentle  counter-blast. 
Culled  from  the  cutting  already  alluded  to.  Read  :  "To  form  a 


ring  .  .  .  aimed  at  the  crippling  of  the  non-dock-owning 
firms,  is  a  policy  doomed  to  failure  .  .  .  Already,  the  non- 
dock-owning  firms,  are  benefiting,  not  only  in  prestige  .  .  . 
but  in  actual  business  (and  specially  note  this)  for  what 
better  method  could  the  inside  firms  adopt  to  advertise  to 
the  world  that  they  are  not  in  a  position  to  execute  repairs 
as  economically  as  the  outside  firms?  "  Yea,  lor  ' !  Which 
of  the  tinkers,  think  you,  penned  the  letter  from  which  we 
have  been  quoting  ?  Do  you  know  ?  Have  you  an  idea? 
On  examination,  we  note  that  the  nom  de  guerre  adopted 
by  this  writer  chap,  is  "  Justitia".  Man  dear,  you  should 
have  signed  yourself.  "Isinglass:"  you  are  just  about  as 
opaque  ?  No  offence,  of  course,  and  you  won't  hurt  any- 
body, if  you  do  get  mixed  up. 

+  +  + 

To  continue  with  our  quotation.  "  Already  the  directors 
of  the  (  Newport)  Dock  and  Railway  Company  are  consider- 
ing a  scheme  (tut-tut ! ) — and  this  statement  is  not  made 
without  authority — to  deal  effectively  with  this  policy  of  the 
combination,  which  they  realise  can  only  result  in  driving 
trade  from  Newport.  "  Spleen,  sir  !  Spleen — and  nonsense. 
On  your  own  showing,  as  quoted  above,  the  ring  policy  is 
"doomed  to  failure,''  and  the  non-dry-dock-owning  firms 
"  are  benefiting,  not  only  in  prestige  .  .  .  .but  in  actual 
business,"  so  why  need  the  directors  alluded  to,  waste  their 
time  in  "  considering  a  scheme  "  that  is  unnecessary  ?  You 
know,  "Justitia  "  might  be  a  tip-top  tinker,  but  he  can't 
write — no,  not  for  nuts  ? 

+  +  + 

BUT  let  us  get  on.  "  Evidence  at  the  present  moment 
(that  was  on  Saturday  last,  we  suppose  ?)  is  also  being 
formulated  of  the  amount  of  business  lost  through  insuffi- 
cient drydocking  accommodation  at  Barry,  which,  when 
presented,  will  probably  surprise  some  of  the  Barry, 
directors  " — so  if  you  have  tears,  prepare  to  shed  'em 
now!  But  isn't  "Justitia"  down  on  railway  directors? 
Almost  as  bad  as  he  appears  to  be  on  dry  dock  managers, 
poor  souls  !  But  you  can  see  the  joke,  of  course  ?  Here 
is  the  headman  of  some  little  two  cent,  tinkery,  possessed 
of  such  a  conceit  of  himself,  that  he  is  positively  in  the 
know  about  something  that  "  will  probably  surprise  some 
of  the  Barry  Directors !  "  But  why  some  of  them  ?  We 
can  quite  understand  that  there  are  varying  degrees  of 
intelligence,  even  in  the  ranks  of  railway  directors  ;  but 
why  "Justitia  "  is  going  to  surprise  merely  a  portion — 

+  +  + 

HERE  is  some  more  of  it :  ".  .  .  it  is  an  open  secret  that 
the  London  underwriters  are  in  close  touch  with  the  whole 
movement  (we  should  smile)  and  intend  to  show  their 
resentment  in  no  doubtful  way."  Good  lor'  !  But  there's 
a  hard  time  coming,  and  don't  you  dry  dock  people  forget 
it !  For  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  non-dry-dock- 
owning  firms  (firms,  you'll  note :  not  companies)  are 
"  benefiting,  not  only  in  prestige  .  .  .  but  in  actual  business  " 
from  this  everything-that-is-wicked  ring;  we  have -and 
'tis  stated  on  authority,  mind  the  Alexandra  directors  on 
the  warpath  ;  a  group  of  evidence-getters  similarly  occupied 
on  behalf  of  Barry ;  and  last,  but,  by  no  means  least,  the 
London  underwriters  are  in  close  touch  with  the  whole 

movement ! 

+  +  + 

AFTER  this,  tell  us  nothing  at  all  about  the  roseate-hued 
windows,  in  the  houses  of  the  tinker  of  commerce.  Frankly. 
our  office  kid  could  have  given  a  better  dissertation  on 
the  woes  of  the  "  ringed  "  ones,  than  is  contained  within 
the  bundle  of  contradictions  emanating  from  one  "Justitia." 
The  tinker  has  his  disadvantages,  and  is  being  treated 
somewhat  unfairly  ;  but  wherein  the  unfair  treatment  lays. 
the  latest  would-be  Mentor  knows  not.  We'll  show  him. 
by  and  bye,  as  our  sole  wish  is  to  stand  up  for  the  truth. 


May   19,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


PATENTS  &  TRSDE  MSRKS 

Relating    to    SHIPPING   and    the    COAL    TRADE. 


Specifications  published  on  May  4,  1905,  together 
with  an  indication  of  their  subject  matter,  the  title 
being  printed  in  Italics. 


8,687  04— GRAHAM—  Improved  methods  of.  and  means  for. 
cutting  propeller  surfaces  by  machinery. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  method  of  setting  out  and 
cutting  the  surfaces  of  blades  of  propellers  of  constant 
or  varying  pitches. 

8.988  04—  PRESCOTT—  Improvements  in  apparatus  for  pro- 
tecting ships  from  torpedoes. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  substitute  for  the  nets 
usually  employed  for  protecting  vessels  against  torpedoes. 
Its  object  is  to  provide  a  lighter  means  for  the  same 
purpose  which  will  not  impede  the  progress  of  a  vessel 
under  weigh,  to  the  extent  that  the  present  nets  do.  It 
consists  of  a  series  of  grids  suspended  around  the  vessel 
from  booms  as  usual.  These  grids  consist  of  vertical 
side  members  preferably  of  hollow  triangular  section, 
with  one  of  the  triangular  faces  slotted  to  admit  the  ends 
of  the  horizontal  members.  These  horizontal  members 
consist  of  rods  of  a  round  or  triangular  section.  They 
may  be  composed  of  wood  or  metal  cased  wood,  or  be 
hollow  metal  rods  or  even  wire  rope.  They  are  spaced 
vertically  by  being  suspended  at  spaced  intervals  from 
wire  ropes.  Arranged  on  the  vertical  rods  at  intervals 
are  loose  or  fixed  circular  discs.  These  discs  are  pro- 
vided with  circumferential  cutting  edges  or  teeth.  The 
device  operates  to  either  ward  off  a  torpedo,  to  catch 
same  by  entanglement  of  its  rudders  and  propellers 
between  the  horizontal  rods,  should  the  torpedo  body 
break  through  the  grid,  or  to  tear  the  thin  sheathing,  of 
which  the  torpedo  is  built  and  sink  same  by  means  of  the 
cutter  discs. 

12.777  04—  KlRSTEN— Improvements  in  apparatus  for 
sharpening  rock-drilling  machine  bits,  hand  drills,  and  the 
like. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  machine  for  sharpening 
"star"  bits  or  bits  or  drills  of  cruciform  section  for 
rock-drilling. 

13.162  04  HEAD.  WRICHTSON&Co..Ltd..WRIGHTSON, 
&  RlNGQUIST  Improvements  in  and  relating  to  apparatus 
for  tipping  coal  and  other  materials. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  tipping  apparatus  for  coal 
waggons,  in  whicji  the  waggon  is  run  into  a  skeleton 
cylindrical  frame  for  the  purpose.  The  object  is  to 
enable  the  frame  and  waggon  to  be  transported  and,  or, 
lifted  in  a  direction  at  right  angles  to  its  axis,  in  addition 
to  and  prior  to  the  turning  and  tipping  movement.  This 
is  effected  by  arranging  a  second  cylindrical  frame  con- 
centrically around  the  former  from  which  it  is  separated,. 
by  anti-friction  rollers.  This  outer  frame  is  adapted  to 
roll  laterally  along  a  track  which  may  be  inclined.  The 
rolling  is  effected  by  cables  leading  from  winding  drums 
Ac.  Whilst  the  outer  frame  is  rolling,  the  inner  remains 
with  the  waggon  upright,  by  reason  of  its  centre  of  gravity 
being  arranged  to  be  below  the  axis  of  the  frames.  On 
the  outer  frame  completing  about  ?  of  a  revolution,  the 
two  frames  engage,  by  means  of  stops  on  both,  and  the 
inner,  with  waggon  then  partakes  of  the  rolling  motion 
of  the  outer,  and  the  contents  of  the  waggon  are  shot. 

14.524  04  DAVEY  Improvements  in  metallic  eyelets  or 
gromets  /or  sails,  tents,  waterproof  sheets  and  other  like 
articles. 

This  invention  relates  to  an  eyelet  for  sails,  &c.  Its 
object  is  to  prevent  rotation  of  the  two  portions  forming 
the  eyelet,  i.e.  the  eyelet  proper  and  the  annular  cover 
plate  or  washer,  relatively  to  each  other  and  to  the  sail 
Ac.,  cloth.  This  is  effected  by  forming  a  number  of  V 
shaped  cuts  in  the  annular  flange  of  the  eyelet  and  m  the 


washer.  The  metal  between  each  V  cut,  is  then  bent 
outwards  to  form  tongues  or  teeth.  These  teeth  on  each 
when  the  eyelet  and  washer  are  clinched  in  place,  come 
opposite  one  another  and  penetrate  the  cloth  and 
interlock.  In  a  modification  the  outer  edge  of  either  the 
washer  or  the  eyelet  flange  is  turned  inwards,  and  the 
teeth  are  formed  on  one  member  only,  and  lock  beneath 
the  inwardly  turned  flange  of  the  other  member. 

20,351/04— LONG-ARM  SYSTEM  CO.  -An  improved  system 
and  apparatus  for  electrically  operating  bulkhead  doors. 
hatches  or  the  like. 

This  invention  relates  to  mechanism  for  electrically 
operating  heavy  hinged  doors.  Amongst  other  features  it 
comprises  a  cut-out  for  the  electric  circuit  which  auto- 
matically operates  when  the  resistance  encountered  by 
the  mechanism  approaches  a  dangerous  limit. 

47/05 — WlLKE — Improvements  in  and  relating  to  magnetic 
compasses. 

This  improvement  consists  of  substituting  for  the  bar 
magnets  or  needles  usually  used  for  compasses,  magnets 
in  the  form  of  rings  each  built  up  of  semi-circular 
magnets  connected  by  its  ends  to  the  ends  of  a  semi-circle 
of  soft  iron  by  means  of  alluminium  flanges  secured 
together  by  brass  screws.  It  is  stated,  that  the  inventor 
has  found  such  compasses  to  be  free  from  errors  of 
deviation. 

3,836 '05— SCHRODER — Improvements  in  and  relating  to 
leads  for  sounding. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  lead  which  will  not  sink 
into  the  mud,  and  so  indicate  a  false  depth,  when  sound- 
ings are  taken  over  muddy  bottoms.  For  this  purpose 
the  lead  is  built  up  of  rods  in  the  shape  of  a  hollow 
skeleton  pyramid  and  is  provided  with  plates  forming 
feet,  adapted  to  prevent  the  device  sinking  into  the  mud. 
These  plates  are  pivoted  at  one  of  the  edges  so  as  to  yield 
and  turn  edgeways  and  offer  less  resistance  to  being 
hoisted  through  the  water. 


These  applications  for  patents  are,  until  dune  19,  1905, 
open  to  opposition  by  any  person  having  a  statutory 
right  to  oppose. 

Copies  of  the  specifications  may  be  obtained  from  the 
Patent  Office  or  through  the  under-named. 


TRADE   MARKS. 


The  following  applications  for  the  registration  of  Trade 
Marks  relating  to  the  shipping  and  coal  trades  were 
^Rvertised  on  May  10,  and  are  open  to  opposition  by 
interested  parties  within  the  period  ending  June  10. 

CLASS  8  —  including  nautical  instruments. 

No.  270.110—13  February,  1905— A  monogram  of  an  I 
and  S  and  the  word  "  Isometrope."  for:  Eye-glasses, 
Double  Eye-glasses  and  glasses  for  optical  instruments. 
Arthur  Levy,  48,  rue  de  Turenne  Paris,  France.  Manu- 
facturer. 

CLASS  20— Explosives. 

No.  271.371—  23rd  March,  1905.— GOOD  LUCK  for: 
Explosive  or  Blasting  substances.  Sprengstoffwerke 
Gluckauf  Actien  Gesellschaft,  32  Burgmauer,  Cologne-on- 
the-Rhine,  Germany.  Blasting  Powder  Manufacturers. 

Com-iled  by  Messrs.  PHILLIPS  &  LEIGH,  Chartered  Patent 
/>g=nts  22,  Southampton  Buildings,  Chancery  Lane,  London, 
W/\  i-oc-l  Consultant:  Mr.  S.  W.  ALLEN,  Engineer,  of  Cardiff 
Fxchnnge,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May    19,  1905 


i 


OUR  MARITIME  DIRECTORY. 


'•'limn m 


CARDIFF. 

Colliery   Proprietors. 


("ORY  BROS.  &  Co..  LTD..  Cardiff  and 
London.    Depots  at  all  the  principal 
Coaling  Stations  in  the  World. 

T.I....         .    "CORY.  CARDIFF"  : 
Telegrams.    "CORY.  LONDON." 


INSOLE,  GEORGE  &  SON,  Cardiff.   Sole 
Shippers  of   Gymmer   Steam    Coal, 
Windsor  Steam  Coal,  and  Insoles  No.  2 
Rhondda  Coal. 

Telegrams  :  "  INSOLES.  CARDIFF." 


I  EW1S    MERTHYR    CONSOLIDATED  COL- 
LIERIES, LTD.,  Proprietors  and  Ship- 
pers   of    "  Lewis  Merthyr  "   Navigation 
Steam  Goal. 

-r«u,r,  "LEWIS  MERTHYR.  CARDIFF"; 

Telegrams.    ••  LEWIS  MERTHYR.  LONDON." 


MARQUESS  OF  BUTE  COLLIERIES, 
Aberdare,  Hirwain.  and  Rhondda 
Valley.  Shipping  ports  : — Bute  Docks, 
Cardiff :  Penarth  Dock  ;  Swansea ; 
Briton  Ferry:  and  Newport  (Mon. ) 

Telegrams  :  "  SEMA.  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF  -Continued. 


VIVIAN,    H.   G.   &  Co.,    Bute   Docks. 
Cardiff.     Sole  European  Agents  for 
"The  Puritan  Coal  Mining  Co.,  Phila- 
delphia. U.S.A." 

Telegrams:  "VIVIAN.  CARDIFF." 


WATTS,    WATTS  &  Co.,   Cardiff    and 
London.  Contractors  for  the  supply 
of  Goals  at  all  Depots  abroad. 

Telegrams  :  "  WATTS.  CARDIFF." 


Dock    Owners. 


'THE  CARDIFF  RAILWAY  COMPANY,  Bute 
Docks.  Cardiff. 


Ship  Repairers. 


QCEAN    (MERTHYR)    GOAL   Co.,   LTD., 
1 1.  Bute  Crescent,  Cardiff,  proprie- 
tors of  Ocean  (Merthyr)  Steam  Coal. 


I JNIVERSAL  STEAM   COAL  Co.,  LTD., 
Bute  Docks.  Cardiff.  Proprietors  of 
"  Universal  Steam  Coal." 

Telegrams:   "VERSATILE,  CARDIFF." 


CHEARMAN,  JOHN  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff, 
and  at  Barry  Dock. 

T"HE   BUTE  SHIPBUILDING,  ENGINEERING, 
AND   DRY    DOCK   COMPANY,    LIMITED, 
Roath  Basin,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "CAISSON.  CARDIFF." 


'THE  CARDIFF  CHANNEL  DRY  DOCKS  AND 
PONTOON    Co.,    LTD.,    Cardiff    and 
Barry  Dock. 

.r.  ,  "Entrance,  Cardiff." 

Telegrams:    ••  channel,  Barry." 

'THE   MERCANTILE   PONTOON  Co.,  LTD., 
Roath  Dock,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:   "MERCANTILE,  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF     Continued. 


Miscellaneous. 

F  EWIS  &  TYLOR.  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 

Sole  patentees  and  manufacturers 

of  "Gripoly,"  a  patent  woven  belting; 

and  "  Burals,"  a  semi-metallic  packing. 

Telegrams  :  "BELTING  CARDIFF."        Telephone,  Nat.  231. 


Steamship    Owners. 


D 


AN.   JENKINS    &     Go..    Steamship 
Owners  and  Brokers.  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "Stonewall,  Cardiff." 
Nat.  Telephone:  1318. 


BARRY. 


Dock  Owners. 


F 


BARRY  RAILWAY  Co.,  Barry. 


Ship  Repairers. 


DARRY  GRAVING   DOCK  &  ENGINEERING 
u     Co.,  LTD. 

Telegrams  :   "  BARDOCK,  BARRY." 
National  Telephone  No.  7.         Post  Office  Telephone  No.  7. 


To    the    Proprietors    of 


"THE    MARITIME    REVIEW," 


DOCKS,     CARDIFF. 


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FRIDAY.    MAY   26.    1905. 


THREEPENCE. 


WILL    IT    EVER    COME    TO    THISP 


'9 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


May  26,  1 905 


«  *  *  CONTENTS. 


NOTICES.  *  ** 

ALL  LITERARY  COMMUNICATIONS  must  be  addressed— THE 
EDITOR,  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW,  CLARENCE  ROAD.  DOCKS, 
CARDIFF. 

THE  MARITIME  REVIEW  is  published  every  Friday,  and  can 
be  obtained  direct  from  the  PUBLISHERS,  or  through  NEWSAGENTS. 

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together  with  all  BUSINESS  COMMUNICATIONS,  must  be 
addressed  to  CLARENCE  ROAD,  DOCKS,  CARDIFF.  Telegraphic 
Address:  "Review.  Cardiff."  Nat  Telephone  :  No.  1019. 

Company's  Reports  and  Balance  Sheets,  Books  for  Review,  etc.,  are 
invited,  and  should  be  addressed  THE  EDITOR. 


MARITIME  MURMURS 


SHIPBUILDING 


18 


19 


26 
27 


Contributions  (either  literary  or  pictorial),  if  intended  for  the  next 
issue,  must  reach  the  EDITOR,  not  later  than  the  first  post  on  Monday. 
Neither  the  Editor  nor  the  Publishers  will  accept  responsibility  for  the 
accidental  loss  of  MSS.  or  illustrations  submitted,  but  every  effort 
will  be  made  to  return  unsuitable  contributions,  provided  stamped  and 
addressed  envelopes  are  sent 

Correspondence  :  The  Editor  does  not  necessarily  identify  himself 
with  the  opinions  expressed  by  Correspondents,  whose  letters  must, 
in  every  instance,  be  accompanied  by  the  name  and  address  (if  not  for 
publication,  then  as  evidence  of  good  faith),  of  the  writer,  and  must  be 
written  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only. 


A  NEW  FREIGHT  MARKET  ?— MANITOBA-ON-THE-SEA 

THE  DAWN  OF  REASON? ...  28 

CARDIFF  (AND  OTHER)  COAL        29 

COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES 31 


MARITIME  (AND  OTHER)  MONEY  MATTERS 


32 


AROUND  THE  DRY  DOCKS •  •     33 

PATENTS  AND  TRADE  MARKS      34 


MARITIME    MURMURS. 


DOCKS.  CARDIFF, 

Thursday  Afternoon. 

COME  to  think  of  it,  there  has  been  a  quantity  of  ground- 
less discussion  in  connection  with  the  so-called  dry  dock 
competition  in  South  Wales,  and  most  of  the  diatribes 
appearing  thereon  in  the  local  press,  has  had  about  as  much 
to  do  with  the  case,  as  the  flowers  that  bloom  in  the  spring 
—  without  the  tra-la-la  !  The  trouble  has  not  been  in 
connection  with  dry  dock  competition,  in  any  shape  or 
form.  That  is  a  trouble—  if  to  have  legitimate  competition 
is,  really,  a  trouble  which,  like  the  poor,  is  always  with  us. 
We  are  willing  to  admit  that  the  ship-repairing  squabble  is 
the  outcome  of  dry  dock  competition  ;  but.  at  length,  the 
dry  dock  managers  have  simply  done  what  they  should  have 
done  years  ago  :  Have  seen  to  it.  that  they  cease  lending 
a  helping  hand,  to  a  number  of  would-be  exploiters  of  the 
shipowner,  underwriter,  and  dry  dock  company.  Is  there 
'sense,  or  reason,  in  the  assumption,  that  a  given  company 
shall  be  assinine  enough  to  spend  several  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  pounds,  for  the  provision  of  a  dry  dock  and  its 
necessary  plant  and  accessories  :  only  to  see  it  being 
managed,  indirectly,  by  a  number  of  fifth-rate  concerns  ? 
Concerns  which,  in  some  instances,  and  at  a  liberal  estimate, 
possess  a  conglomeration  of  tinkering  tools  worth  anything 
up  to  a  couple  of  thousands  of  pounds  ? 


CERTAINLY  not,  and  the  idea  is  preposterous,  while  the 
.Attempt  to  continue  it  by  means  of  braggadocio,  is  imper- 
tinent in  the  extreme.  That  the  dry  docks  have  been 
exploited  in  the  manner  indicated,  up  to  now,  goes  without 
saying  -at  least,  in  the  majority  of  cases,  although  here,  as 
elsewhere,  exploitation  is  merely  a  relative  term.  From  a 
mistaken  sense  of  kindness  —  and  sometimes.from  a  dog-eat- 
dog  feeling  that  will  crop  up,  in  even  the  best  regulated 
undertakings-  -the  dry  dock  manager  has  lent  himself  to 
the  style  of  business  set  forth  ;  but  at  length,  he  has 
assimilated  the  knowledge  that,  providing  he  would  save 
the  situation,  he  must  harden  his  heart.  There  is  no  need 
for  us  to  hark  back  over  the  devious  turnings  which  have 
developed  into  the  present  situation  :  we  have  already  done 
so,  exhaustively.  We  were  constrained  to  do  this,  not 


because  of  any  personal  interest  that  we  may  have  in  the 
dry  dock  man's  cause  (for  generally  considered,  he  has 
been  no  undue  favourer  of  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW — which  is 
his  own  loss,  and  will  ultimately  bring  him  his  own  reward) ; 
but  rather  for  the  reason  that  a  life  time  spent  among  local 
ships  and  shipping  has  taught  us  that,  to  South  Wales,  ship 
repairing  is  a  most  important  industry. 

5?  & 

THAT  is  to  say,  in  the  absence  of  a  series  of  up-to-date 
ship-repairing  establishments,  the  Welsh  coal  trade— at 
least,  the  sea-borne  portion  thereof — would  be  a  mere 
caricature  of  what  it  is,  to-day.  This  means,  that  indirectly, 
the  whole  community  of  South  Wales  depends  upon  the 
dry  dock  man  ;  while,  directly,  he  is  the  means  of  giving 
employment  to  thousands  that  would  otherwise  starve. 
This  being  so,  it  is  but  natural  that  we  should  take  a  share 
in  the  alleged  controversy  which  is  lashing  itself  into  a 
foamy  state  ;  in  which  the  weaker  side,  as  is  usual,  will 
indubitably,  find  itself  against  the  wall,  with  disastrous 
results  to  a  number  of  lookers  on,  who  have  had  no  part  or 
parcel  in  the  fight :  and  who  have  merely  had  to  await  the 
ultimate  issue.  We  know,  for  an  actual  fact,  that  the 
interested  parties  have  "taken  sides:"  that  they  will  not 
"  come  out  from  underneath  the  hat,"  to  each  other,  so  to 
speak  ;  that  most  of  them  do  us  the  honour  of  reading  our 
remarks  on  this,  and  on  other  subjects  ;  and  that  our  praises, 
or  strictures,  are,  therefore  known  to  all.  Very  well,  then. 
Without  any  hope  of  eventual  reward,  let  us  take  this 
matter  up,  broadly,  and  put  as  much  daylight  into  it,  as  is 
necessary  for  a  clear  understanding. 

$  ^ 

OUR  motto  is  to  praise  where  praise  is  due  ;  and,  openly 
and  fearlessly,  to  pass  strictures  where  they  are  necessary. 
Sometimes,  of  course,  those  strictures  hurt — as  we  intend 
they  should.  For  were  that  hurting  particular  unnecessary, 
we  should  not  bother  to  fill  our  columns  with  matter  which 
might,  with  more  advantage,  give  place  to  something  else. 
In  the  first  place,  let  us  look  at  the  claim  that  there  is  a 
"  ring  "  in  existence,  and  that  such  a  ring  is  going  to  hurt 
the  varied  interests  concerned.  How  much  truth  is  there 
in  this  ?  That,  for  a  time,  say.  the  dry  dock  people  will 


May   *6,    1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


decline  to  have  their  dry  docks  filled  up  with  the  work  that 
has  been  touted  for  by  a  number  of  struggling  nonentities, 
is  fairly  certain  :  but  in  view  of  the  fact  that  there  are  a 
goodly  number  of  dry  docks  in  the  Bristol  Channel,  and 
that  among  themselves,  they  will  be  as  keen  as  ever  for 
the  work  which  is  about  ;  well,  it  is  safe  to  assume  that 
this  so-called  "  ring  "  will  not  affect  the  shipowning.  or 
underwriting  interests,  one  iota.  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
nobody  honestly  believed  that  it  would,  and  the  cry  has 
merely  been  raised  by  the  small  tinkers,  with  hope  that  it 
will  act  as  the  herring  across  the  trail. 


AT  the  present  moment,  there  are  ship-repairing  concerns 
which  brazenly  send  out  the  statement  that  they  can  dock 
four  ships  at  a  time,  although  they  have  no  dry  dock,  and 
have  established  their  businesses  on  the  merits,  or  other- 
wise. of  using  the  various  commercial  docks.  Now,  if  a 
moderately  small  concern  really  can  dock  four  ships  at  a 
time,  what  room  is  there  for  any  growling,  or  harping  on  a 
string  that  has  lost  its  pitch  ?  How  many  of  the  legitimate 
dry  dock  companies  are  there,  who  can  honestly  say  that 
they  are  in  a  position  to  dock  four  ships  at  a  time?  A  few, 
certainly  :  but  merely  a  few.  Yet  th'eVe'  'are  concerns 
which  have  no  dry  dock  whatever,  who  write  to  would-be 
customers  in  the  manner  indicated  above.  If  the  con- 
tention is  true  ;  if  they  can  dock  four  ships  at  once  :  where 
is  the  necessity  of  all  this  grumbling  :  or  where  is  the  dire 
wickedness  in  the  alleged  "  ring  ?  "  Obviously,  they  are 
either  engaged  in  roping  in  business  under  false  pretences. 
or  they  are  claiming  public  sympathy  for  grievances  which 
do  not  exist  ?  The  plain  facts  of  the  matter  are.  that  the 
dry  dock  people  do  not  care  a  dump  as  to  what  the  tinkers 
are  doing,  so  that  they  stick  to  tinkering  ;  but  when  a 
mere  tinker's  shop,  has  the  effrontery  to  write  to  ship- 
owning  concerns,  to  the  effect  that  they  are  in  a  position 
to  handle  repairs  equally  as  well  as  reputable  dry  dock 
companies,  well,  the  latter  naturally  feel  that  they  are 
being  exploited. 

tf   ^ 

THAT  exploitation  has  existed,  in  the  past  :  but  in  future. 
it  has  to  cease  :  the  writing  on  the  wall  is  distasteful  to 
the  one-time  exploiters  :  hence  the  trouble.  Cannot  we 
all  think  of  instances  where  tenders  have  been  submitted 
from  the  small  fry  of  the  repairing  world-  the  cobblers  of 
the  trade,  if  we  may  put  it  thus  and  for  jobs  which  (under 
the  wildest  flights  of  imagination  )  that  small  fry  could  not 
possibly  handle  ?  Of  course,  we  can  !  And  these  nibblers 
are  just  as  much  a  danger  to  the  capable  ship-repairers,  as 
they  are  to  the  dry  dock  companies.  This  brings  us  down 
to  a  consideration  of  the  capable  ship-repairers  ;  concerns 
which  have  built  up  sterling  businesses,  and  are  tn  a 
position,  therefore,  to  handle  decent-sized  work.  Surely 
it  is  in  their  interest  to  pool  issues  with  the  dry  dock  men  : 
to  help,  by  every  means  in  their  power,  to  show  the  tinker 
that,  in  the  sweet  future,  his  work  must  be  confined  to  the 
facilities  which  he.  himself,  possesses  :  and,  that  he  must 
not  hope  to  cross  the  dividing  line  which  separates  a 
ship-repairer  from  a  ship's  tfnker.  There  is  room  for  all. 
and  all  that  is  needed  is.  that  each  concern  should  stick  to 
the  work  for  which  it  was  established. 

tf  fc 

THERE  is  a  vaulting  ambition  which  doth  o'erleap  itself- 
at  least,  we  have  been  told  so.  To  our  mind,  that  ambition 
is  in  evidence  when  an  insignificant  tinkery  tenders  for  a 
£5.000  repair  job.  and  intends  (if  successful)  to  turn  the  work 
over  as  a  mere  go-between  to  a  dry  dock  company,  at  a 
price  that  shall  leave  a  profit  to  his  fisher  in  other  men's 
waters.  Time  was.  that  the  merry  tinker  could  indulge  in 
this  little  game,  without  let  or  hindrance  :  and  instead  of 


feeling  thankful  for  the  mercies  that  were  vouchsafed  to 
him  ;  he  is  on  the  war-path,  because  those  mercies  have 
been  withdrawn.  Do  not  we  all  know  of  instances  where 
the  tinker  has  had  the  gall  to  tender  for  work  that  he  knew 
he  couldn't  undertake  ;  nay,  for  work  that  he  took  fine  care 
should  never  come  his  way,  and  for  which  he  assessed  a 
ridiculously  high  price  in  consequence  ;  and  all  for  the 
gentle  reason  that  his  name  should  figure  in  the  free 
advertisement  which  usually  accompanies  these  little 
efforts  ?  The  free  advertisement  that  should  include  the 
name  of  his  happy  family  among  the  list  of  those  who  fly 
for  high  game  ?  And  haven't  we  smiled  in  consequence  ? 
We  have  !  But  then,  our  smile  was  consequent  on  the 
possession  of  local  knowledge.  We  knew  that  the  whole 
business  was  a  travesty  ;  a  farce  ;  a  bit  of  bounce. 


But  did  the  underwriter  —  who  has  no  local  knowledge  ; 
or  the  shipowner—  who  is  similarly  circumstanced  ;  did 
either  of  them  look  upon  the  offers  referred  to  as  bits  of 
tinker-talk  ?  No,  sirs  !  Both  underwriter  and  shipowner 
took  those  offers  as  bonafide,  and  straightway  scheduled  the 
name,s  implicated,  as  competitors  for  future  work.  This  was 
all  very  pretty-  as  long  as  the  dry  dock  companies 
were  willing;  but  the  prettiness  vanished,  with  the 
willirtgness  of  the  dry  dock  companies,  and  that  is 
exactly  where  the  fun  eventuated  !  Ship-repairing  firms 
were  instituted  solely,  for  the  reason  that  their 
work  should  be  carried  on  in  conjunction  with  the 
various  public  graving  docks  ;  not  to  be  used  as  a  combina- 
tion with  private  dry  dock  concerns.  Everybody  concerned 
knows  this  ;  the  only  ones  who  do  not,  are  the  public  who 
are  being  deceived  by  all  this  paper  poppycock  that  is  going 
about.  The  cobbler  should  not  go  beyond  his  last,  nor  the 
tinker  beyond  his  tinkering  ;  and  the  latter  instead  of  railing 
at  a  fate  which  has  been  fairly  kind  to  him,  should  busy 
himself  in  trimming  his  sails  to  the  altered  direction  of  the 
wind.  As  we  have  already  stated,  uhere  is  room  for  tinker 
and  for  dry  dock,  as  no  sane  business  man  is  idiotic  enough 
to  requisition  a  steam-hammer,  with  which  to  crack  a  nut. 


FOR  some  of  the  petty  •  repairing  that  is  needed  on  the 
steamers  visiting  the  Bristol  Channel  ports,  a  dry  dock  is  a 
superfluous  luxury  ;  on  the  other  hand,  to  entrust  some  of 
those  repairs  to  a  mere  tinker's  shop,  is  merely  a  mortifica- 
tion of  the  flesh.  If  tinker  attends  to  tinkering,  and  dry 
dock  attends  to  dry  dock  work,  there  will  be  peace  in  the 
ship-repairing  world.  With  peace,  will  come  the  good 
times  which,  of  late,  have  been  conspicuous  by  their 
absence.  For  several  years,  past,  the  underwriting 
fraternity  have  simply  played  the  tinker  off  against  thexJry 
do^k  and  vice  versa.  Such  a  state  of  affairs  is  of  little 
use  to  the  community,  hereaway,  and  that  community 
should  be  glad  that  a  better  ordering  of  affairs  in  this 
direction,  is  by  way  of  being  established.  Ere  leaving  the 
subject,  for  this  occasion,  let  us  ask  one  pertinent  questten  : 
In  the  event  of  a  dry  dock  being  filled  with  work  ;  so  full 
that  recourse  to  the  nearest'commercial  dock  is  a  necessity  : 
would  one  of  the  tinkering  fraternity  agree  to  give  up  a 
prior  lien  on  "  the  commercial,"  so  that  dry  dock  might  be 
in  a  position  to  carry  out  its  engagements  ?  It  wouldn't  - 
by  mucher  !  It  would  insist  on  its  pound  of  flesh  and 
hang  dry  dock  !  It  has  done  so,  in  the  past  :  would  do  so  in 
the  future  :  and  now  that  dry  dock  has  developed  sense 
enough  to  guard  the  interests  of  its  shareholders,  and  of 
that  portion  of  the  community  which  is  directly  concerned, 
why  not  admit  facts  ? 

£*$$ 

WE  thought  it  would  come  —  the  death  of  the  "  Bristol 
Channel  Centre  of  the  Institute  of  Marine  Engineers  !  "    In 


21 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May  26,   1905 


the  first  place,  the  affair  was  overweighted  with  name, 
and  a  nominally  overweighted  arrangement  soon  sees  its 
grey  (or  other)  hairs,  brought  with  sorrow  to  the  grave! 
Then,  the  "  high-handed  proceedings  of  the  London  head- 
quarters "  and  which  have  been  in  evidence,  for  ever  so 
long—  was  doomed  to  tend  toward  dissolution.  In  the 
past,  Cardiff  has  shown  itself  too  prone  to  take  the  "follow 
on  "  lead  :  has  had  insufficient  initiative,  to  establish  head- 
quarters of  its  own.  and  has  been  run  far  too  much,  on 
"  branch  establishment"  principles.  Indications  are  about, 
that  a  better  ordering  of  affairs  are  toward,  and  in  conse- 
quence, we  are  unfeignedly  glad.  Cardiff,  to-day,  is  big 
enough,  and  has  money  enough,  to  carry  on  her  commercial 
existence  on  "  Head  Office  "  ideas,  and  for  ourselves,  we 
do  but  practice  what  we  preach.  Time  was,  that  it  was 
considered  impossible  to  conduct  a  shipping  journal  outside 
of  London  —  and  mainly  for  the  reason  that  the  Londoner 
had  the  field  to  himself  ;  had  no  opposition  ;  and  the 
Provincial  possessed  of  ability,  usually  made  a  bee-line  for 
the  City. 

5?   IS 

HERE  in  Cardiff,  the  would-be  Solons  were  convinced 
that  a  shipping  journal  on  their  own  heath,  so  to  speak, 
would  rapidly  go  the  way  of  all  flesh  —  and  it  certainly 
would  have  done  so,  if  its  proprietors  had  no  more  pluck 
than  is  usually  to  be  found  in  this  cosmopolitan  place  in 
which  we  live  !  However,  the  only  serious  attempt  at 
shipping  journalism  which  is  to  be  found  outside  of  the  city 
of  smoke  (and  other  things)  is  now  well  into  its  sixth 
volume,  and  is  doing  very  nicely,  thank  you—  although  it 
hasn't  to  be  unduly  grateful  for  any  help  extended  to  it,  by 
the  kindly  souls  whose  best  interests  it  has  at  heart.  This 
by  the  way,  and  for  the  purpose  of  showing  you  that  the 
day  for  the  Cardiffian  to  let  "  I  dare  not  wait  upon  I  would," 
'is  passed  :  that  "  sitting  on  the  fence,"  up  to  a  given  limit 
is  a  positive  credit  :  but,  beyond  that  limit,  is  just  as 
positively  idiotic  ;  that  when  you  ultimately  elect  to  come 
off  the  fence  (because  you  are  lonely),  you  do  so  in  every- 
body's sight,  as  being  among  the  "  last  men  out."  But 
harking  back  to  the  affair  which  put  us  off  on  the  remin- 
iscent line,  we  note  that  the  London  Institution  of  Marine 
Engineering  will,  in  future,  be  ...allowed  to  pursue  the 
imperial  tenour  of  its  way,  without  any  of  the  ha'pence 
contributed  by  the  South  Walian. 


THIS  is  as  it  should  be,  and  if,  in  the  formation  of  the 
suggested  Cardiff  Institute,  we  can  be  of  any  service,  then, 
you  talented  gentlemen  may  call  upon  us  —  every  time. 
We  may  as  well  be  frank  about  it,  too,  and  for  that  reason 
we  can  assure  you  that  most  of  the  benefits  will  be  on 
your  side.  We  are  willing  to  help  for  Cardiff's  sake,  at 
present  ;  later  on,  perhaps,  and  when  we  have  grown  into 
a  mutually  beneficial  understanding  of  each  other  (which 
again,  will  mean,  a  mutually  appreciative  understanding), 
we  shall  be  just  as  willing  to  help  for  your  own  sakes.  Let 
us  hear  from  you,  gentlemen,  an'  it  pleases  you.  when  we 
can  discuss  the  subject  which  evidently  lays  near  your 
united  hearts.  Anyhow,  the  last  meeting  of  the  now-dead 
Bristol  Channel  Centre  makes  us  believe,  that  a  parent 
Institute  for  Cardiff  is  a  "  spot  "  affair,  for  at  the  close  of 
the  meeting  referred  to,  every  gentleman  present  signed  an 
undertaking  to  become  a  member  of  the  about-to-be-formed 
Institution.  There  were  some  locally-influential  names 
interested  too,  and  we  should  like  to  be  allowed  to  suggest 
the  advisability  of  remembering  that,  notwithstanding  all 
that  has  been  said  to  the  contrary,  there  is  a  terrible  lot  in 
a  name.  To  educated  persons,  a  hint  is  usually  sufficient. 
Personally,  we  have  a  number  of  good  and  original  titles 
"  up  our  sleeve  ;"  they  are  at  the  service  of  the  gentlemen 
interested. 


THERE  is  a  destiny  which  shapes  our  ends  —  and  also  the 
ends  of  steamers  !  Again,  there  is  a  destiny  which  wouldn't 
concern  itself  with  either  the  ends  or  the  middles  of  some 
of  us—  and,  once  more,  the  ends  or  middles  of  steamers. 
But,  seriously,  there  is  a  fatality  which  seems  to  dog  the 
back-end  of  some  steamers.  The  Vauxhall  is  a  case  in 
point.  She's  down  with  Maginty,  for  the  third  time  in  her 
existence—  the  exact  locale  being  in  the  Tyne.  We 
wouldn't  like  to  say  that  destiny  on  this  occasion,  was 
working  off  a  bit  of  its  own  for  Sunday-work—  a  class  of 
business  which  doesn't  do  a  very  great  deal  of  credit  to 
"  Christian  England  "  ;  but  the  fact  remains  that  Vauxhall 
went  under-  after  colliding  with  the;  steamer  Broadmayne 
—  on  Sunday  morning,  as  ever  was.  We  have  no  shadow 
of  doubt,  that  the  canny  men  of  the  Tyne  will  get  Vauxhall 
on  top,  once  more,  when  she  will  be  again  in  readiness  for 
any  unkind  thing,  that  fate  might  have  in  store  for  her.  On 
this  occasion,  there  were  no  lives  lost,  although  the  wind 
was  raging  somewhat,  and  leaving  the  stricken  steamer, 
was  no  sort  of  a  Sunday  morning  devotional  exercise.  We 
have  no  information  on  the  subject,  but  we  cannot  help  a 
slight  wonder,  as  to  whether  there  were  any  "  service 
boxes  "  on  that  collier  ;  if  so,  were  they  insured  ? 


BUT  writing  of  Sunday-work  on  vessels,  don't  you  think 
that  the  good  people  who  are  ever  on  the  rampage  for  the 
alleged  good  of  "  Poor  Jack,"  are  tinged  with  just  a  little 
bit  of  the  trait  which  a  dictionary  styles  "  hypocrisy  ?  "  If 
you  had  a  cistern  that  had  become  rusty  inside,  and  that  in 
consequence,  the  water  emanating  from  the  pipe  that  was 
attached  thereto,  was  discoloured  and  unfit  to  drink  —  well. 
you  wouldn't  fuss  around  in  polishing  the  outside  of  the 
brass  tap  that  was  on  the  end  of  the  pipe,  would  you  ?  At 
least,  not  in  an  endeavour  to  keep  the  rust  out  of  the 
cistern  ?  Of  course,  you  wouldn't!  You  have  more  sense. 
You  would  get  a  plumber—  or  a  poor  relation  —  to  yank 
himself  inside  that  cistern  ;  would  see  that  he  had  a  supply 
of  three-cornered  (or  other  sort  of)  scrapers,  holy-stones, 
plenty  of  cement,  a  big  brush,  and  the  ability  to  use  the  lot 
in  combination  ?  That's  what  you  would  do  ;  and 
eventually,  the  water  in  that  cistern  would  become  clear 
and  sweet  —  unless  it  had  become  too  bad  for  mechanical 
reformation,  in  which  case  you  would  dump  it  ?  Exactly, 
and  that  is  what  we,  ourselves,  should  be  inclined  to  do  — 
with  the  exception  of  hunting  up  the  poor  relation,  which, 
to  a  journalist,  is  impossible,  seeing  that  he  is  invariably  the 
"poorest"  of  his  family  group  —  which  is  merely  by  the 

way. 

£??   Xa 

C&t          !U3 

You  understand  that  the  foregoing  is  simply  analogous, 
of  course  ;  is  merely  for  the  purpose  of  pointing  a  moral  ; 
and  that  the  cistern,  really,  is  the  shipowning  gentleman, 
who  rushes  his  vessel  away  to  sea  on  a  Saturday  night,  and 
on  Sunday  morning,  hies  him  to  the  particular  chapel  of 
his  adoption  —  or  creation,  as  the  case  might  be.  In  the 
whole  of  our  experience,  we  never  found  one  sailorman 
possessed  of  anything  of  a  desire  to  take  his  combination  of 
nautical  filthiness  out  of  a  coal  dock,  on  a  Saturday  night's 
tide  ;  but  we  have  foregathered  with  thousands  —  first 
and  last  —  whose  opinions  of  the  man  or  men  who  sent  them 
out  in  the  manner  indicated,  would  have  kept  the  said  man 
or  men  awake  for  a  week  (let  he  or  them  be  never  so  hard- 
cased),  could  those  opinions  have  gone  home  !  Yes  !  Of 
course,  the  usual  excuse  is,  that  it  is  impossible  to  keep  all 
that  value  (the  crock  and  her  cargo),  laying  idle  over 
Sunday.  But  the  excuse  is  even  as  are  most  of  them 
formulated  by  the  not-over-nice  gentry  who,  of  late  years, 
have  fastened  themselves  on  to  the  shipping  industry  - 
buncombe,  pure  and  simple.  What  reason  has  a  £25,000- 


May  26,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


22 


steamer-manager,  to   expect   different   treatment   to   the 
remainder  of  the  business  community  ? 

WHAT  sort  of  howl  would  ascend  to  high  heaven,  if  a 
colliery  costing  anything  up  to  three-quarters-of-a-million 
sterling,  were  kept  working  over  Sunday  :  or  a  dry  dock 
worth  half-a-million  :  or  any  other  factory,  or  engineering 
works,  of  the  same  value?  Howl,  forsooth!  Why,  inthecon- 
ditions  suggested,  one  half  of  the  population  would  be  on 
the  warpath,  intent  on  damning,  by  bell,  book,  and  candle, 
the  soul-less  individual  who  had  dared  suggest  such  a  thing. 
But  where  a  sailorman  comes  in— well,  he  is  outside  the 
pale,  even  as  his  ship  is  outside  the  dock  ;  and  out  of  sight. 
out  of  mind.  Yet  the  Sunday  work  on  those  same  steamers 
are  for  ever  in  sight  of  those  alleged  "heathens."  which 
the  'longshoreman  puts  up  money  to  convert !  The  poor 
nigger  who  is  wallowing  along  in  a  kind  of  religion  which, 
at  least,  makes  him  reserve  one  clear  day  out  of  seven— if 
only  for  the  purpose  of  dancing  a  hornpipe  around  Ju.  Ju — 
is  going  to  perdition,  fast :  send  him  tracts,  missionaries. 
bibles,  square-face  gin.  and  rifles.  For  the  sailor,  erect 
Rests.  Mission  Rooms.  Meeting  Halls.  Bethels — and  see 
them  filled,  week  in.  week  out,  by  'longshoremen  and 
women  only. 

IT'S  all  in  the  Sacred  Cause,  of  course,  and  it  is  just  as 
well  to  extend  a  hearty  welcome  to  the  "longshore  con- 
tingent if  only  for  the  reason  that  they  come  to  "  help,  in 
the  good  work."  All  the  same,  in  our  opinion,  the  whole 
caboodle  if  merely  of  the  nature  of  cleaning  the  outside  of 
the  brass  tap.  when  really,  you  need  to  scour  out  the 
cistern.  Start  a  mission  among  the  instigators  of  this 
breach  of  the  fourth  Commandment :  make  the  shipowners 
see  that,  even  as  they  have  much  given  to  them,  so  will 
much  be  required  :  don't  go  on  pandering  to  them,  simply 
because  they  "donate  "  freely-  with  the  money  which  they 
have  earned  from  Sunday-work.  On  the  other  hand,  if  you 
must  emulate  the  poor  nigger,  at  least,  do  it  openly  :  have 
the  courage  of  your  convictions  :  face  the  music  like  men  : 
and  if  you  have,  eventually,  to  descend  into  Avernus.  do  it 
alter  the  fashion  of  the  hard-cases  which  you  have  aped. 
here  on  earth.  Don't  snivel  around  with  the  remark  that 
as  So-and-so  does  it.  you  have  to.  You  know  the  argument 
is  all  rot.  for  to  the  other  fellow,  you  are  So-and-so,  and  if 
neither  of  you  make  an  effort  to  clear  up  what  you  know  is 
a  rotten  condition,  how  shall  we  ever  get  a  better  ordering? 
Meanwhile,  bless  you  merry  gentlemen  :  let  nothing  you 
dismay  not  even  your  probable,  if  future,  introduction,  to 
a  certain  old  party  of  whom  at  the  moment,  you  have  but  a 
hazy  and  indistinct  appreciation. 

'{#  $3 

WE  note  that,  with '"praiseworthy  perseverance.  'XoFd- 
Muskerry-  who  is  probably  the  sailorman's  best,  and  most 
assiduous,  friend  on  Monday  last,  in  ihe  Gilded  Chamber, 
"  rose  to  call  attention  to  the  action  of  foreign  maritime 
Powers  in  closing  certain  spheres  of  trade  in  which  British 
ships  have  hitherto  been  engaged."  His  Lordship  went  on 
to  particularise,  and  the  indictment  was  of  sufficient 
importance,  to  attract  the  earnest  attention  of  his 
colleagues.  We  have  not  the  space  for  a  detailed  account 
of  what  was  said,  and  can  but  quote,  here  and  there,  from 
Lord  Muskerry's  remarks.  One  expression  is  worthy  of 
careful  consideration  :  His  Lordship  said  that  "  My  object 
in  bringing  this  matter  before  the  House,  is  to  show  that 
the  foreigner  is  closing  the  door  on  our  most  important 
industry,  and  that  the  Government  is  practically  taking  no 
steps  to  prevent  it."  To  those  who  have  given  any  study 
to  the  subject,  his  Lordship  is  as  near  correct,  as  makes  no 
odds.  Somehow  or  other,  up  to  within  a  very  recent 


period—  a  period  which,  by  the  way,  synchronises  with  Lord 
Muskerry's  persistent  pegging  away—  succeeding  Govern- 
ments have  had  but  little  time  to  spare,  for  the  very 
industry  on  which  the  stability  of  the  British  Empire 
depends. 

#  •& 

IN  Government  circles,  there  ever  appears  to  be  too  many 
highly-placed  folk  with  an  axe  to  grind—  some  of  them,  with 
half-a-dozen  axes,  in  fact  ?  Thus  it  has  come  about,  that 
any  enactment  which  it  is  impossible  to  dodge,  is  "  rushed  " 
through  with  indecent  haste;  without  any  of  the  calm 
deliberation  which  a  nation's  premier  industry  deserves  ; 
and  in  the  end,,  the  Statute  Book  is  filled  up  with  some  of 
the  most  colossal  pieces  of  ignorance  and  contradiction, 
that  it  is  possible  to  imagine.  It  cannot  be  denied  that,  to 
a  nation  possessing  the  undoubted  advantages  which  are 
centred  around  Britain,  the  Merchant  Shipping  Acts—  of  all 
kinds,  and  their  name  is  legion—  are  an  utter  disgrace. 
Instead  of  fostering  the  industry  which  has  made  her 
supreme  from  a  maritime  consideration,  every  possible  dodge 
is  indulged  to  the  contrary.  In  the  words  of  the  whole- 
hearted gentleman  already  quoted,  "The  condition  of  our 
merchant  shipping  should  not  be  looked  upon  from  either  a 
fre~e  trade  or  protectionist  point  of  view.  The  question  of 
free  trade  or  protection  is  never  brought  forward  in  con- 
nection with  the  Navy  and  Army,  and  as  the  Militia  is  the 
reserve  of  the  Army,  the  merchant  navy  is  the  reserve,  and 
the  only  reserve,  of  the  Royal  Navy." 

#    & 

THERE  you  are.  good  people  !  How  many  times  have  we 
dinned  the  same  truth  into  you?  Give  it  up?  Never 
mind  !  A  time,  more  or  less,  will  not  make  a  deal  of 
difference,  and  it  is  the  truth  on  each  and  every  occasion. 
Seeing  that  Lord  Muskerry  is  of  the  same  opinion  as 
ourselves  ;  seeing  also  that  he  has  had  the  necessary 
practical  experience  to  make  his  words  worthy  of  your 
attentive  care  :  what  do  you  think  of  the  only  reserve 
which  is  left  you,  for  your  so-called  First  Line  of  Defence  ? 
Some  40.000  foreigners  sheltering  under  the  Red  Ensign  __ 
eh?  A  lovely  reserve,  don't  you  think?  And  yearly- 
nay,  weekly  —  it  becomes  more  lovely.  What  are  you  going 
to  do  about  it  ?  Do  you  mean  to  continue  in  the  dodge-the- 
devil  frame  of  mind  which  has  been  yours,  for  ages  ;  or  are 
you  going  to  arise  in  your  might  and  see  to  it  that  the 
nation's  defences,  are  placed  upon  a  businesslike  footing  ? 
Months  ago,  we  told  you  that  a  number  of  you  have  a  real 
share  in  the  country  ;  a  share  that  is  rapidly  getting  into 
parlous  state  ;  a  share  that,  unless  you  bring  about  an 
early  alteration,  will  go  over  to  the  first  bold  foreigner  who 
has  pluck  enough  to  take  it.  It  won't  benefit  us,  then,  to 
merely  say  "  We  told  you  so."  Not  a  bit  !  ^Jbat  is 
mainly  why  we  "  keep'a  hollerin'  !  " 

' 


You  see.  we  have  "been  there."  and  as  a  consequence, 
we  know.  If  our  lives  had  been  spent  upon  the  beach  at 
home,  we  should  listen  to  every  fresh  charlatan  "  who 
thought  it  worth  his  while  to  stuff  us.  But  we  haven't. 
Rather  have  we  gleaned  our  experience  on  the  beaches  of 
the  world,  outside  of  the  United  Kingdom.  Because  of 
this,  we  are  in  a  position  to  assure  you,  that  you  are  living 
in  a  fools'  paradise  :  that  unless  you  inaugurate  a  change 
—and  rapidly  —  you  will  have  to  accept  the  fate  of  all  those 
who.  while  not  blind,  will  take  care  that  they  do  not  see. 
In  a  reply  which  occupied  the  better  portion  of  an  hour. 
the  Marquis  of  Lansdowne  commented  on  Lord  Muskerry's 
words  :  commented  thereon,  in  a  manner  which  must  have 
done  the  latter  gentleman's  heart  good  -for  not  always 
does  Lord  Muskerry  receive  the  attention  and  courtesy 
which  his  sterling  knowledge  demands.  Let  that  be  as  it 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May  26,   1905 


may.  the  Marquis  of  Lansdowne  was  good  enough  to  say, 
that  "  he  should  certainly  not  differ  from  the  noble  lord  as 
to  the  importance  of  our  merchant  service,  of  whose 
interest  there  was  no  more  vigilant  advocate  than  the 
noble  lord."  It  is  the  truth,  as  we—  who  have  peeped 
behind  the  scenes,  a  little  —  know  only  too  well.  When  the 
better  state  of  affairs  is  an  accomplished  fact.  Lord 
Muskerry  will  deserve  the  gratitude  of  his  country  :  he 
already  possesses  that  of  the  nautical  profession,  in  no 
stinted  degree. 

S?%5 

WITHOUT  going  into  the  minutiae  of  the  Marquis  of  Lans- 
downe's  reply,  we  will  quote  you  pieces  thereof.  Here  is  a 
choice  sample  :  "There  is  at  the  moment,  certainly,  an 
inconsistency,  and  a  most  inequitable  inconsistency,  in 
allowing,  say,  a  Norwegian  timber  ship  to  come  to  a  British 
port  without  complying  with  those  extremely  salutary 
regulations  of  which  the  noble  lord  has  often  spoken  in  the 
House,  and  which  are,  to  a  certain  extent,  a  burden  on  the 
shipping  of  this  country."  The  foregoing  should  convince 
the  shipowning  cult,  that  not  only  as  the  champion  of  the 
helpless  sailorman  does  Lord  Muskerry  shine  ;  he  is  also  an 
equally  good  friend..,  to  the  shipowner  although  he  never 
makes  a  boast  of  the  fact,  or  tootles  around  in  an  endeavour 
to  win  their  sweet  sympathy,  as  do  so  many  of  the  alleged 
champions.  However,  there  is  hope  for  us—  if  only  a 
remote  one  :  and  we  have  to  be  thankful  for  small  mercies. 
in  these  very  indifferent  days.  The  hope  lays  in  the  fact 
that,  on  the  words  of  the  Marquis  of  Lansdowne,  "  The 
Committee  of  the  House  of  Commons  which  was  appointed 
last  Session  to  deal  with  this  matter,  has  been  re-appointed 
this  year,  and  we  must  all  hope  that  the  committee  will 
see  their  way  to  making  practical  and  satisfactory  re- 
commendations on  this  important  branch  of  the  subject." 
So  say  all  of  us. 


know,  and  you  know,  that  the  Antwerpian  improvements 
are  not  due  for  another  ten  years  :  that  the  port  is  exactly 
as  it  has  been  for  years  ;  that  a  visit  there,  in  June  of  this 
year,  will  offer  no  opportunities  for  a  return  of  the  Con- 
servators to  fix  up  the  Thames  -on  any  knowledge  that 
has  been  gleaned  on  their  projected  journey.  We  hate  to 
appear  rude,  but  if  the  gentlemen  hunger  for  the  music  of 
the  big  organ  at  the  "  Pally  India"  :  if  they  wish  to  twig 
the  prevailing  colours  of  the  window  blinds  in  "  Sin  Paulee;" 
or  if  they  harbour  any  doubts  as  to  the  correct  method  of 
spelling  Schiedam-schie-dijk-well,  why  not  own  up  to  it? 
Are  any  of  the  L.C.C.  going  along,  too  ? 

§?%5 

GOOD  old  Suez  Canal  !  Here's  a  dividend  for  you.  who 
are  interested  !  A  little  more  than  28  per  cent,  on  the 
500f.  shares!  Eh,  what?  Is  it  any  wonder  that  dreams 
of  a  rival  concern,  are  continually  floating  about  in  front  of 
the  good  people  who  usually  do  little  else  but  dream? 
Don't  tell  us  about  shipping  being  a  good  investment.  If 
you  wish  to  make  money,  you  have  to  cajole  the  other 
fellow  ^jnto  supplying  the  tonnage,  while  you  lay  yourself 
out  to  attend  to  that  tonnage's  needs.  That  is  where  the 
money  lays,  good  people.  Why.  we  know  some  very 
estimable  folk,  here,  in  Cardiff,  whose  steamers  have 
seldom,  if  ever,  left  more  than  an  apology  for  a  dividend, 
and  yet  those  same  estimable  folk  are  doing  quite  a  piling- 
up-the-shekels  business  on  the  bye-product  idea.  Alto 
paint  shops;  falsetto  ship  chandleries;  basso  tinkers'  shops: 
good  lor',  we  could  go  on,  an'  we  would.  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  we  might,  someday.  Meanwhile,  we  will  inform  you 
"that  it  is  believed  "  that  the  transit  dues  will  be  reduced 
from  8f.  50c.  to  7f.  75c.,  from  January  next  —  if  it  isn't 
rescinded,  between  this  and  then  !  When  dealing  with  such 
a  princely  heritage  as  the  Suez  Canal  Company,  it  is  never 
safe  to  prophesy,  more  than  twenty-five  minutes  ahead. 


THE  poor  Londoners  are  in  for  it  !  There's  another  banging 
of  saxpences  toward  !  It's  like  this.  On  Monday,  last,  the 
Conservators  of  the  River  Thames  had  their  weekly  meeting, 
at  which  the  Lower  Committee  submitted  a  memorandum 
from  the  secretary,  dealing  with  the  projected  improvements 
at  Antwerp.  You  might  be  inclined  to  wonder  what 
Antwerpian  projected  improvements  have  to  do  with 
Thames  Conservators?  Hold  on  a  bit,  and  we'll  explain. 
The  memorandum  referred  to,  after  particularising  as  to 
the  improvements  of  which  we  told  you  some  weeks  ago, 
ended  up  with  the  statement,  that  the  estimated  cost  of  the 
Antwerp  move  would  total  into  some  £8.000.000.  In  view 
of  past  "  estimates  "  in  the  same  direction,  we  may  easily 
write  down  the  ultimate  cost  as  £16.000,000—  and  yet  be 
on  the.  wrong  side  as  far  as  the  Port  of  Antwerp  is  con- 
cerned ?'  Anyhow,  whether  it  is  going  to  be  £8,000,000  or 
£16.000.000  —or  anything  over  or  ander  either  amount  — 
doesn't  really  matter.  When  such  figures  as  these  are 
about,  you  couldn't  reasonably  expect  a  Conservancy  Board 
to  let  the  opportunity  for  a  Continental  tour  slip  by,  could 
you,  now  ?  If  you  could,  then,  you  haven't  given  much 
attention  to  such  nautical  matters.  —  while  we  have. 


CANADA  would  appear  to  be  reaping,  even  as  she  has 
sown  !  Some  time  ago,  the  crew  of  the  Agnes  Donahue,  a 
Canadian  sealing  schooner,  were  laid  in  durance  vile  by  the 
high-handed  Government  of  a  little  tin-pot  State,  known,  to 
a  certain  extent,  to  the  world,  as  Uruguay—  or  You're-a- 
guy,  as  Jack  would  put  it.  As  a  consequence,  the  Dominion 
is  a  bit  wrathy.  because  of  this  somewhat  undignified  treat- 
ment meted  out  to  her  citizens,  and  its  House  of  Commons 
has  had  the  matter  under  discussion.  The  old  talk  of  a 
direct  contribution  from  Canada  to  the  British  Navy  is 
revived  -like  it  ever  is,  when  trouble  is  on  the  skirts  of  any 
of  mamma's  bantlings  !  When  times  are  easy,  the  gentle 
colonists,  all  over  the  world,  are  of  opinion  that  they  are 
allowed  to  rest,  because  of  their  own  pluck  and  resources  ; 
in  troublous  times,  however,  it  is  unpleasantly  borne  in  upon 
the  children,  that  they  are  allowed  to  go  free,  on  account 
of  the  pugilistic  propensities  of  the  "Old  Woman."  It's  a 
queer  world,  and  it  seems  a  pity  that  Canada  will  not 
remember  that,  in  her  own  interests,  she  should  take  peace 
time  for  the  sharpening  of  swords,  and  things.  It  can't 
very'well  be  done,  when  the  drum  beats  for  battle  ? 


ANYHOW,  one  of  the  members  moved  that  arrangements 
should  be  made,  so  that  the  whole  collection  of  curios  which, 
more  or  less,  conserves  the  River  Thames,  should  be 
enabled  to  visit  Antwerp,  Hamburg,  and  Rotterdam,  in  the 
leafy,  and  lovely,  month  of  June,  yes  !  Needless  to  say,  the 
motion  was  carried,  and  it  was  resolved  to  refer  the  matter 
back  to  the  General  Purposes  Committee,  so  that  the 
necessary  arrangements  for  the  visit  might  be  made.  We 
suppose  that  "  necessary  arrangements  "  is  Conservancy 
for  "  the  wherewithal  ?  "  But  why  are  those  estimable 
gentlemen  so  eager  to  visit  Antwerp  ?  They  know,  we 


IN  commenting  on  the  foregoing,  the  Toronto  News  says  : 
"  We  are  afraid,  if  any  complaint  is  laid  before  the  British 
Government.  Canada  will  cut  rather  a  poor  figure.  If 
Canada  refuses  to  contribute  to  the  expenditure  for  the 
British  Navy,  she  must  either  leave  her  shipping  unpro- 
tected, or  organise  a  navy  big  enough  to  fight  any  Power 
that  commits  outrages  on  her  sailors."  Needless  to  say, 
this  is  a  job  which  is  altogether  too  big  for  the  stomach  of 
the  Canadian  brother  ;  and  yet  he  will  not,  because  of  the 
professional  politician  who  has  other  needs  for  the  money 
involved,  ante  up  the  relatively  small  share  that  will  give 


May  26,  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


24 


him  the  necessary  protection.  Continuing,  our  contem- 
porary remarks,  "  We  might  begin  with  Uruguay.  It  seems 
to  us  we  should  cut  rather  a  comical  figure  in  asking  Great 
Britain  to  thrash  Uruguay.  We  ought  to  be  able  to  coerce 
Uruguay,  as  easily  as  Alberta  and  Saskatchewan."  Un- 
fortunately. however,  this  is  exactly  what  Canada  is  not 
able  to  do  :  and  yet  she  is  disinclined  to  pay.  so  that  some- 
body else  with  the  ability,  may  take  a  hand  in  the  game. 
Politics  are  a  queer  pastime,  and  the  Dominion  would  appear 
to  have  considerably  more  than  her  fair  share  of  the 
exponents  thereof.  Some  day.  she  might  see  wisdom  —  if 
somebody  doesn't  remove  her  eyes  before  someday 
arrives  ! 

gfa 

WELL,  after  dragging  its  weary  length  along,  for  the 
greater  part  of  a  month,  the  inquiry  into  the  loss  of  the 
Workfield  has  been  concluded.  In  view  of  the  tremendous 
amount  of  time  that  has  been  given  to  the  matter,  and  the 
final  ringing  down  of  the  curtain,  one  is  compelled  to  class 
the  affair  as  under  the  heading  of  Much  Ado  about  Nothing. 
As  far  as  we  can  see.  the  Board  of  Trade  would  be  acting 
in  its  own  interest,  if  it  were  to  fake  up  a  law  which,  at 
once,  would  bring  in  the  "  off  with  his  head  "  to  which  the 
public  is  nearly  always  treated,  when  a  British  shipmaster 
either  makes  a  mistake,  meets  with  an  accident,  or  really 
does  something  criminal.  Of  what  use  is  it  to  daddle  along 
for  several  weeks,  if.  in  the  end.  the  one  and  only  verdict 
is  to  be  perpetuated?  In  this  particular  instance,  the 
evidence  was  about  as  contradictory  as  possible,  and  we 
have  been  treated  to  the  sickening  spectacle  of  seeing  a 
Briton  professionally  ruined,  on  the  evidence  of  a  number  of 
foreigners,  who  should  never  have  been  allowed  to  take  bread 
from  the  hand  which  they  eventually  bit.  The  whole 
matter  seemed  to  nang  on  the  question  of  whether  the 
master  was  drunk,  at  the  time  of  the  stranding  —  or  what- 
ever it  was. 


So  far  as  the  officers  three  in  number  were  concerned. 
they  were  positive  that  the  captain  was  not  drunk  :  they 
had  sailed  with  him  for  a  number  of  years  —a  fact  which 
was  altogether  in  the  Old  Man's  favour  :  the  steward  was 
of  opinion  that  "not  drunk"  was  the  correct  expression: 
one  of  the  engineers  who  put  his  faith  on  the  drunk  charge. 
was  told  by  the  President  of  the  Court  :  "  Your  opinion  is 
absolutely  worthless.  I  tell  you  that  at  once."  And  yet, 
in  the  end.  the  same  old  concomitant  resulted.  Nine 
months  suspension  of  a  ticket,  and  mainly  because  a 
number  of  aliens  had  joined  issues  with  those  who  should 
have  known  better  at  least,  that  is  how  the  matter  appears 
to  us.  who  have  some  little  experience  in  reading  between 
the  lines,  in  cases  of  this  sort.  But  trumped  up  charge  or 
not.  is  anybody  going  to  pretend  that  if  a  'longshoreman 
had  been  "  up  "  on  a  similar  count  :  if  the  alleged  "  evidence  ' 
had  been  so  contradictory  :  and  the  tribunal  knew  anything 
of  the  probable  conditions  :  is  anybody  going  to  pretend, 
then,  that  the  "culprit"  would  not  have  been  given  the 
benefit  of  the  doubt  -for  doubt  there  was.  in  this  case. 
surely  ? 

s?%? 

THE  captain  has  intimated  his  intention  to  appeal,  and  if 
he  does,  he  will  merely  be  throwing  away  good  money,  in 
an  attempt  to  retain  a  certificate,  that  is  rapidly  becoming 
a  disgrace,  rather  than  the  honour  it  was  originally  intended 
to  be.  No  matter  how  you  look  at  it.  the  shipmaster  of 
to-day,  is  a  pariah  :  an  outcast.  Any  combination  of  "  poor 
foreigners."  possessed  of  a  real  or  imaginary  grievance. 
may  line  up  in  a  British  court,  where,  in  the  pathetic 
manner  so  facile  to  these  creatures,  they  can  convince  the 
Solon,  that  if  the  Old  Man.  his  officers,  the  owners,  every- 
body. are  not  about  so  black  as  'tis  possible  to  make  them 


—then,  it  isn't  the  fault  of  the  said  foreigners.  And  nine 
times  out  of  ten,  the  Solon  will  listen  ;  will  incline  to  these 
strangers  in  a  strange  land  ;  will  yearn  toward  them — and 
principally  because  he  never  was  cursed  with  their  in- 
efficient seamanship,  on  a  dark  night,  with  a  stiff  gale 
blowing,  and  a  high  sea  running ;  at  a  time  when  it  is  all 
Lombard  Street  to  a  China  orange,  whether  any  of  them 
lived  to  see  daylight.  Once  more,  let  us  ask  when  the 
profession  is  going  to  square  itself  up,  and  enforce  their 
oft-repeated  demands  to  be  tried  by  their  peers  ;  by  men 
who  know  which  end  of  a  ship  goes  first ;  and  who  are 
acquainted  with  the  wonderful  twisting  of  a  foreign  nautical 
mind  ?  Surely  by  now,  the  country  has  had  enough 
victims  to  the  traditions  of  other  days  ?  Isn't  it  time  to 
inaugurate  a  new,  and  modern  method  ?  Bah !  Let's 
leave  it,  as,  later  on,  it  will  leave  us— to  the  mercies  of  the 
same  foreigner  armed  with  a  rifle. 

E#  %? 

t&  W3 

NICE  sort  of  place  that  Navy  of  which  we  are  so  proud, 
and  which  costs  the  country  so  much  money,  is  becoming, 
don't  you  think  ?  It  is  considered,  by  the  "  young  gentle- 
men," themselves,  that  it  is  conducive  to  the  development 
of  a  fighting  spirit,  for  a  number  of  nautical  hobble-de-hoys 
to  fall  upon  one  of  their  number,  and  "administer  a  castiga- 
tion,  with  a  midshipman's  dirk,  don'tcherknow."  It  is,  too,  in 
some  instances !  Where  the  bragging  bantling  gets  his 
cheek— and  other  parts— damaged,  by  a  lad  who  has  the 
real  kind  of  pluck  !  "  Ragging"  is  a  pretty  name,  and  like 
charity,  it  covers  a  multitude  of  sins.  All  the  same,  we 
much  doubt  if,  in  future,  there  can  be  any  possible  virtue 
in  the  claim  that  the  Navy  must  be  officered  by  gentlemen, 
the  sons  of  gentlemen  ?  If  the  Kent  case  is  a  fair  sample 
of  the  gentlemanly  conduct  of  to-day — and  it  is.  don't 
forget ;  it  is  but  one  of  many,  and  you  would  never  have 
heard  a  word  of  the  matter  if  the  intended  victim  hadn't 
had  pluck  enough  to  turn  the  tables  on  his  "  gentlemanly  " 
assailants  -then,  the  sooner  these,  "  cocky  "  young  "  ram- 
cats  "  are  relegated  to  the  limbo  of  forgotten  things  ;  and 
the  gentlemanly  (and  brainy)  sons  of  poor  men  are  intro- 
duced into  their  late,  positions,  the  better  will  it  be  for  all 
hands  concerned. 

5?^ 

TRUE,  there  appears  to  have  been  a  much-needed  lesson 
inculcated  in  this  instance.  The  Captain  has  been  super- 
seded, placed  on  half-pay,  style  it  what  you  will  ;  and 
drastic  circular  letters  have  been  flung  around,  for  the 
purpose  of  impressing  on  these  over-trained-but-under- 
educated  young  men,  that  the  Royal  Navy  is  not  the  best 
place  on  earth,  where  petty  tyranny  may  be  carried  on. 
One  thing  is  plain  enough  in  the  matter :  The  powers  that 
be,  would  appear  to  realise  that  the  day  of  pitchiork  pro- 
motion is  drawing  to  a  close;  that  everything  which  is 
'  calculated  to  draw  public  attention  to  the  disgraceful  manner 
in  which  the  national  shipowning  is  attended  to.  must  be 
tabued ;  and  that,  at  the  best,  the  old  order  must  soon 
pass,  to  make  room  for  the  new,  and  the  nobler.  For 
losing  a  costly  man-of-war,  the  delinquent  is  merely  repri- 
manded :  gets  a  wink  from  the  boss  of  the  courts-martial, 
and  the  remark  that  he  is  not  guilty — only  he  had  better 
refrain  from  the  trick,  in  future.  But  for  "  ragging,"  the 
Captain  is  placed  on  half-pay.  Draw  your  own  conclusions, 
good  people.  They  should  be  easy  enough,  in  view  of 
what  we  have  repeatedly  told  you  ? 

5?  fa 

YES!  Yes!  The  dear  old  Russian  friend  is  said  to  be 
out  after  more  Welsh  coal,  and  that  he  needs  anything  up 
to  100.000  tons  for  Vladivostock.  Of  course,  the  gentle- 
man might  be  really  needing  the  stuff,  because  it  is  never 
safe  to  attempt  to  follow  the  awful  reasonings  of  the 
Russian  mind.  Anyhow,  supposing  he  doesn't  need  the  coal : 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May  26,   1905 


never  will  need  it ;  and  never,  since  his  conglomeration  of 
old  crocks  left  Libau,  hoped  to  need  it :  the  rumour  has 
given  quite  a  fillip  to  the  local  "  daily  "  paper  man.  What's 
that  ?  Doesn't  need  much  to  do  that  ?  Don't  be  rude, 
please.  When  you  see  an  esteemed  contemporary  laying 
itself  out  to  teach  you  all  there  is  to  know  in  selling,  and 
sailing  coal  to  Vladivostock— well,  you  ought  to  be  grateful, 
so  you  did.  For  if  the  yarn  should  turn  out  to  be  a  canard, 
invented  in  one  of  the  many  idle  moments  experienced  by 
the  "  fancy."  at  present,  it  still  has  served  its  purpose  ; 
has  filled  a  void  which  might,  otherwise,  have  been  of  the 
aching  variety.  And  see  how  nice  it  is  to  be  told  all  about 
the  dodges  of  underwriters — from  a  St.  Mary  Street  point 
of  view  !  Great  Hannibal — it's  better  than  a  trip  to  a 
music  hall,  what  ? 

«?  fc 

HERE  it  is,  again,  the  British  fireman  is  not  a  success  on 
a  British  ship  :  he  is  a  drunken,  lazy  hound  :  is  only  to  be 
depended  on  at  dinner-time  :  and  he  is  a  Federation  man 
to  boot.  That's  up  against  them,  don't  you  think  ?  It  all 
came  out  in  connection  with  the  "  white  Australia  "  idea, 
and  somehow  or  other,  the  ones  who  are  surprised  most. 
are  exactly  those  who  should  not  be  surprised  in  the  least.  To 
us,  there  is  a  pathetic  side  to  the  story.  Here  are  honest, 
respectable,  and  God-fearing  shipowners,  growling  because 
they  can't  get  angels-in-disguise.  at  the  price  for  which 
most  people  wouldn't  expect  to  get  other  than  devils.  The 
poor'longshoreman.  because  he  knows-nothing  of  the  circum- 
stances, is  prone  to  believe  all  the  twaddle  on  the  subject. 
which  he  sees  in  his  morning  paper  :  but  if  he  would  only 
interest  himself  sufficiently  to  seek  the  cause  for  the 
unsatisfactory  conditions  which  exist,  he  would  throw 
up  his  surprise,  even  as  he  set  about  getting  something 
better.  Until  the  nation  is  prepared  to  pay  for  decent 
firemen  :  to  make  it  worth  the  while  of  those  firemen's 
bosses  to  give  the  necessary  attention  :  right  up  to  then, 
will  British  firemen  be  the  fiasco  that  they  are  at  present. 
The  whole  service  is  dislocated,  and  yet  you  expect 
cohesion,  and  concerted  action  from  its  units. 

fi?  & 

OUR  contemporary,  Daily  Chronicle  has  been  unburdening 
itself  concerning  "Imperial  advertisement."  It  says,  among 
other  things,  that  the  Government  is  often  reproached  for 
not  taking  an  adequate  interest  in  trade  ;  but  there  is  one 
Department  that  gives  bold  advertisement  to  an  enterprising 
firm.  The  Department  is  the  Colonial  Office,  and  the  firm 
is  the  one-and-only  for  the  West  Indies— Elder,  Dempster 
and  Co.  :  that  is,  the  company  which,  if  boats  and  bananas 
were  to  bust,  should  still  be  able  to  rope  in  the  rhino  as 
advertisement  agents?  Here  is  the  style  in  which  D.C. 
puts  the  little  matter  :  "  The  walls  of  the  waiting-room  at 
the  Colonial  Office  are  adorned  (•?)  just  now,  with  some 
eight  or  nine  pictures,  time  tables,  etc..  indicating  the  great 
activity  of  Sir  Alfred  Jones  and  Messrs.  Elder.  Dempster 
and  Go."  Yea.  lor',  and  yet  they  say  that  there  is  no 
favouritism  in  the  Government  Departments  !  What  is  the 
matter  with  giving  free  ads.  to  some  of  the  other  concerns, 
which  have  been  doing  the  Imperial  act,  since  years  before 
Elder,  Dempster  and  Co.,  were  thought  of  ?  Was  there 
anything  in  that  old  jape  of  Shakespeare,  concerning  the 
giving  of  medicines  to  make  'em  love  you?.  Might  have 
been. 

5*  *3 

v&i     a? 

ACTING  on  representations  made  by  the  Scottish  Ship- 
masters' and  Officers'  Association,  Lord  Lansdowne 
instructed  His  Majesty's  Ambassador,  at  St.  Petersburg, 
to  approach  the  Russian  Government  in  favour  of  the 
Officers  of  British  Nationality,  who  were  taken  prisoners  by 
the  Russians,  on  the  sinking  of  the  Japanese  Transport 
Sada  Marv.  His  Lordship,  we  learn,  in  a  communication 
to  the  Association,  anticipates  the  release  of  the  Officers 


in  question,  as  soon  as  an  arrangement  for  an  exchange  of 
prisoners  has  been  come  to,  between  the  Russian  and 
Japanese  Governments.  The  basis  on  which  that  exchange 
is  to  be  regulated,  is  now  under  discussion.  Lord  Lans- 
downe has  promised  to  institute  further  inquiries,  and  states 
that  every  endeavour  will  be  made  to  hasten  the  completion 
of  an  agreement  between  the  Russian  and  Japanese 
Governments,  under  which  British  prisoners  of  war  would 
be  released,  at  an  early  date. 

$  & 

THE  Merchant  Service  Guild  have  lately  been  interesting 
themselves,  in  a  case  involving  an  important  point  of 
principle  effecting  captains  of  merchant  ships,  in  recover- 
ing moneys  due  them  from  their  owners.  A  member  of  the 
Guild,  was  requested  by  a  partner  of  the  firm  for  which  he 
sailed,  to  relinquish  the  command  of  his  vessel  then  laying 
at  Los  Angeles.  Though  so  far  removed  from  home,  the 
owner  refused  to  settle  the  Captain's  bill,  declining, 
also,  to  pay  him  anything  on  account.  He  was.  therefore, 
forced  to  borrow  money  for  the  purpose  of  returning  to 
England.  On  his  return,  he  applied  to  the  owners  for  his 
wages  due,  but  this  was  refused  until  they  could  com- 
municate with  the  new  captain  of  the  vessel,  which  was 
then  on  a  voyage  to  Sydney.  Thereupon  the  Captain  issued 
a  writ  on  his  owners,  who  made  an  interlocutory  application 
before  Mr.  Justice  Bargrave  Deane,  that  the  case  should  be 
remitted  to  an  Arbitration  of  Merchants.  Mr.  Justice 
Bargrave  Deane  refused  their  application,  ordered  it  to  be 
treated  as  the  trial  of  the  action,  and  gave  judgment  for 
the  Captain  for  the  full  amount  claimed,  with  costs.  The 
owners  again  applied  to  the  Judge  to  review  his  decision, 
which  he  refused  to  do,  and  dismissed  their  second 
application. 

gj?  %« 

EU      £3 

The  Merchant  Shipping  Act  provides,  that  a  seaman 
in  a  similar  position,  must  be  paid  wages  up  to  the  date 
of  final  settlement,  but  a  master  has  been  held  to  be 
not  a  seaman,  within  the  meaning  of  the  Act.  Therefore, 
the  Guild  solicitors,  in  justice  to  the  shipmaster,  decided  to 
include  in  the  Bill  of  Costs,  a  daily  subsistence  allowance. 
up  to  tne  time  of  settlement,  to  enable  the  Captain  to  appear 
as  a  witness  on  his  own  behalf.  In  case  this  was  not 
granted,  the  Guild  determined,  for  the  benefit  of  the  pro- 
fession they  represent,  to  carry  the  case  to  the  High 
Court.  The  owners  objected  to  payment  of  the  item 
mentioned,  but.  after  an  adjourned  hearing,  the  Registrar 
of  the  Admiralty  Court,  in  Liverpool,  considered  it  a 
reasonable  charge,  and  the  sum.  amounting  to  thirty-three 
pounds,  was  allowed.  The  owners  have  now  paid  this 
amount,  plus  full  wages  and  costs.  In  future,  perhaps,  the 
steamer  shareholder's  money  may  be  saved,  from  his  sort 
of  magnificent  expenditure? 

s?e  %« 

«>!     IS 

THE  re-introduction  of  the  Government's  Aliens  Bill,  has 
given  rise  to  considerable  activity  on  the  part  of  the 
Meroahtile  Marine  Service  Association,  (in  the  interest  of 
shipmasters),  as  its  provisions  impose  upon  those  masters, 
the  whole  of  the  responsibilities  and  penalties,  for  the 
introduction  of  undesirable  aliens  into  the  country.  It  need 
hardly  be  pointed  out,  to  anyone  acquainted  with  shipping 
business,  that  the  Master  has.  in  reality,  little  or  nothing  to 
do  with  the  engagement,  or  selection,  of  passengers  at  any 
port ;  this  being  usually  done  by  the  owners,  or  their 
agents.  The  Council  of  M.M.S.A.,  agrees  that  the  object 
of  the  Bill  is  very  commendable,  and  while  they  do  not 
desire  that  the  shipmaster  be  relieved  of  any  just  and 
proper  responsibility,  they  strongly  object  to  his  being 
singled  out,  and  penalised,  for  offences  over  which  he  has 
no  control  :  and  which,  in  many  instances,  can  hardly  be 
said  to  be  brought  about,  by  any  act,  or  default,  of  his  own. 


May  26,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


SHIPBUILDING. 


New  orders  for  merchant  tonnage  of  the  ordinary  tramps 
are  still  scarce,  but  several  contracts  for  steamers  of 
special  type  have  recently  been  booked.  The  Fairfield 
Shipbuilding  and  Engineering  Company.  Govan.  have  re- 
ceived an  order  from  Messrs.  G.  &  J.  Burns,  Ltd..  Glasgow, 
to  build  a  21  knot  steamer.  She  will  be  fitted  with  turbine 
machinery,  which  will  be  supplied  by  the  Fairfield  Company. 
The  steamer  will  run  in  the  Ardrossan  to  Belfast  trade  and 
will  be.  the  largest  vessel  running  between  the  Clyde  and 
Ireland. 

Messrs.  Barclay.  Curie  &  Co..  Whiteinch.  are  to  build 
two  large  steamers  for  the  British  India  Company. 

The  Ardrossan  Shipbuilding  Company  have  received  an 
order  from  Messrs.  Henry  Lament  &  Co.,  Glasgow,  for  a 
cargo  and  passenger  steamer  for  their  Glasgow  and 
Liverpool  trade. 

Messrs.  Fleming  &  Ferguson.  Paisley,  are  to  build  a 
dredger  for  the  River  Gambia,  to  the  order  of  the 
Government,  and  Messrs.  Ferguson  Brothers.  Port  Glasgow- 
a  big  dredger  for  the  Clyde  Trust. 

Messrs.  Murdoch  &  Murray,  Port  Glasgow,  who  seem  to 
have  a  monopoly  in  building  steamers  for  the  Amazon,  and 
who  already  have  orders  for  six  cargo  and  passenger  boats 
for  this  trade,  have  received  orders  for  five  more. 

Messrs.  Swan.  Hunter  &  Wigham  Richardson.  Limited, 
Wallsend.  have  been  commissioned  to  build  a  big  pontoon 
dock  for  Messrs.  Elder.  Dempster  &  Co.,  Ltd.  This 
pontoon  dock  is  to  be  stationed  at  Forcados.  on  the  West 
African  coast,  where  Messrs.  Elder,  Dempster  &  Co.  have 
just  established  the  Forcados  Engineering  Company,  and 
will  be  utilised  in  connection  with  this  enterprise.  This 
important  order  will  provide  work  at  Wallsend  for  many 
months  to  come,  and  it  is  rumoured  that  the  same  firm 
have  received  an  order  for  a  large  passenger  steamer,  from 
an  Italian  Company,  for  the  passenger  traffic  between  Italy 
and  America. 

The  Hansa  Line.  Bremen,  have  ordered  six  new  steamers 
of  about  6.000  tons  each,  two  from  the  Flensburg  Ship- 
building Co..  two  from  the  Vulcan  Company,  Bremen,  and 
two  from  Messrs.  Swan.  Hunter  &  Wigham  Richardson. 
Ltd..  Wallsend-on-Tyne. 

The  Royal  Mail  Steam  Packet  Co..  Ltd..  have  ordered 
two  10.OOO  tons  deadweight  steamers,  to  be  built  by 
Messrs.  Harland  &  Wolff.  Belfast. 

Messrs.  Robert  Thompson  &.  Sons.  Sunderland.  have 
launched  a  steel  screw  cargo  steamer  for  the  Orders  and 
Handford  Steamship  Company.  Ltd..  of  Newport.  Her 
dimensions  are:  315ft.  x  45ft.  x  23ft.  lin.  mpulded, 
estimated  deadweight  4.400  tons  on  1 9ft.  9in.  draft.  She 
is  built  on  the  deep  frame  principle,  with  one  deck,  and 
the  holds  are  clear  of  all  obstruction.  The  machinery  will 
be  supplied  by  Messrs.  George  Clarke.  Ltd..  of  Sunderland. 
with  engines  23in..  38in..  6 lin.  x  39in.  stroke,  and  two 
large  single  ended  boilers,  of  ISOlbs.  pressure.  The  ship 
and  machinery  have  been  superintended  by  Mr.  J.  Boddy, 
of  Newport,  and  has  been  named  Re/ugio. 

•»•  -f  -f 

The  Admiralty  has  decided  to  add  several  torpedo  de- 
stroyers to  the  Navy.  These  vessels  are  to  be  of  larger 
displacement  than  the  existing  destroyers,  and  we  under- 
stand that  orders  have  been  given  out  for  one  vessel  to 
each  of  the  following  firms,  viz :  The  Palmers  Company, 
Messrs.  R.  &  W.  Hawthorn,  Leslie  &  Co..  Messrs.  Cam- 
mell.  Laird  &  Co..  Messrs.  Yarrow  &  Co.  and  Messrs. 
Thornycroft  &  Co..  and  that  further  orders  will  follow 
according  to  the  success1  of  these  firms  in  turning  out  the 
first  craft. 


The  British  Admiralty,  being  satisfied  with  the  results 
obtained  from  the  third  cruiser  Amethyst,  have  decided  to 
fit  turbine  engines  to  the  latest  battleship  and  have  invited 
tenders  for  the  construction  of  same  from  the  leading 
engineering  firms,  on  the  Admiralty  list,  under  agreement 
with  the  Parsons  Marine  Steam  Turbine  Company.  The 
engines  are  to  develop  23,000  i.h.p.  To  make  its  triumph 
complete,  the  steam  turbine  has  only  to  be  applied  to  the 
ordinary  "  tramp  "  steamer,  and  the  day  would  seem  to  be 
not  far  distant  when  the  turbine  will  be  so  applied. 

+  +  -f 

The  steel  screw  steamer  A.  J.  Hocken,  owned  by  Messrs. 
R.  Hocken  &  Co..  London,  is  reported  sold,  at  about 
£18.500.  She  was  built  by  the  Grangemouth  and  Green- 
wich Dockyard  Company.  Grangemouth,  in  1901.  1,788 
tons  gross.  Dimensions  270ft.  x  40ft.  Gin.  x  20ft.  6in. 
moulded:  carries  about  3.100  tons  deadweight  on  17ft. 
3in.  draft.:  with  engines  20in.,  32}-2in.,  53in.  x  36in. 
stroke,  by  Messrs.  S.  &  H.  Morton  &  Co.,  Leith. 

+  +  + 

T.he  steel  screw  steamer  Mazagan,  lately  owned  by 
Messrs.  Forwood  Brothers,  of  London  and  Liverpool,  is 
reported  sold  to  foreign  buyers  at  about  £22.000.  She 
was  built  by  the  Grangemouth  and  Greenock  Dockyard 
Company,  Grangemouth,  in  1902.  Dimensions  270ft.  x 
37ft.  x  20ft.  Gin. :  1,677  tons  gross  :  with  engines  21in.. 
35in.,  57in.  x  39in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  Cooper  &  Greig. 

Dundee. 

+  +  + 

The  steel  screw  steamer  Oscar  //.  lately  owned  by 
Mr.  J.  Christensen.  of  Bergen,  has  been  sold  to  Japanese 
buyers,  at  about  £16.500.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  W. 
Gray  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  West  Hartlepool,  in  1893.  Dimensions 
316ft.  7in.  x  41ft.  x  24ft:  3,060nons  gross;  with  engines 
23in.,  Sejiin.,  62in.  x  39in.  stroke,  by  the  Central  Marine 

Engine    Works. 

+  +  + 

The  iron  screw  steamer  Primate,  lately  owned  by  Messrs. 
E.  Harris  &  Co.,  Middlesbrough,  has  been  sold  to  Messrs. 
Roed  McNair  &  Co.,  Glasgow,  at  about  £4,500.  She  was 
built  by  Raylton,  Dixon  &  Co.,  Middlesbrough,  in  1883. 
Dimensions  260ft.  2in.  x  35ft.  7in.  x  19ft.  8in.:  1,712 
tons  gross :  with  engines  33in..  6 lin.  x  33in.  stroke,  by 
Messrs.  T.  Richardson  &  Sons. 

•f  +  + 

The  iron  screw  steamer  Seine,  lately  owned  by  the 
Telegraph  Construction  &  Maintenance  Co.,  Ltd.,  London, 
has  been  sold  to  British  buyers  for  breaking  up  purposes. 
She  was  built  by  the  Thames  Ship  Building  Co.,  London,  in 
1859.  3,553  tons  gross.  Dimensions  338ft.  x  44ft. 

x  33ft.  9in. 

+  +  + 

The  steel  screw  steamer  Duke  of  Norfolk,  owned  by 
Messrs.  J.  B.  Westray  &  Co.,  London,  is  reported  sold  at 
about  £17,000.  She  was  built  and  engined  by  Messrs. 
Hawthorn,  Leslie  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  in  1889.  Dimensions  350ft. 
x  47ft.  7in.  x  24ft.  2in.;  3,819  tons  gross;  with  engines 
27in.,  44in.,  7 lin.  x  48in.  stroke. 

+  +  + 

A  new  steel  screw  spar  deck  cargo  steamer,  building  on 
the  Tyne,  has  been  sold  to  British  buyers  for  £37,500, 
Dimensions  360ft.  x  48ft.  x  30ft.  9in.  moulded,  estimated 
deadweight  7.000  tons,  on  24>2ft.  draft :  with  engines 
25in.,  41in.,  69in.  x  48in.  stroke  ;  three  single  ended 
boilers  14ft.  x  10ft.  9in.,  working  pressure  ISOlbs. 

•f  -f  + 

Mr.  C.  M.  Boden,  of  Norrkoping,  Sweden,  is  the  purchaser 
of  the  steamer  Amity,  recently  reported  sold. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May  26,  1905 


FRIDAY.  MAY  26.    1905. 

A   NEW  FREIGHT  MARKET?    MANITOBA-ON-THE-SEA! 

(Third  Article). 


IN  closing  up  our  second  article  on  this  subject,  we 
remarked  that  Premier  Roblin  had,  under  certain 
conditions,  pledged  his  word   to  send    out   an 
expedition,  the  business  of  which  would  be  to 
find   out  all  that  was   possible,  in    connection    with    the 
Hudson's  Bay —especially  in  the  matter  of  securing  reliable 
data  for  the  preparation  of  charts  of  the  locality.    That  the 
latter  portion  of  the  undertaking  will  be  no  sinecure,  may  be 
readily  assimilated,  when  it  is  remembered  that  the  Hudson 
Straits  are  some  five  hundred  miles  in  length,  and   have  a 
width   varying  from  forty-five   miles,  to   one  hundred  and 
fifty  miles — roundly  considered.     Indeed,  we  may  take  as 
an  average  width  right  through,  the  hundred  miles  limit— 
truly  a  formidable  piece  of  surveying,  and  one  that  may  not 
be  successfully  carried  out  in  a  few  days.     Still,  sufficient 
data  for  an  early  start   is  possible,  and,  like  all  other  new 
regions,  the  further  development  of  the  district,  might  be 
safely  allowed  to  wait  on  opportunity,  and    necessity.   That 
is,  there  is  absolutely  no  need  to  wait  fora  Manitoba-on-the 
-Sea.  until    every    square   mile  of  Hudson's  Bay  has  been 
mapped  out.     Sufficient  for  the  day  is  the  evil  thereof — and 
the  navigation,  thereaway,  will  be  evil  enough,  you'll  find  ; 
but  as  long  as  one  safe  channel   is  provided,  further  ex- 
pansion   will    follow,   as   a    matter    of    course.     A    brief 
examination    of    the   geographical    situation    in   this  com- 
paratively new  region  will  be  of  interest,  and   commencing 
with  the  narrowest  parts  of  the  Straits,  we  find  that  these 
are  between  Gape  Best,  on   Resolution  Island,  and   Button 
Island,  at  the  eastern  entrance  and  opposite  to  North  Bluff, 
near  Savage  Islands.     It  will  be  observed,   that  the  early 
navigators  had  a  fairly  keen  appreciation  of  the  difficulties 
which  surrounded  their  path  as  nautical  pioneers,  for  it  took 
some   "resolution"   on   their  part, -45  take  their  very  in- 
different ships  past   "  savage  "  islands,  and  into  unknown 
regions  ?     However,  having  got  inside  of  the  first  range  of 
difficulties,  we  find  that  there  is  a  fairly   wide   (ten   miles) 
and   moderately   clear  passage   in  the  Gabriel  Strait,   and 
altogether,  we  have  a  choice  of   three  different  entrances 
into  the  Straits.     These  are,  the  ten-mile   stretch  between 
Resolution   Island  and   the   north  shore  of  the  mainland 
already   referred   to ;  another  route  between    Cape   Best 
(southern   point   of  Resolution  Jsland)    and   the    Button 
Islands^'with  a  channel  some  forty-five  miles  across  ;  and 
lastly,  between  the  several  islands  laying  off  the  coast   of 
Labrador;   and  of  which,  four  have  been  marked  as  possible 
— on  the  chart  prepared  by  Captain  Becher,  R.N.     as  having 
a  ten-miles  width.      Steamers    bound   for    Ungava    Bay, 
usually  pass  between  the  Button  Islands  and  the  mainland 
of  Labrador,  and  this  portion  of  the   Straits   once   passed, 
the  following  navigation  is  comparatively  easy,  and  as  safe 
as  most  routes  running  through  what  Jack  is   irreverently 
inclined  to  dub.   "a   God-forsaken  district."     But   it  must 
not  be  forgotten  that,  at  one  time  in   their  existences,  the 
most  beautifully  lighted  and  buoyed  places  on  earth    were,- 
according  to  the  Jacks  of  that  period,  just  as   "  God-for- 
saken."     With  the    march    of   progress,   the    imputation 
has  been   removed.  So,   in  like   manner,   will  the  stigma 
which,  at  present,  hangs  around  the  untried  Hudson's  Bay 
route,  be  removed — once  the  skill  of  man  has  been  brought 
to  bear,  because   it  was  worth  his  while.     In  the  past,  this 
region  has  been   left  severely  alone,  solely  for  the  reason 
that  it  was  worth  no  man's  while  to  exploit  it.     True,  the 


Hudson's  Bay  Company  have  made  a  good  thing  out  of  it, 
for  quite   a  while :    but  outside  of  their  efforts,   nobody 
seemed  to  care  a  toss,  whether  there  was  a  northern  road 
to  the  Great  North-West.  or  otherwise.     All  this  is  by  way 
of  alteration.     The    Provinces  have  become  peopled  ;  will 
become  more  peopled  ;  and  where  there  is  a  population  to 
be  attended  to,  earth  cannot  keep  progress  down.     This  is 
being  evidenced,  daily.      That  no  difference  will  be  evident 
in  the  case  of  this  Manitoba-on-the-Sea  idea,  may  be  taken 
for  granted.     We  do  not  pretend  that  the  scheme  is  going 
to  "  drop  out  of  the  clouds,"  so  to  speak  ;  or  that  a  fleet  of 
steamers  will  be  put  upon  the  route,  before  you   can  say 
"  knife  :  "  but  that,  in  time,  the  whole  thing  will  be  worked 
out  as  it  was  written  in  the  beginning,   may  be  taken  for 
granted.     Of  course,  the   opponents  to  the  new  idea  are 
for  ever  to  the  'fore  with  their  pessimistic  forecasts  ;  tell  us 
that  nobody  seems  to   know   when  the  winter  ends,  or  the 
alleged   summer  begins,  in  that  benighted  region  :   and  to  a 
very  great   extent,  those  pessimists  are  right.     But  then, 
time  was  that  nobody  knew  much  about  the  seasons  in  the 
St.  Lawrence?     Moreover,    when   a   knowledge   of   those 
seasons  became  common,  so  did  the  oelief  that  outside  of 
one   half  the   year,  those  seasons  might  just  as  well   be 
unknown  quantities — for  all  the  good   they  were  to    the 
commercial  world  outside  of  Canada  ?      We  have  no  brief 
for  the  Hudson's  Bay  folk,  nor  against  the  St.  Lawrence 
apostles.     We    are   merely   laying  out   the  facts  as    they 
appeal  to  us  :  as  they  have  appeared  to  us,  after  encounter- 
ing the  pleasures  which  are  to  be  found  on  both  waterways. 
To  our  mind,  there  is  but  little  ,-,to  choose  between  either 
the  St.  Lawrence,  or  the   Hudson's   Bay   route,  as  far  as 
physical   comfort  is   concerned ;  and    we    would    as    soon 
undertake  a  voyage   to  Port  Churchill,  as  to  Montreal — if 
personal  comfort  were  all  we  were  seeking.     In  the  past. 
there  was  no  incentive  to  investigate  the  possibilities  of  the 
northern  route  ;  to-day,  there  is  ;  and  it  may  be  taken  for 
granted  that,  with  the  advent  of  that  same  incentive,  will 
come  the  hardy  souls  who  are  for  ever  willing  to  adventure. 
when   "there's   something  in   it."     With   reference  to  the 
uncertainty  that  exists,  as  to  the  period  during  which  the 
Hudson's   Bay  route   is   likely  to  be   open,   an  interesting 
statement  was  made  before  the  Select  Committee  which 
was  appointed  by  the  House  of  Commons  at  Ottawa,  so  far 
back  as.. April,  1883.     In  answer  to,  "  Have  you  the  dates 
of  the  opening  and  closing  of  navigation  of  Hudson's  Bay  ?  " 
Dr.  Bell,  of  the  Geological  Survey  of  Canada,  and  who  had 
spent     six     seasons     around     the     Bay,     replied :      "  In 
regard  to  the  Bay,  itself,  there  is  no  date  for  the  opening 
or     closing    of     navigation,     because    the    Bay    is    open 
all     the    year     'round,    like  the  ocean   in    corresponding 
latitudes.       It     is     strictly     correct     to     say     that     the 
Bay  is   open  during  the  winter,  because  although  in  the 
shallow  water  at  the  head  of  James'  Bay,  a  narrow  margin 
of  ice  forms,  it  does  not  extend  outwards,  and  is  due  to  the 
land-locked  nature  of  the  Bay,  and  the  narrowness  and 
freshness  of  the  water.     Farther" Worth,  there  is  a  margin 
of  ice  along  the  shallow  water  ;  but  it  never  extends  so  far, 
but  a  man  on  the  beach  can  see  the  fog  on  the  open  water, 
on  a  clear  morning.     On  parts  of  the  eastern  coast.  I  am 
told,  the  sea  washes  against  the  rocks,  all  the  winter,  just 
the  same  as  on  the  coastof  NovaScotia  orof  Newfoundland." 
Here,  then,  we  have  the  suggestion  put  forward  by  a  man 
who  had  spent  six  seasons  in  collecting  his   facts,  that  the 
only  difficulty  lays  in  negotiating  the  Strait,  itself ;    that 
once  having  passed  that  apparent  obstacle,  everything  would 
be  comparatively  smooth  sailing  ?     And  this  same  Dr.  Bell 
further  stated,  that  the  ice  formed  along  the  shores,   was 
only  sufficient  to  prevent  the    entrance    of    vessels    into 
harbour— just  as  in  the  case  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  but  with 
this  possible  difference  :      Whereas  in  the  St.    Lawrence 
but  little  hope  exists  for  keeping  such  a  tide-way  open  in 
winter,  on  account  of  the  racing  currents  which  add  to  the 
difficulties  already  existent  through  the  Ice  King's  presence; 
in  the  rival  route,  the  tidal  difficulty  is  not  so  acute,  nor  is 


Mav    ^6,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


the   ice   trouble   altogether  insurmountable,  viewed  in  the 
light  of  modern  science.     Then,  again,  in  connection  with 
the  rivers  which  fall  into  Hudson's  Bay.  these  are  open  to 
navigation,  on  an  average,  for  six  months  in  the  year,  as  is 
evidenced  by  the  records  officially   kept,  for  over  half-a- 
century,  by    officers  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  and 
which   records  were  presented   to  the  Canadian  Govern- 
ment.      Answering  further  questions.  Dr.    Bell  informed 
the  Select  Parliamentary   Committee  referred  to,  that  the 
temperature    of     Lake    Superior,    below    the    immediate 
surface,  was  39  degrees  Fahr.  :    while  along  the   eastern 
shores  of  Hudson's  Bay,  it  averaged  53  degrees,  during  the 
summer    months,    according     to     observations    made    by 
himself,  in  1887.     R  was  then  so  warm  in  the  summer,  as 
to  be  more  comfortable  to  bathe  in  the  waters  of  the  Bay, 
than   in   those   of  the  Gulf  of  St.    Lawrence  !      Dr.   Bell 
assigned,  as  reasons  for  this  higher  temperature :  a  land- 
locked Bay  and  summer  weather :    no  ocean  currents  to 
drain  off  the  water  :  and  hence  a  retention   of  heat  for  a 
longer  period.      A  contributory  cause  for  this  mildness,  too, 
lays  in  the  tranquility  of  the  summer  months,  during  which 
the  sun  shines  longer,  and  relatively  stronger,  than  in  more 
southern   latitudes.     Furthermore,    the   harbours  are   not 
closed  by  ice.  until  the  middle  of  November,  and  sometimes. 
not  untif  after  Christmas.     Indeed,  there  would  appear  to 
be  no  difficulty,  and  under  natural  conditions,  for  a  vessel 
to  leave  the  Bay  up  to  the  latter  end  of  October,  or  middle 
of  November,  which  compares  very  favourably  with  some 
other  large  grain-exporting  centres — notably  those  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  Azov  ?     As  a  matter  of  fact,  most  of  the 
difficulties  which  have  been  allowed  to  gravitate  around  the 
Hudson's  Bay  route,  are   already   in  existence  in   greater 
or  lesser  degree,  in  parts  of  the  world  which  have  become 
known  to  mankind  as  perfectly  safe,  and  normal  trading 
centres.    Such  are  the  uses  of  familiarity,  and  its  known 
leanings  toward  contempt !    Taganrog,  which  is  closed  for 
a  portion  of  the  year,  excites  no  wonder :  the  Baltic,  under 
the  same  conditions,  is  in  exactly  the  same  category :  even 
in  the  case  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  which  is  a  thousand-fold 
worse  than  either  Taranrog  or  the  Baltic,  from  a  navigating 
point  of  view,  we  are  becoming  case-hardened  :  yet.  if  the 
Hudson's  Bay   route  is  seriously  discussed,   some  of  the 
would-be  wise-acres  are  prone  to  emphatically  negative  all 
chances  of  success,  with  the  expression.  "  But  the  place  is 
frozen  up  for  half  the  year !  "     In  effect,  the  statement  is 
true  enough.     But  then,  the  shore  ice.  if  left  in  a  state  of 
nature  :  unmolested  ;  unbroken  :  untouched  :  will  interfere 
with  navigation  for  no  longer  period  than  a  similar  inter- 
ference exists   in  the  matter  of  other  half-year-resorts-of- 
trade.  such  as  the  St.  Lawrence  ?    Opponents  of  progress 
nat  doesn't  coruscate  around  their  own  particular  front- 
door—have made  much  ado  about  the  floating  ice  in  James' 
Bay.  in  the  spring  of  the  year. 

fTe  bt  contmotdj 
it ****** 

THE    DAWN    OF    REASON  ? 

IENERALLY  speaking,  when  a  number  of  fellow 
citizens  have  been  wandering  along  in  a  state 
of  semi  mental-obscurity,  so  to  speak,  the 
remainder  of  the  community  who  have  not 
been  similarly  circumstanced,  are  unfeignedly 
glad  to  note  the  approach  to  the  light,  of  the  erstwhile 
benighted  ones?  At  least,  so  it  appears  to  us.  and  we 
have  given  some  attention  to  the  subject.  Anyhow,  we 
are  glad  to  note  that  "  Mabon  "  and  his  co-directors  of  that 
Federation  affair,  are  beginning  to  assimilate  the  truth 
which  you  and  us  have  digested,  for  quite  a  while.  The 
truth  that  the  miners'  minimum  wage  is  in  danger.  As  a 
matter  of  truth,  it  has  been  in  danger  from  the  moment  that 
the  sliding  scale  was  laid  away,  for  a  season :  and  the  simple 
fact  that  the  miners  couldn't  realise  the  situation,  had 
nothing  to  do  with  the  eventual  fate  of  what  was,  after  all, 
purely  an  imaginary  trade  factor.  A  minimum  wage  rate 


for  any  particular  trade,  is  about  as  elusive  as  is  the  notion 
that,  ultimately,  the  human  race  will  agree  to  share  out  all 
its    shekels,  for  the  common    good.     Theoretically,  this 
minimum  idea  is  splendid,  and  a  calm  consideration  of  the 
conditions  which    coruscate  around  it.  are  calculated   to 
make   one  think  of  the    particular  shade  of    colour,   that 
shall  appear  in  the  chiffony  scarf  which  we  are  going  to 
wear,    after  the  angel's  wings   have  sprouted  from  some- 
where (not  specified  to-date)  under  our  shoulder  blades. 
As  a  war-cry,  with  which  to  work  up  the  paying  enthusiasm 
of  a  number  of  unthinking  workmen,  the  words  "  minimum 
wage  "  possess  potentialities.     Mainly  for  the    reason  that 
nobody  quite  understands  what  is  meant  by  the  term  ;  and 
what  is  non-understandable,  is  always  calculated  to  catch 
the  passing  fancy  of  the  mob.     The  men  grew  tired  of  the 
sliding-scale,  not  because  they  didn't  believe  in  its  virtues  ; 
but  simply  for  the  reason  that  familiarity,  with  its  blessings, 
had  bred  contempt  therefor.     If  the  coalowners  had  seen 
fit  to  re-name  the  sliding-scale  :  had  wrapped  a  new  air  of 
mystery  around  it,  and  its  workings  :  then  friend  Dai  would 
have  seen  the  new  apostle  hanged,  before  he  would  have 
left  off  following  the  apparently  new  scheme.     This  is  just 
what  a  majority  of  the  coalowners  didn't  agree  to — mainly 
for  the  reason  that  they,  too,  had  become  so  used  to  the 
resulting    blessings,    that    they    meandered     along    in    a 
condition  where  familiarity   had    bred   contempt.      Seeing 
that  the  sliding-scale  was  a    human  arrangement,  there 
might  have  been  a  few  ills  attached  ;  but  if   so,   those  ills 
were  known,  understood,  and  easily  guarded  against  ;    yet, 
after  the  manner  of  their  kind,  those  coalowners  were  keen 
to  rush  off  after  ills  unknown,  rather  than  to  grapple  with 
the  alleged  one  or  two,  which  were  said  to  exist.     Up  to 
the  present,  both  masters  and  men  have  had  about  enough 
of  this  commercial  will-o'-the-wisp  known  as  a  minimum 
wage,  and  both  of  them  are  showing  signs  that  the  dawn  of 
reason  is  at  hand  ;  are  remembering  that   it  would    have 
been  well  to  be  off  with  the  old  love,  before  they  were  on 
with  the  new.     This   is  just  what  they  didn't  attend   to. 
They  transmogrified  sliding-scale  •:  styled  her  Conciliation 
Board  :      put    a     bonnet     on     her    in     the     matter     of 
unlimited  cackle-committees  ;  tacked  on  a  pretty  fringe  a  /a 
minimum  wage :  and  as  a    natural  consequence  -  seeing 
that  the  fringe  didn't  fit    the  new  frock  — the  poor  young 
thing  has  been   trippipg  up   in   it,  ever  since.      Her  last 
stumble,  about  put  the  finishing  touch  on   the  matter,  and 
even  "  Mabon  "  realises  that  the  fate  of  his  old-styled-new- 
love  is  about  sealed.     To  the  community,  generally,  it  is  a 
matter  for   congratulation,  for  after   all,    it    is    of    more 
importance  to  the   inhabitants   of  South   Wales  that  the 
coal  trade  continues,   even   as  of  old  :   than   that  for  the 
mere  purpose  of  drumming  up  enough  cash  for  the  payment 
of  amateur  legislators,  the  coal  trade  be  allowed  to  occupy 
second  place  in  the  m,in,ds   of  the  crowd.     Parliamentary 
honours  are  all  very  well — for  those  who  have  bean  trained 
.,  to  attend  to  such  matters;  but  we  have  a  very  open  mind  as  to 
whether  an  Empire  the  size  of  Britain  is  going  to  be  bene- 
fited, simply  by  running  it  on  the  lines  that  are  usually 
adopted  by  the  "  cheap-Jack  "  of  commerce.    In  the  halcyon 
days  of  our  youth,  we  had  a  nodding  acquaintance  with  a 
"cheap Jack";    noted    his     merry    manner  of  massing  a 
mob :  remarked  that,  on  the  nights  when  he  had  appeared  most 
prodigal,  in  giving  electro-plated  cruet-stands  to  the  lucky 
fellows,  who  mouthed  out  the  three-penny   piece  from   a 
basin  of  flour  (into  which  a  dozen  or  so  of  other  mouths  had 
dipped):  well,  that  was  the  night  on  which  his  sales  were 
most  profitable  !     He  tickled  the  crowd,  and  they  laughed. 
In  the  end,  however,  "cheap  Jack"   had   to   move  on  ;  he 
couldn't  go  on  tickling  them,  with  the  same  old  jape,  for 
ever.     So  with  Conciliation    Board  ;  it   has  tickled   for  a 
season  ;  but  for  the  reason  that   it  has   no   real   merit— it 
has  to  move   on  ;   and  dear   old   "  Mabon  "  sees  it,  even 
though  he  brings  out  yet  another  (if  metaphorical)  basin  of 
flour,  and  a  crooked  three-penny-piece  ?    We  have  spoken! 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May  26,   1905 


CARDIFF     (AND    OTHER)     COAL. 


CARDIFF.  May  24,  1905. 

YET  again  it  is  our  melancholy  duty  to  inform  you,  that 
for  the  period  under  review,  the  Coal  Market  has  ex- 
perienced no  improvement ;  that  the  lifelessness  which  has 
characterised  the  staple  trade  of  late,  has  continued  :  and 
that  taken  all  'round,  there  isn't  much  to  chose,  in  either 
one  direction  or  the  other.  As  our  own  particular  young 
man  remarks.  "This  is  not  surprising,  seeing  that  there  has 
been  an  absence  of  anything  doing,"  and  we  are  somewhat 
of  opinion  that  he  is  right.  When  there  is  an  absence  of 
anything  doing,  lifelessness  about  expresses  the  situation  ? 
The  worst  of  it  is.  that  outside  the  meagre  possibility  of 
that  Russian  deal  eventuating,  indications  do  not  point  to 
anything  of  a  startling  character,  in  the  near  future.  Mere 
newspaper  folk,  of  course,  might  be  induced  to  ask  what 
the  Russian  can  possibly  want  with  coal. 

MIGHT  go  on  to  remark  that  in  a  few  short  days,  or 
weeks,  he  won't  have  any  furnaces  afloat,  in  which  to  burn 
that  coal.  But  the  coal  selling  gentleman  doesn't  concern 
himself  with  points  of  this  description.  He  reads  that 
there  is  a  rumour  of  a  big  run  on  the  staple  commodity  ;  he 
has  no  time  to  trace  the  wily  rumour  to  its  lair ;  so  instead, 
he  adjourns  to  the  inner  office,  where  he  but  never  mind  ; 
his  conduct  in  the  inner  office  is  no  concern  of  anybody's 
—save  himself  ;  and  although  we  have  seen  some  of  the 
quifflets  emanating  from  that  inner  sanctum  :  that  holy  of 
holies,  so  to  speak,  and  without  irreverence  ;  well,  we  are 
dealing  with  coal  in  the  wagon,  and  not  on  the  books  of 
the  company.  You  might  think  that  there  is  mighty  little 
difference  in  the  twain  but  there  is. 

BUT,  really,  the  demand  for  all  varieties  has  been  as 
limited  as  ever  -  if  anything,  more  than  ever,  lately;  and 
while,  undoubtedly,  a  colliery,  here  and  there,  are  blessed 
with  the  enjoyment  of  regular  work  ;  the  vast  majority  are 
beginning  to  look  blue  from  a  continued  lack  of  apprecia- 
tion of  their  wares.  This,  again,  means  that  stocks  have 
been  mounting  up,  and  when  this  happens,  you  know  what 
to  expect.  With  mounting  stocks,_comes  scarcity  of 
wagons  ;  when  wagons  are  scarce,  stoppages  are  frequent  ,' 
and  taking  it  all  'round,  that  five  per  cent,  reduction  was 
badly  needed.  Another  reduction  will  have  to  come,  in  yet 
a  little  while  :  and  that  is  mainly  what  is  troubling  the 
leaders  of  that  portion  of  collierydom  which  belongs  to  the 
Miners'  Federation.  There's  trouble  ahead,  sirs.  Grave 
trouble. 

A  CASUAL  glance  at  the  figures  which  we  give  you  on  the 
opposite  page,  will  convince  you  that  quotations  are  still  the 
same,  as  at  our  last  time  of  writing ;  but,  as  we  have 
assured  you  in  the  past,  when  trade  is  even  as  it  was  then, 
and  is  now.  quotations,  at  the  best;  are  but  a  visible  and 
outward  token  that  men  are  prepared  to  treat  for  business. 
The  figures,  themselves,  must  be  taken  as  no  guarantee  of 
value  :  on  the  contrary,  rather,  for  they  do  but  imply  that 
figures  can  be  made  to  prove  anything.  At  present,  the 
only  means  of  learning  actual  \talues,  is  for  the  buyer  to 
approach  his  good  friend  the  seller,  with  positive  business 
in  hand.  Then  will  come  the  tug  of  war!  Seller  will 
pretend  that  he  doesn't  really  wish  to  sell-  at  any  price; 
and  buyer  will  work  the  same  idea,  on  his  own  account. 

MIND  you,  neither  of  the  worthy  traders  are  deceived  by 
these  tactics.  On  the  contrary,  for  they  would  be 
disappointed  if  this  phase  of  honourable  tradition  were 
neglected.  Just  let  buyer  offer  something  which,  at 
present,  would  be  considered  tempting,  and  if  seller  didn't 
get  on  to  him  like  a  bromlie-kite  is  popularly  supposed  to 
fasten  on  to  a  defunct  negro— well,  we  should  smile  !  What 
is  the  something  tempting?  A  few  thousand  tons,  wanted 
at  once,  and  a  ship  in  dock  awaiting  the  stuff,  with  the 
tip-shoot  over  her  hatch,  on  a  hair-trigger,  so  to  speak. 
Anything  of  that  nature,  will  bring  prices  appreciably  below 


quotations.  You  try  it,  and  then  stroll  around  here,  and 
let  us  know  if  we  aren't  true  diagnosers  of  the  coal  disease. 
Even  if  you  don't  stroll  around,  we  are  good  somethings,  all 
the  same. 

SHIPMENTS  for  the  past  week  show  a  decrease.  A  fact 
which  is  scarcely  worthy  of  comment  ?  Chartering,  too.  is 
quiet,  and  with  tonnage  supplies  by  no  means  up  to  local 
standard,  the  market,  as  we  have  already  assured  you.  is 
altogether  up  against  the  poor  unfortunate — and  sometimes 
would-be  seller.  If  he.  poor  soul,  wisries  to  keep  his  bank 
balance  anything  near  satisfactory,  he  has  to  adopt  the 
role  beneficent.  Even  so,  the  actual  transactions  have 
been  few,  and  these  again,  merely  for  immediate  require- 
ments. All  this  notwithstanding,  forward  items  are  being 
quoted- -with  a  perseverance  deserving  a  better  fate  — on 
the  basis  of  current  figures  ;  but  although  this  is  the  case  ; 
in  spite  of  the  shouting-on-the-wall :  malgre  the  disturbances 
over  the  possible  demise  of  the  minimum  rate  ;  there  is 
mighty  little  booking  about. 

BEST  CARDIFF  ADMIRALTYS.  Here  we  find  that  the 
situation  is  identical  with  that  obtaining  at  our  last  'time  of 
sizing  up  the  local  juggle  ;  mainly  for  the  reason  that 
nothing  has  occurred  to  alter  the  prevailing  conditions ! 
While  the  quotation  in  some  quarters,  is  still  that  good  old 
13s.— and  expressed  in  afirm  tone,  and  without  the  wobble 
of  a  lip.  or  the  trembling  of  an  eyebrow — as  an  actual  offer 
for  business,  the  gentle  coalman  merely  breathes  it  in  an 
apologetic  tone  of  voice  ;  'fore  all  the  world  as  if  he  were 
ashamed  of  trying  to  impose  upon  your  good  nature.  In 
one  or  two  favoured  quarters,  there  is  a  semblance  of 
hauteur  in  the  demand,  and  mainly  because  the  colliery 
involved  is  disposing  of  its  output,  through  the  working  off 
of  engagements,  that  were  entered  into  when  the  world 
was  much  younger.  But  even  so,  the  hauteur  is  more 
assumed  than  real  ;  the  poor  fellow  realises  the  hollowness 
of  his  attempt  at  bluff:  knows  that  in  the  near  future 
those  old  engagements  will  be  worked  out,  and — breathe  it 
gently— there  are  no  bookings  to  take  their  place. 

GAINSAY  it  who  will,  the  position  of  BESTS  is  anything  but 
as  satisfactory  as  its  exponents  would  wish  to  pretend; 
and,  moreover,  there  is  an  uncomfortable  feeling  surround- 
ing the  stemming  arrangements,  here.  As  a  natural 
consequence,  this  does  not  admit  of  a  stickling  for  quota- 
tions, and  as  a  matter  of  fact,  12s.  9d.  is  quite  the  extreme 
value  in  this  grade,  with  commoner  qualities  proportionately 
lower  in  consequence.  Especially  is  this  the  case,  where 
the  buyer  has  the  necessity  where  it  ought  to  be— prompt, 
and  handy. 

SECONDS,  again,  are  no  firmer  than  at  our  last,  and  values 
remaii^.at  around  12s.  3d.— as  a  quotation.  A  little  higher, 
or  lower,  as  circumstances,  and  the  special  persuasiveness 
of  buyer,  or  seller,  warrants ;  and  of  course,  the  particular 
conditions  of  the  colliery  implicated  must  not  be  overlooked. 
There  are  exceptions  in  every  rule,  and  herein,  we  do  but 
write  of  the  general  conditions.  As  an  example,  there  are 
a  couple  of  the  better  stemmed  collieries  quoting  12s.  9d. 
—  and  you  cannot  get  a  chunk  ,of  their  output  for  less. 
These,  however,  are  fortune's  favourites,  and  they  do  not, 
by  any  means,  represent  the  true  state  of  the  poll  in 
Seconds-land.  Not  by  a  very  long  way  :  sixpence  to 
ninepence— aye,  or  even  a  shilling— as  a  matter  of  fact. 

ORDINARIES  are  a  weak  department,  and  very  little  has 
been  done  therein,  over  the  past  week.  The  absence  of 
enquiry  or  anything  else  worth  mentioning— has  made  the 
alleged  prices  wobbly.  Nominally,  they  are  at  between 
11s.  6d.  to  11s.  9d. ;  actually,  and  in  point  of  value,  3d. 
less,  on  each  quotation.  But  really,  there  is  very  little  use 
to  write  of  them,  as  they  have  been  ruling  of  late.  The 
quotation  is  the  merest  sham,  and  business  that  has  been 
done,  is  according  to  the  Wheel  of  Fortuue.  You  simply 


Mav   26,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


3° 


took  your  chance,  and  as  the  thing  worked  out,  so  it  was— 
for  both  seller  and  buyer. 

DRYS  continue  in  a  state  of  idleness.  There  is  no 
increase  in  the  enquiry  therefor,  and  stocks  are  already 
heavy,  and  rising  :  hence  prices  are  governed  more  by  the 
position  offered,  than  by  the  actual  value  of  the  stuff. 
BESTS  are  down  to  11s.  9d..  and  distinctly  easy  at  that  ; 
INFERIORS  are  "  soft."  at  from  lls.  3d.  to  11s.  6d. 

MONMOUTHSHIRE  COALS,  too,  are  about  on  a  par  with  the 
remainder  of  the  market,  and  values  show  a  decline  of  a  full 
threepence,  on  those  ruling  over  last  week.  For  BLACK 
VEINS,  sellers  are  pulling  in  nothing  above  lls.  3d., 
Newport :  and  these  figures  are  characterised  by  anything 
but  firmness.  The  position  of  the  collieries  hereaway,  too, 
are  the  reverse  of  good,  for  stems  are  easy,  and-  there  is  a 
general  ease-up  in  the  demand.  Prompt  orders  are  neces- 
sary to  the  seller,  and  if  the  buyer  has  anything  to  place  in 
this  fashion,  prices  are  all  in  his  favour. 

ORDINARIES  are  about  in  the  position  scheduled  last  week. 
Immediately,  they  are  weak,  but  in  spite  of  this  fact,  values 
have  undergone  no  alteration,  being  quoted  (place  your  own 


valuation  on  the  word)  at  1  Is.,  and  so  far,  it  has  taken  the 
buyer  all  his  time  to  improve  on  this.  In  some  instances, 
the  price  has  not  been  accepted,  for  occult  reasons. 

SECONDS  are  ruling  at  a  general  10s.  3d.,  which  is  about 
the  lowest  that  will  be  accepted  by  their  exploiters,  at  the 
moment.  Collieries,  here,  are  working  fairly  well,  and 
their  engagements  are  good  enough  to  enable  sellers  to 
adopt  a  certain  amount  of  side,  in  the  giving  of  quotations! 

RHONDDA  No.  3's  are  ruling  steadily  on  the  basis  of 
13s.  9d.,  at  which  transactions  have  resulted.  NUMBER  2's  on 
the  other  hand,  are  quite  as  weak  as  they  have  been  for 
some  time  past.  The  utmost  value  here,  at  the  moment, 
is  9s.  9d. .  and  even  at  that,  the  demand  is  disappointing, 
while  stocks  are  mounting  up  rapidly. 

SMALLS  have  shown  no  appreciable  alteration,  BESTS 
moving  off  at  8s.  3d.— quotably  ;  but  7s.  9d.  more  nearly 
approximates  to  their  actual  worth.  SECONDS  are  good  at 
7s.  to  7s.  3d.  :  with  ORDINARIES  at  about  6s.  9d. 

PATENT  FUELS  are  easy  at  about  12s.  6d. ;  while  PITWOOD, 
which  is  extremely  scarce,  is  doing  at  19s. 


APPROXIMATE     FIGCKKS     FOR 


mi      WKKK.     ARE     AS     FOLLOW  ; — 

(All  quotations  f.o.b.  at  the  respective  ports  of  shipment. , 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY- 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Best  Cardiff  Ad'alty  Large 
Second         Ditto. 
Other  Second  Cardiff      ... 
Drys 
Best  Newport 
Ordinary  Bests 
Seconds 
Best  House  Coal 
No.  3  Khondda 
Ditto. 
Uhondda  3  "Thro. 
••        2        •• 

i  <-.  od. 
6d. 
ii-.  gd. 
ii-.  •  d. 
us.  3d.,  us.  od. 
us.  ijd. 
ios.  6d. 
159.  od. 
13*.  gd  .  143.  od. 
99.  lojd. 
1  1     gd. 
9».ocL 

128.  lO.Jd. 
128.  31!.,   128.  6d. 

us.  gd. 
1  1  s.  gd. 

i  is.  4.S1. 

IIS.    t/.ii.' 
IOS.  fid. 

""  3i. 

133.  lojd. 
93.  lojil. 
I  is.  gd. 
99.  od. 

I2S.    lOjd. 
128.  31). 
1  IS.  Oil.,    12S.  Od. 

us.  6d.,  12s.  od. 
us.  4jd. 
us.  od.,  us.  3d. 
IOS.  4.'.d. 
153.  3d. 

gs.  gd. 

123.  0(1. 

8s.  gd. 

12s.  gd.,  135.  od. 
I2s.  3d.,  I2s.  gd. 
us.  6d.,  us.  gd. 
i  is.  6d.,  us.  gd. 
1  1  s.  3d. 
i  is.  od.,  i  is.  3d. 
ios.  3d. 
i  ss.  oJ.,  1  53.  6d. 
133.  gd. 
gs.  gd. 

12S.  Od. 

8s.  gd. 

I2s.  gd. 

123.  6d. 

us.  6d. 
us.  gd. 
1  1  s.  3d. 
1  1  s.  od. 
ios.  3d. 
153.  od.,  153.  3d. 
143.  od. 
gs.  gd.,"ios.  od. 
1  1  s.  gd. 
8s.  6d.,  gs.  od. 

I2s.  gd. 
I2S.  od.,  123.  gd. 
i  is.  gd. 
us.  6d.,  .us.  gd. 
us.  3d.,  us.  6d. 
us.  od. 
ios.  3d.,  ios.  6d. 
153.  od.,  153.  6d. 
133.  gd.,  143.  od. 
gs.  7  id.,  gs.  iokl. 
i  is.  gd. 
8s.  6d.,  gs.  od. 

Saul  I*: 
Best  Cardlif 
Seconds 
Ordinaries 
Itol  Newport 
>ds 
Uhondda  No.  2 
..       No.  3 

7-    VI  .  7".  6d 
-s.  od. 

79.0(1. 

6».  7jd. 

79.0(1. 

ios  od. 

gd. 
73.  6d. 
73.  od. 
od. 
os.  7Jd. 
73.  311. 
ios.  od. 

73.  gd.,  8s.  od. 
73.  6d. 
6s.  gd.,  73.  ixl. 
6s.  gd. 
6s.  gd. 
7».  3<1- 
os.  gd. 

;s.  iojd. 
78.  3d. 
6s.  lo.Ul. 
73.  od. 
6s.  gd. 
75.  od. 
gs.  gd. 

8s.  od. 
js.  3d. 
73.  od 
-  73.  od.,  7s.  3d. 
6s.  6d.,  6s.  gd. 
75.  3d. 
ios.  od. 

73.  gd.,  8s.  o  1. 
73.  od.,  73.  6d. 
73.  od. 
73.  od. 
6s.  7|d. 
73.  od.,  73.  6d. 
ios.  od. 

Foundry  Coke  : 
Special 
Ordinary 

igs.  6d.,  ice.  od. 
17*.  od..  i8s.  od. 

199.  9.1. 
I7s.6d. 

ios.  g.l. 

I7S.  6<1. 

2OS.  od. 

173.  gd. 

20S.  od. 

173^  gd. 

ios.  od.,  203.  od. 
173.  6d.,  r/s.  gd. 

1  urnace  Coke 
Patent  Fuel 

I'iiwond    cv  ship 

od 

gd. 

|S-.  Oil. 

i6s.  3d.                       i6s.  31!. 
I2s.  gd.                        i  ?-.  od. 

0  ;..  i8s.  Oil.                 IS-   <  <: 

i6s.  cxl.,  163.  6d. 
133.  od. 
ibs.  gd. 

163.  3d. 
12s.  6d.,  133.  od. 

iSs.  od.,  igs.  oil. 

i6s.  3d. 
123.  gd.,  133.  od. 
igs.  od. 

All.  less  2,4  per  cent,  discount,  with  payment  at  thirty  days,  except  where  otherwise  stated. 
All  quotations  for  large  Coals  imply  Colliery  Screened. 

SWANSEA.  May  24.  1905. 

THE  Market,  hereaway,  has  displayed  no  new  feature,  and  the 
condition  of  same,  has  not  varied  in  the  slightest  degree  to  that 
which  obtained  when  last  we  conversed  with  you.  Promptly,  the 
market  remains  in  a  state  of  quietude  :  and  with  no  increased 
demand,  which  for  all  descriptions  is  slack,  prices  have  ruled  weak. 

ANTHRACITE  LARGE  has  shown  but  little  movement,  and  values 
remain  unaltered.  Nevertheless,  prompt  accumulations  would 
influence  a  concession  of  3d.,  but  items  of  this  description  have  not 
been  plentiful.  Rather  very  much  the  reverse,  and  what  has 
transpired,  has  been  for  nothing  more  than  odd  lots  for  immediate 
requirements.  Neither  ia  there  likely  to  be  any  firmness  for  a 
little  while,  judging  by  present  indications. 

RED  AND  BIG  VEIN  qualities,  suffering  from  lack  of  prompt  stems, 
are  also  ruling  very  weak,  and  prices  have  declined.   Those  current. 
are  represented  by  Os.  9d.  and  10s.  9d   respectively,  at  which  there  * 
is  abundant  supply.    The  others  we  give  you  below. 


COBBLES,  NUTS,  AND  PEAS,  are  tired,  and  sadly  need  a  tonic. 
With  nothing  of  new  interest  to  record,  these  qualities  are  suffering 
from  the  same  old  lack  of  appreciation,  and  values  are  altogether 
governed  by  the  date  which  buyer  is  in  a  position  to  give  for  ship- 
ment. Nominally  they  are  as  below. 

CULM  is  in  limited  supply,  consequent  upon  the  quietness  in 
Large  Coals,  and  as  a  consequence,  there  has  been  a  steady  main- 
tenance of  quotations,  on  the  part  of  sellers.  Moreover,  the 
demand  is  still  a  passing  good  one,  so  that  there  is  not  likely  to  be 
weakening  effects  here,  yet  awhile.  In  figures,  5s.  to  5s.  6d., 
according  to  the  quality,  may  be  taken  as  actual  values. 

STEAMS.  We  are  unable  to  record  any  change  in  this  department. 
Stems  for  prompt  shipment  are  easy,  and  for  anything  required  in 
this  position,  sellers  are  disposed  to  meet  buyers,  in;  the  matter 
of  price.  Enquiries  ^how  no  improvement,  and  'STEAMS  are 
r  cj^racterised  by  weakness.  BESTS,  however,  are  steady  on  gocd 
stems,  but  other  qualities  are  plentiful.  SECONDS,  for  instance, 
can  be  arranged  at  lls.  9d.  LOCAL  BUNKER  qualities  at  about  10s.  9d. 


BELOW,  we  give  the  average  prices  for  the  week  : — 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Anthracite: 

Best    Hand    Picked 

MalllnK  Large 

od. 

is*,  od. 

1  8s.  od.,  i8s.  6d. 

i.Ss.  od.            |     173.  6;!.,  i8s.  od. 

173.  6d.,  1  8s.  6d. 

Seconds    do. 

I7S.  }d 

17-.  31!. 

173.  od. 

175.  od. 

i6s.  6d.,  173.  od. 

i6s.  gd. 

Blft  Vein  Large 

ii-   3d. 

i  i  s.  od 

us.  od.                        ios.  gd. 

ios.  6d  ,  us.  od. 

ios.  gd. 

Red     .. 

los.  3<l. 

IOS.  O.I. 

ios.  od.                         gs.  gd. 

gs.  g.l. 

gs.  7|d. 

Machine  Made  Cobhles 

109.  Od. 

i6s.  6d. 

i6s.  od.,  i6s.  6d.                i6s.  3d. 

163.  3  1. 

163.  od.,  i6s.  6d. 

.,    Nats 

i6s.  6d 

i6s.  3d. 

16s.  3d. 

i6s.  od.,  i6s.  31!. 

163.  o  1. 

i6s.  od. 

,,     Peas 

109.  Qd. 

ins.  gd. 

IOS.  Oil. 

ios.  6d.,  us.  od. 

ios.  6d. 

ios.  6d. 

Bubbly  tulm 
Duff 

5«.  3d  .  53.  6d. 

i-    vl 

58.  6d. 
js.  3d. 

53.  6d. 

3«.  od.,  3s.  od. 

53.  3d.,  58.  gd. 
33.  od.,  33.  3d. 

53.  3d.,  53.  6d. 
3s.  3d- 

53.  od.,  53.  6d. 
3S.  3'1- 

Patent  Fuel: 

us.  ox). 

us.  6d.,  us.  od. 

us.  7jd. 

us.  6d. 

us.  6d. 

us.  6d.,  123.  od. 

Steam  : 

Best     Large 

139.  od. 

12*.  gd.,  133.  od. 

I2s.  gd.,  133.  o.l. 

i.^s.  lajd. 

133.  o.l. 

133.  od. 

Seconds  ,, 

cxl. 

i  i-    io£il. 

us.  lojd. 

1  1  s.  gd. 

us.  gd. 

us.  gd.,  12s.  od. 

Hunker    ,, 

ios.  od. 

ios.  gd. 

ios.  6d.,  us.  od. 

103.    7.'.d. 

ios.  gd. 

ios.  6d.,  us.  od. 

Thro'  and  Thro 

8s.  gd. 

vd. 

8s.  gd.,  gs.  od. 

8s.  7.Jd. 

83.  gd. 

8s.  gd. 

.3' 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May  26,   1905 


AND 


FIXTURES.    ] 


CARDIFF.  May  24.  1905. 

RUMOURS  !  Rumours  !  !  Rumours  !  !  !  Yes,  and  that  is  about  all 
there  is  to  fatten  on.  these  days  !  The  Rumour  about  Russia's  coal 
needs  raised  a  flutter  in  the  hearts  of  the  good  people  whose  business 
it  is  to  charter  staunch,  strong  steamers  as  well  as  a  number  o1 
others  which  are  merely  alleged  to  be  staunch  and  strong;  but 
meanwhile,  chartering  to  the  Far  East  is  absent  from  our  midst.  Of 
course,  when  the  Japanese  Fleet  has  been  sunk  ;  when  the  Russ  has 
recovered  from  the  induced  swelled  head  that  is  bound  to  follow  ; 
when  the  vodka  has  gone  to  join  the  chartering  which  used  to  be  done 
here,  at  Cardiff ;  well,  business  with  Russia  is  going  to  be  brisk. 
At  the  moment,  however,  there  is  little  need  to  trouble  about  Eastern 
fixtures—mainly  because  there  aren't  any. . 

WESTWARD,  there  is  nothing  much  to  brag  about.  MONTE  VIDEO 
appears  to  have  dropped  into  the  7s.  3d.  pit  for  always,  while  for  Rio  DE 
JANEIRO,  the  limited  amount  required,  is  paying  better  rates  than 
have  obtained  recently.  In  the  PLATE  direction,  hope's  flattering 
tale  is  spread  out  for  the  poor  shipowner's  delectation.  Crops  are 
good  :  piles  of  the  stuff  will  soon  be  waiting  shipment ;  but  the  trouble  of 
the  thing  is.  there  are  also  "  piles  "  of  tonnage  waiting  an  opportunity 
to  do  the  dog-eat-dog  trick  ! 

FOR  the  MEpiTERRANEAN-delightful  quarter  of  the  world— business 
jogs  along  in  the  same  old  happy  way.  Indeed,  if  it  weren't  for  the 
Mediterranean,  and  the  trade  which  it  induces  in  the  Bristol  Channel, 
most  of  the  local  shipowners  would  have  gone  to  join  the  angels,  ere  this. 
GENOA'S  best,  is  three-half-pence  under  last  week's  rates,  while  its 
least  is  1  ^d.  better  than  ruled  at  our  last  time  of  writing.  PORT 
SAID  has  been  "  taking,"  and  at  rates  ranging  anything  between 
5s.  3d.  and  5s.  9d.— by  which  it  will  be  seen  that  prices,  here,  are  on 
the  down  grade.  MALTA,  too,  has  been  taking  it.  at  about  last  rates, 
6s.  7  jjd.  and  4s.  9d..  Admiralty.  For  the  remainder  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean combination,  we  must  refer  you  to  the  list,  below. 

IN  the  direction  of  the  BALTIC,  there  is  little  doing— at  last  rates  ; 
but  there  is  no  excitement  manifested  by  the  merchants  thereaway,  to 
become  the  happy  possessors  of  an  undue  quantity  of  Best  Welsh 
steam  coal— or  of  any  other  sort  of  fuel.  Tis  surprising  what  a 
number  of  people  elect  to  seat  themselves  upon  the  fence,  these  days. 
It's  a  great  compliment  to  Holy  Russia,  don't  you  think  ? 

IN  the  COASTING  trade,  business  is  merely  normal  rather  under, 
than  over  ;  and  rates  thereaway,  are  in  the  same  me-diocre  condition. 
What  there  is  doing,  will  be  found  in  the  schedule,  to  which  we  ask 
your  kindly  attention. 

Week  Ending,  (Wednesday),  May  24,  1905 

(N)   denotes   Newport,    (S)  Swansea,    (P.  T.)    Port    Talbot,    loading. 

EASTERN. 

Perim,     Baron  Dalmeny,    ys.  gd. 

WESTWARD,     Etc. 

Monte  Video,     Steamer,    (large),    75.  ^d.   250,    June. 

Indianic,  3,200  tons,    75. 
River  Plate,     Steamer,      73.  4|d. 

Steamer,  4,800  tons,   73.  6d. 

North  Sands,   4,400  tons,    75.  4id. 
Madeira,  Belfast,   6s.   6d.    200  dely.,    part  cargo  Tener- 

riffe,  6s.    250  dely. 
Rio  de  Janeiro,     Steamer.    ios.  sd. 
Bermuda,     Chatlmrn,    2,450  tons,    8s.    fuel.   (Admiralty). 

MEDITERRANEAN,     Etc. 

Port   Said,    Steamer,      53.  gd. 

Paddington,   5,000  tons,    53.  gd. 

Steamer,   5,000  tons,   55.  3d. 

Steamer,   5,000  tons,    53.  3d.    July. 
Genoa,     TTitsilrrtty,    5,700   tons,    6s.  6d. 

l.vell,  3,ooc  tons,    6s.  icjd. 

l.irirtla,  3,300  tons,  6s.  gd. 

Headlands,  3,700  tons,    6s.  lo.jd. 

Steamer,   5,000  tons,    6s.  7^d. 

Steamer,    3,500  tons,    6s.  gd.    ppt.  option    Savona,  (N). 

Simonside,  4,300  tons,   6s.  gd.   (N). 

Gray  field,  3,000  tons,    6s.  gd. 

Cleveland,    2,600  tons,    75.  i|d.    (si. 
Venice,     Steamer,    5,000    tons,    75. 6d. 

Tirnivlor,    3,000  tons,    75.  7^d. 

Steamer,  5,000  tons,    75.  6d. 

Trefusis,  3,400  tons,  73.  gd.  400,    7-s.  7^d.  500. 

Onnrsbv,  3,600  tons,   8s.   400,   option  Ancona,  (s). 
Marseilles,     AnHqua,   4,200  tons,   8  francs,  (s). 

Benhead,   3,200  tons,    8  fcs. 

Albia,  3,200  tons,    8  fr?ncs.    (N). 
Algiers,     Steamer,   2,500  tons,    7  fcs. 

Steamer,    2,200  tons,    7-50  fcs.  coal,  8-50  fcs.  fuel,    (s). 
Pasages,     Sharon,  2,000  tons,  55.  od.    fuel,    (s). 


Alexandria,     Hubbock,  3,200  tons,   6s.  6d. 

Clif u»nan,  ^,400  tons,   6s.  6d. 
Malta,     Dingwall,  2,500  tons,    43.  gd.  (Admiralty). 

Huddersfield,    2,800  tons,    43.  gd.  „ 

Uplands,    2,800  tons,    53.  7^d. 

lona,    2,500  tons,   53.  7$d. 
Naples,     Leonidas,   3,goo  tons,    6s.  6d.  option  Leghorn. 

Steamer,    3,400  tons,    6s.  6d. 

Marie,  2,200  tons,    6s.  gd.   (s). 

Steamer,  3,500  tons,   6s.  4|d.  option-Leghorn. 

Michael,  3,200  tons,  6s.  6d. 
Bastia,     Venedotion,    1,400  tons,    73.  6d. 
Catania,     Steamer,    2,100   tons,    7*.  option  Millazo. 
Sicily,     Exe,   2,600  tons,  75.  3d.  option  Sicily  and  Millaxo, 

73.  gd. 
Barcelona,     Cut,   2,000  tons,    73.  3d. . 

Albert  Koeppen,   1,900  tons,    75.  4^d.    (s). 

Isle  of  Ramsey,    2,100  tons,    73.   i£d.  coal,    73.    io£d. 
fuel,  (s). 

Steamer,     1,700  tons,    73.  3d.   (s). 
Leghorn,     Delamere,    goo  tons,    (private  terms). 

Steamer,    1,600  tons,    73.    Genoa  terms. 
Lisbon,     Thor,  2, too  tons,    43.  io.jd. 

Steamer,    1,200  tons,    53.   option  Oporto,    53.  3d. 

Tredegar,   1,700  tons,  45.  7$(f. 

Rosella,    1,650  tons,    43.  io|d.    (N). 
Gibraltar,     Coventry,   2,000  tons,    43.     (Admiralty;. 

Glenpark,    1,250  tons,    6s. 

Pera,    1,350  tons,    53.  gd. 

Crimea,  2,200  tons,    53.  gd. 
Vigo,     Wliimbrel,  6/700  tons,    53.  6d. 
Trieste,     Bosanka,  5,000  tons,    6s.  6d. 
Oran,     Hawthorn,   1,300   tons,    7'go   fcs.   coal,    8-go    fcs. 

fuel,    (or  P.T.) 

Tarragona,     Odd,   800  tons,   75.  gd. 
Piraeus,     Steamer,    3,700  tons,    6s.  i^d. 
Guillianova,   Dunsley,   2,600  tons,   8s.  gd.   (s). 

BALTIC,  Etc. 

Copenhagen,     Bodil,   950  tons,   43.  gd. 
Stockholm,     Steamer,    1,500  tons,    45.  6d. 
Cronstadt,  Skarpsno,  2,500    tons,    43.    gd.   coal,    53.   6d. 
fuel,    (s). 

Steamer,    3,500  tons,    53.  3d. 

Dora,   2,000  tons,   53. 

BAY,     Etc. 

St.  Nazaire,     Anita,    1,500  tons,    4-12^  fcs. 
Chantenay,     Oakville,   1,800  tons,    4-75  francs. 

Holderness,    2,200  tons,    5  fcs.    (s). 
La  Rochelle,     Baltigue,  i, 800  tons,  4-50  fcs.    (s). 
Nantes,     Barncaldo,  i, 600  tons,   5  fcs. 

COASTING,     Etc. 

Rouen,     Grans/ia,  or  Gfynn,  1,550  tons,    43.  7|d.    (s). 

Maywood,    1,550  tons,    45.  7id.   (s). 

Ratoo,   1,350  tons,    43.  6d.    (s). 
Caen,     Rocktforte,  i.iootons,    45.  3d.    (s). 

Yeivdale,   500  tons,    43.  6d. 

G.  Player,   700  tons,    45.  3d.   (s). 
Bayonne,     Cairndhu,   1,550  tons,   5-25  fcs.  coal,  5-75  fcs. 

fuel,    (s). 
Brest,     Behera,   2,100  tons,    33.  8d. 

Thistle,    600  tons,    43.  lid. 
Dieppe,     Hermine,  530  tons,   45*  £d.    (s). 
St.  Malo,     Curran,   1,450  tons,  43.    option  Dieppe. 

Clonlee,    1,350  tons,    43. 

Argus,    i, 400  tons,    35.  io,jd. 

Alacrity,    1,200  tons,    35.  io|d. 

Wilfred,    1,500  tons,    38.  gd.  option    Dieppe,    33.  ioid. 
Honfluer,      Tantallon,  230  tons,   43.  ijd.    (s;. 

Presto,   1,400  tons,   45.  i|d. 

Dmiavon,  700  tons,   43.  i^d.    (s). 
London,     Surbiton,   i.ooo  tons,   35.  7|d. 
Dublin,     Trafford,  220  tons,  33.  6d.  '(s). 
Belfast,     Bombardier,  320  tons,    33.  6d. 
Devonport,     Tyne,   1,500  tons,    zs.  3d.    (Admiralty). 

HOMEWARD. 

Villagarcia  to  Swansea,  Steamer,    850  tons,    6s.  gd.    ppt. 


May  26,  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


maritime 

(AND  OTHER) 

rconep 
matters. 


IS  there  about  to  dawn 
a  brighter  era  for 
the  long-suffering 
shipping  shareholder? 
Yes!  But  it  will  be 
only  when  he  ceases 
from  troubling,  and  is 
at  rest.  The  shipping 
investor,  these  days,  is 
a  man  who  has  been 
cast  in  an  unlucky  mould 
— at  least,  the  greater 
portion  of  him  has.  And 

because  of  that  casting,  he  is  prone  to  believe  anything 
that  is  told  him,  from  "my  manager!"  In  the  vast 
majority  of  instances,  that  managing  gentleman  is  good 
at  telling  "  hope's  flattering  tale,"  even  as  he  goes  out  to 
see  a  lady  about  a  canary,  or  a  Rembrandt — according  to 
his  love  of  nature,  or  of  art.  In  either  instance,  the 
result  will  pan  out  the  same  to  shareholder,  and  in  the 
end  he  will  anathematise  himself  as  a  "  natural,"  or 
merely  as  an  "  artificial  "  juggins  ! 

+  -f  + 

WE  know  that  it  will  be  all  the  same  fifty  years  hence. 
But  the  unfortunate  part  of  the  argument  is,  that  but 
mighty  few  of  us  will  be  here,  at  that  date  ;  while  the 
few  who  remain  will  be  thinking  more  of  rheumatism, 
than  of  rhino ;  of  gout,  than  of  gold ;  or  of  senility, 
rather  than  of  shekels?  Meanwhile,  the  gentlemen 
referred  to,  are  anxiously  enquiring  for  the  indications 
which,  at  present,  predominate.  Are  freights  on  the 
boom  ?  They  are  !  They  have  been  on  the  boom  for  a 
couple  of  years,  now,  and  the  unfortunate  part  of  the 
thing  is,  that  they  cannot  get  away  from  the  boom  ;  the 
boom,  to  the  detriment  of  all  other  items,  appears  to 
hold  them.  There  is  the  unfortunate  Plate  trader,  for 
example.  Consider  his  case. 

•f  •»•  + 

RIGHT  through  the  depression,  he  has  stuck  loyally  to 
the  Plate  trade  perhaps  not  so  much  because  of  loyalty, 
as  for  the  reason  that  he  hated  to  acknowledge  himself 
wrong  in  his  forecast.  But  having  stuck  loyally  in  the 
manner  indicated,  what  has  happened?  Simply  that  the 
Plate  trade  has  followed  suit,  and  has  stuck  to  him — at 
the  same  old  rates,  right  through.  That's  all !  Then, 
come  tales  of  Argentine  crops.  Maize  thereaway,  is 
heavy ;  so  are  movements  therein.  Shipments,  last 
week,  amounted  to  something  near  a  quarter  of  a  million 
quarters ;  thrice  as  much  as  was  shipped  in  the  corres- 
ponding week  of  last  year :  but  who  is  getting  it  all  ? 
Who  is  benefiting  a  bit  on  the  deal  ?  Heavy  movements 
are  all  very  well,  and  ultimately,  they  may  tot  up  to 
something  good,  in  a  future  balance  sheet. 

•f  •»•  -f 

ON  the  other  hand,  however,  this  boom  in  'Argentine 
stuff  might  easily  pan  out  as  a  delusion  and  a  snarer^ 
and  in  the.  end,  might,  conceivably,  rank  in  as  a  means  of 
paying  up  the  losses  made  on  previous  voyages  ?  Where 
then,  will  the  shipping  shareholder  come  in,  poor  soul '.' 
Exactly  as  he  did  before!  He  will  have  shares  in  ship- 
ping ;  will  be  able  to  tell  his  friends  all  there  is  to  know  of 
the  cruise  of  the  Polly  Ann  :  will  remark,  incidentally,  on 
the  number  of  tail  shafts  which  that  same  Polly  Ann 
appears  to  eat :  and  will  ask  the  nearest  listener,  if  he  (or 
she)  really  knows  the  meaning  of  the  words  "  tail  shaft." 
Naturally,  the  answer  will  be  "  No !  "  All  the  same,  each 
of  them  will  be  sure  (from  past  experience)  that  tail 
shafts  are  uncommonly  hefty  things  and  cost  a  lot  of 

money. 

•f  «•   -f 

THEY  do!  An  awful  lot!  Especially  in  some  few 
instances,  which  have  come  our  way.  But  then,  the 
poor  shareholder  person  doesn't  know  much  about  the 


constituent  parts  of  a  modern  tail-shaft—fortunately  for 
some  of  us.  Par  example,  how  many  shipping  share- 
holders are  aware  that  in  some  kinds  of  tail  shafts,  there 
is  a  fine  landau  and  a  gee-gee  ;  that  in  others,  there  is  a 
Go-well  motor  ear;  while  in  yet  others,  there  is  a 
high-class  Spring  clean  at  the  house  of  the  manager,  and 
lashings  and  lavings  of  linerusty'n'things?  Of  course, 
there  is  also  iron  (or  steel)  in  a  tail  shaft,  as  well  as 
chunks  of  brass,  or  other  metal ;  but  the  iron,  steel, 
brass,  or  other  metal,  are  merely  circumstances,  on 
occasion.  Indeed,  we  know  of  one  or  two  tail  shafts  in 
which  there  was  no  metal  of  any  kind— at  least,  ordinary 
or  knockabout  metal. 

+  +  + 

BASE,  filthy,  gold,  yes.  Quite  a  dose  of  it,  in  fact. 
And  the  much-abused  underwriter  didn't  pay  for  it,  don't 
forget.  Ship  managing  is  reduced  to  a  fine  art,  these 
days— thanks  to  the  amiable  manner  in  which  the  "  free 
hand"  is  emblazoned  on  the  shipowning  shield;  and 
thus  it  comes  about,  that  when  times  are  hard,  and  the 
oof  bird  is  moulting  so  badly,  that  it  cannot  sing  around 
the  domestic  hearth  ;  well,  the  owners  of  the  hearth  put 
it  all  on  to  tail  shafts.  Opposite  columns  of  figures  won't 
tally,  no  how.  What's  to  be  done?  Ah!  Yes!  We 
quite  forgot  !  The  Squalid  Shellfish  had  a  new  tail  shaft, 
last  trip.  It  was  overlooked;  forgotten;  left  out  of  the 
bill ;  dropped  promiscuously.  Remedy  the  evil,  and— er 
—yes,  "  I'll  run  around  and  tell  Tin  Tacks  that  he  forgot 
to  give  us  that  bill,  hang  him.  Will  also  remark,  that  if 
he  doesn't  attend  to  his  business,  a  bit  better,  we  shall 
leave  him  for  ever.  Seems  to  me,  that  the  man  is  getting 
heady,  since  we  pulled  him  out  of  the  mud,  and  made 
him  a  respectable  member  of  the  community." 

•f  +  + 

WELL,  when  there  is  a  forgetter  of  odd  tail  shafts,  you 
can  place  your  money  on  the  certainty  that  there  is  also 
a  Tin  Tacks  about.  The  one  is  the  complement  of  the 
other.  Sometimes,  it  is  the  shareholder  who  pays ;  at 
others,  it  is  the  gentle  underwriter.  But,  bless  you,  you 
can  neither  make  underwriter,  nor  shareholder  see  it. 
Tis  impossible,  and  for  the  reason  that  neither  of  them 
have  more  than  a  nodding  acquaintance,  with  the  busi- 
ness which  they  have  undertaken,  with  so  light  a  heart. 
The  former  does  his  "thinking,"  through  the  medium  of 
a  sort  of  actuarial  table  ;  the  latter,  through  the  advice  of 
a  bosom  friend— who  has  also  been  had  !  The  whole 
thing  is  simple  enough,  when  you  come  to  size  it  up.  It 
is  exactly  the  same,  though  you  do  not.  It's  a  mad 
world,  and  sometimes  we  are  fain  to  believe  that — after 
underwriters  -the  maddest  people  in  it  are  shipping 
shareholders !  Some  kinds  of  shipping  shareholders, 
that  is.  The  accented  sort,  you  know  ! 

+   +   + 

OF  what  use  is  it  to  talk  of  Argentine  crops  ;  of  heavy 
wheat  that  is  coming  forward,  in  splendid  styfe!-  of  heavy 
shipments  of  linseed — eteetterer?  Who  wants  to  hear 
about  linseed  in  the  husk?  It's  the  oil  that  is  wanted; 
wanted  badly,  too.  Linseed  oil  is  good  for  burns. 
Shipping  shareholders  are  full  thereof.  You  have  the 
latter;  hustle  around  and  get  the  former.  'Having  got 
the  twain,  wrap  the  one  inside  the  other,  and— Q.E.D. 
The  latter  initials  do  not,  as  you  might  be  inclined  to 
think,  indicate  "  quite  enough  donkeys."  No,  sirs!  In 
shipping  life,  you  can  never  hope  to  see  quite  enough  of 
that  sort — although  they  come  near  it,  in  posing  as 
mules.  That  Q.E.D.  might  mean  quickly-eased-duffers 
— but  it  doesn't.  But  whatever  it  does  really  mean,  we 
are  of  opinion  that  we  have  demonstrated  the  fact,  that 
shipping  shareholders  are  about  as  "  soft  "  as  it  is  possible 
to  make  'em  ;  except  in  a  few  relatively  very  few — 
instances.  We  meant  to  discuss  with  you,  the  phases  of 
financial  loss,  which  is  being  engendered  by  this  wicked 
dry  dock  ring;  but  the  subject  will  keep.  It'll  keep  ! 


33 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May  26,  1905 


AROUND 


THE  . 


DRY 
DOCKS. 


E  suppose  it  is 
alright,    but 
there  appears 
to  be  a  quantity  of  the 
Big    Bashaw     style     of 
treatment  meted  out,  to 
the     Headman     of     the 
United  Society  of  Boiler- 
makers   and     Iron     and 
Steel     Ship     Builders  ? 
To     most    of   the    high 
Government  officials,  as 
(('***'***))     wel,    as   the    heads    Of 

big  business  concerns,  it 

is  considered  sufficient  to  commence  a  communication, 
with  the  stereotyped  words  "  Dear  Sir."  and  the  work  of  the 
world  continues  as  before.  Not  so.  with  our  good  friends 
referred  to  above,  however.  Something  more  quaint,  and 
redolent  of  ancient  usage  finds  favour,  and  taken  altogether, 
the  various  "district"  communicants,  can  give  points  to 
any  of  the  "  polite  letter  writers  "  which  abound.  This  is 
as  it  should  be.  for  such  conduct  goes  far  to  removing  the 
mistaken  idearwhich  has  taken  possession  of  the  man  in  the 
street,  concerning  the  lack  of  culture  in  the  ranks  of  the 
boilermaker. 

NOTWITHSTANDING  all  that  might  have  been  said  to  the 
contrary  :  in  spite  of  any  apparent  justification  for  a  differ- 
ent belief  ;  the  boilermaker  is  a  polite  individual  — at  least, 
when  inditing  an  epistle  to  his  Society.  Why  do  we  incline 
to  this  understanding  ?  Well,  read  : 

"  Worthy  General  Secretary,  Since  last  reporting  upon 
the  state  of  trade  in  this  (the  South  Wales)  district,  there 
has  been  a  general  decline  in  shiprepairing  at  all  our  sea- 
ports, at  the  time  of  writing  the  greater  portion  of  our 
members  following  this  class  of  work  are  out  of  employ- 
ment. In  our  last  report  we  referred  to  the  keen  competition 
existing  between  employers,  this  system  has  now  developed 
into  a  combination  on  the  part  of  dry  dock  owners  at  Cardiff, 
Newport  and  Barry,  whereby  they  refuse  to  dock  vessels 
the  repair  of  which  have  been  secured  by  a  firm  not  owning 
a  dry  dock,  and  as  the  accommodation  provided  by  public 
dry  docks  is  very  limited  in  proportion  to  the  demand,  it  is 
feared  much  work  will  be  eventually  lost  to  the  district 
that  would  otherwise  have  been  brought  here  but  for  the 
action  of  the  dry  dock  owners.  The  greatest  sufferers 
will  be  the  men  who  depend  for  a  livelihood  upon  shiprepair- 
ing. No  doubt  such  a  system  will  be  termed  business, 
therefore  legal  ;  but  if  contrasted  with  the  miner's  stop-day 
action  will  clearly  show  that,  with  all  our  boasted  liberty, 
there  is  still  a  law  for  the  rich  and  another  for  the  poor. — 
Yours  fraternally,  etc." 

NAIVE,  isn't  it  ?  Naive,  if  somewhat  rocky  in  construc- 
tion ?  Especially  when  you  remember  that  on  the  front 
cover  of  the  monthly  report  containing  the  above,  the  words 
"  Unity  is  Strength  "  is  conspicuous  !  But  then,  of  course, 
"  Unity "  merely  belongs  to  the  worthy  and  fraternal 
gentlemen  who  pose  as  boilermakers.  Unity,  in  this 
connection,  is  similar  to  some  of  the  undertakings  carried 
out  by  men  who  are  just  ordinary  business  persons :  who 
have  nothing  in  common  with  the  boilermaking — or  unmak- 
ing— industry.  That  is,  and  in  the  matter  of  this  class  of 
individual :  When  he  gets  the  upper  hand  of  his  competitor, 
the  fact  is  due  to  business,  sirs !  But,  when  the  other 
fellow  gets  the  upper  hand,  well,  it's  rank  highway  robbery, 

yes  !     And  so  the  world  wags. 

+  +  + 

BUT  considering,  from  its  bottom-end,  so  to  speak,  the 
screed  which  we  have  reproduced,  we  are  quite  at  one  with 
the  declaration  that  "  there  is  still  a  law  for  the  rich  and 
another  for  the  poor  " — although  not  quite  in  the  same  way 
as  "  yours  fraternally "  would  intend  to  convey.  To  be 
brutally  frank,  there  are  two  laws,  and  in  the  result  the 
poor  man  gets  the  everlasting  bulge  on  the  other  fellow. 


This,  of  course,  is  as  it  should  be,  for  the  present  is  sup- 
posed to  be  a  democratic  age,  and  to  be  really  democratic, 
it  is  necessary  to  supply  free  tram  rides,  free  schools,  free- 
of-rate  houses,  free  drinks,  free  bookmakers,  etc.:  and  to 
give  the  hallowed  "  poor  man  "  the  right  to  see  a  job  lay 
and  rot,  if  nothing  better  than  ten  shillings  and  sixpence 
per  diem  be  offered  for  the  attending  thereto? 

4-    +    -f 

WHO  is  going  to  be  idiotic  enough  to  say  that  a  boiler- 
maker—after  serving  the  long  and  arduous  apprenticeship 
which  is  his— is  justified  in  "  cutting  wages,"  to  the  extent 
of  accepting  10s.  6d.  per  day,  which  has  been  offered  for 
the  purpose  of  "  keeping  the  staff  together  ?  "  Obviously, 
it's  nonsensical,  in  the  extreme,  for  the  lowest  figure  ad- 
missable  in  this  connection,  is,  say,  14s.  "on  the  nod." 
But  here,  again,  we  shall  ask  to  be  excused  from  going  too 
far  into  the  theme.  At  some  time,  in  the  future,  we  shall 
explain  to  you  the  reasons  which  have  inclined  the  bloated 
capitalist  to  state,  that  the  ways  of  the  boilermaker  are 
tyrannical,  in  the  extreme—  which  they  are  not !  Boiler- 
maker is  a  deserving  member  of  the  community,  and  we 
are  going  to  stick  up  for  him.  He  earns  his  money  easily, 
and  spends  it  in  exactly  the  same  manner — on  himself, 
and  pals  :  and  if  those  old  Income  Tax  people  never  got 
a  sniff  of  the  stuff,  so  far,  in  the  history  of  the  land,  who  is 
going  uo  grumble? 

INCOME  Tax  is  iniquitous,  and  non-democratic.  That  is 
why  our  boilermaking  friends  will  have  none  of  it.  But 
coming  down  to  the  consideration  of  the  phrase  which  we 
have  quoted  as  connected  with  the  dry  dock  combine  (real 
or  assumed);  the  phrase  which  remarks  that,  "No  doubt 
such  a  system  will  be  termed  business,  therefore  legal  :  " 
what  would  our  fraternal  relatives  have  ?  Some  of  us 
have  heard  of  the  thin  dividing  line  which  exists  between 
alleged  boilermaker's  work  and  that  of  the  fitter  ;  and  eke, 
again,  between  that  of  the  fitter  and  of  "  his  fraternally," 
the  plumber,  or  coppersmith  :  a  dividing  line  which  you 
can  hardly  measure,  so  thin  is  it,  and  yet  has  all  to  do  with 
the  self-same  job.  But  here,  the  matter  is  right  and 
proper  ;  the  poor  man's  heritage  is  at  stake — or  is  said  to 
be.  With  the  dry  dock  men,  however,  it  is  altogether 
different,  and  "  the  greatest  sufferers  will  be  the  men  who 
depend  for  a  livelihood  on  shiprepairing." 

+  +  + 

WHEN  all  is  said  on  the  subject,  the  whole  matter  in  dis- 
pute is  a  very  simple  and  everyday  affair.  Certain  of  the 
picayune  concerns  in  the  Bristol  Channel  have,  heretofore, 
been  in  a  position  to  get  their  alleged  repairs  carried  out  by 
a  big,  reputable,  and  efficiently-fitted  company  :  a  company 
which  carried  out  the  work  in  a  manner  such  as  the  tinkery 
could  never  hope  to.  At  the  same  time,  the  bill  for  those 
repairs  has  been  rendered  on  the  bill-heads  of  the  tinker, 
who  has  thus,  in  a  manner,  received  his  imprint  on  another 
man's  work ;  a  fact  that  will  stand  him  in  good  stead,  when 
next  out  upon  the  hunt  for  business.  But  if  the  "accom- 
modation provided  by  public  dry  docks  is  very  limited  in 
proportion  to  the  demand,"  what  is  the  matter  with  our 
boilermaking  friends  using  up  some  of  their  spare  capital  in 
an  effort  to  avail  themselves  of  the  rich  man's  law  ?  Start 
a  dry  dock  of  your  own,  boys,  eh  ?  But  you  know  better 
than  that !  All  you'll  do  to  help  matters,  is  to  refuse  such 
a  beggarly  wage  as  10s.  6d.  per  day  :  and  you'll  put  in  the 
remainder  of  your  time  in  worrying  your  society  officials  for 
not  being  able  to  work  miracles  of  the  widow's  cruse  of  oil 

(of  fusel)  for  you  ? 

4   +  + 

WE  have  had  labour-leader's  co-operation  in  slate  quarries 
— and  it  was  a  sight  to  make  the  gods  weep.  What  we 
want  (but  shall  never  have)  is  a  sample  of  labour-leading 
dry  dock  co-operation,  with  a  really  "  Worthy  "  General 
Manager  who  is  willing  to  knock  off  work  and  join  in  the 
beer  and  skittles  of  his  fraternal  co-labourers.  Then,  will 
be  the  millennium  ? 


1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


34 


PATENTS  &  TRSDE  MSRKS 

Relating    to    SHIPPING   and    the    COAL    TRADE. 


Specifications  published  on  May  11,  1905,  together 
with  an  indication  of  their  subject  matter,  the  title 
being  printed  in  Italics. 

9,071  04 — ROUSE  &  COHN  —  Improvements  in  the   manu- 
facture of  briquette  fuel  from  coal  mine  waste  or  dust  coal. 

Coal  dust  is  formed  into  briquettes  with  a  binding 
material  consisting  of,  one  part  by  measure  of  petroleum 
emulsion  and  four  parts  of  water-glass,  in  eighty  parts 
of  water  raised  to  boiling  point. 

9,299  04—  BR\CHJMORE— Improvements  in  or  connected 
with  submarine  boats  and  similar  vessels. 

This  invention  relates  to  steering  propelling  and 
manceuvering  submarine  boats,  and  also  to  reducing  the 
skin  friction  of  such  boats  and  other  vessels.  For  these 
purposes,  a  series  of  perforations  are  arranged  in  hori- 
zontal zones  around  the  boat  and  part  or  all  of  these 
perforations  can  be  placed  in  communication  with  a 
source  of  compressed  fluid.  For  the  purpose  of  reducing 
the  skin  friction  of  ordinary  vessels  a  zone  of  perforations 
is  provided  extending  around  the  vessel  at  some  distance 
beneath  the  water  line.  The  fluid,  such  as  air,  on 
escaping  through  these  orifices  and  ascending  along  the 
sides  of  the  vessel,  forms  an  anti-friction  skin  interposed 
between  the  water  and  the  vessel. 

17,00704  GROVE  Improvements  in  bunks  or  hammocks 
for  use  on  ship  boafd.  or  in  railway  vehicles,  ambulance 
wagons  carts  or  other  vehicles. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  suspended  bunk  for  use  on 
ship-board,  for  preventing  sea-sickness,  but  is  applicable 
to  other  purposes.  It  consists  of  a  rectangular  wooden 
frame,  composing  the  side  and  end  boards  of  the  bunk, 
suspended  at  the  ends  from  the  ends  of  a  longitudinal 
beam.  This  beam  is  pivoted  at  its  centre  in  brackets 
depending  from  the  cabin  ceiling,  so  as  to  be  able  to 
move  in  the  vertical  plane,  and  also  so  as  to  be  able  to 
rock  laterally  to  a  slight  degree.  The  amplitude  of 
vibration  of  the  beam  is  limited  by  springs  secured 
thereto  and  to  some  stationary  part  such  as  the  brackets 
and  by  buffers.  The  bottom  of  the  bunk  is  formed  by  a 
wire  mattress.  This  mattress  is  connected  to  the  rect- 
angular side  framing  by  a  series  of  helical  springs. 
secured  to  the  bottom  of  the  framing  and  to  the  up- 
turned ends  of  a  series  of  brackets  arranged  around  the 
mattress  frame.  The  level  of  the  bunk  can  be  adjusted 
by  sliding  counter  weights.  ^10,v  . 

17.441  04     RYCERS-  An  improved  ship's  propeller. 

This  invention  relates  to  an  improved  design  of  pro- 
peller blade  which  is  proportioned  according  to  a  definite 
theory  with  the  object  of  reducing  slip  or  loss  of  effect 
during  propulsion. 

25.20904  ETCHEVERY  Improvements  in  endless  con- 
veyors of  fabric  or  the  like'. 

This  invention  relates  to  that  class  of  conveyor  in 
which  the  tensile  strain  on  the  fabric  belt  is  taken  by  side 
ropes.  The  object  is  to  prevent  the  creasing  of  and 
consequent  deterioration,  of  the  fabric  when  passing 
around  guide  rollers.  For  this  purpose  the  lateral  ropes 
are  connected  together  at  intervals  by  transverse  rigid 
metal  connecting  straps  or  ties  and  the  belt  is  provided 
at  corresponding  intervals  with  blade  springs  which 
tends  to  bend  the  fabric  into  trough  section.  The  belt, 
blade  springs,  and  connecting  ties  are  rivetted  together 
at  the  centre.  When  passing  around  a  roller  the  belt 
and  springs  flatten. 


26,855/04— ROBINSON— Improvements    in    apparatus    for 
facilitating  the  launching  of  ships'  boats,  and  the  like. 

The  objects  of  this  invention  are  to  enable  a  ship's 
boat  to  be  quickly  released  from  the  chocks  on  which  it 
is  supported  on  the  decks  and  from  the  gripes  by  which 
it  is  held  in  position  and  to  be  quickly  swung  outboard, 
all  these  operations  being  adapted  to  be  effected  by  one 
man.  To  enable  the  davits  to  be  swung  outward  they 
are  pivoted  vertically  in  sockets  in  the  deck  and  one  of 
them  is  provided  at  the  lower  end  with  a  spur  wheel  or 
pinion.  A  bar  provided  with  a  rack  portion  gearing  with 
the  pinion  on  the  lower  portion  of  the  davit,  is  formed 
with  a  second  rack  portion  gearing  with  a  pinion  mounted 
on  a  vertical  spindle,  which  is  adapted  to  be  rotated  by 
bevel  or  worm  gearing  by  a  hand  wheel  mounted  on  a 
short  horizontal  spindle  in  the  pedestal  situated  con- 
veniently to  the  operator.  The  outer  chocks  are  pivoted 
to  the  deck  so  as  to  be  turned  and  fall  down  clear  of  the 
beat  on  a  bar  being  withdrawn  by  a  hand  lever  situated 
near  the  hand  wheel.  The  gripes  are  released  by  the 
same  lever. 

874  05      MICHEL     An    improved   hand   lever  for   moving 
waggons  and  the  like. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  hand  lever  for  enabling  a 
shunter  to  set  a  railway  waggon  in  motion.  It  consists 
of  a  lever  or  bar  provided  with  a  handle  at  one  end  and 
near  the  other  end  with  a  lateral  stud.  Intermediately, 
but  near  the'stud  a  piece  shaped  to  the  curvature  of  the 
wheel  tyre  face  is  provided.  In  operation  the  stud  bears 
against  the  inside  face  of  the  wheel  rim  and  the  shaped 
piece  against  the  outside  face  of  the  tyre.  The  piece 
may  be  provided  with  two  faces/so  as  to  fit  a  wheel  on 
the  right  or  left  of  the  vehicle  and  also  with  a  flange  to 
embrace  the  edge  of  the  wheel. 

4,210/05—  DAN TZEBECHER  -Improvements    .in     metallic 
caulking  for  boats., 

This  metallic  caulking  consists  of  a  strip  of  metal  bent 
along  its  centre  line  and  again  with  its  ends  outwards  so 
as  to  assume  a  T  section.  It  is  inserted  between  the 
edges  of  the  planks  to  be  caulked  with  the  flanges  of  the 
T  inserted  into  grooves  in  the  faces.  Should  the  wood 
shrink  the  strips  accommodate  themselves  by  springing 
open  at  the  central  joint  and  prevent  leakage. 

4,702/05 — DOBBIE — Improved   means  for  suspending    the 
bowl  of  the  mariner's  compass.  ,     • 

According  to  th*s,invention,  with  the  object'  orfessening 
,  ascillation,  the  knife  bearings  of  the  outer  gimbal  ring  of 
a  compass  is  supported  at  each  end  in  an  eye  or  hanger 
which  in  turn  is  suspended  from  wire  or  chain  links, 
secured  to  eyes  at  the  upper  ends  of  stiff  upstanding 
helical  springs.  The  lower  ends  of  the  springs'  kre  pro- 
vided with  pieces  which  fit  sockets  in  the  binacle  case. 


These  applications  for  patents  are,  until  June  27,  1905, 
open  to  opposition  by  any  person  having  a  statutory 
right  to  oppose. 

Copies  of  the  specifications  may  be  obtained  from  the 
Patent  Office  or  through  the  under-named. 


No   TRADE    MARKS   THIS   WEEK. 


Compiled  by  Messrs.  PHILLIPS  &  LEIGH,  Chartered  Patent 
Agents,  22,  Southampton  Buildings,  Chancery  Lane,  London, 
W.C.  Local  Consultant:  Mr.  S.  W.  ALLEN,  Engineer,  of  Cardiff 
Exchange,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


May  26,  1905 


OUR  MARITIME  DIRECTORY. 


'""in 


* 

¥ 


CARDIFF. 


Colliery  Proprietors. 


(~ORY  BROS.  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff  and 
London.    Dep6ts  at  all  the  principal 
Coaling  Stations  in  the  World. 


Telegrams 


"CORY,  CARDIFF"  ; 
"CORY.  LONDON." 


TNSOLE,  GEORGE  &  SON,  Cardiff.   Sole 
Shippers  of  Gymmer   Steam    Goal, 
Windsor  Steam  Coal,  and  Insoles  No.  2 
Rhondda  Goal. 

Telegrams  :  "INSOLES.  CARDIFF." 


F  EWIS    MERTHYR    CONSOLIDATED  COL- 
LIERIES, LTD.,  Proprietors  and  Ship- 
pers  of    "  Lewis  Merthyr "   Navigation 
Steam  Goal. 

TOUT.         .    "LEWIS  MERTHYR.  CARDIFF"; 
"LEWIS  MERTHYR.  LONDON." 

MARQUESS     OF     BUTE     COLLIERIES, 
Aberdare.  Hirwain.   and   Rhondda 
Valley.     Shipping  ports  : — Bute  Docks, 
ardiff :      Penarth     Dock  ;      Swansea ; 
Briton    Ferry  ;     and    Newport    (Mon.) 

Telegrams  :  "  SEMA.  CARDIFF." 


QCEAN    (MERTHYR)    GOAL   Co.,   LTD., 
11.  Bute  Crescent,  Cardiff,  proprie- 
tors of  Ocean  (Merthyr)  Steam  Coal. 

I  JNIVERSAL  STEAM   COAL  Co.,  LTD., 
Bute  Docks.  Cardiff.  Proprietors  of 
'  Universal  Steam  Coal." 

Telegrams:   "VERSATILE.  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF 


VIVIAN,    H.    C.    &  Co.,    Bute   Docks, 
Cardiff.     Sole  European  Agents  for 
"  The  Puritan  Coal  Mining  Co..  Phila- 
delphia, U.S.A." 

Telegrams  :  "  VIVIAN.  CARDIFF." 


WATTS,    WATTS  &  Co.,   Cardiff    and 
London.  Contractors  for  the  supply 
of  Coals  at  all  Depots  abroad. 

Telegrams  :  "  WATTS.  CARDIFF." 

Dock   Owners. 


CARDIFF  RAILWAY  COMPANY,  Bute 
Docks.  Cardiff. 


Ship  Repairers. 


JHEARMAN,  JOHN  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff, 
and  at  Barry  Dock. 


T*HE   BUTE   SHIPBUILDING,  ENGINEERING, 
AND   DRY   DOCK   COMPANY,    LIMITED, 
Roath  Basin,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "CAISSON.  CARDIFF." 


'THE  CARDIFF  CHANNEL  DRY  DOCKS  AND 
PONTOON    Go.,    LTD.,    Cardiff    and 
Barry  Dock. 

"  Entrance.  Cardiff." 
"  Channel,  Barry." 


'THE    MERCANTILE    PONTOON   Co.,  LTD., 
Roath  Dock,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams  :   "  MERCANTILE,  .CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF  -Continued. 


Miscellaneous. 

F  EWIS  &  TYLOR,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 

Sole  patentees  and  manufacturers 

of  "Grrpoly,"  a  patent  woven  belting; 

and  "  Burals,"  a  semi-metallic  packing. 

Telegrams  :  "BELTING CARDIFF."        Telephone,  Nat.  231 


Steamship    Owners. 


D 


AN.   JENKINS    &     Co..    Steamship 
Owners  and  Brokers.  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "Stonewall,  Cardiff." 
Nat.  Telephone  :  1318. 


BARRY. 


Dock  Owners. 

'THE  BARRY  RAILWAY  Co.,  Barry. 


Ship  Repairers. 


RARRY  GRAVING  DOCK  &  ENGINEERING 
U     Co.,  LTD. 

Telegrams  :   "  BARDOCK,  BARRY." 
National  Telephone  No.  7.         Post  Office  Telephone  No.  7. 


To    the    Proprietors    of 


"THE    MARITIME    REVIEW," 


DOCKS,     CARDIFF. 


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JOHN  BULL:    "Drunken  firemen?    What  do  you  expect,  at  the  price  you  pay? 
That's  as  good  as  you'll  get  at  £5  15s.  per  month!" 


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THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  2,  1905 


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EDITOR,  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW,  CLARENCE  ROAD,  DOCKS, 
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Correspondence  :  The  Editor  does  not  necessarily  identify  himself 
with  the  opinions  expressed  by  Correspondents,  whose  Setters  must, 
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written  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only. 


«  *  *  CONTENTS.  *  «•  .* 


CARTOON     FIREMEN'S  WAGES  ? .. 

MARITIME  MURMURS          ' 

A  NEW  FREIGHT  MARKET  ? — MANITOBA-ON-THE-SEA 

Is  THE  COAL-TAX  DOOMED?      

CARDIFF  (AND  OTHER)  COAL        

COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES 

SHIPBUILDING          

EXPERIENTIA  DOCET?       

PATENTS  AND  TRADE  MARKS      


35 

36 
44 
45 
46 
48 
49 
50 
51 


MARITIME    MURMURS. 


DOCKS.  CARDIFF, 

Thursday  Afternoon. 

THE  Millennium  is  not  yet,  and  thus  it  comes  about  that 
the  lion  and-  the  lamb  will  not  fraternise,  as,  according  to 
story-books,  they  ought  to.  Probably  it  is  for  the  same 
reason,  that  the  dry  dockman  and  the  outside  ship-repairer 
have  agreed  to  disagree-  for  the  "  same  reason  "  being 
known  to  theologians,  and  other  studiers  of  the 
foibles  of  the  race,  as  original  sin.  Like  the  poor,  this  dry 
dock  v.  tinkery  trouble  is  always  with  us;  probably  always 
will  be,  and  mainly  for  the  reason  that  the  dry  dock  man  is 
foolishly  of  opinion,  that  he  has  a  certain  amount  of  right 
belonging  to  his  position.  Of  course,  the  dry  dock  man  is 
wrong ;  woefully  wrong.  There  is  neither  sense  nor  reason 
in  this  objecting  to  grant  the  use  of  another  man's  (or 
combination  of  men's)  dry  dock,  for  the  accommodation  of 
a  picayune  business  rival.  We  know,  because  we  have 
studied  the  subject  as  it  affects  ourselves,  as  mere  printer 
people.  The  dryjdock  man  should  practice  that  sweet 
spirit  of  Christian  forbearance,  which  prompts  a  man  to 
turn  the  other  side  of  his  bows  for  a  severe  smite,  directly 
the  side  which  is  not  the  other  one,  has  had  a  good  smiting. 
Yes !  This  is  in  the  nature  of  the  teaching  -  which  is 
formulated  by  those  who  have  no  dry  docks,  and  not  too 
much  sense,  withal. 

5?  fc 

CARDIFF  is  a  great  place.  We  have  passed  the  remark 
before.  But  that  doesn't  matter  in  the  least,  because  it  is 
true— and  you  cannot  have  too  much  of  the  truth.  The 
whole  contention  irY  this  respect,  appeals  to  us  even  as 
does  the  gentle  striving,  of  certain  of  our  printing-trade 
competitors.  Snooks,  who  has  a  little  rubber-type-fitted 
emporium,  and  a  superabundance  of  the  commodity  known 
as  "old  buck,"  comes  to  us  to  know  if  we  will  "help  him 
out  of  a  jamb."  We  smile  :  ask  for  information  ;  are  told 
that  he  has  taken  a  big  order,  but,  unfortunately,  is  unable 
to  carry  same  through.  We  ask  the  reason,  and  find  it  is 
because  Snooks  is  so  busy.  Asking  further,  we  determine 
that  if  Snooks  were  not  busy  ;  if  he  hadn't  the  shadow  of  a 
job  in  hand  for  over  ten  years  to  come  :  he  still  couldn't 
carry  out  the  work  which  he  asks  us  to  attend  to  at  "  trade 
terms."  We  intimate  thusly,  and  not  having  arrived  at  the 
beatific  state  of  the  dry  dock  man,  we  "  let  ourselves  go." 


That  is.  we  say  things,  and  Snooks  concludes  that  we  are 
men  of  sin — and  other  things.  Now,  this  is  exactly  where 
Snooks  is  up  against  himself.  We  are  no  more  men  of  sin 
than  our  neighbours — which,  we  admit,  is  not  unduly  to 
our  credit,  and  mightn't  tend  towards  our  ultimate 
salvation. 

#  & 

But  let  this  be  as  it  may — and  is  :  we  have  our  business 
to  attend  to  ;  and  in  the  course  of  that  attention,  might  be 
tempted  to  say,  in  a  somewhat  inconsequent  manner, 
perhaps :  "  Yes.  Snooks,  we  appreciate  the  compliment 
which  you  would  pay  us.  We  quite  understand  that  you 
would  be  proud  to  have  the  proceeds  of  the  work  emanating 
from  a  well-equipped  printing  works — would,  say,  be  delighted 
to  have  your  Snooky  name  printed  at  the  bottom  of  our  work  ; 
would  love  to  pose  as  being  able  to  do  the  class  of  printing 
for  which  we  are  equipped,  and  which  you  couldn't  rise  to 
in  a  thousand  years;  would  glory  in  the  opportunity  of 
proving  to  the  world,  that  (in  imagination)  you  were  the 
happy  possessor  of  an  up-to-date  factory ;  that  you  paid 
good  wages  for  good  men  ;  that  your  whole  turnout  was  of 
the  best — but,  Snooks,  our  pushing  friend,  where,  oh, 
where,  do  we  come  in  ?  "  Snooks  would  give  us  the  same 
kind  of  look  which  tinker  is  prone  to  give  dry  docks  ;  but 
looks  don't  hurt,  dear  people.  We  should  still  continue 
printing  in  our  inimitable  style  (down  this  way,  that  is)  : 
Snooks  would  try  to  "  work  "  somebody  else  who  had  other 
than  an  assortment  of  second-hand  type  and  plant ;  and 
everybody  would  be  as  happy  as  made  no  odds. 


So.  in  the  case  of  the  dry  dock  man.  He  has  a  well- 
equipped  workshop ;  can  undertake  any  mortal  thing 
which  ambles  along  as  a  repair  (at  least,  the  majority  of 
him,  can):  is  proud  to  see  his  name  above  the  bill  which 
follows  the  work  ;  and  is  certain  that  he  will  see  Tinker 
gol-derned,  before  the  old.  and  ridiculous  fashion  of 
working  at  "trade  terms,"  continues.  You  see,  the  dry 
dock  man  has  realised  that  it  will  pay  him  better  to  hire  a 
sort  of  commercial  traveller  ;  one  who  shall  be  paid  fairly, 
and  openly  for  what  he  brings  to  the  mill ;  rather  than  to 
continue  as  the  exploited  of  a  number  of  second-hand- 
fitted  tinker  men,  who  have  had  a  soft  thing  in  the  past. 


June  j,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


37 


Again,  dear  friends  :  Is  there  any  especial  business  acumen 
expressed,  in  the  item  of  giving  your  repairs  to  a  man 
whose  caboose  is  in  one  port,  while  your  steamer  is  in 
another  ?  Yet.  you  know,  it  is  being  done,  every  day.  It 
is  being  done,  and  the  mere  matter  of  sending  a  squad  of 
men.  the  necessary  tools,  and  the  incidental  material,  by 
train—  well,  it  is  all  nothing.  And  if  you  dare  say  a  word 
about  obviously-unjust  conduct  —  phew  !  Doesn't  the 
gentle  exponent  of  the  art  look  surprised  !  Rather! 


You  might,  in  the  exuberance  of  your  zeal  for  the  ship- 
owner whom  you  imagine  is  being  robbed,  start  in  to  say 
things  :  might  suggest  that  instead  of  all  that  sending  by 
train,  the  work  would  be  profitably  disposed  of.  if  given  to  a 
reputable  concern  practising  in  the  port  in  which  the 
steamer  finds  herself.  But  even  if  you  do,  you  will  find  no 
appreciative  listener  to  your  advice.  Tinker  will  become 
sarcastic  :  will  prattle  of  men  who  imagine  they  can  instruct 
their  amiable  grannies  in  the  gentle  art  of  egg-sucking  : 
and  shipowner,  for  his  part  of  the  undertaking,  will  wax 
virtuously  indignant—  yes.  he  will.  He'll  wish  to  know 
who  paid  you  to  nose  around,  and  learn  all  these  little 
points  :  will  ask  wherein  your  interest  lays  :  will  place 
inquiries  as  to  whether  you  are  a  "  shipowner,"  or  merely 
some  common  fellow  :  and  taken  altogether,  there  is  bound 
to  be  a  quantity  of  fun  around.  For  you.  and  your  part, 
you  might  insinuate  that  you  are  not  a  "shipowner."  as  you 
happen  to  be  a  reputable  member  of  the  community  :  or, 
you  might  suggest  that,  to  the  best  of  your  belief,  the  Port 
of  Helljoram  is  exactly  the  spot  fitted  by  nature,  and  by 
circumstances,  for  the  especial  attributes  of  your  inter- 
locutor. But  you'll  work  up  no  better  ordering  of  affairs, 
because,  as  already  stated,  the  Millennium  is  not  yet. 


BY  the  way.  it  would  be  nice  to  know  the  real  unadult- 
erated feeling  of  that  German  Navy  League  arrangement. 
now.  when  the  fate  of  the  ex-Baltic  Fleet  is  known  to  all 
of  us?  And.  en  passant,  it  would  appear  that  Germany 
is  no  better  off  in  some  respects,  than  is  her  alleged  rival- 
in-all-things.  Britain.  That  is.  the  Navy  League  referred 
to.  appears  to  have  a  bit  too  much  of  the  soldier  about  it  : 
although  in  a  country  where  the  "  squaddie  "  rules  the 
roost,  no  other  state  of  affairs  may  be  hoped  for  ?  Still, 
one  would  imagine  that  the  Teuton  had  enough  sailormen 
to  go  'round,  so  that  the  Navy  League  could  carry  on  its 
momentous  considerations,  without  filling,  its  council 
chamber  with  a  number  of  generals  ?  Be  that  as  it  may, 
in  consequence  of  a  wiry  telegram  from  His  Effulgence. 
the  Kaiser,  resignations  were  the  order  of  the  day  with  the 
League  :  but  "it  has  now  turned  out  that  the  cause  of  these 
resignations  was  due  to  misunderstandings."  We  should 
smile  !  If  anybody  were  to  ask  us  for  our  candid  opinion 
on  the  vapourings  of  the  German  Navy  League,  we  should 
have  to  risk  being  rud«.  for  in  view  of  our  reputation  for 
writing  the  plain  truth,  we  should  merely  drop  in  the 
expressive  word  "poppycock." 

S?*3 

CONTINUING.  we  find  that  "  the  misunderstandings  having 
been  removed  (for  a  time  ?),  so  that  in  my  (Prince  Salm. 
No  !  Not  Prince  Salaam,  sahib.)  opinion  there  is  nothing  to 
prevent  those  two  gentlemen  from  again  taking  office." 
Thus  a  declaration  from  the  Prince  who  was  president  of 
a  recent  meeting  of  the  League  :  and  the  "two  gentlemen  " 
referred  to.  are  Generals  Menges  and  Keim,  who  had 
resigned  because  of  that  misunderstanding-breeding  tele- 
gram which  came  home  from  the  Kaiser,  when  he  was 
"doing"  the  Mediterranean  (and  Morocco),  the  other  day. 
As  an  outcome  of  the  removals  of  misunderstandings,  a 
telegram  was  ultimately  sent  to  the  Kaiser,  and  its 


whipping,  so  to  speak,  contained  as  near  to  the  following, 
as  you  can  get  it  in  German  :  "May  our  Fatherland  be  put 
in  possession  of  a  fleet  which  will  form  a  pledge  of  success." 
Eh  ?  Sort  of  Teutonicy,  don't  you  think  ?  "  Put  in 
possession  "  au  nature!  ?  Who,  then,  is  to  be  dispossessed  ? 
But  there,  we  are  becoming  rude,  again,  and  we  wouldn't 
be  that,  for  world's.  Especially,  as  the  Russian  friend  has 
lost  his  collection  of  hookers,  without  embroiling  either 
Britain  or  France.  You  know,  German  diplomacy  is  a 
somewhat  thin  affair,  generally  considered  :  and  if  the  "  put 
in  possession  "  of  the  fleet  idea,  is  postponed  until  the  year 
originally  scheduled  — well,  it  will  be,  to  our  mind,  a  year  or 
two.  behind  the  date. 

#  & 

OF  course,  we  can  understand  the  general  rejoicings 
which  are  about  in  the  Fatherland,  since  the  Kaiser 
removed  those  misunderstandings.  We  can  understand 
the  Neueste  Nachrichten,  of  Berlin,  when  it  spreads  itself 
on  Navy  League  affairs.  For  instance,  when  the  N.N. 
remarks  that  "  Large  circles  of  patriots  are  cordially 
grateful  to  the  Emperor,  for  having  chivalrously,  and 
promptly,  put  an  end  to  a  conflict  which  would  have  been 
attended  by  consequences  disastrous,  alike  to  the  nation, 
and  the  Fatherland."  We  can  understand  it,  although  we 
cannot  see  the  subtle  differences  implied,  between  the 
nation  and  the  Fatherland.  In  our  humble  way,  we  should 
have  believed  that  what  affected  the  nation— either  one 
way  or  the  other — affected,  equally,  the  Fatherland. 
Obviously,  we  were  wrong?  But  why  should  there  be  such 
large  circles  of  patriots,  bent  on  lavishing  their  gratitude  to 
the  Kaiser,  on  this  particular  occasion  ?  The  Imperial 
gentleman  is  but  looking  after  his  job  ?  He  surely  has  the 
biggest  reason  to  be  anxious  for  the  Fatherland  to  be  "  put 
in  possession  of  a  fleet  which  will  form  a  pledge  of 
success  "  ?  At  least,  that  is  how  the  matter  appeals  to  us, 
and  somehow  or  other,  we  have  given  a  decent  amount  of 
study  to  the  situation. 

&&, 

ON  the  other  hand,  if  the  whole  German  fraternity  is  so 
keen  to  be  "  put  in  possession  of  a  fleet,"  why  in  heaven's 
name,  don't  they  throw  up  the  telegraphing  business,  and 
go  in  for  buying  the  necessary  ships?  You  can't  get  a 
fleet  together,  merely  by  the  help  of  sending  misunder- 
standing-making telegrams,  can  you,  now  ?  You  need 
money,  and  brains,  and  sailors  :  you  also  need  less  soldier 
about  the  thing  ;  and  then,  with  the  help  of  Heaven,  and  of 
the  Kaiser,  of  course,  the  country  might'  eventually  be  "  in 
possession  "  of  a  fleet  that  is  calculated  to  knock  socks  off 
the  universal  world  exactly  as  was  the  late  Baltic  Fleet 
of  which  we  have  heard  so  much,  and  which  was  sent  under 
in  such  simple  manner.  It  is  here,  again,  that  we  should 
like  to  hear  the  true  inwardness  of  the  Navy  League's  ideas 
oo  current  events.  It  has  been  said  that  Japan,  now  that 
her  Russian  opponent's  ships  are  under  the  surface,  or 
otherwise  disposed  of,  could  easily  come  to  Europe  to  settle 
up  matters  for  the  Russian,  on  his  own  heap,  so  to  speak. 
Japan  could,  too  !  The  same  idea  applies  in  settling  up  the 
differences  which  have  been  brought  about  by  the  lending 
of  moral  support— and  colliers — on  the  part  of  the  Father- 
land, which  runs  the  Navy  League  of  which  we  have  been 
writing.  Verb,  sat  sap! 

#  & 

WE  are  glad  to  note  that  Daily  Chronicle  is  giving  some 
more  attention,  to  the  subject  of  manning  the  British 
Mercantile  Marine,  and  if  the  general  press  would  only  give 
an  occasional  unconsidered  corner  to  the  same  subject,  a 
better  state  of  affairs  would  soon  prevail.  For  when  all 
is  said,  it  is  only  through  the  aid  of  the  press,  that  anything 
approaching  an  awakening,  can  be  worked  up  in  the  minds 
of  the  community.  The  only  danger  is,  that  a  quantity  of 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  2,    1905 


inconsequent  nonsense  be  not  rushed  through,  even  with 
the  best  intentions  in  the  world  :  for  in  the  past,  that  same 
old  inconsequent  stuff  has  been  the  cause  of  most  of  the 
trouble.  As  far  as  the  majority  of  the  "shipping  press"  is 
concerned,  it  doesn't  really  matter  whether  they  stand  up 
for  the  truth,  or  otherwise.  The  man  in  the  street  doesn't 
unduly  bother  himself  with  what  the  "  shipping  press  "  says, 
or  leaves  unsaid  —  that  is,  in  the  majority  of  cases.  But 
when  an  influential  "daily"  has  a  word  or  two  in  favour  of 
Jack,  then,  the  Mercantile  Marine,  as  a  whole,  is  bound  to 
benefit  therefrom.  For  this  reason,  we  are  always  glad  to 
note  anything  that  is  intended  for  the  amelioration  of  a 
condition  which  has  grown  parlous  to  the  country  ;  the 
more  so.  when  the  effort  has  less  than  the  usual  amount 
of  misleading  stuff  connected  therewith. 

&  ^ 

IN  the  case  of  the  D.  G.  which  we  have  been  discussing, 
Mr.  Frank  T.  Bullen  is  the  writer,  who  gives  the  world  his 
views  on  the  subject  ;  and  while,  as  practical  and  modern 
seamen,  we  are  not  in  accord  with  all  that  was  claimed  on 
the  occasion  referred  to,  there  yet  is  a  quantity  which  is 
deserving  of  careful  attention.  In  animadverting  on  the 
shipowner's  attitude  in  this  connection,  Mr.  Bullen  says, 
that  "  some  shipowners  argue  that  boys  are  an  expense  to 
the  ship  without  any  balancing  advantage,  and  hence  the 
curious  scheme  of  the  Board  of  Trade  for  bribing  ship- 
owners to  carry  boys  by  remitting  to  them  a  certain  portion 
of  the  light  dues,  that  outrageous  tax  upon  a  certain  portion 
of  the  community,  for  the  benefit  of  the  whole."  There 
you  are,  and  to  place  the  torn-fool  idea  down  as  a  "  curious 
scheme."  is  kind,  in  the  extreme.  Indeed,  it  shows  most 
conclusively,  that  it  is  fully  time  that  nautical  men,  were 
put  into  the  high  places  of  the  nautical  departments  of  the 
Government.  In  the  past,  any  'longshore  duffer  was 
considered  good  enough  for  the  "  star  "  positions  in  the 
Board  of  Trade  :  but  in  view  of  the  size  and  importance  of 
the  Mercantile  Marine  of  to-day,  those  duffers  should  be 
told  off  to  do  the  menial  and  unthinking  duties  of  the 
Department.  That  is,  assuming  that  these  same  duffers 
must  be  carried  along  at  the  country's  expense. 


WILL  anybody  that  knows  anything  of  the  subject  pretend, 
that  a  boy,  on  going  to  sea,  is  non-advantageous  to  his 
employer  :  or  that,  remembering  the  calibre  of  the  majority 
of  those  employers,  the  boy  would  get  the  ghost  of  a  chance 
if  such  were  the  case  ?  Certainly  not  !  Writing  from 
personal  knowledge,  we  must  record  the  fact  that,  by  the 
time  our  first  old  dug-out  had  got  beyond  the  Longships. 
we  were  stuck  at  the  wheel,  for  the  whole  of  each  day- 
light watch,  so  that  the  man  whom  we  had  replaced,  could 
be  engaged  upon  the  ordinary  duties  of  a  sailor.  There  you 
are,  you  kid-gloved  gentry  ;  a  lad  not  turned  fourteen  years 
of  age.  standing  at  a  little  barque's  wheel,  for  four  hours  at 
a  time  ;  watch  and  watch  ;  for  weeks  on  end  :  and  then 
tell  us  that  the  boy  was  an  expense  to  the  ship,  without  any 
balancing  advantage  to  the  shipowner.  In  return  for  this 
acting-instead-of-a-nhan,  what  think  you,  did  we  receive  ? 
Well,  we  had  our  "  pound  and  pint."  so  to  speak  ;  victuals 
that  were  unspeakably  nauseous-  until  familiarity  and 
gaunt  hunger  had  provided  the  necessary  sauce  —  and  boil- 
producing  ;  we  alsd  had  the  munificent  sum  of  £5  for  a 
whole  year  of  the  kind  of  work  suggested. 

<&  ^ 

IN  other  words,  we  displaced  one  man.  who  would  have 
been  paid,  at  that  time,  £36  for  his  year's  work,  and  under 
the  circumstances,  you  can  hardly  blame  us  for  suggesting 
that  any  boy  sailor  scheme  as  proposed  by  the  Board  of 
Trade,  so  far,  is  an  impertinence,  to  the  fathers  of  the 
nation  ;  and  a  piece  of  rank  imposition  to  the  boys  who, 


perhaps,  may  live  to  be  the  future  fathers  thereof.  No, 
sirs  !  As  we  have  stated,  times  out  of  number,  if  you  wish 
to  secure  British  boys  for  British  ships,  so  that,  later  on, 
you  may  have  decent  British  sailors  therein  ;  you  must 
throw  those  old-woman  notions  overboard  ;  must  realise 
that  the  boy  of  to-day,  thanks  to  your  herculean  efforts  in 
throwing  around  free  education—  is  not  the  lad  of  a  decade 
or  two  ago.  He  is  a  different  sort  of  individual,  altogether 
—  which  was  what  you  aimed  at,  in  educating  him,  you 
know.  It  is  useless  for  you  to  make  laws  for  the  dissemina- 
tion of  knowledge,  and  then  sit  down  and  growl,  because 
that  knowledge  has  fulfilled  its  reason  of  existence.  You 
have  tuned  up  the  rising  generation,  and  must  e'en  abide 
by  its  music.  Broadly,  that  music  demands  better  pay  for 
the  musician,  and  unless  you  are  willing  to  ante  up—  well. 
it  is  useless  to  growl  about  it. 


DEAR,  dear,  now  that  the  Baltic  Fleet  is  done  with,  our 
esteemed  contemporaries  who  affect  a  "marine  insurance 
column,"  will  find  life  anything  but  pleasant.  Especially  as 
the  warm  weather  has,  apparently,  set  in,  for  good  —  or 
bad.  You  may  safely  look  out,  now,  for  sea-serpent  tales, 
and  yarns  concerning  the  wind  that  shook  the  barley  !  A 
few  days  ago,  we  read  in  a  London  "daily,"  that  "indica- 
tions are  becoming  numerous,  that  the  Russians  are  feeling 
the  pressure  of  the  great  coal  problem."  Poor  souls,  they 
have,  since  then,  felt  another  sort  of  pressure  that  was 
much  more  uncomfortable.  "Since  passing  Singapore,  the 
Baltic  Fleet  has  been  existing  on  supplies  provided  in 
advance,"  says  the  same  Great  Daily.  But  what  would  our 
contemporary  that  the  Russian  should  do  ?  Would  it  be 
better  for  him  to  exist  on  supplies  that  are  going  to  be 
sent  out,  in  future  ?  Welsh  coal  was  wanted  —  Great 
Gassar,  Welsh  Coal  is  always  wanted,  isn't  it  ?  —  but  the 
100,000  tons  which  had  been  arranged  for  in  advance,  was 
captured  by  the  Japanese,  early  this  year.  That's  a  fact  ! 
It  was,  and  under  the  circumstances,  the  Japs  could 
scarcely  have  missed  the  capture  thereof. 

$  & 

IF  you  give  a  'live  man  a  "tip,"  as  to  when  you'll  be 
passing  a  given  point  with  a  choice  consignment—  well. 
the  'live  man  profits  thereby  ?  So  does  the  tipster,  for 
that  matter.  Indeed,  it  is  a  profitable  arrangement  all 
'round  —  if  we  except  the  underwriter  person.  But  even 
he  is  a  gainer,  to  a  certain  extent.  How  ?  Well,  you  see, 
it  is  like  this.-  If  the  yearly  balance  sheet  looks  sort  of 
sick  and  rocky,  Mr.  Underwriter  —  who  merely  "writes" 
with  a  company's  money  —  is  in  a  position  to  wriggle  out  of 
his  bad  showing,  by  calling  attention  to  the  wretched  state 
of  affairs  in  the  Far  East.  He  may  become  quite  pathetic, 
as  he  forces  up  a  startling  tear  at  remembrance  of  the 
unkind  manner  in  which  an  esteemed  ally  walked  around 
his  "risks."  And  his  trusting  shareholders  will  say  all 
manner  of  unkind  things  ending  in  -off,  -and  -ski,  and  -vitch  — 
especially  the  latter  with  a  modification,  and  a  relative  term 
in  front  of  it  !  Yes,  there's  a  hard  time  ahead  of  the 
"  marine  insurance  "  writer,  now  that  the  Baltic  Fleet  has 
been  done  up.  For  that  matter,  we  are  of  opinion  that  the 
Vladivostock  coal  canarc/ers  are  equally  euchred,  at  the 
new  turn  of  affairs.  Still,  they  have  all  been  expecting  it,  so 
that  is  one  item  for  which  gratitude  is  due. 


IT  usually  takes  a  wreck,  and  loss  of  life,  to  call  public 
attention  to  what  is  common  knowledge  with  those  with 
most  at  stake  —  sailormen.  The  evidence  given  at  the 
Board  of  Trade  inquiry,  held  at  Penzance,  a  few  days  ago, 
and  in  connection  with  the  wrecked  Khyber,  once  more 
emphasises  the  helplessness  of  the  majority  of  our  light- 
house-keepers, and  their  inability  to  communicate  with  the 


June  2,  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


shore,  at  a  time  when  a  liner,  in  mid-ocean,  may  easily  do 
so.  This.  too.  in  spite  of  the  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
pounds  which  are  wrung  out  of  the  shipping  industry  under 
the  false  name  of  light-dues,  and  which  are  afterward 
passed  over  to  the  Treasury,  under  the  guise  of  "  surplus." 
What  right  has  there  to  be  any  surplus,  as  long  as  one 
light-vessel,  or  light-house,  is  not  in  direct  communication 
with  the  shore  ?  It  is  pretended  that  coast-lights  are 
established  for  the  purpose  of  expediting  the  business  of 
the  shipowner  -who  pays  therefor,  all  on  his  own.  so  to 
speak.  But  the  whole  contraption  is  merely  an  excuse, 
and  everybody  knows  it.  Consider  the  Wolf  and  Longships 
as  examples  of  the  state  which  prevails,  generally,  in  this 
branch  of  what  is  known  as  the  Public  Service  —  although 
paid  for.  in  every  detail,  by  a  private  undertaking. 


has  been  gone  through  by  the  lady  !  Work  enough, 
perhaps,  when  one  remembers  the  magnificent  rate  of  pay 
which  is  meted  out  to  him.  by  a  grateful  country  ?  How- 
ever, if  the  lighthouses  —  which  are  really  commercially 
valuable—  are  put  off  by  the  authorities,  with  out-of-date 
semaphores,  and  quasi-modern  Morse  light-systems  ;  there 
is  but  little  room  to  grumble  about  the  picturesqueness  of 
the  coastguard  ?  One  would  be  inclined  to  think,  that  in 
the  present  stirring  days  of  scientific  research,  the  least 
that  could  be  done  with  lighthouses,  and  lightvessels, 
would  be  to  place  them  in  telephonic  communication  with 
the  shore  :  while  the  coastguard—  if  he  is  of  use  at  all 
—  might  have  central  silence-boxes,  to  which  he  could 
sprint,  for  the  purpose  of  summoning  the  aid  that  is 
usually  needed  in  a  hurry—  when  wanted  at  all. 


IN  the  case  of  the  two  lighthouses  mentioned,  their  only 
means  of  communication  by  day.  is  by  that  year-of-dot  plan 
known  as  the  semaphore:  a  quiff  which  should  have  been 
buried  with  Ramses  I  :  and  at  night,  by  the  Morse  lights 
which  admit  of  a  dot-and-carry-one  system,  that  is  both 
painful  and  slow  to  say  nothing  of  being  utterly  impossible 
when  most  needed.  In  the  words  of  the  lighthouse-keepers 
who  appeared  at  the  inquiry  referred  to  in  the  preceding 
paragraph,  it  is  impossible  to  use  either  system  of  alleged 
communication  in  such  weather  as  prevailed  when  the 
Khyber  went  ashore  :  that  is.  in  bad  weather.  Seas  were 
dashing  over  the  lighthouse,  and  it  was  unsafe  to  go  on  the 
gallery,  outside.  Of  course,  it  was  :  but  as  long  as  the 
semaphore,  which  has  to  painfully  spell  out  every  letter  of 
a  message,  or  the  Morse  code  of  flashes—  which  has  to  do 
the  same  thing—  is  supplied,  the  official  mind  is  satisfied. 
and  hang  all  who  manage  to  get  tangled  up  in  the  rocks. 
for  drowning  jobs.  The  Treasury  needs  the  money  that  is 
left,  after  parsimoniously  supplying  lights  and  beacons  :  so 
of  what  use  is  it  to  grumble  about  the  thing  ?  Then  again. 
in  the  matter  of  coastguard  patrol,  the  coast  is  watched 
every  night—  sometimes. 

tf*3 

SOMETIMES,  again,  it  isn't.  Say  if  any  of  the  "  regular 
dustmen  "  are  away  on  drill,  then,  the  remainder  have 
simply  to  do  the  best  they  can.  in  their  short-handed  state. 
There  is  no  thought  of  sending  a  relief  along  for  a  coast- 
guard funny  name  !  Indeed,  it  is  a  moot  point  as  to 
whether  the  coastguard  service  is  allowed  to  continue, 
simply  because  it  was  there  in  the  beginning  :  or  rather 
with  the  belief  that  it  is  worth  anything,  as  a  national 
asset.  Come  to  think  of  it.  there  is  a  large  amount  of  the 
mediaeval  mixed  up  in  our  modern  administrations  ?  It  is 
picturesque,  no  doubt,  to  see  a  stalwart  navy-rigged-man 
stalking  around,  on  a  path  where  a  goat  would  find  a  diffi- 
culty in  travelling  :  it  is  awfully  nice,  too,  to  twig  his 
telescope-  of  antiquated  pattern.  The  "  seeing  tube  " 
with  which,  like  his  prototype,  he  searches  for  the  possible 
French  invader,  or  for  the  wicked  "  runner  "  of  cargoes  of 
brandy  and  things  !  In  view  of  the  mearfs  of  communi- 
cation which  exist  at  the  lighthouses,  it  would  be  good  to 
know  what  the  coastguard  man  would  do.  if  he  were  really 
to  "spot"  a  French  or  other  sort  of  —torpedo  boat  making 
tracks  for  this  poor  old  country. 


WOULD  "  coasty  "  start  sprinting  against  the  t.b..  and  if 
he  did.  would  he  stand  an  off-chance  of  arriving  in  at 
headquarters,  before  the  dynamite  had  exploded  ?  Not  a 
bit  of  it.  And  as  a  matter  of  fact,  that  is  no  part  of  his 
business.  He  is  a  portion  of  the  landscape,  and  as  such, 
must  be  honoured.  His  hardest  task  is  to  retail  the  tales 
of  derring-do  of  old-time  heroes  :  and—  whisper  this 
—to  «*y  "  Thank  'ee,  mum."  after  a  certain  little  formality 


WE  note  that,  once  more,  Lord  Muskerry  has  brought 
up,  in  the  House  of  Lords,  the  question  of  winter  deck- 
loads  in  the  Atlantic  trade,  and  instanced  the  vessels 
Majestic,  and  Selma.  which  lately  carried  such  deckloads, 
and  in  consequence,  figured  in  the  casualty  list.  His  lord- 
ship asked  whether  these  casualties  would  be  dealt  with  at 
a  formal  enquiry  ;  whether  the  Board  of  Trade  would 
furnish  information  showing  the  number  of  similar  casu- 
alties during  the  past  winter  season  ;  whether  his  Majesty's 
Government  had  communicated  with  the  Governments  of 
other  maritime  Powers,  on  the  dangers  of  winter  deck- 
loads  ;  and,  if  so,  what  replies,  if  any,  had  been  received. 
Continuing,  his  Lordship  remarked  that  the  returns  of  the 
Board  of  Trade  showed  that  a  serious  loss  of  life  resulted 
from  the  carriage  of  these  timber  deck-loads,  and  that  the 
law  recognised  the  danger,  because  it  prohibited  the 
carrying  of  such  loads  to  ports  in  the  United  Kingdom. 
during  the  winter  season  :  but  that,  unfortunately,  certain 
shipowners  were  able  to  drive  the  proverbial  coach-and-four 
through  the  Act.  Of  course  they  can.  and  for  the  reason 
that  while  staying  at  home,  comfortably  sleeping  in  bed, 
themselves,  their  white  slaves,  who  have  to  scull-drag  to 
earn  a  pittance  that  is  less  than  that  given  to  shipowner's 
stable-hand,  are  helpless  in  the  matter. 

5?  *§ 

As  Lord  Muskerry  tersely  put  the  matter,  the  lives  of 
British  seamen  are  being  sacrificed  for  sordid  gains  —  and 
the  sacrificers  troop  off  to  chapel,  which  they  profane  with 
their  presence.  It  is  useless  mincing  matters,  here.  The 
truth,  alone,  will  help  the  situation.  There  has  been  far  too 
much  of  that  pandering  to  the  man  who  might  "  influence 
business,"  and  as  a  result,  the  Mercantile  Marine  is  Eng- 
land's rottenest  crutch.  Well  might  Lord  Muskerry  ask 
the  assistance  of  the  House,  to  induce  the  Government  to 
rut  a  stop  to  the  scandalous  risks  to  which  seamen  are  being 
subjected,  through  the  carrying  of  deck-loads,  in  winter 
time.  However.  Lord  Avebury  supported  the  subject,  and 
said  that  after  enquiries,  the  situation  disclosed,  was  not 
satisfactory.  Also,  that  the  facts  were  substantially  as 
stated,  and  that  "  in  many  cases,  all  they  had  was  the  sad 
and  simple  statement  that  such  and  such  a  vessel  sailed, 
and  had  not  since  been  heard  of."  Of  course,  and  the 
same  wickedness  has  been  going  on  for  ages  ;  in  the  full 
knowledge  of  those  who  are  responsible,  too  ;  but  because 
you  cannot  get  an  angel  from  heaven  as  a  witness,  there  is 
a  shrug  of  the  shoulders,  and  the  muttered  remark  that 
they  are  only  a  few  old  sailormen  ;  that  although  it  is  a  pity 
—well,  it  can't  be  helped.  It's  the  price  of  Empire,  etc. 


IN  the  same  breath,  too.  those  same  sleek  sycophants  will 
hand  out  a  portion  of  the  money  earned  in  this  wicked 
manner,  for  the  good  of  the  chapel,  or  the  Seamen's  Mission, 
or  for  a  Rest  for  his  body,  or  some  such  shareholder-catch- 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June   2,  1905 


BARRY   COMMERCIAL    DRY  DOCK. 

ing  dodge  ;  and  the  'longshoreman  allows  himself  to  be 
deluded  with  such  tricks.  The  shipowners  who  have  souls 
too,  are  nearly  as  bad,  in  that  they  do  not  denounce  the 
blood-suckers  in  their  midst.  That  is,  the  genuine 
shipowners — of  whom,  we  are  glad  to  know,  there  are  many 
—will  half  condone  the  conduct  of  their  black-sheep 
brethren,  instead  of  tabuing  the  whole  crowd  of  them,  and 
thus  showing  who  is  who.  in  the  fraternity.  Boycotts  are 
supposed  to  be  fashionable,  these  days,  so  why  not  boycott 
the  vampire  who  will  knowingly,  and  for  a  few  extra  pounds, 
speculate  with  the  lives  of  their  fellow  men  ?  Of  course, 
with  the  manning  question  in  its  present  rotten  state,  it 
would  be  difficult  to  effectually  stop  these  gentry  from 
obtaining  a  crew  :  still,  it  is  possible  to  allow  them  to  be 
known  of  men,  in  which  case,  perhaps,  they  would  cease 
if  only  from  fear  of  a  loss  of  business — from  their  tricks. 

#  & 

THE  Duke  of  Maryborough,  while  stating  that  regular 
penalties  were  embodied  in  the  Merchant  Shipping  Act  of 
1894,  and  that  the  owner  of  a  vessel  who  placed  too  much 
deck-cargo,  on  a  ship  entering  English  ports  could  be  fined, 
admitted  that  it  was  true  that  English  vessels  plying 
between  foreign  ports  carried  in  many  cases,  too  much  deck 
cargo,  and  that  the  machinery  for  carrying  the  law  into 
effect,  was  inadequate.  Of  course,  it  is !  And  that  is 
mainly  why  such  a  friend  of  the  sailor  as  Lord  Muskerry. 
is  making  an  effort  to  get  a  better  ordering  of  things. 
Months  ago,  we  called  attention  to  the  same  phase  of 
nautical  life  :  explained  how  a  man  could  bring  a  steamer 
into  a  British  port,  for  the  purpose  of  tightening  up  the 
lashings  of  a  deck  cargo  that  was  ultimately  intended  for 
the  Continent ;  how.  if  the  cargo  had  to  be  discharged  for 
purposes  of  re-stowing,  the  ship  could  be  fined  ;  but  if  the 
tightening-up  process  were  possible  without  discharge, 
there  would  be  no  fine  ;  that  although  a  British  ship  came 
into  a  British  port  on  her  beam-ends,  and  sailed  again  for 
the  Continent  without  landing  any  of  her  deck-load,  she 
was  alright :  while  if  the  same  load,  in  the  same  ship,  had 
been  intended  for  a  British  port,  there  would  have  been  a 
lumping  fine  for  excessive  deck-load  carrying — and  probably 
you  smiled  at  the  law,  for  being  a  HASS. 

5?$3 

WELL,  then,  if  you  merely  smiled,  and  thought  no  further 
about  it.  you  failed  in  your  duty  to  your  fellow  men.  Did, 


in  short,   what  the 
fabled  boys  who  ston- 
ed the  frogs  are  re- 
presented   as    having 
done  :    and    although 
the  jiggery-pokery 
was  amusing  to  you. 
it   was,    in    all    prob- 
ability, death   to    the 
sailors    involved.       It 
is  all  very  soul-satis- 
fying for  the  Duke  of 
Marlborough,    to   dis- 
miss     the     business 
with  the  remark   that 
it  is  very  difficult  to 
enforce  the  suggest- 
ions which  have  been 
made,  for  the  purpose 
of  altering  the  rotten 
state      of     affairs. 
There  should    be    no 
difficulty    in    safe- 
guarding  the  lives  of 
your   fellow   country- 
men.     A   simple  law 
which   forbids    deck- 
loads  over    a  certain  height,  under  all  circumstances,  and 
in  all  conditions,  would  meet  the  case.     Would  meet  it  so 
well,  that  the  shoddy  shipowner  would  probably  turn  his 
attention  to  some  other  means  of  livelihood — or  be  satisfied 
with  the  emoluments  which  fall  to  the  share  of  the  decent 
members  of  the  profession.     Why  should  the  scallywag  of 
the  industry  be    allowed   to   batten  on    helpless     sailors, 
because  in  a  moment  of   mental   aberration,  or  temporary 
forgetfulness,  a  foolish  law  was  allowed  to   find  a  place  in 
the  Statute  Book  ?     This  is  not  Media,  nor  is  it  Persia  ;  we 
are  Britons,  and  our  laws  are  not  supposed  to  be  pluperfect. 
This  being  so,  why  not  alter  the  obviously  unjust  ones  ? 

5#  %3 

t&       tc? 

WE  note  that  the  seventh  meeting  of  the  International 
Maritime  Committee  is  to  be  held  at  Liverpool,  on  June  14, 
and  three  following  days,  and  that  Mr.  Justice  Kennedy 
will  preside.  As  our  readers  are  aware  the  Committee  has 
had  but  scant  recognition  from  the  British  Government, 
and  for  the  reason  that  any  little  two  cent,  country  will 
have  equal  voting-power,  with  a  full-sized  maritime  Power. 
On  the  face  of  it,  this  is  ridiculous,  as  it  is  easily  conceivable 
that,  if  the  British  Government  were  to  bind  itself  by  the 
decisions  of  this  International  smoother-out-of-difficulties. 
a  sweet  little  combination  of  the  midgets,  might  succeed  in 
handicapping  the  greatest  maritime  nation  of  the  present 
time.  If  the  voting  had  been  determined  proportionately 
with  a  country's  tonnage  — as  it  should  have  been — then, 
the  United  Kingdom  would  have  doubtless  taken  a  serious 
hand  in  the  game.  As  things,  are.  however,  the  British 
Government  me.rely  adopts  the  benevolent  r6le,  and  allows 
the  argufiers  to  strut  their  little  day-  -without  harming 
anybody.  On  the  face  of  it,  if  the  foreign  components  of 
the  Committee  had  meant  well  to  British  maritime  interests, 
there  would  have  been  no  initial  jibbing  at  Britain's 
suggestions  toward  fairness,  and  equitable  treatment  ? 

§£^ 

As  things  were,  each  country  was  allowed  to  send  six 
delegates— supposing  the  country  implicated  had  but  four 
steamers  !— and  the  voting  ambles  along  as  :  One  country, 
one  vote.  We  suppose  that  no  harm  will  be  done  in  the  end 

nor  very  much  good  for  that  matter.  Still,  the  countries 
interested  will  have  had  the  pleasure  of  granting  certain  of 
their  citizens  a  holiday,  and  junketting  ;  and  that  is  some- 
thing in  these  hard  times  ?  The  first  meeting  of  the  Interna- 


June   :,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


tional  affair—  and  which  took  place  at  Antwerp—  considered 
collisions  at  sea.  and  salvage.  As  far  as  we  can  see.  the 
Committee  adopted  the  catechism  role,  and  after  formulating 
a  set  of  questions  and  answers,  went  home  to  attend  to  the 
serious  business  of  life,  and.  in  off  moments,  the  questions 
and  answers  referred  to.  Of  course,  the  British  under- 
writing fraternity  is  well-represented  —  especially  that  por- 
tion which  is  known  as  "  the  clubs  "  :  and  although  it 
romps  along  as  the  Maritime  Law  Committee,  instead  of 
going  down  in  history  as  a  national  association,  that  won't 
make  much  difference  to  the  net  results—  in  fifty  years 
from  now.  However,  after  Antwerp  came  Brussels  (  both 
great  shipowning  centres,  you'll  observe  >:  then  London 
and  Paris  'where  the  learned  gentlemen  were  almost  sure 
of  having  a  real  good  timei. 


HAMBURG,  too.  was  not  neglected,  from  which  it  will  be 
seen  that  the  affair  is  really  international  in  its  meeting  —  if 
in  nothing  else.  Without  particularising  any  further,  we 
might  remark  that  the  culminating  point  was  reached  last 
year,  when  the  United  States.  Japan.  France,  and  other 
Continental  nations  equally  noted  for  their  shipping 
interests,  were  represented.  But  neither  Great  Britain 
nor  Germany  had  a  man  to  spare—  at  least,  we'll  put  it  that 
way  :  and  thus  it  comes  about  that  the  International 
Maritime  Committee  was  on  a  job.  that  was  terribly  sugges- 
tive of  Hamlet  without  the  Prince  ?  All  the  same,  the  thing 
is  a  huge  success,  don't  forget,  and  for  our  part,  we  are  glad 
that  it  has  had  gall  enough  to  go  on  meeting,  in  the  face  of 
awful  difficulties,  yes.  Mind  you.  at  all  of  the  conferences 
Great  Britain  was  strongly  represented  :  had  a  sort  of 
"  walking  on  "  part  to  play  :  and  voted  in  favour  of  the 
proposals  embodied  in  the  code  although  she  didn't  give 
the  voting  the  semblance  of  seriousness,  by  binding  herself 
to  accept  the  final  flangary.  But  the  voting  has  tickled 
some  of  the  good  folk  who  are  taking  the  business  seriously. 
and  one  of  them  writes  to  a  contemporary.  "  Thus,  to 
obtain  after  six  years  of  public  discussion,  practical 
unanimity  between  the  representatives  of  15  nations  whose 
laws  on  some  points,  at  any  rate,  as  to  collision,  differed 
widely,  was  a  remarkable  achievement."  It  was,  sirs. 
Re-ma-a-ark-able  ! 

s?  la          _ 

As  a  matter  of  fact. 
most  of  us  are  of 
opinion  that  hanging 
is  a  just  punishment 
for  murder  :  all  the 
same,  if  any  of  us 
ever  qualify  for  the 
job.  it  is  fairly  safe 
to  assume  that  we 
shall  have  our  doubts 
on  the  subject  just 
at  the  exact  moment 
when  the  lever-trip- 
per is  about  to 
commence?  Eh? 
What?  And  that  is 
how  it  will  be  with 
efforts  at  maritime 
law.  you'll  find.  The 
fellow  who  has  the 
right  end  of  the  stick 
will  be  jolly  well  sure 
that  the  Committee 
was  a  heaven-sent 
affair,  and  was  worthy 
of  the  lasting  support 


of  every  honest  man — or  woman,  for  that  matter  ;  but  the 
other  fellow  will  be  just  as  sure  that  the  whole  caboodle 
was  a  farce ;  a  wasting  of  good  time,  and  anyhow  he 
means  to  see  everybody  jiggered  before  he  is  going  to 
take  its  decisions  laying  down.  The  one  great  trouble 
with  these  good  people  is,  that  they  take  themselves  too 
seriously  :  and  doing  so.  believe  that  the  remainder  of 
the  world  will  do  likewise.  That  remainder,  having  other 
fish  to  fry.  and  naturally  believing  that  to  itself,  its  own 
interests  are  paramount,  jibs  a  bit.  and  then  all  the  fat  is 
in  the  fire.  At  least,  as  much  of  the  fat  as  there  is  to  waste, 
which  among  such  a  dry-as-dust  arrangement,  might  not 
amount  to  much. 

&  & 

STILL,  the  meeting  which  is  due  at  Liverpool  as  already 
suggested,  will  have  plenty  to  attend  to.  That  is  to  say, 
in  addition  to  collisions  and  salvage  business,  the  Committee 
will  be  in  a  position  to  discuss  jurisdiction  in  collision  cases; 
limitation  of  shipowners'  liability  ;  particular  cuts  of  meat 
.  taken  from  the  shipowners'  harness  casks  by  officious 
Board  of  Trade  men  :  conflicts  of  law  as  to  mortgages  and 
privileged  liens :  accommodation  bills  for  floating  new 
tonnage  :  bye  products  in  the  matter  of  tinkeries  and 
chow-chow  shops  :  landaus  which  are  in  the  dry  dock  bill, 
although  you  cannot  see  them  ;  and  oh,  heaps  of  other 
items  connected  with  maritime  law  as  understood  to-day. 
You  can  take  it  from  us,  that  this  International  Maritime 
Committee  is  about  the  biggest  thing  that  is  left  us,  in  the 
way  of  International  affairs  ;  moreover,  it  is  bound  to  share 
the  fate  that  appears  to  be  reserved  for  everything  of  the 
international  kind.  An'  we  would,  we  could  write  of 
several  international  no.  great  international — affairs,  which 
have  served  along  for  a  few  months,  and  then  have  fizzled 
awfully.  By-and-bye.  we  shall  have  time,  and  inclination 
to  particularise  :  then  you'll  smile!  Meanwhile,  wish  the 
latest  International  Maritime  Affair  luck  as  we  do. 

&  & 

OH.  to  dream  of  it.  oh.  to  think  of  it — fills  your  heart  with 
gall  ?  Here  is  America  -one  of  the  youngsters  in  shipping 
importance — actually  having  the  effrontery  to  win  the 
Kaiser's  Cup  !  Isn't  it  dreadful  ?  But  mind  you,  there  is 
a  lot  in  a  name,  and  after  all.  the  Atlantic  should  have  been 


'  PITWOOD   CORNER  ! " — BARRY  DOCK. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  2,   1905 


kinder  to  his  namesake,  than  to  some  of  the  flapsy-wapsy- 
named  packets  that  took  part  in  the  wrestle.  For  instance, 
would  it  have  been  the  correct  thing  for  a  heathenish  (and 
suggestive)  name  like  Valhalla,  to  romp  in  a  winner? 
Then,  is  there  anything  suggestive  of  stern  business  in  a 
word  written  Sunbeam  ?  We  think  not.  anyhow,  for  it  is 
altogether  too  reminiscent  of  "Tom,"  and  things.  Then 
again,  the  Fleur  de  Lys,  notwithstanding  that  it  was  said  to 
have  a  mascot  (and  a  gey  fine  one)  on  board,  is  hardly  a 
name  to  knock  chips  off  Boreas  with  ?  No,  sirs  !  The 
rightly-named  boat  won.  and  come  to  view  the  matter  in  a 
free  and  easy  manner,  it  is  just  possible  that  her  Old  Man 
had  something  to  do  with  it.  We  said,  just  now,  that  there 
is  a  lot  in  a  name.  So  there  is.  if  it  happens  to  be  Barr. 
And  it  isn't  everybody  that  can  cross  the  bar—  without  a 
good  pilot.  Furthermore,  we  rather  believe  that  the  best 
boat  won  the  Gup—  although  its  wicked  of  us  to  admit  it. 
But  we  have  often  remarked  anent  our  truthfulness, 
haven't  we  ? 


SUNNY  Spain  has  awakened  from  the  sleep  of  ages,  and 
is  now  about  to  break  out  as  an  embryonic  sea  Power. 
This  is  as  it  should  be.  and  the  now-almost-forgotten 
Yanko-Spanko  war,  with  its  mule  slaughtering  and  things. 
was  a  blessing  in  disguise.  So  much  a  blessing,  that  it 
disposed  of  a  number  of  questionably-efficient  warships  : 
showed  up  the  dangers  surrounding  official  palm-oil  tricks  ; 
and  cleared  the  way  for  a  new  start  —  which  is  about  to  be 
made.  In  the  matter  of  mercantile  marine,  Spain  has  gone 
ahead  prodigiously—for  Spain  :  and  as  we  have  remarked 
on  various  occasions,  the  fleet  of  Spanish-owned  steamers, 
is  cutting  into  the  trade  which  the  Briton  once  imagined 
was  his.  by  right  of  Divine  provision  !  It  is  merely 
necessary  to  consider  Bilbao,  and  its  respectable  fleet  of 
ships,  to  understand  how  far  the  new  craze  has  gone. 
Moreover,  the  Spaniard  is  aping  the  British  shipowner,  in 
most  approved  style  :  is  beautifully  keen  on  circularising 
all  and  sundry  concerning  the  advisability  of  keeping 
freights  up  to  a  paying  level  —  and  then  is  just  as  keen  in 
accepting  practically  anything  that  is  offered.  Time  was, 
that  such  tactics  were  supposed  to  be  solely  British  ; 
to-day,  however,  the  Briton  has  no  copyright  to  these 
mutual  admiration  societies  which  meet,  talk,  resolve—  and 
then  hie  them  away  to  do  exactly  the  opposite  ! 


As  a  commencement  in  the  good  work.  Spain  is  shadow- 
ing out  a  scheme,  by  which  she  will  eventually  become  the 
happy  possessor  of  eight  battleships,  nine  auxiliary  cruisers, 
and  two  training  ships.  Not  by  any  means  a  bad  nucleus 
for  a  navy  that  shall  be  in  a  position  to  protect  another 
sort  of  "future  on  the  sea?"  The  work  in  this  instance 
is  going  to  occupy  some  six  years,  and  viewed  altogether 
there  is  a  stirring  time  ahead  of  the  Spaniard.  This,  too! 
is  just  as  it  should  be,  for  he  fooled  away  histchances  for 
quite  long  enough  :  played  the  manana  act  until  it  cost  him 
considerably  more  than  a  vigorous  policy  would  have  done. 
His  was  a  very  pointed  example  of  the  curse  of  politics, 
and  it  needed  almost  a  cataclysm  to  bring  about  an  awaken- 
ing. The  awakening  is  there,  right  enough,  and  with  the 
sea-coast  possessed  by  the  gentle  Spaniard,  he  has  every- 
thing in  his  favour,  towards  blossoming  out  as  a  high-class 
sea-power.  When  the  world  was  younger,  everything 
(almost)  was  Spanish,  and  there  was  enough  of  virility  in 
the  nation,  to  colonise  a  wholo  Continent  which,  after  a 
century  or  two.  still  possesses  enough  of  the  Spanish  trait, 
to  retain  its  language  and  customs—aye,  right  down  to  the 
expression  of  the  everlasting  manana  :  and  the  periodical 
revolutions  which  have  nearly  wrecked  the  various  countries 
with  the  greatest  interest  at  stake. 


OUR  Lady  of  the  Snows  is  still  divided  on  the  subject  of 
anteing  up  a  contribution  to  the  British  Navy.  Meanwhile, 
her  few  sailormen  (and  fewer  ships)  are  being  rudely 
treated  by  the  wicked  foreigner,  even  as  the  political  gentle- 
men take  sides,  on  the  momentous  question  of  whether  it 
will  pay  better  to  raise  a  Canadian  Navy  big  enough  to 
keep  off  all  impertinent  folk  :  or  whether  the  Mother 
Country  shall  be  paid,  to  keep  a  watching  eye  over  the 
maritime  progress  of  this  one  of  her  children.  In  bur 
opinion,  the  Canadian  Navy  idea  is  somewhat  far-fetched, 
for  if  there  were  a  sufficiency  of  money  in  the  country  to 
stand  the  strain,  there  is  still  an  insufficiency  of  ports  in 
which  that  chimerical  Navy  could  be  safely  stored  -  at 
least,  in  the  history  of  the  nation,  to-date.  That  is.  so  far 
in  the  argument,  we  have  seen  no  mention  of  where  the 
Canadian  is  going  to  keep  his  men  of  war — if  he  should  be 
ill-advised  enough  to  fake  up  a  few  of  them.  Ice-free  ports 
have  caused  a  terrible  pile  of  trouble  to  more  than  one  old- 
established  nation  ;  in  one  notable  instance,  the  struggle 
therefor,  has  brought  about  a  state  of  affairs  which,  if  not 
amounting  quite  to  national  extinction,  yet  bids  fair  to  act 
in  much  the  same  way.  With  this  before  her,  Canada  will 
do  well  to  contribute,  rather  than  to  purchase  a  fit-out  of 
her  own. 


IT  may  be  true  that  "those  who  advocate  an  unconditional 
contribution  by  the  Dominion  to  either  the  Imperial  Navy 
or  Army  have  to  meet  a  sentiment,  not  always  expressed, 
perhaps,  but  undoubtedly  existing,  that  the  demand  for 
Colonial  contribution  to  Imperial  defence  is  one  which  is 
prompted,  au  fond,  by  the  desire  of  the  British  taxpayer  to 
unload  a  portion  of  his  burden  upon  the  Colonies."  But  if 
the  foregoing  is  true,  it  is  very  ridiculous,  for  no  matter 
how  you  look  at  the  subject,  the  suggested  Canadian  con- 
tribution is  going  to  help  the  Home  taxpayer  but  mighty 
little.  Why,  the  surplus  from  what  the  shipowner  pays  in 
light-dues,  alone,  amounts  annually,  to  more  than  the 
comtemplated  "  contribution  to  Imperial  defence  "  from  the 
Canadian  brother?  As  we  have  frequently  remarked,  the 
Dominion  is  cursed  with  the  amateur  politician  in  quite  big 
numbers,  and  he  is  a  conscientious  objector  on  every 
occasion  that  the  Colonial  finances  are  tapped— for  anything 
outside  of  his  own  scheme  of  aggrandisement.  In  the  past, 
this  pandering  to  politics  has  put  the  brake  on  to  progress  : 
has  fooleo  the  Canadian  into  the  contemplation  of  all 
manner  of  schemes  for  "  fast  lines,"  and  things  of  that  sort ; 
and  to-day,  the  Dominion  is  not  much  nearer  a  realisation 
of  her  aspirations  in  this  direction,  than  she  has  ever  been. 


OUR  straight  opinion  is.  that  if  the  Canadian  would  throw 
all  the  political  verbiage  overboard,  for  a  time,  he  would 
then  have  an  opportunity  of  attending  to  the  progress 
which  undoubtedly  awaits  his  attentive  care.  Then,  once 
the  progress  were  an  accomplished  fact,  ,it  would  be  easy  to 
drop  back  on  the  political  crankiness— if  by  that  time,  such 
crankiness  yet  possessed  a  charm,  which  is  doubtful  !  It 
might  appear  unkind  to  repeat  it,  but  thus  far  in  her  history 
Canada  has  ever  been  engaged  on  the  line  of  "  nothing  for 
nothing,  and  derned  little  for  sixpence."  Now,  nothing  for 
nothing  is  right  and  proper,  and  therefore,  cannot  be 
grumbled  at :  but  the  derned  little  for  sixpence  is  mighty 
poor  trading,  for  a  new  country— especially  when  there  are 
a  number  of  firmly  established  competitors  in  existence. 
It  is  essential,  in  these  cases,  to  give  just  a  little  for  the 
purpose  of  proving  that  the  sample  is  of  the  right  kind  and, 
anyhow,  it  is  perfectly  sure  that  the  man  (or  nation)  who 
attempts  to  rope-in  the  whole  world,  will  end  up  by  being 
roped-in,  instead.  The  world  is  too  big  an  affair  for  any- 
thing of  the  kind  to  succeed,  and  although  the  value  of  the 


June   2,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


43 


dollar  is  regulated  by  the  rate  of  exchange,  a  sovereign  is 
always  worth  twenty  shillings.  See  it.  you  Canadian 
friends  ? 


WE  have  received  the  forty-eighth  Annual  Report  of  the 
Mercantile  Marine  Service  Association,  and  thus  are  in  a 
position  to  note.  "  in  the  lump,"  so  to  speak,  the  amount  of 
work  which  is  annually  carried  on,  by  the  indefatigable 
gentlemen  who  are  responsible  to  its  supporters,  for  the 
success  or  otherwise  of  the  institution.  That  the  same 
work  is  no  amateurish  kind  of  undertaking,  is  amply 
evidenced  by  the  publication  which  is  before  us.  and  turn 
we  where  we  may,  we  find  the  interests  of  the  navigator 
"  right  on  top."  At  the  commencement,  we  find  some 
interesting  words  concerning  the  "  legal  defence  of  mem- 
bers" that  very  necessary  branch  of  the  undertaking 
whose  business  it  is  to  stay  the  guillotine-like  action  of  the 
Board  of  Trade,  when  out  for  scalps.  That  the  defence 
has  been  successful  in  many  instances,  is  a  matter  of 
congratulation  for  all  concerned  :  but  it  must  not  be  sup- 
posed that  only  in  cases  of  a  threatened  "off  with  his  head," 
does  the  legal  fraternity  ameliorate  this  portion  of  the 
white  man's  burden.  On  the  contrary,  rather,  for  such 
widely-divergent  cases  as.  "  Officers  positions  in  the  event 
of  capture  while  conveying  contraband  of  war."  and  an 
"  owner's  insolvency."  as  connected  with  a  shipmaster's 
interest,  have  been  dealt  with. 

§?*? 

BETWEEN  the  instances  cited,  we  find  that  the  following 
examples  of  nautical  law  have  received  attention :  Master's 
claim  for  payment  in  respect  of  stores  supplied  to  the  ship  ; 
Income  Tax  claims  (fancy  a  poor  shipmaster  being 
"  rushed  "  for  l.T. !  >  :  apprentices  completing  indentures  : 
hospital  expenses  and  passage  home ;  subsistence  allow- 
ance of  witnesses  at  Board  of  Trade  inquiries :  officer's 
claim  for  return  of  good  conduct  deposit  (  which  is  sugges- 
tive, don't  you  think  ?  ) :  shipmaster's  claim  on  account  of 
extra  services :  master's  lien  for  wages  and  disbursement : 
deceased  master's  account  with  his  owners :  advances  to 
crew  and  disbursement  in  foreign  ports  :  master  debited 
with  commission  charges  (and  telegrams  sent  by  the 
owner,  and  charged  up  to  the  master?):  alleged  false 
evidence  in  collision  cases,  etc.— especially  etc.  From 
the  foregoing,  you  should  be  convinced  that  to  safely 
engineer  an  association  which  stands  between  a  shipmaster 
and  his  employer  (to  say  nothing  of  the  Old  Man's  greatest 
enemy  on  earth,  the  Board  of  Trade)  is  no-  sinecure  :  that 
roses  are  by  no  means  the  prevailing  samples  of  horticul- 
tural beauty  about :  and  that  this  is  precisely  an  instance 
where  pertinacity,  and  all  'round  knowledge,  are  calculated 
to  score  most  ? 

6?%J 

PASSING  on  from  the  glamour  of  the  law.  as  connected.^ 
w  ith  those  who  go  down  to  the  sea  in  ships,  we  come  to 
the  consideration  "of  such  mixed  up  affairs  as  the  Aliens 
Bill,  and  the  childlike  attempt  that  is  being  made  to  hold 
the  shipmaster  responsible  for  any  of  the  weaknesses 
which  the  legislature  has  allowed  to  linger  therein.  Later. 
the  subject  of  Mariners'  Votes  attracts  our  wandering  eye, 
and  even  as  we  turn  our  attention  to  "Signalling  in  the 
Merchant  Navy."  we  wonder  why  it  is  that  a  couple  of 
hundred  thousand  people  who  are  the  most  idiotically- 
legislated-for  men  on  earth,  have  never  a  word  to  say  in 
the  making  of  the  laws  which  they  have  to  obey,  and  which 
then  toboggan  into,  at  every  turn  in  the  road.  Yes.  we  are 
a  great  nation  although  in  view  of  some  of  the  fallacies 
which  are  hugged  to  our  patient  bosoms,  you  might  be 
excused  for  doubting  it.  But  continuing  with  our  con- 
sideration of  the  work  undertaken  by  our  friends,  we  note 
that  Red  Sea  Lights  :  Sailing  Ships'  Fog-horns  :  Merchant 


Shipping  in  the  Present  War  ;  Shipmasters  and  Consuls  ; 
The  Board  of  Trade  and  Notice  of  Official  Inquiries ; 
Foreigners  on  British  Ships  :  Electric  Search  Lights  on 
Steamers;  Improvements  in  the  Approaches  to  Ghittagong; 
Boy  Sailors  ;  Compensation  to  Seamen  ;  and— but  here, 
you  get  a  copy  of  that  Report,  and  you'll  have  about  as 
interesting  a  bit  of  reading  as  it  is  possible  to  get,  in 
these  days  of  rubbishy  outpourings,  yes  ! 

THE  Thames  Barrage  Scheme  is  by  no  means  dead. 
Eminent  engineers  declare  that  there  is  no  physical  diffi- 
culty in  the  road  :  that,  indeed,  the  barrage  idea  is  to  be 
greatly  preferred  over  the  dredging  dodge.  Then,  eminent 
chemists— or  one  of  the  cult,  at  least— is  satisfied  that 
when  the  bar  is  in  position,  fish  life  will  be  possible  (nearly) 
everywhere  in  the  river.  London-on-the-Lake ;  good  fishing; 
halcyon  days  again  !  No  wonder  that  a  number  of  estim- 
able persons  who  have  insufficient  time  to  admit  of  their 
giving  more  than  a  perfunctory  consideration  to  the 
subject,  are  in  love  with  the  barrage  scheme  !  All  the 
same,  it  should  not  be  forgotten  that  the  "  eminent 
authorities"  referred  to.  while  being  much  in  love  with 
Mr.  Barrage,  yet  make  serious  reservations — if  the  scheme 
is  carried  out.  This,  again,  is  as  it  should  be,  of  course. 
One  thing  at  a  time,  is  a  good  policy.  Get  the  bar  across, 
first ;  the  other  difficulties  may  be  surmounted — as  met 
with.  And  anyhow,  once  the  bar  is  across,  those  difficulties 
would  have  to  be  dealt  with,  and  thus  would  there  be  work 
—and  wages — for  quite  a  number  of  experts,  over  a  goodly 
number  of  years.  It  seems  a  pity  that  those  with  most  at 
stake — the  ratepayers  will  not  examine  the  matter  a  little 

more  attentively  ? 

t)&  Xs 

tu       tc? 

At  the  end  of  November  last,  the  steamer  Clan  Mackay, 
was  instrumental  in  saving  the  passengers  and  crew— nearly 
four  hundred  in  all— -of  the  Portuguese  Transport  San 
Thome,  which  was  stranded  in  a  very  dangerous  position  on 
the  Farioan  Bank,  in  the  Red  S»a.  Great  difficulties  and 
dangers  were  experienced  in  effecting  this  rescue  owing  to 
the  strong  wind,  rough  sea.  and  force  of  current,  setting 
right  across  the  reef.  Furthermore,  the  utmost  caution 
had  to  be  exercised  by  the  Clan  Mackay,  owing  to  the  dan- 
gerous reefs  and  to  the  locality  being  only  partially  surveyed. 
The  rescue  lasted  from  the  early  morning  of  the  28th  Nov- 
ember, until  5  p.m.  next  day,  when  the  Clan  Mackay  steamed 
away,  having  safely  on  board,  all  the  crew  and  troops 
of  the  San  Thome,  together  with  their  personal  effects. 
The  Merchant  Service  Guild  have  laid  the  full  particulars 
before  the  Portuguese  Government,  with  the  result  that 
they  have  just  received  a  letter  from  the  Secretary  to  the 
Portuguese  Legation  in  London,  stating  that  he  has  been 
requested  by  the  Minister  of  Marine,  to  convey  to  the  Guild, 
-on  the  part  of  the  Government  of  His  Faithful  Majesty, 
their  sincere  thanks  to  the  officers  and  men  of  the  Clan 
Mackay.'for  the  most  valuable  service  rendered,  and  to 
inform  the  Guild,  that  it  is  the  intention  of  His  Faithful 
Majesty's  Government,  to  confer  a  decoration  upon  the 
Master  of  the  Clan  Mackay— Captain  C.  J.  Higgins,  M.S.G. 

PATENTS. 


26,441/04  -HAYS — Improved  method  and  means  of  con- 
suming or  otherwise  disposing  of  the  smoke  from  the  stacks 
of  factories,  steamships  and  other  coal  consuming  furnaces. 

This  invention  relates  to  providing  the  smoke  stacks  of 
steamships,  factories.  &c.,  with  flues  for  conveying  away 
under  the  induced  draft  of  jets  of  compressed  air,  the  smoke 
from  the  top  of  the  stack,  which  stack  may  be  closed  by  a 
damper.  The  smoke  is  conveyed  by  these  flues  to  a  furn- 
ace where  it  is  consumed,  or  to  a  tank  of  water,  or  in  the 
case  of  a  steamship,  into  the  sea. 


44 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  2,    1905 


FRIDAY.  JUNE  2.   1905. 


A   NEW  FREIGHT  MARKET?     MANITOBA-ON-THE-SEA ! 

(Fourth  Article). 


ilTH    reference   to   the    paucity    of    authentic 
information    connected    with    the    Hudson's 
Bay,  this  little  trouble  is  sufficiently  explained 
by  the  fact  that  the  trading  thereaway,  has 
been  practically  confined  to  sailing  vessels  - 
and    not   very   large   ones,  at  that.     Thus  it 
comes  about,   that  the   records  which  have 
been   kept   are   merely   of   a    rudimentary   character  :  for. 
while  admitting  that  the  man  who  has  charge  of  a  smaU 
sailing  vessel,   might   be    able    to    keep    account   of    the 
happenings  of  his  voyage,  there  is  no  getting  away  from 
the  fact,  that  he  very  seldom  does.     Steamships  can.  of 
course,  negotiate  these  waters  in  safety  ;  in  a  safety  which 
is  denied,  at  times,  to  the  wind-jammer  :  for  currents,  and 
ice-jambs,  and  kindred  troubles,  are  of  less  importance  to 
the  vessel  which  has  "a  pair  of  bucking  screws."  say  ;  than 
to  the  slower-moving  chunks  of  the  poetry  of  motion  which, 
while  never  growing  weary,  sometimes  manage  to  go  a  long 
way,  only,  in  along  while  !     In  any  case,  we  may  not  get 
away  from  the  fact,  that  since  Hudson's  discovery  of  the 
big  inland   sea  which   bears  his   name— that  is,  for   some 
three  hundred  years     the  class  and   size   of  vessel   sailing 
there,    has    been     insignificant.      This,     in    itself,     is    a 
commentary  on  the  over-stated  dangers  of  the  locality.     It 
should  naturally  follow,  that  if  a  number  of  glorified  long- 
boats are  enabled  to  navigate  with  safety,  a  given  water, 
then,  larger  and  better-equipped  vessels  would  be  calculated 
to  give  a  happier  rendering  of  accounts  ?     As  a  matter  of 
fact,  however,  most  of  the  pioneering  has  been  carried  out 
by  small  vessels.     Aye.  even  in  an  era  when  larger  samples 
abound.     And  the  Hudson's  Bay  route,  is  no  exception  to 
the   general   rule,  for  even   as    little   packets   of  from    a 
hundred   to  a  hundred-and-fifty-tons   register,  opened  out 
and  made  possible  the  present-day  trade  of  Newfoundland: 
so  have  the   same   class,  of  vessels  done  the  heedful  in 
keeping  alive  the  industrial  pretence,  that  has  been  main- 
tained with  the  waters  that   are  further  west  and   north. 
To-day,  Newfoundland  is  blessed  with  a  fleet  of  steamers  for 
the  purpose  of  carrying  on  her  coastal  trade  ;  but  no  more 
than   twenty  years  ago,  a  steamer  there,  was  a  novelty, 
and  was  treated   as  such,  by   the  gentle  natives.     These 
latter  were    never   tired    of    impressing    on    the    patient 
voyager,  the  utter  impossibility  of  ever  hoping  to 'see  cod- 
fish carried  in  a  steamer's  hold-  if  only  for  the  awful  reason 
that  a  steamer  would  "  sweat "  too   much  !     Poor  souls  ! 
They  have  been  sadly  disillusioned  in  those  twenty   years, 
and  the  Dartmouth  brigs,  and  Brixham  schooners,  which  so 
nobly  carried  cut  their  share  of  the  Imperial  burden,  have 
been,   at  last,    relegated   to  the  limbo  of  forgotten  things. 
The  St.  John's,     Newfoundland,    fleet,    too — as  smart   a 
gathering  of  small-fry  vessels  as  ever  graced  the  sea    has 
gone,  or  is  rapidly  going,  the  same  way  :  and   the   trail   of 
the  serpent  (or  the  smoke  of  the  steamer  which,  to  the 
sailorman,  is  exactly  the  same  thing  !)   is  over  the  district 
that,  not  so  long  ago,  was  devoted  solely  to  the   exponents 
of  the    "  white    wings "    method    of    progression.       With 
the    advent     of     the    steamer,    comes     progressiveness. 
That  same  advent  has  already  opened   out  the  Newfound- 
land traffic  ;    opened  it  out  more  in  thirty  years,  than  the 


sailing  ship  was  enabled  to  do  in  three  hundred  years  :    and 
the  waters  (and  shores )  of  the  Hudson's  Bay,  is  but  a  little 
to  the  Westward  of  Newfoundland  :  the  march  of  progress 
is  setting  in  that  direction  :    and,  in   spite  of  all  the  argu- 
ments which  might  be  used  to  the  contrary,  the  eventual 
expansion   is  inevitable.     Especially    as  each    succeeding 
year    sees  a  greater  incentive  for    that    expansion     the 
beckoning  hands  of  the  thousands  who  have  gone  into  the 
Great  North- West,  and  have  prepared  the  cargoes  for  the 
argosies,  which  will  ultimately  navigate  those  waters.     To 
those  who  would  pretend  to  scoff  at  the  subject,  a  little 
calm  consideration  of  the   surprising  progress  which   has 
transpired  in  that  wonderful  land  to-date,  should  be  all- 
sufficient.     A   passing  examination  of  the  improvements ; 
the  absolute  altering  of  the  face  of  the  land  from   primeval 
savagery    to    ultra-civilisation ;     the    wiping    out    of   the 
original  holders  of  the  land  (the  "noble  red  men  "),  and  the 
substitution  of  an  alien  race  which,  in  turn,  has  become 
native  to  the  comparatively   new  country  ;    all  these  little 
points,  should  convince  the  most  sceptical,  that  it  is  im- 
possible to   turn  back  the   tide    of    present-day  progress. 
Of   course,    with    vested    interests    paramount    in    other 
directions,  it  is  human  to  scoff  at  new   ventures,   in   yet 
other    directions  :  but,   as   must  inevitably  happen  in  the 
march  of  civilisation,  the  scoffers,  at  length,  will  be  among 
the  most  devout  worshippers  of  the,  at  present,  new  cult. 
The  Hudson's  Bay  is  by   way  of  being  opened   up  to  the 
trade  of  the  world,  not  because  of  the  adventurous  spirit 
which,  in  the   past,   was  always  responsible  for  such   an 
opening-up  ;    but  for  the  reason  that  there  is  a  pressing, 
and  existent,  need  for  such  a  condition.     In  the  early  days. 
the  trade  expansions  were  all  for  the  purpose   of  carrying 
British  goods  to  a  new  market.     As  a  matter   of  course, 
those  same  carryings  pursued  the  line  of  least  resistance. 
If  a  given  route  were  harder  than  another  one,  then,  the 
former  was  given  up,  even  as  the  latter  was  nourished. 
But  in  connection  with  the  district   to   which    we    have 
given  this  extended  consideration,  there  is  no  question  of  an 
attempt  to  get  in  ;    it  is  all  a  matter  of  getting  out !     There 
is  already  a  quantity  of  marketable  stuff  awaiting  shipment : 
that  quantity  is  rapidly  increasing  ;    and  as  the  years  roll 
on.  the  increase  will  be  greater  and  more  marked.     Thus 
it  will  come  about,  that  the   incentive  to  pierce  the  com- 
paratively unknown  region,  will  be  quite  sufficient  to  bring 
that  piercing  about.     When   a   trader   is    merely   trying   to 
enter  an  unknown  district  for  the  purpose  of  disposing  of  a 
heterogenous  cargo  of  "  notions,"  he  will    not   be  unduly 
keen  in  sailing  his  vessel  ten  miles  further  than   is   abso- 
lutely necessary,   "just  for  fun  ?"      But   when   there   are 
return  cargoes  for  a  thousand  ships,  you  may  take  it  for 
granted  that  every  effort  known  to  modern  science  will  be 
used  :    that  other  interests  will  be  left  to  take  care   of 
themselves,  to  a  great  extent :     and   that   the   brand-new 
possibilities  of   wealth,  will   receive    the    same    care    and 
attention  that  was,  erstwhile,  lavished  upon  the  "vested 
interests  "  alluded  to.     It  is  hard— for  the  holders  of  those 
"  interests  ":  we  admit  it.    But  then,  they  do  but  encounter 
the  treatment  •vhich  they,  in  years  past,  -meted  out  to  other 
"interests":  and  so  the  game  continues.     We   know  that 
in  years  gone  by,  the  early  navigators  in  this  region,  brought 
home  tales  of  wonder  that  were  calculated  to   put   to   the 
blush,  such  romancers  as   Sir  John    Mandeville   or   Baron 
Munchausen.     But  it   must   not   be  forgotten  that  those 
same    navigators   brought  home    much   wealth :    that  the 
world  was  younger  and  more  innocent ;  and  that  the  yarns 
which  have  been  labelled  as  "  travellers '  tales,"  were  spun 
solely  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  away  interlopers  from  the 
new  Golconda.     In  great  measure,  those  terrible  tales  were 
a  success  ;  they  did  really  keep  off  cowans  and    intruders; 
but  only  for  a  time.     Education   is  more   common  to-day, 
and  as  a  natural  consequence,  the    possessors  thereof  are 
somewhat  averse  to  being  "  stuffed  "  with  fairy  tales  !     All 
the  same,  reliable  date   relating  to 'the   Hudson's   Bay  is 
sadly  needed  ;  but,  as  we  have   already   suggested,   this  is 


June   2,    1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


45 


by  way  of  being  gathered.  Moreover,  with  the  advent  of  the 
newly-awakened  interest  which  is  gravitating  around  this 
district,  it  is  surprising  to  learn  the  quantity  of  really 
dependable  knowledge  which  is  already  available.  In  our 
last  week's  issue,  we  quoted  from  a  report  made  to  the 
Select  Parliamentary  Committee  in  1883:  we  will  now 
give  a  few  points  which  have  been  gleaned  from  another 
report  made  to  the  Winnipeg  Board  of  Trade,  in  the 
following  year  —1884.  In  this  report,  we  have  the  evidence 
of  a  Captain  Hackland,  who.  for  sixteen  years,  had  been 
sailing  in  Canada's  northern  waters.  The  whole  evidence 
was  in  connection  with  the  ice  in  Hudson's  Bay.  and  we 
note  that  according  to  Captain  Hackland's  experience,  the 
ice.  thereaway,  was  altogether  dependent  on  the  depth  of 
the  water  involved.  For  instance,  at  Churchill,  where  the 
water  is  fairly  deep,  the  ice  does  not  form  to  an 
extent  greater  than  half  a  mile  from  the  shore :  but 
at  York,  at  times,  it  forms  for  a  distance  of  quite 
three  miles  from  the  shore,  in  consequence  of  the  shallow- 
ness  of  the  water.  At  the  same  time,  however,  the 
mouth  of  the  Nelson  River  is  never  really  closed. 
Again,  we  learn  that  in  lat.  62.5  N.  there  was  no  ice  to 
obstruct  the  passage,  from  the  middle  of  June  to  October ; 
and  the  shipmaster,  already  quoted,  stated  that  a  standing 
order  from  his  company's  officials  was  :  "  Never  go  south  of 
latitude  60.  until  you  are  west  of  longitude  90  going  to 
York  or  Churchill."  Captain  Hackland  also  said  :  "  There 
is  a  continual  current  setting  to  the  east,  from  Cape 
Henrietta  Maria,  towards  the  supposed  opening :  the  Bay 
ship,  on  her  voyage  to  Moose  Factory,  has  frequently 
observed  a  large  glut  of  ice  off  Cape  Henrietta  Maria, 
which,  before  her  return,  has  entirely  disappeared  :  and 
whither  could  it  have  drifted  with  a  strong  easterly  current. 
unless  some  opening  had  admitted  its  escape  from 
the  Bay  ? "  Mr.  Bell,  in  his  report  to  the  Winnipeg 
Board  of  Trade,  explained  that  the  suggested  opening. 
is  the  channel  that  is  said  to  exist  between  Mosquito 
Bay  and  Ungava  Bay.  If  the  passage  is  really  there 
and  its  existence,  or  otherwise,  will  soon  be  determined, 
thanks  to  the  exploring  expedition  already  alluded  to— it 
will  be  open  for  the  use  of  steamers,  during  those  months 
in  which  ice  is  found  in  the  Strait :  although,  even  so.  the 
vessels  will  have  to  run  across  the  stream  which  is 
generally  a  heavy  one  in  Ungava  Bay  ;  and  this  stream. 
by  the  way.  is  heavy,  even  when  there  is  little  or  no 
current  along  the  northern  shore  of  Hudson's  Strait. 
Harking  back  to  the  St.  Lawrence,  we  find  that,  in  its 
lower  reaches  (and  notwithstanding  Its  comparative 
narrowness  >  it  is  partially  open,  in  th*  middle  of  winter : 
but  the  difficulty,  here,  as  it  is  in  the  case  of  some  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  ports,  lays  in  the  apparently  insurmountable 
difficulty  of  getting  into  harbour.  Harbours  such  as  that 
of  Churchill  or  York,  on  the  Bay.  however,  would  have  an 
advantage  over  Quebec  or  Montreal,  by  connecting  directly 
with  the  open  sea :  hence  in  the  autumn,  vessels  wouUL-. 
escape  the  liability  of  being  frozen  in  as  has  occasionally 
happened  in  the 'St.  Lawrence,  notably  in  the  Autumns  of 
1870  and  1880.  On  the  former  occasion,  the  outward 
bound  shipping  was  frozen  in  below  Quebec,  occasioning  a 
loss  of  over  a  million  dollars.  Again,  in  the  Spring,  there 
might  be  no  more  certainty  of  entering  from  the  sea.  than 
from  the  Gulf  of  Lawrence  as  vexatious  delays  are  quite 
common  hereaway,  for  quite  a  while  after  the  "open 
season "  is  supposed  to  have  arrived.  The  Montreal 
Harbour  Master^  according  to  the  United  States  Report 
on  the  commercial  relations  for  1878— furnished  a  table 
which  detailed  the  various  dates  for  the  opening  and  closing 
of  that  port.  Therefrom  we  find,  over  a  period  of  twenty 
years,  that  the  average  opening  of  the  port  was  May  1  : 
and  the  average  closing  date.  November  25.  Contrasting 
this  with  the  records  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  as 
presented  to  the  Canadian  Government  in  1880.  it  appears 
that  the  Hayes  River,  at  York  Factory,  for  an  average  of 
53  years,  was  open  on  May  15  :  and  that  only  once,  in  the 


whole  of  that  time,  did  it  remain  closed  until  the  end  of 
May  or  to  the  first  days  in  June.  Once,  again,  the  river 
closed  on  November  3— in  1878— but  the  average  closing 
date  was  November  20.  The  River  Nelson,  close  to  the 
Hayes,  but  considerably  larger  than  the  latter,  is  closed  at 
a  correspondingly  later  date.  So  that,  by  comparison,  the 
dates  of  opening  and  closing  in  the  rival  districts  are  : 

Opening  of  harbour,  Montreal,  May  1  :  York,  June  1. 

Closing  of  harbour,          „        Nov.  25  ;       „      Nov.  10. 
From  this  it  will  be  seen  that  York  harbour  is  open,  and 
clear  of  ice.  for  five  and   a  half  months  in  the  year--which 
constitutes  the  "  safe  navigation  "  period.     At  a  port  on  the 
Nelson  River,  that  period  would  be  greatly  extended. 

(To  be  continued.) 


IS   THE   COAL-TAX   DOOMED? 


WE  have  remarked,  ere  this,  that  it  isn't  all  beer  and 
skittles,  being  a  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer ! 
Especially  if  an  unkind  fate  has  dumped  one  into 
the  position,  directly  after  a  former  Chancellor  has  been 
painting  things  red  with  unpopular  taxes— which  is  always  ? 
Furthermore,  there  is  a  terrible  lot  of  irony  in  the  business. 
and  taking  it  all  'round,  it  is  no  wonder  that  a  Chancellor's 
job  is  the  reverse  of  a  long  one.  Sir  Michael  Hicks-Beach 
earned  for  himself,  an  unenviable  reputation  as  a  statesman. 
when  he  inaugurated  a  tax  on  exports;  although  in  all 
probability,  the  poor  gentleman  couldn't  very  well  help 
himself.  That  is,  he  had  to  father  the  ridiculous  coal-tax, 
whether  he  were  the  originator  of  that  blatant  piece  of 
retrogressiveness.  or  otherwise.  Probably.  Sir  Michael 
did  but  carry  out  the  behest  of  a  permanent  official ;  one 
of  those  haughty  personages  who.  when  faced  with  a 
shortage  of  "  the  needful  "  for  Governmental  purposes, 
suddenly  remembered  that  the  supplier  of  his  domestic 
bunkers  had  tipped  in  a  quantity  of  slate,  among  the 
reputed  silk-stone  which  had  been  ordered  ;  and  having 
remembered,  decided  to  "  take  it  out  of"  all  coalmen,  alike. 
In  any  case,  the  coal-tax  came  :  Sir  Michael  took  the  blame 
of  the  thing  :  left  his  job :  and  as  a  penance,  took  the 
position  of  independent  chairman  of  the  "Conciliation 
Board  "  that  was,  about  that  time,  in  a  state  of  chronic 
dyspepsia  if  we  may  put  it  thus  !  Since  that  never-to-be- 
forgotten  epoch,  numerous  have  been  the  devices  for  the 
repeal  of  the  tax.  Deputations  have  waited  on  the  powers 
that  be :  newspaper  controversies  naye  gravitated  around  the 
vexed  question  ;  threats ;  promises ;  cajolings :  prevarications, 
etc.,  have  been  in  evidence :  but  the  tax  is  as  firm  as  ever.  But 
hold  on!  Perhaps  we  are  wrong  in  assuming  that  the  firmness 
of  the  coal-tax  is  untouched.  It  is  just  possible  that  it 
has  had  about  the  worst  shock  which  has  been  given  it, 
to-date.  "  Mabon "  is  up  against  it,  and  when  that 
otalwart  individual  bares  his  superb  shoulders ;  when, 
metaphorically,  he  braces  himself  up  (or  down)  for  a  full- 
tilt  at  the  windmills ;  well,  something  generally  happens. 
There  is  either  an  American  tour  to  the  'fore ;  there  is 
some  splendid  singing :  fairy  tales  are  told  ;  or  righteous 
indignation  on  account  of  the  benighted  way  in  which  Con- 
servative miners  object  to  spend  their  money  for  the 
propagation  of  Liberal  doctrines,  is  about.  Sometimes, 
there  is  a  combination  of  the  whole  ;  and  in  any  case, 
there  is  grand  fun  in  the  resultant  exhibitions,  yes.  Fun 
for  everybody,  that  is.  outside  of  the  ranks  of  Conservative 
miners  !  However,  in  the  latest  debate  on  the  coal-tax, 
Mr.  "  Mabon  "  has  been  talking  straight;  has  been  using 
threats  ;  and  taking  it  altogether,  we  are  of  opinion  that 
the  tax  is  doomed.  Here  it  is :  If  that  obnoxious  tax  is 
not  removed,  then  "  Mabon "  is  going  to  give  his  own 
leaders,  the  opposition  of  every  miner  in  the  country.  Look 
at  that,  now  !  Coal-tax  doomed,  forsooth.  Why,  it  is  as 
good  as  dead  ;  that's  what  it  is  ;  and  personally,  we  are 
proud  of  "  Mabon,"  look  you. 


46 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  2,    1905 


CARDIFF     (AND    OTHER)     COAL. 


CARDIFF,  May  51,  1905. 

AOAIN  it  is  our  doubtful  privilege  to  spread  before  you, 
the  happenings  of  another  week  in  coal-land.  Doubtful, 
for  the  reason  that,  if  anything,  the  conditions  are  worse 
than  at  our  last :  and  a  privilege,  because  it  is  always  that, 
you  know — let  times  be  good  or  bad.  and  our  tone  hilarious 
or  plaintive.  Really,  when  we  started  out  on  this  task,  it 
was  our  intention  to  review  the  happeninps  in  the  coal 
market,  since  last  we  enjoyed  the  same  privilege.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  however,  we  are  strongly  of  opinion  that 
there  is  neither  happenings,  nor  market,  for  those  who  are 
interested,  these  days. 

GOME  we  now  to  tonnage  supplies,  which  are  a  vital 
feature  in  the  successful  development  of  a  coal  business. 
Well,  tonnage  supplies  are  like  the  late  Russian  Fleet— of 
very  little  present  use.  That  is  to  say,  the  quantity  of 
tonnage  coming  to  hand — or  to  dock,  if  you  would  rather 
have  it  that  way — is  of  an  unsatisfactory  volume  (do  they 
have  volumes  of  tonnage  ?  Our  own  prophet  puts  it  that 
way.  so  we  suppose  it  is  as  near  right  as  makes  no 
difference).  There  certainly  has  been  an  improvement  in 
the  matter  of  arrivals  of  late,  but  somehow  or  other,  they 
haven't  made  much  difference  to  the  coal  market.  Our 
own  young  man  says,  "  These  are  insufficient  in  themselves 
to  maintain  the  market,  and  the  buyer  is  sharing  all  the 
the  favours  at  the  moment." 

THE  foregoing,  we  suppose,  is  alright,  also,  but  for  our- 
selves we  think  it  is  a  bit  low  down  on  the  tonnage,  to 
expect  it  to  maintain  the  market,  and  the  shipowner — 
especially  in  view  of  the  expensive  tastes  of  some  of  the 
latter.  But  let  it  pass.  Our  young  man  means  well,  and 
he  doesn't  know  the  shipowner,  and  his  tastes,  quite  as 
well  as  ourselves — which  is  a  good  thing  for  our  young 
man.  When  a  few  simple  steamers  are  strained-up.  to  the 
extent  of  supplying  a  few  landaus,  some  motor  cars,  a 
home  and  a  country-seat  (which  are  not  synonymous 
terms),  it  is  a  bit  off-side,  to  expect  them  to  maintain  a 
market,  as  well — and  all  without  any  dry  dock,  or  other 
repairing  ideas  to  the  'fore  ? 

OUR  next  note  reads,  "consider  the  demand,"  and  we 
hate  to  disappoint  a  well-meaning  notist.  in  any  shape  or 
form.  Having  tried  to  consider  the  demand,  what  do  we 
find  ?  Simply  that  it  is  a  waste  of  good  time,  for— there  is 
no  demand  :  at  least,  none  that  is  really  worthy  of  the 
name.  Moreover,  when  the  demand  is  easy,  and  colliery 
stems  are  of  the  same  turn  of  mind,  what  happens  ? 
Stocks  accumulate  ?  Right,  the  first  try !  And  when 
stocks  accumulate  ?  The  market  goes  all  to  pieces  ? 
Not  quite  so  bad  as  that  dears,  but  near  it,  very  near  it. 
But  then,  stocks  may  not  accumulate  indefinitely.  There 
is  a  limit  in  this  direction,  as  in  every  other.  When  this 
particular  limit  is  reached,  what  follows?  'Why  the 
collieries  implicated  have  to  close  down--  for  a  spell. 

THIS  is  exactly  what  a  number  of  collieries  have  been 
doing.  They  have  closed  down :  their  colliers  have 
betaken  them  to  the  seaside  or  other  money-spending 
centre  :  and  how  the  Federation  is  going  to  gather  in  the 
shekels  now,  well,  we  shouldn't  like  to  say.  All  the  same, 
we  can  see  the  connection  between  "Mabon's"  Parlia- 
mentary outburst,  and  the  lack  of  demand  for  Welsh  coal: 
Yes,  the  colliery  which  cannot  dispose  of  its  daily  output, 
nor  of  any  of  its  stock,  is  in  a  bad  way  ;  and  give  the  boys 
a  holiday—  an  informal  sort  of  "  stop  day  "  of  which  they 
are  so  fond— is  the  order  of  the  day.  The  resultant 
condition  is  known  as  restriction  of  output.  But  it  isn't 
worth  tuppence  in  raising  demands,  or  in  stiffening  prices, 
and  we  should  like  to  hear  St.  David  II's  explanation  on 
the  subject. 


THE  above  reminds  us  !  Is  there  any  truth  in  the  state- 
ment that  the  "  great  social  weekly  "  is  really  by  way  of  a 
resurrection  ?  Rumour  says  yes,  and  that  it  will  be  the 
same  old  paper,  the  same  old  man,  a  start  in  the  same  old 
bad  times — but  presumably  it  will  be  different  money? 
The  other  lot  was  all  disposed  of— in  the  long  ago  ?  Before 
the  "g.s.w."  closed  for  alterations,  repairs  or  whatever  it 
was.  Well,  if,  for  once,  rumour  is  to  be  believed,  we 
welcome  the  dear  old  thing  back  from  its  long  retirement : 
after  such  a  spell  of  rest,  it  should  make  the  welkin  ring? 
But  we  have  our  own  doubts  thereon,  and  principally 
because  the  coal  market  is  so  deadly  dull.  When  the 
coal  market  is  dull  in  Cardiff,  it  is  a  poor  time  to  attempt  a 
journalistic  resurrection.  Still,  if  at  first  you  don't 
succeed,  (providing  you  can  find  the  oof)  try,  try.  try, 
again  ! 

HOWEVER,  with  regard  to  the  coal  trade,  we  are  assured 
that  the  outlook —which  is  an  inexpensive  item,  after  all— is 
brighter  ;  so  that  is  a  consolation  ?  Of  course,  there  is  a 
reason  for  this  assurance.  There  are  more  orders  about, 
during  the  past  few  days,  than  for  weeks  past !  This 
means,  that  there  is  a  greater  demand  for  tonnage,  and 
generally  considered,  things  are  on  the  mend — hence  the 
re-appearance  of  the  "weekly"  suggested?  Of  course, 
the  lower  rates  of  freights  ruling  for  forward  shipment, 
may  induce  a  little  more  buying  on  the  part  of  the  foreigner, 
while,  again,  they  might  not.  Another  factor  to  be 
reckoned  with,  is  the  approaching  time  of  wassail— although 
we  are  prone  to  admit  that  the  benefits  which  have 
accrued  to  the  seller  on  this  account,  in  the  past,  has  been 
very  trifling. 

BEST  CARDIFF  ADMIRALTYS  are,  generally  considered,  in 
no  better  case  than  the  other  varieties.  That  is,  they  are 
suffering  equally  from  the  absence  of  demand.  Stems  are 
markedly  easier,  and  as  a  natural  consequence,  BESTS  are 
obtainable  at  12s.  9d. — and  threepence  lower  than  this,  is 
known  to  have  secured  one  decent-sized  cargo.  For  early 
shipment,  this  grade  commands  nothing  more  than  the 
figures  we  have  mentioned— although  the  few  remaining 
favoured  ones,  are  quoting  higher.  The  majority,  however, 
have  plenty  of  coals  for  prompt  delivery,  and  to  niggle  a 
bit  over  the  price,  you  are  safe  in  accepting  12s.  7lzd.  as 
current  value. 

SECONDS  are  unchanged — and  for  the  simple  reason  that 
nothing  has  transpired  to  warrant  their  being  otherwise. 
The  business  passing  therein,  is  just  as  limited  as  it  has 
been  of  late,  and  if  you  have  done  us  the  honour  of  reading 
these  columns,  you  know  fairly  well,  what  that  means. 
True,  the  seller  is  inclined  to  kiss  the  rod — any  better 
osculatory  medium  being  absent :  and  although  he  will  tell 
you  tales  of  values  ranging  into  the  12s.  and  12s.  3d.  range, 
he  doesn't  mean  it,  bless  you.  At  least,  not  to  any  extent; 
to  the  extent,  say,  of  allowing  you  to  depart  withouta  lower 
offer.  This  latter  too,  may  gravitate  around  the  nimble 
threepenny-piece  — if  you  are  slow  ;  otherwise,  sixpence — 
and  there  it  is. 

ORDINARIES  are  just  that,  and  "  no  improvement"  is  the 
phrase  for  their  state,  at  present.  No  new  business,  stems 
slack,  demand  off  for  the  Whitsun  holidays — naturally,  the 
figures  which  we  give  you  below,  are.  well,  merely  figu- 
rative !  Actual  values  may  only  be  ascertained,  when  the 
buyer  comes  along  with  firm  business — and  on  those 
occasions,  quotations  are  nothing  to  go  by. 

DRYS  range  from  lls.  6d.  to  lls.  9d.  as  quotations,  too 

-but  with  threepence  lower  in  each  instance,  as  the  price 

ultimately   paid.     Jib   a  bit  harder,  and  another  1/^d.   is 

yours,  for  there  is  no  demand,  and  the  manipulators  of  the 

grade  are  disconsolate— and  weepy. 


June  2.   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


47 


MONMOUTHSHIRE  GOALS  have  varied  but  little.  Prices,  it 
is  true,  have  ^been  maintained ;  but  this,  more  for  the 
reason  that  nobody  appears  to  want  them,  rather  than  that 
there  is  any  hardness  about.  A  few  simple  bookings  have 
resulted  :  have  come  about  in  a  desultory  and  don't-care-a 
-toss  sort  of  manner :  and  all  for  early  shipment.  Tonnage 
supplies,  too.  are  the  reverse  of  pleasing,  so  BLACK  VEINS. 
while  put  up  at  11s.  3d.,  are  only  dealt  with  in  this  manner. 
to  enable  the  buyer  to  say  "  Make  it  the  level  money,  and 
I'm  on."  Tis  made,  and  there  you  are,  sirs !  Another 
ha'porth  sold  ! 

ORDINARIES  coruscate  around  at   11s. — on  paper;  but  in 


view  of  the  prevailing  conditions,  a  bit  may  easily  be 
knocked  off,  here.  Very  little  has  been  done  in  this 
section,  and  the  lives  of  the  exponents  thereof,  are  any- 
thing but  over  lilies-of-the-valley,  worse  luck. 

SECONDS  show  a  maintenance  of  recent  figures — 10s.  3d. 
--and,  marvelltous  to  relate,  a  fair  business  has  been  done 
in  them.  RHONDDA  No.  3's  are  still  favoured  with  good 
stems,  so  are  moderately  busy ;  No.  2's  are  just  the 
reverse.  SMALLS,  happy  parcel,  are  as  fresh  as  ever,  and 
if  some  of  their  exploiters  don't  soon  retire  on  a  fortune,  it 
will  be  all  along  of  the  "  second  Mrs.  Tanqueray,"  yes  ! 


APPROXIMATE     FIGCR>> 


FOR     THE     WEEK,     ARE     AS     FOLLOW  ; — 

(All  quotations  j.o.b.  at  the  respective  ports  of  shipment.; 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Best  Cardiff  Ad'allv  Urge 
Second         Hutu. 
Other  Second  Cardiff     ... 
Dry* 
Best  Newport 
Ordinarx  Bests 
Seconds" 
Best  House  Coal 
No.  3  Rhondda 
No.  2         Ditto. 
Rhondda  3  "  Thro." 
Z        ., 

133.  od. 

'-'-•  3d- 
IIS.  4'.'!. 
iis.  6d.,  I2s.  ex!. 
us  3d- 
iis.  od. 

IOS.  3(1. 

153.  od.,  i;s.  6d. 
139.  lo.jd. 
9».  lojil. 
iis.  oti.,  us.  9d. 

- 

I2s.  od.,  135.  od. 
I2s.  od.,  12s.  6d. 
us.  4^d. 
us.  9d. 
us.  3d. 

IIS.  0  i. 

los.  3d. 
153.  3<l. 
ijs.  io$d. 

9s-  9  i- 
1  1  >.  od. 
8s.  ioAd. 

I2S.   lojd. 

i2s.  3d. 
us.  6d. 
us.  7.\d. 
i  is.  od.,  us.  6d. 
los.  9d.,  us.  3d. 
IDS.  od.,  los.  od. 
153.  3d. 
135.  gcL,  143.  ol. 
gs.  9<l. 
i  is.  i»d. 
93.  od. 

I2S.  i|d. 
I2S.  Od. 

1  1  s.  6d. 
i  is.  7^d. 
us.  3d 
us.  od. 
los.  4'sd. 
1  53.  od. 
ijs.  gd. 
95.  9d.,  los.  od. 
us.  7',d. 
gs.  gd. 

I2S.  gd. 

12S.  od. 

us.  6d.,  us.  gd. 
us.  gd. 
us  3d.,  us.  6d. 
us.  od.,  us.  jd. 
IDS.  4id. 
153.  od. 
133.  gd. 
gs.  7|d. 
us.  6d. 
8s.  gd. 

i2s.  gd.,  133.  od. 
I2S.  od.,  123.  3d. 
i  is.  3d.,  i  is.  gd. 

US.  6d.,    123.  Oti. 

i  is.  od.,  i  is.  6d. 
us.  od. 
IDS.  3d.,  los.  6d. 
153.  od.,  155.  6d. 
133.  6d.,  143.  od. 
93.  gd. 
i  is.  6d.,  us.  gd. 
8s.  qd.,  gs.  od. 

SmalK: 
Best  Cardiff 
Seconds 
Ordinaries 
Best  Newport 
Seconds 
Rhnndda  No.  2 
No.  3 

7s.  9d,  8s.  3d. 

;  i  .  ;s.  6d 
75.  od. 
;-  od. 
69.9(1. 

7»-3d 

,,,-   . 

73.  9d. 
4Jd. 
73.  od. 
78.  od. 
6s.  6d. 
75.  3d. 
IDS.  od. 

73.  gd.,  8s.  od. 
73.  4jd. 

7S.    lid. 

6s.  91  1. 
6s.  6d. 
73.  od.,  7s.  6d. 
93.  9<i. 

8s.  od. 
7s.  6d. 
73.  oil.,  7s.  31!. 
6s.  9d.,  75.  od. 
6s.  91!. 
75.  ijd. 
93.  gd. 

8s.  o:l. 
73.  6d. 
75.  3d. 
7s.  od. 
6s.  7Jd. 
7s.  3d. 
gs.  io.Jd 

73.  gd.,  8s.  3d. 
73.  7id. 
7s.  3d. 
6s.  gd.,  73.  3d. 
6s.  gd. 
7s.  3d. 
IDS.  od. 

Foundry  Coke  : 
Special 
Ordlnan 

2  IS.  Oil. 

l8s.  od. 

2os.  9-1. 
17*.  9d. 

208.  9  I. 

175.  9d. 

218.  Od. 

173.  6d. 

2is.  od.,  2is.  6d. 
17*.  6d. 

2  IS.  od. 

173.  gd. 

Furnace  Coke 
Patent  Fuel 
I'itwood    t\  shir 

l6s.  6.1. 

0(1. 
19*.  O(l.,  204.  ol. 

i  <v  od. 

I  JS.   ;d. 

i6s.  3d. 

1  2s.  9d. 

His.  3d. 

1  6s.  3d. 

12S.  9'l. 
I9S.  od. 

1  6s.  6d. 
12s.  gd.,  135.  od. 
igs.  od. 

los.  od.,  i6s.  6d. 
I2s.  6d.,  135.  od. 
igs.  od.,  igs.  6d. 

All,  less  2!?  per  cent,  discount,  with  payment  at  thirty  days,  except  where  otherwise  stated. 
All  quotations  for  large  Coals  imply  Colliery  Screened. 


SWANSEA.  May  31.  1905. 

THERE  is  but  little,  this  week,  to  report  in  connection  with  the 
market  here,  which  throughout,  remains  in  a  state  of  quietude. 
Practically,  all  varieties  are  suffering  from  the  dearth  of  new  business. 
and  consequently  price*  continue  to  rule  easy,  for  anything  that  is 
required  for  prompt  shipment  Quotations  however,  are  unchanged, 
though  business  is  terribly  restricted,  both  for  early  and  forward 
shipment  Tonnage  supplies  have  been  rather  more  plentiful,  but  the 
absence  of  new  orders  keep*  the  market  in  a  weak  state. 

AKTHRACITE  COALS  remain  at  last  levels,  the  general  opinion  being 
that  there  is  not  likely  to  be  any  further  decline  in  values.  MALTING 
descriptions  are  not  moving  off  well,  but  quotations  are  fairly  steady, 
although,  here  and  there,  it  i*  possible  to  obtain  concessions  for  some- 
thing immediate.  There  is  very  little  actual  demand,  and  this  section 
i*  nothing  other  than  easy.  Other  Sorts  RED  &  Bio  VEIN  are  as 
weak  a*  they  were  at  our  last  time  of  writing,  and  their  price  depends 


upon  the  date  of  shipment — and  the  propensities  of  the  buyer. 

COBBLES.  NUTS  &  PEAS  are  suffering  from  a  lack  of  appreciation, 
and  the  supplies  being  greater  than  the  demand,  weakness  governs 
values,  hereaway. 

DUFF  is  slightly  harder  on  account  of  an  improvement  in  the  enquiry. 
Insufficient  has  been  done,  however,  to  enable  Sellers  to  obtain  higher 
prices  so  far  those  current  being  3s.  to  3s.  3d. 

CULM  is  commanding  recent  figures,  and  this  phase  of  the  trade  is 
maintaining  a  firm  tone.  Buyers  being  favoured  with  a  good  demand, 
and  seeing  that  there  is  still  a  restriction  of  supplies  there  is  not  likely 
to  be  any  change  immediately  in  the  ruling  figures  of  5s.  3d.  to  5s.  6d. 

STEAM  COALS  are  no  firmer  than  when  last  we  wrote  you,  and 
seeing  that  the  amount  of  business  passing  in  them,  is  as  limited  as 
then,  weakness  remains  the  feature  in  values.  Bests,  while  being 
quoted  at  1  3s..  are  worth  nothing  more  than  1 2s,  9d.  Seconds,  say, 
1  Is.  9d.  Bunker  Spots  are  plentiful,  at  10s.  9d.  to  1  Is. 


BELOW,  we  give  the  average,  prices  for  the  week  :— 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Anthracite: 

, 

Best    Hand    Picked 
MaltlnK  Lar«e 
Seconds    do. 
BIK  Vein  Large 
Red    ..       .. 
Machine  Made  Cobbles    ... 

i8s.  od. 
173.  od. 
1  1  ft.  od. 
99.9(1. 
16*.  9-1. 

179.  od. 
i6s.  gd. 
\i*.  od. 
los.  o  1. 
i6s.  6d. 

I7s.  gd. 
1  6s.  od. 
tos.  tojd. 
IOS.  od. 
6d. 

i8s.  od.,  i8s.  6d. 
173.  od. 
los.  lo.'.d. 
gs.  gd. 
1  6s.  gd. 
i6s   od     i6s   6d 

1  8s.  od. 
i6s.  6d.,  173.  od. 
i  is.  od. 
gs.  gd  ,  los.  3d. 

163.  7id. 

173.  6d.,  183.  6d. 
i6s.  gd. 
los.  gd.,  us.  3d. 
IDS.  o:l. 
1  6s.  6d.,  1  6s.  gd. 
1  6s   6d 

.,         ,,     Nuts 

1  6s.  6<1  .  i  " 

,,     Peas 

o*.  6d.,  IDS.  6d. 

os.  od. 

gs.  gd. 

gs.  6d.,  los.  od. 

gs.  7ld. 

gs.  gd.,  los.  gd. 

Rubbly  Culm 

Nfl 

6(1. 

5»-  3d- 

33.  od. 

53.  3d. 
33.  od. 

Ss.  od.,  53.  6d. 
33.  od.,  33.  3.1. 

55.  3d.,  53.  6d. 
33.  3d. 

53.  4^d. 
.is.  3d. 

Patent  Fuel: 

1  1-*.  pd. 

IIS.  6.1.  .   123.  Od. 

us.  gd. 

us.  7id. 

us.  6:1. 

us.  6d.,  i  is.  gd. 

Steam: 
Best    Large 
Seconds  .. 
Hunker    ,, 
Thro'  and  Thro' 

od 
n*.  od. 
8s.  6d.,  93.  od. 

iis.  gd. 
los.  od. 
88.6d. 

133.  od. 
us.  gd. 
los.  gd. 
8s.  7J(I. 

I2S.  lo.Jd. 
i  is.  6(1.,  I2S.  od. 
IDS.  7Jd. 
8s.  6d.,  IDS.  gd. 

I2S.  g  1.,  133.  o  1. 
us.  g  !. 
los.  6:1.,  IDS.  gd. 
8s.  6d. 

133.  o  1. 
us.  gd. 
los.  6d.,  IDS.  gd 
8s,  6d.,  8s.  gd. 

4x 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


JllllC    2,     1905 


FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES. 


CARDIFF.  May  SI.  1905. 

DURING  the  earlier  days  of  the  week  under  review,  chartering — 
especially  for  the  Mediterranean  section  thereof— was  fairly  busy.  But 
although  a  fair  amount  of  fixtures  resulted,  rates  were  even  as 
obtained  at  our  last  time  of  writing. 

BUT.  IN  the  past  few  days,  the  business  has   eased  off  considerably 

everybody  concerned  appears  to  be  engaged  in  the  summery-pastime. 
known  as  sitting  on  the  fence.  That  is.  the  Russians  are  more  in  need 
of  medical  skill  than  of  coal ;  the  hoped-for  1 00.000  tons  is  not  yet ; 
and  transactions  in  other  departments  of  the  chartering  world,  are 
suffering  from  the  shocks  caused  by  Admiral  Togo's  reverberating 
thunder. 

ALTHOUGH  the  WEST  is  remote  from  the  scene  of  Eastern  tribulation, 
chartering  for  the  Land  of  Promise  is  suspended,  pro  tern.  Briefly 
put,  the  chartering  pursued  the  tenour  of  its  way  until  the  destruction 
of  the  Russian  Fleet  :  since  then,  shipowners  have  been  too  busy  in 
trying  to  average  out  the  conflicting  reports  of  "  how  Togo  did  it."  from 
the  various  daily  papers — most  of  which  have  or  claim  to  have,  a 
correspondent  on  the  spot,  so  to  speak  !  However,  you  will  be  able  to 
cull,  from  the  following  list,  each  particular  section  of  the  giddy  whirl 
which  is  of  most  interest  to  yourself.  You  pay  your  money,  and  you 
take  your  choice  once  again  ! 

Week  Ending,  (Wednesday),  May  31,  1905 

(N)   denotes    Newport,    (S)  Swansea,    (P.  T.)    Port    Talbot,    loading. 

EASTERN. 

Colombo,     Clan  (  uinniing,  6,400  tons,    8s.  9<i. 

Aden,     Kenley,  93.  i£d.   spot. 

Parana,     Steamer,   2,200  tons,    ios.,    250. 

WESTWARD,     Etc. 

River  Plate,     Eton,   3,000  tons,   75.  3d. 

Northlands,  3,500  tons,    78.  6d. 

Steamer,  4,000  tons,   75.  6d.    (N). 
Rio  de  Janeiro,     Usher,    4,300  tons,   8s.  gd. 
Diego  Suarez,    Kilbirnnan,    iis. 

MEDITERRANEAN,     Etc. 

Port  Said,    Tre ,     55. 

Genoa,     Euterpe,    5,500   tons,    6=. 

Steamer,    3,500  tons,   6s.  7jd. 

Duneric,    2,400  tons,  75.  i^d.  coal,  500  6|d.,  fuel  8s.  i|d. 
500  iod.,   option  Savona,  (s). 

Bluejacket,   5,500  tons,    6s.  3d. 

Grof  Tisza  fslvan,  4,200  tons,    6s.  6d. 

Pasquale  P.,  3,200  tons,   6s.  gd.    spot.   (N). 
Alexandria,     Enidwtn,  5,100  tons,   53.  io|d. 

Penlee,  5,800  tons,   55.  io4d. 

Chiverslone,  4,300  tons,    55.  7|d. 
Constantinople,     Sarah  Raddiffe.  2,500  tons,    6s.  3d. 

Kiltie,  2,900  tons,    6s.    option  Haida  Pasha. 
Piraeus,     Aeolus,    4,600  tons,    6s.    ppt. 

Ruysdael,  2,500  tons,  ^65.  3d. 

Steamer,  3,400  tons,    6s.    ppt.    (N). 
Venice,     Wanby,    5,300    tons,    6s.  9d.  option  Ancona. 

Steamer,  3,300  tons,    8s.  coal,   8s.  gd.  fuel,    (s) 

Llangorse  or  Llanovei ,   5,500  tons,    73. 

Tremeadow,    5,400  tons,    73. 
Valencia,     Steamer.  700  tons,    75.   (s). 

Fiz,   900  tons,    73.  coal,  75.  gd.  fuel,   (s). 

Canganian,   1,300  tons,    73.  coal,    73.  9d.  fuel,   (N). 
Leghorn,     Darlnnmr,  3,806  tons,    6s.  6d. 

Fernlattds,  2,500  tons,   6s.  90".   (s). 

Steamer,  3,800  tons,  6s.  3d.,    500  lod.     (N). 

Iberia,   2,100  tons,  75.  3d.  coal,  8s.  fuel.     (s). 
Alicante,     Glenwood,  2,400  tons,    73.  3d.  coal,  8s.  fuel,    (s). 
Naples,    Leonidas  and  Eleni,   3,100  tons,    6s.  6d. 

IV.  I.  Raddiffe,  6,000  tons,    53.  io^d. 

Nelo,    1,750  tons,    73.  3d.    (s). 

Hambelton,  4,000  tons,   6s.   800.  option  Leghorn. 
Messina,     Westow,   3,000  tons,   6s.  6d.  500 
Marseilles,     Villeqiiier,    2,600  tons,   8  francs. 

Amalfi,    2,600  tons,    7-75  francs. 
Tunis,     Isle  of  Hastings,  2,100  tons,  9-75  fcs.  coal,  10-75  fcs-> 

fuel,  (s). 

Marans,     Clarence,   1,450  tons,    5-75  fcs.   (s). 
Palermo,    Axli,  1,750  tons,  73.  option  Messina. 
Brindisi,     Trunupis,  2,800  tons,   6s.  3d.,    1,000 
Smyrna,     Pendennis,  3,000  tons,   6s.  3d. 
Torre,     Steamer,  3,100  tons,    6s.  7^d.    400    Junes. 
Syra,     Steamer,  6,000  tons,   53.  gd.   option  Piraeus. 


Gibraltar,     Cassia,   1,400  tons,    55.  gd. 

Barcelona,     Glenrov,   4,000  tons,    75.  coal,  73.  gd.  fuel,  (s). 

Huelva,     Steamer,   1,200  tons,   53.  gd.  (s). 

Calamata,     Tennyson,  2,400  tons,    73.    6d.   coal,   8s.  3d. 

fuel,  (s). 

Ergasteria,     Carl  Retzlaff,    2,000  tons,   (Private  terms). 
Phillipeville,     Glenmore,  2,250  tons,  9-50  fcs.  coal,  10-50  fcs. 

fuel. 

Algiers,     La  Vienne,    2,000  tons,    7-65  fcs.  coal,  8-65  fcs. 
fuel,   400 

Ninian  Stuart,  2,400  tons,    7-50  fcs. 

Dulde,  2,800  tons,    7-50  fcs. 

Ville  de  Bayonne,   2,000  tons,    7-50  fcs. 
Oran,     Alassio,   1,400   tons,    7-75    fcs. 
Malta,     Eugenie,  2,000  tons,    55.  7^d. 
Porto  Ferraio,     Steamer,  4,500  tons,    6s. 
Seville,  Radyr,    1,250  tons,  6s.   (N). 
Lisbon,     Ely  Rise,   1,250  tons,   43.  iojd. 

Aberlawe,    48.  ioid. 

BALTIC,  Etc. 

Cronstadt,  Sir  Waller  Raleigh,  2,300    tons,    55. 

Steamer,    1,250  tons;  Steamer,   1,250  tons;  55. 
Swinemunde,     Ruth,    i,ioc  tons,   43.  gd. 

Hans  Jost,   1,000  tons,    43.  gd. 

Christiana,     Haardraade,   i,iootons,    53.  3d.    fuel. 
Copenhagen,     Cairnglen,    2,000  tons,   43.  6d. 

BAY,     Etc. 

Chantenay,     Austria,  2,100  tons,    4-87  J  francs. 

Devonia,    1,950  tons,   4-87!  fcs. 

Boiicau,    1,500  tons,    5  francs.   (N). 
St.  Nazaire,     Ollargan,   3,000  tons,   4-20  fcs. 

Earl  of  Dumfries,    1,950  tons,    4*25  fcs. 
La  Rochelle,     Everest,  2,200  tons,  4-37^  fcs. 

Cairo,  or  sub.,  2,300  tons,    4-37!  fcs.   option    Roche- 
forte,  4-62^  fcs.    (s). 

Nantes,     Santurce,  1,700  tons,  5  fcs.  coal,  5-50  fcs.  (s). 
Sables,     Crane,   1,700  tons,    4-75  fcs.   (s). 
Rochforte,     Ellewoutsdyk,   2,100  tons,   4-75  fcs. 
La  Pallice,     Abermaed,   1,400  tons,    4-50  fcs. 

COASTING,     Etc. 

Brest,     Kong  Magnus,     1,200  tons,   45.  option    Dieppe/St. 
Malo  Havre/or     Honfluer,     with    option    for 
Rouen,  43.  7|d.    (s). 
Havre,     Inver,   1,200  tons,  45.  i£d.    (s). 

Solent,  950  tons,  43.  i|d. 
Honfluer,     Steamer,    1,300  tons,   45.  3d. 
Rouen,     Raloo,  1,300  tons,    45.  tjd.    (s). 

G.  Player,   700  tons,    48.  io|d.   (s). 

Rosslyn,  600  tons,    43.  yd.   (s). 

Jason,   950  tons,    43.  gd.   (s). 
Caen,     Hoin,  700  tons,    43.  3d. 

Steamer,    650  tons,    48.  iid. 
Dieppe,     Lillebonne,  700  tons,    43.     (s). 
Granville,    Steamer,  600  tons,    43.  3d.  (s). 
St.  Malo,     Sheldon,    1,750  tons,  33.  gd. 
Portsmouth,  Gransha,   1,550  tons,   23.  6d.   two  voyages, 

(Admiralty). 
Sheerness,     Blue  Bell,  600  tons,   43.  i|4.  ^Admiralty). 

Swiftsure,    1,500  tons,    33.  3d.  ,, 

Devonport,     Tyite,   1,500  tons,    23.  3d.  „ 

Haul  bowline,     Tourmaline,  900  tons,   33.  3d.      ,, 
Portland,     Sloke?lev,   1,250  tons,    2s.  6d.  ,, 

Belfast,     Stanley  Force,  360  tons,    33.  i4d.   (s;. 

Volatile,   300  tons,   33.  i|d.  (s). 
Dublin,     Bonahaven,  300  tons,  35.  6d. 
Portaferry,     Kilkeel,  or  sub.,  200  tens,    33.  3d.     (s). 

HOMEWARD. 

Bilbao   to    Cardiff,     Steamer,   2,000  tons,   43.  iid.  ppt. 
Steamer,   2,250  tons,    43.  i|d.  ppt. 
Steamer,   2,600  tons,    43.  i^d. 
Trelawney,   2,400  tons,  43.  lid.  ppt. 

,,          ,,     Newport,    Steamer,    1,450  tons,    43.  i£d.    ppt. 
,,          „     Swansea,  Haze/mere,  1,500  tons,  45.  3d.  ppt. 
Finland  to  Cardiff,     C.  Koch,   850  stds.,    293.   props. 
Kaskos  to  Cardiff/Barry/or  Newport,  Steamer,  800  stds. 
293.    per  fathom,   short  props. 


June  2.  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


49 


Ljl~J>m£!^^ 


Japan  has  shown  great  activity  of  late,  in  buying  second- 
hand steamers,  and  shipowners  who  have  their  vessels  now 
in  Eastern  waters  have  expectations  of  selling  them. 
Many  have  changed  hands  this  year,  and  the  Japanese  are 
enquiring  through  agents  in  this  country  for  tonnage. 
chiefly  old  vessels,  which  can  be  bought  cheap.  They  are 
intended  for  home  trading  in  Eastern  waters,  and  delivery 
is  wanted  before  the  first  of  July,  as  after  that  date,  a  duty 
becomes  payable  on  all  foreign  tonnage  transferred  to  the 
Japanese  flag.  One  London  firm  has.  at  least,  a  dozen 
boats  now  on  passage  to  Japan,  which  they  have  bought 
with  a  view  to  reselling  on  arrival.  No  doubt,  many  vessels 
will  be  sold,  but  it  is  impossible  to  find  a  market  for  all  the 
tonnage  in  the  East,  and  a  great  many  owners  who  have 
sent  their  boats  out  hoping  to  sell  them,  will  be  sadly  dis- 
appointed when  they  find  they  will  have  to  bring  them 
home  again. 

4-    -f    + 

A  new  steel  screw  shelter  deck  cargo  steamer  now 
building  by  Messrs.  W.  Pickersgill  &  Sons,  Sunderland,  for 
Messrs.  Rankin,  Gilmore  &  Co..  of  Liverpool,  is  reported 
sold  to  the  Pacific  Steam  Navigation  Company.  Her 
dimensions  are :  380ft.  x  49ft.  x  28ft.  6in.  moulded, 
estimated  deadweight  7.000,  tons  on  24ft.  6in.  draft.  The 
machinery,  which  is  now  being  fitted,  is  by  Messrs.  George 
Clarke.  Ltd..  with  engines  26in..  43in..  72in.  x  48in.  stroke, 
and  two  single  ended  boilers  15ft.  6in.  x  12ft.,  fitted  with 
Howden's  forced  draught  She  is  a  high  class  cargo  boat, 
and  the  price  paid  is  about  £50.000. 

•f  •»•  -f 

A  new  steel  screw  cargo  steamer  building  by  Messrs. 
Furness.  Withy  &  Co..  Ltd..  West  Hartlepool,  is  reported 
sold  at  about  £32.500.  Her  dimensions  are :  340ft.  x 
47ft.  x  29ft.  lOin.  moulded,  single  deck  with  cargo  poop, 
bridge  and  forecastle,  estimated  deadweight  6.300  tons,  on 
24ft.  I'j'n-  draft.  Machinery  by  Messrs.  Richardson. 
Westgarth  &  Co..  Ltd..  with  engines  24in.,  39in.,  66in.  x 
45in.  stroke.  Two  single  ended  boilers  16ft.  x  10ft.  9in.. 
ISOlbs.  pressure. 

•»••»•    4- 

The  steel  screw  steamer  Burton,  owned  by  Messrs.  Henry 
Samman  &  Co..  of  Hull,  and  which  has  been  laid  up  at 
Cardiff  for  some  time  past,  is  reported  sold  to  British 
buyers  at  about  £1 1.000.  She  was  butft  by  the  Edwards 
Shipbuilding  Company.  Ltd..  Newcastle,  in  1892,  and  has 
just  passed  Lloyd's  No.  3  survey.  Dimensions  275ft.  Sin. 
x  36ft.  7in.  x  19ft.:  carries  about  2.900  tons  deadweight: 
with  engines  20'2m--  33'2in.,  55in.  x  36in.  stroke,  by 

Messrs.  Blair  &  Co..  Ltd. 

•f  -f  •»• 

The  iron  screw  steamer  Clenmorven.  owned  by  Messrs. 
Lindsay,  Gracie  &  Co..  Ltd..  Newcastle,  has  been  sold  to 
the  Beryl  Shipping  Company,  of  Newcastle.  She  was 
built  by  the  Palmers  Company.  Newcastle,  in  1882. 
Dimensions  320ft.  Sin.  x  40ft.  x  25ft.:  2.812  tons  gross: 
with  engines  21  in..  35in..  56in.  x  48in.  stroke,  by  the  North 
Eastern  Marine  Engine  Company.  Ltd.  The  price  paid  is 
said  to  be  about  £  1 0.000. 

•f  -f  -f 

The  steel  screw  steamer  St.  Helens,  lately  owned  by 
Mr.  R.  R.  Phillips,  of  Manchester,  has  been  sold  to  Messrs. 
Stewart  &  Harkness.  of  Liverpool.  She  was  built  in 
Holland,  in  1902:  1.038  tons  gross:  dimensions  215ft. 
2in.  x  32ft.  x  16ft.  Sin.  moulded  :  carries  about  1,450  tons 
deadweight:  with  engines  17in..  28'2in.,  46in.  x  SOin. 
stroke,  by  Mr.  G.  T.  Grey,  of  South  Shields. 

•••  -f  + 

The  steel  screw  steamer  Fulham.  lately  owned  by  Messrs. 
Watts.  Watts  &  Co..  London,  has  been  sold  to  Japanese 


buyers  for  delivery  in  the  far  East,  at  about  £14,000.  She 
was  built  by  Messrs.  W.  Gray  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  West  Hartlepool, 
in  1890.  Dimensions  270ft.  x  36ft.  x  19ft.;  2.039  tons 
gross:  with  engines  20in.,  31j2in,,  53in.  x  36in.  stroke, 
by  the  Central  Marine  Engine  Works. 

+  +  + 

The  iron  screw  steamer  Ellewoutsdijk,  owned  by  Messrs. 
Solleveld.  Van  der  Meer  &  Van  Hattum,  of  Rotterdam,  is 
reported  sold  to  Messrs.  Ross,  Allan  &  Johnson,  of  Glasgow, 
at  about  £6,000.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  J.  L.  Thompson 
&  Sons,  Sunderland,  in  1883.  Dimensions  259ft.  Sin.  x 
36ft.  x  18ft.  6in.;  1,645  tons  gross;  with  engines  32in., 
59in.  x  33in.  stroke  by  Messrs.  T.  Richardson  &  Sons. 

+  +  + 

The  steel  screw  steamer  Southgrove,  lately  owned  by 
Messrs.  S.  Furneaux  &  Co.,  London,  has  been  sold  to 
Messrs.  M.  Samuel  &  Co.,  at  about  £6,500.  She  was 
built  by  Messrs.  R.  Dixon  &  Go.,  Middlesbrough,  in  1890 
Dimensions  200ft.  x  30ft.  x  14ft.  3in.;  797  tons  gross  ; 
with  engines  16'^n..  27in.,  44in.  x  30in.  stroke  by  Messrs. 

Blair  &   Co.,    Ltd. 

+  +  + 

The  steel  screw  steamer  Lady  Armstrong,  owned  by 
Messrs.  Adam  Hamilton  &  Co.,  Greenock,  is  reported  sold 
at  about  £12,500.  She  was  built  and  engined  by  the 
Palmers  Co.,  Ltd.,  Newcastle,  in  1891.  Dimensions  330ft. 
x  42ft.  2in.  x  26ft.  3in.:  3219  tons  gross;  with  engines 
24in.,  40in..  64in.  x  42in.  stroke. 

+  +  + 

The  iron  screw  steamer  Riso,  lately  owned  by  Mr.  A. 
Halleland,  of  Haugesund,  has  been  sold  to  Messrs.  D.  &  A. 
Macdonald,  of  Inverness.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  Rankin 
&  Denny,  of  Dumbarton,  in  1857.  Dimensions  163ft.  x 
24ft.  2in.  x  lift.  4in.:  354  tons  gross.  The  steamer  will 

be  renamed  Glengarry. 

+  +  -f 

We  understand  that  Captain  W.  R.  Smith,  of  Cardiff,  has 
contracted  with  East  Coast  builders  for  the  construction 
of  a  cargo  steamer  of  about  5.500  tons  deadweight.  The 
Instow  Steamship  Company.  Limited,  has  been  registered 
with  a  capital  of  £32.800  in  £10  shares  to  acquire  the 
steamer,  and  W.  R.  Smith  is  to  be  the  first  manager. 

+  +  ,+  . 

The  Pacific  Steam  Navigation  Company,  Liverpool,  have 
contracted  with  Messrs.  Harland  &  Wolff,  Limited,  Belfast, 
for  two  twin  screw  cargo  and  passenger  steamers,  and  with 
Messrs.  James  Laing  &  Son,  Ltd.,  Sunderland,  for  two 

cargo   boats. 

+  +  + 

The  Admiralty  will  shortly  invite  tenders  from  private 
shipbuilders  for  the  construction  of  an  experimental  de- 
stroyer which  is  to  have  a  guaranteed  speed  of  36  knots. 
She  will  have  turbine  machinery,  and  will  be  fitted  for 

burning  oil  fuel. 

+  +  + 

The  Northcliffe  Steamship  Company,  Ltd.,  has  been 
registered  with  a  capital  of  £30,000,  to  acquire  the  new 
steamer  recently  contracted  for  by  Messrs.  Evens,  Vyvyan 
&  Co.,  Cardiff,  who  are  to  be  the  first  managers  of  the 
Company. 

With  the  launch,  last  week,  of  the  steamer  Arahura,  for 
the  Union  Steamship  Company,  of  New  Zealand,  Messrs. 
Dennv  &  Brothers,  Dumbarton,  have  now  built  21  vessels 
of  that  company's  present  fleet. 

+  +  + 

Messrs.  Andersen  &  Co.,  of  Hamburg,  are  the  purchasers 
of  the  steamer  Duke  of  Norfolk,  reported  sold  in  our 
last  issue. 


5° 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  2,  1905 


t)ocet 


POR  old  Rozh-etc..  has  gone— at  least,  he  has  gone  as 
far  as  the  work  of  the  present  fight  in  the  Far  East  is 
concerned  :  and  if.  at  the  time  of  writing,  there  is  an 
amount  of  uncertainty  as  to  his  ultimate  fate  ;  that  un- 
certainty doesn't  affect  the  situation,  one  way  or  the  other. 
For  all  practical  purposes,  the  Baltic  Fleet  has  fizzled  out, 
in  exactly  the  manner  that  was  anticipated,  from  the  first 
moment  in  which  it  reluctantly  left  Libau.  For  months 
past,  the  whole  civilised  world  has  been  prophesying  in  this 
connection  :  and  for  once,  the  whole  world  was  right. 
"Alone  among  the  world's  newspapers."  the  Daily  Mail 
gave  us,  on  Monday,  a  full  and  succinct  account  of  how 
the  thing  happened  :  and  if  the  whole  concatenation  of 
column-filling  padding  was  just  that,  and  no  more  ;  if  the 
circumstantial  account  of  what  had  happened,  commenced 
with  "  Probably  the  battle  opened  by  a  long-range 
attack  ;  "  if  there  was  as  much  supposition  in  the  screed  as 
was  contained  among  the  remaining  units  which  go  to  make 
up  "the  world's  newspapers";  still  was  there  a  bit  of 
sensible  deduction  in  the  yarn.  We  were  told  that  the 
Japanese  marksmen  would  shoot  far  better  than  the 
scratch  crews  of  the  Russian  ships ;  that  the  hail  of 
fragments  from  Shimose  shells  would  cover  the  upper 
decks  of  the  Russian  warships,  thus  making  it  impossible 
for  the  erstwhile-butchers-of-unarmed-men  to  use  their 
smaller  guns  :  that  discipline  on  Rozh-etc.'s  ships  would  be 
lost :  and  that  thus  would  "  the  ill-compacted  congeries  of 
soldiers,  landsmen,  conscripts,  and  foreign  mercenaries 
degenerate  into  a  mere  rabble."  Eh  ?  And  yet  at  the 
beginning  of  the  war.  Russia  had  an  overwhelming  fleet — 
as  far  as  numbers  are  concerned  ;  on  paper,  those  ships, 
and  their  "  matchless  crews "  were  calculated  to  chip 
pieces  off  the  redoubtable  warriors  which  have,  eventually, 
sent  them  to  Maginty  without  the  apparent  loss  of-  a  ship 
of  their  own  :  and  taken  all  'round,  the  Russian  armada  was 
quite  on  a  par  with  that  of  free  and  happy  England.  That 
is,  at  the  beginning  of  the  fray,  they  were  manned  with 
fairly-good  sailormen.  But  the  first  successful  Japanese 
dash  had  caught  those  good  seamen  napping :  and  napping, 
had  sent  them  to  join  the  great  majority  ;  what  happened  ? 
Well,  exactly  as  would  happen  if  Britain  were  caught  in  a 
similar  condition.  That  ?s;  Britain,  seeing  that  she  has 
absolutely  no  reserve  worthy  the  name,  would  have  to 
come  back  on  "the  ill-compacted  congeries  of  soldiers, 
landsmen,  (to  all  intents  and  purposes)  conscripts,  and 
foreign  mercenaries  "  ;  and  these  again,  would  degenerate 
into  such  another  rabble,  as  were  the  personnel  of  the 
Baltic  Fleet  -that  is,  the  late  Baltic  Fleet.  We  admit  that 
the  picture  is  anything  but  inspiriting  ;  that  it  is  exactly  the 
reverse  ;  but  then,  it  is  useless  in  hiding  facts;  or  in  playing 
a  fools'  game  for  ever.  No  one  will  deny  that  Russia  had 
enough  warships  (had  they  been  efficiently  manned),  that 
should  have  enabled  her  to  wipe  the  Japanese  off  the  map. 
Instead  of  this,  the  very  opposite  has  resulted,  even  as 
ourselves,  and  numberless  other  folk  have  maintained,  all 
along.  Another  fact  must  not  be  forgotten.  Rozh-etc. 
had  been  given  the  opportunity,  of  taking  his  own 
time  in  preparing  for  the  nautical  Sedan  which  has 
befallen  him.  He  was  allowed  to  hang  around  Mada- 
gascar for  long  enough  to  have  turned  his  "  ill-compacted 
congeries  of  soldiers,  landsmen,  conscripts,  and  foreign 
mercenaries,"  into  some  little  semblance  of  a  fighting 
crowd.  And  even  if  he  had  laid  himself  out  to  do  this, 
the  time — extended  even  as  it  was — was  all  too  short  to 
enable  him,  to  make  sailormen  out  of  a  'longshore  rabble. 
Think  you.  would  Britain  make  a  better  showing?  Moreover, 
do  you  really  believe  that  she  will  be  given  the  chance  to 


hang  her  fleet  up  in  some  secluded  bay.  while  her  levies  of 
sea-sick  sailormen  are  taught  to  develop  sea-legs  ;  and  to 
comport  themselves  as  seamen,  in  the  midst  of  the  nerve- 
shattering  circumstances  which  surround  modern  naval 
warfare  ?  You  know,  only  too  well,  that  no  such  oppor- 
tunity will  be  given  Britain.  When  the  psychological  hour 
arrives,  the  enemy  will  swoop  down  on  her,  with  never  a, 
word  of  warning  ;  he  will  choose  the  hour  which,  to  him,  is 
the  most  favourable,  and  to  us.  the  least  so.  If  there  are 
any  British  warships  left  to  tell  the  tale,  they  will  be 
relentlessly  pursued  ;  and  if  their  crews  have  been  thinned 
out  in  the  first  fight,  you  have  nothing  left  to  take  their 
places.  You  cannot  get  away  from  these  facts.  Your 
Mercantile  Marine  which,  from  earliest  days,  has  been  the 
natural  recruiting  ground  of  the  Navy,  has,  to-day,  some 
40,000  foreigners  and  probably  twice  as  many  lascars  on 
board.  Think  you  that  either  foreigner  or  lascar  will  be 
worth  a  cheap  and  inconsequent  swear-word  to  you,  when 
the  bugle  calls  for  war  ?  You  know  they  will  not.  For 
ourselves,  we  have  repeated  the  same  truths  to  you,  until  it 
is  almost  a  case  of  familiarity  breeding  contempt.  True, 
the  press  of  the  country  is  giving  a  little  more  attention  to 
these  matters,  of  late  ;  and  although  it  would  be  presump- 
tuous on  our  part,  to  claim  the  credit :  it  yet  is  a  pleasing 
(to  us)  coincidence,  that  the  awakening  synchronised  with 
the  advent  of  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW.  Some  of  our  alleged 
shipping  contemporaries  are  never  tired  of  assuring  you, 
that  the  British  Fleet  is  "  Ready,  aye,  ready  ;  "  trot  out  the 
unfortunate  falsehood  with  as  much  unction  as  if  each  unit, 
itself,  were  responsible  for  the  supposed  fact;  and  the  mere 
item,  that  none  of  the  leading-lights  of  those  shipping 
contemporaries,  ever  had  more  than  a  free-passage-for- 
copy  experience  of  ships  and  shipping,  counts  for  nothing 
in  your  minds  !  You  go  on  believing  their  twankey,  simply 
because  they  preach  the  exact  doctrine  which  you  wish  to 
hear.  In  other  words,  you  have  been  in  the  fools'  paradise 
for  so  long,  that  you  really  believe  all  the  unspeakable 
rubbish  with  which  you  are  assailed.  You  see  that  Britain's 
warships,  every  time  a  number  of  them  are  shifted  from 
their  moorings,  meet  with  collision,  strandings,  and  break- 
downs, galore ;  you  also  note  that  the  Mercantile 
Marine,  which  is,  out  of  all  proportion,  greater  in  number, 
meet  with  but  comparatively  few  mishaps ;  and  yet  you 
listen  to  the  moonshine  which  is  intent  on  teaching  you  that 
all  is  well  with  your  Fleet— exactly  as  the  Russian  public 
was  taught,  before  the  departure  of  the  one-time  Baltic 
Fleet.  You  smile  at  the  credulity  of  the  Russian 
friend  ;  wonder  why  he  can  be  so  altogether  silly  ;  but  it 
never  seems  to  strike  you  that  you  are  playing  him  up  as  a 
good  second.  It  is  stated  that  experience  teaches.  Very 
well.  then.  Will  it  be  too  much  to  hope  that,  in  this 
instance,  it  will  teach  you  the  risk  you  are  running,  in 
handing  your  war  reserves  over  to  the  alien,  who  will  not 
be  worth  twopence  to  you  when  the  fuss  really  begins.  It 
is  pretty  well  understood  that,  during  the  past  month  or 
so,  Britain  has  been  mighty  close  to  war — thanks  to  the 
late  Baltic  Fleet  and  the  "friend  "  of  Russia  ;  how  close, 
we,  who  are  outside  the  charmed  circle,  will  never  know  ; 
with  the  passing  of  the  Russian  armada,  also  passes  the 
pressing  danger  of  that  war — we  hope  ;  but  other  dangers 
will  arise — perhaps  sooner  than  we  anticipate.  In  the 
meantime,  and  while  you  are  given  another  breathing  space, 
will  you  attend  to  it  that  the  words  experientia  docet,  are 
not  mere  idle  ones  with  Britain  ?  That,  in  short,  you  will 
see  that,  at  least,  a  majority  of  British  seamen,  are  to  be 
found  in  British  shipping  ;  that  there  will  be  less  of  the 
alien  on  board,  from  now,  on  ? 


June  2,   1905 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


PATENTS  &  TRBDE  MSRKS 

Relating    to    SHIPPING   and    the    COAL    TRADE. 


Specifications  published  on  May  18,  1905,  together 
with  an  indication  of  their  subject  matter,  the  title 
being  printed  in  Italics. 

11,707/04 — JOHNSON — Improvements    in    and     connected 
with  raising  minerals  from  mines. 

In  this  invention,  instead  of  raising  minerals  in  the 
shafts  or  inclines  of  mines  by  loading  same  in  tubs  and 
hoisting  the  tubs  in  cages,  the  minerals  are  shot  directly 
into  a  suitably  constructed  cage  at  the  bottom  of  the 
shaft  or  incline  and  again  automatically  discharged  into 
tubs  or  receptacles  at  the  top  of  the  shaft  or  incline. 
The  under  part  of  the  cage,  whether  adapted  to  be 
hoisted  up  a  vertical  shaft,  or  hauled  up  an  incline,  is 
provided  with  a  compartment  for  raising  and  lowering 
the  miners,  horses,  or  a  tub  containing  special  mineral 
not  intended  to  be  shot  into  the  common  receptacles. 
The  invention  comprises  apparatus  for  carrying  out  the 
above  principle  of  raising  minerals. 

15.13804 — MILLER — Improvements    in    and    relating     to 
hoisting  and  conveying  apparatus. 

This  invention  is  described  as  applied  to  hoisting  and 
conveying  loads  between  a  ship  and  quayside.  It  com- 
prises a  quadrilateral  formed  by  four  booms  connected 
at  the  ends  by  cables.  From  each  of  two  masts  two  of 
these  booms  extend  outboard,  one  over  each  side  of  the 
vessel  and  a  cable  connects  the  ends  of  the  booms  on 
each  side  so  forrr>ing  the  quadrilateral,  the  area  of  which 
includes  the  situations  from  which  the  loads  are  hoisted 
(the  hatches)  and  the  situations  on  to  which  they 
are  deposited  (the  quayside).  A  third  cable  extends 
overhead  from  mast  to  mast  longitudinally  of  the  vessel. 
The  hoisting  cable  is  led  over  a  sheave  mounted  on  a 
trolley  running  along  this  ever-head  longitudinal  cable. 
The  lower  end  of  the  hoisting  cable  is  deflected  laterally 
by  passing  through  a  guide  which  is  secured  to  cables  led 
over  sheaves  mounted  on  similar  trolleys  running  on 
the  cables  at  the  ends  of  the  booms.  When  the  load  is 
moved  fore  or  aft  all  three  trolleys  move  along  their 
cables,  when  the  load  is  swung  laterally  however,  the 
cable  secured  to  the  guide  is  paid  out  from  one  of  the 
outside  trolleys  and  drawn  towards  the  other. 
1 5,2 1 7/04—  D E  LA  M  B  E  RT—  Improvements  in  rafts  and  other 
flat  bottomed  craft  provided  wrt/J  self  contained  motive  power. 
This  raft  consists  of  a  platform  supported  on  a  number 
of  prismatic  floats.  The  floats  are  arranged  with  their 
lengths  at  right  angles  to  the  axis  of  the  raft  and  the 
lower  faces  of  the  floats  are  inclined  or  bevelled  from 
fore  to  aft.  Springs  may  be  interposed  between  the 
platform  and  the  floats. 

21,512  04—  EDMUNDSON— Improvements    in    illuminating 
buoys  and  beacons. 

This  invention  relates  to  illuminating  buoys  &c.  so 
that  they  show  an  equally  powerful  light  in  all  directions. 
For  this  purpose  a  lamp  having  three  wicks  arranged  in 
the  plan  of  a  triangle,  is  employed.  To  ensure  proper 
combustion  a  tube  for  conveying  air  is  arranged  cen- 
trally of  the  triangle. 

21 ,66 1  04-   UTH  EM  AN  N-    Means  for  protecting  copper  from 
destruction  by  sea  water. 

This  is  effected  by  arranging  a  more  electro-positive 
metal  such  as  iron  adjacently  to  the  copper  surface  to  be 
protected,  whereby  a  deposit  such  as  iron  oxide  is  de- 
posited on  the  copper  by  electrolytic  action.  The  iron 
may  take  the  form  of  wire  netting  for  protecting  plane 
surfaces,  or  in  the  case  of  copper  tubes  for  conveying 


sea-water  the  form  of  a  wire  helix. 

28,625/04— VlLLETTE— //nproved     system     for    stopping 
vessels  travelling  at  full  speed. 

This  invention  relates  to  stopping  vessels  by  projecting 
a  number  of  plates  laterally  from  the  sides  of  the  vessel 
so  as  to  act  as  drags.  These  plates  are  arranged  in 
groups  in  super-posed  rows  along  the  sides  of  the  vessel, 
the  plates  of  an  intermediate  row  being  arranged  oppo- 
site the  spaces  between  the  plates  of  the  rows  immedi- 
ately above  and  beneath.  The  plates  themselves 
consist  of  two  sections  the  outer  section  being  solid  and 
adapted  to  telescope  within  the  hollow  inner  section  and 
the  inner  section  is  adapted  to  telescope  into  a  chamber 
in  the  side  of  the  vessel.  Shoulders  are  formed  on  the 
inner  ends  of  each  to  limit  their  outward  movement,  and 
they  act  as  rams  and  are  forced  out  by  fluid  pressure. 
In  an  alternative  construction  the  projecting  portions  of 
the  plates  are  curved  and  are  pivoted  inside  the  vessel 
so  as  to  be  projected  by  fluid  pressure  acting  on  the 
rear  surfaces. 

1,725/05—  LOBN I TZ — Improvements  connected  with  appa- 
ratus for  breaking  up  or  cutting  rocks,  stones  or  earth,  under 
water  or  on  dry  land. 

This  invention  is  an  improvement  on  Patent  4,725/02. 
In  this  former  patent  an  elongated  vertical  weight  pro- 
vided at  its  lower  end  with  a  cutter,  was  repeatedly 
hoisted  by  a  rope  led  over  a  sheave  at  the  top  of  a  frame 
or  gantry  and  allowed  to  fall  on  to  the  rock  to  be  broken. 
The  present  invention  consists  in  utilizing  the  slacken- 
ing of  the  hoisting  rope,  which  occurs  when  the  beam 
strikes  the  rock  &c.,  to  throw  in  'he  clutch  of  the  hoist- 
ing winch.  This  is  effected  by  mounting  a  roller  at  the 
lower  end  of  a  pivoted  lever  which  roller  is  held  in  con- 
tact with  the  hoisting  rope  by  a  second  rope  which,  when 
slack,  is  adapted  to  permit  the  engagement  of  the  hoist- 
ing clutch  and  which  slackens  when  the  hoisting  rope 
slackens. 


These  applications  for  patents  are,  until  July  3,  1905, 
open  to  opposition  by  any  person  having  a  statutory 
right  to  oppose. 

Copies  of  the  specifications  may  be  obtained  from  the 
Patent  Office  or  through  the  under-named. 


TRADE   MARKS. 


The  following  applications  for  the  registration  of  Trade 
Marks  relating  to  the  shipping  and  coal  trades  were 
advertised  on  May  24,  and  are  open  to  opposition  by 
interested  parties  within  the  period  ending  June  24. 

Class  4     Including  coal. 

No.  271,531— 29th  March,  1 905— The  device  of  colliery 
buildings  and  words — Cory's  Industrial  Coals — for  Coals. 
Cory  Brothers  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  58,  Bute  Street,  Cardiff, 
Glamorgan,  Colliery  Proprietors. 

No.  271,700— 3rd  April,  1905— SATIN ITE—  for :  All 
goods  included  in  Class  4— Joseph  Rigby  Williams,  45, 
Sanket  Street,  Warrington,  Chartered  Accountant. 


Compiled  by  Messrs.  PHILLIPS  &  LEIGH,  Chartered  Patent 
Agents,  22,  Southampton  Buildings,  Chancery  Lane,  London, 
W.C.  Local  Consultant:  Mr.  S.  W.  ALLEN,  Engineer,  of  Cardiff 
Exchange,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  2,  1905 


OUR  MARITIME  DIRECTORY. 


CARDIFF. 


Colliery   Proprietors. 


("ORY  BROS.  &  Co..  LTD.,  Cardiff  and 
London.    Depots  at  all  the  principal 
Coaling  Stations  in  the  World. 

T.I..~.         .    "CORY.  CARDIFF"  ; 
Telegrams.    ..CoRy_  LoNDON." 


INSOLE.  GEORGE  &  SON,  Cardiff.   Sole 
Shippers  of   Gymmer   Steam    Coal. 
Windsor  Steam  Goal,  and  Insoles  No.  2 
Rhondda  Goal. 

Telegrams:  "INSOLES.  CARDIFF." 


[  EWIS    MERTHYR    CONSOLIDATED  COL- 
LIERIES, LTD.,  Proprietors  and  Ship- 
pers  of    "Lewis  Merthyr"   Navigation 
Steam  Coal. 

Tata.™  "LEWIS  MERTHYR,  CARDIFF"; 

lelegrams  .    »LEW|S  MERTHYR.  LoNDON." 


^lARQUESS     OF      BUTE     COLLIERIES. 

Aberdare.  Hirwain.   and   Rhondda 

Valley.     Shipping  ports  : — Bute  Docks, 

ardiff ;      Penarth     Dock ;      Swansea : 

Briton    Ferry  :     and    Newport    (Mon.) 

Telegrams:  "  SEMA,  CARDIFF." 


(MERTHYR)    GOAL   Co.,   LTD., 
11.  Bute  Crescent,  Cardiff,  proprie- 
tors of  Ocean  (Merthyr)  Steam  Coal. 


I  JNIVERSAL  STEAM   GOAL  Co..  LTD.. 
Bute  Docks.  Cardiff.  Proprietors  of 
'  Universal  Steam  Coal." 

Telegrams  :   "  VERSATILE,  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF— Contoured 


VIVIAN,    H.    G.   &  Co..    Bute   Docks, 
Cardiff.     Sole  European  Agents  for 
"The  Puritan  Coal   Mining  Co..  Phila- 
delphia. U.S.A." 

Telegrams:  "VIVIAN.  CARDIFF." 

WATTS.    WATTS  &  Co.,   Cardiff    and 
London.  Contractors  for  the  supply 
of  Coals  at  all  Depots  abroad. 

Telegrams:  "WATTS,  CARDIFF." 


Dock    Owners. 


"HE  CARDIFF  RAILWAY  COMPANY,  Bute 
Docks.  Cardiff. 


Ship  Repairers. 


CHEARM  AN,  JOHN  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff, 
and  at  Barry  Dock. 

THE   BUTE  SHIPBUILDING,  ENGINEERING, 
AND   DRY    DOCK   COMPANY,    LIMITED, 
Roath  Basin,  Cardiff. 

TeJagrams  :  "  CAISSON.  CARDIFF." 


THE  CARDIFF  CHANNEL  DRY  DOCKS  AND 
PONTOON    Co.,    LTD..     Cardiff    and 
Barry  Dock. 

T,J,,_  "  Entrance,  Cardiff." 

Telegrams  .    ..  channe,   Barry  » 


SHE    MERCANTILE    PONTOON   Co.,  LTD. 
Roath  Dock,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "MERCANTILE,  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF     Continued. 


Miscellaneous. 


[EWIS  &  TYLOR,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 

Sole  patentees  and  manufacturers 

of  "Gripoly."  a  patent   woven  belting; 

and  "  Burals,"  a  semi-metallic  packing. 

Telagrams  :  "  BELTING  CARDIFF."        Telephone.  Nat.  231 . 


Steamship    Owners. 

HAN.   JENKINS    &.     Co..    Steamship 
Owners  and  Brokers,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams  :  "  Stonewall,  Cardiff." 
Nat.  Telephone  :  1318. 


BARRY. 


Dock  Owners. 


THE   BARRY   RAILWAY  Co.,   Barry. 


Ship  Repairers. 


DARRY  GRAVING   DOCK  &  ENGINEERING 
Co.,  LTD. 

Telegrams:   "  BARDOCK,  BARRY." 
National  Telephone  No.  7.         Post  Office  Telephone  No.  7. 


To    the    Proprietors    of 

"THE    MARITIME    REVIEW," 


DOCKS,     CARDIFF, 


U 


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VOL.  VI.— No.  69. 


FRIDAY.   JUNE  9.    1905. 


THREEPENCE 


SPAIN'S  AWAKENING! 


He  won't  be  happy  till  he  gets  it. 


53 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  9,  1905 


*  *  *  NOTICES.  >*  *  * 

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Neither  the  Editor  nor  the  Publishers  will  accept  responsibility  for  the 
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Correspondence  :  The  Editor  does  not  necessarily  identify  himself 
with  the  opinions  expressed  by  Correspondents,  whose  letters  must, 
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written  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only. 


«.*.«.  CONTENTS.  *** 


CARTOON     SPAIN'S    AWAKENING! 

MARITIME  MURMURS 

SHIPBUILDING 

A  NEW  FREIGHT  MARKET?     MANITOBA-ON-THE-SEA 

THE  TRIMMERS'  THREAT    ... 

CARDIFF  (AND  OTHER)  COAL 

COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES 

MARITIME  (AND  OTHER)  MONEY  MATTERS 

AROUND  THE  DRY  DOCKS 

PATENTS  AND  TRADE  MARKS      


52 

53 
60 
61 
62 
63 
65 
66 
67 
68 


MARITIME    MURMURS. 


DOCKS.  CARDIFF. 

Thursday  Afternoon. 

A  FEW  days  ago,  a  correspondent  to  the  Times,  had  a  few 
weighty  words  to  say.  on  the  subject  of  "the  Navy  and 
Home  Defence."  With  the  letter  in  question  we  are 
thoroughly  in  accord. 'and  it  merely  emphasises  what  we 
have  ever  claimed  in  these  columns  :  That  the  last  man  to 
be  questioned  on  a  nautical  subject,  is  the  sailor.  Some- 
how or  other,  and  in  apparently  good  faith,  the  'longshore 
writer  ever  effects  a  calm  ignoring  of  the  sailorman.  in  all 
matters  which  appertain  to  his  calling.  The  reason  for 
this,  of  course,  is  not  far  to  seek.  Generally  considered, 
the  sailor  is  no  writer  chiel.  and  moreover,  the  nature  of 
his  calling  debars  him  from  reading  the  unutterable  twaddle 
which  is  frequently  trotted  out,  as  "  real  good  shipping 
intelligence."  Then,  again,  in  the  majority  of  instances, 
the  "  shipping  editor  "  is  a  man  who,  while  possibly  wielding 
a  trenchant  pen.  is  about  as  well-posted  on  shipping  facts, 
as  he  is  on  the  manners  and  customs  prevailing  among  the 
Incas  at  the  time  of  Pizarro.  It  will  be  easily  understood, 
that  if  these  so-called  "  shipping  editors "  are  allowed  to 
practice  for  a  few  years  without  a  challenge,  they  will  ulti- 
mately become  imbued  with  the  idea  that  their  diatribes  are 
really  good  examples  of  nautical  economics.  Of  course,  it 
must  be  understood  that  there  are  good,  bad,  and  indifferent, 
here  -as  elsewhere. 

5?    & 

BUT  in  the  interests  of  truth,  it  must  be  admitted  that  the 
indifferent  predominate.  It  is  no  fault  of  their's.  perhaps. 
They  might  be  but  victims  of  a  system.  Some  hard-pushed 
editor  person  has  given  them  a  start  in  their  youth  :  their 
nonsense  has  never  been  questioned ;  ergo,  they  are 
"expert,"  don't  you  know  ;  and  affect  a  sublime  contempt 
for  the  poor  fellows  who  have  spent  a  life-time  in  learning  a 
few  of  the  wrinkles,  which  go  to  make  up  a  seaman's  pro- 
fessional training.  With  all  the  didactic  effrontery  of  this 
class  of  home-made  expert,  they  damn,  in  a  most  whole- 
hearted manner,  everything  in  the  nautical  line  which  they, 
themselves,  do  not  understand  :  and  you  may  take  it  from 
us,  that  the  "  everything  "  is  a  fairly  large  affair.  Thanks 
to  this  foolish  system,  the  public  in  this  nautical  nation  of 
ours,  is  more  iil-posted  concerning  nautical  matters,  than 


on  any  other  subject  under  the  sun.  Then,  as  a  result  of 
the  ill-posting  referred  to,  the  Navy  and  the  Mercantile 
Marine,  have  been  allowed  to  wobble  along,  as  the  happy' 
hunting  ground  of  every  tuft-hunter,  with  a  wheeze  up  his 
sleeve,  or  elsewhere.  We  realise  that  there  is  a  great 
difficulty  in  finding  really  genuine  nautical  writers  ;  but 
they  are  not  altogether  impossible  of  attainment. 


HOWEVER,  reverting  to  the  letter  which  started  us  off  on 
this  occasion,  we  find  that  its  writer  remarks.  "The 
invasion  of  these  islands  is.  of  course,  essentially  a  military 
enterprise.  It  can  only  be  undertaken,  if  at  all.  by  a  great 
military  Power.  But  the  prevention  of  invasion  is.  at  least 
primarily,  a  naval  enterprise,  pure  and  simple.  No  invader 
can  reach  these  shores  except  across  the  seas."  The  truth 
of  the  foregoing  may  not  be  gainsaid,  and  thus  it  comes 
about,  that  it  is  as  well  to  ask  the  sailor  for  his  views  on  the 
subject.  In  the  words  of  "J.R.T"  —  the  writer  to  whom 
we  have  referred  —  "  If  a  sailor  does  not  know  what  he  can 
do.  and  what  he  canno^  do  at  sea,  it  is  not  likely  that  any 
soldier  will  be  able  to  tell  him.  A  Field-Marshal  or  an 
Admiral  might  just  as  well  attempt  to  tell  the  Archbishop 
of  Canterbury  how  to  administer  the  affairs  of  the  Church." 
Of  course,  and  yet.  from  time  immemorial,  those  idiotic 
tactics  have  been  persevered  with  :  the  lesser  has  been 
made  to  appear  to  contain  the^greater  ;  the  soldier  has 
ever  had  the  privilege  of  deciding  nautical  questions  ;  and 
now.  the  maritime  supremacy  which  has  eventuated  in 
spite  of  this  foolish  ordering,  is  in  jeopardy. 


LET  us  again  quote  :  "  So  inveterate,  indeed,  has  been  the 
habit  of  asking  the  soldier  a  question  which  the  sailor  alone 
can  answer,  that  Mr.  Balfour's  alternative  method  of  asking 
the  sailor  first  is.  I  think,  entitled  to  be  regarded  —  even  by 
himself—  as  a  new  and  most  valuable  invention."  It  is  ! 
Although,  at  the  same  time,  such  a  state  of  affairs  is  hardly 
to  the  credit  of  a  sailor  nation,  is  it  ?  Still,  better  late  than 
never,  and  if  the  same  tactics  are  persevered  with,  we 
might,  eventually,  see  our  ships  managed  as  become  sailors. 
instead  of  as,  in  the  majority  of  cases,  by  quiffs  that  are 
becoming,  only,  to  a  number  of  Horse  Marines.  It  is  all 
very  well  to  sit  and  bewail  the  fact,  that  trade  doesn't 


June  5,  1935 


THE     MARITIME    REVIEW. 


54 


follow  the  flag,  as  it  was  in  the  habit  of  doing,  years  ago  : 

the  flag  is  kept  flying  by  a  number  of  soldiers,  while 

the  trade   is  solely  depending  on  a  number  of  sailors,  then, 

t  is  somewhat  difficult  to  understand  how  the  trade,  under 

ose  conditions,  can  follow  the  flag-without  a  stranding? 

That  the  stranding  is  with  us.  now,  is  fairly  apparent,  and 

f  a  better  ordering  of  things  is  desired,  the  only  remedy  is 

,o  put  the  attending  to  nautical  matters,  into  nautical  hands. 

the    worst,   they   can   make  no   greater   mess  of  the 

undertaking,  than  exists  at  present. 

6?  & 

CONSIDER  the  fearful  workings  of  the  minds  that  regulate 
the  so-called  Board  of  Trade.     Is  it  possible,  think  you,  to 
conjure  up  a  more  inept,  or  generally  useless  concatenation 
of  humanity  ?     Why.  if  a  business  man  were  cursed  with 
such  botchers,  he  would   sack  them  without  a  moment's 
notice     providing  he  wished  to  dodge  the  Official  Receiver's 
attentions.     And   what  is   bad   for  a  business  man.  is  in- 
finitely worse  for  a  business  nation.     Gainsay  the  fact  who 
will,  but  the   truth  remains,  that,  to  the    Board   of  Trade 
official     of  whatever  grade— the   shipping  industry   exists 
for  the  Board,  instead  of  as  really  happens,  that  the   Board 
exists  for  the  industry,  and  for  its  supposed   advancement 
If  the  official  imagined  that  his  job  depended  on  the  manner 
in  which  he  attended  to  shipping  interests,  do  you   believe 
that  he  would  hash  it  up.  on  every  occasion  which  presents 
itself  ?     Well,  he  wouldn't.     If  you  doubt  our  words,  take  a 
trial  trip  to  a  Board  of  Trade  official  who  is  alleged  to  be 
connected  with   marine   matters,  and   let  us  hear  about  it. 
Pretend  that  you  are  a  mariner     of  any  grade     and   note 
the   short  shrift  that   will   be  given  you.      If  you  aren't 
dismissed    in  a   most  peremptory   manner:  'fore    all    the 
workTks  if   you  are   a  villain  of  the  deepest  dye  :  then,  a 
change  has  certainly  come  o'er  the   spirit  of  the  dream. 
since  first  we  commenced  to  write  of  these  things. 

THE  hopelessness  of  the  situation,  too.  is  exemplified  by 
the  fact  that  matters  are  getting  worse— instead  of  better. 
Shipowner  has  to  be  mollified  to  a  certain  extent :  and  to 
successfully  do  this,  he  is  allowed  to  fatten  at  the  expense 
of  the  weaker  vessel  the  sailor.  One  day,  perhaps,  the 
sailor  will  become  strong  enough  to  claim  attention,  in 
which  case,  shipowner  will  be  made  suffer  ;  for  under  no 
imaginable  set  of  conditions,  may  the  suffering  be  attached 
to  the  puissant  "  Board."  We  remember  hearing  a  state- 
ment, on  one  occasion,  to  the  effect  that  a  highly-placed 
Board  of  Trade  official  intimated  to  a  learned  judge,  that 
the  shipmaster,  at  the  best  of  times,  was  nothing  better 
than  a  scoundrel --and  we  can  quite  believe  the  statement. 
In  fact,  the  "Board's"  conduct  to  the  shipmaster,  at  all 
times,  is  based  upon  this  assumption.  The  reason,  of 
course,  is  not  far  to  seek.  The  Old  Man  has  very  little 
political  value,  and  the  powers  that  be,  are  taking  fine  care 
that  the  said  value  shall  be  shelved  as  long  as  possible. 
One  of  these  odd  days,  the  shipmaster  will  awaken  to  his 
responsibilities  :  will  see  to  it  that  he  has  at  least  a  say  in 
the  laws  which  he  has  to  obey  :  and  then  will  come  a 
perfect  change  in  the  ordering  of  affairs  as  understood  by 
"  the  Board." 

5?  ^ 

WHEN  that  day  dawns,  we  shall  note  that  ex-shipmasters 
have  been  placed  into  the  nautical  positions  which  are  now 
either  handed  over  to  back-stairs-frequenting  'longshore- 
men, or  to  retired  naval  officers— who  probably  know  as 
much  about  the  conditions,  as  do  the  back-stairs- 
frequenters  referred  to.  Then,  too.  instead  of  finding 
nothing  but  long  spells  of  trade  depression,  we  shall  find 
things  booming,  for  the  reason  that  the  disabilities  have 
been  removed  :  disabilities  which  the  present  officials  know 
nothing  of.  It  is  the  fashion  to  put  every  wave  of  de- 


pression in  shipping,  on  to  over-production.  Fudge! 
Over-production  is  as  nothing,  when  compared  to  the 
idiotic  restrictions  which  are  placed  on  British  shipping,  and 
from  which  the  foreign  competitor  is  freed.  True,  there  is 
a  bit  of  over-production— under  the  conditions  which  are 
allowed  to  exist :  but  once  see  to  it  that  the  Mercantile 
Marine  and  its  administration  is  put  upon  a  sensible,  and 
twentieth  century  basis,  and  the  shipping  depression  will 
not  be  nearly  so  much  in  evidence.  As  things  are.  at 
present,  none  but  the  newest,  and  most  up-to-date  tonnage, 
may  hope  to  pay  its  way  ;  but  if  trade  were  really  as  bad 
as  the  official  mind  would  pretend,  then,  no  shipping 
could  pay. 

THE  fact  of  the  matter  is,  the  Briton  is  differentiated 
against,  in  favour  of  his  natural   enemy,  and  competitor; 
and  unless  there  is  a  radical  change  in  the  methods  which 
have  brought  this  about,  Britain  will  continue  on  the  down 
grade,  until  the  much-talked-of  foreign  invasion  will  be  as 
easy  to  the  invader,  as  would  be  falling  off  a  log.     Consider 
the    Naval     Expenditure     for     the     past     four     years- 
El  47.226,895.     The  little  total  is  what  Britain  is  supposed 
to  pay  as  an  insurance  on  her  Mercantile  Marine,  and  for 
1901,    1902.    1903.  and    1904,   the   varying  sums  were: 
£33.726.491  ;        £34.201.994  ;       £38,970,560  :        and 
£40.327,850  respectively.     This  gives  you  an  average  of 
£36,806.723- approximately.    £37,000,000    per    annum, 
and  for  what  ?     To   pose  as  an  insurance  on  an   industry 
that  is,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  being  run  by  a  horde  of 
foreign  riff-raff !     Again,  who  earns  practically  the  whole 
of   that   amount    of    insurance    policy?     Well,    the  same 
riff-raff-ridden  concatenation  of  merchant  ships,  for  it  is 
.safe  to  assume  that  if  there  were  no  merchant  ships,  there 
would  be  no  Navy  ?     Yet,  in  spite  of  the  facts  being  all  to 
the  contrary,  the  Naval  expenditure  is  carried  on,  as  if  the 
Mercantile  Marine  were  an  appanage  to   the  Royal   Navy, 
and  never  a  cent,  of  money  is  spent  for  the  benefit  of  the 
goose  that  is  laying  the  golden  eggs. 

THAT  this  idiotic  state  of  affairs  may  not  continue  in- 
definitely, is  certain.  But  who.  in  high  places,  will  have 
pluck  enough  to  place  his  finger  on  the  sore  ?  Is  there 
one  ?  Yes,  one  or  two  :  but  they  are  in  such  a  splendid 
minority,  that  they  are  even  as  those  who  shout  in  the 
wilderness.  £37.000,000  per  annum,  for  the  insurance  of 
the  Mercantile  Marine,  which  is  slowly  but  surely  ceasing 
to  be  a  national  institution  !  Indeed,  it  has  already  ceased 
to  be  that,  and  is,  rather,  merely  financially  national,  but 
materially  foreign.  That  is,  the  whole  system  of  Naval 
administration  is  as  a  bubble,  and  merely  awaits  the  advent 
of  the  foreigner  possessed  of  the  necessary  pluck,  and  a 
pin,  when  the  whole  affair  will  shrivel  up,  even  as  did  the 
"invincible  armada"  lately  owned  by  Holy  Russia.  In 
1880,  Great  Britain's  Naval  expenditure  was  merely 
£10,513,469,  while,  as  already  shown,  last  year,  it  was 
£40.327,850.  In  other  words,  the  insurance  premium 
increases,  in  about  the  same  ratio  as  the  value  of  the 
insured  decreases— and  then  it  is  pretended  that  we  are  a 
business  race  !  Yet,  if  you  ask  the  powers  that  be,  to  spare 
a  crumb  for  the  forming  of  a  Naval  Reserve  made  up  of 
British  apprentices,  what  happens  ? 

WELL,  the  whole  concern  is  too  poor,  and  anyhow,  there 
are  plenty  of  foreigners  at  Antwerp,  Rotterdam,  or  Ham- 
burg. Wire-pullers  pretend  that  they  have  solved  the 
problem,  by  declaring  that  shipowner  should  be  paid  a  bonus 
for  each  lad  carried  ;  you  see,  time  and  again,  that  any 
such  nonsensical  pretence,  is  just  that,  and  no  more  ;  yet 
you  will  not  insist  that  a  trial  be  made,  of  handing  that 
same  bonus  over  to  the  lad  who  is  supposed  to  grind  his 


55 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  9,    1905 


life  out  for  four  years,  for  the  sum  of  anything  up  to  £40. 
Some  of  your  "  clever  Dicks  "  assure  you,  that  the  sailor's 
life  is  merely  that  of  a  labourer,  and  if  so.  of  what  use  is  it 
to  prattle  about  apprentices  ?  Nobody  thinks  of  appren- 
ticing a  lad  to  a  labourer's  job?  In  plain  words,  if  the 
nation  is  wealthy  enough  to  be  able  to  stand  the  drain  of  an 
ever-increasing  insurance  premium  which,  last  year,  passed 
the  £40.000.000  stage  ;  then,  it  surely  must  be  strong 
enough  to  bear  the  cost  of  one-fortieth  of  that  amount,  in 
keeping  the  assured  in  good  condition  ?  Use  up  one  of 
those  prodigally-expended  millions,  for  the  insurance  of 
continuous  employment,  fair  wages  while  on  active  service, 
clean  treatment  under  the  same  conditions,  and  a  pension 
when  the  "too  old"  diction  comes  in;  "insure"  in  this 
manner,  and  you  will  be  then  justified  in  spending  the  other 
£39,000.000  in  a  war  fleet. 


As  things  are  at  present,  there  is  no  such  justification. 
and  the  country  is  simply  jogging  along  in  a  mistaken 
sense  of  security  :  a  state  that  will  leave  it  even  as  Russia 
is.  to-day,  once  a  handful  of  British  cordite  has  been 
burned  in  anger.  In  the  past,  clap-trap  has  been  tried  : 
schemes  have  been  thrown  around  :  declarations  have  been 
made,  that  this.  that,  or  the  other  dodge  was  bound  to  do 
it  ;  and  the  end  has  always  proved  the  fallacy  of  the  means. 
Try  a  new  dodge.  Spend  a  little  of  the  money  earned  by 
the  Mercantile  Marine,  on  the  Mercantile  Marine  ;  let  its 
varied  units  feel  that  they  are  other  than  hopeless  :  that 
they  may  cease  to  consider  themselves  as  the  fellows  who 
pull  the  chestnuts  out  of  the  fire  for  the  remainder  of  the 
crowd  :  and  you  might,  ultimately,  obtain  a  Mercantile 
Marine  that  is  honestly  worth  a  £40,000.000  a  year 
insurance  premium.  To-day,  it  isn't  worth  twopence- 
ha'penny,  and  it  is  high  time  that  some  of  you  realised  the 
fact.  Of  course,  seeing  that  you  haven't  "  been  there," 
you  cannot  be  expected  to  know  much  about  it  ;  especially 
in  view  of  the  fact  that  some  of  your  Solons  are  for  ever 
pretending  that  everything  is  alright.  But  then,  your 
Solons  are  no  better  posted,  than  are  you.  yourselves,  and 
for  the  reason  that  those  Solons  have  never  "  been  there." 
They  do  but  gain  their  supposed  knowledge,  from  a  mob  of 
sycophants  who  tell  them  exactly  what  they  wish  to  hear. 
That  is,  that  all's  well.  The  fleet  is  "  Ready,  aye,  ready." 


WRITING  of  the  Fleet,  there's  a  pretty  fine  thing  toward, 
now  !  The  Handy  Man's  uniform  is  to  be  altered,  right 
away  !  If  the  Admiralty  can  really  harden  its  heart 
sufficiently  to  admit  of  that  alteration,  then,  there's  hope 
for  us  yet.  It's  like  this.  Since  the  introduction  of 
machinery  (some  fifty  years  ago)  the  man  of  war's  man's 
breeks,  for  instance,  have  been  somewhat  too  ample  for 
practical  purposes.  The  same  thing  has  applied  in  connec- 
tion with  his  jumper  and  "guivery"  collar.  Thus  it  has 
come  about,  that  although  no  actual  cases  are  on  recofd. 
as  to  where  Jack  has  been  wrapped  around  the  breech 
mechanism  of  a  4.7-  -or  other--gun,  he  has  probably  come 
near  it,  very  near  it.  Anyhow,  the  ample  breeks  have  to 
be  reefed,  so  that  the  dorsal  fin  thereof,  will  occupy  no 
more  than  one  side  of  the  street,  when  the  good  old  fellow 
is  ashore  on  a  bendo  :  the  jumper  has  to  give  room  to  a 
jacket;  and  taken  altogether.  Jack  will  soon  look  the 
caricature,  which  his  Mercantile  Marine  brother  has  long 
been,  in  reality  !  We  are  not  quite  sure  whether  any 
alteration  will  be  made  in  the  shackle  of  Jack's  knife. 
Perhaps  not.  as  that  would  be  too  drastic  a  change. 
Furthermore,  the  other  suggested  alterations  are  not  to 
come  in,  too  rapidly.  Festina  lente,  will  fit  in  here,  as  well 
as  in  most  particulars  that  are  connected  with  the  Service. 


BUT  after  fifty  years!  Is  this  the  hand  of  Sir  John 
Fisher,  too  ?  You  know,  there  is  hope  for  us,  if  we  take  the 
trouble  to  measure  up  our  blessings,  accurately  enough  ; 
say,  after  the  manner  of  a  doctor's  prescription.  But. 
instead  of  throwing  all  the  expense  on  Jack,  personally, 
why  doesn't  the  Admiralty  ear-mark  a  portion  of  those 
millions,  for  the  purchase  of  the  new  boiler-suits  which 
Jack  is  soon  to  be  decked  in  ?  This  is  a  prosaic  age—in 
every  respect  save  one  :  The  practical  running  of  the 
greatest  merchant  fleet  on  earth!  Mind  you,  it  is  just 
possible  that  it  isn't  Jack  who  is  to  be  operated  on.  in  this 
ruthless  manner.  It  may  simply  be  the  stokehold  crowd. 
We  saw  the  statement  in  the  one-and-only  Express  :  that 
ha'porth  which  tells  you  a  bit  of  "news"  to-day,  and 
declares  that  it  was  shadowed  out  in  "  these  columns" 
some  months  ago  :  and  to  the  Express  young  men,  anything 
that  wears  baggy  pants,  and  a  jumper,  is  a  "Jack."  Yet 
the  "  daily  "  in  question  tries  to  get  the  hang  of  the  thing, 
somewhat.  Prattles  of  the  Admiralty  trying  to  assist  the 
"  lower  deck."  just  as  if  it  had  really  had  a  nodding 
acquaintance  with  more  than  an  East  End  cockney  sailor- 
man.  home  on  leave.  Still,  there  it  is  ! 


WE  have,  ere  this,  animadverted  on  the  coruscating 
brilliance  of  that  young  man.  or  maiden  lady  (which  is  it, 
say  ?)  who  writes,  more  or  less  for  the  Times,  in  its  little 
corner  which  is  devoted  to  marine  insurance,  and  things  of 
that  kind.  You  probably  saw  of  the  ramming  of  the  poor 
little  Afghanistan  (little,  when  compared  with  the  rammer) 
a  few  days  ago  ?  Having  seen,  it  scarcely  appealed  to  you 
as  a  heaven-sent  distraction  which  was  calculated  to 
"  stiffen  business,"  did  it  ?  No,  and  that  is  where  you  are 
unfit  to  be  a  marine  insurance  man,  and  write  for  the1  Times, 
see  ?  The  Johnny  who  is  fit,  remarks  that  "the  casualties 
of  the  past  week  are  not  unwelcome."  Pause  here,  and 
take  a  big  breath,  because  there  is  a  reason  for  all  this 
callousness.  What  is  it  ?  Well,  in  the  words  of  the  genius 
referred  to.  it  is  for  the  reason  that  "  a  few  heavy  losses  at 
sea  may  stiffen  the  market  a  little."  Yes  !  We  know  that 
the  ghouls  of  the  shipping  industry  looked  upon  the  drown- 
ing of  a  number  of  seamen  as  a  mere  detail  ;  in  fact,  we 
have  told  you  about  it,  times  out  of  number:  but  we  never 
thought  that  the  staid,  ancient,  respectable,  and  gentlemanly 
Times  would  allow  one  of  its  young  lions  to  put  it  in  cold 
type. 

£?^ 

IF  a  mere  ha'penny  "daily"  were  guilty  of  such  soul- 
lessness,  we  should  understand  that  there  existed  a  vacancy 
in  its  writing  staff.  As  things  are,  we  doubt  it.  Daily 
Chronicle,  in  commenting  on  the  foregoing,  says  "  Business 
is  business,  as  Mr.  Tree  tells  us  nightly,  but  the  under- 
writer's must  be  a  ghoulish  trade  if  it  has  to  be  '  stiffened  ' 
by  the  destruction  of  life  and  property  at  sea."  It  must, 
D.C.,  and  if  you  wish  to  learn  anything  further  about  it, 
just  you  take  a  holiday  in  the  regions  of  the  Bristol  Channel. 
In  that  event,  you'll  learn  facts  connected  with  under- 
writing and  tinkeries,  that'll  make  you  feel  tired.  You  will, 
indeed  !  Ghoulishness.  forsooth—  and  just  because  a  man 
makes  a  few  dibs  as  the  result  of  drowning  a  number  of 
foreign  sailors  !  They  were  nearly  all  "squareheads"  on 
the  Afghanistan,  you'll  remember.  Still,  foreigners  and  all 
as  they  were,  it  is  open  to  believe  that  they  had  a  nasty 
choky  sort  of  feeling  in  their  buzzums,  just  as  the  waters 
closed  over  them  for  the  final  ?  However,  they  didn't  die 
in  vain,  for  we  have  it  on  the  authority  of  the  Times,  that 
their  passing  into  the  big  locker,  "  may  stiffen  the  market  a 
little."  Were  the  staid  and  gentlemanly  supporters  of  the 
Times  shocked  when  they  read  the  statement,  we  wonder  ; 
or  did  they  give  a  polite  shudder,  and  pass  on  to  the  divorce 
court  stuff  ? 


June  9,    1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


"SHE  sailed  from  Port  Talbot  early  in  April,  for  the  West 
Coast  of  South  America,  and  has  not  since  been  heard  of." 
Terse,  and  the  style  usual  to  life-loss,  at  sea  ?  So  usual, 
that  it  has  been  handed  down  to  us  as  an  alleged  joke,  to 
remark  under  similar  circumstances,  "the  loss  included  the 
lives  of  six  sailors,  and  a  poor  dog."  However,  the  "she  " 
that  sailed  from  Port  Talbot  on  the  occasion  referred  to,  at 
the  beginning  of  this  paragraph,  was  the  iron  barque 
Gastleton.  of  Newport,  and  her  remains  have  been  found 
"  on  an  island  off  South  America."  "  wrecked  and  for- 
saken." Moreover.  "  about  the  wreck,  were  skeletons  and 
boxes,"  the  implication  being,  of  course,  that  the  skeletons 
were  all  that  remained  of  her  crew  :  and  the  boxes— well, 
they  might  have  been  the  identical  "  chests  "  in  which  the 
sailormen  who  had  become  skeletons,  carried  their  few  bits 
of  clothes.  But  to  leave  Port  Talbot  in  April,  and  to  be 
found  in  a  skeletonised  condition  "  on  an  island  off  South 
America"  in  June,  is  pretty  sharp  work,  even  for  these 
strenuous,  and  go-ahead  days  ?  And  come  to  think  of  it, 
there  isn't  much  kudos  hanging  around  the  "happy 
despatch  "  resulting  from  a  wrecked  merchant  ship,  in  the 
present  enlightened  era. 

&*& 

IF  a  man  gets  pushed  off  the  tram-lines  by  an  electric 
car,  and  his  life  is  thus  saved,  our  "  daily  "  friend  may  be 
depended  on  to  make  a  lovely  half-a-column  of  the  occur- 
rence :  but  if  a  dozen  sailors  are  "  wiped  out  "  at  one  fell 
swoop,  it  is  all-sufficient  to  remark,  "they  left  such-a- 
place.  on  such-a-day.  and  have  not  since  been  heard  of." 
You  see.  the  idea  is  to  "  popularise "  the  Mercantile 
Marine,  and  with  this  before  you.  it  is  useless  to  go  on 
harping  on  the  agonies  which  probably  surrounded  that 
crowd  ofemen.  who  were  eventually  found  in  skeleton  form, 
in  company  with  sundry  boxes,  on  a  mere  island  off  the 
coast  of  somewhere-or-other.  Even  if.  in  the  columns  of 
the  same  paper,  you  find  quite  an  explanation  of  how  the 
torpedo  boat  destroyer,  Gone  Over,  went  ashore  in  fine 
weather,  and  didn't  drown  a  solitary  Handy  Man  for  the 
reason  that  there  was  no  water  where  the  vessel  stranded. 
you  still  marvel  but  little.  You  know  that  the  t.  b.  d.  is  a 
unit  belonging  to  a  pampered  employ,  while  you  are  equally 
sure  that  the  "  other  crock."  was  merely  a  merchant  ship. 
Popularise  the  "  inferior  service."  sirs  :  say  nothing  about 
the  grimy  side  of  it :  and.  if  you  are  good,  you  will  encour- 
age a  few  more  foreigners  to  the  shelter  of  the  flag  which 
braved  a  thousand  years  and  a  number  of  other  things. 

5?*3 

IT  would  appear  that  it  isn't  all  hard    work,  having  to 
engage    in    an    Atlantic    yacht    race !      There   was  that 
Apache,  for   instance,  which  turned   up  first  at  the  latter 
end.  and    safely  got  herself   and  crew  past  the  Lizard,  on 
Sunday  as  ever  was.     See  what  a  fine  time  she  had.  all 
through  the  journey  !    The  mere  fact  that  she  jibbed  in  __ 
last,  has   nothing  to  do  with  the  fine  time  she  had  before 
coming  in.     Why.  we  read  in  a  London  contemporary,  that 
"  While  the  other  yachts  were  making  their  castings  (  say. 
what  are  they,   anyway?)  we   were  catching  fine,  large 
codfish  off   Newfoundland."     The  chronicler  didn't  explain 
whether  the  said  fish  were  already  split  open,  and  salted 
those  codfish  :  but  it  doesn't  really  matter,  does  it.   Apache 
was  having  a  good  time,  even  as  the  other  yachts  were 
"  making  their  castings."  and  it  shows  fairly  well,  that  al- 
though a  yacht  might  pretend  to  be  engaged  in  a  race,  she 
has.  in  reality,  other  fish  to  fry — as  the  saying  goes  !  All  the 
same,  the  vessel  when  in  mid-Atlantic,  had  "  a  very  trying 
experience "     at   least,  it  was  reported  as  such,   by    the 
Kroonland.  on  her  arrival.     Possibly,  the   summer  sailors 
had  been  disorganised  internally,  by   the  fine,   large  codfish 
which  they  caught  off  Newfoundland.     To  our  mind,  the 
fish  off  Newfoundland,  were  not  the  only  "cod  "  that  was 


around  on   that    never-to-be-forgotten  voyage.     What  do 
you  think  ? 

5?  & 

YEA,  lor'  !  It's  awful  !  We  mean,  the  manner  in  which 
the  faithful  scribe  eases  himself  of  a  nautical  description. 
We  have  already  told  you  a  bit  about  the  loss  of  the 
Afghanistan,  and  you  might  have  wondered  thereon.  But 
your  wonder  is  as  nothing  when  compared  with  ours,  at 
what  passes  as  journalism,  these  days  !  Here  is  a  sample 
of  the  stuff:  "The  Channel  Fleet,  when  steaming  at  a 
high  rate  of  speed  to  Spithead,  plunged  without  warning 
into  a  dense  bank  of  fog."  Think  of  it  !  Never  a  word  of 
warning  :  not  even  a  "  by  your  leave  :  "  just  a  mad 
plunge  into  the  bank  of  fog.  and-  there  you  are  !  Gads, 
but  it's  awful  !  And  look  at  this  :  "  For  the  flagships  which 
led  the  lines  to  have  reversed  and  given  warning  of  the 
danger  would  have  imperilled  the  safety  of  the  whole  fleet, 
and  the  great  squadron  swept  on  through  the  darkness. 
carrying  everything  before  it  "—even  to  a  portion  of  the  ill- 
fated  Afghanistan  ?  Fancy  what  would  have  happened,  if 
those  flagships  had  really  reversed  and  given  warning  :  or 
if  they  had  given  warning  without  reversing  ;  or  if  they  had 
merely  shouted  to  the  other  fellows,  and  kept  on  sweeping 
through  the  darkness.  You  can  take  it  from  us,  that 
"  Ready,  aye.  ready."  in  connection  with  the  British  Fleet 
is  no.  mere  empty  term  :  they  are  always  ready  to  muss  up 
everything,  directly  they  are  entrusted  away  on  the  bosom 
of  the  deep,  without  a  cable-chain  acting  as  a  tether  to 
their  progress. 

0  & 

BUT  although  "  The  Caesar's  terrible  ram  crashed  into 
th,e  merchantman  (Afghanistan)  on  the  starboard  side,  well 
forward,  ripping  her  side  clean  open,"  this  was  not  the 
only  deed  of  high-class  seamanship  engaged  in.  No,  sirs  ! 
The  Triumph  as  became  her  name—  swooped  down  upon 
her  sister  battleship.  Swiftsure:  while  Hannibal  was 
satisfied  in  knocking  the  stuffing  out  of  the  Emma  Louise, 
a  schooner  which  was  idiotic  enoug*h  to  be  afloat,  at  the 
same  time  as  a  British  Fleet.  As  far  as  we  can  see.  none 
of  the  Handy  Men  as  much  as  said  "  Whoa.  Emma,"  on 
this  occasion  ;  just  carried  away  most  of  the  gear,  and 
sent  the  poor  little  schooner  back  to  Spithead.  for  alterations 
and  repairs.  However,  when  Triumph  rammed  Swiftsure, 
she  carried  away  part  of  the  latter's  stern,  buckled  some 
plates,  damaged  a  propeller,  and  mussed  things  up  gener- 
ally. As  you  will  naturally  suppose.  Swiftsure  "leaked 
considerably."  You  would  do  the  same,  if  some  other 
fellow  had  carried  away  part  of  your  stern,  buckled  your 
plates,  and  damaged  your  propeller?  Of  course,  you 
would.  You  couldn't  very  well  help  it.  Thus  far,  we 
have  been  considering  the  work  of  Daily  Express'  nautical 
writer.  That  he  takes  a  lot  of  beating,  will  be  admitted  by 
•efferybody  that  has  any  ideas  about  ships,  and  shipping. 


FOR  a  season,  now,  let  us  consider  the  situation  from  a 
nautical  standpoint.  After  reading  the  foregoing,  and 
deducting  the  trash  from  the  truth  of  the  situation,  do  you 
wonder  that  the  Naval  Expenditure  during  last  year,  got 
ahead  of  the  £40,000,000  stage  ?  What  you  would  like 
to  know,  is  exactly  how  much  of  that  colossal  sum  of 
money  represents  the  repair-bill  for  the  year  ;  repairs  that 
are  consequent  on  the  inefficiency  of  the  alleged  navigators. 
Look  where  you  will,  and  you  are  constantly  being  faced 
with  collisions,  strandings,  burnt  furnace-crowns,  and 
heaven-knows-what  beside,  in  the  way  of  nautical  "mis- 
haps:" and  the  cost  of  putting  these  troubles  right,  again, 
must  lump  into  a  terrible  figure  ?  Is  it  really  necessary 
to  go  experimenting  any  further,  with  the  brand  of  naval 
officer  which  remains  to  us,  now  ?  Cannot  we  be  satisfied 


57 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  o,    1905 


that  most  of  the  capable  men  are  on  half-pay  :  and  that  if 
it  is  expedient  to  put  the  other  kind  of  sucking  Nelsons 
afloat  that  they  may  obtain  practice,  it  is  cheaper  to  save 
the  obsolete  vessels  which  are  generally  sold  for  a  song, 
and  let  the  practice  come  off  with  them,  as  a  medium  . 
Accidents,  we  know,  will  happen  in  the  best-regulated 
families  :  but  then,  the  best-regulated  families  are  not  all 
accidents-and  that  is  exactly  what  the  Navy  is. 

COMMENCING  with  the  birth  of  the  "  Nelsons  "  implicated, 
the  whole  paraphernalia  of  a  "fleet  in  being,"  as  understood 
to-day  is  one  long  series  of  accidents  ;    and  the   greatest 
accident  of  all,  is  that  Britain  has  still  a  few  vessels  left  her, 
that  are  enabled  to  sweep  on  through  the  darkness,  carry- 
ing everything  before  them  ?     And  yet.  in  the  midst  of  all 
this    chaos:     this  obvious    inefficiency:    this    wholesale 
destruction  of  the  national   property :    there   are  literally 
thousands  of  efficient  navigators  walking  around  the  scrap- 
heaps  of  our  seaports,  seeking  an  opportunity  to  earn   a 
living.     Men  who  are  up  to  every  navigating  wrinkle  on  the 
board,  and  who  would  be  well-employed,  if  placed  as  navi- 
gating officers  on  the  nation's  warships.     It  would  pay   the 
country,  to  place  three  of  these   men   on   every   warship 
afloat,  and  to  give  them  £500  per  annum   as   a   starting 
salary,   with   a  forfeit  for  every  accident  they  got   into. 
Those  three   navigators  could  easily   be   kept  in   private 
clothing,    so    that    no  jealousies  might   exist  among  the 
orthodox  naval   officers.     In   fact,  the  private  clothes  idea 
would  be  good  all  'round.     They  would  first  show  that  the 
men  wearing  it  were  navigators,   as  distinct  from   merely 
alleged    navigators:     lookers-on    would    know    what   the 
"  man  in  mufti  "  was.  and  would  respect  him,  accordingly  ; 
the  nation  would  save  millions  in  a  year  ;    and   would  also 
have  an  efficient  fleet  in  being. 


WE  wrote  the  foregoing  in  all  seriousness,  for  there  is  no 
getting  away  from  the  fact,  that  the  Naval  officer  of  to- 
day, is  a  deteriorating  quantity.      Every  year  that  passes 
over  our  heads,   gives  us  more,  and  ever  more  of  these 
accidents,  so-called,  circumstances  all  tend  to  show  that 
Naval  training  is  wrong  :  that  it  is  altogether  unsatisfactory: 
and  that,  practically,  the  £40,000.000  of  Naval  Expendi- 
ture is,  more  or  less,  wasted  on  a  boy-run  institution.    Look 
where   you   will,   in   the    Navy,    and    adolescence    stares 
impertinently  at  you.     Smooth-faced  lads  are  in  charge  of 
most  of  the  tools  that  will  have  to   be  used,  in  the  near 
future,  to  keep  off  the  hated  foe  ;  and  yet  those  lads,  in 
peace  time,  and  when  nothing  very  much  depends  on  their 
actions,  cannot  manage  to  take  a  vessel  around  the  waters, 
without  coming  to  grief,  somehow  or  other.     It  is  useless 
cloaking  the  fact.     The  Navy  is  about  the  greatest  danger 
which  the   merchant  seaman  knows  of.      Rocks,   shoals, 
fogs,  false  currents,  obsolete  charts,  faulty  machinery,  ill- 
manned  vessels,  sailors  with  never  a  knowledge  of  a  word 
of  English—  all  these  ills,  the  Mercantile  Marine  navigator 
can,  and  does,  guard  against  :  but  the  vagaries  of  a  "  Fleet 
in  being."  is  beyond  the  art  of  man. 


FOR  when  a  man-of-war  cannot  find  a  rock,  a  shoal,  or  a 
merchantman,  to  toboggan  into—  well,  he'll  Be  satisfied  by 
plumping  into,  one  of  his  consorts  (don't  they  style  the  other 
fellow?).  In  any  case,  you  may  be  sure  that  he  has  to 
waltz  into  something—  the  honour  of  the  Navy  demands  it. 
You  know  perfectly  well  that  we  are  writing  exactly  what 
you  have  thought,  for  years  past.  You  know,  as  well  as 
ourselves,  that  it  is  practically  impossible  to  pick  up  a 
morning  paper,  without  being  faced  with  an  accident  of 
some  kind,  which  has  befallen  a  unit  of  the  Senior  Service. 


And  it  isn't  as  if  there  were  such  a  number  of  those  units 
about :  they  are  strictly  limited.  But  limit,  notwithstand- 
ing, you  are  never  short  of  a  paragraph  which  tells  of  how 
this,  that,  or  the  other  of  them  have  run  amuck,  and  have 
had  to  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  dockyard  officials,  for 
extensive  repairs.  In  peace-time,  this  is  a  matter  of  small 
moment,  perhaps  ;  but  as  it  is  in  peace,  so  will  it  be  in  war, 
with  this  difference  :  In  peace  time,  you  merely  have  the 
home-made  derelicts  ;  in  wartime,  they  will  be  increased  by 
the  derelicts  which  have  been  made  by  the  enemy.  And 
yet  in  the  midst  of  it  all,  you  know— as  well  as  we  know— 
that  there  are  thousands  of  capable  navigators  seeking  a 
job,  from  the  beach. 

$*    i& 

IT  is  no  sensible  excuse  to  say  that  as  this  state  of  affairs 
has  existed  for  quite  a  time,  it  must  go  on  for  ever.     Indeed, 
it  cannot  go  on  for  ever.     The  burden  of  the  naval  expendi- 
ture item  is  becoming  unbearable,  and  the  country  is  getting 
practically  nothing  for  it.     There  is  no  efficiency  afloat  ;  it 
is  proven  to  be  non-existent,  every  time  a  fleet  of  warships 
leave  their  moorings.     Trade  must  ultimately  suffer— for 
at  the  first  alarm,  it  will  be  swept  off  the  face  of  the  waters. 
And  unless  there  is  a  big  re-shuffling  of  the  cards  involved, 
the  Navy  ships  will  do  little  else  beside  bump  into  each 
other,  even  as  they  are  doing  now.      Is  there   sense  or 
reason  in  training  up  good  navigators,  merely  to  send  them 
along  to  Sandown  Bay  on  half-pay  ;  send  them  off  on  shore, 
and  thus  keep  the  Fleet  in  a  chronic  state  of  youthfulness 
and  inexperience  ?     As  a  start,  youthfulness  must  be  in 
evidence  we  know  ;  but  there  is  absolutely  no  reason   that 
a  number  of  boys  shall  be  allowed   to  play  fast  and  loose 
with  everything  afloat,  directly  they  are  started   away  on  a 
bit  of  mimic  warfare.     As  it  appeals  to  us,  so  it  appeals  to 
thousands  of  others.     For  ourselves,  we  have  no  personal 
feeling  in  the  matter,  and  do  but  write  what  experience 
has  taught  us. 

g?  fa 

UNLESS  there  is  an  alteration  in  the  navigating  methods 
in  vogue  in  the  Senior  Service,  there  is  going  to  be  national 
extinction  in  the  near  future.     You  can't  muddle  through 
on  the  water,  for  while   you   are   muddling,  your  ship  is 
sinking.     When  the  sinking  is  an  accomplished  fact,  where 
will  go  the  Mercantile  Marine  on  which  the  nation  depends 
absolutely  ?     Why,  it  will  sink  also.     There  is  no  getting 
away  from  these  facts.     The  nation's  prosperity— nay,  its 
very  existence- is  indissolubly  mixed  up  with  the  posses- 
sion ofa  Merchant  Marine.      Of  itself,  so  far  in  history,  it 
is  dependable— even  though  you  do  man  it  with  any  riff-raff 
that  ambles  along :  and  for  the  reason,  that  to-date,  the 
Briton   has  been   allowed  to   bulk  large  as  the  navigating 
officer.     A  Flag  Bill  is  essential  here,  we  know,  for  the 
tendency   of  the   times   is  to   oust  the    Briton   from   the 
navigating  positions,  and  to  instal  a  cheap,  and  relatively 
worthless,  foreigner  in  his  place.  .But  in  connection  with  the 
Navy,,yx»u  keep  all  the  navigating  positions  for  the  Briton, 
even  as  you  fondly  believe  that  then,  you  have  done  all 
that  is  necessary.     It  is  overlooked  that  there  are  Britons, 
and  Britons  :  workers  and  drones ;  brains,  and  empty-pates. 
We  do  not  wish  to  say  that  empty-pates  predominate  ;  for 
that  would  be  untrue  :  but  we  do  say  that  the  training  is 
altogether  wrong  ;  and  the  continued  series  of  "  accidents  " 
which  lays  the  Fleet  aside  in  relays,  is  sufficient  proof  to 
our  contention. 

#  & 

To  the  Barry  Graving  Dock  and  Engineering  Company. 
Limited,  belongs  the  honour— recently  obtained— of  having 
attended  to  the  needs  of  the  largest  steamer  that,  so  far 
in  history,  has  ever  entered  a  Bristol  Channel  dry  dock. 
They  are  modest  people,  thereaway,  and  thus  it  comes 
about  that  the  circumstance,  which  is  of  interest  to  the  com- 


June  9,    1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


munity.  generally,  was  dismissed  with  a  few  short  lines  in 
the  local  "  dailies,"  even  as  the  case  of  a  child  being  hurted 
by  an  electric  tram-car,  would  be  given  a  half-column  of 
sickening  detail.  It  is  an  unfortunate  fact,  but  otherwise 
far-seeing  people  cannot  realise  that  in  the  matter  of  a  dry 
dock  which  gives  employment  to.  say.  a  thousand  men,  its 
doings  are  of  import  to  the  community,  at  large  :  that  the 
money  which  it  circulates,  is  scattered  around  among  all 
portions  of  the  district  :  and  that  Cardiff  benefits,  equally 
as  much  as  Barry  :  also,  that  the  Cardiffian  is  as  keen  to 
note  all  these  modern  triumphs  which  are  being  carried  out 
at  home,  as  is  he  to  learn  the  exact  distance  at  which 
Admiral  Togo  fought  the  Russian  Fleet.  However,  ours 
be  the  task  of  explaining  just  as  much  of  this  little  matter 
as  will  be  of  interest,  generally  :  even  as  we  give  an 
illustration  of  the  steamer,  as  she  lay  in  dock. 


THE  Athenic  for  that  is  the  vessel's  name—  is  one  of 
the  famous  White  Star  Line,  and  was  built  by  the  equally 
famous  Belfast  firm  of  shipbuilders.  Messrs.  Harland  and 
Wolff,  in  1901.  With  a  gross  tonnage  of  12.  234  tons:  a 


depth  of  water  for  the  job — but  no  more.  Still,  enough  is 
as  good  as  a  feast,  and  through  being  satisfied  with  a 
sufficiency,  and  declining  to  wait  until  there  was  to  spare, 
the  White  Star  Company  were  saved  a  day — a  fact  which 
they  will  probably  hold  to  the  Graving  Dock's  credit,  on 
future  occasions?  Very  well.  then.  On  the  morning  of 
June  2.  at  6.20  by  the  official  clock,  we  note  that  Athenic  was 
again  afloat,  and  once  more  moving  away  from  the  blocks 
whereon  she  had  recently  reclined—  if  such  big  steamers 
really  do  recline  :  while  if  they  do  not,  and  merely  lay,  well 
it  is  of  little  consequence.  We  know  that  from  May  31,  at 
6.30  a.m..  to  June  2,  at  6.20  a.m.,  the  Athenic  had  been 
docked,  painted,  had  her  two  shafts  in  (and,  of  course,  her 
propellers  off),  etc.,  and  was  again  afloat,  and  ready  for 
the  fray,  as  stated.  A  little  bird  whispered  to  us  that  the 
same  job  in  London -no  less  a  place — occupied  three  clear 
days,  so  we  can  readily  understand  that  a  few  people  con- 
nected with  the  well-being  of  the  Athenic,  would  have 
preferred  London  to  Barry  ?  But  it  is  admittedly  hard  to 
satisfy  everybody,  and  as  the  Company,  and  the  superin- 
tending gentlemen  already  named  were  pleased— well,  the 
BristiOl  Channel  has  added  another  leaf  to  her  laurel  wreath  ? 


A  Bio  BOAT  /  Athenic  I  IN  A  BIG  DOCK. 


length  of  50Oft.  Sin. :  a  breadth  of  63ft.  Sin.  :  and  a  depth 
of  45ft.  :  the  Athenic  may  justly  be  classed  among  the  big 
uns  ?  Seeing  that  to  dock  her  was  a  somewhat  big  under- 
taking and  probably  having  an  idea  that  we  benighted  folk 
in  the  Bristol  Channel  had  never  seen  anything  of  the  kind 
done!  the  White  Star  Company's  marine  superintendent. 
Capt.  Thornton,  and  the  engineer  superintendent.  Mr. 
Blake,  were  both  in  attendance.  That  everything  went 
gaily  as  the  marriage  bell  which  has  been  immortalised  on 
several  occasions,  may  be  taken  for  granted  :  for  supposing 
that  Mr.  Monroe,  the  Barry  Graving  Dock  Company's 
general  manager,  had  never  "  risen "  to  such  exalted 
heights  previous  to  May  31.  of  this  year:  he  has  yet 
shown  the  world  that  he  is  by  no  means  a  stranger  to  the 
handling  of  really  big  tonnage  — whether  that  it  be  loaded. 
or  merely  "  light."  Indeed,  to  most  of  the  Bristol  Channel 
dry  dock  men.  it  is  all  one.  loaded  or  "light":  and  certainly 
Mr.  Monroe  is  no  exception  to  the  rule. 

5?  ^ 

However,  as  already  suggested,  the  Athenic  enterec  the 
Barry  Graving  Dock  on  May  31.  at  6.30  a.m..  and  on  that 
particular  morning's  tide,  we  find,  by  referring  to  the  table 
reserved  for  such  data,  that  there  was  just  the  correct 


WE  knew  it  would  have  to  come  that  sea  serpent  yarn 
--  although  in  view  of  the  weather  to  which,  so  far,  we  have 
been  treated,  the  tale  is  a  bit  early.  But  then,  it  comes 
from  Afric's  burning  shores,  and  (tell  it  not  in  Gath!)  it  is 
__^.»issionary  story,  so  it  must  be  true,  this  time.  Mind  you, 
this  is  not  really  a  thorough-bred  sea  serpent  ;  for  it  is 
more  of  a  fresh-water  monstrosity.  It's  like  this.  While 
a  boat  belonging  to  the  British  Central  African  Administra- 
tion was  on  a  voyage  across  Lake  Nyassa,  "  the  reptile, 
which  is  described  as  being  as  thick  as  a  man's  leg  (just 
an  ordinary  man's  leg,  you  know)  tried  to  board  the  vessel, 
and  was  with  difficulty,  beaten  off  with  oars  and  paddles  " 
—  which  are  by  no  means  the  same  thing,  don't  forget. 
It's  a  terrible  case,  and  after  this,  it  will  be  necessary  to 
revise  that  quotation  anent  "  where  every  prospect  pleases, 
and  only  man  is  vile."  Yes !  It  will  be  more  correct  to 
add.  henceforth,  "and  only  man,  and  the  lake  serpent,  is 
vile."  In  this  instance— according  to  honourable  tradition 
— the  vile  serpent  was  worsted  :  the  oars  and  paddles 
emerged  triumphantly  from  the  encounter,  and  as  usual. 
Daily  Mail  is  first  in  the  field,  with  all  that  is  good  -bad, 


or  worse  : 


THERE  has  been  quite  a  plethora  of   "  important  shipping 


59 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  9,  1905 


cases"  developing  out  of  the  contraband-of-war  idea, 
lately.  True,  most  of  them  are  merely  a  question  of 
whether  a  seaman  has  any  rights  :  or  if  he  may  elect  to 
break  his  part  of  an  agreement,  once  the  shipmaster  has 
taken  the  initiative  in  the  same  direction.  We  can  admire 
the  feeling  which  makes  the  Old  Man  stick  to  his  em- 
ployers—sometimes:  sometimes,  again,  we  cannot.  More- 
over, it  would  be  a  good  thing  if  the  shipmaster  would  try 
to  get  over  the  old-time  belief,  that  "  obey  orders,  if  you 
break  owners"  is  still  in  vogue.  It  has  long  since  been 
relegated  to  the  limbo  of  forgotten  truths.  You  see, 
owner,  himself,  has  been  working  for  years,  to  disabuse  his 
shipmaster's  mind  on  the  subject,  and  nothing  but  the 
maddest  kind  of  loyalty  to  a  disloyal  employer,  would  have 
kept  the  old  delusion  alive.  The  safest  way  to  get  your 
own  rights  respected,  is  to  respect  those  of  other  people 
and  when  a  number  of  seamen  (no  matter  what  their 
nationality)  are  to  be  used  as  pawns  in  a  game  of  get-rich- 
in-a-hurry,  the  principals  should  not  be  surprised,  if  the 
pawns,  once  in  a  way.  object.  Blockade-running  is  not 
undertaken  by  way  of  a  joke.  You  may  be  sure  that  it 
offers  a  greater  financial  inducement,  than  does  ordinary 
trading ;  otherwise,  the  stay-at-home  owner  would,  have 
none  of  it. 

WE  mean,  if  blockade-running  were  indulged  in,  merely 
for  the  excitement  consequent  thereon,  then.  Mr.  Owner 
would  hie  him  forth,  and  join  in  the  deal.  But  we  know 
that  he  does  nothing  of  the  kind.  He  sits  him  down  at 
home:  writes  letters;  goes  out  to  see  a  lady  about  a 
canine  (or  takes  her  for  a  motor-spin)  ;  but  take  any 
personal  risks— never,  sirs,  for  the  gentleman  isn't  built 
that  way.  He  takes  no  "risks,"  for  the  possibility  of 
capture  is  insured  against.  Under  the  circumstances, 
therefore,  it  is  but  a  grab-all  sort  of  feeling,  which  prompts 
your  ownerman  to  scoop  in  all  the  shekels  which  represent 
the  emoluments  due  from  the  extra  "  risk,"  even  as  he 
wishes  to  palm  off  on  his  seamen,  rates  which  would  rule  if 
no  danger  of  capture  existed.  We  are  pleased  to  note  that 
the  magistrates  who  have  tried  these  "  important  shipping 
cases  "  have,  in  the  majority  of  instances,  sided  with  the 
hardy  souls  who  have  been  willing  to  undertake  extra  risk, 
for  extra  pay.  We  are  of  opinion,  that  there  can  have  been 
no  possibility  of  doubt  in  the  minds  of  any  of  the  estimable 
folk  concerned,  that  the  extra  pay  was  due,  on  each 
occasion  ?  Presumably,  however,  the  "  test  cases  "  have 
been  indulged  in,  from  the  common  feeling  which  is  around. 
that  one  never  knows  which  way  the  cat  might  jump— if  it 
is  a  legal  feline?  Also,  that  the  cases  are  fought  with 
shareholders'  money,  while  Jack  does  the  fighting  with  his 
own  ?  We  are  a  great  nation,  and  some  of  its  greatest 
units,  are  certain  "shipowner"  people  ? 


REVERTING  to  our  previous  remarks  concerning  the 
Colonies  and- their  willingness,  or  otherwise,  to  ante  up  a 
sum  of  money  for  the  support  of  the  Navy,  we  note  that 
Premier  Seddon  has  been  speechifying  on  the  subject,  in 
New  Zealand.  The  gentleman  is  of  opinion  that  if  New 
Zealand's  contribution  be  increased  to  £90,000  per 
annum,  and  Australia's  to  £200,000  per  annum,  "they 
will  have  a  better,  and  more  efficient  squadron."  A 
"  white  "  one.  also  ?  Really,  those  Antipodean  friends  and 
relatives  of  ours,  have  but  a  poor  idea  of  the  purchasing 
power  of  good  hard  sovereigns,  when  thrown  down  in  front 
of  the  shipbuilder  of  to-day  ?  Out  of  a  total  of  £40,000.000 
per  annum,  the  Commonwealth-and-neighbours  are  half- 
inclined  to  "put  up"  a  quarter  of  a  million — there,  or 
thereabout ;  and  for  this  vast  C to  the  Antipodean)  amount, 
they  hope  to  get  a  "  better  and  more  efficient  squadron  ! '' 
Why,  bless  their  little  hearts,  the  suggested  contribution 
would  not  pay  the  repair  bill  for  that  squadron,  for  six 
months — providing  the  vessels  were  wantonly  allowed  to 


leave  their  snug  anchorages  in  the  bays,  that  are  common 
"  down  under."  Lord,  give  us  a  good  conceit  of  ourselves 
—and  of  the  power  of  a  few  ha'pence  when  tendered 
to  a  shipbuilder  ! 

&  & 

A  LONDON  "  daily  "  has  been  prattling  to  its  readers,  con- 
cerning "  where  our  food  comes  from."  Starting  off  with 
the  statement  that  Britannia  is  housekeeper  for  a  family  of 
40,000,000  souls,  it  is  suggested  that  the  necessary 
larder  is  of  supreme  interest  to  all  members  of  that  same 
family.  We  note  that  the  bread  purchase  from  "furrin 
parts,"  amounts  to  some  £30,000,000 -and  Jack  has  to 
bring  it  all  along,  please.  In  addition  to  the  actual  bread  bill, 
the  extras  which  go  to  make  up  the  whole  farinaceous 
purchase,  totals  altogether  into  the  £60,000,000  mark. 
Nice  little  lot  of  stuff  to  entrust  to  a  mob  of  foreign  sailors? 
Then,  the  butcher's  little  account  with  us,  runs  into 
£50,000,000  for  beef :  £7.000,000  for  mutton :  and 
£18,000,000  for  pig-flesh.  A  sum  of  £20,000,000  goes 
for  foreign  butter :  £10.000,000  for  tea;  £13,000,000 
for  fruit ;  and  — but  that  is  enough.  We  merely  itemise 
the  few  larder-points,  for  the  purpose  of  showing  you 
how  much  you  are  dependent  on  the  sailorman.  You 
recognise  your  dependence  ;  a  perusal  of  our  columns,  week 
by  week,  will  show  you  how  you  recognise  his  claims  ;  how 
you  are  gradually  allowing  him  to  drift  on  shore,  to  starve  ; 
and  how  you  will  soon  follow  suit,  once  he  has  given  up  his 
job,  altogether. 

K#  Xa 

W     w3 

OUR  congratulations  to  Mr.  T.  R.  Ions,  late  of  North 
Shields,  on  his  appointment  as  dry  docks  and  works 
manager,  to  the  Newport  portion  of  the  Cardiff  Channel 
Dry  Docks  and  Pontoon  Company.  Limited's  undertaking. 
We  understand  that  Mr.  A.  Simpson,  will  continue  "as 
before,"  which  is  distinctly  good  reasoning  on  the  part  of 
Mr.  William  Jones,  the  energetic  general  manager  who 
successfully  brought  about  the  coup.  It  is  a  poor  policy- 
swapping  horses,  while  crossing  the  brook  ;  and  in  a  turn- 
over from  the  old-style  of  this  combination,  to  the  new 
style  which  is  being  inaugurated,  it  is  distinctly  a  case  of 
"  crossing  the  brook  ?  "  The  brook  which  divides  mis- 
fortune— to  put  it  gently — from  unqualified  success  ? 


WE  note  that  Lord  Muskerry  has  been  asked  to  postpone 
the  second  reading  of  the  Merchant  Shipping  Act  Amend- 
ment ( Aliens)  Bill,  until  the  26th  inst.  This,  that  the 
Government  may  have  an  opportunity  of  wading  through 
the  Fiscal  jugglery.  Of  course,  his  Lordship  has  agreed 
to  stand  aside,  but  all  the  same,  we  trust  that  the  Amend- 
ment -which  aims  at  British  subjects,  only,  for  the 
commanding,  and  officering,  and.  piloting  of  British  ships — 
will  become  law,  at  an  early  date,  as  this  is,  undoubtedly,  a 
step  in  the  right  direction.  Indeed,  the  Bill  has  already 
been  "  postponed  "  for  too  great  a  time. 


THE  exceptionally  large  single-deck  turret  steamer, 
Queda,  of  12.000  tons  deadweight  capacity,  recently 
completed  by  Messrs.  William  Doxford  &  Sons.  Ltd.,  for 
the  British  India  Steam  Navigation  Co..  Ltd.,  of  London, 
sailed  from  Middlesbrough  on  Saturday  last,  having  the 
week  previous  completed  a  very  satisfactory  speed  trial  of 
12  knots,  when  leaving  Sunderland.  The  second  of  these 
vessels,  the  Querimba.  was  launched  on  Saturday  last,  the 
owners  being  represented  by  Mr.  Peter  Barr,  resident 
surveyor.  The  Nordland.  a  single-deck  turret  vessel  of 
6,300  tons  deadweight  capacity,  built  for  Messrs.  Axe! 
Brostrom  &  Son,  Goteborg.  also  left  the  yard  of  Messrs. 
Doxford  &  Sons,  the  same  day,  for  trial  on  the  5th  inst. 


June  9, 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


60 


r 

W-*. 


SHIPBUILDING. 


During  May.  40  vessels  were  launched  by  Scottish  Ship- 
builders, representing  55.509  tons,  which  is  the  largest  for 
any  month  this  year.  The  most  important  launch  was  the 
cruiser  Cochrane.  from  the  yard  of  the  Fairfield  Company. 
It  is  worth  noting  that  no  less  than  11,861  tons  of  the 
output,  is  for  foreign  owners,  an  unusually  large  pro- 
portion. To  the  total,  the  Clyde  contributed  33  vessels  of 
54.036  tons  :  the  Forth,  two  vessels  of  958  tons  :  the  Tay, 
four  vessels  of  340  tons  :  and  the  Dee,  one  vessel  of  175 

tons. 

+  •»•  + 

During  the  first  five  months  of  the  year.  Clyde  builders 
have  launched  tonnage  representing  195.116  tons,  which 
is  only  about  3,000  tons  less  than  the  first  five  months 
of  1902,  the  Clyde's  record  year,  and  it  has  been  exceeded 
only  in  that  year,  and  in  1899.  Orders  for  new  tonnage 
booked  in  May  are  few,  being  considerably  less  than  half  the 

output  for  May.  1904. 

•»•  +  + 

The  iron  screw  steamer  Clengoil,  lately  owned  by 
Messrs.  Lindsay.  Gracie  &  Co.,  Ltd..  Newcastle,  has  been 
sold  to  Mr.  Leonard  McCarthy,  of  Newcastle,  at  £10.000 
She  was  built  by  Messrs.  J.  L.  Thompson  &  Sons, 
Sunderland.  in  1882.  Dimensions  320ft.  x  40ft.  x  27ft. 
Sin.  :  with  engines  21  in..  35in..  56in.  x  48in.  stroke,  by 
the  North  Eastern  Marine  Engineering  Co..  Ltd.  She  had 

new  boilers  fitted  in  1896. 

•»•  -f  + 

We  understand  that  Messrs.  Strathatos  Brothers,  of 
Braila.  have  sold  their  steel  screw  steamer  Amphitrite.  to 
British  buyers  at  about  £18.000.  She  was  built  by  Messrs. 
J.  I_  Thompson  &  Sons.  Ltd..  Sunderland.  in  1897. 
2.734  tons  gross  :  dimensions  320ft.  x  45ft.  x  23ft.  9in. : 
carries  about  4.400  tons  deadweight  on  19ft.  9in.  draft : 
with  engines  23'2in..  39in..  64in.  x  42in.  stroke,  by 
Messrs.  Blair  &  Co..  Ltd. 

•f    4-    -f 

The  steel  screw  steamer  Cebriana.  lately  owned  by  the 
British  Maritime  Trust  Limited.  London,  has  been  sold  to 
the  Britain  Steamship  Company.  Limited.  London.  She 
was  built  by  Messrs.  Short  Brothers.  Sunderland.  in  1899. 
Dimensions  360ft.  Sin.  x  48ft.  x  28ft.  Sin.  :  4.221  tons 
gross:  with  engines  25in..  41  in..  69in.  x  48in.  stroke,  by 
Messrs.  W.  Allan  &  Co..  Ltd.  She  has  been  renamed 

Twickenham. 

•f  -f  * 

The  steel  screw  steamer  Pouvoir,  owned  by  Messrs.  J. 
Power  &  Co..  London,  is  reported  sold  to  French  buyers 
for  the  Canadian  trade,  at  about  £14.750.  She  was  built 
by  the  Montrose  Shipbuilding  Company.  Montrose.  in  1905. 
Dimensions  210ft.  6in.  x  33ft.  x  16ft.  :  971  tons  gross: 
with  engines  16in.,  25in..  42in.  x  33in.  stroke,  by  the 

North  Eastern  Marine  Engineering  Company,  Ltd. 

•f  -f  •*. 

The  steel  screw  steamer  Grafton.  lately  owned  by  Messrs. 
E.  W.  Morgan  6t  Co..  Ltd..  London,  is  reported  sold  to  the 
Japan  Mail  Steam  Shipping  Company.  Ltd..  at  about 
£30.0OO.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  S.  P.  Austin  &  Son, 
Ltd  .  Sunderland.  in  1901.  Dimensions  330ft.  Sin.  x  46ft. 
x  24ft.  4in.:  3.106  tons  gross  :  with  engines  24in.,  39in., 
64in.  x  42in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  George  Clark.  Ltd. 

•»•   -f   + 

The  steel  screw  steamer  Woodland,  lately  owned  by  Mr. 
T.  Wales,  of  Newcastle,  has  been  sold  to  the  Ipswich 
Steam  Shipping  Company.  Ipswich.  She  was  built  by  the 
Grangemouth  &  Greenock  Dockyard  Company.  Grange- 
mouth,  in  1903.  Dimensions  130ft.  x  22ft.  4in.  x  9ft.  6in.  : 
244  tons  gross  :  with  engines  14in..  29in.  x  21  in.  stroke. 
by  Messrs.  Morton  &  Co..  of  Leith. 

•*•  +  •»• 

Mr.  V.  Elferson.  of  Kalmar.  Sweden,  is  the  purchaser  of 
the  steamer  Lemnos.  recently  reported  sold. 


The  steel  screw  steamer  Maylands,  owned  by  Messrs. 
J.  F.  Wilson  &  Co.,  West  Hartlepool,  is  reported  sold  to 
foreigners,  at  about  £18,000.  She  was  built  by  Messrs. 
Furness,  Withy  &  Co..  Ltd.,  West  Hartlepool,  in  1897. 
Dimensions  314ft.  6in.  x  43ft.  x  20ft.  4in.  ;  2,517  tons 
gross;  with  engines  23in..  37in.,  61in.  x  42in.  stroke,  by 
Messrs.  T.  Richardson  &  Sons. 

+  +  + 

The  steel  screw  steamer  Aira  Force,  lately  owned  by 
Messrs.  W.  S.  Kennaugh  &  Co.,  Whitehaven,  has  been 
sold  to  Messrs.  G.  Webster  &  Co.,  Glasgow.  She  was 
built  and  engined  by  the  Penarth  Shipbuilding  Company, 
Penarth,  in  1891.  Dimensions  145ft.  x  23ft.  2in.  x  lift.; 
349  tons  gross  :  with  engines  1  Sin. .  36in.  x  24in,  stroke. 
She  has  been  renamed  Seaforth. 

-f  +  + 

The  steel  paddle  steamer  Rhos  Golwyn,  lately  owned  by 
Colwyn  Bay  &  Liverpool  Steam  Shipping  Company,  has 
been  sold  to  a  Cardiff  firm,  at  about  £11,000.  She  was 
built  and  engined  by  Messrs.  J.  Scott  &  Co.,  Kinghorn,  in 
1899.  Dimensions  210ft.  x  25ft.  x  8ft.  4in. ;  393  tons 
gross  ;  with  engines  27in..  58in.  x  54in.  stroke. 

+  -f  + 

The  iron  screw  steamer  Malabar,  owned  by  Mr.  H.  E.  P. 
Adamson,  of  Newcastle,  is  reported  sold  at  about  £6,000. 
She  was  built  by  Messrs.  Raylton  Dixon  &  Co.,  Middles- 
brough, in  1877.  Dimensions  286ft.  x  34ft.  Sin.  x  25ft. 
Sin. ;  1,896  tons  gross:  with  engines  20in.,  33in.,  54  J^in. 
x  42in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  Blair  &  Co.,  Ltd. 

+  +  + 

The  steel  screw  steamer  Rubens,  owned  by  Messrs.  F. 
Bolton  &  Co..  London,  is  reported  sold  at  about  £9,000- 
She  was  built  by  Messrs.  J.  L.  Thompson  &  Sons,  Sunder- 
land, in  1 887.  Dimensions  275ft.  x  38ft.  2in.  x  22  in. ;  2,077 
tons  gross  :  with  engines  22in.,  36in..  58in.  x  39in.  stroke 
by  Messrs.  T.  Richardson  &  Sons. 

+  +  -f 

The  iron  screw  steamer  Sea  Flower,  lately  owned  by 
Messrs.  H.  Foster  &  Co.,  of  Larne.  has  been  sold  to  Spanish 
buyers,  and  renamed  Ayamantino.  She  was  built  by 
Messrs.  J.  Reid  &  Co.,  Port  Glasgow,  in  1875.  Dimensions 
1 10ft.  4in,  x  19ft.  4in.  x  8ft.:  158  tons  gross. 

+  -f  + 

Messrs.  Gentles  Brothers,  of  South  Shields,  have  pur- 
chased a  new  steamer  of  about  5,400  tons  deadweight, 
recently  launched  by  Messrs.  Wm.  Hamilton  &  Co.,  Ltd., 
Port  Glasgow.  She  was  known  on  the  Clyde  as 
"  Hamilton's  Monument  No.  2." 

+  +  -f 

The  iron  paddle  steamer  Snaefell,  lately  owned  by  the 
Isle  of  Man  Steam  Packet  Company,  Ltdu  has  been  sold 
for  £2,075.  She  was  built  and  engined  by  Messrs.  Gaird 
&  Co..  Greenock,  in  1876:  849  tons  gross  ;  dimensions 

251ft.  x  29ft.  Sin.  x  14ft. 

+  +  + 

The  steamer  Ellewoutsdijk,  reported  sold  in  our  last  issue 
to  Messrs.  Ross.  Allan  &  Johnston,  of  Glasgow,  has  been 

renamed    Greendyke. 

•f   +  + 

Mr.  J.  Pettersson.  of  Helsingborg,  Sweden,  is  the  pur- 
chaser of  the  steamer  Tremayne,  recently  reported  sold. 

She   has  been  renamed  Helios. 

+  +  + 

The  steamer  Duke  of  Portland,  recently  purchased  by 
Messrs.  H.  &  W.  Nelson,  Ltd.,  Liverpool,  has  been  renamed 
Highland  Fling. 

The  Great  Western  Railway  Company,  are  the  pur- 
chasers of  t  e  steamer  Me/more,  recently  reported  sold. 


6i 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  9,    1905 


FRIDAY.  JUNE  9,   1905. 


A   NEW  FREIGHT  MARKET?    MANITOBA-ON-THE-SEA ! 

(Concluding  Article). 


N  drawing  to  a  close,   this  consideration   of  a 
scheme    which,    in     view     of    the    apparent 
impossibilities  which  have  been  surmounted  by 
the  engineer,  is  anything  but  an  idle  dream  on 
the    part    of  the   good    folk   who  are  chiefly 
interested,  let  us  consider  another  aspect  of 
the  situation.     One  of  the  axioms  in  the  successful  handling 
of  heavy  traffic,  is  to  secure — consistent  with  safety — the 
shortest  route  from  point  to  point.     With   this  before  us, 
let  us  make  a  few  comparisons  concerning  the  distances 
involved,    in   the   rival   routes.       From   York   Factory   to 
Cardiff,  say.  the  distance  is  practically  the  same  as  from 
Montreal  to  the  Taff-side  town.     Again,  from  Winnipeg,  via 
Montreal  to  Liverpool — for  a  choice  of  ports  --  is  estimated 
as  4,228  miles ;    but  from    Winnipeg,    via  Hudson's   Bay, 
to    Liverpool,  is  about  3,626  miles— giving  a  saving   in 
favour  of  the  latter,  of  some  760  miles  of  inland-haulage 
of  freight:  or  602  miles  on  the  total  distance.     Once  more, 
from   Portage   la  Prairie,    vi&   Montreal,   to   Liverpool,    is 
4,280  miles ;  but  from  the  same  departure,  via  Hudson's 
Bay,  the  distance  is  3,516  miles,  thus  effecting  a  saving 
in  this  instance,  of  764  miles  on  the  whole  journey,  and   of 
the  inland  transportation    portion   thereof,   of  872   miles. 
Yet  again   we  find,   that  from    Regina,  via   Montreal,  to 
Liverpool,  the   distance  is  4,584   miles ;     from  the  same 
place  over  the  Hudson's  Bay   route,  the   distance   is   but 
3,926  miles,  giving  a  saving  in  favour  of  the  new  projection, 
of  658  miles  on  the  whole  journey  :    and  on   the   railway 
haulage,  a  matter  of  816   miles.     One  more   comparison, 
and  we  have  done  therewith  :      From   Prince   Albert,   via 
Montreal,  to  Liverpool,  the  distance  is  4,834  miles,    while 
the  same  journey  by  the  Bay  route  covers  but  3.616  miles: 
or  admitting  of  a  saving,  in  the  railway  journey,   of    1,316 
miles :    and  on  the  total,  from   end  to   end,   a  matter  of 
1 .2 1 8  miles.   .The  foregoing  then,  is  truly  a  significant  and 
important  aspect  of  the  situation,  and  is  bound  to  prove  a 
powerful  factor  in  favour  of  the  farmer  in  the  Great  North- 
West.  and  his  efforts  to   secure   a  paying  outlet  for  his 
produce,  in  the  near  future.     It  is  but  natural  that   those 
who    already    have  the  trade,    should  attempt  to  throw 
metaphorical  cold-water   on  any  new   scheme  ;    but  it  is 
useless  hiding  the  fact  that,  to-date,  anything  but  a  pheno- 
menal success  has  attended  the  efforts  of-the  exponents  of 
St.  Lawrencej  expansion.     In    a    dilettante    manner,    this 
phase  of  ocean  transit  has  been  exploited  for  years  ;    but  it 
yet  remains  for  some   enterprising  steamer  company  to 
show,  what  can  be  really  done  in  this  connection.     In   the 
past,  it  has  been  shown,  on  various  occasions,  that   while 
talk  is  cheap,  it  is  just  as  necessary   to   spend   money  on 
Canadian  trade-expansion,  as  it  is  in  the  same  connection. 
in   other,  and  more  favoured  parts  of  the  world.     Again, 
it  must  not   be   forgotten   that,  in    the    past,    there    has 
been  absolutely  no    incentive    to    try    routes   other    than 
the    supposedly    one-and-only    of    Montreal.       With    the 
rapid  change  in  the  conditions  thereaway,  a  new   arrange- 
ment   is    essential ;     and    we    have    tried    to    show    the 
merits   of  the   one    route    over    the  other.      Crystallised, 
the  situation  is  all  in  favour  of  the  Hudson's   Bay  road, 
for  by  its  use  the  prohibitive  railway  rates  will  be  obviated  : 
and    as    we    have    shown    in   this  series  of  articles,  the 
difficulties  of  navigation  are,  at  least,  no  worse  over  the 


Bay,  than  they  are  in  the  St.  Lawrence.     Supposing  that 
the  Bay  route  is  just  as  difficult  as  its  present  rival  :   has 
just  as  much  set-off  in  the  matter  of  ice  and  fog— according 
to  the  time  of  year :  then,  the  saving  in  railway  haulage  has 
everything  to  recommend  the  former,  over  the  latter?     It 
has   been  truly   said  that   the   year   in  Canadian   waters, 
consists  of  nine  months  winter  and  three  months'  fog  :    but 
it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  the  climatic  conditions  are  no 
more  favourable  to  Montreal,  than  they  are  to  the  Hudson's 
Bay.     Indeed,  opinions  are  all  in  favour  of   the   latter-- 
opinions,   that  is,  which   are   not  coloured   by  the  vested 
interests  already  surrounding  the   Montreal  clique.     When 
all  is  said,  Canadian  trade  as  connected  with  a  steamship 
line,    will   never  be   more  than   of    an    intermittent   kind. 
That  is,    there   will  be  a  feverish  kind  of  activity  during 
"  the  season  "  which,  alas,  is  all  too  short,  to  be  followed 
by  a  hibernating  period,  during  the  greater  portion  of  the 
year.     Indeed,  to  our  mind,  the  steamer  line  which  succeeds 
in   doing  good   business  in   this   connection,  will    be  that 
which  has  pluck  enough  to  start  a  trunk  line,  so  to  speak, 
from  an  ice-free  port  in  the  United  States  ;  an  all-the-year- 
'round  trading  centre,  say  ;  and  from  which  same  route,  a 
sufficiency  of  boats  may  be  diverted  for  Canadian  trade, 
when  the  three-months-fog  part  of  the  Canadian  year  has 
set  in.     It  is  utterly  useless  to  attempt  to  work  up  a  trade 
for  three  months  in  the  year,  if  for  the  other  nine  months, 
the  good  people   who  have  been   fed    thereby,  are   to   be 
thrown  on  their   own   resources,   in   the    matter  of  food 
supply.     That  is,  it  has  been  shown   conclusively,  in  the 
past,  that  from  Canada,  alone,  it  is  useless  to  hope  for  a 
continued  supply  of  produce.     At  the  best,  there  is  but  a 
six  months'   source  thereaway — and    as    far  as  cattle  is 
concerned,  it  is  the  six  months  in  which  least  meat  is  used 
in  Britain.     Now.  if  a  trader  is  open  to  supply  mefeit  to  a 
number  of  customers"  during  the   summer  months,  when 
meat  is  more  or  less  "  off,"  and  during  the  winter,  when 
there  is  a  real  need  for  meat,  that  trader  has  gone  home  to 
sleep  ;   well,  it  needs  no  prophetic  skill  to  decide  that  the 
said  trader's  success  will  be  of  but  a  limited  kind  ?     In 
other  words,  it  is  a  distinct  case  of  beginning  again,  every 
time  that  the  absence  of  Canadian  ice  makes  it  possible 
for  Canadian  produce  to  be  brought  across  the  Atlantic. 
Six  months'  winter  has  driven  the  trader  to  another  source 
of  supply,  and  thus  it  comes  about,  that  the  purveyor  of 
Canadian  produce  has  to  waste  the  best  portion  of  his  all- 
too-short  trading  season,  in  an  attempt  to  win  back  the 
custom  which   has  left  him  through  the  winter  months. 
Then,  by  the  time   he  is  winning  back  the  support  which 
has  been  lost  in  the  manner  indicated,  the  season   is  about 
finished,  so  that  fizzle,  in  greater  or  lesser  degree,  has  to 
be  written  over  his  efforts.     This  has  been   conclusively 
proved,   year  after  year  :  and  until  facts  are  assimilated, 
will    go     on     being    proved.        In    the    past,    there    has 
been  a  dreadful  lack  of  originality  in    the   ranks   of   the 
exponents  of  Canadian  trade  expansion.     Each   neophyte 
has  come  along,  with  the  same  old  japes  which  have  proved 
abortive  -with  his   predecessor :     the    same    old   tales   of 
"what  we  are  going  to  do,"  have  ended  up  in  the  same  old 
way  of  "what  we  haven't  done."     Of  course,  each  of  those 
neophytes  has  meant  well;  has,  indeed,  believed  in  his  own 
overshadowing   ability  ;    but  instead   of   striking  out  in  a 
line  that  was,  at  least,  clear  of  the   mistakes   of  the    past, 
each  successive  one  has  hugged  to  his  commercial   bosom, 
the  belief  that  the  other  fellow  failed  through  inattention  to 
detail,    rather    than    from    the  natural  difficulties   which 
surrounded  his  path.     The  concern  which  ultimately  wins 
victory  out  of  this  particular  situation,  will   be  that   which 
establishes  a  line  to  an  ice-free  port  in  the  United  States  for 
winter  use,  principally  ;    and  which  has  business  acumen 
enough  to  divert,  during  the  Canadian  season,  a  sufficiency 
of  tonnage  to  cope  with  the  ever-growing  amount  of  pro- 
duce to  be  handled  at  Canadian  wharves — whether  on  the 
St.  Lawrence,  or  on  the  Hudson's  Bay.     By   this   means, 
the  home  producer  will  have  a  constant   supply   assured  : 


June  9,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


the  resultant  trade  will  be  a  rapidly  increasing  affair  ;  and 
instead  of  where  to-day,  the  intermittent  idea  is  mainly  in 
evidence,  a  constantly  increasing  volume  of  business  will 
fall  to  the  share  of  the  company,  which  had  pluck  enough 
to  realise  that  with  other  times,  come  other  manners.  We 
do  not  intend  to  particularise  as  to  the  "Canadian  trades" 
which  have  been  born  in  all  the  glitter  of  ignorant  assump- 
tion, and  snuffed  out  in  the  gloom  of  materialised  (and 
bitter)  experience— although  we  could,  an'  we  would.  We 
merely  touch  on  them.  here,  for  the  purpose  of  showing 
that,  from  past  mistakes,  future  attempts  may  be  perfected. 
With  the  suggested  "  trunk-line "  in  operation,  a  regular 
supply  of  produce  of  all  kinds  would  be  possible,  and  the 
"diverting  section  "  (if  we  may  put  it  thus)  of  steamer 
tonnage  that  is  to  gather  up  the  Canadian  produce  in  the 
summer  months,  might  be  safely  and  profitably  employed 
to  gather  up  the  stuff  which  is  laying  in  the  Mexican  Gulf 
ports— right  along  to  Vera  Cruz— in  the  winter.  By  this 
means,  a  paying  trade  is  possible—  and  by  no  other  means. 
For  here,  the  steamer  company  would  be  constantly  tap- 
ping the  sources  of  supply  in  the  mid-latitudes,  if  we  may 
put  it  thus  :  while  in  the  summer  months  the  northern 
latitudes  would  be  receiving  attention,  and  in  the  winter. 
the  southern  latitudes  would  come  in  for  its  share.  This,  in 
brief,  is  our  opinion — based  on  many  years  of  trading  in 
the  direction  indicated  :  and  we  shall  be  glad  to  particu- 
larise, for  the  benefit  of  any  concern  which  is  inclined  to 
sail  in  and  show  the  old-time  dodgers,  where  they  lost  their 
millions.  One  other  little  item  in  connection  with  the 
Hudson's  Bay  route  which  we  so  unceremoniously  left,  'way 
back.  is.  that  being  the  more  northern  of  the  rival  roads,  it 
is  cooler.  This  of  course,  means  that  perishable  cargoes 
may  be  handled  with  greater  safety,  than  may  those  des- 
tined for  the  St.  Lawrence  track.  And  as  a  gathering 
ground«Jor  American  produce,  the  Hudson's  Bay  suggestion 
will  contain  potentialities  not  possessed  by  the  St.  Law- 
rence. For  instance,  there  will  be  an  appreciable  saving 
in  railway  haulage  from  farming  centres  in  South  Dakota, 
Minnesota.  Nebraska.  Wyoming  and  Montana,  when  the 
produce  therefrom,  is  despatched  via  the  Hudson's  Bay 
route,  in  preference  to  the  one-and-only  on  the  St. 
Lawrence.  Ere  closing  our  discussion,  we  will  remark 
that  there  is  yet  another  scheme  projected  :  one  that  is 
filled  with  practical  possibilities  :  and  which  hopes  to  make 
Winnipeg  a  river  port,  connected  with  the  Bay,  by  means 
of  an  improved  Red  River,  on  through  Lake  Winnipeg  and 
the  Nelson  River,  to  salt  water.  The  project  is  a  big  one, 
but  in  time,  it  will  come,  we  believe.  Naturally,  there  are 
scoffers  here  :  but  the  brood  was  in  evidence  at  the 
cutting  of  the  Suez  Canal,  the  Manchester  ditto,  and  even 
now,  at  the  Panama.  However,  and  scoffer  notwithstand- 
ing, the  engineer  pursues  the  merry  tenour  of  his  way. 
until  the  marvel  of  to-day,  is  merely  the  commonplace  of 
to-morrow.  The  truth  is.  that  human  nature  is  prone  to 
mark  down  as  ridiculous,  everything  that  is  outside  the 
limited  scope  of  its  own  understanding  :  all  the  same.  the. 
trait  has  kept  back  the- world's  progress  but  little  !  And  in 
connection  with  Winnipeg  as  a  river  port,  competent 
engineers  have  estimated  that  the  distance  needing  to  be 
cut.  will  not  exceed  51  miles.  Moreover,  it  is  nearly  all 
plain  sailing  :  at  any  rate  there  are  no  insuperable  en- 
gineering difficulties  in  the  scheme  :  and  it  may  be  taken 
for  granted  that,  at  no  very  distant  date,  the  steamer  of 
commerce  will  be  plying  to  the  wharves  of  the  City  of 
Winnipeg.  The  money  is  in  the  country,  and  soon,  now, 
will  be  massed  up  :  the  need  for  such  a  situation  as  that 
suggested,  is  real :  so.  with  the  need,  the  money,  and  the 
skill -well,  there  have  been  greater  seeming  impossibilities 
worked  off  on  a  wondering  world,  than  this  Winnipeg-with- 
wharves  idea.  As  already  stated  in  the  course  of  this 
writing,  we  have  no  brief  for  the  Hudson's  Bay  exploiters, 
and  none  against  the  St.  Lawrence  folk.  Indeed,  we  have 
written  because  we  have  traded  with  the  district  of  which 
we  have  been  writing :  know  it  from  personal  experience  ; 


have  watched  the  futile  efforts  which  have  been  made  by 
the  'longshoreman  in  his  endeavours  to  yoke  up  good 
business  with  bad  sailoring  ;  and  have  wondered— as  have 
many  more— why,  in  the  fulness  of  the  'longshoreman's 
wisdom,  he  hasn't  sense  enough  to  gain  an  opinion  or  so, 
from  the  people  who  have  sailed  the  waters  operated  upon. 
Instead  of  this,  he  gleans  his  imformation  from  some  other 
source,  which  got  it  from  a  round-about  crowd  of  persons 
who  fill  up  the  interstices  of  the  scheme,  if  we  may  write 
it  thus,  with  fairy  tales  and  bare-faced  untruths.  If  we  have 
given  those  interested,  food  for  thought  in  this  connection, 
we  have  not  wasted  our  time  and  space.  Here,  we  leave  it. 

THE  TRIMMERS'  THREAT. 


3T  certainly  is  a  pity  that  shipowners,  as  a  body,  are  so 
woefully  weak  and  divided  among  themselves.  That 
is,  it  is  a  pity  for  them,  but  a  grave  danger  to  the 
community.  Everybody  knows  that,  roundly  consid- 
ered £20  is  ample  for  the  trimming  of  the  majority  of  the 
steamers  which  load  coal  these  days,  instead  of  the 
£50  60  of  the  past.  Indeed,  there  are  quite  a  number  of 
experts  who  are  of  opinion,  that  the  first  figures  quoted  are, 
out  of  all  proportion,  above  the  value  of  the  work  done. 
And  yet  the  alleged  "  arguments  "  for  and  against  a  con- 
tinuance of  the  old-time  iniquity  are  allowed  to  travel  along, 
until  the  industrial  peace  of  a  populous  district  is  endanger- 
ed thereby.  So  far  in  the  progress  of  the  dispute,  we  do 
not  consider  that  there  has  been  one  genuine  reason  offered, 
either  that  the  trimming  charge  should  be  reduced,  on  the 
one  hand  ;  or  that  the  status  quo  should  continue,  on  the 
other.  Meetings  have  been  held,  ad  lib.,  and  much  good 
breath  has  been  wasted  :  hard  things  have  been  said  :  the 
old  charges  have  been  paid  "under  protest,"  and  so  that 
the  over-charges  shall  be  returned  "  when  a  settlement  is 
made."  But  does  anybody  believe  that  a  settlement  -2s 
the  outcome  of  the  "  meetings  "—is  likely  to  materialise? 
We  do  not.  anyhow,  and  we  shall  not  be  at  all  surprised  to 
learn,  that  a  second  edition  of  the  "  up  shute  "  order  has 
been  issued ;  that  the  Shipping  Federation  has  been 
instructed  to  solve  the  problem  ;  that  the  old-time  coal- 
trimmers  find  their  occupation  handed  over  to  outsiders, 
who  have  sense  enough  to  know  that  simply  because 
a  thing  was,  it  is  not  necessarily  bound  to  be  ;  and  that 
a  re-shuffling  of  the  cards  is  the  inevitable  result.  When 
all  is  said,  the  mere  fact  that  shipowner  is  a  weak-kneed 
person,  is  no  valid  reason  that  he  should  be  imposed 
upon,  at  every  turn  in  his  pursuit  of  business  ?  That  the 
present  coal-trimming  tariff  is  an  imposition  of  the  largest 
kind,  goes  without  saying,  and  is  merely  a  legacy  from  the 
times  when  steamers  were  widely  different  from  those 
obtaining  to-day.  The  handler  of  bunker  coal  is  worth  his 
money,  under  all  circumstances  :  but  the  suggested  "  new 
tariff  "  for  cargo  coal-trimming,  is  most  unreasonably  high, 
at  the  moment :  and  in  another  year,  it  will  be  more 
unreasonably  high.  To  our  mind,  the  trimmers  would  be 
titter  advised  in  assimilating  the  fact,  that  a  reduction  is 
absolutely  necessary  -a  substantial  reduction,  that  is.  It 
will  be  more  in  their  interests  to  accept  ther  proposals  now 
made  (and  which  can  be  depended  on  to  continue  for  a 
greater  number  of  years  than  they  have  a  right  to  expect); 
than  will  it  be  to  raise  a  fuss  over  the  suggested  alterations 
in  the  charges.  In  the  latter  eventuality,  the  public  will 
see  the  rottenness  of  the  whole  business,  and  a  natural 
alienation  of  all  sympathy  will  follow.  Especially,  when  it 
is  remembered  that  the  resultant  trade  dislocation  has  been 
brought  about,  by  a  mere  handful  of  men  who,  in  com- 
parison with  other  labourers,  are  paid  right  royally  for  the 
little  they  do.  In  the  suggested  "  new  tariff,"  the  coal- 
trimmer  has  no  real  reason  for  complaint,  for  it  is  consider- 
ably higher  than,  in  view  of  the  labour  involved,  it  should 
be.  Taken  altogether,  a  "  graceful  acceptance  "  of  the 
inevitable  will  pay,  considerably  better,  than  will  the  trade 
rupture  which  will,  indubitably,  bring  a  number  of  outsiders 
to  the  district— there  to  remain,  indefinitely. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  9,    1905 


CARDIFF     (AND    OTHER)     COAL. 


CARDIFF,  June  7,  1905. 

NOT  until  one  sits  down  to  sort  up  the  different  bits  of 
coal  business  which  have  been  transacted  during  the  past 
week,  does  one  realise  the  deadly  dulness  which,  at  the 
moment,  must  be  mixed  up  with  the  life  of  the  exponents 
of  "Cardiff  (and  other)  Coal."  That  is  to  say.  the  bits  of 
pretended  coal  business  which  have  been  transacted.  Of 
course,  there  is  always  "  something  "  doing  ;  but  for  many 
weeks  past,  now,  the  "  something  "  hasn't  really  been  worth 
coming  to  the  Docks  for  !  At  least,  that  is  how  we  have 
the  truth  of  the  situation  enforced  on  ourselves.  There  is 
a  sickening  sense  of  sameness  in  the  whole  combination  ; 
nothing  new  ;  interest  is  dead  ;  nobody  cares-  and  thus  it 
wanders  along. 

ALL  the  same,  shipments  have  been  fairly  good  over  the 
same  period  ;  but  alas  the  word  this  has  resulted  from 
what  may  metaphorically  be  termed,  the  water  which  has 
gone  past  the  wheel.  That  is  to  say.  most  of  the  ship- 
ments which  are  about  at  present,  were  fixed  up  many 
moons  ago— to  put  the  matter  poetically.  Even  so,  the 
shipments  since  our  last  writing,  have  been  nicely  above 
the  average  which  has  been  ruling  for  some  weeks,  and 
shipowner,  at  least,  is  pleased  in  consequence.  Perhaps, 
not  quite  to  the  extent  of  writing  for  more  motor-car 
catalogues  :  but  just  up  to  the  extent  of  trying  the  newest 
kind  of  sparking-plug  on  the  old  one.  Please  refrain  from 
unkind  remarks,  just  here.  Don't  suggest  that  we  have 
become  mixed,  and  that  the  sparking  business  will  fit  in 
better  with  the  "  new  one." 

You  see,  we  do  not,  by  any  means,  mean  what  you 
mean !  It  was  a  sparking-plug,  pur  et  simple,  which  was 
before  our  mind's  eye.  back  along.  And  we  are  willing  to 
repeat,  that  the  fair  amount  of  shipping  business  which  has 
resulted  since  our  last  time  of  writing,  is  sufficient  to 
justify  the  purchase  of  the  bit  of  mechanism  referred  to, 
yes.  Tonnage  arrivals  over  the  week-end  were  good,  and 
with  the  docks  fairly  full,  and  the  coal  wagons,  generally 
considered,  being  in  the  same  unhappy — to  the  colliery 
man— condition,  well,  shipping,  as  already  stated,  has  been 
brisk.  But  let  us  whisper  :  The  briskness  is  superinduced 
by  the  approaching  holiday  fever.  It  would  never  do  to 
have  those  steamers  in  dock  over  a  blessed  holiday,  would  it? 

WHY,  in  that  event,  the  poor  shipowner's  Whit  Week 
would  be  utterly  spoiled  !  He  would  sit  out  the  Sunday 
School  "Treat,"  to  which  he  is  a  generous  subscriber,  with 
a  scowl  on  his  front  portions,  that  would  be  sufficiently 
accentuated  to  stop  the  kettles  from  boiling— even  if  it 
didn't  really  turn  the  kiddies  anaemic  from  fright.  Steamers 
in  dock  over  the  holidays  !  Perish  the  thought !  In  any 
such  a  misguided  happening,  the  sailorman  would  be  laid 
open  to  the  snares  of  the  Butey  Roady  sirens ;  would 
develop  all  manner  of  untoward  affairs  :'  would  jeopardise 
his  soul :  his  body  ;  his  advance  note  :  his  monkey-jacket — 
and.  oh,  heaps  of  other  things.  So  rush  'em  out  before 
the  holidays.  Pay  despatch — do  anything,  providing  those 
boats  sail  on  Saturday  night's  tide,  at  the  latest. 

REVERTING  to  the  coal  business,  proper,  we  find  that 
during  the  past  day  or  two,  collieries  have  been  somewhat 
better  employed,  and  stems  are  consequently,  a  little  on  the 
side  of  improvement.  This  is  a  sort  of  "flash. in  the  pan." 
Nothing  more.  Still.it  has  been  sufficient  to  enable  the 
quotations,  in  some  directions,  to  be  put  out  with  a  some- 
what firmer  tone  of  voice.  There  wasn't  quite  so  much  of 
the  "poor  lisping,  stammering  tongue"  in  evidence,  you 
understand.  But  you  may  take  it  from  us,  that  there  is 
nothing  really  happening  that  is  calculated  to  warrant  any 
firmness— hardly  anywhere.  Seller  pretends  that  he  is  in 
a  good  position,  of  course.  Albeit,  it  is  a  sight  to  watch  him 
when  buyer  comes  along  with  something  firm,  tall,  and 
useful ! 


UNDER  the  suggested  conditions,  seller  is  prone  to  hedge 
a  bit  ;  gets  shaky  ;  hazards  a  peeky  sort  of  "  How  d'ye  do, 
Mr.-  -ahem."  Then  buyer  braces  himself  up;  inclines 
his  upper  portions,  a  bit ;  remarks  that  the  weather  is  dull 
for  the  time  of  the  year  ;  suggests  that  it  is  nearly  cold 
enough  for  a  top-coat ;  but  swears  it  was  warm  enough  to 
go  without  fires,  yesterday  :  and  that  it  will  be  exactly  the 
same,  to-morrow  ;  and  for  many  to-morrows.  This  scares 
the  seller,  and  he  straightway  wishes  to  remind  his  dear 
friend  (now's  the  time,  and  now's  the  hour,  when  buyer  is 
seller's  "  dear  friend  "),  that  the  text,  on  Sunday  last,  was 
—but  you  understand  ?  It  is  unnecessary  for  us  to  go  on 
with  the  explanation.  It  works  out  in  the  old  sweet,  happy 
way,  and  buyer  gets  all  the  coal  he  needs,  at  something 
substantially  under  the  quotation. 

THEN,  as  regards  stocks.  These  have,  undoubtedly, 
undergone  the  depleting  operation  during  the  past  week  ; 
but  nothing  like  what  is  necessary  to  bring  about  the 
scarcity  which  engenders  a  demand.  Oh,  dear,  no  !  The 
supplies  are  rolling  in.  very  much  faster  than  the  merry 
buyer  has  any  need  therefor,  although,  here  again,  the 
demand  is  better  than  it  was,  earlier  in  the  week.  But  it 
is  merely  a  holiday  demand,  and  that  doesn't  amount  to 
much,  does  it  ?  You  see,  when  transactions  are  merely 
for  immediate  requirements:  requirements  which  have  to 
be  outside  the  dock  gates,  ere  "The  curfew  tolls  the  knell 
of  parting  day  "  on  Saturday :  you  cannot  attach  much 
importance  thereto,  can  you  ?  And  anyhow,  at  the 
moment,  quotations  are  more  of  a  bluff  than  is  usual— 
which  is  admitting  a  very  great  deal. 

ACTUAL  prices,  therefore,  are  unaltered— with  the  excep- 
tion of  SMALLS,  which  continue  as  the  one  firm  point  of  the 
market.  Even  here,  as  we  have  remarked  on  more  than 
one  occasion,  of  late,  the  said  firmness  has  been  brought 
about  more  because  of  limited  supply,  than  for  the  reason 
that  there  is  any  undue  anxiety  on  the  part  of  buyers,  to 
possess  themselves  of  all  the  visible  supply.  When  coal 
wagons  are  full  of  LARGE,  and  the  output  consequently 
eases  off,  then  SMALLS  are  not  altogether  too  plentiful  ? 
That  is  what  is  keeping  them  "  up."  The  undue  smartness 
of  their  exploiters  has  little  to  do  with  it,  no.  But  partic- 
ularising a  little,  and  coming  to 

BEST  CARDIFF  ADMIRALTYS,  of  the  LARGE  description,  we 
find  that  the  quotation  wobbles  around  12s.  9d.,  varying 
according  to  the  state  of  the  individual  colliery's  little 
arrangements — and  the  date  of  shipment.  Broadly  speak- 
ing, there  is  no  more  firmness  here,  than  existed  formerly, 
and  a  quantity  for  an  early  date  would  certainly  knock  the 
quotation  down  three  half-pennies—aye,  or  even  to  the 
merry  3d.  BESTS  are  anything  but  in  a  condition  for 
bragging  about,  although  a  number  of  the  units,  as  usual, 
are  more  fortunately  situated  than  their  competitors.  You 
know  there  are  degrees  of  smartness  in  the  ranks  of  coal 
sellers,  e'en  as  elsewhere,  on  this  mundane  sphere.  More- 
over, you  can  wager  that  the  smart  one  "gets  there," 
ahead  of  his  competitor.  Some  folk  (those  who  are  on  the 
losing  side,  for  instance)  style  it  "luck."  But  bless  you, 
there  is  no  luck  about  it.  Tis  all  a  question  of  savvy  and 
application. 

SECONDS  remain,  quotably.  at  from  12s.  to  12s.  3d. — ulti- 
mately going  off  at  11s.  9d.,  if  you  are  "  hard."  However, 
collieries  here,  have  been  better  employed,  but  there  is  an 
utter  absence  of  steadiness  in  values,  as  the  supplies  are 
exceeding  the  request  by  far  too  big  a  margin,  to  enable 
sellers  to  crystallise  prices  anywhere  near  a  common  level. 
The  market  is  all  in  favour  of  the  buyer— especially  in  the 
matter  of  prompt  delivery;  and  he,  wise  man,  assesses  the 
value  at,  as  already  stated,  1  Is.  9d. 

ORDINARIES  have  not  recovered  from  their  late  weakness. 
It  is  suggested  that  they  never  will— although  we  do  not 


June  9, 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


believe  it.  It  is  certain  that  they  have  been  favoured  with 
no  increased  demand,  and  their  prices  are  on  a  par  with 
those  ruling  at  our  last  time  of  writing— 1  Is.  6d.  to  11s.  9d. 
Here  and  there,  slightly  higher  figures  are  asked— 
where  seller  is  more  fortunately  circumstanced  in  the 
matter  of  stems:  but  generally  considered.  ORDINARIES 
are  inactive. 

DRYS  show  no  improvement,  and  what  we  have  told  you, 
for  weeks  past,  concerning  them,  is  equally  apposite  to-day. 
We  leave  them.  As  does  the  buyer! 

MONMOUTHSHIRE  COALS  have  experienced  a  slight  tendency 
upward.  For  shipment,  this  week,  prices  have  been  steadier 
-more  especially  in  the  case  of  the  BLACK  VEIN  varieties. 
for  stems,  here,  have  received  a  somewhat  better  attention. 
Collieries,  too.  have  been  more  active,  but  in  our  opinion 
this  is  due  to  the  approaching  holidays,  settlement!  As  to 
values,  these  are  scheduled  at  1  Is.  3d.  and  may  be  assessed 
as  about  the  true  value. 

APPROXIMATE     FIGUKKS     KOR     THK     WEEK,     ARE     AS 

(All  quotations  J.o.b.  at 


ORDINARY  BESTS  are  steadily  quoted  at  11s.:  but  outside  of 
the  present  engagements  of  sellers,  there  is  very  little  doing. 
SECONDS  are  unchanged,  and  collieries  are  commanding 
recent  figures — 10s.  3d. 

RHONDDA  No.  3's  are  a  very  steady  section.  Supplies 
are  somewhat  scarce,  collieries  are  favoured  with  good 
stems,  and  sellers  are  maintaining  values  without  any 
apparent  effort.  These  may  be  taken  as  :  LARGE,  13s.  9d.  ; 
THROS.  11s.  6d.  to  11s.  9d.  :  with  SMALLS  firm  at  from 
9s.  9d.  to  10s. 

RHONDDA  No.  2's  are.  quotably,  at  9s.  9d.,  but  seeing 
that  weakness  is  the  feature  of  the  grade,  you  can  place 
actual  values  at  9s.  6d. — or  a  bit  under  that. 

WE  have  already  discoursed  concerning  SMALLS,  which 
are  firm.  Their  vagaries  over  the  past  week— are  not  they 
in  the  list  ? 

PATENT  FUELS  are  not  meeting  with  an  active  demand, 
but  even  so,  the  figures  quoted  below  are  being  maintained. 

PITWOOD  is  a  trifle  easier,  at  about  19s. 

FOLLOW  ;  — 

the  respective  ports  of  shipment./ 


QUALITY.             |  • 

THURSDAY 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Best  Cardiff  Ad'alty  l.ar^e 
Second         Ditto. 
Other  Second  CaiJii: 

Best  Newport 
Ordlnar>  (tests 
Seconds 
Best  House  Coal 
No.  3  Rbondda 
No.  2          Ditto. 
Rbondda  3  "  TUro." 
2        

,  I3».  od. 

!..  I2S.  3(1. 
iis.  od..  Iis.  g  ' 
i  i  -   9"l. 
i  is.  oil.,  i  is.  6<!. 
ios.  g-1  ,  1  1  - 
ios.  6d. 
•:  .  i;s.  61. 
139.  6  1..  14s  o-l. 
i;s.  ox). 
O<I. 
',- 

us.  9,1. 

I  is.  gd. 
1  is.  gd. 
i  is.  3d. 

1  IS.  O  I. 

ios.  6d. 

'5-3l- 
.  .;-.  9'1. 
9s.  9  1. 

1  1-.  yd. 

gs.  cxi. 

I2S.  0  i. 

us.  7>d. 

1  IS.  Oil. 

1  1  s   3d. 
i  is.  od. 
ios.  vl-  • 
i  -s   3d. 
i  v>-  9<l. 
9s.  7\i\. 
i  is.  gd. 
9*.  3d. 

i2s.  gd. 
us.  lo.Ul. 
us.  6d. 

1  IS.   III. 

1  is.  4!.d. 
ios.  gd. 
ios.  3d. 
153.  od.,  155.  3d. 
143.  o  1. 
gs.  7',d. 
us.  6d. 
9s-  3  '• 

12s.  g  1.,  133.  od. 

IIS.  gd.,    I2S.  Oil. 

i  is.  g  1. 
us  3d.,  us.  9.!. 
us.  4Jd. 
u«s.  gd.,  us.  o.l. 
ios.  4^.1. 
153.  oil. 
143.  o  1. 
gs.  6d.,  gs.  gd. 
1  1  s.  6d. 
r.s.  o  1.,  gs.  "d. 

I2s.  gd. 

12S.  Od. 

i  is.  6d.,  i  is.  gd. 

I  IS.  6d.,    123.  Oil. 

us.  3d.,  us.  6d. 
i  is.  od. 
ios.  3d.,  ios.  6d. 
153.  od. 
135.  gd. 
9s.  7-'d. 
i  is.  3d.,  us.  gd. 
gs.  Ud. 

Smalls: 
Best  Cardi.i 
Seconds 
Ordinary 
Best  ftewjwl 
Second* 
KhuniiJa  So.  2 
No.  3 

8s.  G-l  ,  8s.  6<l. 
9,1 

6d. 

-   3'1 
ol. 
60. 

jd, 

7s-  9'l- 

7s.  3d*'  7°s.'6J. 
71   od. 
7-   • 
ad 

Ss.  3'l. 
.Ss.  od. 
7s.  gd. 
7s.  6d. 
•  1.,  7s.  3d. 

8s.  6d. 

Ss.  od. 
7s.  g-l. 
73.  bd. 

78-  31'- 
7s.  6.1.,  bs.  od. 
gs.  6  1.,  gs.  g-l. 

8s.  6d.,  8s.  yd. 

,Ss    3I. 
Ss.  o  i 
7s.  7.',d. 
7s.  4jl. 
Vs.  gd. 
gs.  6d..  ios.  od. 

8s.  6d.,  gs.  o  1. 
8s.  od.,  8s.  6d. 
73.  gd.,   8s.  o  1. 
73.  gd. 
75.  3d.,  73.  6d. 
73.  gd. 
gs.  grl. 

fuundr)  Coke  : 
Special 

Ordinary 

.os.  cxi. 
178.  o>l..  18*.  oxl. 

;o<  g  1. 
17*.  t,.!. 

2  IS.  O.I. 

17s.  r,  i. 

Ill   od. 

I7s.  od- 

20S.  6ll.,  2  IS.  0  1. 

r;s.  ,)1. 

20S.  Od.,  2  IS.  od. 

173.  6  1.,  i8s.  od. 

furnace  Coke 
1'ilent  Fnel 

)M»ind     t\  sill"' 

cxi. 
1..  13s.  oil. 
198.  od..  igs.  6<l. 

i6«.  3d. 
|..-    |il, 

i6s.  31!. 

I2S.  6(1. 

i6s.  o  1..  i6s.  6  :. 
us.  6-1..  133.  o  1. 

IUS.   O-'l. 

i6s.  3d.,K6s.  6d. 

IOS.   0  1. 

i6s.  3d. 
I2S.  6d.,  12s.  gd. 

igs.  o-l.  .  igs.  6  1. 

All.  less  2  >5  per  cent,  discount,  with  payment  at  thirty 
All  quotations  for  large  Coals  imply  Colliery  Screened. 

SWANSEA.  June  7.  1905. 

THERE  has  been  but  little  change  in  the  condition  of  the  Market  in 
ANTHRACITE  since  our  last  although  it  might  be  stated  that  prices. 
generally,  are  somewhat  steadier.  This  was  chiefly  brought  about,  by 
the  fact  that  Collieries  have  participated  in  improved  stems  :  but  out- 
put* are  still  exceeding  the  requirements,  and  in  the  absence  of  any 
new  business,  quotations,  whilst  being  steadier,  are  unchanged.  The 
approaching  holidays  have  not  been  without  tneir  little  effects. 

ANTHRACITE  LARGE,  quotably.  shows  but  little  variation.  Shipments 
have  been  brisker,  but  supplies  are  fully  equal  to  the  call  that  is  made 
upon  them,  and  consequently  values  cannot  be  expected  to  be  any 
firmer,  under  those  conditions.  Sellers  have  been  favoured  with 
better  enquiry,  and  a  larger  number  of  transactions  have  taken  place. 
The  quotation  therefore,  is  being  steadily  adhered  to.  Inferior  sorts. 
however,  still  keep  in  a  weak  state,  and  for  prompt  shipment  prices 
are  very  easy.  Current  figures  are  at  about  9s.  9d.  for  RED  VEIN  ;  with 
10s.  9d  ruling  for  BIG  " 


days,  except  where  otherwise  stated. 

COBBLES.  NUTS  &  PEAS  are  in  a  state  of  quietude,  and  the  prices 
given  below  are  subject  to  a  discount,  provided  the  buyer  is  in  the 
position  to  "  lift  "  a  quantity  at  an  early  dats.  NUT  COALS,  however, 
are  experiencing  a  better  demand,  but  insufficient  has  been  done  in 
them,  to  warrant  any  upward  movement. 

CULM  continues  to  be  tne  only  firm  point  of  this  market.  For  early 
shipment,  tnere  is  a  scarcity  of  supplies,  and  with  a/good  demand  also 
in  evidence,  prices  are  as  firm  as  fiey  were  at  our  last,  while  the 
quotation  in  a  couple  of  instances',  is  even  higher — 5s.  3d.  to  5s.  9d. 
being  the  current  idea  of  Sellers,  for  the  different  qualities. 

DUFF  is  being  maintained  at  3s.  to  3s.  3d. 

STEAM  COALS  are  an  easy  section,  especially  for  prompt  shipment. 
BESTS  being  fairly  well  off  in  the  matter  of  stems,  are  holding  out  for 
1  3s.  :  but  there  is  very  little  doing,  and  this  figure  can  be  reduced  by 
3d.  for  business  in  the  right  position.  Inferior  Sorts  are  inactive,  and 
for  their  figures  we  refer  you  to  those  below.  Bunkering  business,  at 
tjje  present  moment,  is  rather  slow. 

FUELS  show  no  change.     Values  are  fairly  steady  at  about  1  Is.  9d. 


BELOW, i*e  give  the  average  prices  for  the  week  : — 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY.          i       WEDNESDAY. 

Anthracite: 

Rest    Hand    Picked 

Haitian  Large 
Seconds    do. 

i8».oiL,  iSs.  61. 
17*.  oil.,  I?!*.  6d. 

i8s.  od. 
I7s.  od. 

i8s.  od. 

I7s.  od. 

l8s.  od.,  iSs.  6d.                  i8s.  3d. 
165.  gd.                        i6s.  gd. 

173.  gd.,  i8s.  3d. 
175.  o,l. 

Bi*  Vein  Large 
Red     .. 

lv».  <)•:..  us.  od. 
99.  <yl  ,  ios.  oxl. 

ios.  gd 

<J-.  9  I- 

i  is.  od.                         us.  od.                         ios.  gd. 
gs.  lo.Jd.                      gs.  gd.                          gs.  7jd. 

i"s.  gd. 
gs.  6d.,  gs.  g.l. 

Machine  .Hade  Cohhlt 
Nut< 

l6s.  ud  .  l6s.  6d. 

id 

Ibs.  3(1. 
i6s.  61. 

i6s.  3d. 
l6s.  od.,  i6s.  6.1. 

i6s.  o  1.                         i6s.  i',d. 
IKS.  v'-                          '6s-  3-1- 

163.  od.,  i6s.  3d. 
1  6s.  od. 

Peas 
Ruhbly  Clint 
Ml 

9».  9<l.,  us.  jcl. 
6d. 

is    vL 

ios.  g:l. 
5».  3d.,  ss.  6.1. 
is.  od. 

1  IS.  Oil. 

58.  6d. 
3s.  o-l. 

us.  o.l. 
53.  jd.,  53.  gd. 

33.  od.,  3-.  3). 

ios.  gd  ,  us.  3d. 
53.  6d.,  53.  gd. 
3s.  3d. 

us.  od.,  i  is.  }d. 
5s.  6d. 
35.  od.,  3S.  6-1. 

Patent  Fuel: 

II-    <>d 

us.  od. 

us.  7!d. 

us.  7jd. 

us.  gd. 

us.  6:1.,  i  is.  gd. 

Steam: 
Best     Large 
Seconds  ., 

I3S.  Oil.    1  ! 

i  j-    od. 

i  pa,  o'. 
iis.  oxl. 

I2S.  91!. 
IIS.  <|il. 

I2S.  9  1. 

us.  gd.,  I2s.  od. 

1.}S.  0  1. 
128.  0:1. 

IjS.  Ocl. 
12S.  od. 

Banker    .. 
Thro    and  Thro 

lets.  61. 
8s.  6d. 

ios.  6d. 
8s.  9d. 

ios.  gd. 
8s.  74d. 

ios.  6d.                        ios.  3d. 
8s.  7.\d.                 8s.  6d.,  8s.  gd. 

ios.  3d.,  ios.  6d 
8s.  gd. 

THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


JUIK:   9,    1905 


COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES. 


CARDIFF,  June  7,  7905. 

SINCE  our  last,  the  world  of  shipping—  at  least,  the  por- 
tion thereof  which  is  associated  with  the  carrying  of 
Cardiff  coal,  and  that  is  a  fairly-large  section—  has  had  no 
excitement  worked  up  within  it.  The  discussion  of  the 
battle  in  the  Sea  of  Japan—  as  the  Japanese  "Nelson" 
wishes  it  to  be  styled—  has  given  place  to  speculating  on 
the  chances  of  "  ours  "  getting  away  before  the  holidays  ; 
and  by  the  time  this  is  in  your  hands,  those  holidays  will 
be  very  near. 

DURING  the  latter  portion  of  the  past  week,  chartering 
was  moderately  active  (holidays  again),  and  while  for  the 
PLATE,  rates  were  fairly  steady.  MEDITERRANEAN  demands 
were  somewhat  wobbly.  Then,  for  the  BAY  and  COASTING 
trades,  business  remains  even  as  it  has  been  for  some  time 
past—  quiet.  At  the  time  of  writing,  there  is  no  movement 
in  any  direction.  Everybody  appears  to  be  convinced  that 
it  is  useless  trying  to  put  life  in  the  dry  bones  of  the  under- 
taking—at least,  until  after  Whitsuntide. 

BUT  for  "after  the  holidays."  there  is  nothing  special 
offering,  and  if  rates  remain  steady,  at  former  levels,  it  is 
merely  because  there  is  no  inducement  for  them  to  do 
otherwise.  That  is.  nobody  seems  inclined  to  get  past  him- 
self, in  a  frantic  endeavour  to  fix  a  boat  for  any  specified 
port,  and  under  the  circumstances,  you  will  not  be  inclined 
to  imagine  that  shipping  is  "  booming."  To  acquaint  your- 
self with  the  minutiae  of  the  week's  transactions,  we  must 
refer  you  to  the  list,  subjoined;  and  therefrom,  you  will 
learn  as  much  of  the  gentle  business,  as  you  can  possibly 
care  to  know. 

Week  Ending,  (  Wednesday),  June  7,  1905 


(N)  denotes  Newport,   (8)  Swansea,  (P.  T.)   Port   Talbot,   loading. 

EASTERN. 

Colombo,     London  Bridge,     IDS. 
Aden,     Alia-,  .-<s.    July. 

Steamer,  4,800  tons,   8s.   option   Djibouti. 
Hong  Kong,     Korana,    14$.  6d.    option  Saigon. 
Singapore,     Candleshoe,   gs.  6d. 

WESTWARD,     Etc. 

River  Plate,     Steamer,   4,50010118,    73.  6d.    ppt. 

Dunraven,  4,500  tons,  8s. 

Mill,  3,500  tons,  8s. 

Geiio,   3,400  tons,   8s.   June  25  July  ic,    canclg. 

Ella  Saver,  3,300  tons,    8s. 
Diego  Suarez,    Mountby,    13^. 
Cape  Verdes,     Gi-rnianiii,  3,000  tons,  6?.  ;Jd. 
Madeira,  Bcnsliow,    2,500  tons,   6s.  gd. 

Jersey,   2,  COD  tons,   6s.  gd. 
Bahia,      Ttilavera,     3,  coo    tons.    IDS. 
Rio  de  Janeiro,     Slc:;mer,    5,000  tens,   gs. 
Buenos  Ayres,     Steamer,   4,200  tons,   8s. 

Miguel  de  Latriiiga,    75.   io£d.    ppt. 
La  Plata,  Steamer,   2,500  tons,  75.  ^d.,  250  8d. 

MEDITERRANEAN,     Etc. 

Port   Said,    Derwcn,  5,500  tons,     55.  gd. 

1  re  --  ,    5,000  tons,   55. 

Llandrindetd,    5,300  tons,    58.  gd. 

Polymilis,    5,000  tons,    ss.-gd. 
Genoa,     Asintina,    3,300   tons,    (,s.  6d. 

(  linsloforo  Vagliano,  3,700  tons,  6s.  Cd.    opt'n  Savona 

Emma,  3,300  tons,  6s.  4^d.  (N). 

Cliflnn,  3,800  tons,  6?.  3<i. 

Steamer,    4,700  tons,    os.  3d.   ppt. 

Steamer,   5,300  tons,    6s.  3d. 
Venice,     'I  rewyn,   4,200   tons,   6s.  gd. 

Tregattt/e,  4,000  tons,   6s.  gd. 

Steamer,  6s.  gd. 

Nvntphaea,  2,450  tons,  8s.  coal,  8s.  gd.  fuel,  400  lod.  (s). 
Palma,      Treherbert,   i.goo  tons,   6s.  gd. 
Alexandria,     Petrrslon,  3,600  tons,  6s.  io^d. 
Marseilles,     Alcana,   5,500  tons,   7-50  francs. 

Steamer,  3,900  tons,  7-50  francs. 

Hantslcad,   5,000  tons,    7-25  fcs. 
Algiers,     Dyle,    2,000  tons,    7-50  fcs. 

Gwenllian  T/winas,    1,300  tons,   8  fcs.   coal,    g  fcs.    fuel, 
400,   (P.T.) 


Cadoxton,  2,200  tons,    7-50  fcs.  coal,  8-50  fcs.  fuel. 

Portlicawl,  2, 100  tons,   7-75  fcs.   spot. 
Carthagena,     Sapphire,   1,050  tons,   8s.    (N). 
Palermo,    Thirlinert,  1,300  tons,    75.  gd. 
Oran,     Gwendoline,   1,800   tons,    7-50   fcs.    ppt. 

Carlisle,    i,iootons,    7 -5°  fcs.    (s). 
Danube,      Treinalon,  or  sub.    3,100  tons,    6s.  6d. 
Lisbon,     Radnor,   i, 600  tons,    43.  io^d. 

Manilla,  2,250  tons,    45.  gd. 
Malta,     Virent,  5,100  tons,    55.  3d. 

Anna,  2,500  tons,    58.  3d. 
Huelva,     SaUwick,  2,000  tons,  55. 
Ferrol,     Composlela,    640   tons,    55.  6d. 
Almeria,     Forest,  2,000  tons,    75.    fuel,    (s). 
Gibraltar,     Cierbana,    1,650  tons,    55.  3d. 
Bona,     Waterloo,   1,600   tons,     8-75    fcs.   coal,    9-75    fcs. 

fuel,    (s). 

Toulon,     Steamer,  2,000  tens,  73.  6d.  coal,  8s.  3d.   fuel,  (s). 
Barcelona,     Dulcie,   2,800  tons,    73. 
Trieste,     Fraiiconia,  6,000  tons,    6s. 
Beyrout,  Penwif/i,  2,200  tons,  73.  io£d.  coal,  8s.  7.jd.  fuel. 
Cardiff  Newport  to  Tunis,    Gardepce,  2,050  tons.  9-50  fcs. 
coal,    10^50   fcs.    fuel. 

BALTIC,  Etc. 

Pillau,    Juno,  800  tons,  53.  3d. 
Stettin,    Julia,    1,550  tons,    43.  gd.  (s). 

BAY,     Etc. 

La  Rochelle,     Ingoldsby,  1,650  tons,  4-12^  fcs. 

Hazelmere,    1,450  tons,    4-50  fcs.     (s). 
Chantenay,     Leila,  or  sub.   1,700  tons,    4-80  francs,   (s). 

La  Rochelle,    1,800  tons,    4-75  francs. 
St.  Nazaire,    Josphina,    1,500  tons,    4 -3 7 1  fcs.    (s). 
Bordeaux,     Rocio,   i, 800  tons,    5  francs. 

Behcra,   2,  oo  tons,    5  fcs.    (s). 

COASTING,     Etc. 

Havre,     Curran,  43.   (s). 

Argus,    1,450  tons,    43.  (s). 

Rouen,     Sheldon  or  Granslia,    1,500/1,800  tons,  43.  gd.    two 
voyages,  (s). 

Elizabeth,  700  tons,  45.  gd.   (s). 

Pansy,    550  tons,   43.  gd.   (s). 

Tor/rev,   510  tons.    43.  gd.    (s). 
Caen,     Curran,   1,400  tons,    45.  3d.     (s). 

Steamer,    700  tons,    43.  3d. 

Cloitlec,    1,350  tons,    43.  3d.    (s). 

Corrwg,  1,050  tons,  46.  3d.  (s). 
Cherbourg,     Si't/ga,    500  tons,  43.  6d.    (s). 
Dieppe,      Yorkshire,  1,900  tons,    33.  gd. 

I 'Hit  d' En,   i/oo  tons,    43.    spot,   (part  cargo),    (s). 
Cherbourg,     Steamer,    1,500  tons,  43.  6d. 

Steamer,    1,450  tons,    48.  6d. 
Honfluer,     Horn,    750  tons,    43.  gd.    (s). 

Newton,   700  tons,    4s.  i-id. 
Fecamp,    James Sftir,    600  tons,    45.  6d.   (s). 
London,     Solent,  950  tens,    33.  gd. 

Hampshire,   850  tons,    33.  gd. 
Plymouth,     Stockton,  400  tons,  '3*s.  gd.     (s). 
Devonport,     Ihrosllegarlh,  2,100  tons,    zs.  3d.  (Admiralty) 
Portland,     Stokcskv,   1*200  tons,    23.  3d.  „ 

Portsmouth,  Maywood,    2,500  tons,   23.  4^d.   two  voyages, 

(Admiralty). 
Sheerness,     Diiinnail,   1,200  tons,    33.  i|d.  (Admiralty). 

Alacrhy,  1,200  tons,  33.  i|d. 

Elcnure.  1,200  tens,  33.  igd. 
Dublin,     Dcaiisgate,  240  tons,  33.  7.jd.    (s). 
Belfast,     Vigilant,  420  tons,    35.  i|d.   (s;. 

Ailsa,  320  tons,    35.  3d. 
Red  Bay,    Penrhyn,  320  tons,    33.  6d.   (s). 
Dover,     Dolphin,    500  tons,    43.  6d. 
St.  Malo,     Glynn,    1,400  tons,  33.  gd. 
St.  Brieuc,    Senga,  520  tons,    43.  io4d.  (s). 

HOMEWARD. 

Bordeaux  to   Swansea,     Ben  Macdhui,  TOO  tons,   55.  3d. 

Pitwood. 
Bilbao  to  Newport,    Steamer,  3,300  tons  45.  i|d. 


June  9,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


66 


Maritime 

(ASD  OTHER) 

Ittoncp 
matters. 


I 


N   the   first   issue    of 

THE  MARITIME 

REVIEW,  we  had 
occasion  to  remark 
anent  the  then-about- 
to-be-floated  Whateley 
Hall  Steamship  Com- 
pany, Ltd.  Said  that 
we  had  every  faith  in 
the  prospects  of  the 
concern,  and  for  the 
reasons  there  set  out. 
That  we  amounted  to  something  as  prophets,  is 
evidenced  by  the  following  statement,  which  (after 
some  ten  months  of  earnest  endeavour)  has  been  issued 
to  the  fortunate  shareholders: 

"WHATELEY  HALL"  STEAMSHIP  COMPANY,  LTD. 

VOYAGE  No.  3. 

"  I  have  pleasure  in  sending  you  the  magnificent  result  of 
Voyage  No.  3,  showing  a  profit  of  £1,914  9s.  6d. 

Enclosed  cheque,  at  the  rate  of  £3  for  every  £50  share  you  hold 
in  the  Company,  which  is  over  10  per  cent,  per  annum.  I  venture 
to  hope  you  will  consider  satisfactory. 

I  desire  to  point  out  that  after  paying  £3  for  every  £50  share,  we 
make  provision  for  the  payment  of  debentures  interest  £266  Is.  3d., 
and  carry  forward  for  redemption  of  debentures  and  depreciation 
fund.  £448  8s.  3d. 

1  know  of  no  other  Steamer  owned  in  this  or  any  other  country, 
that  has  shown  better  results  for  the  same  period  as  this  Steamer 
has  been  running.  She  has  already  paid  her  shareholders  £5  per 
•hare  for  every  £50  share  they  hold  (and  still  has  the  best  part  of 
another  voyage  to  run  before  completing  12  months),  paid  interest 
on  debenture*,  and  carried  to  redemption  fund  the  satisfactory 
balance  of  £l  .875  8s.  3d.,  which  equals  another  1 1J  per  cent. 
Kindly  sign  and  return  the  accompanying  receipt  form. 

I  am. 

Yours  faithfully, 

EDWD.  NICHOLL, 

Director  *nd  Manager. 

This  steamer  is  now  loading  in  Rotterdam.  Sails  on  June  llth, 
for  Marseilles  and  the  Black  Sea.  the  homeward  prospects  being 
much  better  than  her  last  voyage  from  the  Black  Sea. 


JULY  9th,  1904,  to  MAY  12th,    1905. 


Appropriation    Account. 


•V     I    A   .2.    (  it- '"    IV  itlt 


£ 

2-.oi     8    6 
1914     9     6 


I'rutit  in  tm  months 


£4,515   '8 


I'm  I 
lnt<T'-»t     o 

'     'KVI 

lur.-s   .  t. 


'I- 


iooo     00  =   over  10  per  rrnt. 
640     9     9 
1875     8    3 


£4.5'$  18 


£4.515  '8    o 


4-    4-    4 

HOPE  springs  eternal  in  the  human  breast,  and  in 
other  places— fortunately  for  the  human  race.  Were  it 
otherwise,  not  even  a  showing  like  that  set  out  above, 
would  tempt  the  wary  searcher  after  feathers  from  the 
tail-  and  parts  not  specified  of  the  merry  oof  bird,  in 
the  happy  manner  in  which  he  is  tempted,  these  days. 
Still  keeping  to  the  ornithological  idea,  we  might  as  well 
remark  that  one  swallow  doesn't  make  a  summer  even 
as  you  have  heard  the  remark,  ere  this.  But  then,  one 
successful  steamer  company  doesn't  make  a  mercantile 
marine,  and  thus  it  happens  that  while  the  "  hope  on, 
hope  ever "  idea  is  about,  more  steamer  registrations 
are  in  the  same  boat,  if  we  may  be  allowed  to  thus  mix 
our  metaphors. 

444 

Now,  we  have  remarked,  on  various  occasions,  that 
there  is  considerably  more  in  a  name,  than  strikes  the 
ordinary  observer  at  the  first  hit.  so  to  speak.  More- 
over, there  are  names — well,  and  names.  Some  names 
are  distinctly  original,  and  succeed  in  life,  because  of 
their  originality  ;  others  again,  being  merely  plagiarisms 
of  better  men's  names,  receive  the  treatment  that  is 


their  due,  and— die  unnatural  deaths!  But  the  fitness 
of  the  thing  is  struck,  in  our  opinion,  by  the  word 
Fairwater,"  when  used  in  conjunction  with  a  steamer. 
What  better  style  of  nomenclature  could  be  desired  for 
a  hustler  with  the  briny  (and  low  freights),  than  the  word 
indicated  ?  Why,  old  Boreas  would  be  bound  to  smile 
"hen  he  saw  her  footling  along  her  weary  way ;  and  the 
freightist,  too,  would  be  sure  to  raise  the  rate  another 
notch,  for  the  privilege  of  having  his  old  fakements 
carried  along  by  such  a  sweetly-named  piece  of  naval 
architecture  ? 

4-4-4- 

ANYHOW,  the  Fairwater  Steamship  Company,  Ltd., 
3  a  new  registration,  and  if  her  capital  and  general 
reasons  of  existence  are  quite  as  modest  and  summery 
as  her  name,  she  is  to  be  congratulated  therefor.  In 
these  days  of  blatant  shrieking,  it  is  positively  refreshing 
to  find  a  steamer  company,  floating  itself  off  on  the 
troubled  sea  of  freight-fetching,  for  a  pretty  little  £5,000 
worth  of  capital,  in  £100  shares,  and  wherein  there  is  to 
be  no  initial  public  issue.  It  shows  that  the  promoters 
have  a  whole-souled  belief  in  themselves;  that  come 
fairwater  or  foul,  they  still  have  pluck  enough  to  put 
their  own  money  in  the  little  venture,  on  which  some  of 
them  are  prepared  to  stand  or  fall?  Our  very  best 
wishes  to  this  newest  floatation,  and  when  the  first 
balance-sheet  is  due,  we  shall  be  glad  to  "  give  it  a 
showing,"  for  we  are  convinced  that  it  is  going  to  be  a 
good  Fairwater  affair. 

444 

DEAR,  dear!  We  have  to  be  on  the  congratulating 
lay  all  through,  to-day!  Here  is  the  "popular  family 
journal  "  once  more  redivivus!  Moreover,  and  according 
to  its  own  claims,  it  contains  "good  healthy-toned 
literature  "^which  is  a  good  thing  for  the  "  popular 
family  journal?"  We  shouldn't  have  cared  to  suggest 
that  it  was  unhealthy-toned  literature  which  put  it  away 
to  sleep,  some  year  or  so  ago.  Indeed,  we  should  have 
been  more  inclined  to  drop  out  of  the  question  of 
literature  altogether;  should  have  supposed  it  was  a 
negligible  quantity,  yes.  HowevJr,  there  it  is,  and 
whether  it  was  the  superfluity  of  doubtful  literature,  or 
merely  a  paucity  of  paying  business  which  put  *-he  "  pop. 
fam.  jour."  off  on  the  hybernating  line,  we  are  glad  to 
note  that  it  has  come  back — like  the  cat! 

444 

IN  this  connection,  we  heard  a  wicked  journalist 
remark,  that  when  considering  the  late  "  great  social 
weekly,"  he  couldn't  divest  himself  of  the  tale 
concerning  Box  and  Cox.  You  remember,  the  two 
lodgers  who  took  it  in  turns  in  dodging  up  at  inauspicious 
moments.  Box  would  toss  Cox's  bacon  off  the  gridiron, 
replacing  it  with  his  own  ;  then  again  Cox  would  flop  up, 
and  off  would  go  Box's  bacon  !  'Twas  a  funny  farce  ? 
The  comparison,  doubtless,  was  suggested  by  the  fact 
_ihat  the  one-time  "  great  social  weekly,"  made  room  for 
the  "great  organ  of  the  South  Wales  Coal  and  Shipping 
Trade  "  ;  and  now  we  are  wondering  if  the  "  great  organ, 
etc."  is  going  to  make  room  for  a  resurrection  of  the 
"popular  family  journal  "as  it  is  impertinently  named 
in  the  circular  which  announces  its  cessation  from  the 
hybernating  stage? 

444 

ANYHOW,  we  wish  the  Western  Counties  Grap — no,  the 
South  Wales  Graphic  isn't  it? — every  success  in  life,  be 
that  short,  long,  or  merely  middling  ;  and  whether  the 
"other  one"  dies,  hybernates,  or  continues  on  life's 
fitful  way.  The  times  must  be  really  good,  when  it  is 
possible  for  a  person  to  resort  to  the  literary  bone-yard, 
so  to  speak,  and  thence  pull  a  reputedly  dead  carcass  for 
the  flogging-up  of  a  new  leass  of  more  or  less  life  and 
activity.  But  instead  of  a  rejuvenated  "  stiff,"  why  not 
have  given  us  something  more  after  the  fashion  which 
Cardiff  has  a  right  to  expect  ? 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  9,  1905 


Around  the  t)ry  t)ocks. 


IN  OUP  issue  of  May  19,  we  had  occasion  to  comment,  good- 
naturedly,  on  the  remarks  of  one  "Justitia,"  who  had  been 
lucubrating  in  the  hospitable  columns  of  an  up-town  contempo- 
rary, concerning  dry  dock  competition,  boycotts  in  connection 
therewith,  and  other  items  of  interest,  and  which  were  more  or  less 
german  to  the  subject.  After  a  sufficiently  impressive  silence, 
the  gentleman  returns  to  the  mutton,  so  to  speak,  and  in  nearly  a 
column  of  newspaper  matter  says— well,  nothing  !  Since  writing 
our  comments  of  May  19,  we  feel  that  we  should  reconsider  the 
position  as  usurped  by  "Justitia,"  and  we  hasten  so  to  do. 
Instead  of  re-Christening  the  gentlemanly-ship-repairing-scribe  ; 
dropping  out  the  suggestion  that  "  Isinglass  "  would  fit  him  better 
than  would  "Justitia  :"  we  are  willing  to  leave  it  to  our  readers  to 
think  up  a  name,  more  befitting  this  genius  who  should  pose  prettily, 
as  corner-man  at  a  minstrel  troupe.  At  least,  that  is  our  opinion. 

+    +    + 

Opcourse,  we  cannot  afford  the  space  that  would  be  needed  to  carry 
all  the  diatribes  of  "  Justitia."  For  that  matter,  it  is  unnecessary, 
and  we  shall  serve  you  better  if  we  boil  his  version  of  Much  Ado 


"all  others"  as,  no  matter  where  you  look,  the  non-dry-dock- 
owning  concerns  have  beaten  the  dry  docks.  He  writes  :  Lumping 
Cardiff,  Penarth,  Barry,  and  Newport  together  (and  he  is  some- 
what of  a  "lumper?")  we  get  this  result  :  "Non-dock-owning 
firm,  20J  per  cent.  ;  private  dry  dock  firm,  15  per  cent.  ;  same 
again,  11J  per  cent.  ;  and  ditto,  10}  per  cent."  out  of  all  the  work 
brought  to  the  Bristol  Channel. 

+    +    + 

WITH  this  before  his  mind's  eye,  "  J."  is  of  opinion  that  "the 
small  non-doek-owning  firms  "  make  a  creditable  record  out  of  the 
"flotsam  and  jetsam"  for  which  they  were  established.  Then, 
what  is  the  man  growling  about  ?  If  the  tinker  takes  5}  per  cent, 
better  than  the  next  best  dry  dock  concern,  is  there  any  reason 
that  he  should  get  excited  over  the  fact?  Unless  he  realises  that 
the  excess  was  the  direct  result  of  exploiting  the  dry  docks,  up  to 
the  point  of  arousing  them  as  they  have  been  aroused?  This  is 
where  the  rub  comes  in.  Dry  docks  are  on  the  rampage  ;  see  how 
they  have  been  fooled;  don't  care  a  toss  for  the  sanguinary  fight 
which  "J."  alludesto;  mean  to  let  the  world  know  that  such 


About  Nothing,  dbwn  into  a  business-man's  grip  of  the  situation  ? 
Very  well,  then.  The  gentleman  is  out  on  the  prophetic  iay,  arid 
assures  you  that  the  "  ring"  is  bound  to  have  "  far-reaching  con- 
sequences." "  It  will  be  the  biggest  thing  in  the  shape  of  a  fight 
that  the  Bristol  Channel  has  encountered."  Ahem  !  The 
metaphor  is  somewhat  mixed,  we  admit  ;  but  then,  we  have  already 
remarked  that  "  Justitia  "  cannot  write.  However,  it  is  going  to 
result  in  "a  fight  in  which  the  Dock  and  Railway  Companies, 
underwriters,  shipowners,  and  Trade  Unions,  as  well  as  non-dock- 
owning  firms,  will  all  take  a  hand." 

+    +    + 

JEEROOSH  !  "Justitia"  takes  himself  seriously,  don't  you 
think  ?  He  is  also  inclined  to  be  melodramatic,  and — well,  and 
bluggy?  Exactly  why  this  supposed  "fight"  is  coming  off,  the 
scribe  omits  to  state.  But  after  wading  through  the  column  of 
hysterically  high  falutin'-ness — forgive  us,  won't  you ?  we  realise 
that  "  J."  hopes  to  prove  that  although  the  "  ring"  is  a  wicked  and 
perverse  arrangement,  it  won't  affect  the  ship-repairer,  worth  a 
cent.  That  is  mainly  why  he  is  shouting?  It  appears  that  "J." 
is  convinced  that,  in  the  past,  the  tinkeries  have  had  the  bulge  on 


steamers  as  are  instanced  in  the  illustration  herewith,  may  be  safely 
entrusted  to  the  dry  docks;  butthat  if  non-dry-dock"  takes  them," 
he  merely  does  so  as  an  agent.  The  situation  is  plain  'enough. 
Tinker  realises  that  his  day  for  roping-in  20}  per  cent,  of  the  work 
of  the  Channel  is  done,  and  is  wrathy,  in  consequence.  Being 
so,  he  puts  on  a  big  haf;  threatens  war  and  be-lud-da  ;  says  he 
has  more  "  data"  (heaven  help  us)  to  go  on  with  ;  and  is  fouling  his 
nest,  in  a  most  effectual  manner. 


IT  never  seems  to  appeal  to  "Justitia,"  that  he  is  giving  the 
underwriter  a  far  bigger  eye-opener  concerning  tinkeries,  than  on 
dry  docks.  If  underwriter  really  is  exploited  in  this  connection, 
naturally  the  greatest  amount  of  exploitation  must  be  in  connection 
with  the  greatest  exponent  of  the  art  ?  That  is,  the  concern 
which  handles  20}  per  cent,  of  the  whole  tinkering,  has  more 
opportunities  than  the  poor  kritter  who  merely  ropes-in  10}  per 
cent,  thereof?  To  our  mind,  "Justitia"  would  be  better  employed 
as  already  suggested  ;  and  he  may  as  well  come  out  from  beneath 
the  hat,  as  we  can  see  his  feet  —  yes  ! 


June  9,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


68 


PATENTS  &  TRSDE 

Relating    to    SHIPPING   and    the    COAL    TRADE. 


Specifications  published  on  May  25,  1905,  together 
with  an  indication  of  their  subject  matter,  the  title 
being  printed  in  Italics. 

9,969  04-  WlLHELM— Improvements  in  electrically  driven 
coal-whips  or  hoists. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  pulley  block,  containing 
within  its  sheave  an  electro-motor.  In  use,  the  hoisting 
cable  is  passed  with  a  few  turns  around  the  sheave  and 
the  operation  of  the  block  is  controlled  by  the  tension 
exerted  by  an  operator  on  the  free  end  of  the  cable. 
The  block  consists  of  a  casing  adapted  to  be  suspended 
from  a  derrick  boom,  Ac.,  in  which  a  sheave  drum  is 
journalled  The  inner  surface  of  this  drum  carries  the 
field  magnets  of  an  electro- motor.  The  motor  shaft,  on 
which  the  armature,  commutator,  Ac.,  are  mounted,  is 
journalled  in  the  hollow  journals  of  the  sheave  drum. 
A  pinion  on  the  motor  shaft  gears  with  a  toothed  wheel 
mounted  on  a  short  spindle  journalled  in  the  casing.  A 
pinion  on  this  short  spindle  gears  with  an  internally 
toothed  flange  of  the  sheave  drum,  so  that  whilst  the 
armature  shaft  rotates  in  one  direction,  the  sheave  drum 
with  the  field  magnets  rotates  in  the  reverse 
direction.  A  grooved  sheave  ring  is  mounted  loose  on 
interposed  rollers  concentrically  on  the  sheave  drum.  A 
clutch  ring  is  mounted  on  each  side  of  the  grooved 
sheave  ring,  and  bars  shaped  to  conform  to  the  groove 
of  the  ring  are  mounted  at  intervals  across  the  periphery 
of  same,  and  are  connected  by  levers  with  the  clutch 
rings.  Tension  on  the  cable  which  has  been  wound 
several  times  around  the  sheave  ring  over  the  bars,  will 
press  the  bars  radially  inwards  into  the  bed  of  the  groove 
or  channel,  and  by  means  of  the  intermediate  levers, 
force  the  clutch  rings  into  engagement  with  the  sheave 
ring,  and  lock  same  with  the  revolving  sheave  drum. 
The  operator  must  haul  the  free  end  of  the  cable  to 
maintain  the  tention.  which  on  being  relieved  permits 
the  clutch  rings  to  be  disengaged  by  springs. 

10.204/04 — KING — An  automatic  grip  for  cages  in  mines  or 
lifts. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  device  for  preventing  or 
arresting  the  descent  of  a  mine  cage  on  fracture  of  the 
winding  rope.  It  consists  of  a  long  pair  of  jaws,  one 
mounted  fast  on  the  cage  and  the  other  secured  to  the 
former  by  short  links  after  the  fashion  of  a  parallel  ruler. 
These  jaws  are  arranged  one  on  each  side  of  a  guide  rope. 
On  breakage  of  the  rope  the  jaws  are  caused  to  approach 
and  grip  the  rope  by  the  cam  action  of  a  lever* under  the 
influence  of  a  helical  spring.  The  device  is  held  out  of 
action  by  the  tension  on  the  winding  rope  transmitted 
through  a  series  of  levers. 

10.803  04     BASROCER     Apparatus  for  signalling  the  course 
of  ships  during  foggy  weather. 

This  invention  relates  to  an  apparatus  for  initiating  the 
transmission  signal  for  indicating  the  course  of  a  vessel. 
according  to  a  code  composed  of  sharp  and  deep  sounds. 
The  apparatus  consists  of  a  drum  adapted  to  be  rotated, 
mounted  in  a  suitable  casing.  This  drum  is  provided  on 
its  periphery  with  a  series  of  cams  corresponding  with 
the  signals  of  the  respective  code.  A  pair  of  pivotted 
levers  are  mounted  on  a  nut  traversing  a  screw  threaded 
shaft  mounted  parallel  to  the  axis  of  the  drum.  Each  of 
these  levers  are  lifted  independently  of  the  other  by  a 
cam  surface,  one  being  connected  with  the  deep  sound, 
and  the  other  with  the  sharp  sound  emitting  device, 
(whistle  bell.  Ac.)  The  levers  are  set  opposite  the 
respective  pair  of  cam  surfaces  for  the  required  signal 
by  traversing  the  nut  by  rotating  the  screw  shaft. 
10,899/04— FRUH LING — Improvements  in  suction  dredging 
apparatus. 

This  invention  relates  to  an  apparatus  for  dredging 
spoil  from  water  covered  areas,  or  for  removing  spoil 
from  barges.  Ac.,  by  suction.  The  invention  consists  in 
the  employment  of  an  open  bottomed  bell,  which  is 
placed  over  the  spoil  to  be  removed.  The  bell  is  provided 


with  a  pipe  for  conveying  water  to  the  bell  from  the 
surrounding  water,  and  also  with  a  suction  pipe  leading 
to  the  pump,  the  spoil  being  loosened  by  the  passage  of 
water  through  the  bell  and  conveyed  away  by  the  last 
mentioned  pipe. 

10,900/04— FRVHUKG— Adjustable  dredger-head  for  suc- 
tion dredgers. 

This  invention  relates  to  pivotting  the  nozzle  or 
dredger  head  of  a  suction  dredger  to  the  end  of  the 
suction  pipe,  so  that  the  relative  angular  situation  of  the 
two  parts  may  be  adjusted  so  that  the  nozzle  can  be 
always  directed  most  advantageously  for  taking  up  the 
soil,  notwithstanding  the  depth  of  immersion  and  conse- 
quent inclination  of  the  pipe  to  which  it  is  attached. 
13,765/04 — JOHNSON — Improvements  in  apparatus  for  sep- 
arating coal,  slack,  ores,  minerals,  or  substances  of  different 
specific  gravity. 

This  invention  relates  to  separating  materials  of 
different  specific  gravity  by  causing  them  to  encounter 
an  upward  stream  of  gas  during  their  descent  through 
water,  the  lighted  material  being  lifted  to  the  top  of  the 
water,  whilst  the  heavier  continues  to  sink.  Theappara- 
tus-for  effecting  this  process  consists  of  a  vertical  tube 
of  elongated  rectangular  section  immersed  for  a  portion 
of  its  length  in  a  tank  containing  water.  The  tube  is 
divided  by  a  partition  in  the  direction  of  its  greatest 
breadth,  which  extends  just  below  the  surface  of  the 
water,  and  also  with  a  hopper  mouth  to  one  of  its  two 
divisions,  so  that  the  material  such  as  coal  which  is  shot 
regularly  into  the  tube  can  only  descend  along  one  side 
thereof.  At  the  other  side  of  the  partition,  just  above 
the  water  level,  the  tube  is  provided  with  a  perforated 
lip.  At  the  bottom  of  the  tube  there  is  a  perforated  com- 
pressed air  delivery  pipe,  which  directs  a  stream  of  gas 
through  the  water  up  the  tube.  The  coal  in  descending 
the  tube  encounters  this  stream  of  gas  and  on  escaping 
beneath  the  lower  edge  of  the  partition  is  washed  over 
the  perforatedlip  of  the  tube  situated  at  the  other  side 
of  the  partition,  where  it  drains  in  the  course  of  its 
travel  to  a  wagon  or  other  receptacle.  At  the  same 
time  the  heavier  sludge  sinks  to  the  bottom  of  the  tank 
from  whence  it  is  removed  by  a  bucket  elevator  or  like 
means. 

14,777/04 — VEREY — Improvements  in  the  ventilating  of 
public  buildings,  houses,  ships,  and  the  like. 

A  ventilating  system  in  which  the  inlet  pipes  supply 
an  excess  of  pure  air.  Cowls  are  eonstt'ucted  according 
to  this  invention  with  an  inlet  scoop  directed  towards  the 
wind  and  an  outlet  scoop  directed  away  therefrom.  The 
ratio  areas  of  the  inlet  shaft,  which  is  arranged  concen- 
trically around  the  outlet  shaft,  and  the  outlet  shaft  is 
as  3  to  1 . 


These  applications  for  patents  are,  until  July  10,  1905, 
•pen  to  opposition  by  any  person  having  a  statutory 
right  to  oppose. 

Copies  of  the  specifications  may  be  obtained  from  the        * 
Patent  Office  or  through  the  under-named. 


TRADE   MARKS. 


The  following  applications  for  the  registration  of  Trade 
Marks  relating  to  the  shipping  and  coal  trades  were 
advertised  on  May  31,  and  are  open  to  opposition  by 
interested  parties  within  the  period  ending  June  30. 

Class  8 — Including  nautical  Instruments. 

No.  271,965— 12th  April,  1905— THE  AMULET— for  all 
goods  included  in  class  8.  Sydney  Lawrence,  trading  as 
Lawrence  and  Mayo,  67  and  69,  Chancery  Lane,  London, 
Ac.,  Opthalmic  Opticians. 

Compiled  by  Messrs.  PHILLIPS  &  LEIGH,  Chartered  Patent 
Agents,  22,  Southampton  Buildings,  Chancery  Lane,  London, 
W.C.  Local  Consultant :  Mr.  S.  W.  ALLEN,  Engineer,  of  Cardiff 
Exchange,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  9,  7905 


1 


OUR  MARITIME  DIRECTORY. 


CARDIFF. 


Colliery  Proprietors. 


("ORY  BROS.  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff  and 
London.    Depots  at  all  the  principal 
oaling  Stations  in  the  World. 

T«i«<rr        •    "CORY.  CARDIFF"  : 
Telegrams.    "CORY.  LONDON." 


INSOLE,  GEORGE  &  SON,  Cardiff.   Sole 
Shippers  of   Cymmer   Steam    Goal. 
Windsor  Steam  Coal,  and  Insoles  No.  2 
Rhondda  Coal. 

Telegrams :  "  INSOLES.  CARDIFF." 


F  EWIS  MERTHYR  CONSOLIDATED  COL- 
LIERIES, LTD.,  Proprietors  and  Ship- 
pers of  "  Lewis  Merthyr "  Navigation 
Steam  Coal. 

TRlBBTams    •      "  LEWIS   MERTHYR,    CARDIFF  "  ; 

"LEWIS  MERTHYR.  LONDON." 


MARQUESS     OF      BUTE     COLLIERIES, 

Aberdare.  Hirwain.   and   Rhondda 

Valley.     Shipping  ports  : — Bute  Docks, 

ardiff ;      Penarth     Dock  :      Swansea : 

Britoiv-  Ferry  :     and    Newport    (Mon.) 

Telegrams :  "  SEMA,  CARDIFF" 


QCEAN    (MERTHYR)    COAL   Co.,   LTD., 
11,  Bute  Crescent,  Cardiff,  proprie- 
,ors  of  Ocean  (Merthyr)  Steam  Goal. 


[  TNIVERSAL  STEAM  GOAL  Co.,  LTD., 
^  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff.  Proprietors  of 
'  Universal  Steam  Coal." 

Telegrams  :  "  VERSATILE,  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF   -Continued 


VIVIAN,    H.   C.   &  Co.,    Bute   Docks. 
Cardiff.     Sole  European  Agents  for 
"The  Puritan  Coal  Mining  Co..  Phila- 
delphia, U.S.A." 

Telegrams  :  "  VIVIAN.  CARDIFF." 


WATTS,    WATTS  &  Co.,   Cardiff    and 
London.  Contractors  for  the  supply 
of  Coals  at  all  DepSts  abroad. 

Telegrams:  " WATTS,  CARDIFF." 


Dock   Owners. 


F 


CARDIFF  RAILWAY  COMPANY,  Bute 
Docks.  Cardiff. 


Ship  Repairers. 


CHEARMAN,  JOHN  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff, 
and  at  Barry  Dock. 

T"HE   BUTE   SHIPBUILDING,  ENGINEERING, 
AND  DRY   DOCK  COMPANY,   LIMITED, 
Roath  Basin,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "CAISSON.  CARDIFF." 

T"HE  CARDIFF  CHANNEL  DRY  DOCKS  AND 
PONTOON    Co..    LTD.,    Cardiff    and 
Barry  Dock. 

T_i_  "  Entrance,  Cardiff." 

Telegrams  .    ..  Channel  Barry  .. 


T"HE   MERCANTILE   PONTOON  Co.,  LTD.. 
1      Roath  Dock,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams  :   "  MERCANTILE,  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF     Continued. 


Miscellaneous. 

[EWIS  &  TYLOR,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 

Sole  patentees  and  manufacturers 

of  "Gripoly."  a  patent   woven  belting; 

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VOL.  VI.— No.  70. 


FRIDAY,  JUNE    16,    1905. 


THREEPENCE. 


MARITIME  MARK  MAKERS. 


AMMON  BEASLEY,  ESQ. 
(General  Manager,  Taff  Vale  Railway  Company.) 

/See  Page  76.1 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


June  16,  1905 


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«  *  *  CONTENTS.  *  a  *  • 


MARITIME   MARK   MAKERS 

MARITIME  MURMURS 

SHIPBUILDING 

ON  SHIP-REPAIRING  AMENITIES 


PAGE 
.     69 

70 

.      77 
78 


RUSSIAN  PIRACY     79 

CARDIFF  (AND  OTHER)  COAL        80 

COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES 82 

MARITIME  (AND  OTHER)  MONEY  MATTERS        83 

AROUND  THE  DRY  DOCKS  84 

PATENTS  AND  TRADE  MARKS      85 


MARITIME    MURMURS. 


DOCKS.  CARDIFF, 

Thursday  Afternoon. 

AT  the  first  glance,  the  appeal  recently  made  by  Lord 
Roberts,  that  attention  be  paid  by  the  nation  at  large  to 
rifle  practice,  would  scarcely  appear  a  maritime  subject. 
But  anything  which  tends  toward  the  protection  of  the 
Empire,  and  therefore,  of  its  trade,  is  not  only  a  maritime 
question,  for  it  is  one  that  is  indissolubly  bound  up  in  the 
interests  of  us  all.  It  is  not  our  intention  to  discuss  the 
ways  and  means  suggested  by  the  hardy  warrior  who,  it 
must  be  admitted  on  all  sides,  has  the  welfare  of  his 
country  very  near  at  heart ;  and  who,  in  all  proba- 
bility, has  done  as  much  (if  not  more)  for  its  con- 
solidation, as  any  living  man.  Such  a  discussion,  on 
our  part,  is  altogether  unnecessary,  and  in  any  case,  Lord 
Roberts  may  safely  be  trusted  to  see,  through  this  move- 
ment to  which  he  has  given  his  attention,  and  for  which  he 
is  eminently  qualified  to  speak.  There  is  no  getting  away 
from  the  fact,  that  the  defence  of  the  Empire  is  of  para- 
mount importance  to  every  Briton  :  nor  that,  at  present, 
this  same  defence  is  in  .parlous  state.  Shouting. "  Rule 
Britannia"  is  not  going  to.  help  us  in  the  hour  of  our 
tribulation  ;  but,  a  few  hundred  thousand  lads,  who  are 
expert  with  the  rifle,  would  ? 

5?  IS 

MOREOVER,  when  the  country  has  been  thoroughly 
awakened  to  its  need  for  embryo  soldiers,  it  might  find  the 
necessary  time,  and  develop  a  sufficiency  of  inclination, 
to  give  some  attention  to  the  possible  transport  of  those 
embryonic  fighters,  should  the  need  of  such  transport 
arise.  That  is,  the  Mercantile  Marine  might  come  in  for  a 
little  urgently-needed  consideration.  In  that  case,  the 
foreigner  would  be  weeded  out  of  British  forecastles :  the 
command,  officering  and  piloting  of  British  vessels  would  be 
confined  to  British  sailors ;  and  instead  of  the  foreign 
hotch-potch  which  now  exists ;  the  country  would  be 
blessed  with  the  knowledge  that  her  greatest  national 
industry,  were  British  in  every  particular.  If  such  a  blessed 
state  of  affairs  will  but  follow  on  the  awakening  arising  out 
of  the  suggested  rifle-practice,  then,  Lord  Roberts  will  go 


down  in  history,  with  a  bigger  halo  surrounding  him,  than 
he  will  do,  even  as  things  are  at  present.  Nibble  at  the 
question  as  you  may,  you  must  yet  admit  that  it  is  a  healthy 
sign  when  the  nation's  great  commanders  admit,  that  things 
are  not  what  they  should  be,  in  connection  with  the  defence 
of  the  Empire  ?  The  mere  fact  that  a  soldier  is  by  way  of 
having  the  first  innings,  is  nothing  to  cavil  at. 


FOR  after  the  soldier  has  given  you  the  first  nudge  that 
will  suggest  your  giving  over  sleep  ;  it  might  easily  happen, 
that  a  great  naval  commander  will  give  the  matter  his 
careful  consideration—  with  still  happier  results.  You 
know,  as  long  as  the  rulers  of  the  nation  wrap  themselves 
up  in  a  sort  of  mantle  of  infallibility,  it  is  useless  for  the 
lay  person  to  worry  about  the  subject—  no  matter  how 
little  of  the  situation  is  grasped  by  the  ruler,  or  how  much 
is  noticed  by  the  lay  person.  When  a  number  of  highly- 
placed  officials  have  had  an  innings  spreading  over  a  great 
number  of  years  ;  an  innings  in  which  they  have  received 
the  adulation  of  the  crowd,  in  return  for  a  number  of 
platitudes  concerning  Imperial  defence  :  it  is  useless  to 
expect,^  sudden  awakening  from  the  beatific  state  which 
has  been  induced  ?  That  is  how  it  appears  to"  us,  and  is 
principally  the  reason  why  we  have  told  you,  in  season  and 
out.  about  the  shameful  neglect  that  is  in  existence,  in 
connection  with  this  defence  of  which  we  hear  so  much. 
We  believe  you  will  admit,  that  we  have  been  consistent  in 
our  endeavours  to  awaken  you  to  the"  importance  of  this 
great  subject  of  national  defence;  that  never  an  issue  of 
THE  MARITIME  REVIEW  has  been  published,  but  that,  in 
some  shape  or  other,  we  have  called  your  attention  to  the 
leeway  which  the  nation  is  making  ? 


WHY  have  we  been  so  insistent?  Simply  because  we 
have  travelled  the  world  over,  and  have  seen  for  ourselves, 
the  rottenness  which,  for  this  reason  and  that—  mainly 
political  ones  —  has  been  hidden  from  you.  You  have  been 
too  busy  in  attending  to  your  business,  on  shore,  to  spare 
more  than  a  passing  glance  at  the  dangers  which  might 
surround  you.  Furthermore,  you  have  solaced  yourselves 


June   1 6,    1905 


THE   MARITIME   REVIEW. 


with  the  belief :  that  as  you  have  paid  up  your  taxes  ;  have 
seen  that  So-and-so  got  into  the  Talking  Shop  ;  that  you, 

yourselves,  went  to  church    or  chapel  on   Sunday well. 

that  was  all  that  could  be  reasonably  expected  of  you  ?  Is 
not  this  the  truth  ?  You  know  that  you  are  no  worse 
than  your  neighbour.  Indeed,  you  have  a  sneaking  notion 
that  you  are  a  sight  better  than  he'll  ever  know  how  to  be. 
so  under  the  blissful  conditions,  what  have  you  to  do  with 
national  defence  ?  You  admit  that  you  are  no  soldier  : 
neither  are  you  a  sailor :  in  fact,  you  are  not  even  an 
amphibian— the  sort  of  thing  which  Jack  says  would  live  as 
well  on  shore,  as  it  would  on  dry  land  !  However,  now 
that  Lord  Roberts  has  made  an  effort  to  awaken  you  to  the 
seriousness  of  the  situation,  it  is  possible  that  in  future, 
you  might  be  inclined  to  pay  a  little  more  heed  to  us.  who 
have  been  continually  "  at  you  "  in  the  same  connection,  for 
years  ? 

5?*S 

TIMES  out  of  number,  we  have  told  you  of  these  things  : 
have  explained  to  you,  the  colossal  size  of  the  fools' 
paradise  which  you  have  been  inhabiting :  and.  if  you 
troubled  to  think  about  it  at  all.  you  dismissed  the  notion 
with  a  "  It's  none  of  my  business."  The  season  for  this 
indifference  is  gone.  Lord  Roberts  says  that  it  is  your 
business-  even  as  we  have  said  right  through.  And  any- 
how, will  it  not  be  more  sensible  for  you  to  lend  a  helping 
hand,  in  training  the  youngsters  to  use  a  rifle—  of  any  kind 
that  may  be  decided  on  —than  it  will  be  for  you  to  continue 
filling  a  number  of  lads  up  with  carpentering  notions:  or 
modelling  in  clay  rubbish  ?  At  the  time  of  writing,  there  is 
a  lad  passing  our  window  :  a  lad  of  about  twelve  years  of 
age.  His  right  stocking  is  away  down  in  festoons  over  his 
ankle :  the  left  stocking  looks  like  a  piece  of  corrugated 
iron  :  but  in  his  hand  he  swings  a  violin-case  -an  arrange- 
ment obtained  on  the  plan  of  paying  teacher  a  few  coppers 
per  week !  Sloping  shouldered,  slouchy  gaited.  narrow 
chested— the  poor  lad  is  but  the  victim  of  a  system  :  a 
system  to  which  you.  as  ratepayers,  have  given  your 
sanction.  The  lad  referred  to.  is  but  one  of  many,  and  if 
you  take  the  trouble  to  enquire  at  the  schools,  you  will 
probably  find  that  there  are  thousands  of  his  kind,  scattered 
over  the  country. 

tf  %J 

CONTRAST  that  supposedly  musical  genius  (whose  instru- 
ment really,  should  be  a  triangle ).  with  the  dozen  or  so  of 
lads  who  belong  to  the  Boys'  Brigades,  and  what  is  the 
difference  ?  Well,  the  latter  are  boys,  pure  and  simple. 
Upright,  straight-walking,  disciplined  lads,  and  the  pity  of 
it  is.  that  there  are  so  few  of  them.  If  matters  are  allowed 
to  progress  as  at  present,  the  future  will  find  the  spindle- 
shanked  affair  which  has  just  passed  our  window,  develop- 
ing into  the  father  of  the  future  generation :  a  generation 
that  will  probably  be  too  weak,  everw  to  carry  the  violin 
case  of  its  father's  youth  !  A  generation  that  will  cull  its 
only  bit  of  excitement,  from  a  spasmodic  gaze  at  a  number 
of  trained  athletes  on  a  football,  or  cricket-field.  We  know 
the  picture  is  anything  but  pleasing  :  but  then,  you  can 
alter  it  if  you  will.  It  is  against  nature  to  suppose  that 
every  kiddie  is  going  to  be  a  prodigy,  so  why  attempt  to 
capsize  nature?  You  first  educate  save  the  word!— a 
number  of  fifth-rate  lads  into  the  belief  that  they  are 
geniuses,  and  are  then  aghast  because  in  early  manhood 
they  demand  the  reward  of  the  genius ;  and  failing  that 
reward  which  business  demands  will  not  admit  of  your 
giving  they  degenerate  into  such  stuff  of  which  the 
"Coxey  army  "  is  made. 

fi?  IS 

You  want  sailors.  Want  them,  badly.  To  fill  your 
wants,  you  have  to  go  to  the  Continent  of  Europe,  and  even 
so.  you  do  but  get  the  scum  of  that  same  Continent.  At 


home,  you  cannot  secure  the  scum,  much  less  the  good 
stuff,  and  why  ?  Because  you  have  toadied  to  the  whole 
crowd,  until  it  has  taken  you  at  your  word  :  a  word  that  is 
impossible  of  fulfilment,  for  the  reason  that  business  will 
not  give  the  price  which  your  human  orchids  are  demand- 
ingat  least,  you  say  so.  although  we  believe  you,  in  part, 
only.  However,  as  already  stated,  Lord  Roberts  has  taken 
the  breech  ;  has  told  you  the  truth  about  the  situation  ; 
has  told  you  that,  if  you  wish  to  dodge  conscription,  you 
will  have  to  train  your  boys  to  the  use  of  the  rifle.  You 
must  remember  that  to  train  them  thus,  will  bring  war  no 
quicker  than  it  would  otherwise  result ;  indeed,  by  being 
prepared  therefor,  you  are  more  likely  to  keep  war  in 
abeyance.  And  after  you  have  given  some  attention  to 
this  phase  of  the  subject,  you  might  be  inclined  to  turn  your 
newly-awakened  interest  to  the  sailor  problem.  When 
that  time  comes,  attack  the  subject  with  an  open  mind. 
Divest  yourselves  of  the  pernicious  teaching  which  has 
been  given  you  by  so-called  "  experts,"  at  so  much  per  line  ; 
don't  start  out  with  the  idiotic  notion  that  every  sailor  is 
necessarily  a  blackguard —because  those  "experts"  have 
told  you  so,  in  the  past. 

E*  Xs 

tff    a? 

FRANKLY,  those  same  "  experts  "  are  about  as  valuable, 
from  a  national  standpoint,  as  are  the  kids  who  walk  along 
with  corrugated  stockings  on  their  apologies  for  legs,  and 
violfn-cases  in  their  puny  hands.  Judging  by  appearances, 
the  day  of  the  doddering  boy  is  done.  We  are  about  to 
cultivate  a  race  of  lads,  who  may  be  calculated  to  uphold 
the  dignity  of  the  Empire.  Is  it  too  much  to  hope  that, 
with  the  passing  of  the  degeneracy  which  has  nearly 
wrecked  the  old  land,  the  "  expert "  who  preaches  at  so 
much  a  time,  may  pass,  also  ?  He  will  quickly  pass,  if  you 
but  say  the  word.  He  is  merely  a  vampire  who  battens  on 
your  credulity— and  odd  ha'pence.  With  no  ability  to  learn 
the  actual  facts,  but  with  just  enough  to  pander  to  the 
tastes  which  he  believes  you  have  acquired,  he  trots  out  his 
ipse  dixit.  with  all  the  assurance  of  the  man  who  knows. 
In  the  past,  you  have  allowed  him  »o  flourish  on  these  lines. 
Set  a  different  example,  and  you  will  be  surprised  to  note 
how  many  will  respond  to  the  new  demand.  Anyhow, 
you  can  do  no  possible  harm  by  trying :  and  eventually,  you 
might  find  plenty  of  'longshore  defenders  of  the  flag :  as 
well  as  a  Mercantile  Marine  that  will  prove  a  recruiting 
ground  for  your  Navy,  even  as  it  did  at  Trafalgar,  and 
other  big  sea  fights. 

HOPE  on.  hope  ever — even  if  a  Hope  that  "sits"  for  an 
inland  town,  and  is  therefore  calculated  to  know  a  deal 
about  nautical  subjects,  puts  a  sprag  in  your  wheel  !  Its 
like  this.  One  day  last  week,  Mr.  C.  McArthur,  M.P.  for 
the  Exchange  Division.  Liverpool,  as  is  his  periodical  wont, 
moved,  in  the  House  of  Commons  :  "  That,  in  the  opinion 
-of  this  House,  the  lighting' of  the  coasts  of  the  United 
Kingdom  is  a  national  duty,  for  the  efficient  performance  of 
which  full  departmental  responsibility  should  be  assumed 
by  the  State  and  the  cost  defrayed  out  of  moneys  provided 
by  Parliament,  instead  of,  as  now,  by  charges  on  merchant 
shipping."  The  motion  is  correct  enough,  and  the  great 
wonder  is,  that  it  should  still  be  necessary  to  keep  plugging 
away  for  bare  justice.  The  matter  has  been  discussed,  ad 
nauseam.  Everybody  possessed  of  a  rudimentary  knowledge 
of  the  subject,  admits  the  force  of  the  argument  adduced 
by  the  would-be  nationalisers  of  the  coastal  lighting  ;  but 
the  opponents  thereof,  whether  they  know  anything  of  the 
business,  or  who  merely  prattle  because  they  have  been  told, 
by  their  Party  Bosses,  to  do  so :  well,  these  estimable 
folk  may  be  depended  on,  to  do  their  best— or  worst. 

5?  & 

THUS  it  came  about,  that  Mr.  McArthur's  motion  was 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  16,    1905 


met  with  a  counter  motion,  from  the  hope  of  Sheffield  -  Mr. 
J.  F.  Hope,  M.P.,  to  be  exact.  In  Parliamentary  language. 
Mr.  Hope  moved,  as  an  amendment,  the  omission  of  all  the 
words  after  "  that."  and  the  substitution  of  the  words.  "  it 
is  inexpedient,  in  the  present  condition  of  the  national 
finances,  to  place  any  substantial  burden  upon  the 
Exchequer  for  the  relief  of  a  particular  section  of  the  com- 
munity." That  is  how  it  appears  in  Parliamentary  talk  : 
but  in  plain  English,  you  would  write  it  down  as  piffle, 
twankey.  or  poppycock  according  to  which  part  of  the 
British  Isles,  you  owe  your  advent  into  this  world  of  sin, 
sorrow,  and  shuffling.  Of  course.  Mr.  Hope  went  into 
detail :  trotted  out  figures  to  show  how  much  the  ship- 
owner is  being  robbed :  and  thus,  upheld  honourable 
tradition.  You  know,  the  opponents  to  this  bit  of  justice, 
are  ever  keen  on  drawing  the  herring  across  the  trail. 
They  never  condescend  to  discuss  the  matter,  as  a  possible 
bit  of  injustice  to  the  industry  which  is  keeping  the  Empire 
going.  In  fact,  they  usually  start  the  ball  with  an  admission 
that  it  is  an  injustice,  but  not  a  very  big  one.  That,  instead 
of  being  a  serious  matter,  it  is  merely  a  trivial  affair,  look  at 
it  how  you  will. 

#  & 

THE  mere  fact  that  shipowner  is  robbed  of  eighteen- 
pence  for  every  £100  worth  of  goods  carried,  is  as  nothing  : 
he  ought  to  feel  mighty  thankful  that  it  is  not  a  robbery  to 
the  extent  of  5  per  cent,  yes.  Thus  the  line  of  argument 
followed  by  the  Hope's  of  the  subject.  Indeed,  your  Hope 
says,  that  if  the  whole  volume  of  the  trade  out  and  home  is 
considered,  then,  the  robbery  only  amounts  to  Is.  3d.  for 
every  £100  worth  of  goods  carried.  And  "surely  this  is 
not  a  very  serious  burden."  We  should  like  to  know  what 
Mr.  Hope,  and  his  constituents  would  say.  if  for  every 
£100  worth  of  cutlery  that  is  despatched  from  Sheffield, 
the  Exchequer  mopped  up  only  a  shilling  as  tax  ? 
Wouldn't  there  be  a  yell  ascending  to  the  place  where  yells 
are  popularly  supposed  to  go  ?  Rather !  And  the 
Sheffield  man  would  be  saying  things,  all  over  the 
landscape.  "  In  the  present  condition  of  the  national 
finances,"  too.  is  passing  good.  When  were  the  national 
finances  ever  good  enough  to  admit  of  justice  to  the  in- 
dustry which  keeps  the  wheels  of  state  revolving  ?  Never 
in  the  remembrance  of  the  oldest  inhabitant,  you  might  be 
sure.  Here  is  a  country  containing  40,000.000  inhabi- 
tants, and  its  annual  bill  for  a  Navy,  is  £40,000.000— or 
£1  per  head  ;  and  yet  the  safety  of  that  Navy,  is  a  matter 
for  which  the  shipping  industry,  alone,  is  responsible. 

6?  ^ 

MORE  than  that,  the  shipping  industry  is  not  only  robbed 
to  supply  lights  for  the  Navy,  but  there  is  an  overcharge, 
every  year,  running  into  considerably  over  a  quarler-of-a- 
million  pounds  sterling.  Yet.  "  in  the  present  condition  of 
the  national  finances,"  it  is  impossible  to  deal  out  justice  to 
those  who  find  the  money  !  As  far  as  we  can  see,  there  is 
but  one  way  to  alter  the  existing  state  of  affairs.  Heroic 
measures  are  necessary.  If  shipowner  wishes  to  obtain  jus- 
tice, in  this  connection,  he  will  just  have  to  lay  his  ships  up. 
until  the  light  dues  are  turned  over  into  the  channel  which 
should  ever  have  borne  them.  True,  by  this  method, 
shipowner  would  lose  a  bit.  But  then,  he  would  have  the 
satisfaction  of  proving  to  the  Hopes  of  the  nation,  that 
there  are  things  in  heaven  and  earth  undreamed,  of  in  their 
philosophy.  Then.  Mr.  Houston,  M.P.,  had  a  word  to  say  in 
support  of  his  colleague,  Mr.  McArthur.  Moreover,  Mr. 
Houston  succeeded  in  raising  the  dander  of  the  Chancellor 
of  the  Exchequer,  by  remarking  that  "during  the  manoe- 
uvres, vessels  of  war  moving  about  without  lights  are  a 
source  of  danger  to  shipping."  This  was  Mr.  Austen 
Chamberlain's  exact,  and  long-waited-for  opportunity ! 
Gave  him  his  chance  to  beg  the  question  ! 


THAT  is  to  say,  the  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer  "  got 
out  of  it,"  by  declaring  that  "  he  would  not  follow  the  hon. 
members  derogatory  remarks  in  reference  to  the  Navy, 
which  were  surprising  from  a  representative  of  the 
shipping  interest."  But  why  ?  Mr.  Houston  did  but 
speak  the  truth.  Any  ship  which  wobbles  about  the  face 
of  the  waters  with  her  lights  out,  is  a  danger  to  the 
remainder  of  the  shipping  community  :  and  if  a  mere 
tramp  steamer  were  to  be  caught  in  this  amiable  condition, 
well,  you  could  lay  long  odds  on  a  big  fine  for  the  Old  Man, 
and  an  "  off  with  his  head."  if  it  occurred  a  second  time. 
Moreover,  and  in  the  light  of  recent  events,  vessels  of 
war  when  moving  about  with  their  lights  "in,"  are  a  source 
of  danger  to  shipping  ;  and  all  that  Mr.  A.  Chamberlain  can 
conjure  up  in  the  matter  of  surprise,  won't  alter  the 
unpleasant  facts.  You  know,  the  day  has  gone,  when  all 
this  assumption  of  Naval  superiority  is  calculated  to  "  go 
down  "  with  the  vast  majority  who  know  infinitely  better. 
The  Navy  is  necessary,  yes  ;  but  then,  it  is  useless  trying  to 
make  us  believe  that  it  is  of  the  nature  of  one  Caesar's  wife 
—  because  it  ain't  !  The  Navy,  as  we  know  it  to-day,  is  a 
very  fallible  undertaking,  and  may  be  depended  on  to  make 
more  exhibitions  of  itself  in  one  week,  than  the  whole 
Mercantile  Marine  will  do  in  a  month. 


HOWEVER.  Mr.  Houston  was  pleased  to  say  that  no  one 
had  more  admiration  for  the  Navy,  than  himself,  and  this 
appears  to  have  mollified  the  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer 
—  we  are  glad  to  note.  Anyhow.  Mr.  Austen  undertook  to 
explain  the  situation  —  from  his  point  of  view.  As  far  as 
we  can  see,  the  explanation  was  somewhat  after  the 
manner  of  "  If  the  dog  hadn't  stopped  to  scratch  his  gar- 
board  strake,  he  would,  in  all  probability,  have  sheered  up 
alongside  the  hare."  In  other  words—  and  those  of  Mr. 
Austen  Chamberlain  :  "  We  might  abolish  those  light-dues 
to-morrow,  and  still  we  should  in  no  way  have  qualified  for 
freedom  in  the  American  ports."  Perhaps  not,  but  we 
should  have  qualified,  in  part,  for  freedom  in  heaven,  as 
belonging  to  a  justice-loving  nation  ?  As  we  have  already 
stated,  the  light-dues  are  just,  or  they  are  unjust.  If  the 
latter,  they  should  be  removed  ;  but  if  just,  it  is  not 
because  we  shall  get  this,  that,  or  the  other  freedom.  And 
it  is  all  very  pretty  to  admit  "  that  if  we  were  establishing 
a  lighthouse  authority  at  this  moment,  it  is  unlikely  that  it 
would  be  constituted  as  Trinity  House  is  constituted  at 
present  ;  "  pretty,  because  it  is,  undeniably,  a  fact. 


BUT  for  the  simple  reason  that  our  progenitors — acting 
up  to  all  the  light  that  was  their's— made  a  silly  mistake,  is 
no  good  reason  that  we  should  wallow  along  in  the  same 
line,  is  it  ?  The  light-dues  are  an  imposition  ;  all  the 
argument  to  the  contrary,  will  not  make  them  less  so  ;  and 
the  mere  assumption  of  affected  annoyance,  because  a  hon. 
member  speaks  the  truth  anent  the  Senior  Service,  and  its 
weakness  for  plunking  into  an  unfortunate  merchantman,  is 
going  to  make  no  appreciable  difference  to  the  situation. 
This  is  1905 — not  1805.  And  when  a  gentleman  is  given 
a  fairly-decent  job  in  the  Councils  of  the  Nation,  well,  he 
ought  to  appreciate  it,  at  its  full  value  ?  That  is  how  it 
appears  to  us,  anyhow.  As  far  as  we  can  learn,  it  is  no 
part  of  a  Chancellor's  official  business,  to  express  surprise 
when  a  hon.  member  ventures  on  speaking  the  truth.  After 
all,  truth  is  no  such  stranger  in  "  the  House,"  that  a  Chan- 
cellor of  the  Exchequer  is  justified  in  expressing  surprise, 
when,  inadvertently,  perhaps,  he  counters  up  against  it  ? 
Anyhow,  the  Chancellor,  "speaking  for  the  Government," 
could  not  consent,  "in  the  present  state  of  the  national 
finances."  to  make  the  country  pay  for  the  country's  lights. 


.line    10.    1905 


THE     MARITIME    REVIEW. 


/3 


AWFUL  quantity  of  parrot-talk  in  the  business,  isn't 
Mr.  Hope  had  a  shy  at  the  expression,  "present 
condition  of  the  national  finances/  and  the  Chancellor  (so 
that  he  may  not  be  accused  of  plagiarism  ?)  varied  it  to 
the  extent  of  remarking,  on  "  the  present  state  of  the 
national  finances."  That  ought  to  be  good  enough  as  to 
where  the  Hope-coaching  came  from  ?  Mind  you.  there 
were  other  hon.  members  who  had  a  cut  at  the  business. 
Sir  F.  Banbury  (Camberwell,  Peckham)  suggested  that 
Mr.  McArthur's  baby  "  was  a  protectionist  motion  of  the 
worst  kind,  supported  by  Liverpool  men  who  called  them- 
selves free-traders."  When  you  come  to  look  at  it,  in  that 
light,  why.  it's  awful  ;  a  national  financial  calamity  !  Then. 
the  gentleman  whose  name  is  reminiscent  of  the  cakes  of 
our  youth,  appears  to  have  worked  himself  into  a  pretty 
dangerous  condition,  as  he  contemplated  the  wicked 
possibilities  of  these  seekers-after-justice.  Sir  F.  Banbury 
actually  asked  "  What  is  to  prevent  them  from  asking  for 
payment  of  harbour  dues  next?"  Men.  dear,  it  takes 
your  breath  away,  doesn't  it  ?  WHAT  is  to  prevent  them? 
There  you  are  !  You  have  a  poser,  this  time  ? 


this  respect-which  might  be  merely  another  detail. 
Somehow  or  other,  these  gentlemen  can  never  manage  to 
assimilate  a  truth,  until  they  are  "  out  of  power."  Why  is 
it  ?  Give  it  up  ?  So  do  we,  just  now,  and  pass  on  to  the 
next  item. 


Ir  you  give  the  shipowner  easement  of  an  unjust  burden. 
what  is  to   prevent  them   from   asking  for    payment    of 
harbour  dues    next?     Dear  us!     And    this   was  said   in 
Parliament     in    the   year  of  grace.  1905;  by  a  real  live 
baronet,  who   represents,  in  the  talking  shop,  a  number  of 
surburban   Londoners  !      Tie  us  loose  !     Those  Liverpool 
men  ought  to  be-  well,  you  ask  Sir  F.  Banbury  about  if 
that's      all  !        Think     what      would      happen      if      the 
Liverpool    men    were    to    really   ask   somebody    to     pay 
their    harbour    dues.      (  Whisper:     Does    Sir   F.    Banbury 
really    know    what    harbour   dues    are?)      Anyhow.    Mr. 
Renwick    assured     the     debaters     that     the    discussion 
was    anything    but    a    shipowners'    fluke  :     that    it    had 
received   the    support    of    the    Associated    Chambers    of 
Commerce  :  that  the  country  ought  to  light  its  own  coasts: 
and  that  the   men  who  found   the  money  ought  to  have  a 
word  to  say  in  the  expenditure  thereof    every  word  of  which 
is  absolutely  true.    Sir  R.  Ropner.  M.P..  added  his  support  to 
his  shipowning  friends    and   then  the  House  divided  !     In 
that  division,   there  were  "  For   the  motion.  66  :  Against 
62  !  "     This  shows  that  surprise,  and  all,  of  the  Chancellor 
notwithstanding  ;    that  in    spite   of  that   soul-rending  re- 
mark about  harbour  dues  :  in  spite  of  all  the  twankey  that 
was    adduced    concerning  free    ports    the    motion    very 
nearly   romped   in.      Peg   away,   shipowners.      You'll  get 
justice,  eventually     if  only  in  a  stained  glass  window,  after 
your  demise,  poor  souls  ! 

tf  %J 

THE    friend    "down    under"    appears    to    be    awaken- 
ing   to    his    peril,    at    last!      He  has  been    so    busy    in  _ 
straining  after  that  "  white  Australia."  that  he  hasn't  had 
an  opportunity  of  seeing  what  the  remainder  of  the  world 
saw,   ages  ago  :   That   unless  he  altered   his  tactics,   he 
would   have  no  sort  of  Australia,  whatever  ;  either  white. 
black,  or  merely  copper-coloured  !     Somehow  or  other,  the 
work  of  the  plucky  little  Jap  has  opened  the  eyes  of  quite 
a  number  of  people  who  were  somewhat  purblind,  hereto- 
fore- and  the  opening  is  a  distinctly  good  thing  for  them  ! 
However,  we  note  that  the  ex-Federal  Premier  (now  he  is 
unattached,  so  to  speak  >  has  taken  the  opportunity  which 
should  have  been  his,  quite  a  time  ago.  to  impress  upon  his 
friends  and  compatriots,  that  "the  march  of  events  has 
revealed    a  striking    growth    of    three    naval    powers  .  .  . 
obliging  us  to  review  the  whole  situation  of  the  Australian 
defence  force."    That's  a  fact,  although  if  anybody   had 
asked  us  for  a  definition  thereon,  we  should  have  written 
"alleged  defence  force."     But  that  is  a  mere  detail,  and  we 
further  note  that  Mr.  Deakin  sees  eye  to  eye  with  us,  in 


^         item  is,  that  Mr.   Deakin  realises  that,  "  down 
under,"  the  "forts  are  mostly  antiquated,  the  guns  are  old, 
some  of  them  obsolete,  and  our  seaboard  capitals  are  by  no 
means  secure."     If  we   were  in   Mr.   Deakin's   place,  we 
shouldn't  care  to  admit  the  half  of  that—  at  least,  not  out 
loud,  so  to  speak.     We  should  be  afraid  that  some  of  our 
late  supporters,  might  be  inclined  to  say  rude  things,  con- 
cerning our  tenure  of  office  :  might  go  to  the   extent   of 
demanding  "  why  the,  how  the,"  we  had  allowed  things  to 
wobble  along  in  this  fashion,  while  we  were  Premier  ?   You 
know,  those  forts   have   not   worked   up  the   obsolete  act. 
solely  for  the  reason  that  Mr.  Deakin  gave  up  his  place  ? 
The  guns,  of  course,  have  become  older,  since  then  ;  but 
they  were  old.  even  before   Mr.  Deakin  took  over  the  job. 
Still,  this  is  an  old  and  well-tried  trick  ?    The  Opposition 
is  ever  the  one  which  is  going  to  do  all  the  good   to  the 
world,    once    they    have    been    returned    to    power.      In 
Governments,  the  opposition  is  like  to-morrow,  in  as  far  as 
wiping  the  slate  is  concerned.     You   merely  change   the 
body  of  men,  but  you  don't  do  much  in  bringing  about  that 
wiping.     Merely  get  a   promise,  and  that  is  how  we  are 
stuffed.     But  let  us  get  on.      There  is  more  Deakinesque 
to  follow—  in  portions  ! 

fi?    & 

THE  gentleman   referred  to  says,   that   "  A   mercantile 
marine  is  probably  more  important  to  Australia  than  any 
other  country  in   the  world."      This  is   mainly   why  the 
amiable  friend  "down  under,"  has  done  all  in  his  power  to 
kill  the  caricature  of  a  mercantile   marine  that   was  his, 
'way  back,  we  suppose  ?    That  which  a  man   needs  most, 
he  may  generally  be  depended  o.n  to  hoodoo  ?     The  same 
thing  applies,  at  home.      Britain  depends  absolutely  on  a 
Mercantile  Marine  :  she  has  a  tidy-sized  one  :  but  she  is 
never  happier  than  when  she  is  doing  something  that  shall 
be  calculated  to  jeopardise   its  efficiency.     Like  Mother. 
like  Daughter!     And  Australia  is  a  nice  kind  of  daughter 
in  this  respect.     Here  is  another  resemblance  :  According 
to  Mr.  Deakin.  "  Australia  has  enough  men  for  the  requisite 
naval    forces    and    reserves,     but     requires     submarines, 
torpedo-boats,  and  sea-going  destroyers."     Quite  so.     Lots 
of   other  countries  are  in   the   same  boat  as  Australia  ? 
But  then,  there  are  different  degrees  of  "  want."     Some 
countries  want  the  items  mentioned  badly  enough  to  make 
a  purchase   necessary.     So  far.   Australia    merely    needs 
them   in  a  dilettante  fashion  ;  that  is,  she  wants  them  ;  but 
wants  somebody  to  give  them  to  her. 

0  & 

BUT  then,  there  is  a  difference  between  Mother  and 
Daughter,  after  all.  Mother  has  the  submarines,  the 
torpedo-boats,  and  sea-going  destroyers  ;  but  she  hasn't 
the  men.  Not  in  commission,  that  is.  She  has  plenty  of 
men.  knocking  about  on  the  various  beaches,  but  they  won't 
"  take  on,"  as  the  pay  is  too  shallow.  With  the  Daughter, 
she  imagines  that  she  has  the  men,  but  cannot  get  the 
utensils,  as,  once  more,  the  money  is  hung  on  to,  too 
tightly.  It  is  all  very  well  to  prattle  of  a  need,  but  in 
practical  politics,  the  best  kind  of  need,  is  that  which  is 
attended  to.  We  quite  undertand  that  "  Cargoes  are  trans- 
mitted annually,  valued  at  hundreds  of  millions."  But 
what  then  ?  Is  the  Old  Country  to  for  ever  go  on.  protect- 
ing those  cargoes,  and  in  return,  merely  receive  a  quantity 
of  "  sass  "  f  rom  a  perky  daughter?  Surely  not!  At  the 
present  time,  the  Old  Country  taxes  her  40,000.000  souls. 
at  the  rate  of  £1  per  annum,  per  soul.  How  much  does 


74 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June   1 6,    1905 


Australia  ante  up  for  the  same  purpose  ?  Would  it  run 
into  three-farthings  a  time  ?  We  are  quite  willing  to  admit 
that  "  Australians  should  remember  that  when  they  are  at- 
tacked it  will  not  be  with  kid  gloves,  or  after  convenient 
notice  :  but  when,  and  where,  they  least  desire  :  and  with 
relentless  fury." 

THE  foregoing  is  exactly  how  Mr.  Deakin  puts  it.  and  the 
same  may  be  said  about  the  Old  Country.  Folk  at  home, 
seem  to  imagine  that  a  probable  enemy  is  going  to  send  a 
man  across :  and  he  is  going  to  suggest  that,  if  we  don't 
mind,  he  is  authorised  to  state  that,  in  about  four  years 
from  now,  his  compatriots  have  decided  to  come  over  to 
Britain,  and  blow  the  living  socks  right  out  of  her.  That 
man  would  be  chastised  :  then,  he  would  be  shown  around 
the  arsenals  and  dockyards  ;  would  be  taken  to  the  nearest 
music  hall,  where  the  band  would  strike  up  "  Rule 
Britannia  "  and  every  difficulty  would  be  smoothed  out! 
It's  funny,  of  course  :  but  when  the  tocsin  rings,  you  can 
bet  it  will  be  after  the  other  fellow  has  had  a  shy  at  "  the 
most  vulnerable  point,"  as  Mr.  Deakin  expresses  it.  So  far 
in  the  reckoning.  Australia  has  sized  up  the  situation  to  the 
effect  that  she  is  within  striking  distance  of  sixteen  foreign 
naval  stations.  Australia  is  wrong.  She.  like  the  Old 
Country,  is  within  striking  distance  of  the  whole  world 
and  that  is  a  fact  which  is  often  forgotten.  Talk  is  cheap  ; 
so  are  promises :  but  the  first  won't  buy  whisky — nor 
warships;  the  latter  will  butter  no  parsnips— nor  will  they 
buy  powder. 


INDEED,  if  Australia  wishes  to  profit  by  the  foolishness  of 
the  past,  she  will  give  up  the  swelled-head  which  is  con- 
sequent on  the  attainment  of  the  Commonwealth  idea  : 
and  will  assimilate  the  one  great  fact  which  we  have 
suggested  on  several  occasions :  That  she  is  unmolested 
merely  because  the  would-be  molester  is  afraid  of  the  Old 
Lady  at  Home.  In  other  words.  Australia  is  trading  on, 
and  profiting  by.  the  reputation  as  a  "  knocker-out,"  which 
has  been  earned  by  the  United  Kingdom,  on  many  a  bloody 
field.  If  there  were  a  lapse  in  the  fighting  value  of  the  Old 
Country,  then,  Australia  could  bet  its  lowermost  corn-shuck, 
that  there  would  be  mighty  little  chance  of  a  "  white 
Australia" — of  an  English-speaking  kind.  At  times  like 
this,  it  is  necessary  to  speak  out :  kid-glove  oratory  is  of 
precious  little  use  :  and  there  has  been  far  too  much  of  it, 
in  the  past.  If  the  Cornstalk  is  serious  in  his  awakening, 
he  has  merely  to  ante  up  a  fair  share  toward  the  Imperial 
Forces,  and  then  he  may  go  to  sleep  without  caring  a  hang 
whether  he  is  in  striking  distance  of  sixteen  naval  stations, 
or  of  six  hundred  and  sixteen.  The  price  of  peace  and 
security,  is  £  s.  d.  At  home,  they  pay  it  up  for  a  Navy, 
alone,  to  the  tune  of  £1  per  head.  Let  not  the  fact  nor 
the  inference — be  forgotten  in  Australia. 

#  & 

AGAIN,  the  Commonwealth  has  been  losing  nearly  as 
much  per  annum,  as  she  is  willing  to  pay  as  her  subscrip- 
tion, toward  Imperial  Defence,  through  the  lax  manner  in 
which  she  attends  to  the  enforcing  of  the  ad  valorem  duties, 
which  have  been  imposed  by  the  Commonwealth  tariff. 
Most  of  this  lapse,  has  been  with  regard  to  the  gentle 
American  manufacturer,  who  is  thus  receiving  an  undue 
preference  over  his  British  competitor.  Of  course,  now 
that  the  slip  has  been  found  out,  there  is  a  quantity  of 
fussing  around,  to  alter  it.  Promises  are  being  made,  and 
among  them.  Mr.  McLean,  the  Federal  Minister  for  Trade 
and  Customs,  states  that,  directly  Parliament  meets,  he  is 
going  to  take  steps  to  render  it  impossible  for  the  American 
importer,  to  get  the  bulge  on  the  man  from  Home.  We 
suppose  it  will  come  out  right  in  the  end.  All  the  same, 
one  can  hardly  refrain  from  wondering,  that  if  there  were  a 


little  less  of  the  labour-mad  particular  about  :  and  a  little 
more  of  the  saner  business  methods  which,  at  one  time, 
distinguished  the  carrying  on  of  Australian  trade ;  our 
relatives  thereaway,  wouldn't  be  the  gainers?  It  is  ill 
scratching  one's  nose,  to  spite  one's  face.  For  some  time 
past,  that  is  exactly  the  pastime  at  which  the  Cornstalk 
has  been  pre-eminent. 

5?  *& 

WE  are  glad  to  note,  and  in  the  words  of  the  circular 
emanating  from  the  Presentation  Committee,  that  "A 
large  and  influential  number  of  the  industrial  tenants  of 
Lord  Bute,  at  Cardiff  Docks,  having  thought  it  desirable  to 
mark  the  occasion  of  his  Lordship's  marriage,  in  July  next, 
intend  to  present  his  bride  with  a  suitable  present."  This 
is  just  as  it  should  be,  and  we  are  sure  that  the  tenants 
alluded  to.  will  muster  around  the  two  hon.  secretaries  who 
have  undertaken  to  see  the  thing  through.  Secretary  No. 
1.  is  Mr.  William  Jones,  general  manager  of  the  Channel 
Dry  Docks  and  Pontoon  Company,  Ltd.,  and  than  himself, 
no  better  advocate  for  the  undertaking  could  be  found  ; 
while  he  is  to  be  ably  seconded  by  Mr.  Thos.  Andrews, 
East  Moors,  Cardiff.  Subscriptions  are  to  be  strictly 
limited  to  tenants  of  the  Bute  Dock  Estate,  and  as  they 
form  no  inappreciable  portion  of  the  Docks  district,  it  is 
safe  to  assume  that  the  business  will  be  carried  out  in 
appropriate  Cardiff  fashion.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to 
suggest  that  it  will  be  a  meritorious  deed,  to  reduce  the 
labours  of  the  joint  hon.  secretaries  to  a  minimum  ?  They 
are  business  men— and  busy  men ;  consequently  they 
will  appreciate  every  effort  which  aims  at  promptly  carry- 
ing out  the  task,  to  which  they  have  set  their  hands.  'Nuff 
sed? 

§?  & 

'Tis  pitiful  to  note  the  drivel  which  passes  current, 
these  days,  in  connection  with  the  Admiralty's  new 
foolishness,  in  the  matter  of  "training"  Naval  officers. 
A  London  ha'porth,  some  little  while  ago.  spread  itself  on 
"  A  visit  to  Osborne — Admirals  to  Order,"  and  now.  a 
correspondent  who  signs  himself  "  Only  a  Sailor,''  enthuses 
over  the  same  ridiculous  theme.  Personally,  we  are  of 
opinion  that  "  Only  a  Sailor,"  is  none  other  than  a  pen 
name,  for  one  of  the  Daily  Mail's  young  lions.  We  have 
too  high  a  belief  in  the  sailor's  common  sense,  to  accept  for 
a  moment,  as  fact,  the  twankey  which  is  embodied  over  the 
pen  name  referred  to.  Here  is  a  sample  of  the  stuff: 
"  Every  young  naval  officer  in  future  will  be  an  expert  in 
all  departments  connected  with  the  fighting  efficiency  of 
the  fleet."  If  it  weren't  rude,  we  should  be  inclined  to  say 
"  Rats."  Instead,  we  will  be  satisfied  with  the  remark, 
"  Fudge."  As  if  any  sailorman  thought  it  possible  for  a 
youngster  to  assimilate,  by  the  time  he  had  reached,  say, 
the  age  of  twenty-five  (much  less  earlier),  anything  more 
than  the  most  rudimentary  knowledge  of  the  business  of  a 
sailor.  To  read  the  trash  that  is  trotted  around  by  some 
of  these  public  educators,  one  would  imagine  that  it  is 
as  easy  to  be  a  sailor,  as  it  is  to  pose  as  a  "journalist"  on  a 
ha'penny  mornin'  paypah  ! 

#  & 

Is  anybody  going  to  pretend  that  the  constant  recurrence 
of  the  deplorable  accidents  to  which  we  are  treated,  is 
other  than  the  fault  of  placing  a  number  of  boys,  where 
men,  only,  should  be?  You  cannot  put  old  heads  on  young 
shoulders.  That  has  been  ever  admitted.  And  the  mere 
fact  of  your  being  able  to  cram  a  lad  with  a  quantity  of 
theoretical  data,  is  no  guarantee  that,  in  the  moment  of 
danger,  he  is  going  to  do  other  than  lose  his  head  -and  his 
ship  and  shipmates  along  with  it.  It  is  all  very  sentimental, 
and  hysterical,  to  prattle  about  the  youthful  hero  who 
didn't  flinch  from  his  post,  nay,  even  when  the  King  of 
Terrors  was  watching  him,  from  the  corner  of  his  starboard 


June   i 6,  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


75 


eye.  But  it  would  be  ever  so  much  better  to  know,  that,  if 
a  man  had  been  in  charge,  the  ship  and  her  crew  would 
have  been  saved  ?  In  our  youth,  we  had  a  holy  veneration 
for  the  boy  that  stood  on  the  burning  deck,  whence  all  but 
he  had  fled.  Since  coming  to  man's  estate,  however,  we 
cannot  refrain  from  wondering  what  sort  of  a  fat-head  it 
was.  who  wasted  his  life — for  a  fad  !  Expert,  forsooth  ! 
If  the  Admiralty  continues  in  its  latest  course  of  faddle- 
faddle.  there  will  shortly  be  no  Naval  ships  afloat.  And 
instead  of  an  annual  £40,000,000.  we  shall  need  that 
amount  multiplied  by  ten.  at  least.  Isn't  it  nearly  time  that 
they  quit  fooling?  We  think  so.  anyhow,  and  we  claim  to 
have  "  been  there."  a  bit. 

£1$ 

THERE  appears  to  be  a  quantity  of  fustian  going  around, 
in  connection  with  this  cry  for  more  commercial  dry  docks 
in  the  Bristol  Channel  ?  We  have  given  a  somewhat  ex- 
tended consideration,  to  the  subject,  in  another  part  of  this 
issue  :  but  that  is  no  reason  why  we  should  not  animadvert 
to  the  question,  here.  As  far  as  we  can  see.  the  cry  for 
more  docks  is  a  tinker's  cry,  solely.  At  the  present  time, 
the  docking  accommodation  in  the  Channel,  is  ample — as 
everyone  knows.  Ample  that  is.  for  the  quantity  of 
"lame  ducks"  which  foregather,  here,  on  occasion, 
although  if  there  were  twice  as  many,  there  would  still  be 
a  glut  once  in  a  while  for  lame  ducks  generally  come 
along  in  flocks.  Not  that  there  is  much  to  wonder  at,  in 
that,  for  a  disabled  steamer  is  generally  made  so  by  stress 
of  weather,  and  the  weather  which  touches  up  one  of  the 
crowd,  may  be  depended  on  to  get  its  work  in  on  a  few 
more,  at  the  same  time.  However,  under  normal  circum- 
stances, as  we  have  already  said,  the  docking  accommoda- 
tion is  ample  at  present,  for  the  tonnage  which  is  handled, 
here.  With  the  advent  of  the  New  South  Dock  at  Cardiff, 
and  consequent  upon  the  additional  tonnage  which  it  will 
naturally  attract  more  dry  dock  accommodation  will  be 
essential :  but  until  that  time  eventuates,  the  cry  for  more 
is— to  repeat  ourselves  a  tinker's  cry. 

§?fc 

MOREOVER,  if  there  were  a  dozen  additional  "commercial" 
dry  docks  constructed,  there  would  still  be  times  when  a 
scarcity  of  dock  was  in  evidence— for  a  day  or  so.  Under 
the  circumstances,  therefore,  why  should  the  various  dock 
companies  tie  up  a  few  hundred  thousands  of  pounds,  each. 
merely  for  the  purpose  of  satisfying  the  alleged  needs,  of  a 
number  of  sea-going  engineers  who  have  become  tired  of  a 
life  on  the  bounding  deep  ?  For  that  is  what  the  thing 
crystallises  itself  into,  argue  it  out  as  you  will.  Of  course. 
we  do  not  blame  this  section  of  the  community  for  attempt- 
ing to  maintain  their  old-time  game  of  "  bounce."  Not  a 
bit !  All  the  same,  it  is  distinctly  poor  policy  on  their  part. 
to  raise  a  fuss  about  the  matter,  when  they  find  that  wiser 
counsels  have  prevailed.  Having  found  that,  in  effect,  they 
are  merely  flogging  a  dead  horse,  why  do  not  they  throw. 
up  the  sponge,  and  cultivate  a  thankful  heart,  for  the 
mercies  and  blessings  which  have  been  vouchsafed  to  them? 
If  every  dock  company  in  the  Bristol  Channel  were  to  lay 
itself  out  for  the  construction  of  a  set  of  commercial  dry 
docks,  as  quickly  as  may  be  :  if  perfect  unanimity  obtained 
where,  at  present,  the  subject  is  considered  with  very  much 
of  an  open  mind— well,  what  would  happen  ? 

<<?*? 

SIMPLY  this.  It  would  be  quite  two  years  before  the 
suggested  dry  docks  were  in  working  order,  and  if,  by  that 
time,  the  tinkers  weren't  otherwise  engaged,  then,  we  should 
opine  that  the  dry  dock  folk  were  slower  than  they  appear 
to  have  been  in  the  past.  Instead  of  wasting  opportunities. 
and  more  or  less  clerical  ability,  in  giving  away  those  who 
have  obviously  befriended  him  :  instead  of  writing  a  quantity 
of  high  falutin'  nonsense  :  instead  of  posing  as  a  poor  little 


angel  whose  wing  feathers  have  been  damaged  ;  we  believe 
that,  for  instance,  "  Justitia,"  would  be  doing  himself  (and 
the  minnows  among  which  he  appears  to  be  the  Triton) 
more  good,  by  counselling  the  tinker  to  stick  to  his  tinker- 
ing :  to  accept  favours  as  such  ;  and  not  to  be  so  utterly 
misguided  as  to  imagine  that  what  was  a  favour  yesterday. 
is  a  right  to-day — and  merely  because  the  London  Salvage 
Association  appears  to  have  sprung  a  leak.  The  anony- 
mous genius,  to  whom  we  have  so  lengthily  referred,  may 
take  it  for  granted  that  the  caulking  mallet's  merry  ring, 
will  soon  resound  in  the  vicinity  of  the  leaky  offices— and 
what  will  the  tinker  do  then,  poor  thing  ?  Will  he  return 
to  the  ever-open  business  of  sea-lawyer  and — incidentally^ 
greaser :  or  will  he  seek  a  chargeman's  job.  under  one  of 
the,  at  present,  everything-that-is-bad  dry  dock  companies? 

g>e    9tg 

vw     ted 

ON  Saturday,  last,  a  contingent  of  British  seamen  under- 
took to  awaken  a  little  interest  in  their  deplorable  case,  by 
parading  the  streets  of  Cardiff.  This  movement  appears 
to  have  nothing  in  common  with  the  John  'Aavelock  Wilson 
dodge  of  congregating  anything  that  wears  pants — so  long 
as  it  will  "join  the  union."  On  the  contrary,  rather,  for 
the  watchword,  here,  appears  to  be  "  British  seamen  for 
British  ships" — a  doctrine  which  has  our  unqualified 
sympathy.  To  say  the  least,  it  is  a  bit  rough  on  your 
fellow-countrymen,  to  know  that  the  sole  reason  for  his 
hanging  around  James  Street,  lays  in  the  fact  that  nature 
had  him  born  a  Briton.  We  know,  from  actual  observation, 
that  to-day  is  the  cult  of  the  doctrine  which  has  it  "  No 
Briton  need  apply."  Your  only  qualification  as  a  seaman 
for  a  British  steamer,  in  the  majority  of  instances,  is  that 
you  know  no  English  :  that  you  will  agree  to  take  any  kind 
of  treatment ;  any  food  ;  and  any  wages.  Furthermore,  if 
you  will  agree  to  hand  over  a  portion  of  the  latter  to  the 
harpy  who  "supplies'"  you,  then,  so  much  the  better  for 
your  foreign  case.  There  is  a  radical  need  for  change, 
when  a  man  is  damned  in  his  own  country,  for  being  a 
native  of  that  country  ? 

&  & 

YET  we  have  proof  that  the  British  seaman  is,  after  all, 
the  best  kind  of  stuff  with  which  dividends  may  be  earned. 
Recently,  we  have  seen  steamer  balance  sheets,  which 
show  the  highest  return  obtaining  under  the  present 
depressed  state  of  trade,  and  the  pleasing  results  have 
been  obtained  on  steamers  which  carry,  exclusively. 
British  seamen  and  firemen.  As  we  have  stated  ere  this, 
experience  has  taught  us  that  the  Briton  is  the  best  man 
under  all  circumstances,  and  where  he  is  shown  to  be 
turbulent  and  unsatisfactory,  then,  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten. 
you  may  take  it  from  us  that  he  is  not  nearly  so  much  to 
blame,  as  are  the  people  who  are  put  to  "  boss  "  him.  Given 
a  shipmaster  and  officers  who  know  their  business ;  who 
will  see  to  it  that  there  is  no  shinnannakinfrom  the  com- 
,  raencement  of  the  voyage  :  who.  at  all  times,  keep  clear  of 
any  suspicion  of  conduct  that  is  likely  to  get  them  into 
trouble  :  and — well,  the  British  seaman  is  the  man  for  the 
owner's  money.  We  say  this,  because  it  is  the  outcome  of 
personal  experience,  and  if  we  would,  we  could  give 
chapter  and  verse  for  some  of  the  occasions  where  the 
Briton  has  kicked  over  the  traces,  and  why.  Also,  you 
may  take  it  from  us,  that  the  "  why  "  was  anything  but  to 
the  credit  of  those  mainly  interested. 

5?%5 

HOWEVER,  we  have  our  doubts  as  to  whether  parading  the 
street  will  benefit  Jack,  a  great  deal.  Generally  speaking, 
the 'longshoreman  views  such  "demonstrations,"  very  much 
as  he  would  a  May-day  show.  Imagines  it  is  got  up  for 
his  special  edification,  and  principally  because  he  knows 
nothing  of  the  subject.  Something  more  than  a  walking 
demonstration  is  needed,  in  this  connection.  And  the 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June   id,    1905 


"  popular "  journals  which  attend  to  the  'longshoreman's 
education,  are  hand-in-glove  with  the  sweater  of  the 
seaman — or  it  would  appear  so,  judging  by  results.  For 
instance,  we  note  in  the  "special  edition"  of  a  Cardiff 
ha'porth.  on  the  day  in  question,  that  just  thirteen  lines 
were  devoted  to  "British  Crews  for  British  Ships"  a 
subject  that  is  fraught  with  life-and-death  issues  to  the 
whole  country  :  but  to  an  "  Unsavoury  Maesteg  Case  " 
where  an  alleged  criminal  assault  was  on  tap  -the  whole  of 
one  hundred  and  sixteen  lines  were  devoted.  This,  too, 
in  revivalled  Cardiff!  It  is  somewhat  unnecessary  to 
moralise  on  the  circumstances,  don't  you  think  ?  And 
after  all.  one  need  hardly  wonder  that  the  British  seaman 
is  gradually  becoming  as  extinct  as  the  dodo :  or  that 
"  unsavoury  cases  "  are  becoming  so  disgustingly  common. 
Let  us  leave  it.  and  the  hypocrisy  that  is  wrapped  up  in  the 
"  business  "  which  prompts  it  all. 


WE  suppose  that  Page's  Weekly  means  well,  and  is 
therefore  to  be  commended?  It  comes  about  this  way.  In 
commenting  on  the  collision  between  the  warships,  Triumph 
and  Swiftsure.  and  the  sinking  of  the  Afghanistan,  our  con- 
temporary ends  up  with  the  remark  that  "  it  seems  almost 
incredible  that  at  the  present  day  it  should  be  possible  for 
one  war  vessel  to  rr.m  another  in  the  course  of  peaceful 
operations."  Does  it  9  Well,  then,  it  shouldn't  appear 
anything  at  all  of  the  sort,  in  view  of  the  grand  total  of 
incidents  where  the  same  little  dodge  is  enacted.  It  is  all 
very  well  to  affect  a  pious  horror  at  these  little  idiosyncracies 
which  are  attached  to  the  Senior  Service  :  it  is  equally 
pretty  and  mistakenly-patriotic,  to  pretend  that  a  warship 
can  do  no  wrong  :  but  in  neither  instance  is  it  the  truth. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  peace-time  disasters  with  the  fleet  are 
becoming  so  commonplace,  that  in  nautical  quarters,  they 
scarcely  raise  more  than  a  gentle  shrug  of  the  shoulders  : 
a  sort  of  dumb  qui  voulez  vous  ?  And  this  is  just  what,  might 
be  expected  —  when  you  get  ready-made  nautical  "experts" 
at  twenty-one.  Those  "  incredible  "  affairs  will  continue. 
for  just  as  long  as  the  powers  that  be.  persevere  in  their 
attempts  to  go  against  nature.  A  chain  is  no  stronger  than 
its  weakest  link,  and  it  is  useless  having  a  wily,  and  ancient 
admiral  in  charge,  if  his  details  have  to  be  turned  over  to  a 
number  of  over-educated  youths. 


To  those  of  our  seafaring  friends  who  had  the  pleasure  of 
his  acquaintance  and  their  name  is  legion  —  it  will  come  as 
a  shock,  to  learn  of  the  death  of  Captain  Richard  Davies, 
late  dockmaster  at  Barry  Dock.  The  deceased  gentle- 
man, who  had  been  in  failing  health,  for  some  time  past. 
went  over  to  the  majority  on  Friday  last,  and  although  his 
illness  was  fairly-well  known,  and  deplored,  among  his 
large  circle  of  friends,  his  death  came  somewhat  suddenly. 
after  all.  It  naturally  follows,  that  a  man  may  not  act  as 
dockmaster  to  an  important  dock  system  for  a  matter  of  some 
sixteen  years,  without  becoming  a  well-known  figure  :  and 
those  who  had  grown  familiar  with  his  burly  form;  who  had 
received  many  a  "  lift  "  in  the  course  of  their  business 
transactions  :  who  had  learned  to  esteem  and  respect  the 
hearty  sailorman,  for  his  many  good  points,  and  kindly  and 
genial  manner  ;  these,  then,  will  miss  him.  In  addition  to 
those  who  were  acquainted  with  him.  professionally,  there 
is  a  large  number  who  will  miss  him  equally,  from  the  social 
life  of  which  he  was  an  earnest,  and  willing  supporter. 
With  the  educational  life  of  Barry,  Captain  Davies  had  ever 
associated  himself,  and  as  an  example  of  his  staunchness 
in  this  direction,  we  may  remark  that,  for  some  twelve 
years,  he  was  a  member  of  the  Barry  School  Board  -up  to 
the  time  of  its  merging  into  the  newer-fangled  arrangement. 
We  tender  our  sincere  condolences  to  those  who  are  left 
to  mourn  the  hearty  sailor's  loss. 


MARITIME    MARK    MAKERS. 

AMMON    BEASLEY.    ESQ. 
(General  Manager.  Taff  Vale  Railway  Company.) 

3N  introducing  to  our  readers,  the  subject  of  our  this 
week's  biographical  sketch,  we  may  as  well   admit, 
at  once,  that  we  by  no  means  wish  it  to  be  under- 
stood, that  we  are  giving  more  than  the  barest  outline 
of  the  work  of  Mr.  Ammon  Beasley.     When  a  man's  work 
has  extended  over  practically  half-a-century ;   when  that 
stretch  of  time  has  been  passed,  exclusively,  in  responsible 
positions  under  great   railway   companies :  when   the  last 
thirteen  years  thereof,  have  been  occupied  with  the  duties 
which  gravitate  around  the  position   of  general  manager,  of 
ar.  important  line  such  as  the  Taff  Vale  Railway  Company  : 
then,  it  would  be  the  veriest  pretence,  to  attempt  to  more 
than  touch  lightly,  on   the  doings  of  such  a  life  of  work-in 
one  column   of  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW.     Furthermore,  the 
faithful  historian  has  already  been  ahead  of  us :  has  told 
much  that  is  good  of  Mr.  Beasley     even  as  the  historian, 
who  claims  to   be  equally  truthful,  has  written   much  that 
is  other  than  good  !     Among  the   latter,  may  be  found  the 
gentlemen  who  will  go  down  to  posterity,  under  the  title  of 
trades  unionists,  "  labour  leaders,"  or  some  similar  appella- 
tion :  and  when  it  is  remembered  that  Mr.  Beasley  taught 
those  same  "  leaders."  the  lesson  of  their  lives     well,  you 
will  not  wonder  that  their  history  anent  this  lesson-giving 
gentleman   is  somewhat  biassed  ?     However,  to  touch  on 
the  points  of  the  career  of  this  "Maritime  Mark  Maker" 
who  has  made  it  possible — by  attending  to  an  ample  supply 
of  fuel — for  other  "  mark    makers "    to    graduate    in   the 
commercial  world,  we  find  that,  for  thirty-five  years.  Mr. 
Beasley  was  with  the  Great   Western  Railway  Company, 
and  under  their  go-ahead  rule,  filled   many  important  roles. 
When  called  on  to  fill  his  present  niche  in  the  commercial 
temple  of  fame,  this   strenuous   labourer  found,  that  the 
work    to     which     he     had     been     called,    was    anything 
but    that  which  is    popularly    supposed  to    surround    the 
business  of  a  railway    manager.     Most  railway  managers 
find     their      position     already      assured :       their      work 
established  as  a  going  concern  ;  and  all  that  is  necessary 
is    to    carry     on,     where    "the    other    fellow"    left    off. 
Not  so.  in  this  instance,  for  the  whole  of  the  line  had  to  be 
reorganised,  and   how  well   that  reorganisation   has    been 
effected,  is  common  knowledge  to  everybody  in  this  district: 
and  to  a  large  number  in  districts  much  more  remote.     But 
we  do  not  intend  to  follow  along  in  the   path  of  the  typical 
scribe  ;  shall  not  go  into  a   labyrinth  of  figures  which  may. 
or  may  not,  give  you  pleasure  ;  and   mainly  for  the  reason 
that  the  figures  referred  to.  are  comeatable  on  all  occasions; 
are  just  figures,  and  no  more.     We  wish  to  give  you  some 
inkling  of  the  man,  himself ;  and  of  the  esteem  in  which  he 
is  held,  by  his   colleagues,  and    competitors.     For  a  fairly- 
good   representation   of   Mr.    Beasley.   as    he   appears   on 
ordinary  occasions,  we   cannot  do  better  than  refer  you  to 
his   photograph,  which   we  are  glad  to   reproduce  pn  our 
front   page.     For  the   man.  himself,   then,  we   believe   no 
better  tribute  of  his  sterling  worth  could  be  found,  than  his 
recent  unanimous  election  to  the  presidency  of   the  newly- 
formed   Bristol  Channel  Dock  Owners'  Association.     This, 
as  we  explained  in  a  recent  issue,   includes  the  docks  of 
Cardiff,  Penarth.  Barry,  Newport.  Port  Talbot,  Swansea. 
Sharpness,    Bristol    and    Milford— ra    combination     which 
represented,  in  1904,  a  due-paying  net  registered  tonnage, 
approximating  into    19,000,000  tons.      And  in  summing 
up  the   whole    of  the    work    carried    out   by   this  Maritime 
Mark    Maker,    we  might  well   be   inclined  tore-echo  the 
character  that  was  given  him,  at   a  local  gathering,  in  the 
near    past  ;  a  character    which    amply   showed    that   his 
thoroughness   was  understood,  and    appreciated,  by  those 
with  whom  he  comes  in   contact :    "  Whatsoever  thy  hand 
findeth  to  do,  do   it  with  all  thy  heart,  with   all  thy  might. 
and  with  all  thy  soul."     It  is  a  quotation  ;  we  admit  it ;  but 
in     connection    with    the    undertakings    of    Mr.    Ammon 
Beasley.  it  is  a  more  than  usually  apt  one. 


JUIR-    1 6,  1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


77 


SHIPBUILDING. 


IT  cannot  be  doubted  that  the  signs  of  the  times  point  to 

a    slump  in   shipbuilding.     The  freight  markets  continue 

isappointing.  and  from  a  shipowner's  point  of    view. 

e  outlook  is  still  unpromising,  and  what  is  to  be  done 

the  large  quantity  of  new  tonnage  now  building,  and 

soon  to  come  into  the  market,   is   a   problem   difficult   to 

Many  of  these  are  speculative  boats,   which  their 

owners  are  anxious  to  sell,  and  some  of  them  are  offering 

at  prices  which  must  mean   a   heavy   loss   to  the  sellers. 

There  will,  no  doubt,  be  important  orders  for  new  warships. 

both  from    Russia  and  Japan,  but  only  the  few  selected 

builders  will  participate  in  this  class  of    work,  and  at  the 

present  time  inquiries  for  steamers  of  the  ordinary  tramp 

type  are  almost  non-existent. 

+   -f   + 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Dicido.  lately  owned  by  the 
Trinidad  Steam  Shipping  Company.  Ltd..  London,  has  been 
sold  to  Messrs.  Stewart  &  Harkness.  of  Liverpool.  She 
was  built  by  Messrs.  Craig.  Taylor  &  Co..  Stockton,  in 
1903.  1.478  tons  gross.  Dimensions.  250ft.  x  37ft.  2in 
x  21ft.  2in. :  carries  about  2.650  tons  deadweight  :  with 
engines  19in..  3 lin..  5 lin.  x  36in.  stroke,  by  the  North 
Eastern  Marine  Engineering  Company.  Ltd.  This  steame 
has  been  laid  up  in  the  Tyne  for  about  two  years:  owing  to 
the  low  freights  offering,  the  late  owners  considered  it 
advisable  to  lay  her  up  rather  than  run  at  a  loss.  It  is 
seldom  we  hear  of  a  bran  new  boat  lying  idle  for  the  first 
two  years  of  her  life.  She  has  now  been  sold  at  about 
£18.500.  which  is  considerably  less  than  she  cost  to  build. 

•»•  +  -f 

THE  steel  twin  screw  passenger  steamer  Deerhound, 
lately  owned  by  the  North  Pier  Steamship  Company.  Ltd.. 
Blackpool,  has  been  sold  to  the  West  Cornwall  Steamship 
Company,  of  Penzance.  at  £9,000.  She  was  built  by 
Messrs.  John  Jones  &  Sons.  Liverpool,  in  1901.  Dimen- 
sions. 189ft.  x  26ft.  lin.  x  10ft.  7in.  :  482  tons  gross: 
fitted  with  two  sets  of  triple  expansion  engines:  cylinders. 
16in..  26in..  38in.  x  24in.  stroke:  steams  15 '2  knots: 
carries  645  passengers  on  No.  4  certificate. 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Mathilda,  lately  owned  by  Mr 
Jacob  Christensen.  of  Bergen.  Norway,  has  been  sold  to 
Japanese  buyers,  at  about  £22.000.  She  was  built  by 
Messrs.  W.  Gray  &t  Co..  Ltd..  West  Hartlepool.  in  1895. 
Dimensions.  325ft.  x  47ft.  x  27ft.  4in.  :  3.436  tons  gross  : 
with  engines  24in..  38in..  64in.  x  42in  stroke,  by  the 
Central  Marine  Engine  Works. 

•»   •»•   -f 

MESSRS.  HENRY  SAMMAN  &  Co..  of  Hull,  have  sold  their 
steel  screw  steamer  Sturton.  to  Greek  buyers,  for  £16.250. 
She  wastuilt  by  Messrs.  W.  Gray  &  Co..  Ltd..  in  1897. 
2.128  tons  gross.  Dimensions.  290ft.  x  42ft.  x  21ft.  9in. : 
carries  3.500  tons  deadweight,  on  18ft.  6in.  draft:  with 
engines  21  '2in..  35in..  58in..  x  39in.  stroke,  by  the  Central 

Marine  Engine  Works. 

•»•   4   + 

THE  iron  screw  steamer,  T.  E.  Forster.  lately  owned  by 
Messrs.  J.  O.  Scott  &  Co..  Newcastle,  has  been  sold  to 
Messrs.  T.  Pallister  &  Co.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  T. 
It  W.  Smith.  North  Shields,  in  1866.  Dimensions. 
218ft.  4in.  x  28ft.  Sin.  x  16ft.:  796  tons  gross:  with 
engines.  25in..  49in.  x  30in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  R.  &  W. 

Hawthorn. 

•f   -f   -f 

THE  Iron  screw  steamer.  Circassia.  owned  by  Mr.  W.  C. 
Gray,  of  West  Hartlepool.  is  reported  sold  to  Swedish 
buyers,  at  about  £5.250.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  W. 
Gray  &  Co..  Ltd..  West  Hartlepool.  in  1878.  Dimensions, 
241ft.  x  33ft.  3in.  x  18ft.  2in. :  1.878  tons  gross:  with 


engines  27in.,   55in.  x  33in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  T.  Richard- 
son &  Sons. 

THE  iron  screw  steamer  Rockton.  lately  owned  by  the 
Australasian  United  Steam  Navigation  Co.,  Ltd.,  of 
London  and  Sydney,  has  been  sold  to  Japanese  buyers  at 
about  £10.000.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  Napier,  Shanks 
&  Bell.  Glasgow,  in  1882.  Dimensions.  270ft.  x  37ft.  x 

!ft.  7in. :  1,978  tons  gross  :  with  engines,  4 lin..  78in  x 
54in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  J.  &  J.  Thomson. 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Argus,  lately  owned  by  Messrs. 
A.  Currie  &  Co.,  Melbourne,  has  been  sold  to  Japanese 
buyers  at  about  £19.000.  She  was  built  and  engined  by 
the  Palmers  Company.  Limited,  Newcastle,  in  1889. 
Dimensions.  325ft.  x  40ft.  4in.  x  25ft.  2in.  ;  2,792  tons 
gross :  with  engines  26in.,  43in..  70in.  x  45in.  stroke. 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Donegal  Castle,  lately  owned  by 
Dr.  J.  Martin,  of  Newry.  has  been  sold  to  Messrs.  G. 
Webster  &  Co..  of  Glasgow.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  J. 
shearer  &  Son.  Glasgow,  in  1895.  Dimensions.  135ft.  x 
.  Sin.  x  10ft.  9in. :  291  tons  gross:  with  engines  17in.. 
36in..-x  24in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  Hutson  &  Sons. 

+  -f  + 

THE  iron  screw  steamer  Cam.  lately  owned  by  the  East 
Coast  Steam  Shipping  Company,  Ltd.,  King's  Lynn,  has 
been  sold  to  Mr.  W.  Alston.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  J. 
McArthur  &  Co..  Paisley,  in  1883.  Dimensions. 
120ft.  4in.  x  20ft.  x  10ft.  6in.  :  180  tons  gross:  with 
engines.  15in..  27in.  x  21in.  stroke. 

+••*•* 

THE  Dampfschiffs-Reederei  Union.  Hamburg,  have 
ordered  four  steamers,  each  of  5,000  tons  deadweight, 
from  the  Irvine  Shipbuilding  and  Dry  Dock  Company,  Ltd., 
West  Hartlepool.  The  machinery  will  be  supplied  by 
Messrs.  Richardson,  Westgarth  &  Co.,  Ltd. 

•f  +  + 

IT  is  reported  that  the  Kosmos  Line,  Hamburg,  have 
bought  a  steamer  of  9.000  tons  from  Sir  W.  G.  Armstrong, 
Whitworth  &  Co..  Newcastle,  and  another  of  7.200  tons. 
from  Messrs.  Wm.  Pickersgill  &  Sons.  Sunderland.  Both 
vessels  are  in  course  of  construction. 

MESSRS.  GOURLAY  BROTHERS,  &  Co.,  Dundee,  have 
received  an  order  from  the  London  and  South  Western 
Railway  Company,  for  a  steamer  of  about  520  tons  gross. 
She  will  be  employed  in  the  cargo  trade  between 
Southampton  and  the  Channel  Islands. 

•f  -f  + 

_^.  SHE  iron  screw  steamer  Dispatch,  lately  owned  by 
Messrs.  Steel  &  Bennie.  Ltd.,  Glasgow,  has  been  sold  to 
Mr.  J.  Shells,  of  Belfast.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  R. 
Duncan  &  Co..  Port  Glasgow,  in  1870.  Dimensions.  1 19ft. 
x  21ft.  x  10ft.  6in. 

THE  steel  steam  trawler.  Lynx,  built  by  Messrs.  Mackie 
&  Thomson.  Glasgow,  in  1896,  for  the  Grimsby  and  North 
Sea  Trawling  Company,  Limited.  Grimsby.  has  been  sold  to 

Spanish  buyers. 

•f  +  + 

THE  iron  screw  steamer  Emily,  156  tons  gross,  built  at 
Liverpool,  in  1868,  and  owned  by  Messrs.  Burnett  Bros. 
&  Sons,  of  London,  is  reported  sold  to  British  buyers. 

-f  +  + 

MESSRS.  SCOTT  BROTHERS.  Limited,  of  Newcastle,  are 
the  purchasers  of  the  steamer  Amphitrite,  reported  sold  in 
our  last  issue. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June   1 6,    1905 


FRIDAY.  JUNE  16.   1905. 


I 


ON    SHIP-REPAIRING    AMENITIES. 


N  our  issue  of  April  21.  we  had  something  to  say, 
concerning  the  alleged  dry  dock  "  ring  "  in  the 
Bristol  Channel,  and  suggested  that  the  whole 
question  had  resolved  itself  into  one  of  "  Tinker- 
ing the  tinker."  Moreover,  we  wound  up  our 
comments  with  :  "There  is  as  much  favouritism,  in  certain 
quarters,  as  there  is  soup-and-bouilii-can  work  in  others  : 
and  Cardiff— to  say  nothing  of  other  Bristol  Channel  ports 
—  is  altogether  too  big  a  spot,  for  a  continuance  of  such 
tactics  to  be  permissable."  Judging  by  later  examples  of 
the  pretended  discussion,  and  which  have  appeared  in 
various  quarters,  we  believe  it  will  be  admitted  that  our 
remarks  on  the  occasion  referred  to.  were  anything  but 
wide  of  the  truth  —  even  as  we  knew,  at  the  time  of  writing. 
Indeed,  we  knew  that  it  was  because  of  their  power  to 
touch  the  spot,  so  to  speak,  that  so  much  soreness  was 
exhibited,  by  those  unfortunates  who  carry  the  said  spot ! 
However, — !  It  is  now  more  than  a  fortnight,  since  one 
"  Justitia"  spread  himself  in  the  columns  of  a  local  "  daily," 
and  in  that  spreading,  laid  claim  to  a  certain  and  well- 
defined  amount  of  "  inside  knowledge."  concerning  that 
portion  of  Bristol  channel  ship-repairing,  which  is  attended 
to  by  the  London  Salvage  Association.  To  the  time  of 
this  present  writing,  we  have  seen  no  disclaimer  from  the 
Association,  nor  from  any  of  its  individual  members,  so  we 
naturally  conclude  that  the  books  of  the  London  Salvage 
Association  are  open  to  this  "  Justitia  "  who,  obviously,  is 
one  of  the  tinker  brigade.  Of  course,  we  do  not  suggest 
that  the  gentleman  may  simply  stroll  into  the  offices  of 
the  Association  and.  at  his  own  sweet  leisure,  cull  from 
those  books,  anything  which  pleases  his  passing  fancy. 
That  would  be  to  suggest  an  absurdity.  But  when  a 
writer  undertakes  to  inform  the  world  (or  as  much  of  it  as 
happens  upon  his  lucubrations),  that,  "  to  confine  one's 
self  to  actual  facts,  the  work  accomplished  on  behalf  of 
the  London  Salvage  Association  (whose  surveyors  super- 
vise practically  the  whole  ,of  the  underwriters'  work) 
represented  in  1904.  considerably  over  half-a-million"- 
well.  do  you  blame  us  for  wondering  if  the  time  has  arrived, 
when  those  underwriters  would  be  acting  in  their  best 
interests,  if  they  had  a  sort  of  Spring-clean,  in  the  adminis- 
trative portions  of  their  Association  ?  In  other  words. 
seeing  that — from  dry  rot.  or  other,  and  more  subtle  cause 
-  there  are  leaks  in  either  the  London,  or  the  local,  offices 
of  the  Salvage  Association;-  shouldn't  those  leaks  be 
attended  to  by  a  repairer  who  is  neither  a  dry  dock  man. 
nor  a  tinker?  We  think  so.  anyhow  ;  for  when  one  tinker 
is  in  a  position  to  trot  out  the  combined  figures  for  a  whole 
district ;  is  able  to  tell  what  each  dry  dock  does,  as  well  as 
the  share  carried  out  by  each  individual  tinker  ;  then,  in  our 
opinion,  the  statement  anent  favouritism  in  this  connection, 
needs  no  further  accentuation?  Under  the  circumstances, 
therefore,  we  should  like  to  know  whether  this  "inside  in- 
formation "  came  from  the  local  offices,  or  from  the  head 
office,  in  London  ?  If  from  the  local  office',  then,  was  it 
with  the  consent  of  the  head  office  ?  On  the  other 
hand,  if  the  London  office  of  the  Salvage  Association  knew 
nothing  of  the  occurrence,  until  "Justitia"  had  persuaded 
our  contemporary  to  give  him  a  run  for  his  money,  if  we 
may  put  it  thus :  have  they  (the  London  folk,  you  know), 
taken  any  steps  to  provide  that  such  a  leakage  of  what 
should  be  private  matters,  does  not  again  transpire  ?  We 
ask  these  questions,  because  we  are  interested  ;  for  the 


reason  that  we  have  more  than  a  nodding  acquaintance 
with  the  methods  obtaining  with  sundry  tinkering  concerns: 
that,  in  short,  and  to  quote  "Justitia,"  who  is  evidently 
persona  grata  with  the  Association  (or  with  some  of  its 
units  ?),  we  have  "  not  exhausted  the  data,"  at  our 
disposal.  Continuing  our  questioning,  let  us  ask  if  the 
"  inside  information,"  had  anything  to  do  with  the  amiable 
results,  which  crystallised  around  the  non-dock-owning 
firm,  that  walked  off  with  the  20>£  per  cent,  of  the  whole 
of  the  repairs  which  were  attended  to  (no.  supervised), 
by  the  London  Salvage  Association's  surveyors  ?  Or  did 
a  lack  of  "inside  information,"  tend  to  the  paucity  of 
results,  that  were  shown  by  the  "  private  dry  dock  firm," 
which  merely  assimilated  a  paltry  10X  per  cent,  of  the 
whole  ?  You  see,  as  shipping  people,  we  have  a  right  to 
seek  enlightenment  on  these  points — particularly  in  view  of 
that  "data  "  which  we  are  saving  for  another  time,  and 
season.  As  we  are  neither  dry  dock  folk,  nor  tinkers,  it 
will  be  seen  that  we  have  no  axe  to  grind  in  the  matter  ; 
that  all  we  are  aiming  at,  is  the  elucidation  of  a  seeming 
mystery  :  and  the  tabling  of  the  truth — if  there  is  any  such 
hanging  about  it — of  the  situation.  Leaving  the  phase  of 
knowledge  gathered,  somehow,  from  the  Association,  let  us 
consider  another  side  of  this  "knowing"  (and  data- 
gathering)  person  who  has  achieved  immortality,  under  the 
nom  de  guerre  of  "Justitia."  Here  is  a  quotation:  "At 
the  present  moment,  Mr.  Monroe,  the  hon.  secretary  of  the 
Employers'  Association,  has  in  his  possession  an  agreement 
signed  by  the  principal  of  (and  binding)  each  firm  in  the 
Bristol  Channel,  not  to  send  an  unsolicited  quotation  to 
any  shipowner,  and  yet,  despite  this  agreement,  two  of  the 
firms  in  the  present  '  ring,'  sent,  only  last  week,  unsolicited 
quotations  for  drydocking  and  painting  "--'fore  all  the 
world  as  if  those  dry  dock  "  ringers,"  were  merely  the 
common  or  garden  sort  of  tinker  men  ?  But  how  did 
"  Justitia"  get  his  information?  Was  it  handed  to  him, 
because  the  recipients  of  the  "  unsolicited,"  happened  to 
be  concerns  in  which  "  Justitia's  "  affair  had  "invested  " 
"  so  that  we  may,  at  least,  get  the  repairs,  even  if  we  do 
not  get  any  dividend  ?".  This,  you  know,  is  a  bit  more  of 
the  "data."  to  which  we  referred,  'way  back.  You'll  be 
surprised,  one  of  these  days,  when  we  give  you  our  data. 
When  we  quote  for  your  enlightenment,  from  the  agree- 
ment which  provides  that  all  repairing  shall  be  handed  over 
to  the  investor  (in  this  case ),  when  the  Festive  Fan  comes 
to  "  our  port."  We  might  also  show  you  how  paint  firms 
write.  "  we  shall  be  willing  to  take  five  hundred  shares, 
if  So-and-so  will  undertake  to  give  us  the  bottoms  and 
boot-toppings."  Bide  a  wee.  and  the  dry  dock  "ring" 
will  be  as  nothing,  when  compared  with  other  merry  little 
dodges  which  materialise,  for  the  purpose  of  "  spoofing  " 
the  silly  person  who  puts  his  money  into  shipping,  merely  as 
an  ordinary  investor.  Moreover,  we,  like  "Justitia,"  shall 
confine  ourselves  to  actual  facts  :  shall  give  you  quotations  ; 
and  all  that  sort  of  thing  !  Reverting  to  the  tail-end  (to 
keep  to  the  local  colouring  of  the  business!)  of  this  latest 
Mentor's  screed,  we  find  that,  "  The  above  figures  (the 
percentages  roped  in  by  tinker,  etc.,  you'll  remember)  are 
startling  enough,  and  would  not  have  been  given  (was 
"  Justitia"  half-inclined  to  believe  that,  in  his  wrath,  he 
was.  even  then,  "queering  his  own  pitch?")  had  they  not 
been  courted  by  the  '  ring's  '  unhappy  special  pleaders  (yea 
lor'!)"  You  know  we  are  half '  sorry  for  poor  "Justitia." 
Mainly  because  his  writing  ability  is  on  a  par  with  his 
diplomacy— and  they  are.  both  of  them,  bad.  It  never 
dawned  on  him.  that  it  is  sometimes  necessary  to  stoop  to 
conquer  ;  to  draw  the  herring  across  the  trail,  when  "  out  " 
for  facts  which  may  not  be  garnered,  otherwise !  For 
ourselves— and  possibly  we  are  ranked  among  those 
"unhappy  special  pleaders."  for  you  never  know,  when 
"  justice  "  is  on  the  rampage  ? — we  have  already  told  you 
that  there  is  as  much  favouritism,  in  certain  quarters,  as 
there  is  soup-and-bouilli-can  work,  in  others  ;  but  we  were 
anxious  to  obtain  corroboration.  To  emphasize  our 


June   16,  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


previous  remarks.   "Justitia"   admits    that    "these  facts 
were  not  known  to  the  members,  generally" — that  is,  the 
facts  which  c'ealt  with  the   percentages  of  work  done  for 
the   London   Salvage  Association,    by    the    various    ship- 
repairing  concerns,    in  the    Bristol   Channel.     Of  course, 
they  weren't !  It  would  appear  to  be  necessary  to  pose  as  a 
"  curly-haired    boy."   ere  you   may   hope   to  pick    up    the 
information   as  to  what  salvage   associations  engage   in  ? 
And  being  on  the  search  for  information,  may  we  ask  if  the 
same  "  curly  haired  "  propensity,  had  anything  to  do  with 
the  20  '-4  per  cent,  of  the  Salvage  Association's  work,  that 
was  obtained  by  the  non-dock-owning  concern  prattled  of, 
by  "Justitia."  even  while  the  next  best  dock-owning  firm 
merely  got  15'4    per  cent,  thereof?     "  Save  us  from  our 
friends."  is  a  jape  that  has  been  handed  down  from    the 
ages  which  have  gone.     It  is  just  as  applicable  to-day  :  and 
to  our  mind,  it  would   pay  those  disseminators  of  "  inside 
knowledge  "  to  pause,  before  trusting  their  figures  outside 
the  office,  in  future  :  and  having  paused,  to  genteelly  declare 
that  they  wouldn't  any  more--for  fear  of  the  shuffling  of 
the  cards,  all  'round,  which  might  ultimately  follow.     That 
is  our  opinion,  and  we  give  it  in  all  seriousness,  even  as  we 
ask.    once    more,   whether     the    new    marine    engineers' 
institute-that-is-to-be.  will  offer  any  inducements  to  super- 
men who  are  connected  with  tinkeries  :  inducements  that 
may  be  calculated  to  increase  the   percentages  of  work 
done  thereat :  and  to  add  yet  another  curl  or  so,  to  the 
heads  which   have  been   fairly-well  adorned  therewith,  in 
the  past  ?     We  write  of  what  we  know,  for,  like  "  Justitia  " 
(once  more  >  we  have,  by  no  means,  exhausted  our  data 
(which  is  a  good  word     for  a  tinker?).     Really,  the  tinker 
is  taking  himself  too  seriously  :  and  if  he  isn't  being  aided 
and  abetted   by  somebody  inside  the  Salvage  Association, 
then,  that  concern   should   make  it  plain  to  the  world,  by 
saying  so.     When  an  anonymous  correspondent  takes  it 
upon  himself  to  make   public  statements,  concerning  an 
Association  which,  hitherto,  has  been  above  reproach  ;  and. 
if  such  statements  are  calculated  to  mislead  the  community: 
well,  in  tommon  fairness,  such   Association  should   speak, 
and  in  no  uncertain  manner  ?  It  might  be  said,  that  seeing 
the  "Justitia"  spleen   is  anonymous.it  is  unworthy  the 
serious  attention    of   the   Salvage    Association.      In    the 
majority  of  instances,  this  would   be   en  regie :  but  when 
the  anonymity  is  nearly  as  thin,  as  is  the  cover  which  is 
placed  over  the  favouritism   of   which  we  have  written  :  as 
a  body  of  business  men,   the  Association  should   let  the 
world  hear  from    it.     Is  not  this  good  counsel  ?    It  is  ill. 
fouling  one's  nest,  at   any   time  :  but  supposing  there  are 
different  degrees  of  fouling  :  the  mere  fact  that  a  number 
of   persons  have  elected  to  take  themselves  seriously  :  to 
pose  as   little  tin-gods,   in   a  district  where  the  genuine 
golden  article  would  not  be  unduly  worshipped  :  it  is  surety 
time  that  something  were  done   in  the  matter    if  only  to 
save   the  dignity  of  the  district?     We   write  this   in   no 
carping  spirit :  but  solely  for  the  reason  that  we  are  seeking 
the  greatest  good  for  the  greatest  number.     It  cannot  be 
pretended,  that  the  tinker  is  of  much   consequence,  viewed 
as  an  employer  of  labour    and  when  we  write  "  tinker,"  we 
do    not    mean    the    efficiently-staffed     concerns     which, 
although    having  no  dry   dock   of  their  own.  are  yet  in  a 
position   to   undertake,   practically,   any    repair    job    that 
ambles  along.    Our  ideas  of  a  tinker-man,  is  that  happy-go- 
lucky  individual  who  undertakes,  as  agent,  the  repair  of  a 
big  job    or.   for   that  matter,   the   rebuilding  of    a  salved 
steamer     only  to  try  to  unload  her  on   to  somebody  else. 
when  the  go-between's  reward,  is  a  gratuitous  advertise- 
ment in  a  local  "daily."-- a  reward   of  questionable  value  : 
and  the  swelled-head  that  is  consequent  on  having  rushed 
in.  where  '  metaphorical  t  angels  feared  to  tread.    You  know 
the  class  of  individual  to  which  we  are  referring?     He  who 
puts  most  of  his  time  in.  treating  Mr.  Super  with  question- 
able  whisky   and    worse  cigars ;  and   fairy   tales  that  are 
calculated   to  make  Super  believe  that  he  is  a  heaven-sent 
genius.     In  addition,  there  are  other  items  which  need  not 


be  enlarged  on— just  at  this  stage  of  the  proceedings.  If  a 
cobbler,  having  a  shanty  up  a  back-lane,  has  the  hardihood 
to  send  you  a  touting  circular  setting  forth  his  abilities  as  a 
high-class  shoemaker,  what  line  of  conduct  do  you  pursue  ? 
You  dump  that  circular,  even  as  you  comment  on  the  gall 
of  some  people  ?  For  a  "  sole  and  heel  "  job,  you  admit  the 
cobbler  is  facile  princeps:  but  when  it  comes  to  recon- 
structing a  new  shoe  around  an  old  lace-hole !  So. 

with  tinker.  For  a  handful  of  rivets  ;  or  the  squaring-up 
of  a  few  firing-tools  ;  well,  and  good.  But  as  to  putting  in 
new  bottoms',  supplying  large  forgings,  or  reconstructing 
big  engines— well,  if  wise,  you'll  shun  the  tinker.  This,  by 
way  of  conclusion. 

RUSSIAN   PIRACY. 


THERE  is  no  getting  away  from  the  fact,  that  the  poor 
Chinee  has  been  sadly  over-rated.  For  "  ways  that 
are  dark,  and  for  tricks  that  are  vain  "  he  is  simply 
"  not  in  it,"  when  compared  with  the  ingenuous  soul  who 
wanted  to  be  a  Chinaman,  in  effect— the  Russian.  Here 
is  another  instance-  in  the  sinking  of  the  St.  Kilda—of  the 
child-like  and  bland  propensity  referred  to.  It  is  of  little 
use  to  pretend  that,  at  the  best,  the  Russian  is  other  than 
a  pirate.  He  has  conclusively  shown  this,  in  his  late 
attempt  to  steer  a  fleet  from  Libau,  to  glory.  Nothing  was 
too  "  low  down  "  for  this  native  of  a  "  Holy  "  land  :  he  was 
game  for  anything-  from  murder  on  the  high  seas,  to 
running  amuck  in  a  neutral's  territory.  Indeed,  there  was 
but  one  thing  for  which  the  Russian  seems,  by  nature,  to 
be  unfitted  -  and  that  is  "  square  "  fighting.  Once  round 
him  up  in  this  direction,  and  if  there  is  a  possibility,  he'll 
run.  But  coming  back  to  the  sinking  of  the  St.  Kilda.  how 
is  it  possible  to  pretend  that  she  was  sunk  by  a  Russian 
"cruiser?"  The  sinker  was  a  pirate,  pure  and  simple, 
and  as  such  should  prove  a  lovely  target  for  some  of  the 
unemployed  British  men  of  war  that  are  kept  in  the  Chinese 
hurly-burly,  in  anticipation  of  these  little  tricks.  If  a 
Chinese  junk  undertakes  the  job  cf  rounding  up  a  British 
vessel,  then,  supposing  the  said  junk  is  catchable,  there  is 
but  a  short  shrift  given  to  the  picturesque  ruffians  who 
participated  in  the  "fun."  Why  should  a  Russian  "junk  " 
be  given  any  different  consideration  ?  It  cannot  be 
pretended,  under  any  circumstances,  that  this  converted 
"Volunteer"  vessel  which  is  pleasing  herself,  by  playing 
high,  low.  Jack,  and  the  game,  generally,  has  any  legal 
status.  As  the  Times  remarks,  "  It  is  merely  an  armed 
vessel  drifting  about  the  ocean  and  apparently  ready  to 
display  its  prowess  by  sinking,  off-hand,  any  British  ship 
which  it  pleases  to  declare  to  be  carrying  contraband."  Of 
course,  and  if  the  steamer  implicated  carried  doll's  eyes 
and  hen's  teeth  for  cargo,  but  had  a  couple  of  hundred  tons 
of  coal  in  her  bunkers,  your  "  converted  "  Russian  alleged 
cruiser,  would  be  just  as  anxious  to  sink  that  steamer — 
aftei  the  bunker  coal  had  b<  en  confiscated.  It  is  rather  a 
mild  way  of  expressing  the  true  inwardness  of  the  situation, 
when  you  put  it  this  way  :  "  A  vessel  preying  in  this 
lawless  manner  upon  neutral  commerce,  while  dependent 
for  its  coal  supply  upon  neutral  ports,  and  having  no 
Russian  port  within  reach,  is  simply  a  public  nuisance 
which  all  neutral  Powers  are  interested  with  ourselves  in 
abating."  Fudge  !  Why  not  put  the  matter  in  plain 
English  ?  A  Russian  pirate  has  sunk  a  British  steamer  ; 
the  only  way  to  "  abate  "  such  a  nuisance,  is  to  seek  out 
and  sink  that  pirate.  If  the  thing  may  not  be  done  openly 
and  above  board,  then,  it  is  surely  possible  to  work  up  an 
"accident"  in  which  that  alleged  "cruiser"  is  principal 
boy  ?  Floating  mines  have  been  useful  in  this  connection 
in  the  past,  and  supposing  it  is  still  essential  that  the 
"  Mistress  of  the  Seas"  should  dissemble,  well,  a  "floating 
mine"  (even  if,  during  the  hours  of  daylight  it  wears  the 
St.  George's — and  other  cross,  aft)  could  easily  attend  to 
the  matter-  Thus  would  a  "  public  nuisance  "  be  effectually 
"  abated." 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


June   1 6,   1905 


CARDIFF     (AND    OTHER)     COAL. 


CARDIFF.  June  14,  1905. 

OF  course,  in  coal  land,  every  exponent  of  coal  selling  is 
a  "good"  man.  That  is  one  of  the  peculiarities  of  the 
business!  We  never  remember  running  up  against  a 
seller  of  this  kind,  who  didn't  lay  claim  to  a  clean  bill  of 
health,  and  consequently  free  pratique,  when  the  layer-out- 
of-mankind-one  Azrael.  you  know  intimated  that  he^  was 
about  to  call.  Indeed,  the  words  "  coal  seller  "  and  "  one 
of  the  elect."  are  synonymous  terms.  And  your  success 
in  coal  selling,  is  likely  to  be  in  exact  ratio  with  the  number 
of  chapels  you  support.  Time  was.  that  the  good  old  coal- 
men at  the  Docks,  supported  the  Docks  chapelnes  and 
trade  simply  hummed. 

HOWEVER,  the  past  week  has  been  merely  a  pretended 
business  time.  Our  little  list  below,  will  convince  you  of 
this  When  sundry  columns  in  that  list  are  marked  off  as 
holiday,  and  others  are  of  the  merely  nominal  kind-well, 
you  do  not  expect  to  find  much  doing  ?  Not  that  the 
holidays  are  responsible  for  all  the  wickedness  that  is  about, 
just  now.  and  there  is  a  providence  which  shapes  our  ends, 
rough  hew  them  as  we  may  (try  to).  That  is  how  it 
comes  about  that  Whit  Monday  in  Wales,  is,  nine  times  out 
of  ten,  rainy.  It's  a  kindness  vouchsafed  to  the  native. 
You  see  when  the  rain  is  falling  in  torrents,  you  cannot 
summon  up  the  courage  to  be  very  wicked,  can  you? 
Everything  is  too  beastly  damp,  and  uncomfortable. 

THEN,  again,  "  syndicates "  are  too  fashionable,  these 
days  ;  too  fashionable,  and  too  varied.  There  are  "syndi- 
cates "  in  everything  you  can  mention- or  nearly  every- 
thing, and  they  are  playing  the  deuce  with  coal  prices. 
There  is  the  anthracite  syndicate,  down  West ;  there  is 
the  calico  syndicate,  also  down  West:  the  motor  car 
syndicate,  once  more  down  West;  in  fact,  most  of  the 
"  syn  "-dicates  are  to  be  found  in  the  same  direction,  and 
thus  it  happens  that  coal  prices  are  fousty. 

A  MAN  cannot  serve  two  masters—coal  and  sin— er— 
syndicates  ;  and  thanks  to  the  education  that  has  been 
vouchsafed  us.  syndicates  (especially  when  decked  out  in 
something  tasty— though,  perhaps,  "loud")  generally  get 
the  pull  over  coal.  That  is,  right  up  to  the  point  when 
more  ooftish  is  required  by  the  "syndicate,"  and  then  coal 
gets  an  innings.  At  the  moment,  the  money  is  easy,  and 
thus  it  happens,  that  coal  prices  are  in  the  same  condition. 
Sometimes  too,  the  political  situation  is  responsible  for  low 
prices.  It  would  appear  to  be  at  the  present  time. 
Germany,  having  lost  her  job  in  attempting  to  foment 
trouble  via  the  Russian  Fleet,  is  now  busily  engaged  in 
working  it  up  with  France,  and  Morocco. 

SOMETIMES,  we  are  sort  of  sorry  for  Germany.  Almost 
as  sorry  for  it  as  we  are  for  the  syndicators  alluded  to 
above  I  But  sorry,  or  otherwise,  we  are  sure  that  the 
political  situation  affects  the  coal  trade— and  of  which, 
just  now,  there  is  mighty  little  about.  True,  our  own 
private  coal  expert  assures  us,  that  there  has  been  a 
slightly  better  demand  for  prompt  shipment  -but,  bless 
you.  we  don't  believe  him.  He  merely  has  to  fill  in  his  coal 
report  with  something— even  as  we  are  doing,  here ! 
When  he  cannot  find  any  coal  trade  about,  in  quite. big 
chunks,  he— well,  he  does  exactly  as  we  are  doing.  What 
that  is,  we  shan't  explain  ! 

YES.  our  expert  insinuates  that  there  is  a  slightly  better 
demand  for  prompt  shipment,  "but  the  transactions  which 
have  taken  place  are.  in  the  main,  small  and  unimportant." 
We  should  smile  !  In  other  words,  that  expert  friend  of 
ours  really  means,  that  there  is  no  coal  trade  ;  but  being  a 


loyal  sort  of  kritter,  he  wants  to  let  you  down  lightly.  For 
our  part,  we  should  scorn  to  aid  and  abet  in  any  such 
fashion.  There  is  no  coal  trade,  and  we  don't  care  who 
knows  it.  In  fact,  we  sometimes  wonder  if  there  ever  was 
a  coal  trade  !  Naturally,  there  is  a  string  of  quotations  on 
tap.  These  have  to  be  worked  up.  with  skill  and  with  care, 
every  morning.  But  that  is  merely  so  that  the  world  shall 
not  see  the  hollowness  of  the  local  industry,  you  under- 
stand. 

WE  suggested,  at  our  last  time  of  writing,  that  the 
stoppage  would  have  little  to  do  with  price-raising,  and— we 
were  right.  Work  has  been  partially  resumed,  but  seeing 
that  there  is  no  incentive  for  a  proper  grade  of  work  -as 
understood  in  South  Wales— the  colliers  might  just  as  well 
keep  on  at  their  play.  Then,  again,  the  supply  of  tonnage 
to  hand,  is  anything  but  of  startling  proportions,  and  even 
as  is  remarked  by  our  expert  man,  "  any  immediate  hope 
for  a  change  for  the  better,  is  further  prolonged."  That's 
a  fact,  only  we  shouldn't  have  put  it  quite  like  that.  Really, 
the  situation  is,  that  the  foreign  buyer  is  not  coming  along 
with  any  orders ;  and  with  few  exceptions,  the  coal  seller 
knows  precious  little  about  re-awakening  the  foreign  buyer. 
However,  particularising  for  a  little  bit,  we  find  that 

BEST  CARDIFF  ADMIRALTYS  are,  on  an  average  (which  is  a 
coaly  way  of  putting  it)  fairly  steady  at  'round  about 
12s.  9d.  That  is  to  say.  the  colliery  man  puts  the  quota- 
tion thusly.  Indeed,  we  can  assure  you  that,  in  a  few 
instances,  somewhat  higher  figures  have  been  trotted  out, 
and  although  the  trotting  has  been  merely  a  species  of 
bravado,  there  you  are  !  When  there  is  precious  little  hope 
of  doing  business  at  any  rate,  it  is  as  well  to  crack  your 
wares  up,  as  to  depreciate  them,  don't  you  think  ?  Any- 
how, 12s.  9d.  is  about  the  outside  value  of  BESTS,  just  now, 
and  we  have  an  open  mind  as  to  whether  a  real  purchaser 
couldn't  improve  on  that. 

SECONDS,  for  prompt  shipment,  can  be  obtained  at  12s.— 
which  figures  represent  the  actual  value  of  the  grade. 
This  section  is  by  no  means  firmer  than  has  been  the  case 
of  late.  This  is  only  to  be  expected,  for  business  therein  is 
not  on  the  increase,  and  mere  demand  therefor,  is  but 
limited.  Then,  again,  supplies  are  more  than  plentiful- 
being  in  excess  of  the  demand.  Of  course,  there  are 
individual  units  in  this  merry-go-'round,  whose  engage- 
ments are  sufficiently  good  to  keep  them  regularly  employed 

especially  in  connection  with  the  better  class  SECONDS. 

And  in  their  case,  the  average  quotation  is  from  12s.  6d.  to 
12s.  9d. 

ORDINARIES.  Here,  we  do  not  find  the  situation  in  any 
way  changed  since  our  last.  Indeed,  they  as  a  class,  are 
about  identical  with  the  state  as  explained  to  you,  last 
week.  As  to  price,  you  may  take  these,  quotably,  as 
lls.  6d.  to  11s.  9d.  But  business  would  chip  them  down- 
at  least  a  threepennypiece. 

DRYS  are  in  the  same  old  boat  which  has  carried  them 
now,  for  seeming  ages.  Collieries  sadly  lack  stems ; 
supplies  are  plentiful ;  nobody  seems  to  want  'em,  so 
BESTS  are  easily  arrangeable  at  lls.  9d.,  with  INFERIORS 
from  lls.  3d.  to  lls.  6d. 

MONMOUTHSHIRE  GOALS  are,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  a 
steady  branch  of  the  industry,  inasmuch  as  recent  figures 
have  been  maintained.  More  especially  for  immediate 
shipment,  as  collieries,  in  this  particular,  are  in  possession 
of  good  stems.  Furthermore,  sellers  have  been  helped 
in  their  efforts,  by  a  decent  supply  of  tonnage  at  hand,  the 
docks,  at  present,  being  fairly  full  for  this  grade.  This 


June    16,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


Si 


should  have  the  natural  result  of  depleting  stocks,  which, 
together  with  the  holiday-like  restriction  of  output,  should 
keep  prices  steady.  A  consideration  of  actual  figures  show 
that  BLACK  VEINS  are  ticketted  at  1  Is.  3d.,  although  it  is  by 
no  means  impossible  to  "  knock  "  this  for  threepence.  All 
the  same,  the  figures  given,  may  be  accepted  as  the  average 
worth  of  the  grade. 

ORDINARIES  remain  at  about  11s..  and  for  anything  re- 
quired at  an  early  date,  the  quotation  is  fairly  firm.  Still, 
this  section  is  anything  but  strong,  and  the  seller  maintains 
his  quotation  more  for  the  reason  that  he  has  received  no 
temptation  to  do  otherwise,  than  that  he  is  blessed  with  a 
hard  heart  and  plenty  of  business. 

SECONDS  are  no  firmer  than  at  our  last  time  of  writing, 
albeit  we  find  that  their  figures  of  10s.  3d.,  are  being  rigidly 
adhered  to— in  appearance  !  Bookings  have  been  recorded 
at  these  figures,  and  a  fair  business  has  passed  —fair,  for  a 
holiday  season,  you  understand.  Anyhow,  there  is  any 
amount  of  room  for  an  improvement  here,  and  the  devotees  of 
the  section  are  devout  in  their  hopes  that  it  will  materialise. 
APPROXIMATE  FIGURES  FOR  THE  WEEK,  ARE  AS 

i  All  quotations  J.o.b.  at 


RHONDDA  No.  3's  have  remained  stationary  at  about 
13s.  9d.  Collieries,  here,  are  busy,  and  there  are  no 
immediate  signs  of  a  lapse.  Rather  the  reverse,  and 
prices  should  be  maintained,  as  collieries  have  sufficient 
engagements  to  keep  them  fully  employed.  THROS  are 
also  a  steady  market  at  1 1  s.  6d.  to  11s.  9d.  ;  while  SMALLS 
are  at  9s.  9d.  to  10s. 

RHONDDA  No.  2's  have  shown  but  little  variation  since 
our  last,  and  this  market  is  still  a  weak  one.  Stocks  are 
accumulating,  demand  is  weak,  prices  decline  — and  may  be 
assessed  at  9s.  Z^d..  easily. 

SMALLS,  on  the  other  hand,  have  remained  very  firm' 
throughout,  and  supplies  are  still  scarce  on  account  of  the 
restriction  of  output,  and  the  slackness  of  LARGE.  There 
is  a  fair  request,  but  the  present  good  state  of  this  section 
is  more  on  account  of  the  limited  available  quantity,  than 
because  of  a  great  demand.  Prices,  however,  have  been 
easily  maintained,  with  BESTS  at  from  8s.  6d.  to  9s.; 
SECONDS  from  8s.  3d.  to  8s.  6d.:  and  ORDINARIES  at  8s. 

FOLLOW  ; — 

the  respective  ports  of  shipment.; 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Beat  Cardiff  Ad'altv  Large 

I2S.  9<1. 

us.  gd. 

I2s.  6(1.,  133.  od. 

12s.  gd. 

Second         Ditto. 

12*.  od. 

1  1  s.  gd. 

IIS.  gd.,    12S.  OCI. 

12S.  od.,  12s.  3d. 

Other  Second  Cardiff      ... 

us.  9<1. 

IIS.  (PI|.,   MS.  9<1. 

i  is.  6d. 

i  is.  6d.,  i  is.  9(1. 

IIM« 
Hoi  !Se»port 

ii-   7ld. 
us.  3<1. 

us.  7£d. 
I  is.  3d. 

us.  6d.,  us.  9x1. 
us.  od.,  us.  3d. 

us.  7jd. 
i  is.  3d. 

Ordinan  Rests 

i  is.  od. 

ios.  gd. 

ios.  gd.,  iis.  oct 

ios.  iojd. 

Seconds 

ios.  6d. 

ios.  3d. 

ios.  3d. 

__; 

ios.  3d.,  ios.  6d. 

Best  House  Coal 

;•! 

155.  od. 

158.  od. 

c 

145.  gd.,  153.  3d. 

No.  3  Rhondda 

133.  o/l..  149.  od. 

138.  io.Jd. 

135.  9x1. 

E1 

1  3s.  gri- 

No. 2         Ditto. 

9»-  : 

99.  7.M. 

93.  6d.,  gs  9(1. 

o 

gs.  y.Vd. 

IthonJda  3  "  1  hm 

its  9«. 

1  IS.  9<|. 

us.  6(i.,  I2S.  od. 

i  is.  gd. 

,,       2       >t 

8s   Q.I. 

•i-   ex] 

9s.  od. 

> 

Bh 

8s.  6d.,  gs.  od. 

Snail*: 

a 

c 

Best  Cardiff 

8s.  oxl..  99.  cxl. 

8s.  oil. 

ss.  9J. 

_i 

8s.  6d.,  Ss.  g-.l. 

Seconds 

8s.  6d 

8s.  3-1. 

8s.  3d. 

X 

CO 

c 

8s.  3d.,  8s.  6d. 

Ordinaries 

8s.  txl. 

od. 

7s.  gd. 

0 

75.  io^d. 

Best  Newport 

7*  9>l- 

;s.  6d.,  8s.  cxl. 

73.  91!. 

if 

7s.  6d.,   8s.  o  1. 

Seconds 

?-l. 

73.  6<l. 

73.  od. 

4J 

73.  3d. 

Rhomlda  >o.  2 

•  !  .  7*.  W. 

78-  4i'l- 

7s.  3d. 

3 

7s.  6rl. 

No.  3 

ios.  od. 

gs  yl. 

93.  9(1. 

a 

ios.  od. 

Foundry  Coke  : 

Special 

21*.  od.,  319.  6d 

2is.  3;!. 

2  IS.  3(1. 

2  IS.  od. 

Ordinary 

17*.  9d. 

i-s.  oxl. 

<!..  i8s.  o<l. 

173.  6d)|i- 

Furnace  Coke 

IDS.  3d. 

i6s.  od. 

i6s.  od. 

163.  3d. 

Patent  Fuel 

12".  6d. 

us.  3d.,  izs.  9(1. 

izs.  fcd.,  izs.  gd. 

I2s.  6d. 

Pllvnod    ex  >hir 

I.Ss.  o<|..   iqs.  <xl. 

is-   ,».!. 

i8s.  6d..  I9s.  ,«:. 

iSs.  oil. 

All.  less  2»a  per  cent,  discount,  with  payment  at  thirty  days,  except  where  otherwise  stated. 
All  quotation*  for  large  Coal*  imply  Colliery  Screened. 

are  a  maintenance  of  the   last,  9s.  9d.  to  10s.  9d. ; 
SWANSEA.  June  14.  1905.  now    gteady 


but   these    are 


IK  giving  a  consideration  to  the  market  hereaway  since  our  last. 
there  is  certainly  a  better  tone  in  evidence.  Shipments  for  the  week 
just  ended,  it  is  satisfactory  to  state,  have  shown  an  increase  on  the 
recent  average*,  and  there  i*  alto  an  improvement  noticeable  in  the 
•nqvnry.  But  so  far.  insufficient  ha*  been  transacted  to  warrant  an 
immediate  improvement. 

ANTHRACITE  LARGE  quotations  are  unaltered.  For  prompt  shipment 
there  ha*  been  a  better  demand,  and  stems  are  more  satisfactory. 
This  coupled  with  the  stoppages,  has  given  prices  a  steady  appearance. 
Best  Malting  Sort*  range  from  18*.  upwards,  according  to  the 
quality  sought,  and  the  position  of  the  colliery  implicated.  OTHER 
SORTS  RED  &  BIG  VEIN  are  a  trifle  harder,  but  the  current  figures 


MACHINE  MADE  COALS  are  nominally  unchanged.  This  department 
remaining  in  a  state  of  easiness,  an'd  there  is  no  improvement  in  the 
demand.  PEAS  &  NUTS  however  are  moving  to  a  better  tune,  and  the 
figures  given  below  are  being  firmly  adhered  to. 

CULM  continues  a  sound  market.  A  good  demand  is  in  evidence,  and 
this,  coupled  with  the  scarcity  of  supplies,  keeps  prices  in  a  state  of 
firmness. 

DUFF  is  ruling  round  about  3s.  3d.,  a  little  higher,  or  lower,  as  the 
case  may  be  ! 

STEAMS  have  undergone  no  startling  change.  Supplies  are  plentiful, 
but  the  demand  is  not  so,  and  therefore  prices  cannot  be  expected  to 
•  m  iM-i|'r<ivu;iicnt  while  this  state  nf  affairs  lasts. 


BELOW,  we  give  the  average  prices  for  the  week  : — 


QUAUTT. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

Anthracite: 

Best    Hind    Picked 
Maltinft  Large 
Seconds    do. 
Bl«  Vein  Urge 

iSs.  6d.,  199.  ol. 
169.  od.,  I'D.  od. 

1  1-  3  1. 

OS.  <vl. 

iSs.  6d. 
i6s.  gd. 

i  is.  od. 

IOS.  Oil. 

iSs.  6d. 
163.  gd. 

1  IS.  O:l. 

gs.  6d.,  ios.  od. 

"5 
c 

o 

1  8s.  od.,  1  8s.  6d. 
i6s.  6(1. 
ios.  gd.,  us.  3d. 
gs.  gd. 

Machine  Made  Cobbles 
..    Nuts 
..     Peas 

Rnboly  Cnlm 
Dnff 

od. 
169.  od.,  i6s.  6d. 
ios.  91.'.,  1  19.  od. 
59.  3d.,  59.  9d. 

;-    -1. 

i6s.  od. 
169.  3d. 
us.  od. 
53.  od. 

153.  6d.,  i6s.  6d. 
i6s.  3d. 
ios.  gd.,  us.  3(1. 
53.  6d.,  ss.  gd. 

>^ 

0 
0 

o 

tn 

153.  6cl.,  163.  od. 
1  6s.  od. 
us.  od.,  us.  3d. 
5s.  6d. 
33.  ol.,  33.  6d. 

Patent  Fnel: 

iis.  od. 

us.  7id. 

119.  7jd. 

o 

us.  6d.,  i  is.  gd. 

Steam  : 
Best     Ur«e 
Seconds  ,, 
Bunker    .. 

129.  yl.,  139.  od. 

I2S.    Cxl. 

ios.  od..  109.  6(1 

139.  o'. 

I2S.  od. 

ios.  3(1. 

129.  6d.,  133.  od. 
us.  gd. 
ios.  3d. 

0 

a 

12s.  gd. 
us.  gd. 
ios.  od.,  ios.  3d 

O~      £.J 

Thro    and  Thro 

89.  od. 

89.  7id.                          »s.  7jQ. 

82 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


June   16,    1905 


Coal  Freights  and  Fixtures. 


CARDIFF.  June  14,  1905. 

As  already  stated  in  our  coal  report,  the  tonnage  coming 
to  hand  during  the  past  week,  has  been  anything  but  of  a 
phenomenal  character.  By  the  same  token,  as  our 
Hibernian  friends  might  remark,  it  would  appear  that  the 
amount  fixed,  and  therefore  placed  in  preparation  for 
coming  along  later  on,  doesn't  amount  to  much !  It  is 
altogether  unnecessary  to  pass  rude  remarks  anent  the 
holiday  season,  for  you  may  see.  by  referring  to  the  sub- 
joined alleged  freight  list,  that  a  pretty  large-sized  holiday 
has  been  about  ? 

THE  Briton  might  really  take  his  pleasures  sadly,  as  one 
of  our  young  men  has  remarked  elsewhere:  but  even  so, 
he  takes  it  in  fair  measure,  and  makes  it  spin  out  to  a 
considerably  greater  extent  than  would  be  possible,  were 
the  wildly  hilarious  trait  too  much  in  evidence.  However, 
the  holidays— for  a  few  weeks— are  over.  Some  folk  de- 
clare that  they  are  glad,  in  consequence  :  others,  again,  are 
of  opinion  that  life,  in  the  shipping  swirl,  is  just  one  long 
holiday.  You,  dear  reader,  may  accept  that  doctrine 
which  best  suits  your  ideas  of  the  fitness  of  things  ;  or,  an' 
it  pleases  you,  a  brand  new  one,  better  fitting  for  the  occa- 
sion, may  be  adopted.  In  either  instance,  the  fixtures 
which  have  transpired,  are  much  about  as  follow  : 

Week  Ending,  ( Wednesday),  June  14,  1905 

(N)   denotes   Newport.    (S)  Swansea,    (P.  T.)    Port    Talbot,    loading. 

EASTERN. 

Seychelles,     Kincraig,  4,000  tons,    145.   option  Zanzibar. 
WESTWARD,     Etc. 

Rio  de  Janeiro,     Archbank,   95. 
Santos,     Steamer,    3,800   tons,    izs. 
Las  Palmas,  Onslow,  3,500  to'ns,  6s.  3d. 

MEDITERRANEAN,     Etc. 

Port   Said,    Steamer,   5,500  tons,     6s. 
Genoa,     Algorleno,    3,100   tons,    6s.  4^d.  (s). 
Venice,     Constantinos  Embiricos,   4,000   tons,    75.  3d. 

Steamer,    5,000  tons,    6s.  3d.   option  Ancona. 

.•lf>f>/edore,  5,800  tons,  73.  ,,  ,, 

Minerva,  4,800  tons,    73.  4^d.       „  „  (s). 

Constantinople,     Lady  Iveagh,  2,800  tons,    55.  gd.   option 

Haida  Pasha. 

Leghorn,     Trewellard,  2,8cotons,    6s.  7^d.    Genoa  terms. 
Torre,     Anna  Moore,    3*600  tons,    6s.  i|d.    1,000 

Steamer,  4,000  tons,   6s.  gd.   400 
Barcelona,     Earnwood,    2,800  tons,    75. 
Lisbon,     Everest,  2,000  tons,    55.  9<L    fuel. 
Marseilles,     Carrara,    2,900  tons,    7-50  francs. 
Piraeus,     Bacchus,   4,400  tons,  (N). 
Malta,     Rowtor,  2,800  tons,    45.  6d.   (Admiralty). 
Bizerta,     Gwalia,     1,500  tons,    9-50    fcs.  coal,    10-50   fcs. 

fuel,    (s). 

Vigo,     Paris,  650  tons,    55.  gd.  spot.    (s). 
Alicante,     Cuba,  650  tons,    8s.  3d.  or  8s.  6d.     (s). 
Seville,     Rapid,    1,200  tons,    55.  io^d.   (N). 

BAY,     Etc. 

Nantes,     Clarence,   1,400  tons,    5  francs,    (s). 

Swansea,   1,200  tons,    5  fcs.   (s). 
Bordeaux,     Steamer,   2,000  tons,    5  francs. 

COASTING,     Etc. 

Caen,     Steamer,  700  tons,    43.  3d. 

Ivnnlitif,    1,000  tons,   48.    (s). 

Seagull,  800  tons,  43.  3d.    (s). 
Rouen,     Saxon,  620  tons,    48.  gd.   (s). 
Boulogne,     Sprightly,   1,050  tons,    45.  3d.    (s). 
Hamburg,     Steamer,  2,000  tons,   43.  i^d. 
Dartmouth,     Kalherine,    260  tons,  35.  io^d. 
Passage  West,     //.  Craig,   400  tons,   35.  6d.  (N). 


Devonport,      Throfllegailh,  2,iootor.s,    2?.  3d.  (Admiralty.  ) 

Sheerness,     Jnver,    1,100   tons,    33.    i|d.  ,, 

Portland,     Stokesley,  i,:oo  tons,    2s.  ijd.  ,, 

Pembroke,     Paragon,   410   tons,    33.  „ 
Belfast,     Harrington,  400  tons,    35.    (s). 

HOMEWARD. 

Bilbao  to  Newport,     Tredegar,  843  n.   43.  3d.  ppt. 

Milazzo  to  Cardiff  Newport  or  Port  Talbot,  Steamer, 
2,300/2,500  tons,    55.  6d.    Burnt  Ore. 

THE  Mercantile  Marine  Service  Association,  has  recently 
been  in  communication  with  the  Newfoundland  Govern- 
ment, with  reference  to  the  need  of  a  fog  alarm  at  Ferry- 
land  Head,  near  Gape  Race.  The  Deputy  Minister  of 
Marine  and  Fisheries,  in  reply,  points  out  that  during  the 
last  seven  years,  the  lighthouse  stations  and  fog  signals,  on 
these  coasts,  have  been  very  largely  increased,  until  it  is 
now  considered  that  the  local  and  coastwise  traffic  is  fairly 
well  guarded,  although  it  is  not  pretended  that  all  that  is 
necessary,  in  this  connection,  has  been  accomplished. 
The  Deputy  Minister  adds:  "A  fog  alarm  at  Ferryland 
Head  would  be  of  enormous  value  to  our  foreign  and  coast- 
wise vessels,  as  also  to  many  ocean  steamers  which  desire 
to  make,  and  take,  a  departure  from  Gape  Race,  and  the 
matter  will  no  doubt  receive,  at  the  hands  of  the  Govern- 
ment of  Newfoundland,  the  attention  it  deserves." 
Masters  of  vessels  engaged  in  the  North  Atlantic  trade, 
will,  doubtless,  be  glad  to  hear  that  there  is  some  prospect  of 
a  warning  signal  being  erected  in  this  important  locality  ; 
and  which,  considering  the  number  of  wrecks  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Gape  Race,  is  a  much  needed  improvement. 

rX  Xa 

E&i     wa 

YEA,  lor' !  This  is  an  age  for  schemes  !  The  American 
friend  is  going  in  for  a  very  big  "  thing  "  in  tunnels— if  one 
may  attach  any  importance  to  some  of  the  statements 
appearing  in  the  American  press.  What  is  the  matter  with 
boring  under  the  Behring  Strait,  and  thus  making  a  sort  of 
worm-hole  connection  between  America  and  Asia? 
Nothing,  is  there  ?  Moreover,  it  is  competent  to  ask  for 
the  suggested  reason  of  this  great  exploit  ?  Anyhow,  Paris 
and  St.  Petersburg  are  to  be  asked  to  co-operate  in  the 
undertaking,  and  although  we  do  not  wish  to  appear  as  if 
we  were  bent  on  throwing  cold  water  on  a  praiseworthy 
attempt  at  universal  union,  we  yet  must  hazard  the  opinion 
that  Russia  has  quite  enough  to  do,  in  squaring-up  her  old 
obligations,  without  venturing  off  on  a  new  bore.  Frankly, 
poor  old  Russia  has  been  bored  enough,  and  for  our  part, 
we  should  imagine  that  the  American  financier  had  nearly 
enough  in  hand,  to  see  the  Panama  thing  through,  first  ? 

5,331/05 — BERGERT — Improvements    in   means  for  distri- 
buting mine  residues  and  for  other  similar  purposes. 

This  invention  relates  to  means  for  dumping  material  in 
a  distributed  manner  on  elevated  heaps.  Supported  on 
rails  which  rest  on  the-dump  heap,  and  which  are  adapted 
to  be  extended  upwards  as  the  heap  rises,  is  a  rectangular 
carriage  which  carries  at  its  front  upper  end  a  circular 
track.  To  the  middle  of  the  lower  end  of  the  carriage 
a  long  lattice-girder  boom  is  connected  by  a  universal  joint 
situated  at  the  centre  of  the  circle  of  the  track.  The 
boom  is  likewise  suspended  from  the  centre  of  an  arched 
carriage  which  can  travel  on  the  circular  track.  The  boom 
is  provided  with  a  continuously  travelling  conveyor  belt 
adapted  to  upset  its  contents  at  the  upper  end  of  the 
boom.  The  method  of  support  of  the  boom  which  is 
adopted  will  permit  the  middle  plane  of  the  boom  which  is 
vertical  when  the  arched  carriage  is  in  the  centre  of  the 
circular  track  to  remain  vertical  also  when  away  from  the 
centre  to  the  right  or  left,  and  thus  prevent  the  conveyor 
from  spilling  its  contents  during  transit  to  the  top  of  the 
heap. 


June  16, 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


maritime 

(AND   OTHER) 

Ittonep 
matters. 


K 


<*J 


T  a  time  like 
this,  when  all 
the  world,  and 
a  goodly  por- 
tion of  his  wife,  has 
been  holiday-keeping, 
making,  or  otherwise 
manufacturing,  is  it 
of  use  to  pretend 
that  interest  sur- 
rounds .anything  ap- 
pertaining  to  a 
money  market,  real 
or  alleged?  Never  a  bit,  and  for  our  part,  we  are  not 
going  to  keep  up  a  pretence  on  the  subject.  As  a  matter 
of  fact,  by  the  time  this  is  in  your  eager  hands,  most  of 
you  will  be  sitting  down,  to  count  up  the  cost  of  these 
so-called  holidays  which  are  unloaded  on  to  a  long- 
suffering  public,  by  a  paternal  legislature  which  ought  to 
know  better. 

IT  has  been  said  that  the  Briton  takes  his  pleasures 
sadly,  and  come  to  think  of  it.  there  is  an  amount  of 
truth  in  the  statement.  For,  when  a  country  is  so 
serious-minded,  that  the  law-makers  have  to  step  in,  and 
force  the  whole  nation  to  lay  its  tools  aside  for,  at  least, 
some  half-dozen  times  in  a  year  well,  it  is  taking  the 
pleasure  sadly,  and  homcepathically,  don't  you  think? 
It  strikes  us  that  way,  in  any  case,  and  as  far  as  we  can 
see.  if  a  down-trodden  chunk  of  humanity  indulges  in  no 
more  of  hilarity  than  the  legislature  insists  on-  the  poor 
fellow  is  not  going  to  have  a  particularly  hilarious  time, 
is  he  '.' 

BUT  never  mind.  The  law  says  you  have  to  play,  on 
Whit-Monday  as  well  as  on  sundry  other  days;  and 
even  if  we  are  all  agreed  that  the  law  is  a  Hass,  it  makes 
no  difference  to  the  net  result,  once  you  have  returned 
from  your  legally-enforced  holiday,  does  it?  For 
instance,  the  legality  of  the  proceedings  makes  no 
appreciable  change  in  the  empty  pocket  which  you 
might  strike  against  on  Monday  night — nor  in  the 
Turkish  bath-towel  which  you  might  imagine  you  have 
in  your  mouth,  on  Tuesday  morning?  Cause  and  effect 
fit  in  here,  as  in  most  other  places,  and  it  is  utterly 
useless  for  you  to  hunt  around  on  Wednesday,  in  search 
of  enough  of  the  needful  to  carry  you  on  until  Friday. 

•f  -f   •»• 

YOU  see.  the  law  merely  does  half  the  work.  It 
commands  you  to  refrain  from  all  money-making  work 
on  Whit-Monday  ;  but  it  doesn't  provide  for  the  natural 
contingency  which  results.  That  is,  if  you  wish  to  find 
some  means  of  raising  "  the  ready,"  or  of  staving  off  the 
ill  effects  of  the  pernicious  regulation  which  made  you 
bang  all  your  savings  upon  that  (give  her  your  own  des- 
cription, please)  on  Monday  ;  well,  you  have  to  patronise 
private  enterprise,  and  that  is  what  brings  us  down  to 
the  feature  which  floated  before  our  mind's  eye,  at  the 
commencement  of  this  page.  We  believe  we  have,  ere 
this,  remarked  that  the  Cardiffian  is  resourceful  and 
original.  If  not,  then,  we  hasten  to  remedy  the  over- 
sight on  our  part. 

THE  Cardiffian  is  exactly  what  we  have  written,  a 
couple  of  lines  above,  and  we  don  t  care  who  knows  it. 
Moreover,  he  is  exactly  the  individual  who  may  be 
depended  on  to  do  the  right  thing,  exactly  at  the 
psychological  moment.  What  could  be  in  better  taste, 
or  more  after  the  manner  of  arriving  at  the  correct 
moment,  than  a  limited  liability  concern,  glorying  in  the 
all-embracing  title  of  Easy  Payments,  Limited  ?  Per- 
sonally, we  consider  it  a  stroke  of  absolute  genius, 
particularly  in  view  of  the  fact  that  the  first  intimation 
which  was  vouchsafed  to  the  native,  hereaway,  came  to 
hand  on  Whit-Monday  morning,  as  ever  was. 


EASY  PAYMENTS,  LIMITED!    Why,  it  is  the  very 

thing  !  Pockets  empty,  tongues — and  other  parts — awry 
with  Whitsuntide  weariness ;  you  feel  that  you  have  at 
least  a  hundred  different  needs,  on  the  Tuesday  and 
Wednesday  ;  but  precious  little  opportunity  of  satisfying 
either;  and  then,  just  as  you  are  despairing  of  'the 
attainment  of  your  wishes — along  comes  Easy  Payments, 
Limited.  Supposing,  on  the  Monday,  you  beguiled 
"her"  with  a  tale  that  you  would  take  her  out  in  a 
trailer  on  Saturday,  next  ;  told  her,  even  as  you  knew, 
for  a  dead  cert.,  that  you  hadn't  the  ghost  of  a  chance 
of  fulfilling  your  promise.  Under  ordinary  cir- 
cumstances, you  would  have  probably  dodged  out  of 

sight,  on  the  Saturday? 

+  +  + 

BUT  with  the  advent  of  Easy  Payments,  Limited, 
your  trouble  is  gone ;  it  hath  went ;  for  Easy  Payments, 
Limited,  is  going  to  sell  "  upon  the  hire,  or  deferred,  or 
periodical  payments  systems,  bicycles,  motorcycles,  cars, 
and  launches,  trailers,  and  automobiles  of  all  kinds,  etc." 
Now,  then,  isn't  there  enterprise  in  all  this?  Don't  you 
agree  with  us,  when  we  remark  about  the  resourcefulness 
and  orginality  of  the  Cardiffian  ?  We  are  almost  sure 
that  you  will.  And  for  ourselves,  we  are  fain  to  con- 
gratulate the  promoters  of  this  happily-named  company. 
and  wish  them  every  success  in  their  new  undertaking. 
When  a  concern  comes  out  in  true  colours  ;  when  it  has 
the  courage  to  plunk  its  reasons  of  existence,  right  into 
the  title  under  which  it  trades— that  is  where  it  wins 

our  admiration. 

+  +  + 

BEI  NC  original  people,  ourselves,  we  can  admire  the 
same  trait  in  others !  That  is  our  little  Whitsun  goak, 
you  know — as  far  as  it  concerns  us.  But  seriously,  the 
stumped  individual  may  now  anticipate  the  approach  of 
Saturday,  with  a  gladsome  heart.  "She"  won't  neces- 
sarily be  disappointed.  That  trailer  is  possible,  although 
in  the  exuberance  of  his  heart,  "he"  didn't  believe  so,  on 
the  Monday-  when  he  made  the  promise?  But  there  is 
one  little  crumple  in  the  rose-leaf.  You'll  probably  have 
to  be  quick  in  placing  your  applications.  At  least,  that  is 
how  it  strikes  us.  We  note  that  the  capital  of  Easy 
Payments,  Limited,  is  but  £1,000— for  a  start?  and  we 
are  not  quite  clear  as  to  how  many  "  bicycles,  motor 
cycles,  cars,  launches,  trailers,  and  automobiles  of  all 
kinds,  etc."  you  are  able -to  purchase  for  a  thousand 

pounds. 

+   +  + 

NOT  that  it  matters  much,  after  all,  for  shipowner, 
who  usually  goes  in  for  a  twelve-hundred-guineas  motor- 
car, will  hardly  be  the  man  to  swamp  Easy  Payments, 
Limited,  with  orders?  No.no!  Shipowner  will  be  more 
likely  to  get  his  motor-cars,  where  and  how  he  gets  his 
ships— from  easy  payment  companies;  but  companies 
•  Ttfat  usually  have  a  more  swagger  name  ?  That  is 
mainly  why  we  admire  the  local  group  of  traders  who 
have  plumped  for  the  business  openly,  and  fearlessly. 
This  being  so,  you  "hard  up"  members  of  the  race,  need 
not  fall  over  each  other  in  your  rush  for  the  offices  of 
Easy  Payments.  Limited,  which  are  situated  at  31  Castle 
Street,  Cardiff. 

TAKE  your  time,  and  do  it  well,  for  £1,000  sensibly 
expended,  will  go  far  in  securing  options  on  "  auto- 
mobiles of  all  kinds,"  even  if  you  omit  the  "etc."  We 
are  sure  that  the  sensible  trait  will  be  in  evidence,  for  the 
concern  which  has  sense  enough  to  "  come  straight  out" 
in  its  title,  will  be  sure  to  have  a  heap  of  the  commodity 
left  for  catering  successfully  to  your  needs  aye, 
supposing  you  want  a  motor-launch  for  Roath  Park  Lake, 
instead  of  a  trailer  for  a  trip  to  Whitchurch.  Dear, 
dear !  We  are  at  the  bottom  of  the  page,  and  we  wanted 
to  tell  you  of  other  easy-payments-secured  items. 
Never  mind,  it  will  keep. 


84 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June   1 6,  1905 


^"•«-«— " *~ 

Around  the  t)ry  IDocks. 


^f>  LAS,  that  it  should  be  written,  but  to  stroll  around  the  dry 
J-\  docks,  in  these  days  of  depression  and  sin,  is  anything 
•*  *  save  an  inspiriting  undertaking.  Where,  in  the  "good  old 
days"  which  appear  to  have  gone  beyond  recall,  was  heard  the 
merry  clatter  of  the  rivetter's  hammer ;  the  jocund  remarks  from 
the  "  black  "  squad,  and  eke,  again,  from  his  friend  of  the  "  white  " 
persuasion  ;  now,  is  there  silence,  sadness,  and  sorrow.  The 
walls  of  the  various  properties  are  being  upheld,  by  the  manly 
shoulders  of  a  mob  which  is  "  looking  for  work  ;  "  the  harried 
manager  is  wondering  how  it  is  all  going  to  end  ;  the  various 
foremen  withdraw  them  to  snug  and  out-of-the-way  corners  where, 
in  bated  breath,  they  whisper  of  the  good  old  have-beens  ;  and — 

WE  had  to  break  off,  just  there  !  Our  emotional  temperament 
could  not  possibly  survive  a  continuance  on  that  lay  ;  dwelling  on 
the  thusness  of  the  situation,  might  gar  us  greet ;  so,  switching  off 
the  Whitsuntide-like  train  of  thought ;  dropping  out  of  the  poetical 
vein  which  is  altogether  out  of  place  in  these  prosaic  days  ;  coming 
down  to  real,  every-day  language:  let  us  intimate  to  you,  that  the 
dry  docking  business  is  in  about  as  deplorable  a  condition,  as  is 
consistent  with  its  continuance  as  an  industry — yes !  Yet,  in 
spite  of  all  this  depression,  the  shout  is  ever  for  more  dry  docks  ; 
and  because  of  an  alleged  scarcity  in  this  connection,  a  soul- 
harrowing  cry  is  ever  around  on  the  ambient  air — heaven  help  it ! 

THAT  the  country  is  going  to  the  dogs — and  at  express  speed  ; 
with  never  a  possibility  of  putting  any  kind  of  a  brake  on  to  the 
mad  revolutions  which  are  being  made  ;  these — these  are  the  tales 
which  meet  you  if,  peradventure,  you  toboggan  into  one  of  the 
small-fry  members  of  the  ship-repairing  entity.  After  the  manner 
of  the  showman  who  assured  the  small  boy  that,  "  on  the  left  he 
could  see  Napoleon  Bonaparte  crossing  the  Alps  in  an  open  boat, 
and  on  the  right  deployed  the  Duke  of  Wellington,"  we  will  under- 
take to  personally  conduct  you  "Around  the  dry  docks."  Very 
well,  then  !  This  one  on  the  left —empty  ;  not  usually  its  fate ;  but 
even  so,  to-day.  Times  are  bad,  you  suggest.  Perhaps  they  are-- 
but  you  need  more  dry  docks. 

AROUND  the  corner,  where  yon  broad  expanse  of  corrugated  iron 
and  match-boarding,  marks  what  once  was  a  busy  hive  of  industry 
--on  a  small  scale;  what  is  its  fate?  Silent!  See  that  man 
standing  at  the  door  ;  twig  his  contracting  (no  pun,  mind)  brows  ; 
dost  think  of  the  days  of  thy  youth,  and  of  "  patience  on  a  monu- 
ment? "  Why  is  he  standing  thus,  and  why,  oh  why,  do  his  brows 
contract  in  such  painful  manner?  Simply  because  he  cannot  get  a 
ship-repairing  contract — and  he  has  to  contract  something,  or 
burst.  Beyond,  again  ;  look  beyond  !  .More  corrugated  iron  ; 
more  match-boarding  ;  more  standing-at-ease  ;  more  contracted 
brows  ;  more  scowls.  But  in  the  midst  of  it  all,  you  must  please 
remember  that,  to-day,  the  crying  need  is  "  more  dry  docks." 

+    +    -f 

COME  on!  This  place?  Oh,  this  is  a  commercial  dry  dock. 
Empty?  How  often?  We  give  it  up,  and  coax  you  to  come 
around  this  way.  Eh  ?  That^s  a  pontoon.  What  ?  Why  it 
pontoons  steamers,  of  course.  Why?  Don't  be  silly.  Principally 
because  the  steamers  can't  help  it.  You  see,  they  drop  the 
pontoon  underwater.  Then,  the  steamer,  which  .is  to  be  operated 
upon,  meanders  along  as  if  she  didn't  belong  to  anybody — much. 
She  hesitates,  a  bit  ;  and  as  is  usual  under  the  circumstances,  is 
lost,  so  to  speak  only  to  find  herself  on  that  blessed  pontoon 
which  has  been  quietly  coming  up  under  her  all  the  time.  Creepy 
things,  pontoons?  And  powerful-looking,  too?  Rather!  Has  a 
splendid  group  of  workshops  belonging  to  it — over  there,  look  ! 
Replete  with  every  modern  convenience.  Not  very  busy?  Well, 
not  for  this  particular  pontoon.  Still,  the  need,  to-day,  is  more 
dry  docks. 

HOLD  on,  a  bit  !  See  this  man  coming?  He's  a  tinker.  "Ship- 
repairer,"  you  know.  We'll  dissimulate.  Ask  him  the  name  of 
the  Mayor's  big  dog,  or  something  equally  interesting.  Then, 
we'll  say  "dry  docks,"  get  our  pencils  ready,  and— here  goes: 
"  Morning,  SIR"  (always  accent  the  word,  when  used  in  connection 
with  a  tinker,  for  he  is  a  serious  individual,  and  with  his  honours 
thick  upon  him,  is  not  to  be  treated  like  a  mere  dry  dock  manager)  ! 
"  Maw'nin' !  "  quotha,  as  he  attempts  to  pass  on.  This  is 
encouraging?  Try  him  thus  :  "  Grand  lot  of  dry  docks  scattered 


around  over  the  landscape,  SIR?"  Did  you  hear  his  sniff? 
Lovely!  And  expressive?  Here,  let  up  a  bit.  He's  speaking  ! 
"Are  we  interested  in  the  business?  Yes,  SIR  !"  See,  Tinker  is 
looking  the  words  "  How  much?"  but  our  business  is  to  gain 

information,  not  give  it. 

+    +    •*• 

REITERATING  our  former  remark,  we  say,  again,  "  Grand  lot  of 
dry  docks."  Then,  Tinker  lets  out!  Listen!  "Grand  lot  of  dry 
docks,  eh?  Ain't  half  enough,  an'  what  there  is,  all  lined  up  into 
a 'ring.'  That's  wha's  the  matter.  'Ring!'  But  you  wait!" 
and  the  command  is  given  with  a  look  that  is  powerful  enough  to 
cut-out  counter-sunk  rivets,  supposing  you  have  never  a  chisel  ! 
Timidly,  we  agree  to  wait.  Tinker  is  a  biggish  sort  of  creature, 
and  we — well,  we  are  small,  and  lightish  in  physique.  But  now 
that  Tinker  has  eased  himself  of  some  of  the  burden  which  is 
sagging  away  most  of  his  manhood,  he  passes  on  into  that  portion 
of  the  world  which  is  focussed  around  a  certain  Exchange.  You 
and  us?  We'll  walk  across  to  yon  point,  where  other  dry  docks 
show  up  out  of  the  impalpable  something  which  is  around  and 

about  us. 

+    +    + 

FINE  dock  this  ?  It's  a  parallelogram?  Of  course!  What  did 
you  think  it  would  be  ?  Round  ?  Why  ?  Because  that  Tinker- 
said  they  were  all  in  a  ring?  Nonsense  !  That  chap  was  merely 
repeating  what  some  other  fellow  had  told  him.  Generally  con- 
sidered, there  is  not  an  overdose  of  originality  among  tinkers. 
Were  it  otherwise,  they  would  quit  being  tinkers,  striking  out, 
rather,  as  ship-repairers  on  a  fairly-decent  scale.  You  know  the 
old  saw  concerning  "small  men,  small  minds?"  Well,  small 
minds  usually  potter  around  on  small  jobs.  Bigger  minds?  In 
this  connection,  bigger  minds  usually  go  in  for  managing  dry  docks. 
See  that  dredger,  there  ?  Well,  the  chap  in  charge,  is  a  ship- 
master; so  is  he  who  is  bossing  that  liner,  on  the  other  side  of 
the  Basin.  You  follow  the  line  of  thought  ? 

+    +    + 

BUT  this  dry  dock  is  empty  !  T'other  one,  away  over  yonder, 
has  one  boat  in,  when  to  be  busy,  there  should  be  four — at  least. 
Still,  you  want  more  dry  docks  !  Tinker  says  so,  and  he  ought  to 
know.  The  trouble  of  the  matter  is,  that  tinker  is  out  of  drawing, 
in  the  picture  of  to-day.  He  is  always  in  want  of  a  dry  dock,  and 
for  the  simple  reason  that  he  has  none  of  his  own.  The  want, 
then,  has  been  repeated  so  often  in  his  hearing,  that  he  has  it  on 
the  brain,  so  to  speak.  In  the  morning — he  wants  a  dry  dock; 
lunch  time,  he  calls  for  a  dry  dock,  instead  of  for  the  taste  of 
limburger ;  with  his  soup  at  dinner,  he  says  dry  dock ;  and 
retiring,  the  same  thought  is  about,  e'en  as  he  drops — but  never 
mind.  You  follow  the  line  of  suggestion,  don't  you  ? 

+    +   + 

MIND  you,  the  Tinker  is  a  decent  sort  of  fellow — when  he'll 
deign  to  remember  his  reason  of  existence.  We  wouldn't  have 
you  think  that  we  have  a  poor  opinion  of  the  cult  ;  not  for  worlds  ! 
Why,  on  one  occasion,  a  tinker  offered  us  a  new  hat— at  least,  he 
said  it  was  the  price  of  one.  We  were  working  for  a  tinkery  sort 
of  owner,  and  this  particular  tinker  offered  us  the  whole  of  seven- 
and-sixpenee — in  small  silver.  Don't  you  be  rude.  He  wasn't  the 
deacon  of  a  chapel.  As  already  explained,  he  was  a  tinker,  and  if 
his  ability  was  somewhat  limited,  we  took  the  will  for  the  deed — 
and  dropped  the  silver  into  the  life-boat  that  was  :screwed  up  to 
one  of  the  bulkheads  in  his  office.  Tinker's  alright.  His  middle 
distance  is  a  bit  weak  ;  so  much  so,  that,  at  present,  his  perspective 
appears  to  be  falling  into  the  fore-ground.  But  he'll  recover, 
bime  by,  and  then  he'll  give  up  yelling  for  more  dry  docks.  Going, 
now  ?  So  long  ! 

+  '+   + 

THE  foregoing  is,  we  know,  playful — and  Whitsuntidey.  All  the 
same,  there  is  a  quantity  of  truth  concealed  about  the  pleasantries 
set  out.  If  those  with  most  concern  therein,  will  just  assimilate 
for  themselves,  as  much  as  is  essential  to  their  peace  of  mind — and 
ultimate  trade  salvation — we  shall  not  have  written  about  that 
supposedly  personally-conducted  tour,  in  vain.  The  "small  man  " 
is  an  essential  feature  of  the  landscape  ;  but  it  is  as  well  for  him 
to  remember  that  he  isn't  all  the  landscape.  We  have,  ere  this, 
commented  on  the  ridiculousness  of  obtaining  a  steam-hammer, 
for  nut-cracking  purposes ;  we  call  attention  to  the  fact,  once 
again,  with  the  hope  that  the  gentlemen  who  merely  go  in  for 
(metaphorical)  nuts,  will  take  the  lesson  to  themselves. 


June  1 6,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


PATENTS  &  TRSDE  MSRKS 

Relating    to    SHIPPING   and    the    COAL    TRADE. 


Specifications  published  on  June  1,  1905,  together 
with  an  indication  of  their  subject  matter,  the  title 
being  printed  in  Italics. 

10.365  04— EVANS — A  new  or  improved  brake  apparatus 
for  rudder  heads  of  vessels. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  friction  brake  for  arresting 
ships'  rudders  on  breakage  of  the  steering  gear  &c.  It 
consists  of  a  quadrant  mounted  on  the  rudder  head  and 
having  a  peripheral  friction  surface.  A  horizontal  right 
and  left  handed  screw  shaft  is  mounted  alongside  the 
quadrant.  Two  brake  blocks,  having  profiles  to  corres- 
pond with  the  peripheral  brake  surface  of  the  quadrant, 
are  mounted  each  on  one  of  the  screw  threaded  portions 
of  the  shaft  so  that  on  the  shaft  being  rotated  by  a  hand 
wheel  they  are  caused  to  approach  each  other  and  brake 
the  rudder,  or  recede  from  one  another  and  release 
same  respectively. 

1 2,099  04—  H  UTCH I NGS—  Improvements  in  and  relating  to 
means  and  apparatus  for  the  generation  of  motive  power  by 
floating  bodies  such  as  ships,  buoys,  floating  docks,  and  the 
like  for  purposes  of  propulsion  and  other  uses. 

This  invention  relates  to  the  generation  of  motive 
power  by  utilizing  the  rocking  motion  of  vessels  and 
employing  the  power  to  propel  same.  According  there- 
to a  series  of  compartments,  open  to  the  external  water 
are  arranged  along  the  sides  of  the  vessel.  In  these 
compartments  floats  are  mounted.  Piston  rods  extend 
upwards  from  the  floats  and  connect  same  to  fluid 
compressors.  The  compressed  fluid  is  utilized  to  drive 
a  propelling  turbine.  The  Piston  rods  are  hollow  and 
their  upper  ends  which  are  closed  by  caps  extend 
through  the  compressors,  and  they  afford  a  means  of 
letting  out  the  air  from  tank  portions  of  the  floats  where- 
by owing  to  water  being  admitted  through  perforations 
in  their  bottoms,  their  degree  of  buoyancy  may  be  regu- 
lated. The  bilge  keels  are  pivotted  in  sections  and  are 
connected  by  links  with  the  piston  rods,  so  that  the 
effect  of  the  rolling  of  the  ship  on  the  bilge  keels,  may 
be  employed  to  supplement  effect  on  the  floats. 

16.204  04 — ROBY — Improvements  in  miners'  safety  lamps 
applicable  also  to  other  oil  lamps. 

This  invention  relates  to  that  class  of  oil  lamp  in  which 
the  amount  of  exposed  end  of  the  wick  is  regulated  by  a 
sleeve  sliding  over  the  wick  tube  and  end  of  the  wick. 
This  tube  is  raised  and  lowered  by  being  secured  to  a  nut 
which  traverses  a  screwed  spindle  mounted  vertically  in 
a  tubular  bearing  in  the  oil  vessel,  and  rotated  by  a 
milled  head  at  the  bottom  of  the  lamp.  The  improve- 
ments consist  m  forming  the  screw  portion  of  the 
spindle  separable  from  the  shaft,  by  means  of  a  squared 
socket  on  the  former  and  a  squared  end  to  the  latter,  so 
that  the  nut  screw  and  burner-sleeve  may  be  readily 
removed  to  adjust  the  wick  in  the  fixed  tube.  There  are 
also  other  minor  improvements. 

17,414  04  RONDEBUSH  Improvements  in  and  connected 
with  rock  drilling  engines. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  percussive  rock  drill  driven 
by  fluid  pressure.  The  improvements  consist  in  forming 
the  hammer  piston  of  the  drill  of  varying  diameters,  and 
with  an  internal  bore  which,  co-acting  with  the  varying 
diameters  of  its  cylinder  and  the  inlet  port,  operate  the 
hammer  piston  without  requiring  special  valves.  The 
exhaust  takes  place  through  a  circular  row  of  holes  in 
front  of  the  drills,  so  that  the  exhaust  fluid  will  impinge 
on  the  surface  of  the  rock  and  blow  away  the  drill  chipp- 
ings  and  dust.  The  feed  of  the  drill  is  effected  by  pro- 
longing the  hammer  cylinder  rearwards,  by  means  of  a 
rod  connected  thereto,  the  end  of  which  is  formed  as  a 
ram  or  piston,  working  in  a  cylinder  which  is  connected 
to  the  same  source  of  fluid  pressure  which  works  the 
hammer.  The  drill  is  supported  in  a  clamp  mounted  on 
a  vertical  column  fitted  at  the  top  with  an  enlarged  cap, 
and  at  the  bottom  with  a  screwed  spindle.  The  lower 


end  of  this  spindle  is  formed  with  a  spherical  end  which 
bears  in  a  spherical  cup  of  a  foot  piece.  The  column  is 
adapted  by  this  means  to  be  jammed  or  wedged  between 
the  roof  and  floor  of  the  mine  gallery.  The  working  face 
of  the  bit  is  formed  with  radial  V  shaped  ribs,  and  is 
provided  with  a  central  bore  for  conveying  fluid  to  carry 
away  the  chippings. 

28,808/04 — Improvements  relating  to  the  manufacture  of 
di-nitro-glycerine. 

This  invention  relates  to  the  formation  of  di-nitro- 
glycerine,  whilst  avoiding  the  formation  of  tri-nitro- 
glycerine.  This  is  stated  to  be  effected,  by  separating 
(by  means  of  either  and  the  like)  the  di-nitro-glycerine 
out  of  the  solution  formed  when  nitrating  glycerine  with 
acids  rich  in  water  and  sulphuric  acid,  and  poor  in  nitric 
acid,  by  which  means  the  formation  of  tri-nitro- 
glycerine  is  retarded. 

9 16/05 -MAY — Improved  process  for  making  fuel  from 
garbage. 

According  to  this  process  the  garbage  is  first  spread 
over  a  picking  table,  where  inert  matter  such  as  glass, 
nails- Ac.,  is  removed  by  hand.  Whilst  still  spread  on 
the  table  a  disinfectant  consisting  of  equal  parts  of  oxide 
of  calcium  and  ammoniacal  salts,  in  the  proportion  of 
3%  to  the  ton,  is  distributed  over  the  garbage.  The 
material  is  then  reduced  by  a  grinding  operation,  and  is 
subsequently  dried  and  partially  carbonised  in  drying 
apparatus.  During  the  carbonisation  a  chemical  re-action 
occurs  between  the  disinfectant  and  the  garbage,  result- 
ing in  the  coagulation  of  the  contained  oily  and  fatty 
matters.  To  the  finished  material  6%  to  the  ton  of 
crude  oil  may  be  added.  The  fuel  may  be  briquetted, 
10%  to  the  ton  of  pulverized  oxide  of  calcium  being 
employed  as  a  binding  material. 

5938'05  -  FRIED  KRUPP  AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT— Im- 
provements in  or  connected  with  tip  waggons. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  means  for  holding  the 
sliding  locking  bolt  of  a  tip  waggon  in  the  operative  or 
inoperative  position.  It  consists  of  a  weighted  lever 
formed  near  its  pivot  with  two  shoulders,  one  of  which 
engages  with  a  laterally  projecting  stud  on  the  bolt  to 
close  same  and  the  other  to  open  same.  The  angle  of 
movement  of  the  weighted  lever  is  such  that  the  weight 
tends  to  remain  where  placed.  When  the  lever  has  been 
thrown  into  the  position  to  unlock  the  tipping  bucket, 
the  latter,  after  passing  the  nose  of  the  bolt,  strikes  a 
laterally  projecting  stud  on  the  weighted  lever  and 
returns  it  to  the  position  for  locking,  and,  when  the 
tipping  bucket  returns  it  is  able  to  pass  the  projecting 
nose  of  the  locking  bolt  on  account  of  the  latter  being 
bevelled  and  able  to  be  temporarily  retired. 


These  applications  for  patents  are,  until  July  17,  1905, 
-trtfSn  to  opposition    by   any    person    having   a   statutory 
right  to  oppose. 

Copies  of  the  specifications  may  be  obtained  from  the 
Patent  Office  or  through  the  under-named. 


TRADE   MARKS. 


The  following  applications  for  the  registration  of  Trade 
Marks  relating  to  the  shipping  and  coal  trades  were 
advertised  on  June  7,  and  are  open  to  opposition  by 
interested  parties  within  the  period  ending  July  7th. 

Class  20 — Explosive  substances. 
No.   272,516— 5th    May,   1905 


substances.      Kynock,    Ltd., 
mingham  ;  Manufacturers. 


PR1MAX — for  explosive 
Lion   Works,   Witton,   Bir- 


Compiled  by  Messrs.  PHILLIPS  &  LEIGH,  Chartered  Patent 
Agents,  22,  Southampton  Buildings,  Chancery  Lane,  London, 
W?C.  Local  Consultant:  Mr.  S.  W.  ALLEN,  Engineer,  of  Cardiff 
Exchange,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June   i 6,  1905 


OUR  MARITIME  DIRECTORY. 


Mllllll'l, 


CARDIFF. 


Colliery  Proprietors. 


(~ORY  BROS.  4  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff  and 
'     London.    Dep6ts  at  all  the  principal 
Coaling  Stations  in  the  World. 

T.I..  .    "CORY.  CARDIFF"  ; 

Telegrams.    "CORY.  LONDON." 


TNSOLE.  GEOEGE  &  SON,  Cardiff.   Sole 
Shippers  of  Gymmer   Steam    Goal, 
Windsor  Steam  Goal,  and  Insoles  No.  2 
Rhondda  Goal. 

Telegrams:  "INSOLES.  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF-  -Continued. 


VIVIAN,   H.   C.   &  Co.,    Bute   Docks, 
Cardiff.     Sole  European  Agents  for 
"  The  Puritan  Coal  Mining  Co.,  Phila- 
delphia, U.S.A." 

Telegrams:  "VIVIAN,  CARDIFF." 


WATTS,    WATTS  &  Co.,   Cardiff    and 
London.  Contractors  for  the  supply 
of  Goals  at  all  Dep6ts  abroad. 

Telegrams:  "WATTS,  CARDIFF." 


Pock   Owners. 


T  EWIS    MERTHYR    CONSOLIDATED   GOL- 
LIERIES,  LTD.,  Proprietors  and  Ship- 
pers  of    "  Lewis  Merthyr "   Navigation 
Steam  Coal. 

"LEWIS  MERTHYR,  CARDIFF"; 
"LEWIS  MERTHYR.  LONDON." 


Telegrams 


[MARQUESS  OF  BUTE  COLLIERIES, 
Aberdare,  Hirwain,  and  Rhondda 
Valley.  Shipping  ports  : — Bute  Docks. 
Cardiff ;  Penarth  Dock  ;  Swansea ; 
Briton  Ferry ;  and  Newport  (Mon.) 

Telegrams  :  "  SEMA,  CARDIFF." 


QCEAN    (MERTHYR)    COAL   Co.,    LTD., 
11,  Bute  Crescent,  Cardiff,  proprie- 
tors of  Ocean  (Merthyr)  Steam  Goal. 


[  JNIVERSAL  STEAM   GOAL  Co.,  LTD., 
Bute  Docks,  Cardiff.  Proprietors  of 
'  Universal  Steam  Goal." 

Telegrams  :   "  VERSATILE,  CARDIFF." 


THE  CARDIFF  RAILWAY  COMPANY,  Bute 
Docks.  Cardiff. 

Ship  Repairers. 

CHEARMAN,  JOHN  &  Co..  LTD.,  Cardiff, 
and  at  Barry  Dock. 

THE   BUTE  SHIPBUILDING,  ENGINEERING, 
AND   DRY   DOCK   COMPANY,    LIMITED, 
Roath  Basin,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams  :  "  CAISSON.  CARDIFF." 

TTHE  CARDIFF  CHANNEL  DRY  DOCKS  AND 
PONTOON    Co.,    LTD.,    Cardiff    and 
Barry  Dock. 

T-  , "  Entrance,  Cardiff." 

Telegrams:    ••  channel,  Barry." 


VHE   MERCANTILE   PONTOON  Co..  LTD., 
Roath  Dock,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:   "MERCANTILE,  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF    Continued. 


Miscellaneous. 

LEWIS  &  TYLOR,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 

Sole  patentees  and  manufacturers 

of  "  Gripoly,"  a  patent  woven  belting  ; 

and  "  Burals,"  a  semi-metallic  packing. 

Telegrams  :  "  BELTING  CARDIFF."        Telephone,  Nat.  231 . 


Steamship    Owners. 


D 


AN.   JENKINS    &     Co..    Steamship 
Owners  and  Brokers.  Cardiff. 

Telegrams  :  "  Stonewall.  Cardiff." 
Nat.  Telephone:  1318. 


BARRY. 


Dock  Owners. 


THE  BARRY  RAILWAY  Co.,  Barry. 


Ship  Repairers. 


RARRY  GRAVING   DOCK  &  ENGINEERING 
"     Co..  LTD. 

Telegrams:   "  BARDOCK,  BARRY." 
National  Telephone  No.  7.         Post  Office  Telephone  No.  7. 


To    the    Proprietors    of 

"THE    MARITIME    REVIEW," 


DOCKS,     CARDIFF. 


SUBSGRI 


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You  VI.— No.  71. 


FRIDAY,   JUNE   23,    1905. 


THREEPENCE. 


MARITIME    HARK    MAKERS. 


.•^6.  ^  JW£x  -\-  ~rVJ 


THOMAS     EVANS,     ESQ. 
(Commercial    Manager.    Ocean    Steam   Coal   Company,    Limited.) 

(See    Page    94.1 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  23,  1905 


*  «.  *  NOTICES.  •*  ^  * 

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Correspondence  :  The  Editor  does  not  necessarily  identify  himself 
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written  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only. 


CONTENTS.  «•  >*  * 


PAGE 

MARITIME    MARK    MAKERS  86 

MARITIME  MURMURS          ... 87 

SOUTH  WALES  COAL  TRADE        95 

SUEZ  CANAL  COMPANY      ...     96 

CARDIFF  (AND  orgER)  COAL        ,       .  97 

COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES 98 

SHIPBUILDING          99 

MARITIME  (AND  OTHER)   MONEY  MATTERS        100 

AROUND  THE  DRY  DOCKS  101 

PATENTS  AND  TRADE  MARKS  102 


MARITIME    MURMURS. 


DOCKS.  CARDIFF. 

Thursday  Afternoon. 

THE  International  Maritime  Conference — so-called — has 
held  its  long-talked  of  seance,  and  the  Liverpudlian  is  said 
to  be  proud  in  consequence.  We  suppose  it  is  rude,  on  our 
part,  but  these  gatherings  of  nautically-minded  'longshore- 
men ever  give  us  mirth.  Of  course,  we  quite  understand 
that  the  greatest  maritime  nation  on  earth,  has  given  but 
scant  attention  to  this  hotch-potch  which  indulges  in  an 
annual  outing,  and  that  International  Maritime  Committee 
is  as  near  as  any  of  us,  in  this  country,  may  hope  to  get  to 
the  business  that  was  undertaken -this  time— in  Liverpool. 
All  the  same,  the  Dicky  Sams  put  their  Town  Hall  at  the 
disposal  of  this  I.  M.  G.  :  while  the  Chambers  of  Commerce, 
their  friends  of  the  steamship  owning  fraternity,  the  Bar, 
and  the  Law  Society  clubbed  together  for  the  wherewithal 
for  a  banquet :  the  Gunard  Company  "  stood "  another 
banquet  in  mid-river  ;  and  taken  altogether,  the  happy 
little  coterie  of  would-be  nautical  advisers,  did  themselves 
remarkably  proud,  in  this  particular  year  of  grace.  One  of 
these  odd  days,  a  heaven-sent  genius  will  suggest  that  the 
first  step  in  these  little  conferential  pow-wows,  should  be 
the  inclusion,  of  a  number  of  men  who  really  know  some- 
thing about  shipping— sailormen.  to  wit. 

#  fc 

MEANWHILE,  we  have  to  consider  these  arrangements,  as 
they  are  :  not  as,  under  happier  circumstances,  they  would 
be.  So  !  The  apples,  so  to  speak,  on  this  occasion,  were 
(  1 )  Limitation  of  Shipowners'  Liability— which  is  merely 
another  method  of  writing  "  Easing  the  Underwriter," 
seeing  that  shipowner  unloads  the  whole  of  his  liability  on 
to  that  accommodating  friend.  (2.)  Mortgages  and 
Maritime  and  other  Liens  on  Ships  :  (3)  Conflicts  of  Laws 
as  to  Freights.  There  would  appear  to  be  but  a  so-so 
method  of  officering  this  Maritime  Conference,  for  the 
three  days  allotted  to  the  three  subjects  (when  the  ban- 
quetting  time,  and  things,  were  deducted  )  were  altogether 
insufficient,  and  item  (  3  )  was  unavoidably  held  over.  Now, 
if  these  good  people  were  serious  in  their  efforts  to  bring 
about  a  better  ordering  of  matters  maritime,  would  not  they 
start  off  with  the  Conflicts  of  Laws  as  to  Freights?  A 


ship  is  created,  primarily,  for  the  purpose  of  earning 
freights,  while  such  points  as  mortgages  and  liens,  as  well 
as  underwriters'  liability,  are  merely  subsidiary  items  ? 
Probably,  this  is  one  of  the  chief  reasons  why  the  British 
Government  is  so  careless,  about  the  machinations  of  these 
otherwise  estimable  people,  who  set  out  from  a  far  land, 
for  the  purpose  of  having  a  talkee-talkee  with  the 

"  abominable  Briton." 

E>?  Xg 
t&     £8 

WE  have  it  on  the  authority  of  sections  of  the  daily 
press,  which  are  probably  as  well  posted  on  maritime 
matters  as  were  some  of  the  amiable  gentlemen  who.  in 
the  lump  (if  we  may  put  it  thus),  went  to  make  up  the 
International  Maritime  Conference,  that  the  meeting  was  a 
success.  Of  course,  reasons  are  adduced  for  this  success  ; 
but  being  busy  people— and  having  but  a  limited  quantity  of 
space  at  our  disposal — we  have  no  time  to  bother  with 
those  reasons.  We  are  more  concerned,  with  ways  and 
means  for  obviating  the  accidents  which  lead  up  to  this 
alleged  shipowners'  liability,  than  with  the  safeguarding  of 
same,  after  it  has  once  been  established.  That  is.  if  the 
shipowner  were  constrained  to  send  nothing  but  well-found, 
and  weU-manned  ships  to  sea.  his  liability  for  accidents 
done,  would  amount  to  a  raw  bean.  But  when  the  Ipsy 
Fip  is  sent  off  with  a  rudder  that  jambs  ;  with  a  steering- 
gear  that  won't  work  for  Father  Peter :  with  a  set  of 
engines  that  will  not  reverse,  even  if  you  offer  them 
eighteen-pence  per  revolution  ;  with  a  compass  that  is 
about  as  faithful  as  are  some  of  the  owners  which  we 
could  mention,  and  who  have  a  "  fixed  pole,"  so  to  speak, 
in  every  second  street  which  crosses  their  homeward  track  ; 
well,  what  do  you  expect,  in  the  matter  of  "  accidents  ?  " 

&?  9ca 

«ff     tS 

THIS,  really,  is  where  the  joke  eventuates.  Shipowner 
—some  of  him.  at  least — will  send  any  mortal  thing  afloat, 
that  may  be  calculated  to  get  clear  of  a  dock  gate.  Ill- 
found  as  suggested  :  manned  with  a  nondescript  com- 
bination of  useless  humanity,  which  is  sweated  to  death 
and  woefully  inefficient,  always  ;  then,  when  the  "staunch 
and  true"  Ipsy  Fip  runs  into  a  dock  gate,  and  wrecks  a  host 
of  ships  which  were  on  the  far  side  thereof  :  or  toboggans 


June  S3,  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


88 


into  some  other  kind  of  nautical  monstrosity,  and  sinks  it  ; 
shipowner  wishes  to  pretend  that  his  £8  per  ton  liability  is 
altogether  too  much  —  because  the  foreigner,  under  some- 
what similar  conditions,  is  enabled  to  waltz  away  with  a 
mere  £4  per  ton  as  liability.  And  the  £8  per  ton  man  jibs, 
although  in  numberless  instances,  the  book  value  of  his 
prime  old  crop  of  nautical  freaks,  is  "  down  "  at  anything 
reaching  to  £15  per  ton.  This  is  another  cause  for  mirth 
—  to  us  :  and  for  the  stand-off  which,  so  far  in  the  merry 
game,  has  been  contributed  by  the  British  Government  ? 
Reverting  to  those  reasons  for  the  success  of  the  Con- 
ference. and  for  which,  in  the  preceding  paragraph,  we 
remarked  that  we  had  no  time,  we  must,  ^after  all,  touch 
on  one  of  them. 

&t$ 

THE  reason  suggested,  is  that  "  the  meeting  was  essenti- 
ally one  of  business  men,  representing  every  interest 
connected  with  our  maritime  trade,  rather  than  of  lawyers." 
Personally,  and  more  or  less  respectfully,  we  must  beg  to 
differ.  The  meeting  did  not  contain  representatives  of 
every  interest,  and  as  a  natural  consequence,  it  was  merely 
of  the  nature  of  a  mutual  admiration  society,  after  all. 
The  seagoing  interest  was  not  represented  —  other  than 
tentatively  :  and  gainsay  the  fact  who  will,  a  maritime 
conference  which  is  not  well-supplied  with  nautical  men, 
is  just  an  attempt  at  playing  Hamlet  without  the  Prince. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  it  is  this  misguided  ignoring  of  the 
seagoing  element,  which  makes  International  Maritime 
Conferences  necessary.  Business  men  are  all  very  well  in 
their  place  ;  but  when  it  comes  down  to  a  solid  seafaring 
job,  you  need  sailors—  much  as  the  statement  might  vex 
you.  True.  Great  Britain  was  represented  by  some  40 
members,  and  we  note  that  these  were  divided  up  as  25 
business  men  and  10  lawyers  while,  presumably,  the 
remainder  were  old  ladies  ?  You  might  think  that  we  are 
inclined  to  treat  this  august  assemblage  lightly  :  are  averse 
to  give  it  its  right  and  proper  meed  of  praise. 


Really,  the  etc.  stands  for  the  general  manager  of  the  Bank 
of  Liverpool,  and  a  Mr.  Harrison,  forj^he^Liverpool  corn 
trade.  We  should  like  to  give  you  'aT!s¥mple  of  some  of 
the  speechifying  and  arguments,  for  many  of  them  were 
dref'fly  funny,  and  judging  by  the  apparently  good-natured 
feeling  that  was  about,  there  is  never  a  wicked  foreigner  on 
earth,  who  is  desirious  of  putting  a  sprag  in  the  wheel  of 
British  commerce — oh,  dear  no.  One  gentleman  remarked 
that  "  by  being  represented  at  the  conference,  the  Govern- 
ment did  not  necessarily  commit  the  country  to  anything," 
and  to  our  mind,  this  was  a  neat  method  of  placing  it  on 
record  that  the  Conference  amounted  to  mighty  little, 
anyhow?  -=— •-  '-ncr' 

NATURALLY,  there  was  a  resolution  worked  off  on  the 
crowd,  and  it  was  as  follows  :  "  That  the  representatives  of 
the  British  shipowners,  merchants,  and  underwriters 
attending  this  conference  are  of  opinion  that  in  the 
interests  of  the  international  commerce  of  this  country  it 
is  of  the  first  importance  that  his  Majesty's  Government 
should  be  represented  at  the  international  conference  con- 
vened by  the  Government  of  Belgium  to  consider  draft 
codes  relating  to  collisions  at  sea,  and  salvage  ;  and  that 
the  secretaries  are  requested  respectfully  to  submit  a  copy 
of  this  resolution  to  his  Majesty's  Government."  Eh  ? 
That  ought  to  fetch  'em,  didn't  it  ?  But  it  won't,  you'll  see 
— not  if  the  word  "  respectfully  "  were  written  in  italics. 
The  mere  words  "draft  codes,"  appears  to  have  tickled 
some  of  the  gentlemen,,  ,above  a  bit.  For  instance,  there 
was  Mr.  McArthur,  M.P.,  who  reminded  the  assembly  that 
the  British  Government  had  promised  to  give  their  careful 
consideration  to  those  two  codes — presumably,  the  Govern- 
ment has  done  so,  and  this  is  one  of  the  reasons  why  it  will 
have  none  of  the  notion  ?  But  surely  the  gentleman  went 
a  bit  over  far,  when  he  claimed  that  "  it  was  the  strong  and 
considered  wish  of  the  public  of  this  country,"  that  its 
Government  should  take  part  in  such  conferences  ? 


WELL,  you  are  not  far  wrong,  for  we  number  ourselves 
among  those  good  people  who  are  convinced  that  the 
International  Maritime  Conference  is  just  a  name,  and  no 
more.  We  are  not  unduly  bothering  about  the  fact  that 
its  next  meeting  will  come  off  somewhere  in  Italy,  and 
mainly  because  we  happen  to  know  that,  from  a  bapquetting 
standpoint.  Italy  takes  a  lot  of  beating.  Moreover,  we  are 
certain  that  a  conference  could  fall  on  worse  lines  than  are 
to  be  found,  in  the  land  where  la  bella  Ida  has  long,  silken 
lashes  to  her  e'en.  Then,  there  is  the  Tower  of  Pisa,  the 
Ruins  of  Pompeii  i  where  the  Conference  would  be  suitably 
surrounded?  i.  the  Forum-  to  say  nothing  of  wine  and 
things  the  Appian  Way.  and.  bless  us.  there  are-iieaps  of 
quiffs  in  Italy,  that  are  worth  a  visit  But  if  you  want  us 
to  pretend  that  we  have  any  belief  in  a  sensible,  and 
business-like  return  for  all  this  tinkle-tankle-talkee  then. 
you  do  not  know  much  about  the  subject,  or  about  us. 
But  as  the  Liverpool  meeting  appears  to  be  anxious  for 
immortality,  we  hasten  to  assure  you  that  the  25  business 
men  already  referred  to.  were  beautifully  representative  in 
their  power,  might,  and  majesty. 

fi?*3 

FOR  instance,  they  represented  among  them,  the  follow- 
ing august,  and  serious-minded  institutions  :  United 
Chamber  of  Shipping  of  the  United  Kingdom  :  Liverpool 
Steamship  Owners'  Association  :  London  Steamship  Owners' 
Mutual  Insurance  Association  :  United  Kingdom  Mutual 
(  lot  of  "  mutual  "  about  it  ?  )  Steamship  Owners'  Associa- 
tion :  London  and  Liverpool  Chambers  of  Commerce  : 
Institute  of  London  Underwriters  :  Glasgow  Underwriters- 
Association  :  Liverpool  Average  Adjusters'  Association,  etc. 


PERSONALLY,  we  much  doubt  if  the  public  of  this  country 
cares  a  twopenny  swearword,  as  to  whether  there  is  an 
International  Maritime  Conference,  an  International  Mari- 
time Committee,  or  merely  an  International  Maritime 
Confusion — for  it  will  be  all  the  same,  fifty  years  hence, 
don't  you  think  ?  Of  course,  we  are  willing  to  admit  that 
these  gentlemen  should  take  themselves  seriously.  But 
then,  not  .over  seriously?  Mr.  F.  S.  Watts,  too  (and  his 
respected  father  was  about  as  clever  a  shipowner  as  the 
United  Kingdom  ever  possessed),  remarked  that  the  two 
codes  (there  it  is.  again  ! )  were  the  work  of  picked  repre- 
sentatives of  commerce,  and  such  a  fact,  alone  ought  to 
convince  his  Majesty's  Government.  Bub  lor'  bless  us  ! 
that's  the  worst  ofjbeing  young  and  ingenuous  !  Later  on 
in  life,  and  after  rubbing  with  the  world,  on  his  own.  say, 
Mr.  F.  S.  Watts  might  realise  that  his  Majesty's  Govern- 
ment (being  picked  men.  themselves !)  take  a  quantity  of 
convincing- when  they  are  averse  to  the  process,  yes! 
Coming  down  to  a  consideration  of  the  Limitation  of  Ship- 
owners' Liability,  we  find  that  from  a  conferential  point  of 
view,  cargo-owners  were  merely  indirectly  interested, 
seeing  that  all  cargo  is  — or  is  said  to  be— insured.  This,  of 
course,  was  the  definition  offered  by  the  cargo-owner, 
himself  ! 

5?  & 

ON  the  other  hand,  if  shipowners  benefitted  from  the  new 
dodge— or  the  new  hoped-for-dodge  (or  should  it  be  hoped- 
for-new-dodge  ?')— their  benefit,  eventually,  would  be 
shared  in  by  cargo-owners,  who  would  get  lower  freight- 
rates.  This  looks  bad,  for  if  the  cargo-owner  is  hopeful  of 
securing  lower  freight-rates  than  have  obtained  for  the  last 


89 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  23,   1905 


two  or  three  years,  heaven  help  us !  This  by  the  way. 
But  underwriter  was  of  opinion  that  the  rate  of  premium 
would  be  unaffected  by  the  suggested  code— so  where  is 
the  use  of  carrying'oh  the  Conference  ?  Cargo-owner  has 
only  an  indirect  interest :  shipowner  isn't  going  to  agree  to 
lower  freights  :  and  underwriter  will  see  'em  all  jiggered  be- 
fore he  will  submit  to  a  lowering  of  his  premiums  !  Didn't 
we  remark,  'way  back,  that  some  of  the  arguments  were 
dref'fly  funny  ?  We  meant  to,  anyhow.  And  in  effect,  the 
whole  contraption  will  be  nothing  other  than  a  fizzle,  for 
the  simple  reason  that  on  the  Continent,  the  shipmaster  is 
still  paramount  in  matters  of  this  kind  ;  while  in  dear, 
foolish,  old  Britain,  he  is  about  the  last  man  consulted— 
thanks  to  his  continued  supineness  in'eVerfthing  which 
affects  his  position,  conditions  of  service,  and  status 
generally. 

tf'te 

IF  you  doubt  us.  let  us  quote  you  from  a  London  "daily" 
which  has  made  a  quantity  of  "  copy  "  out  of  the  deal— 
Times,  to  wit.  Here  you  are  :  "  The  chief  question  before 
the  conference,  was,  whether  amongst  the  liabilities,  for 
which  limitation  was  to  be  admitted,  there  should  be 
included  '  engagements  entered  into  by  the  master  in  virtue 
of  his  legal  capacity  (it  would  appear,  from  this,  that  the 
shipmaster  still  has  a  legal  capacity  ?)'— /.e.  (inter  alia), 
contracts  of  carriage,  for  repairs,  supplies,  etc.  This  pro- 
vision is  in  accordance  with  Continental  law ;  but,  in 
deference  to  British  views  (which  mark  the  shipmaster 
down  as  a  person  of  no  importance,  and  will  continue  so  to 
do.  until  he  arises  and  brings  about  the  alteration  which  is, 
and  ever  has  been,  in  his  power),  the  delegates  of  foreign 
nations  unanimously  agreed  to  waive  their  rule  and  adopt 
in  its  place  a  category  of  liabilities  based  upon  the  British 
Merchant  Shipping  Act.  1894,  section  503."  There  you 
are,  sirs.  Not  satisfied  with  knocking  the  Old  Man's  feet 
from  under  him,  in  maritimely  supreme  Britain,  the  killers 
of  the  geese  that  lay  the  golden  eggs,  are  bent  on  inaugurat- 
ing a  similar  system  on  the  Continent.  Don't  tell  us  about 
the  scarcity  of  the  dref'fly  funny  particular,  in  connection 
with  this  International  Maritime  Conference  ! 

#  & 

INDEED,  the  whole  fit-out  appears  to  have  gone  no 
farther  on  the  suggested  road,  than  is  included  in  a  mild 
attempt  to  belittle  the  foreign  shipmaster,  even  as  has  been 
belittled,  his  British  colleague.  In  the  old  days ;  days 
when  our  minds  were  free  from  the  faked  log-books 
which  sickened  us  of  the  sea ;  days  when  the  power  of 
a  feloniously-inclined  super  had  no  terrors  for  us  :  in  our 
happy  school-days,  to  be  exact ;  we  learned  an  old  tag 
which  lilted  along  after  the  following :  Quos  Deus  vult 
perdere.  prius  dementat,  and  this,  being  freely  translated, 
signified  that  those  whom  God  has  a  mind  to  destroy,  he 
first  deprives  of  their  senses,  what?  We  aren't  going  to 
argue  the  point  about  the  purity  of  tne  Latin  which  is 
involved  :  it  was  good  enough  for  our  old  Dominie,  so  'twas 
good  enough. for  us  :  but  concerning  the  absolute  truth  of 
the  quotation,  there  can  be  no  possibility  of  doubt.  To 
prove  it,  size  up  the  rotten  state  in  which  British  shipping 
is  and  has  been,  more  or  less,  for  a  decade  or  so.  Has 
been,  in  fact,  since  the  shipmaster  was  relegated  to  a  back 
seat— because  some  of  him  had  conscientious  scruples 
about  faking  a  log-book  more'n  once  in  a  round  trip.  Eh  ? 
Isn't  this  the  truth  ? 

6?  & 

HOWEVER,  and  in  view  of  another  old  tag  which  occurs 
to  us :  a  tag  which  explains  things  concerning  the 
impossibility  of  making  a  silk  purse  out  of  a  sow's  ear ; 
the  conference  to  which  we  have  given  this  extended 
consideration,  fizzled  out,  even  after  the  manner  provided 
for  such  affairs.  That  is  to  say,  that  after  a  quantity  of 


alleged  discussion  ;  when  heaps  of  nice  things  had  been- 
flung  around  on  the  ambient  air  :  when  our  amiable  friends 
from  ze  Continong  had  exhausted  their  by  no  means 
inappreciable^tock  of  polite  inanities  ;  when  the  wine  (and 
whisky)  had  been  duly  sampled  and  approved  of—  for  there 
were  banquettings,  you'll  remember ;  when  the  inevitable 
dead-lock  had  been  reached  :  it  was  decided  to  refer  the 
whole  discussion  to  a  sub-committee,  whose  business  would 
be  to  consider  the  whole  caboodle  in  detail,  after  which  they 
would  report  to  the  big — or  original — committee.  So  that  is 
alright,  for  in  other  words,  the  "  code  "  and  its  acceptance, 
was  relegated  to  the  Greek  calends— praise  de  lor'  !  If, 
after  that,  any  sane  man  wonders  at  the  Government's 
alleged  sujJineft$ss  in  the  matter— we  are  sorry  for  him. 
Governments  are  not  usually  anxious  to  hold  themselves 
up  to  ridicule — unless  they  are  absolutely  bound  to  ?  This 
happens  sometimes  :  but  not  when  International  thingamys 
are  on  tap.  Take  it  away,  please.  To  Italy,  an'  it  suits 
you. 

#  & 

THE  last  Act  in  the  drama  known  as  the  "Loss  of  the 
Workfield,"  befell  on  Saturday,  last,  when  the  inevitable 
"  off  with  his  head  "  took  place  in  connection  with  the 
captain.  A  local  Marine  Board  inquiry  had  the  matter  in 
hand-  why.  we  are  unable  to  state,  unless  it  were  in 
accordance  with  honourable  (or  dishonourable)  tradition. 
The  inquiry  on  this  occasion,  was  constituted  even  as 
obtains  on  most  other  occasions,  which  is  to  say  it  was 
no  better,  and  no  worse,  than  the  majority  of  these 
inquiries.  A  number  of  'longshoremen,  a  lawyer  or  so, 
"the  culprit"  already  condemned,  the  so-called  witnesses 
lumped  together  by  the  Board  of  Trade  whose  chief  reason 
of  existence  in  matters  of  this  kind,  is  to  find  a  scapegoat 
— and  there  you  are.  This  is  a  great  country  ;  everybody 
realises  it ;  and  when  a  Board  of  Trade  inquiry  has  already 
put  the  first  jab  into  the  character  of  a  shipmaster,  it 
naturally  follows  that  a  Marine  Board  arrangement  dare 
not  disagree  with  the  Head  Barnacles  ?  In  the  whole 
series  of  this  alleged  "  trial-by-jury,"  how  many  of  the 
jurors  were  there  who  had  as  much  as  a  nodding  acquain- 
tance with  the  sea,  or  with  the  conduct  of  the  foreign 
stuff  which  passes  muster  as  "  British  seamen."  these 
days  ?  Was  there  one,  we  wonder  ? 

^^ 

WE  do  not  wonder,  really,  for  we  know  that  all  these 
little  affairs  are  decided  "  on  the  evidence  ;  "  common-sense 
is  brought  to  bear;  and  'tis  simply  marvellous  to  note  the 
dead  set.  which  this  class  of  common-sense  has  against 
the  Old  Man— no  matter  from  where  he  hails.  In  this 
instance  a  couple  of  "squareheads" — through  an  inter- 
preter, ye  gods  I—declared  that  the  Old  Man  was  drunk  on 
certain  occasions,  and  although  the  chief  and  second 
officers  of  the  vessel  were  emphatic  in  their  declarations  to 
the  contrary,  the  "  squareheads  "  were  believed.  That  is, 
these  men  were  considered  as  good  enough  for  the  position 
of  "  British  seamen."  afloat,  and  their  "  English"  was  quite 
good  enough,  to  enable  a  number  of  officers  to  get  their 
ship  around  in  safety  ;  but  when  it  comes  to  a  Marine 
Board  inquiry,  an  interpreter  must  be  engaged,  and  nobody 
appears  to  see  the  wickedness,  or  the  incongruity,  of  it  all. 
Indeed,  some  English  gentlemen  who  adorned  the  Marine 
Board  inquiry  of  this  occasion,  are  shipowners,  managers, 
style-'em-what-you-will :  have  numbers  of  the  same  kind 
of  foreigners  on  the  vessels  which  they  manage  ;  and  yet 
they  have  the  bad  taste  to  sit  at  an  inquiry,  as  "  principal 
boys,"  so  to  speak,  and  question  these  "  British  seamen," 
through  the  agency  of  an  interpreter  !  It's  a  free  country, 
mind. 

5?^ 

As  our  readers  are  aware,  the  charge  was  that  the  captain 


June  23,  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


was  drunk  and  unfit  for  duty,  on  the  day  when  the  Work- 
field  struck  a  submerged  object  and  ultimately  sunk. 
Previous  to  this,  there  had  been  a  question  of  150  dollars 
handed  to  the  captain,  for  distribution  among  the  crew— 
the  source  of  the  dollars  doesn't  matter  in  the  least.  The 
men  didn't  get  these  alleged  dollars,  and  after  the  manner 
of  their  kind,  decided  to  "  make  it  hot  "  for  the  Old  Man. 
It  is  all  so  straightforward  and  forecastley,  that  one  is 
aghast  at  any  credence  being  placed  on  the  words  of  these 
"  make-it-hot  "  gentlemen.  There  appears  to  be  malice  all 
through  the  business,  for  as  a  beginning,  a  number  of  the 
crew  signed  a  paper  (free  education,  again)  asking  the 
chief  officer  to  take  charge  of  the  steamer  —  an  honour  which 
he  refused  because,  according  to  his  evidence,  the  Old 
Man  was  neither  drunk,  nor  incapable  ;  the  steward  of  the 
vessel  deposed  that  he  had  heard  the  yarn  about  that  150 
dollars,  and  had  also  heard  the  firemen  declare  that  they 
would  make  it  hot  for  the  captain  :  yet  in  face  of  this  con- 
flicting "  evidence."  the  case  was  gone  on  with  :  the  thing 
was  carried  to  a  finish  ;  and  that  finish  the  only  one 
possible,  in  these  degenerate  days  -"Off  with  his  head." 

fi?    fc 

To  say  the  least,  the  Captain's  version  of  the  accident, 
and  the  items  which  lead  up  to  it.  were  as  worthy  of  belief 
as  were  the  conflicting  statements  made  by  the  crowd  that 
had  decided  "to  make  it  hot"  for  him;  and  the  careless- 
ness which  admitted  of  the  departure,  for  sea.  of  two  of 
the  ship's  officers  -the  first  engineer  and  second  mate,  to 
wit—  was  not  the  least  questionable  action  in  the  conduct 
of  the  Board  of  Trade.  If  the  Board  were  intent  on  seeing 
the  thing  through  as  became  a  national  institution,  the  mere 
fact  that  the  retention  of  the  engineer  would  cost  a  few 
pounds  should  not  have  stood  in  the  way.  The  cost  of 
maintaining  the  foreigner  who  had  to  be  examined  through 
the  help  of  an  interpreter,  did  not  debar  the  Board  from 
keeping  them  in  metaphorical  clover  until  wanted  for  the 
execution.  Of  course,  not.  The  foreigners  would  give 
"  evidence  "  against  the  Old  Man  :  the  first  engineer. 
apparently,  was  inclined  to  plump  for  him.  So  were  the 
navigating  officers,  but  as  they  are  both  of  them  potential 
shipmasters,  and  therefore  the  pariahs  of  the  service,  their 
evidence  was  discounted  from  the  beginning.  As  a  matter 
of  fact,  the  second  officer  was  allowed  to  be  absent  from 
the  Marine  Board  inquiry,  although  he  had  been  retained 
for  the  B.T.  sample. 


IT  occurs  to  us  to  ask.  if  the  engineer  and  second  mate 
were  allowed  to  clear  out,  because  it  was  known  that  their 
evidence  was  on  the  side  of  the  Captain  ?  In  view  of  the 
remainder  of  the  matters  surrounding  this  unsavoury  case. 
one  has  a  right  to  ask.  Mr.  Miller,  the  Liverpool  solicitor  who 
looked  after  the  interests  of  the  captain  of  the  Workfield, 
pointed  out  a  number  of  discrepancies  in  the  evidence,  and 
remarked  on  the  small  quantity  of  spirit  that  had  been 
consumed  on  the  voyage.  He  also  touched  on  the  fact  that 
the  two  important  witnesses  who  had  been  allowed  to  go 
to  sea,  instead  of  being  retained  to  speak  for  the  man  who 
had  everybody,  practically,  against  him.  was  a  "cruel  in- 
justice." And  we  entirely  agree  with  Mr.  Miller,  for  it  is 
"a  great  wrong  that,  in  an  inquiry  like  this,  fostered  behind 
the  master's  back,  two  material  witnesses  are  not  produced 
by  the  Board  of  Trade,  or  opportunity  given  to  the  master 
to  produce  them."  Of  course,  a  nine  months'  suspension 
followed,  and  presumably,  the  Board  of  Trade  is  glad  in 
consequence  ?  This  is  exactly  where  the  Department  can 
be  depended  on  to  show  its  authority.  But  it  is  about  the 
only  place,  and  that  is  probably  why  the  shipmaster  is  sure 
of  a  suspension,  under  nearly  any  circumstance. 


THE  master  of  the  Workfield  might  have  been  drunk,  or 
he  might  not  have  been.  But  it  is  ve'ry  certain  that  the 
alleged  evidence  offered  by  the  selection  of  men  who  had 
decided  to  "  make  it  hot  "  for  the  Old  Man,  was  in  no 
manner  conclusive,  and  under  the  circumstance,  the 
supposed  culprit  should  have  been  given  the  benefit  of  the 
doubt—  which  was  large  enough,  in  all  conscience.  But 
the  shipmaster  is  entirely  to  blame  for  all  these  travesties 
of  justice.  He  has,  and  has  ever  had,  the  power  of  squaring 
these  matters  up  ;  of  showing  these  Jacks-in-office  that 
the  day  is  over  for  preferential  treatment  ;  and  that,  hence- 
forth, he  must  be  treated  as  a  human  being  ;  as  one  of  the 
community  ;  instead  of  always  posing  as  the  "  under  dog," 
whenever  it  suits  the  Department  to  have  a  field-day 
against  him.  On  this  occasion,  the  solicitor  for  the  Board 
of  Trade  asked  if  the  suspension  was  to  commence  from 
the  day  of  the  trial  —  so-called  —  and  was  informed  that  this 
was  a  matter  for  the  Board  of  Trade  to  deal  with.  Now 
why  need  this  estimable  lawyer  ask  any  such  thing  ?  If 
it  were  necessary,  from  a  professional  point  of  view,  to 
settle  the  matter,  couldn't  -that  lawyer  have  asked  if  the 
suspension  dated  from  the  loss  of  the  steamer  ? 


IN  gur  opinion,  these  lawyers  ever  act  as  if  their  con- 
tinuance in  the  employ  of  the  Board  of  Trade,  depends  not 
so  much  on  their  legal  acumen,  as  upon  the  vindictiveness 
displayed  against  "  the  culprit."  The  Captain  is  a  black- 
guard ;  the  Department  has  instructed  us  to  proceed  ; 
ergo.  it  wishes  us  to  get  as  much  out  of  him  as  possible  ; 
failing  this,  we  shall  not  be  justifying  our  employment  ; 
this,  to  our  mind,  sums  up  the  argument  brought  in  (on  the 
quiet,  of  course)  by  these  supporters  of  "the  Department." 
However,  the  Board  of  Trade  should  be  satisfied  over  the 
roasting  of  its  latest  victim.  On  the  words  of  a  number  of 
would-be  mutineers—  for  that  is  what  the  signing  of  that 
paper  amounted  to  he  is  condemned  to  a  nine  months' 
suspension  from  work  ;  the  sentence  will  ease  the  strain 
of  the  underwriters  who  have  to  pay  for  the  loss  ;  the 
Board  will  work  up  a  certain  amount  of  smug  superiority  : 
will  pose  as  a  concatenation  of  humanity  which  may  be 
depended  on  to  raise  Cain  with  the  helpless  :  will  issue 
other  notices  to  mariners  ;  draw  big  salaries  among  it, 
generally  :  and  the  mere  fact  that  they  are  hastening  on 
the  day  when  there  will  be  no  British  seamen,  and  therefore 
no  salaries  earned  for  this  puissant  Board  of  Bulldosers, 
never  seems  to  flit  across  their  mighty  brains. 

5?  ^ 

THAT  day  is  coming,  all  the  same  ;  when  it  arrives,  the 
Board  will  not  even  have  the  satisfaction  of  remarking  that 
nobody  told  them  about  it.  The  trouble  of  the  whole 
•  -arrangement  is,  that  the  Marine  Department  has  outlived 
its  day  of  usefulness  ;  it  is  moribund,  and  should  have  been 
buried,  long  since.  Furthermore,  it  works  up  all  its  details 
from  a  'longshore  point  of  view  ;  it  cannot,  under  any 
circumstances,  assimilate  the  one  fundamental  fact  that  a 
sailor  is  as  different  in  his  reasonings  and  conduct  from  the 
landsman,  as  is  light  from  dark.  That  is,  the  Board  of 
Trade  is  as  a  dog-fancier  who  is  idiotic  enough  to  trade  in 
bull-dogs  and  mechanical  puppies  at  the  same  time.  In  the 
stress  of  modern  conditions  and  circumstances,  he  forgets 
himself—  or  never  knew,  which  is  about  the  same  thing, 
here  —  and  one  time  he  will  be  found  giving  oil  to  the  bull- 
dog and  biscuit  to  the  mechanical  puppies  ;  at  another,  he 
forgets  both  oil  and  biscuit.  That  the  end  will  be 
disastrous,  is  plain  enough,  for  ultimately  the  metaphorical 
dog-fancier  will  have  neither  bull-dog  nor  puppies  ;  merely 
a  good  old  has-been,  in  their  place.  So  will  it  be,  with  the 
Board  of  Trade,  unless  a  big  alteration  is  rapidly  engineered. 
When  is  that  Ministry  of  Commerce  coming  in  to  save  the 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


June  23,   I9os 


situation,  and  will  sailormen  then  be  entrusted  with  the 
conduct  of  nautical  matters  ? 

0$ 

THE  Canadian  friend  is  certainly  seizing  the  golden 
opportunity  of  opening  up  his  trade  with  the  Old  Country, 
in  a  truly  colonial  manner,  and  not  least  among  the  efforts 
in  this  direction,  is  the  present  visit  of  Canadian  manufac- 
turers to  these  shores.  The  gentlemen  referred  to,  are 
members  of  the  Canadian  Manufacturers'  Association,  and 
thanks  to  the  Victorian's  comparatively  poor  passage,  they 
were  a  day  and  a  half  behind  their  scheduled  time  in  arriv- 
ing at  London.  Perhaps  this  loss  of  time  will  not  be 
altogether  thrown  away  on  the  voyagers,  for  it  might  show 
them,  as  a  personal  experience,  that  it  costs  money  to 
build  steamers  that  may  be  depended  on  to  cross  the  Pond 
with  the  regularity  of  a  railway  train.  This  bit  of  nautical 
wisdom,  is  exactly  what  the  Canadian  is  most  in  need  of. 
He  has  been  humbugged  in  the  past,  with  so  many  schemes 
that  have  been  going  to  revolutionise  his  trade  methods, 
that  at  length,  he  has  become  sceptical  about  most  "fast 
line  "  ideas.  So  sceptical,  indeed,  that  he  has  ended  up  by 
offering  the  price  of  a  tin-steamer  line,  with  hope  to  get  a 
real,  eighteen  carat,  and  twenty-one  knot  group  of  steam- 
ships. This  by  the  way,  and  as  a  snippy  sort  of  introduction 
to  the  gentlemen  who  have  come  across  to  tell  us,  all  about 
Canadian  manufactures. 

tf'te 

POSSIBLY  the  greatest  pleasure  that  will  befall  our 
Canadian  friends  while  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic  —  the 
greatest,  that  is,  after  a  large  booking-up  of  orders!  —  was 
the  gracious  reception  accorded  them  by  the  King  and 
Queen,  at  Windsor  Castle.  With  the  details  of  the  function, 
we  have  no  concern,  but  the  remarks  of  the  Duke  of 
Argyll,  when  addressing  our  relatives  from  over  the  sea, 
are  worthy  of  attention.  In  animadverting  on  topics  which 
were  current  some  25  years  ago,  his  Grace  remarked  that 
he  remembered  a  Secretary  of  State  of  that  time,  who  was 
of  opinion  that  only  fools  could  think  of  manufacturing,  in 
Canada,  any  agricultural  machinery  which  could  compete 
with  the  machinery  imported  from  the  United  States  ;  and 
that  such  Canadian  machinery,  would  be  ill-made,  and 
dearer  than  the  other  sort.  That  he  has  been  proved  woe- 
fully wrong,  is  certain.  But  that  Secretary  of  State  was 
not  altogether  to  be  blamed,  for  his  pessimistic  feelings  in 
connection  with  Canada.  He  would  have  been  a  daring 
prophet  who  declared,  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago,  that  in 
such  few  years,  the  Dominion  would  have  leaped  ahead  as  it 
has  done.  Still,  there  is  no  reason  for  a  "  let  up,"  in  the 
procession.  Canada  has  certainly  done  much  ;  but  she  has 
yet  much  to  do  ? 


fully  convinced  of  the  virtues  surrounding  our  old  advice  of 
"  Keep  a  holfefin'."  It  is  good  advice,  and  may  be  depended 
on  to  "  get  you  there,"  on  every  occasion.  If  the  Canadian 
"  keeps  a  hollerin' "  loudly  ( and  long)  enough,  he  will 
ultimately  be  the  possessor  of  a  fleet  of  ships,  that  will  do 
him  proud. 

COMPARISONS  are  odious  !  Contrast  the  treatment  meted 
out  to  the  skipper  of  the  average  British  steamer 
which  manages  to  be  lost,  but  in  which  "  every 
soul  was  saved,"  with  that  following  on  the  treatment 
given  to  his  American  brother  in  a  case  like  that  surrounding 
the  loss  of  the  General  Slocum,  on  June  15,  last.  There 
was  an  appalling  spectacle  of  official  greed,  carelessness 
and  corruption!  And  with  it  all,  there  has  been  but  one  at- 
tempt to  bring  the  wrong-doers  to  justice.  In  this  particular 
instance,  it  was  an  assistant  steamboat  inspector  who  was 
trotted  out  to  face  the  music,  and  to  the  credit  of  the 
American  be  it  said,  he  refuses  to  make  a  scapegoat  of 
this  man  who,  in  all  probability,  had  as  much  power  of  veto 
in  the  case,  as  had  we,  ourselves.  Anyhow,  this  intended 
scapegoat  has  been  twice  tried,  and  in  each  instance,  the 
jury  disagreed.  As  a  finale,  it  is  now  stated  that  the 
Federal  District  Attorney  will  do  nothing  further  in  the 
matter.  There  may  be — and  is — a  certain  amount  of 
official  monkey-work  in  the  States  ;  but  in  view  of  recent 
examples  on  this  side  of  the  water,  Britain  is  not  altogether 
blameless  in  the  same  connection  ? 


BUT  the  American  will  not  have  a  lesser  functionary 
blamed  and  punished,  even  while  the  big  offenders  scoop 
in  the  dollars,  and  go  scot  free.  Such  tricks  are  reserved 
for  what  is  said  to  be  the  free-est  country  on  earth  —  Britain 
to  wit.  A  shipmaster,  in  his  struggles  to  earn  a  living, 
may  find  himself  on  an  old  crock  that  is  a  positive  disgrace 
to  humanity,  and  a  menace  to  everything  which  floats  near 
her.  But  his  representations  will  be  unavailing.  He 
might  be  ass  enough  to  tell  his  employer  that  the  ship  is 
unseaworthy,  but  if  he  is,  then,  you  may  bet  a  fairish-sized 
sum  of  money  that  he  will  soon  be  numbered  among  the 
unemployed.  The  boss  will  suggest  that  as  the  crock  has 
been  "  passed  "  by  a  Board  of  Trade  which  has  not  pro- 
bably troubled  with  her  since  she  was  launched,  the  skipper 
has  no  right  to  twist  himself  over  the  matter.  In  the 
result,  the  Old  Man  goes  away  with  her  ;  comes  to  grief, 
and  for  the  first  time  in  his  life,  perhaps,  realises  that  he 
has  a  legal  status  ;  that  as  a  shipmaster,  he  is  master  of 
the  crock,  and  also  responsible  for  her  shortcomings.  It's 
English,  you  know,  quite  English  —  but  it  isn't  American, 
we  are  glad  (for  the  American  seaman's  sake)  to  admit. 


INDEED,  it  is  with  this  idea  foremost,  that  the  Canadian 
Manufacturers'  Association  have  inaugurated  the  present 
deputation  to  the  Old  Country.  The  Canadians  have 
grasped  the  fact  that  the  more  they  see  of  the  Briton,  and 
the  more  the  Briton  sees  of  them,  the  better  esteem  will  each 
hold  for  the  other.  And  with  this  class  of  esteem,  comes 
business.  The  stay-at-home  Briton  usually  receives  his 
inspirations  concerning  Canadian  progress,  from  the  letters 
of  those  of  his  own  people  who  have  gone'there,  to  stay. 
Naturally,  those  inspirations  are  of  an  evanescent  char- 
acter, and  mainly  for  the  reason  that  the  colonist  is  usually 
too  busily  engaged,  to  afford  much  time  for  letter-writing. 
Personally,  we  are  glad  to  repeat  the  words  of  the  Duke  of 
Argyll,  on  the  occasion  already  referred  to  :  "  The  more 
discussion  Canadians  have  with  the  people  they  meet,  the 
better  will  our  people  be  able  to  understand  the  position  of 
the  Colonies.  I  hope  you  will  not  keep  your  mouths  shut, 
but  will  fully  explain  the  position."  That  is,  his  Grace  is 


HERE  we  are  again!  More  junkettings  for  the  shipping 
man,  and  more  free  advertisement  for  the  Port  of  Antwerp  ! 
Somehow  or  other,  the  Belgium  gentleman  is  a  'cute 
individual,  and  if,  so  far  in  the  history  of  the  world,  he 
hasn't  done  a  deal  to  be  proud  of,  he  is  by  way  of  altering 
all  this.  The  great  awakening  in  Belgium,  dates  from 
some  three  years  ago,  when  the  International  Maritime 
Conference  was  launched  upon  the  gaze  of  an  admiring 
world.  The  conference  idea  caught  on  ;  it  offered  possi- 
bilities for  a  number  of  estimable  men  who,  under  other 
circumstances,  would  be  born,  reared,  and  would  die, 
leaving  never  a  foot-print  in  the  sands  of  time.  Such  a 
life  of  obscurity  was  not  to  be  contemplated,  so  heigho, 
for  the  conference  !  Most  of  us  understand  the  poten- 
tialities which  have  hung  around  that  conference.  Why, 
in  the  past,  if  a  man  were  asked  if  he  knew  the  position  of 
Antwerp,  he  would  answer,  at  once  :  "  Antwerp  ?  Of 
course  !  That's  the  place  where  the  '  pally  indy  '  flourishes, 


June  23,    1905 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


92 


and  the  big  organ,  to  say  nothing  of  the  decolle— "  but 
never  mind.  We  do  not  wish  to  give  the  place  away  ;  not 
us.  We  think  too  much  of  the  smartness,  ..pf  these  free- 
advertisers  who  bluff  dear,  slow-going  old'  Johnny  Bull. 
That  is  what's  the  matter,  yes  ! 


ANYHOW,  the  conference  was  good  ;  it  worked— im- 
mensely:  and  now  we  have  the  dock  extensions  at 
Antwerp  to  play  upon.  We  don't  mind  giving  our  quota  to 
the  general  free  advertisement  that  is  about,  hence  our 
remarks.  But  the  British  Shipping  Federation — whatever 
that  is  has  been  "doing"  Antwerp.  Has  it  gone  over  there 
to  measure  up  things  :  to  test  the  waters  of  rthe<port— when 
mixed  cunningly  with  waters  that  are  not  of  the  port ;  to 
size  up  the  situation,  generally,  and  then  come  home  to  tell 
the  Missus  all  about  the  customs  of  the  place  (and  to  hide 
from  her  too  inquisitive  gaze,  the  other  customs  which  have 
not  been  imported --vi4  the  Custom  House,  let  us  suggest)? 
We  have  admitted  that  we  are  willing  to  give  Antwerp  a 
free  advertisement :  but  then,  we  are  not  going  to  trot  out 
a  whole  page  of  figures,  like  some  of  our  contemporaries 
are  doing.  All  the  same,  we  don't  mind  repeating  what 
Mr.  Devitt.  the  president  of  the  Shipping  Federation,  said 
at  the  Zoological  Gardens  (bit  of  fitness,  among  the  crowd. 
don't  you  think  ?.)  banquet,  one  day.  last  week.  Here  is 
Mr.  Devitt's  pronouncement :"  We  build  as  good  ships  in 
the  old  country,  as  they  build  anywhere."  We  do,  and  we 
also  build  (and  run )  as  great  a  sample  of  rotter,  don't 
forget. 

THE  foregoing  was  merely  a  portion  of  the  Devitt  state- 
ment. The  beginning  of  that  portion  to  which  we  have 
turned  our  attention.  Here  is  the  cream  of  the  dairy,  if 
we  may  put  it  thus :  "There  are.  however,  other  countries 
which  are  running  us  very  close,  and.  though  we  may  have 
every  good  feeling  towards  them,  what  we  ourselves  have 
to  do.  is  to  wake  up  and  keep  alive."  Eh  ?  "  Wake  up 
and  keep  alive."  the  gentleman  said  and  that  is  partly 
what  we  have  to  do.  Without  any  shinnannakin,  too.  The 
hypercritical  might  remark  that  it  would  be  in  the  natural 
order  of  things,  if  we  were  to  keep  alive  and  wake  up— but 
that  is  a  mere  detail.  It  doesn't  alter  the  fact  that  there  is  a 
rousing  sadly  needed,  somewhere  in  the  ranks  of  shipowning. 
Of  course,  you  understand  that  the  parties  who  have  "  to 
wake  up  and  keep  alive."  are  they  who  do  not  happen  to  be 
ship  managers :  those  people  are  very  much  alive — 
especially  that  portion  which  went  across  to  Antwerpen  to 
see  the  dock  extensions,  and  things.  But  don't  forget 
about  the  good  ships  that  we  build,  please  :  nor  the  good 
men  to  man  them  which  we  don't  build  :  nor  the  laws 
which  are  slowly  but  surely  driving  the  few  good  men  that 
are  left,  into  the  arms  of  the  nations  who  make  it  essential 


find  they  are  in  a  place  where  they  are  likely  to  be  done  to 
leath  :  but  everybody  would  like  to  know  if  they  are  the 
victims  of  a  pernicious  system,  or  wha^gaally  is  the  matter? 
To  say  the  least,  it  is  disconcerting  to  note  that  these  sub- 
marine accidents  appear  to  be  altogether  a  British  curse, 
for  although  other  nations  have  a  number  of  the  new  freaks,' 
accidents  to  them  are  almost  exclusively  confined  to  the 
British  sample. 


PERSONALLY,  we  are  inclined  to  the  belief  that  the 
horizontal  rudder  and  its  peculiarities,  have  little  to  do  with 
the  main  issue:  the  rudder  is  merely  a  detail  in  the 
situation.  The  point  around  which,  the  whole  miserable 
business  appears  to  revolve,  is  that  a  number  of  more  or 
less  raw  youths  are  allowed  to  flop  around  in  charge  of 
these  instruments  which,  to  date,  are  more  dangerous  to 
Britain,  than  they  are  ever  likely  to  be  to  Britain's  foes. 
We  note  that  Sir  William  White,  when  lecturing  a  few  days 
ago  at  the  Royal  Institution,  suggested  that  it  would  be 
best  for  everyone  to  wait  until  the  facts  were  known  ;  that 
the  survivors  would  tell  the  truth  "  so  far  as  they  knew  it, 
and  that  a  full  enquiry  would  be  held."  This  is  all  very 
nice,  and  nobody  wishes  to  contradict  such  an  able 
authority.  But  in  every  sample  of  the  enquiries  concerning 
these  lamentable  affairs,  so  far  in  the  history  of  the  cult, 
all  attention  has  been  centred  on  the  merely  mechanical 
consideration  of  the  happenings.  That  is,  if  it  isn't  a  rudder 
that  is  discussed,  it  is  a  petrol  tank  and  its  possible  leakage: 
failing  that,  something  has  gone  wrong  with  the  mechanism, 
somewhere  else  :  and  tfte  end-up  has  been,  that  the  whole 
calamity  has  been  carried  out  according  to  Cocker. 


OF  course,  this  is  all  very  proper,  and  Servicey  ;  but  it 
isn't  bound  to  be  common-sensey.  Naval  training  is  a 
grand  arrangement,  and  may  be  calculated  to  effect  some 
wonderful  -nay,  miraculous— ends ;  but  up  to  now,  it  has 
never  succeeded  in  placing  old  heads  on  young  shoulders, 
and  to  our  mind  this  is  where  the  s  jrew  is  loose.  Speaking 
from  personal  experience,  we  say,  most  seriously,  that  it  is 
utterly  ridiculous  to  suppose  that  any  number  of  callow 
youths,  are  fit  to  be  trusted  with  the  care  of  a  costly 
engine,  and  a  number  of  human  beings,  in  a  manner  similar 
to  that  which  obtains  in  the  officering  and  manning  of 
these  submarine  mysteries.  Does  it  meet  the  situation,  to 
dismiss  the  subject  with  words  such  as,:  "I  think  the 
lesson  is  that  the  Navy  never  fails  to  meet  all  risks ; 
neither  officers  nor  men  drew  back  because  of  what 
happened  to  A5,  and  they  will  not  do  so  because  of  the 
present  trouble."  Thus  Sir  William  White,  on  the  occasion 
already  referred  to.  It  is  highly  probable  that  never  a  man 
in  the  country,  wishes  to  suggest  any  such  thing.  On  the 
contrary,  rather,  and  all  honour  is  due  the  men  who  willingly 


for  us  to  "  wake  up  and  keep  alive." 
Antwerp  is  now  "  off." 

5?  *& 


The  advertisement  of — •  sacrifice  their  lives,  for  their  country's  good. 


AFTER  a  tremendous  amount  of  popular  excitement,  the 
court-martial  held  to  inquire  into  the  loss  of  submarine 
A  8  has  been  held,  and  adjourned,  and  as  far  as  we  can  see, 
there  is  altogether  too  much  old  piffle  concerning  horizontal 
rudders,  and  their  action  under  certain  conditions,  to  be 
good  for  the  brain  of  the  average  reader.  We  suppose 
that,  to  the  "Service  mind."  this  technical  detail  is  of 
surpassing  interest :  but  to  the  mind  of  the  folk  who  find 
the  money  for  these  disastrous  experiments,  it  would 
probably  be  more  reassuring  if  disaster  were  less  in 
evidence.  In  plain  language,  are  these  experiments 
placed  under  the  care  of  a  number  of  men  who  are  too 
youthful  for  the  undertaking,  or  are  they  not  ?  Nobody 
wishes  to  say  one  unkind  word  against  the  poor  fellows  who 


WHAT  the  country  would  like  to  know,  is  whether  such  a 
sacrifice  is  necessary  ?  Admittedly,  submarines  are  kittle- 
kattle,  at  the  best.  They  take  a  quantity  of  knowing  ;  and 
even  after  they  have  been  studied  exhaustively,  their 
nature  is  then  but  imperfectly  understood.  Under  these 
circumstances,  then,  is  it  wise  to  entrust  them  to  a  number 
of  youths  who  will  assuredly  act  on  the  lines  of  the  old 
saw,  which  presupposes  that  "  familiarity  (with  danger,  as 
with  anything  else)  breeds  contempt?"  Most  certainly 
not,  and  this  is  where  the  drowned  sailors  are  not  so  much 
the  victims  of  a  hard  fate,  as  they  are  victims  to  a  rotten 
system.  A  system  which  eternally  keeps  a  Navy  in  a  state 
of  experimental  youth  and  devil-may-careism.  In  other 
words,  the  system  which  aims  at  training  a  number  of 
youths  into  nautical  geniuses,  and  then,  just  as  they  have 


93 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  23,    1905 


grown  into  the  useful  stage,  to  put  them  on-  half-pay,  and 
start  afresh  with  another  chunk  of  youthful  inexperience. 
This  is  where  the  ..trouble  lays,  and  all  talk  of  horizontal 
rudders,  reserves  of  buoyancy,  deflections  of  this,  that,  or 
the  other  piece  of  mechanism,  are  merely  little  attempts  to 
dodge  the  main  issue. 

#$3 

PUTTING  a  number  of  inexperienced  boys  in  charge,  has 
proved  eminently  disastrous  :  so  why  not  put  staid  men  at 
the  job  for  a  trial  ?  At  the  most,  they  can  do  no  worse 
than  deflect  the  blessed  thing  to  perdition  ;  at  the  worst, 
they  can  do  no  more  than  drown  all  hands.  On  tha 
other  hand,  older  men  ;  officers  who  have  been  taught 
through  weary  years,  to  leave  nothing  to  luck  ;  that  in  sea- 
life.  as  in  every  other  phase  of  existence,  heaven  helps 
those  who  help  themselves  :  these  men,  then,  might  be 
supposed  to  know  enough  to  take  no  unnecessary  risks  ;  to 
attend  to  detail  on  practical  lines  ;  and  in  the  end,  to  bring 
their  tricky  arrangement  safely  through  ?  It  is  admitted 
that  "  the  delicacy  of  the  conditions  involved  in  the  submer- 
sion of  the  submarine  "  —  which  is  a  fanciful  manner  of 
putting  it—  demands  sustained  skill  and  vigilance  "to 
maintain  it  at  the  prescribed  depth  of  flotation  :  "  and  this 
being  so,  it  is  mighty  poor  policy  to  put  a  number  of  boys 
in  charge  of  the  operations  ;  boys  who  might  be  chock-a- 
block  full  of  college  quiffs  ;  but  who  haven't  lived  long 
enough  to  know  how  to  keep  their  heads,  and  to  appreciate 
the  difference  between  foolhardiness  and  bravery. 

$  ^ 

As  it  is  with  submarines,  so  is  'it  with  torpedo-boat 
destroyers,  and  both  samples  of  marine  architecture  are 
looked  upon  as  the  natural  training  ground  of  the  youthful 
units  of  the  Fleet's  executive.  In  the  case  of  the  t.-b.-d., 
it  is  admitted  that  they  are  about  as  tricky  as  it  is  possible 
for  a  steamship  to  be  ;  that  they  are  merely  boxes  of 
intricate  machinery  ;  and  yet  they  are  placed  in  charge  of 
the  youngest  members  of  the  navigating  and  engineering 
staffs.  Don't  take  our  bare  word  for  it.  Do  as  we  have 
done—  drop  alongside  the  little  vessels,  and  size  up  the 
situation  for  yourself.  If  you  do  this,  you  will  find  that  in 
the  vast  majority  of  instances,  it  is  a  case  of  youth  at  the 
helm,  even  supposing  there  is  mighty  little  beauty  atthe  prow: 
and  the  inevitable  consequence  is.  that  you  get  a  continued 
series  of  collisions,  strandings.  etc.  ,  from  the  navigating 
side  of  the  entity  :  and  a  concatenation  of  burned  boilers, 
furnace  crowns,-  disarranged  condensing  apparatus,  and 
what  not,  from  the  mechanical  side  of  the  undertaking. 
Frankly,  it  is  time  that  a  little  less  of  the  amateur  sailor 
were  in  evidence,  in  the  national  shipping.  Amateur 
Parliamentarians  are  bad  enough  ;  but  the  same  kind  of 
sailormen  and  engineers  are  a  positive  menace  to  the 
country,  and  that  they  exist  in  far  too  great  numbers,  is 
to  be  seen  in  -tftese  continued  "deplorable  accidents," 
which  are  for  ever  crystallising  around  the  "  greatest 
fleet  on  earth." 


usually  brought  to  bear  on  these  subjects.  We  note,  too, 
that  the  question  of  the  proposed  colonial  conference  to 
enquire  into  a,  means  of  applying  the  Merchant  Shipping 
Acts  to  Colonial  as  well  as  to  Imperial  shipping,  will  be 
considered  :  as  will  also,  the  supply  of  Mercantile  Marine 
officers,  and  their  remuneration;  compensation  to  seamen: 
light  dues  ;  boy  sailor  schemes,  etc.  We  shall  be  glad  to 
receive  the  report  of  the  Congress,  for  when  the  sailor 
himself,  undertakes  to  have  a  word  or  so  on  his  own 
business  needs,  then,  that  "  word  or  so "  is  always  of 
interest — and  should  receive  considerably  more  attention 
than  is  generally  meted  out,  with  disastrous  results  to  the 
country's  only  screen  which  is  between  it  and  the  deep 
sea,  so  to  spea^ . 

THIS  is  good  reading,  isn't  it  ?  The  reading  which  tells 
us  that  Russia  has  been  called  to  account,  for  the  outrage 
of  sinking  the  St.  Kilda  ?  We  have  it  on  good  authority 
that  the  Russian  Government  "  deeply  and  sincerely 
deplores  "  the  outrage  referred  to — exactly  as  it  did  the 
North  Sea  sample.  Presumably,  too,  the  same  Government 
is  keen  on  offering  all  manner  of  promises  that  "  they'll 
never  do  so  any  mo-oo-ore  " — again,  as  exactly  followed 
the  North  Sea,  the  Knight  Bachelor  and  other 
outrages  ?  In  the  end,  as  the  Russian  Government  hasn't 
any  means  of  communicating  with  its  "remainder"  of 
what  was  once  a  fleet ,  it  is  a  case  of  will  Britain  once 
more  oblige,  by  sending  a  cruiser  along  to  explain  the 
heinousness  of  the  conduct  of  these  "Volunteer"  pirates 
—  if  they  are  catchable  ?  Of  course  she  will,  and  with 
the  soft  answer  which  is  calculated  to  turn  away  wrath, 
the  pirate  will  be  exhorted  to  run  away  home,  as  it  is 
unseemly  for  him  to  be  geehawking  about  the  waters,  all 
by  his  little  selfski.  Presumably,  the  pirate  will  man  the 
gangway  for  the  British  messenger ;  will  salaam  sahib 
according  to  prescribed  rule  ;  and  as  soon  as  the  messenger 
has  departed,  with  a  glow  of  unctuous  rectitude  spread 
all  over  it,  the  merry  pirate  will  hunt  up  another 
"  outrage,"  which  it  will  send  to  the  bottom  of  the  more 
or  less  deep  blue  sea,  which  exists  out  that  way  ?  So 
be  it. 

WE  learn  that  the  Scottish  Shipmasters'  &  Officers' 
Association  are  in  active  correspondence  with  the  Foreign 
Office,  and  with  the  Admiralty,  regarding  the  sinking  of  the 
steamer  S(.  Kilda  and  the  imprisonment  of  her  officers,  by 
the  Russian  converted  cruiser  Dnieper,  with  a  view  to 
obtaining  the  early  release  of,  and  compensation  for,  the 
victims.  Also,  with  a  view  to  having  steps  taken  to 
prevent  a  repetition  of  similar  outrages.  The  Association 
has  taken  a  very  active  interest  in  obtaining  recognition  of 
the  rights  of  neutral  shipping  during  the  present  war,  and 
in  obtaining  compensation  for  those  who  have  suffered  at 
the  hands  of  either  belligerent. 


WE  are  informed  that  the  Annual  Congress  of  the  Scottish 
Shipmasters'  and  Officers'  Association  will  be  held,  this 
year,  at  Aberdeen  (to-morrow)  when  representatives  from 
the  various  British  ports  will  be  present.  A  number  of 
questions  of  great  importance  to  mariners  and  the  shipping 
industry,  generally,  will  be  brought  up  for  discussion  —and 
particularly  those  which  have  to  do  with  the  Russian  raid? 
on  British  steamers.  Then,  the  more  efficient  lighting  of 
the  coasts  of  the  United  Kingdom  will  be  considered  ; 
electric  bell  signalling  ;  the  alien  invasion  of  British  ship- 
ping :  and  the  long-sought-for  restriction  of  navigating 
certificates  for  British  subjects.  All  these,  and  more,  will 
be  discussed  by  practical  men,  the  nature  of  whose  business 
gives  them  more  than  the  amateurish  knowledge  which  is 


DEAR,  dear  !  Here  is  Daily  Chronicle  unburdening  itself 
of  a  wail  concerning  the  "  evils  of  a  monopoly."  It's  like 
this  :  Seeing  that  the  Elder,  Dempster  Line  hold  the 
whole  of  the  carrying  trade  of  the  West  African  Colony 
within  the  hollow  of  their  fairly-large  hand  :  and  that  in 
consequence,  any  kind  of  freight  which  pleases  that  con- 
cern, is  accounted  as  "  current :  "  it  follows  that  the  price 
of  the  coal  which  is  needed  for  use  on  the  West  African 
Railways,  is  abnormally  high.  And  it  isn't  only  the  poor 
private  trader  who  is  being  mulcted  in  this  wicked  manner ; 
the  Government  is  treated  in  precisely  the  same  way — and 
not  with  the  least  bit  of  regard  for  the  amiable  manner  in 
which  it  has  advertised  the  great  firm  of  Elder,  Dempster 
and  Co.  It's  dref'ful ! 


June  »3,    1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


94 


ON  Saturday  last,  the  steamer  Vigo,  built  by  Earle's 
Shipbuilding  and  Engineering  Co..  Ltd.,  Hull,  left  the  yard 
for  her  official  trial.  Her  dimensions L  are2  336ft.  x  48ft. 
Sin.  x  25ft.  4in.  moulded ;  she  has  bfeeri  built  to  the 
British  Corporation's  highest  class,  under  special  survey  : 
and  to  the  Board  of  Trade  requirements  for  grain  carrying. 
The  vessel  is  constructed  on  the  deep-frame  system,  having 
one  deck  laid,  and  with  shelter  deck  above— all  fore  and 
aft :  and  ample  accommodation  for  the  captain,  officers  and 
crew  has  been  provided  in  the  most  up-to-date  manner. 
The  deck  machinery  consists  of  five  powerful  steam 
winches,  steam  windlass,  and  steam-,  and  hand-steering 
gear.  The  main  machinery  consists  of  a  set  of  triple 
expansion  engines,  and  two  large  single  ended  boilers 
working  at  a  pressure  of  1951bs.  per  square  inch,  the 
engines  having  cylinders  20in..  32in..  54in.  x  42in.  stroke  ; 
the  boilers  are  fitted  with  a  superheater  and  uptake.  After 
several  runs,  during  which  the  mean  speed  of  10 '2  knots 
was  attained,  the  vessel  returned  to  the  Alexandra  Dock, 
to  load. 

&*& 

A  STEEL  screw  steamer  for  Messrs.  Crosby,  Magee 
and  Co. .  was  launched,  on  the  17th  inst. ,  from  the  yard 
of  Messrs.  Robert  Stephenson  and  Co.,  Limited.  The 
dimensions  of  the  vessel  are :  Length,  352ft.  : 
breadth.  47ft..  and  moulded  depth.  29ft.  1  Oin.  Built  to 
the  highest  class  in  Lloyds'  Register :  with  a  deadweight 
capacity  of  about  6,300  tons :  fitted  with  a  cellular 
double-bottom,  fore-and-aft,  and  large  after-peak  tank : 
the  vessel  has  also  a  centre  longitudinal  steel  grain 
division  bulkhead,  running  right  fore  and  aft.  and  extending 
from  the  tank  top  to  the  spar  deck.  She  has  a  cargo  poop 
and  large  bridge  amidships,  while  deckhouses  are  fitted  for 
the  accommodation  of  the  captain,  officers  and  engineers, 
and  a  top-gallant  forecastle  for  the  berthing  of  the  crew. 
With  four  large  hatches  to  cargo  holds,  and  others  to  poop 
and  bridge  spaces :  seven  steam  winches  of  latest  type  : 
and  with  special  gear  to  facilitate  the  rapid  handling  of 
cargo :  the  vessel  will  be  a  valuable  addition  to  the 
business  of  Messrs.  Crosby.  Magee  &  Co.  The  propelling 
machinery  is  of  the  triple  expansion  surface  condensing 
type,  and  is  supplied  with  steam  from  two  single-ended 
boilers,  having  a  working  pressure  of  1801bs.  On  leaving 
the  ways,  the  vessel  vas  gracefully  christened  Teesbridge. 
by  Mrs.  John  Magee.  After  the  launch,  the  usual  felicita- 
tions were  indulged  in.  and  the  traditional  to'asts  duly 
honoured. 

#%J 
PATENTS     continued. 

22150  04— IL.BZRV— Improvements  in  shackles  for  chains, 
wire  ropes  and  the  like. 

A  smaller  U-shaped  shackle  is  fitted  within  the  open  end 
of  an  ordinary  U-shaped  shackle,  so  that  one  shackle  p>n 
is  common  to  both. 

25,851  C4  SOHMER — Improvements  in  and  relating  to 
apparatus  for  the  stopping  or  damming  the  workings  of  mines 
and  the  like. 

Mine  workings  are  stopped  up  by  means  of  sludge 
tailings,  sand  or  refuse,  conveyed  by  pipes  together  with 
water  under  pressure. 

26.409  04— BROMPTOK— >4/7  improved  otter  board  for  trawl- 
ing nets. 

This  improvement  consists  in  forming  the  bottom  edge  of 
an  otter  board,  with  a  longitudinal  groove,  in  which  a  sole 
plate  preferably  formed  in  three  sections  of  length,  fits  by 
means  of  a  longitudinal  tongue.  The  middle  section  of 
the  sole  plate,  is  formed  with  a  corrugated  under  surface 
in  order  to  better  resist  excessive  wear. 


to     to 


MARITIME     MARK     MAKERS. 


THOMAS    EVANS,    Esq.    ' 

d  to 
(Commercial  Manager.  Ocean  Steam  Coal  Co.,  Ltd.) 


that  he  is  among  the  best  known,  and  most 
highly-esteemed  men  at  the  Docks,  Cardiff,  our  this 
week's  Maritime  Mark  Maker  will  need  but  scant 
introduction  to  the  business  men  of  South  Wales. 
Indeed,  if  we  were  circumstanced  as  are  some  of  our  local 
contemporaries  :  had  nothing  more  than  a  purely  local 
outlook  ;  well,  we  should  merely  reproduce  the  photograph 
of  Mr.  Thomas  Evans,  with  never  a  word  of  comment,  or  a 
legend  of  any  sort,  underneath'.0-'  Under  the  suggested 
conditions,  a  legend  would  be  altogether  superfluous,  for 
everybody  who  looked,  would  merely  say,  "  Why,  it's 
Thomas  Evans,  Ocean  !  "  and  that  would  be  all  that 
necessity  would  demand.  Assuming,  however,  that  we  go 
farther  afield  ;  that  Mr.  Evans  is  still  a  young  man  ;  that 
there  are  yet  a  number  of  business  men  outside  of  "  gallant 
little  Wales,"  who  do  not  know  him  as  well  as  they  will, 
later  on  ;  we  feel  that,  in  the  interests  of  those  outsiders, 
we  must  explain  matters,  a  little.  To  begin,  then.  Our  Mark 
Maker  was  born  at  Cardiff  —  and  it  is  a  fact  of  which  he  is 
sufficiently  proud.  When  that  birth  transpired,  is  a  matter 
that  need  not  concern  anybody  —  especially  as  we  have 
already  told  you  that  Mr.  Evans  is  a  young  man.  However, 
after  having  his  education  duly  —  and  carefully  —  attended  to, 
by  the  Rev.  William  James,  M.A.,  our  young  Gardiffian  was 
ultimately  considered  &t  to  embark  on  a  commercial  career. 
in  the  offices  of  Mr.  Matthew  Thompson.  Here,  was  laid 
the  foundation  of  a  commercial  training  that  was  to  stand 
him  in  good  stead,  and  later  on,  we  find  this  energetic 
young  man  actively  employed  as  agent  for  a  Monmouth- 
shire colliery  —  a  post  which  he  retained  for  some  years. 
That  was  in  the  "  good  old  times  "  ;  before  the  strenuous 
life  of  to-day  was  thought  of  ;  but  even  so.  they  were  the 
days  in  which  our  present  commercial  giants  were  shaping 
out.  and  preparing  themselves  fjr  the  heat  and  burden 
which,  at  present,  they  are  so  ably  bearing.  That  this 
energetic  Cardiffian's  education,  right  through,  has  been  of 
the  dependable  kind,  is  amply  evidenced  by  results,  for  some 
twenty  years  ago,  we  find  Mr.  Evans  giving  up  that 
connection  with  the  Monmouthshire  colliery,  and  throw- 
ing in  his  fortunes  with  the  Ocean  Coal  Company; 
joined  them  as  chartering  clerk,  and  is  now  their  com- 
mercial manager.  These  are  the  sort  of  lads  who  are  a 
credit  to  old  Cardiff.  That  the  business  of  seeing  the 
Ocean  Coal  Company  safely  through  is  no  sinecure, 
may  be  understood  when  we  state  that  its  yearly  output 
approximates  into  the  two-and-a-half-million  tons  per 
annum  stage  ;  that  its  coal  is  to  be  found  in  most 
places  where  good  fuel  is  needed  ;  thajt  it  is  scattered 
o*er  the  earth,  and  may  be  found  in  the  bunkers  of  the 
Royal  Yachts  :  on  the  stokehold  plates  of  vessels  just 
leaving  their  builders'  hands,  and  consequently  doing  their 
utmost  to  put  "the  best  side  to  London;"  in  the  fussy 
little  torpedo-boat  destroyer,  one  of  which  (and  thanks  to 
this  product  of  Wales)  rolled  off  her  32'294  knots  per 
hour;  in  the  tramp  of  commerce  —  in  fact,  we  should  not 
like  to  have  to  learn  where  the  stuff  is  not  !  We  merely 
mention  this  diversity  of  uses,  for  the  purpose  of  showing 
the  ramifications  to  which  the  commercial  head  of  the 
company  supplying  the  coal,  has  to  attend.  That  Mr. 
Thomas  Evans  will  ever  be  found  in  a  position  to  give  the 
necessary  attention  is  —  humanly  considered  —  certain. 
Our  Mark  Maker  is  a  Benedict,  having  married  the 
daughter  of  Mr.  Walter  Evans,  Hayston  Hall,  Haverford- 
west,  and  in  private  life,  he  is  equally  as  much  esteemed 
and  respected  as  is  he  in  his  business  capacity. 


95 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  23,   1905 


t ;  Ik^b^  <>••  '•••-•  /J 

FRIDAY.  JUNE  23.   1905. 


> 


SOUTH  WALES  COAL  TRADE. 

^.NDER  the  above  heading,  a  correspondent  to 
Monday's  is^ue  of  the  Times  something-or- 
other  Supplement,  eases  himself  of  that  which 
is  wise— as  well  as  of  a  by-no-means  inappreci- 
able amount  of  that  which  is  otherwise.  After 
intimating  to  all  and  sundry,  that  with  the 
expiration  of  the  present  year,  will  also 
expire  the  present  agreement  "  regulating  wages  in  the 
South  Wales  coal  trade."  the  writer  referred  to  undertakes 
to  give  a  general  history  of  the  facts,  which  led  up  to  the 
initiation  of  the  regulating-thing  that  we  have  put  in 
.inverted  commas.  At  the  first  glance,  one  is  almost  con- 
strained to  believe,  that  the  usually  dignified  Times  has 
embarked,  upon  a  career  of  "  comic  journalism  "  !  For 
who  among  us,  here,  at  Cardiff,  is  going  to  believe  that 
there  is  any  agreement  which  regulates  wages  ;  or  that 
there  has  been  any  such  thing,  since  the  lapse  of  the 
sliding  scale  ?  Of  course,  wages  have  been  allowed  to 
romp  along  in  some  fashion;  but, ,to  dignify  that  same 
fashion  with  the  style  of  "regulation,"  is  merely  to  pro- 
mulgate an  absurdity.  If  to  listen  to  a  quantity  of  twaddle 
from  the  masters,  to-day,  and  an  equally  enlightening 
quantity  from  the  men  to-morrow,  is  to  be  blessed  with 
the  name  of  "  regulator."  then,  has  South  Wales  had 
plenty  of  wage  regulation  during  the  past  two  or  three 
years.  Of  course,  we  all  of  us  know  that  the  alleged 
"  Conciliation  Board "  was  inaugurated  in  March,  1903, 
and  that  it  was  to  run  for  three  years.  We  also  know  that 
the  owners  accepted  it  as  an  experiment ;  but  what  we  do 
not  know,  is  (to  quote  the  Times  young  man)  that  "  as  an 
experiment  it  has  by  no  means  proved  unsuccessful." 
Indeed,  most  of  us  here,  at  Coalville.  have  altogether 
other  opinions  ;  have  decided,  long  ago,  that  the  "  Concil- 
iation Board "  is  about  the  biggest  fiasco  which  has 
eventuated,  in  a  trade  that  has  had  considerably  more  than 
its  share  thereof.  -  The  latest  Mentor  admits  that  "In  some 
respects,  the  machinery  has  proved  faulty  (we  should 
smile),  but  on  the  whole  "••  well,  on  the  whole,  it  has  been 
just  the  reverse  of  satisfactory,  don't  you  think,  and  without 
attaching  too  much  importance  to  the  "  political  bias  "  of 
the  Times  genius  ?  Mind  you,  this  writer  who  is  receiving 
our  attention,  has  reasons  for  assuming  that  "C.B."  is  a 
gem  of  the  first  water.  Here  is  one  of  them  :  "  During  its 
existence,  the  peace  of  the  coalfield  has  never  been 
seriously  disturbed,"  and  we  are  fain  to  admit  the  soft  im- 
peachment. When  the  collier  is  allowed  to  buck  along  in 
in  his  own  sweet,  happy,  way,  there  is  little  fear  of  a 
disturbance  of  industrial  peace,  in  as  far  as  the  South 
Wales  coal  trade  is  concerned  ?  It  is  only  when  the  coal- 
owner  insists  on  having  a  share  of  right  meted  out  to  him, 
that  Dai  jibs ;  tells  everybody  that  he  is  a  down-trodden 
animal ;  and  that  the  employer  is  a  soul-less  monstrosity. 
We  know,  because  we  have  studied  him,  and  are  not  going 
to  take  any  points  from  a  man  who.  for  reasons  that  are  not 
stated,  elects  to  preach  contrarily  from  his  own  text. 
With  that  text,  we  shall  deal  directly.  Meanwhile,  let 
us  give  you  a  quotation,  or  so.  Here  you  are:  "There 
are  few  British  coalfields  which  have  had  so  chequered 
a  history  as  that  of  South  Wales."  One  would  imagine 
that  the  coalfields  of  Britain  were  as  plentiful  as  the  sands 
on  the  shore,  or  as  the  Tatcho-needing  spots  on  the  heads 
of  certain  journalistic  jokers  of  our  acquaintance  !  But 


leaving  the  few  British  coalfields  which  have  never  excelled 
that  of  Wales  as  suggested,  we  are  told  that  "  the  agree- 
ment of  1903  was  the  result  of  a  gradual  and  often  bitter 
process  of  negotiation  extending  over  50  years,"  and  if  that 
doesn't  sound   almost  good    enough  for  one    Mr.    D.    A. 
Thomas.   M.P.,  the    one-time    exponent    of    restriction    of 
output — for  others — then,  we  apologise  !      As  a    matter 
of    fact,    the    agreement    of    1 903     was    the    result    of 
the  action  of  a  few   irresponsibles  who   elected   to   style 
themselves,  a  "  young  blood  "   party  :  and  who,  in  the  ful- 
ness of  their  ignorance,  couldn't  appreciate  the  absolute 
impossibility  of   placing  old   heads   on    young    shoulders. 
Not.  mind  you,  that  this  particular  clique  was  at  all  unique 
in  its  alleged   reasonings.      On   the   contrary,   rather,   for 
there    are    numberless  concatenations  of  human  nature, 
where   the   same  disabilities  exist.     However,  the    Times 
young  man  goes  on  to  give  his  patient  readers  a  synopsis  of 
the  situation  which,  to  those  in  South  Wales,  is  about  as 
touching  as  would  be  information  concerning  the  demise  of 
Queen   Anne.     Leading  the    reader  along  from   the  year 
1875,  our  Mentor  ultimately  brings  his  explanation  on  to 
July    1,  1902,  when   collierdom  gave  notice  to  terminate 
the   sliding  scale,  as  from  January  1,   1903.      Thus,   we 
learn  that  "The  threatened  strike  was  averted,  and  the 
wages    agreement  of    1903  was    concluded."      The    un- 
happy writer  doesn't  seem  to  appreciate  the  fact  that,  in 
collierdom,  there  are  worse  affairs  than  strikes  ;  and  that 
to  give  the  miner  his  head,  so  to  speak,  is  merely  one  of  the 
methods  of   committing   commercial  suicide  ?     There  are 
many  other  methods,  we  admit  ;  but  the  one  indicated  is 
about  as  good  as  most  of  them.      As  proving  this,  let  us 
give  you  the  text  to  which  we  referred  away  back.      You 
all  know  that,  according  to  the  "young  bloods"  (and  their 
butties,  the  collier  men),  the  sliding  scale  was  the  incarna- 
tion of  everything  that  was  wicked  ;  that  it  was  the  means 
of  practically  passing  the  coal  trade  into  the  hands  of  the 
baneful  middleman  ;  and  that  if  the  everything-that-was- 
hateful  scale  could  but  be  abolished  :  the  resultant  state  of 
living  in  South  Wales,  would  be  but  one  remove  short  of 
Utopian.     Very  well  then.     As  everybody  at  this  late  date 
knows,  the  passing  of  the  sliding  scale  made  room  for  the 
new  agreement  which  gave  the   miners  a  minimum  wage 
assessed  at  30  per  cent,  above  the  standard  of  1879.  and  a 
maximum  of  60  per  cent,  above  the  same  standard  ;  decided 
that  11s.  lOd.  should  be  the  average  selling  price  on  which 
the  minimum  rested  ;  that  an  independent  chairman  should 
be  employed  to  say  aye  or  nay,  to  the  demands   arising 
from  the  ranks  of  either  employers  or  employed  ;  and  that 
the  name  of  Sir  David  Dale  was  indissolubly  mixed  up  with 
the  first  stages  of  the  flutter.     Now  let  us  see  the  result. 
At  the  time  of  the  institution  of  the  new  agreement,  and 
thanks  to  the  efficiency  of  the  sliding  scale,  the  coal  trade 
was  in  a  prosperous  condition  ;  so  prosperous,  in  fact,  that 
with  the  advent  of  the  agreement,  the  colliers  were  still 
receiving  48  34   per  cent,  above  the  standard.      And  now. 
Times  gravely  asks  us  to  remember  that,  "  Among  the  coal- 
owners  there  were  none  who  foresaw  the  course  which  prices 
have  since  taken,"  and  herein  the  Times  is  wrong  ;  woefully 
wrong.     There   were  quite  a  number  of  coalowners  who 
spared  no  pains  to  explain  that  what  has  happened,   was 
inevitable  ;  and  among  their  number,  was  the  originator  of 
the  sliding  scale,  Sir  William  Thomas  Lewis,  Bart.      As  a 
matter  of  fact,  most  of  the  coalowners — if  we  ignore  the 
number  who  elected  to  pose  as   "  young   bloods " — knew 
only  too  well,  that  the  present  deplorable  situation  would 
eventuate :   and  most  of  them  are  agreeably  surprised  to 
note,  that  the  inevitable  has  been  staved  off  for  so  long  a 
period.     Still,  we  have  no  wish  to  engage  in  the  pastime 
known  as  flogging  a  dead  horse,  and  shall  be   satisfied  to 
remark  that  this  "  Conciliation  Board,"  which  was  going  to 
do  so  much  for  the  district,  has  been  proven  as  useless ; 
nay,  as  a  most  pernicious  arrangement ;  for  where,  at  its 
inception,  the  wages  were,  as  already  stated,  48%  per  cent. 
above  the  standard,  at  the  present  moment  they  are  but 


June  23,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


96 


S3*  per  cent,  above  :  and  in  yet  a  little  while,  they  will  have 
touched  minimum    while  the  collier  is  simply  shaking  for 
fear  the  said   minimum  will   be  lowered  a  notch  or  two. 
Naturally,  the  exponents  of  the  so-called  new  agreement, 
are  busy  in  thinking  up  reasons  for  this  deplorable  state  of 
affairs  :    go  out   of  their  way   to  prattle  of   Boer  Wars, 
Russo-Japanese  ditto,  or  anything  else  that  occurs  to  their 
colossal  minds  :  but  the  true  inwardness  of  the  situation — 
well,  they  do  not  like  to  acknowledge  that  they  have  been 
wrong,    all    to    pieces :     have  had.   in    a    most  effectual 
manner,  the  wool  pulled  over  the  eyes  which  they  believed 
had  such  good  sight :  and  that,  in  effect,  the  collier  has 
exploited  them  for  all  they  are  worth    and  a  bit  over.     Yet 
this   is  the   true   explanation.      The  colliers'  bosses — the 
"  labour  leaders,"  you  know     realised  that  they  would  have 
an  easier  time,  if  they  could  but  do  away  with  the  labour- 
saving  device   known  as  the  Sliding  Scale  ;  and   true  to 
their  beliefs,  they  spared  no  pains  in  attaining  that  end. 
Everybody  knows  that  trades  unionism   is  antagonistic  to 
labour-saving    devices — the    absence    thereof,    in    Welsh 
collieries  is  ample  proof  :  and  yet  a  number  of  men  who 
should  have  known  better,  could  not  see  that  the  agitation 
against  the  sliding  scale  arrangement,  was  merely  a  desire 
to  do  away  with  an  automatic  regulator.     Under  the  Sliding 
Scale,  wages  rose  or  fell,  without  any  outside  interference, 
and  according  to  a  well-defined,  and  equally  well-under- 
stood provision.     But  then,  it  gave  the  "  labour  leader  "  no 
opportunity  of  hoodooing  his  paymasters :  the  latter  knew 
as  much  about  it  as  the  former  ;  so.  as  a  matter  of  course. 
sliding  scale,  if  at  all  possible,  had  to  go.     It  went,  and  then 
instead  of  automatic  regulations,  there  were  meetings  to 
consider  the  masters'  proposals  for  a  reduction :  other  meet- 
ings to  place  these  before  the  men  :  yet  others  to  attend 
before  the   independent  person  who  would  say  aye  or  nay. 
according  to  which  side  pleaded  the  best  case  :  and  every- 
one  of  those  "  meetings "   meant  remuneration  for  the 
"  leader."  what  ?    The  labourer  is  worthy  of  his  hire,  and 
the  one  great  mistake  made  by  the  coalowners  has  been  : 
They  tried  to  fight  a  few  professional  agitators,  who  had 
nothing  else  to  do.  save  sit  down  together  and  think  up 
ways  of  bluffing  the  employers  :  while  the  coalowner  had 
to  fill  his  time  in.  with  attempting  to  sell  coal,  and  between- 
whiles.  to  endeavour  to  counter  the  devices  of  the  first- 
named,  who  had  all  their  time  to   scheme  with.     Isn't  this 
the  solid  truth  ?     Have  we  over-stated  the  case  ?    And  is 
there  one   sane  man  among  us.  here,  who  really  believes 
that  any  device  is  going  to  successfully  militate  against  a 
lowering  of  the  selling   price  when  the  demand  is    poor  r 
or  against  the  raising  of  that  price,  when  the  demand  is 
good?    Going  further,  did   the  exponents  of  the  Sliding 
Scale  ever  declare,  that  it  was  going  to  regulate  more  than 
the    selling    price,    only  ?     We  wot  not !     They    merely 
claimed    and  with  absolute  truth— that  the  sliding  scale 
would  automatically  regulate  the  wage  question,  according 
to  the  natural,  and   easily  understood  fluctuations  which 
must,  inevitably,  transpire  in  a  trade  of  the  colossal  dimen- 
sions of  the  Welsh  coal  trade.    Those  same  exponents  also 
claimed     and  with  the    same    absolute    truth—that    the 
"  Conciliation  Board  "  could  never  affect  the   selling  price 
of  coal  worth  a  cent. :  nor  that  it  could  regulate  the  wage 
question,  other  than  at  great  expense-  which  would  have 
to  be  wrung  out  of  the   employers'  side  of  the   industry. 
To-day,  it  is  admitted  that  the  Sliding  Scale  people  were 
right :  the  only   dissentients  being  the   originators  of  the 
split  in  the  first  instance-  the  professional  agitators.     It  is 
quite   unnecessary   for    Times   to  undertake    to    give    us 
points:   all  of  us.   here  in   South   Wales,    unfortunately. 
understand  the  true  inwardness  of  the  situation,   without 
going  to  London  to  learn   it.     Indeed,  it  is  highly  probable 
that  the  man   in  the  street,  hereaway,  could  give   Times 
lovely  pointers  on  the  situation.    Summing  the  matter  up, 
we    find    that    since    the    inauguration  of  this  expensive 
"Conciliation  Board."  the  selling  price  of  coal  has  gradually 
dwindled   down  until   it  is  but  a  mere  ghost  of  its  former 


self  :  the  miners'  wages  have  dwindled  along  with  it ;  the 
trade  of  the  whole  district  is  stagnant,  and  shows  no  sign 
of  recovering ;  and  that  the  only  persons  who  have 
gleaned  any  benefit  from  the  calamitous  state,  is  the 
"  labour  leader  "  who  has  been  paid  to  attend  the  meetings 
which  have  brought  it  all  about.  At  times  like  this,  straight 
talk  is  essential ;  and  if  South  Wales  wishes  to  emerge 
from  its  present  deplorable  condition,  then,  it  will  end  the 
"  Conciliation  Board  "  ;  will  clip  the  wings  of  the  pro- 
fessional agitator,  at  the  same  time  teaching  him  his 
proper  position  in  the  economy  of  nature  ;  and  then,  will 
see  to  it  that  the  sliding  scale  is  reinstated,  when,  at  the 
worst,  the  local  man  will  merely'fiave  to  worry  about  the 
laws  of  supply  and  demand.  At  present,  he  has  to  worry 
about  those  laws,  and  about  a  disquieting  element,  which 
makes  it  practically  impossible,  for  any  profitable  coal 
business  to  be  engaged  in — the  new  agreement,  otherwise 
known  as  the  "  Conciliation  Board." 

SUEZ    CANAL~COMPANY. 


would  appear  to  be  a  quantity  of  unconscious 
humour  in  the  statement  made  at  the  Annual 
General  Meeting  of  the  Suez  Canal  Company,  held 
in  Paris,  the  other  day.  It  might  have  been  conscious 
humour,  of  course,  for  one  never  knows  what  is  really 
about,  when  a  lovely  little  cluster  of  monopolists  sit  down 
to  prattle  of  their  business.  To  our  mind,  there  is  a 
quantity  of  jocularity  in  the  following  :  "  The  same  circum- 
stances which  caused  the  growth  of  the  traffic  in  1903, 
have  contributed  to  the  results  obtained  in  1904;  they 
have  been  charaterised  on  the  one  hand,  by  an  exceptionally 
keen  activity  in  the  exportation  of  the  agricultural  produce 
of  India,  and  of  corn,  in  particular ;  and  on  the  other  hand, 
by  a  marked  growth  in  coal  exports  for  the  Far  East." 
Eh  ?  "  Marked  growth  in  coal  exports  for  the  Far  East" 
is  good,  even  if  it  is  a  bit  wide  of  the  truth  ?  One  may 
hardly  speak  of  war  material  as  exports  ?  And  the  "  coal 
exports"  referred  to,  are  war  material  that  will  certainly 
not  figure  in  the  year's  balance  ^heet — unless  the  very 
unexpected  happens  ?  However,  we  note  that  "  The 
simultaneous  appearance  of  these  two  factors  have  not 
allowed  us  to  consider  as  absolutely  normal  the  increase  in 
receipts  obtained  in  1904,"  which  is  precisely  where  the 
humour  comes  in  ?  And  seeing  that  the  directors — no,  the 
Administrative  Council — "  are  keeping  faithfully  to  the  line 
of  conduct  which  we  have  drawn  up  for  you  on  many 
occasions,  and  which  consists  in  harmonising  your  present 
with  your  future  interests  ;  "  well,  you  will  not  be  surprised 
to  learn  that  an  additional  5,000,000  francs  have  been 
added  to  the  extraordinary  reserve,  and  which  will  be  used 
up  to  make  good  any  losses  that  may  be  caused  by  the 
contemplated  rebate  ?  Truly  does  the  Suez  Canal  Com- 
pany play  against  the  British  shipping  industry,  with  a 
double-headed  half-penny.  No  matter  nfew  the  coin  spins, 
--trfis  Canal  Company  is  ever  a  winner  !  Here,  again,  is 
more  humour :  "  It  is  interesting  for  you  to  notice 
the  extreme'  prudence  (ahem  !  nothing  like  a  due  sense  of 
self-appreciation,  is  there  ?)  with  which  we  propose  to  you 
to  employ  the  profits  of  1904.  We  shall  be  able  to  guard 
completely,  in  1906,  against  the  consequences  of  the 
rebate,  should  the  loss  shown  as  the  result  of  it,  not  be 
compensated  for  by  a  growth  of  traffic."  What  ?  Isn't  it 
a  princely  sort  of  financial  manipulation  ?  Here,  look  at 
this,  too  :  "The  total  receipts  are  placed  at  Fr.  119,176, 
398'45,  showing,  by  comparison  with  the  total  receipts  of 
1903,  an  increase  of  12,300,532fr'50,  which  is  the  result 
of  the  growth  of  traffic."  See,  the  increase  is  not  con- 
sequent on  sweating  the  shipowner ;  nor  does  it  result 
from  the  demise  of  a  rich  aunt,  or  so,  connected  with  the 
industry  ;  no,  it  is  all  the  "  result  of  the  growth  of  traffic." 
Then,  the  total  expenses  are  placed  at  41,038,4Z"0'34 
francs,  so  you  will  see  that  it  takes  in  "  administrative 
councils  "  and  things,  one-franc-and-a-canal-property  to 
earn  three  francs — providing  a  sufficiency  of  "  extreme 
prudence  "  is  about. 


97 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  23,    1905 


CARDIFF    (AND  OTHER)  -GOAL. 


CARDIFF,  June  21,  1905. 

THE  lack  of  excitement  in  connection  with  Cardiff  (and 
other)  Coal  continues.  Indeed,  the  market  is  deadly  dull, 
apathetic,  tiring,  disappointing— anything,  that  will  in- 
dicate a  practical  absence  of  business.  The  new  lease  of 
life  which  has  been  prophesied  in  this  branch  of  local 
industry,  continues  in  the  prophetic  stage  ;  and  but  little 
wonder  need  be  expressed,  that  the  colliers  are  viewing  the 
demise  of  the  so-called  "  new  agreement,"  with  mingled 
feelings  of  hope  and  regret. 

THE  hope  is  resultant  from  the  idea  that  now  a  fair  trial 
has  been  given  to  the  alleged  panacea  that  was  offered  for 
all  coal  ills,  away  back,  it  will  be,  incontinently  dropped— 
like  the  proverbial  hot  spud  ;  the  regret  comes  in,  when  the 
men  remember  that  they  were  misguided  enough,  to  accept  a 
quiff  that  has  driven  wages  down  from  a  respectable 
eminence,  to  a  level  that  is — well,  we  don't  care  to  hazard 
a  try  at  the  correct  word.  Our  vocabulary  is  fairly  com- 
prehensive ;  but  it  is  altogether  inadequate  for  the  demands 
made  upon  it,  at  times.  This  is  one  of  'em. 

OF  course,  we  do  not  mean  to  suggest  that  the  coal  trade 

has  left  altogether.     It  is  still  with  us  ;  but  it  by  no  means 

APPROXIMATE     FIGURES     FOR     THK     WEEK,     ARE     AS 

(All  quotations  f.o.b.  at 


leaves  anything  like  a  fair  return,  for  the  energy  that  is 
necessary  to  carry  it  on.  Tonnage — of  the  prompt  variety 
-is  scarce :  stocks  are  accumulating :  so  are  loaded  wagons, 
and  colliery  office  dementia.  Taken  altogether,  the  outlook 
is  anything  but  encouraging,  and  if  it  were  not  for  the 
approaching  festivities,  up  town,  and  elsewhere,  the  pre- 
vailing colour  would  be  even  that  which  is  popularly 
associated  with  the  deep,  deep,  sea.  Blue,  you  know. 

ANYHOW,  we  are  not  going  to  pretend  to  analyse  the 
market  prices.  We  admit  that  there  are  such,  but  seeing 
that  they  are  merely  trotted  out  to  maintain  honourable 
tradition,  we  shall  discuss  none  of  them.  We  have  culled  a 
true  and  unbiassed  list  of  prices  which  have  been  offered, 
from  day  to  day  ;  those  prices  are  below  ;  but  we  are  per- 
fectly certain  that  if  a  buyer  came  along  with  positive 
business,  he  could  easily  make  the  majority  of  them  look 
remarkably  sick;  could  chip  corners  off  most  of  them.  And 
he  needn't  imagine  that  a  threepennypiece  represents  the 
outside  mark  in  the  chipping  process — because  it  doesn't. 
However,  "quotations"  are  even  as  we  set  them  out, 
below.  Size  up  the  values,  according  to  your  own  ideas  of 
prevailing  conditions. 

FOLLOW  ; — 

the  respective  ports  o/  shipment./ 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Best  Cardiff  Ad'alty  Large 
Second         Ditto. 
Other  Second  Cardiff     ... 
Drys 
Jiest  Newport 
Ordinary  Bests 
Seconds 
Best  House  Coal 
No.  3  Rhondda 
No.  2         Ditto. 
Rhondda  3  "  Thro." 
2 

12S.  91  i. 

i2s.  od.,  las.  6d. 
us.  6d.,  I2s.  oil. 
us.  9<J. 
us.  3d. 
us.  od. 
IOB.  od.,  IDS.  6d. 
155.  od. 
133.  gd. 
93.  -Ad. 
us.  gd. 
8s.  9d. 

i2s.  gd. 
i2s.  3d. 
1  1  s.  gd. 
us.  7J-d. 
1  1  s.  3d. 
i  is.  od. 
IDS.  3d. 
155.  od. 
133.  gd. 
93.  7.1(1. 
us.  gd. 
8s.  gd. 

i 
i2s.  6d.,  133.  od. 

I2S.  Od. 

us.  6d.,  us.  gd. 
us.  7jd. 
us.  ijd. 
los.  gel.,  us.  od. 
los.  3d. 
143.  gd. 
133.  6(1.,  133.  gd. 
gs.  6d.,  gs.  gd. 
us.  6d. 
gs.  od. 

i2s.  7jd. 

I2S.  Od. 

i  is.  6d. 
i  is.  6d. 
u  s.  i  id. 
IDS.  io|d. 
IDS.  od..  i  os.  3d. 
143.  od. 
133.  7jd. 
gs.  6d.,  gs.  gd. 
us.  6d. 
gs.  od. 

J 
1  23.  gd. 
us.  gd.,  i2s.  3d. 
us.  gd. 
i  is.  6d.,  i  is.  gd. 
i  is.  od.,  i  is.  3d. 
IDS.  io|d. 
los.  3d. 
143.  6d.,  153.  od. 
133.  7|d. 
gs.  6d. 
us.  gd. 
8s.  gd. 

i2s.  gd. 

123.  od.,   123.  6d. 

us.  gd. 
i  is.  6d. 
us.  3d. 
i  is.  od. 
i  os.  3d. 
143.  gd. 
133.  6d.,  143.  od. 
gs.  6d. 
us.  7  |d. 
8s.  6d.,  gs.  od. 

Smalls: 
Best  Cardiff 
Seconds 
Ordinaries 
Best  Newport 
Seconds 
Rhondda  No.  2 
No.  3 

8s.  6d.,  8s.  9d. 
8s.  3d.,  8s.  6d. 
8s.  od! 
75.  gd. 
?s.  3d. 
75.  6d. 
95.  gd.,  los.  od. 

8s.  gd. 
8s.  6d. 
8s.  od. 
7s.  gd. 
73.  6d. 
73.  gd. 
gs.  gd. 

8s.  7  id. 
8s.  4-id. 
ys.  lo.Ul. 

-s.  7jd- 
73.  6d. 
73.  gd. 
gs.  gd. 

8s.  6d. 
8s.  3d. 
73.  gd.,  8s.  od. 
ys.  7jd. 
75.  3d. 
73.  6(i. 
gs.  7jd. 

8s.  6d. 
8s.  3d. 
73.  gd. 
73.  6d. 
73.  3d. 
ys.  6d. 
gs.  7jd. 

8s.  3d.,  8s.  gd. 
8s.  od,,  8s.  3d. 
73.  gd. 
73.  6d. 
73.  od.,  7s.  3d. 
73.  gd. 
gs.  6d.,  gs.  gd. 

Foundry  Coke  : 
Special 
Ordinary 

2IS.  Od.,  22S.  od. 

173.  6d. 

21S.  dd. 

175.  6d. 

2os.  gd. 
173.  gd. 

2os.  gd. 
173.  gd. 

21S.  Od. 

175.  6d.,  173.  gd. 

213.  Od.,  22S.  Od. 

173.  6d.,  183.  od. 

Furnace  Coke 
Patent  Fuel 

I'itwnnd  lex  ship) 

1  6s.  6d. 
I2s.  6d. 
1  8s.  6d.,  igs.  od. 

i6s.  6d. 
i2s.  gd. 

19;;.  od. 

1  6s.  3d. 
I2s.  gd. 

igs.  oil. 

1  6s.  3d. 
12S.   6d. 

i8s.  gd. 

1  6s.  6d. 
i2s.  6d. 

iSs.  gd. 

1  6s.  od.,  1  6s.  6d. 
I2s.  3d.,  I2s.  gd. 
iSs.  3d.,  1  8s.  gd. 

All,  less  2%  per  cent,  discount,  with  payment  at  thirty 
All  quotations  for  large  Coals  imply  Colliery  Screened. 

SWANSEA,  June  21,  1905. 

FOR  some  occult  reason,  the  market  hereaway,  has  maintained  a 
steady  tone— for  Swansea— and  there  is  positively  a  slight  improve- 
ment in  the  amount  of  business  passing.  At  least,  our  "  expert  "  from 
that  quarter  assures  us  that  these  are  the  facts.  All  the  same,  we 
note  that  prices  are  even  as  at  our  last  time  of  writing  supposing 
they  are  "  harder."  You  know,  when  there  is  no  business  to  brag 
about,  it  is  fairly  safe  to  "  harden  "  your  price  ;  or  to  "  soften  "  them, 
for  that  matter  ? 


days,  except  where  otherwise  stated. 

ANTHRACITE  LARGE  quotations  are  steady  at  last  levels.  MALTING 
descriptions  are  a  shade  busier,  and  MACHINE  MADE  coals  are  awaken- 
ing, somewhat.  Still,  the  supplies  are  plentiful  enough,  so  no  worry 
need  be  experienced  on  that  head.  PEAS  are  said  to  be  scarce,  but 
this  is  probably  a  dodge  to  work  up  that  "hardening"  particular? 
CULM  values  are  as  firm  as  ever,  for  the  enquiry  continues  lively  ;  but 
DUFF  is  in  the  same  position  as  at  our  last.  STEAMS  are  a  shade 
brisker,  although  prices,  generally,  are  unchanged.  PATENT  FUELS  are 
fairly  steady,  at  prices  given  below. 


BELOW,  we  give  the  average  prices  for  the  week  :— 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Anthracite: 
Best    Hand    Picked 
Malting  Urge      ...  }      ... 
Seconds    do. 
Big  Vein  Large 
Red    .,       .. 
Machine  Made  Cobbles   ... 

i8s.  od. 
1  6s.  od. 
us.  od. 
gs.  gd. 
i6s.  od.,  i6s.  6d. 

1  8s.  od. 

id-  .  od. 

us.  od. 
gs.  7.i<l. 
i6s.  3d. 

173.  gd.,  i8s.  3d. 
163.  gd. 
los.  gd. 
gs.  7M. 
163.  od. 

1  8s.  od.,  1  8s.  3d. 
1  6s.  gd. 
i  os.  gd. 
gs.  gd. 
1  6s.  od. 

i8s.  3d. 
1  6s.  6d.,  173.  od. 
us.  od. 
gs.  gd. 
153.  gd.,  1  6s.  3d. 

1  8s.  od.,  1  8s.  6d. 
173.  od. 
103.  gd.,  us.  3d. 
gs.  6d.,  gs.  gd. 
1  6s.  od.,  163.  6d. 

„         „    Nuts 
„     Pew 
Rubbly  Culm 
Duff 

i6s.  od. 
us.  od. 
53.  6d. 
33.  od.,  33.  6d. 

it.s.  od. 
us.  od. 
55.  6d. 
3s.  3d- 

i6s.  3d. 
us.  3d. 
5s.  6d.,  53.  gd. 
38.  3d- 

1  6s.  3d. 
iis.  3d. 
5s.  7id. 
33.  6d. 

163.  6d. 
us.  od.,  us.  3d. 
53.  gd.' 
33.  6d. 

163.  6d. 
i  os.  gd.,  us.  3d. 
53.  3d.,  53.  gd. 
33.  3d.,  33.  6d. 

Patent  Fuel: 

us.  gd. 

us.  gd. 

us.  6d.,  123.  od. 

us.  7gd. 

us.  7£d. 

us.  6d.,  us.  gd. 

Steam: 
Best    Large 
Seconds  ,, 
Bunker    ,, 
Thro'  and  Thro' 

135.  od 
12S.  od.,  123.  6d. 
i  os.  6d. 

8s.  6d. 

133.  ol. 
I2s.  3d. 
tos.  <«l. 
8s.  6d.,  8s.  gd. 

* 

12s.  gd. 

123.  (nl. 

IDS.  3d. 

8s.  7id. 

I2s.  gd. 

123.  6d. 

103.  3d. 

8s.  gd. 

I2s.  6d.,  133.  od. 

12S.  O.I. 

los.  6d. 
8s.  gd. 

123.  gd. 
us.  gd.,  i2s.  3d. 
IDS.  3d.,  IDS.  gd. 
8s.  6d.,  gs.  od. 

June  23,    1905 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


98 


COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES. 


CARDIFF.  June  21,  1905. 

CHARTERING,  since  last  we  had  the  privilege  of  addressing 
you.  has  been  more  than  ordinarily  "cussed."  and  that 
is  admitting  much.  In  the  main,  a  fairly-good  assortment 
of  tonnage  has  been  taken  up.  but  no  two  days  in 
succession,  showed  any  similarity  in  the  demand  -although 
the  supply,  heaven  knows,  is  as  plentiful  as  you  might 
well  wish. 

VIEWED  right  through,  the  market  has  been  steady 
enough— what  there  has  been  of  it :  but  When  you  come 
to  a  consideration  of  values,  that  is  where  there  is  a 
difficulty.  Most  of  the  varied  phases  of  the  chartering 
kaleidoscope  have  been  represented,  and  in  one  or  two 
instances  a  slight  advance  over  late  rates  is  manifest. 
But  the  happy  result  is  more  because  of  the  prevalence  of 
blarney  in  the  cases  referred  to.  than  for  the  reason  that 
there  is  really  an  improvement  to  hand. 

SOME  of  our  sanguine  friends  assure  us  that  the  dark 
cloud  is  about  to  pass.  We  hope  they  are  right,  even  as 
we  trust  that  the  promised  brightness  will  not  be  of  a  too 
brilliant  character.  After  such  a  continued  spell  of 
depression,  it  will  be  bad  for  all  concerned,  if.  when  the 
cloud  passes,  rt  goes  with  a  bang,  in  a  manner  of  speaking. 

Week  Ending,  ( Wednesday),  June  21,  1905 

N     denote*   Newport.    (8)  Bwantea.    if.  TV    Port    Talbot,    loading. 

EASTERN. 

Singapore,  Mitnnton,  5,000  tons,  9*. 
Cape,  Ililllnin,  \\~-.  \Y,\.-\*~  400  clrlv. 
Perim.  />'<;/ ••//  i.nnfnlnl,-,  ps.  i4d. 


WESTWARD,     Etc. 

Las  Palmas,     /.»>•>/  l-'.rtu-,   »i-  snf>.,    5,000  tons,    6s.  jd. 

option  Teneriffe. 
River  Plate,     />/«  de  .-//«i.W»,    4,100,4,400  tons,    7s.  6d. 

rni T.   .?.;"•>  tons,    7-..   Gd. 
Hnrinitnic,    ••-.  ;td. 

Monte  Video,    Anldmttir,  3,400  tons,    78.  3d.    (x). 
Rio  de  Janeiro,     l-'rrnnn">r,   3, 750  tons,  gs.  4/|d. 
Tenerifle,     l.nni  /.rt//-.//««v//»-.    3,000  tons.   6s.  3d. 
Porto  Rico,   Diim-tuffmw,  |>;irt  cjir^o.  Soo  tons,  8s.  6d. 

MEDITERRANEAN,     Etc. 

Port  Said,    >;i/W»«,  5, 7^0  tons,     /^. 

tOO  tons,     ;;-.  c;d. 
('/nri.--iii  Kiuh'lijff' .  tons,    ;~.    gd. 

Genoa,     /.<•<//  /.<'/«»//</.  3.300  tons.  6s.  gd.  optn.  Savona. 
l)unhnnni»>r.    5,500  ion-,    ',-.  7Jd.  ppt. 
77»r»;/i>,   3.550  Ions,   (,-,.  (,(]. 
i;   -i.ooo  tons,    6s.  9d. 
.HUT,   5,000  ton^    (,-.  7^d. 
.!/.;  ii's.   3,600  tons,    ;s.    >|»>t. 

Miiiliiif-.  ilr  I'inilln-,  3,500  tons,    6s.  io^d. 
ifliiin,    1.500  tons,   ^s.  i\A.   (s). 
uiiiin,   1,500  tons,   js.  i^d.   (s). 

.    3,300  t'     -.          gd. 
\nlnlii-  A..    .;,  KO  tens,    i,s.  9d.      (I'.T.) 
"/".   3..V1"  '""S   "-•,  spot. 
///i.-i-;i,    2, 600  tons,   f>s.   grl. 
Venice,     Straim-r,    2,700    tons,    7s.  3d.    spot. 

./,   .-.700  tons,    7s.  i,ii.  coal,   8s.  3d.  fuel,    (s). 
Valencia,     A'A/i,    1,000  tons,  6s.  rid.  coal,  ;s.  6d.  fuel,  (s). 
Constantinople,     / Vi.s.s/'A;X-/>,  3,000  tons,    6s.  4Jd.   ppt. 
Alexandria,     \<>rtham,  5,600  t> 

Kugiiriiin,  '<,«•«>  Ion-.    ;s.    io.jd. 
Syra,     f  >i>'/ijff,    3,900  4,100  tuns.    6s.  4^d. 
Reggio,     >".,ni'r,    .\<,oo  tons. 
Malta,     .I//-W/-AW;//,  3,300  tons,    48.  6d.   (Admiralty). 

.  roo    tons,    4s.  6«l.  „ 

Mnrgil  Gritftifl,  3,400  tons,    ^s.  3d. 

'•ritnn,   3,000  tons,    5*.  ;,il.    (N). 
imrr,  3,500  ton-,   .js.  i,<\.    (Admiralty) 
'«>   tons,    4s.   6d.  „ 


',650  tons,    Ss.  6d.    (N). 

Barceon,  '    2'200  tons-  ^s.  coal,  7s.  9d.  fuel,  (s). 

Barcelona,     Reading,    2,700  tons,    75. 

Haslingdon,   2,500  tons,   73. 
Oran,     Fa/w,   j.goo   tons,    7-50   fcs. 

lolo  Morganwg,    1,550  tons,    7-75  fcs. 

£         ^   I>40°  t0ns'  7'9S  fcs.  coal,  8-95  fcs.  fuel. 
Steamer,  8-75  francs. 

C^/W"e'     ''7°°  tons,   9-25  fcs.  coal,    10-25  fcs.  fuel. 

Sharon,   I(Soo  tons,    53. 
Steamer,     1,500  tons,    5s.     (reported) 
Emma,   i, 600  tons,    4s.  iojd.  6 
Radnor,    1,650  tons,    4s.  io"*d 
Sicily,      Nellie,    6s.  ,oid.    (N) 
Civita  Vecchia,     Sidm,  2,600  tons,  6s.  ,04d.   ppt 
Algiers,     Steamer,   3,000  tons,    7-50  fcs. 

Steamer,  3,800  tons,   7-75  fcs.  coal,  8-75  fcs.  fuel,  (s) 
Santiago,  2,600  toss,  7-75  fcs.  ppt.  (s). 

Mies,     Struts,    4,100  tons,    7-50  francs. 
Porto  Empedocle,     Steamer,   2,900  tons,    7s.  4d.    250  .od 

PPt. 

Oporto,     Quickstep,     1,100  tons,   5s. 
Bona,     Girgentt,  2,700   tons,     7-25   fcs. 
Naples,     Steamer,   2,400  tons,    6s.  6d. 
Palermo,     Duchess  of  Cornwall,  2,100  tons,  7s.  6d    ppt 
•eyrput,  Byron,  2,600  tons,  7s.  9d.  coal,  8s.  6d.  fuel  (s). 

BALTIC,  Etc. 

n  »,S/t-  Petersburg-     Leipzic,     ,,700    tons, 

Cronstadt,     Weardale,   4,1  colons,   4s.  7id. 

N.  F.  Hoffding,  2,100  tons,   4s.  6d. 

Carol  ler,   4,500  tons,   js.  6d. 
Copenhagen,  Oscarshal,   1.500  tons,   4s.  6d. 

45.  9d.  coal,   55.  3d.  fuel.    (s). 
Caudebec,     Senga,  520  tons,  4s.  io|d.   (s). 
Stettin,     Airedale,    1,300  tons,   45.  gd.    (s). 


BAY,     Etc. 

Bordeaux,     Pinion,   1,300  tons,  5  francs. 

Dhantenay,     Abertawe,   1,700  tons     4-75  francs.   (P.T  ) 

at.  Nazaire,    Jeatiie,   2,300  tons,   425  fcs. 

La  Pallice,    Abtinta,  2,000  tons,    4-10  fcs. 

La  Rochelle,     Clievcdtn,    2,100  tons,   4-15    fcs. 

COASTING,     Etc. 

Rouen,     St.  Kevin,  730  tons,    4s.  gd.    (s). 

Raloo,    1,300  tons,   4s.  7|d.    (s). 

Henry  Brand,  gco  tons,    4s.  gd.  (s). 
St.  Malo,     Iron  King,  460  tons,    4s.  3d.    (s). 

Jason,  980  tons,  4s.  (s). 
Honfluer,      The  Princess,  680  tons,    4s.    (s). 

Hampshire,  830  tons,   4s.   (s). 

foxco/iHo,    i, 300  tons,    33.  lod. 
Caen,     Argus,   1,450  tons,    4s.   option   Honfluer. 
Havre,     Solent  or  Henty  Brand,  1,000  tons,   4s. 

Auricula,    i,ooq  tons,  4s. 

Ambient,  2,100  tons,  33.  gid. 
Brest,  Caslleford,  2,400  tons,  35. 
Belfast,  I'lilnnti:,  580. tons,  38,  (s). 

Steamer,    230    tons,    35.    3d. 

Devonport,     Throstlegartli,  2,100  tons,    23.  3d.  (Admiralty) 
Portland,     Mayiuood,   1,550  tons,    2s.  gd. 

Bangarth,     1,900  tons,    2s.   gd. 

Knightsgarlh,    4,100   tons,    23.  6d. 

Gransha,    1,550  tons,    25.  gd. 
Holyhead,     Cameo,  350  tons,    35.  6d. 
Rochester,     A/gores,  380  tons,   4s.  3d. 
Londonderry,     Steamer,    300   tons,    33.  gd. 
Warrenpoint,    Jane,    220   tons,    33.    6d.  (s.) 

HOMEWARD. 

Pomaron  to  Swansea,     Cytnrian,   1,400  tons,    55. 
Almeria  Pier  to  Newport,  Steamer,  3,250  tons,  43.  gd.  f.d. 
Bordeaux  to  Swansea,    Ben  Macdui,  700  tons,  53.  3d. 
Villagarcia  to  Cardiff,  or  Newport,      Whimbrel,    39311. 

7s.   ppt. 

ii  i.        ii         ii    Barry,  Irwtn,  1,200  tons,  6s.  gd. 

Onton  to  Newport,  Steamer,  2,000  tons,  4s.  3d.  ppt. 


99 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  23,  1905 


•irlJ 


THE  steamers  Ionian.  Gornbank,  and  Cambrian,  which 
were  managed  by  the  firm  of  Messrs.  G.  H.  Elder  &  Co.. 
Newcastle,  whose  affairs  are  now  in  bankruptcy,  are 
reported  sold  by  the  mortgagee  to  Germans,  at  £25,000. 
The  Ionian  was  built  by  the  Grangemouth  &  Greenock 
Dockyard  Company.  Grangemouth,  in  1901.  869  tons 
gross.  Dimensions  185ft.  x  51ft.  2in.  x  14ft.  8in.,  carries 
about  1,100  tons  deadweight,  on  13ft.  9in.  draft,  with 
engines  15in..  25in.,  40in.  x  30in.  stroke,  by  Messrs- 
Lidgerwood.  The  Gornba~nk  is  a  sister  ship  to  the  Ionian' 
The  Cambrian  was  built  by  Messrs.  Mackie  &  Thompson' 
Glasgow,  in  1900.  934  tons  gross.  Dimensions  210ft' 
x  30ft.  Sin.  x  14ft.  9in..  carries  about  1,200  tons  dead- 
weight. on  13ft.  6in.  draft,  with  engines  18in.,  29in.,  48in- 
x  33in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  A.  Stephen  &  Sons. 


SHIPBUILDING. 


was  built  by  Messrs.  Napier  &  Miller,  Ltd..  Glasgow,  in 
1904:  4,240  tons  gross.  Dimensions.  385ft.  x  48ft.  Sin. 
x  27ft.  ;  carries  about  7,000  tons  deadweight,  with 
engines  27in..  43in.,  72in.  x  48in.  stroke,  by  Messrs. 
Dunsmuir  &  Jackson.  We  understand  the  price  paid  is 

about  £49,500. 

+  +  + 

THERE  are  very  few  orders  being  placed  just  now,  but 
enquiries  for  new  tonnage  now  building,  are  fairly  numerous, 
and  several  ..  steamers  have  recently  changed  hands,  as 
readers  will  have  noticed  reported  in  the  column.  We  now 
hear  that  a  steamer  of  about  7,000  tons  deadweight 
capacity,  building  on  the  Clyde,  for  Glasgow  owners,  and 
now  nearly  ready  for  launching,  has  just  been  sold  to  a 
Continental  firm  for  £50,000. 


THE  trial  trip  of  the  cross  Channel  steamer  Viking,  has 
proved  another  triumph  for  the  turbine.  She  is  an  excep- 
tionally fine  modelled  steamer,  and  a  run  of  about  seventy 
miles  gave  every  satisfaction,  and  resulted  in  an  average 
speed  of  23  '2  knots  an  hour,  one  of  the  highest  speeds 
yet  recorded  in  turbine  vessels  of  her  class.  She  has  been 
built  by  Sir  W.  G.  Armstrong  Whitworth  &  Co.  Ltd.,  Low 
Walker  on  Tyne,  for  the  Isle  of  Man  Steam  Packet  Com- 
pany, and  is  intended  to  run  to  the  Isle  of  Man  from 
Liverpool.  Fleetwood,  Belfast,  and)  Dublin.  She'  has 
accommodation  for  about  2,000  passengers.  The 
machinery  supplied  by  the  Parsons  Marine  Steam  Turbine 
Company,  with  boilers  by  the  Wallsend  Slipway  Company, 
consists  of  three  sets  of  turbines,  each  driving  its  own 
shaft,  and  a  reversing  turbine. 

+  +  + 

THE  Palmers  Shipbuilding  and  Iron  Company,  Jarrow-on- 
Tyne,  have  booked  an  important  order  from  the  Hamburg 
American  Company,  for  a  new  steamer  of  about  500  feet 
in  length,  with  a  deadweight  capacity  of  between  9.000 
and  10,000  tons,  and  to  have  quadruple  expansion  engines 
of  considerable  power.  This  order,  following  upon  the 
four  5.000  tonners  which  the  Irvine  Shipbuilding  Company 
West  Hartlepool,  have  been  commissioned  to  build  for 
German  owners  are  particularly  welcome,  and  it  is  not 
without  its  significance  that  Germany,  which  is  now 
regarded  as  our  most  important  rival  in  shipbuilding,  still 
finds  it  necessary  to  come  to  England  for  ships. 

+  +  + 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Nord  III.,  owned  by  the  Finska 
Company  of  Helsingfors,  and  which  has  been  laid  up  in  the 
Tyne  for  some  months  past,  has  been  sold  to  Japanese 
buyers  for  £23,500.  She  was  built  by  Messrs..  Sir  Raylton 
Dixon  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  Middlesbrough,  in  1903,  carries  about 
1.250  tons  deadweight,  and  has  accomm'ddation  for  first- 
class  passengers.  Dimensions  240ft.  x  35ft.  2in.  x 
20ft.  7in.  moulded,  with  engines  22in.,  35in.,  59in.  x  39in. 
stroke,  by  Messrs.  Richardson,  Westgarth  &  Co.,  Ltd. 

+  +  + 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Venus,  lately  owned  by  the 
Cornhill  Steamship  Company,  Ltd.,  (Messrs.  Harris  and 
Dixon,  London,  managers),  has  been  sold  to  the  Britain 
Steamship  Company,  Ltd.,  (Messrs.  Watts;  Watts  &  Co., 
London,  managers),  and  has  been  renamed  Hampstead. 
She  was  built  by  Messrs.  Russell  &  Co..  Port  Glasgow,  in 
1896.  Dimensions  339ft.  4in.  x  46ft.  x  25ft.  Sin.  3,558 
tons  gross,  with  engines  25in.,  40in.,  64in.  x  45in.  stroke, 
by  Messrs.  Rankin  &  Blackmore. 

+  +  + 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Scottish  Monarch,  lately  owned 
by  Messrs.  Raeburn  &  Verel,  Glasgow,  has  been  sold  to 
the  Nederland  Steamship  Company,  Amsterdam.  She 


THE  steel  screw  steamer  Croxdale,  lately  owned  by 
Messrs.  G.  H.  Elder  and  Co.,  Newcastle,  has  been  sold  to 
British  Buyers  at  about  £26.500.  She  was  built  by  the 
Tyne  Iron  Shipbuilding  Company,  Ltd.,  Newcastle,  in  1902. 
2,842  tons  gross.  Dimensions  325ft.  x  45ft.  x  25ft.  3in.  ; 
carries  about  5,100  tons  deadweight,  on  22ft.  6in.  draft, 
with  engines  24in.,  40in.,  64in.  x  42in.  stroke,  by  the 
North  Eastern  Marine  Engineering  Company,  Ltd. 

+  -f  + 

THE  iron  screw  steamer  Huguenot,  lately  owned  by 
Messrs.  A.  P.  Harrison  &  Co.,  Newcastle,  has  been  sold  to 
Messrs.  Austin,  Elliott  &  Go.  She  was  built  by  the 
Edwards  Shipbuilding  Company,  Ltd.,  Newcastle,  in  1892. 
Dimensions,  225ft.  4in.  x  31ft.  x  15ft.  1  lin.  :  1,032  tons 
gross  ;  with  engines  ISJain-*  30in..  49in.  x  33in.  stroke,  by 
Messrs.  George  Clark,  Ltd. 

+  +  + 

THE  steel  screw  steamer  Planudes,  lately  owned  by 
Messrs.  G.  V.  Fowler  &  Co..  Middlesbrough,  has  been 
taken  over  by  Messrs.  W.  B.  Peat  &  Co.,  Middlesbrough. 
She  was  built  by  Messrs.  R.  Williamson  &  Sons,  Working- 
ton,  in  1900.  Dimensions,  165ft.  Sin.  x  26ft.  6in.  x 
12ft.  lOin.  542  tons  gross,  with  engines  18in..  40in.  x 
33in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  M'Kie  &  Baxter. 

+  +  +  ' 

IT  is  reported  that  a  high-class  cargo  steamer,  now  under 
construction  by  Messrs.  Sir  James  Laing  and  Company, 
Ltd..  has  been  sold  to  the  Rotterdam  Lloyd,  and  will  be 
employed  in  their  Java  cargo  service.  She  has  a  carrying 
capacity  of  about  6,650  tons,  and  will  be  launched  early  in 
July.  The  machinery  will  be  supplied  by  Messrs.  George 

Clark  &  Co. 

-f  +  + 

THE  Smith  Dock  Company,  Limited,  of  North  Shields, 
have  received  orders  from  France,  for  four  large  steam 
trawlers,  which  will  be  specially  equipped  for  service  in  the 
Newfoundland  cod  fisheries. 


THE  Palmers  Shipbuilding  and  Iron  Company,  Jarrow-on- 
Tyne,  have  been  commissioned  to  build  a  cargo  and 
passenger  steamer  for  the  Tyne-Tees  Shipping  Company, 

Limited. 

+  +  + 

THE  steel  steam  trawler  Gertie,  built  by  the  Earle's  Com- 
pany, Ltd.,  Hull,  for  the  Fleetwood  Steam  Fishing  Co.,  Ltd., 
has  been  sold  to  Spanish  buyers. 

•f  +  + 

WE  understand  that  Messrs.  Donald  &  Taylor,  of  Glas- 
gow, are  the  purchasers  of  the  steamer  Lady  Armstrong, 
recently  reported  sold. 

4-    +    + 

MR.  J.  G.  COUTZIS,  of  Piraeus,  is  the  purchaser  of  the 
steamer  Sturton,  reported  sold  in  our  last  issue. 


June  23,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


maritime 

(AND  OTHER) 

rconep 
matters. 


B 


lUSlNESS  on 
the  London 
v  -.—  Stock  Ex- 
change was  limited, 
and  there  was  a 
drooping  tendency 
in  prices,"  is  a  fair 
rendering  of  the  tale 
of  those  who  give 
attention,  to  the 
alleged  Money  Mar- 
ket. Moreover,  the 
limited  business  is 
about  all  that  is  possible  with  the  wars,  rumours  thereof, 
and  scares,  generally,  that  are  about.  In  addition  to  the 
wars,  you  have  the  war  stores  wickednesses,  tales  of 
German  aggression,  disasters  to  the  men  of  war  that  go 
to  make  up  the  British  Fleet,  tall  yarns  concerning  the 
supercilious  Russian,  who  doesn't  seem  to  care  a  dump 
whether  his  poor  serfs  are  blown  to  smithereens,  or 

otherwise,  so 

•»•  -f  + 

"BUSINESS  on  the  London  Stock  Exchange  was 
limited."  The  same  thing  applies,  with  varied  degrees  of 
force,  to  other  stock  exchanges,  and.  locally,  we  are  told 
that  "  No  new  feature  presented  itself  to-day,  and  the 
tone  of  the  Stock  Market  was  listless  in  all  depart- 
ments." There  you  are !  Limited  business ;  no  new 
features  ;  everything  listless  and  don't-care-a-hangified  ; 
stock  manipulators  thinking  more  of  summer  holidays, 
than  of  chasing  the  merry  oof  bird  ;  and  the  local  man 
bothering  himself  with  thoughts  of  future  functions, 
instead  of  bulls,  bears,  and  other  animals,  which  belong 

to  the  Sacred  Phalanx. 

•f  -f  -f 

EVEN  the  cult  which  is  so  keen  on  the  establishment 
of  new  dry  docks— at  other  people's  expense — is  silent, 
and  sit-on-the-fencified  ;  won't  have  anything  to  say  in 
favour  (or  otherwise),  of  the  offers  of  sites  that  have 
been  made  ;  and  taken  altogether,  the  situation  is  about 
as  heartless  as  it  is  possible  to  be.  Every  second  man 
one  meets,  is  filled  with  tales  of  passing-good  investments 
—but  he  hangs  on  to  his  share  of  the  collateral,  for  all 
he  is  worth ;  smiles  indulgently  if  you  suggest  the 
advisability  of  his  backing  his  fancy ;  says  he  isn't 
having  any,  himself;  but  doesn't  object  to  bluffing  the 

other  fellow  into  taking  some,  if  possible. 

•»•   *•  -f 

TIMES  are  unequivocally  bad— there  is  no  getting 
away  from  the  fact  ;  and  neither  the  regular  man,  nor 
the  bucket-shop  gentleman,  appears  to  have  one  little 
kick  left  in  his  financial  personality.  The  former  goes 
away  home,  early  ,  the  latter  puts  his  afternoons  in,  in 
the  tea-shop  of  commerce.  The  regular  man  is  too 
proud  to  cry  "Wolf,"  and  refrains  from  fairy  tales  of  any 
kind ;  the  irregular  gentleman  the  guerilla  fighter, 
if  we  may  put  it  thus— is  willing  to  waste  your  time  (ana 
his  own)  with  dissertations  as  to  what  he  is  going  to  do, 
when  the  times  harden  up  a  little.  For  then,  Mr. 
Buckets  is  going  to  float  dry  docks,  steamers,  theatres, 
chapels,  cosy  corner  coteries,  and  heaven  knows  what 

beside. 

+   -f   -f 

BUT  it  is  all  going  to  transpire  in  the  sweet  by  and 
bye!  Meanwhile,  Buckets  will  talk  of  anything;  will 
engage  in  anything  :  will  explain  anything  ;  will  deal  in 
anything — save  those  little  items  which  pretend  to  touch 
on  finance.  His  cyclostyle  is  silent ;  touting  circulars  are 
"off : "  the  postage  thereon  is  being  saved  ;  and  the  poor 
printer-man  is  neglected ;  for.  as  we  have  already  re- 
marked, the  times  are  unequivocably  bad.  And  they  are 
pretty  bad  when  Buckets  cannot  see  a  gleam  of  sunshine, 
anywhere — of  that  you  may  be  sure!  Buckets,  generally 
considered,  is  the  saving  grace  in  the  financial  world, 
and  nineteen  times  out  of  twenty,  he  can  see  possibilities 
of  securing  filthy  lucre  from  anything. 


TO-DAY,  in  the  cult  of  his  twentieth  time,  for  there  is 
nothing  doing  !  And  poor  old  Buckets  is  refraining  from 
telling  you  that  he  is  a  seller  of  this,  that,  or  the  other 
thing  ;  omits  to  suggest,  even,  that  he  is  a  buyer  of 
something  that  nobody  wishes  to  sell  ;  and  so  the  merry 
game  of  bluff  is  hung  up  ;  is  stoppered  ;  is  put  off—  until 
the  rain,  and  the  depression,  has  passed.  The  book- 
maker, too,  wears  an  air  of  respectable  dejectedness 
—  mainly  because  his  supporters  are  either  working  on 
three-quarter  time,  or  not  at  all  ;  and  the  "  dead  certs  " 
of  the  world  are  even  in  the  same  condition  as  the  certs, 
which  are  other  than  dead  ones. 


THAT  reminds  us!  There  is  nothing  to  write  about 
in  investments,  but  we  might  do  worse  than  point  the 
moral  concerning  "dead  certs."  Here  is  a  story  with  a 
moral.  It  merely  concerns  a  small  undertaking;  but  its 
moral  is  applicable  to  very  big  deals,  yes.  Twas  this 
way.  There  was  a  function  at  the  Sophia  Gardens,  a 
few  days  ago,  and  some  engineering  students  were  by 
way  of  forsaking  their  school  for  one  afternoon  only,  so 
that  the  function  might  be  duly  attended  to,  by  them- 
selves. They  met  in  Queen  Street—  a  number  of  them. 
The  question  was  :  Shall  we,  or  shall  we  not  attend  the 
function?  Said  the  financial  member  of  the  crowd, 
"LeUs  toss  for  it,"  and  he  offered  a  penny  for  the 
purpose  suggested. 

+  +  + 

"  I'LL  spin  this  coin,"  said  the  f.m.,  "and  if  it  comes 
down,  we  attend  the  function  ;  if  it  doesn't,  we  go  to 
school."  Being  engineers  ;  knowing  something  con- 
cerning the  laws  of  gravity,  and  the  inherent  tendencies 
of  weighty  affairs  to  return  to  Mother  Earth  ;  the  crowd 
accepted  the  offer.  If  the  penny  came  down  after 
being  spun  in  the  air,  it  meant  a  holiday  ;  if  that  penny 
didn't  come  down,  then,  the  fates  ordained  that  school 
was  the  correct  place  for  that  particular  afternoon. 
Looked  like  a  "dead  cert."  for  a  holiday,  didn't  it?  Yes! 
So  up  goes  the  coin,  even  as  a  gentle  smile  spread  itself, 
over  the  faces  of  those  students.  But  alas  for  the  hopes 
that  were  to  be  dashed.  That  penny  hasn't  come  down, 
to  this  time,  and  the  school  was  attended  to,  even  as  the 
function  was  neglected  ! 

+  +  + 

HOW  did  it  happen  ?  Well,  you  see,  those  students 
had  foregathered  at  a  point  directly  beneath  the  three 
golden  balls  of  a  local  mont  de  piete,  and  when  the  coin 
was  spun,  it,  somehow  or  other,  became  entangled  in  the 
said  golden  balls.  Anyhow,  it  failed  to  return  to  Mother 
Earth,  and  thus  was  an  apparent  "dead  cert."  hoo-dooed. 
The  moral  is  obvious  enough  ;  it  coruscates  around  ; 
vibrates,  so  to  speak,  and  has  an  awful  similarity  with 
other  "dead  certs."  which  we  could  mention.  Need  we 
"continue?  Is  it  necessary  to  insinuate  that  you  should 
look  above,  when  about  to  indulge  in  "dead  certs?" 
Never  a  bit  is  it,  for  you  can  apply  the  deviation,  at  your 
own  sweet  will.  Metaphorically  considered  though, 
there  are  a  number  of  engineer  students  knocking  about, 
don't  you  think  ? 


INDEED,  there  are  so  many  of  them,  and  they  have 
all  placed  their  capital  on  apparent  "dead  certs."  which 
failed  to  hand  back  the  penny,  that  to-day,  the  state  of 
the  money  market  is  about  as  sick  (and  penniless),  as 
makes  no  odds  to  anybody.  If  the  older  flatterers  would 
cease  in  their  onward  rush,  for  long  enough  to  remember 
that  not  only  have  they  to  deal  with  the  laws  of  gravi- 
tation ;  that  there  is  a  figurative  pawnbroker's  sign  in 
the  vicinity  of  their  tossing  pitch  ;  well,  we  should  hear 
less  of  the  quotation  with  which  we  started  this  page— 
business  on  the  stock  exchanges  of  the  land,  would  not 
be  nearly  so  limited  ? 


101 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  23,  1905 


^-— .     ,,   -^ 

'Around  the  t)ry  'IDocks. 


COME  to  think  of  it.  this  is  an  awfully  queer  world,  and 
try  as  one  may  and  sometimes  does  it  is  im- 
possible to  please  everybody  !  In  our  last  issue,  we 
undertook  a  personally-conducted  tour  of  the  local  dry 
docks,  and  metaphorically,  introduced  our  readers  to  a 
number  of  good  things!  '••  But,  do  you  think  we  pleased 
the  dear  people  who  have  been  twaddling  about  "  rings," 
and  things  like  that  ?  Well,  we  didn't !  On  the  contrary, 
rather,  for  some  of  the  folk  implicated,  have  been  saying  all 
manner  of  unkind  things  about  our  remarks.  But  'twas 
ever  thus  !  As  far  as  we  can  see — and  to  put  the  matter 
as  plain  and  above-board  as  possible— there  is  just  a  little 
too  much  of  the  superman  about,  to-day. 

WE  know  that  like  the  poor,  he  has  always  been  with  us  : 
but  then,  his  degree  of  being,  has  been  kept  within  certain 
limits,  so  matters  repairy  didn't  suffer  unduly.  As  things 
are  now.  he  is  all  over  the  landscape-  certain  portions  of 
him,  that  is  ;  and  while  we  are  glad  to  include  among  our 
acquaintances,  a  number  of  highly  intelligent  supers  ;  men 
whom  we  are  proud  to  know  ;  on  the  other  hand,  we  have 
a  nodding  acquaintance  with  a  few  of  the  cult  who — well, 
r  we  aren't  a  bit  proud  to  know,  see,  he&r,  or  speak  to  'em. 
Moreover,  we  could  tell  you  some  awfully  interesting 
matters  about  some  of  the  gentry  and  one  of  these  days, 
we  intend  doing  so  :  for  we  hate  to  think  that  you  might 
be  hobnobbing  with  a  man  who,  if  he  had  his  just  dues, 
would  be  lingering  longer  Lucy,  so  to  speak. 

WHY,  we  know  one  chunk  of  super-flesh  who  is  the  dry 
dockman's  bete  noir  (whisper  :  We  know  several  of  the 
sort,  to  be  exact :  but  we  do  not  wish  you  to  think  the 
•  world  is  awfully  bad,  at  the  first  hit.  if  we  may  put  it  thus) 
and  most  of  them  would  as  soon  see  a  certain  old  party 
whose  name,  in  polite  society,  is  tabu,  as  they  would  that 
super.  All  the  same,  he  works  for  a  fairly-decent  set  of 
shipowners,  and  if,  once  in  a  while,  they  have  a  haunting 
fear  that  their  steamers  are  dogged  with  the  rottenest  kind 
of  luck,  imaginable  ;  they  are  sure  that  their  Mr.  Super  is 
a  fine  fellow — and  at  squeezing  out  a  decent  lot  of  stuff 
from  an  underwriter,  he  takes  some  beating.  Between 
ourselves,  he  does  ! 

Now,  at  some  time  in  the  dim  vistas  of  the  past,  we 
happened  upon  a  more  than  usually  dirty  piece  of  monkey- 
work  which  emanated  from  this  same  Super's  brain,  and 
we  told  him  about  the  heinousness  of  his  crime  ;  suggested 
that  if  he  didn't  give  over,  he  would  come  to  grief — or  to 
jail,  which  might  amount  to  the  same  thing  :  and  what  do 
you  think  his  lordship  offered  us?  Well,  he  offered  us 
drinks,  and  things  like  that.  Said,  he  meant  no  offence  ; 
hoped  we  wouldn't  think  so,  for  a  moment ;  declared  that 
he  had  always  admired  our  style,  and  penchant  for  writing 
the  right  thing  at  the  right  time  (eh  ?);  and  well,  he  had  a 
friend,  somewhere-or-another,  who  would  be  glad  to  know 
of  the  beauties  of  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW,  as  an  advertising 
medium,  yes ! 

You  might  think  that  we  are  going  to  recapitulate  the 
monkey-work  referred  to  ?  We  are  not,  though.  That 
monkey-work  will  keep,  and  we  have  started  out  to  tell 
you  of  something  else.  It's  like  this  :  We  overheard  the 
superman  to  whom  we  have  referred  in  this  good-tempered 
manner,  remark,  "  Of  course,  you  read  the  rot  ?  But  still, 
I  shouldn't  take  any  notice  of  it,  if  I  were  you.  It's  only 
that  fellow  who  writes  for  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW,  and  he 
doesn't  know  everything— fortunately."  When  a  superman 


undertakes  to  label  our  little  bits  of  badinage  as  "  rot,"  then 
we  chuckle— even  as  we  realise,  fully,  that  our  lessons 
have  gone  home.  We  have  studied  the  superman  of 
commerce,  and  can  conjugate  him  in  most  of  his  moods,  and 
in  all  of  his  tenses. 

1 

FOR  this  reason-  and  perhaps  for  one  or  two  more— we 
are  glad  to  know  that  our  Whitsuntide  kindness  was  not 
wholly  thrown  away.  But  coming  along  to  that  same 
superman,  we  might  suggest  that  he  is  just  a  bit  too  thick  in 
with  oneortwoof  the  lesser  luminaries  who  manage  a  certain 
tinkery  :  and  what  with  lincrustaed  walls  and  ceilings : 
paintings  and  paperings  :  fittings  and  fakes— especially 
the  latter ;  well,  you  should  understand  that  things  are 
not  always  what  they  seem,  in  the  ship-repairing  line.  Of 
course,  we  are  willing  to  admit  that  if  his  employer  receives 
the  value  of  sundry  tail-shafts  that  were  never  supplied  ; 
propellers  that  didn't  come  off  :  big  engine  repairs  that 
were  never  undertaken  :  and  work  about  the  deck  that  was 
never  attempted  -  — ! 

UNDER  those  circumstances,  the  Super  should  get  a  bit 
"for  himself,"  shouldn't  he?  It  might  not  be  a  strictly 
moral  arrangement—as  revivalled  morality  goes  ;  but  from 
a  tinkering  point  of  view,  it  is  distinctly  alright.  The 
only  portion  of  the  business  to  which  we  feel  we  have  a 
right  to  object — until  the  Super  is  caught  in  the  act.  that 
is— is  that  in  which  the  Super  poses  as  a  good  man.  Is  so 
mightily  particular  about  his  "  fair  name  "  —he  styles  it : 
and  tells  you,  in  bated  breath,  whole  heaps  about  the 
wickedness  of  the  super  attached  to  another  fleet  of  boats. 
One  of  these  odd  afternoons,  we  are  going  to  lay  ourselves 
out  to  tabulate  a  few  of  the  "  fakes,"  which  have 
happened  across  our  path  ;  and  the  whole  of  which  have 
been  engineered  by  this  gentlemanly  superman. 

GADS,  but  they'll  be  good  reading,  don't  forget !  And 
some  of  them  are  so  eternally  thin,  if  we  may  be  forgiven  for 
putting  it  thus,  that  the  underwriter  must  have  a  digestion 
like  an  ostrich— or  he  would  have  jibbed  long  since. 
However,  the  dry  dock  difficulty  continues,  and  our  Super 
(ior)  friend  is  exercised  in  mind,  as  to  how  it  is  all  going  to 
happen  out,  in  the  end.  Tinker,  too,  is  by  no  means  re- 
assured at  the  turn  of  events  :  and  if  underwriter  is  really 
of  opinion  that  he  may  continue  playing  tinker  off  against 
the  dry  dock  man  ;  super  off  against  both  of  them;  and 
shipowner  off  against  all  .three — then-,  he  must  be  a  very 
confiding  person.  Meanwhile,  .and  for  the  purpose  of 
making  both  ends  meet,  the  "fakes"  continue  as  of  old, 
and  the  only  one  who  doesn't  seem  to  care  a  jot,  is  the 
man  who  pays  for  all — the  underwriter. 

BROADLY  considered,  he  is  outside  the  need  of  pity,  for 
the  limited  liability  craze  has  altered  his  position,  even  as 
it  has  the  shipowners  :  and  between  them,  they  both  de- 
pend on  the  same  patron  saint— more  or  less.  It's  a  wicked 
world,  sirs,  as  well  as  a  queer  one,  and  not  the  least 
wicked  portion  thereof,  is  that  which  deals  with  strandings 
that  never  came  off  ;  and  repairs  that  were  never  under- 
taken. All  of  which  goes  to  show,  that  the  Super  of 
commerce  is  worth  the  whole  of  the  £25  per  ship,  which 
he  sometimes  receives  as  a  part  of  his  mechanical  emolu- 
ment. It  also  shows  that  the  certain  old  party  already 
referred  to,  is  sometimes  kind  to  his  own  ?  Don't  smile 
please,  for  to  smile  at  a  Superman  of  the  kind  alluded  to, 
is  rude— in  the  extreme. 


June  33.    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


102 


PATENTS  &  TRSDE  M»RKS 

Relating  sto    SHIPPING   and    the    COAL    TRADE. 


Specifications  published  on  June  8,  1905,  together 
with  an  indication  of  their  subject  matter,  the  title 
being  printed  in  Italics. 

1 1 ,982/04— SH  E  R  M  U  L\~- Improvements    in     deep     boring 
apparatus. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  deep  boring  apparatus,  in 
which  alternatively  a  reciprocating  or  a  rotary  motion 
can  be  imparted  to  the  boring  rod.  The  apparatus  con- 
sists of  a  sole  plate  mounted  over  the  bore  hole,  in  which 
a  crown  ratchet  wheel,  or  cam  disc,  is  journalled  so  as 
to  rotate  in  a  horizontal  plane.  The  teeth  of  this  crown 
wheel  are  directed  upwards,  and  engage  the  downwardly 
directed  teeth  of  a  similar  wheel,  clamped  between  the 
two  halves  of  a  beam  above  the  sole  plate.  The  boring 
rod  is  secured  to.  and  suspended  from  this  upper  wheel, 
and  passes  centrally  through  both.  Springs  are  inter- 
posed between  the  plate  and  beam  for  lessening  concus- 
sion, and  bolts  are  provided  for  preventing  relative 
rotation  between  them.  Accordingly  as  to  whether  the 
lower  disc  rotates  in  the  one  direction  so  that  the  crown 
teeth  of  each  wheel  mutually  ride  over  each  other,  or  in 
the  other  direction  so  that  the  two  wheels  interlock  and 
rotate  as  one.  a  reciprocating  or  a  rotary  motion  will  be 
imparted  to  the  boring  rod.  In  the  former  case  the 
upper  crown  wheel  is  secured  against  rotation  by  being 
clamped  between  the  two  halves  of  the  beam,  and  in  the 
latter  case  is  rendered  free  to  rotate  by  loosening  the 
clamping  bolts  which  draw  the  two  halves  of  the  beam 
together.  In  modifications  the  reciprocating  motion  is 
indirectly  imparted  to  the  boring  rod  by  suspending  same 
from  the  end  of  an  oscillating  beam,  or  by  connecting 
same  with  the  apparatus  by  means  of  ropes  led  over 
pallia*. 

14.219  04  -  HOPFNER—  Improvements  in,  and  in  the  manu- 
facture, of  artificial  fuel  and  apparatus  therefor. 

This  invention  relates  to  the  manufacture  of  weather 
resisting  fuel  briquettes,  by  a  process  which  consists  in 
grinding  up  and  incorporating  dry,  quick,  or  slaked  lime 
with  the  combustible  materials,  such  as  coal  dust,  &c., 
and  working  the  mixture  into  a  homogeneous  paste  by 
continued  kneading  with  water  and  subsequent  drying. 
An  apparatus  for  effecting  this  process  is  described. 

14.981  04—  QUANOUNE— A  method  for  protecting  propell- 
ing gear  and  other  apparatus  on  ship-board  from  air  used  for 
facilitating  the  propulsion. 

This  invention  relates  to  vessels,  in  which  a  layer 
of  air  is  emitted  from  a  perforated  conduit  arranged 
around  the  sides  of  the  vessel  below  the  water  line, 
whereby  the  skin  friction  is  reduced  by  the  film  of  air. 
The  invention  consists  in  protecting  the  propelling  gear, 
such  as  paddle  wheels  or  screws,  and  the  ends  of  pipes 
through  which  water  is  drawn  into  the  vessel,  such  as 
condenser  feed  pipes  from  contact  with  the  film  of  air. 
This  is  effected  either  by  interrupting  the  air  conduit  at~ 
these  points,  by  interposing  screens,  or,  in  the  case  of 
intake  pipes,  by  carrying  or  projecting  these  pipes  out- 
side the  air  zone. 

15.198  04  DAVIS&CO..  LTD..  &  BOOTH  NAN.— Improve- 
ments in  and  relating  to  indicating  apparatus  in  connection 
with  controlling  valves  of  steering  and  such  like  engines. 

This  invention  relates  to  an  electric  switch  which  is 
adapted  to  close  a  circuit  whereby  a  visual  or  audible 
signal  will  indicate  to  the  steersman  when  the  controlling 
valve  of  a  steering  engine  is  not  in  its  central  or  neutral 
position.  The  switch  consists  of  two  members.  One  is 
a  metallic  roller,  connected  with  one  of  the  circuit  leads, 
mounted  to  rotate  in  a  vertical  plane,  and  secured  to 
and  moving  with  the  controlling  valve  spindle.  The 
other  switch  member  is  a  metallic  rod,  connected  with 
the  other  circuit  lead,  and  mounted  on  a  fixed  portion  of 
the  engine  frame  so  as  to  project  and  be  traversed  by 
the  roller.  An  interruption  is  provided  in  the  continuity 
of  the  the  surface  of  the  rod  along  which  the  roller 


travels,  at  a  point  which  will  be  opposite  the  roller  when 
the  valve  is  central,  whereby,  when  in  this  position,  the 
circuit  is  broken. 

1 5,838/04— RoWBOTHAM—^n  improved  device  or  appara- 
tus for  use  as  a  Stevedore's  sling. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  device  whereby  a  loop  is 
formed  in  a  rope,  for  hoisting,  &e.,  by  a  crane,  in  a 
manner  that  will  distribute  the  strain  more  equally  than 
in  the  usual  method,  which  consists  in  forming  the  loop 
by  girding  the  rope  around  the  timber  and  passing  the 
hook  over  the  pope  suspended  from  the  crane.  Accord- 
ing to  this  invention  two  lengths  of  rope  are  employed. 
One,  suspended  from  the  crane  terminates  in  a  hook,  as 
usual,  but  over  this  length  of  rope  a  sliding  sleeve  is 
threaded.  This  sleeve  is  provided  with  a  lateral  lug  in 
which  a  second  hook  is  pivotted.  The  second  length  of 
rope  is  provided  with  a  loop  at  each  end.  The  bight  or 
loop  for  girding  the  timber  is  formed  by  passing  the 
second  length  of  rope  around  the  timber  and  securing 
the  loops  at  each  end  over  the  hook  on  the  end  of  the 
first  length  of  rope  and  hook  on  the  sleeve  respectively. 
The  hook  on  the  sleeve  may  be  constructed  as  a  slip 
hook  to  facilitate  dumping. 

16,254/04 — STAGEY — Improvements  in  connection  with 
winches  and  hoisting  machines. 

In  this  winch  the  crank  handle  shaft  is  connected  with 
the  barrel  shaft  by  means  of  pitch  chain  gearing.  The 
bearings  of  the  crank  shaft  are  adjustable  in  guides  for 
the  pitch  chain  to  be  tightened. 

16,414/04 — RAKY — Improvements  in  tubbing  or  lining  for 
sinking  shafts  by  the  employment  of  the  freezing  process. 

This  invention  relates  to  joining  shaft  linings  at  the 
point  where  a  shaft  decreases  in  diameter,  by  means  of 
a  ring  having  flanges  for  connection  to  the  terminal 
rings  of  each  section  of  different  diameter.  The  inven- 
tion claimed  consisting  in  providing  such  junction  rings 
with  holes  and  stuffing  boxes  through  which  freezing 
pipes  pass. 

16,415/04 — RAKY—  Improvements  in  tubbing  or  lining  for 
shaft  sinking  by  the  employment  of  the  freezing  process. 

This  invention  relates  to  joining  shaft  linings  of  two 
different  diameters,  by  means  of  a  ring  having  flanges 
for  connection  to  the  terminal  rings  of  each  section  of 
different  diameter.  The  junction  ring  is  provided  with 
holes  for  inserting  the  ends  of  freezing  pipes.  The 
junction  ring  itself  is  claimed. 
16,416/04 — RAKY — Mine  shaft  winding  engine  arrangement. 

This  invention  relates  to  mounting  the  winding  engine 
directly  over  the  shaft  in  or  on  the  gantry,  so  that  it  is 
exposed  to  vertically  acting  stresses  only. 
16,576/04— BATES— Improvements   jn   or   relating  to  coal 
mining. 

"This  invention  relates  to  providing  a  low  pitched 
haulage  road  along  which  shallow  vehicles  are  adapted  to 
be  hauled  by  an  endless  rope,  &c.,  where  the  depth  of  a 
seam  is  not  sufficient  to  permit  of  the  usual  corves  being 
admitted  to  the  face.  By  this  means  the  usual  parallel 
haulage  ways  for  the  corves  for  conveying  coal  away 
from  such  narrow  seams  may  be  situated  at  much 
greater  intervals. 

These  applications  for  patents  are,  until  July  24,  1905, 
open  to  opposition  by  any  person  having  a  statutory 
right  to  oppose. 

Copies  of  the  specifications  may  be  obtained  from  the 
Patent  Office  or  through  the  under-named. 

No   TRADE    MARKS  THIS   WEEK. 

Compiled  by  Messrs.  PHILLIPS  &  LEIGH,  Chartered  Patent 
Agents,  22,  Southampton  Buildings,  Chancery  Lane,  London, 
WTC.  Local  Consultant:  Mr.  S.  W.  ALLEN,  Engineer,  of  Cardiff 
Exchange,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  23,  1905 


m 


OUR  MARITIME  DIRECTORY. 


wniilllllin 


CARDIFF. 


Colliery   Proprietors. 


BROS.  &  Co..  LTD.,  Cardiff  and 
London.   Dep6ts  at  all  the  principal 
Coaling  Stations  in  the  World. 

T.I_«        .    "  CORY,  CARDIFF  "  ; 
Telegrams.    "CORY,  LONDON." 


TNSOLE,  GEORGE  &  SON,  Cardiff.   Sole 
Shippers  of   Cymmer   Steam    Coal, 
Windsor  Steam  Coal,  and  Insoles  No.  2 
Rhondda  Coal. 

Telegrams:  "INSOLES.  CARDIFF." 


T  EWIS    MERTHYR    CONSOLIDATED  COL- 
LIERIES, LTD.,  Proprietors  and  Ship- 
pers   of    "  Lewis  Merthyr "   Navigation 
Steam  Coal. 

T»I.~.  "LEWIS  MERTHYR,  CARDIFF"  ; 

15  '    "LEWIS  MERTHYR.  LONDON." 


TMARQUESS  OF  BUTE  COLLIERIES, 
Aberdare,  Hirwain,  and  Rhondda 
Valley.  Shipping  ports  : — Bute  Docks, 
Cardiff ;  Penarth  Dock ;  Swansea ; 
Briton  Ferry :  and  Newport  (Mon.) 

Telegrams:  "SEMA.  CARDIFF." 


QCEAN    (MERTHYR)    GOAL   Co.,   LTD., 
11,  Bute  Crescent,  Cardiff,  proprie- 
tors of  Ocean  (Merthyr)  Steam  Coal. 


IJNIVERSAL  STEAM   COAL  Go.,  LTD., 
Bute  Docks,  Cardiff.  Proprietors  of 
"  Universal  Steam  Goal." 

Teleftrams  :   "  VERSATILE.  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF-Contfnued. 


VIVIAN.    H.    G.   &  Co.,    Bute   Docks, 
Cardiff.     Sole  European  Agents  for 
"The  Puritan  Coal  Mining  Co.,  Phila- 
delphia, U.S.A." 

Teleerams  :  "  VIVIAN.  CARDIFF." 


miscellaneous. 


WATTS  &  Co.,   Cardiff    and 
London.  Contractors  for  the  supply 
of  Goals  at  all  Depots  abroad. 

Telegrams  :  "  WATTS,  CARDIFF." 


Dock   Owners. 


T 


HE  CARDIFF  RAILWAY  COMPANY,  Bute 
Docks.  Cardiff. 


Ship  Repairers. 


CHEARMAN,  JOHN  &  Go.,  LTD.,  Cardiff, 
and  at  Barry  Dock. 


'THE  BUTE  SHIPBUILDING,  ENGINEERING, 
AND  DRY   DOCK  COMPANY,   LIMITED, 
Roath  Basin,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams  :   "  CAISSON,  CARDIFF." 

'THE  CARDIFF  CHANNEL  DRY  DOCKS  AND 
PONTOON    Co.,    LTD.,    Cardiff    and 
Barry  Dock. 

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THREEPENCE. 


THE  MOST  HONOURABLE  THE  MARQUIS  OF  BUTE  AND  EARL  OF  DUMFRIES. 

(See  Page  1  121. 


104 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  30,  1905 


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«  *  *  CONTENTS.  *  *  >* 


THE  MOST  HON.  THE  MARQUIS  OF  BUTE  AND  EARL  OF  DUMFRIES  ...  103 
MARITIME  MURMURS  104 


EPOCH-MAKING  AT  CARDIFF  DOCKS 
MARITIME  (AND  OTHER)  MONEY  MATTERS 
CARDIFF  (AND  OTHER)  COAL        


..  112 
...  1  15 
..  1  16 


COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES   ...  ...  117 

SHIPBUILDING          •••  118 

PATENTS  AND  TRADE  MARKS      119 


MARITIME    MURMURS. 


DOCKS.  CARDIFF. 

Thursday  Afternoon. 

THERE  might  certainly  be  a  quantity  of  truth  within  the 
saying  that  the  law  is   a   Hass,  but  even  so,   one   cannot 
help  admiring  the  infinite  variety  which  is  concealed  about 
its    assinine   administration.     As  a   point   of  fact,   law  is 
simply  filled  with  variety— save  in  one  particular.     That  is, 
it  doesn't  matter  a  tinker's  anathema  who  is  employed  to 
interpret  the  law  ;  one  needn't   unduly  worry   as  to  the 
ultimate  results  of  that  interpretation— which  are  bound  to 
be  diametrically  opposite  to  each  other,  in  any  two  given 
instances.      You  may  be  reasonably  certain,   that  if  the 
first  Court  says   "  Yes,"  the  next  one  will  say  "  No."  while 
the  third  (and  probably  the  last)  will  insist  that  No.  1.  and 
No.  2.  were,  at  one  and   the  same  time,  both   right  and 
wrong  :  and  anyhow  you'll  find  that  the  whole  undertaking 
has  cost    a  pot  of  money— which   is  the  one  particular  in 
which  there  is  no  variety.     In  the  end,  too,  you  usually  find 
that  you  are  no  nearer  a  solution  of  your  difficulty,  than 
you  were  "  before  you  went  to  law  "  !     All  the   same,  you 
will  probably  indulge  in  the  same  old  game,  directly  a  fresh 
opportunity  comes  your  way— and  this  is  where  the  legal 
gentlemen  have  a  safe  annuity.     You  see.  the  good   people 
who  are  allowed  to  make  laws,  are  also  entrusted  with  the 
job  of   administering  them  :   and  seeing  that  a  modern  saw 
which  secures  much  support,  these  days  (especially  in  legal 
circles)  is  "  Be  kind  to  your  ainsel',  John  "  :  well,  it  follows 
that  the  lav-yerman   (even   if  he  is  named  Algernon  Fitz- 
maurice  Smith,  instead  of  plain  John,  of  that  ilk)  is  going  to 
act  up  to  the   saying,  in   view  of  the  fact  that  he  has  a 
"  corner"  in  the  whole  business. 

LIKE  a  certain  famous  general,  the  lawyers  never  adver- 
tise—and pay  cash  therefor;  it  is  against  the  etiquette  of 
the  profession.  Who  would  think  of  em'ploying  a  legal 
interpreter  who  was  low  enough  to  pay  so  much  a  word  for 
his  publicity — exactly  as  would  the  man  who  sells  you 
margarine,  or  Mother  Waggitt's  wool  for  your  unmention- 
ables, say  ?  The  whole  idea  is  preposterous.  Advertising 
-  when  you  have  to  pay  for  it — is  a  low,  common-place 
sort  of  undertaking  ;.  at  least,  that  is  what  the  legal  fratern- 
ity affect  to  believe  :  but  if  they  are  enabled  to  annex  a 
column  or  so  of  newspaper  print,  through  merely  acting  as  a 


freak  in  this,  that,  or  the  other  particular :  and  if  the  said 
columns  of  print  convince  a  few  strugglers-after-interpret- 
ation  that  the  "  puffed  "  individual  is  a  genius  :  then,  this  is 
exactly  as  it  should  be.  It  is  free  advertisement,  and  the  Law 
Society,  or  other  combination  which  attends  to  the  morals 
and  ethics  of  its  brotherhood,  is  satisfied.  All  lawyers  are 
said  to  be  equally  endowed  with  forensic  knowledge  ( al- 
though we  all  know  it  is  a  pious  sham)  so  it  is  highly  inde- 
corous for  one  of  the  cult — through  the  help  of  a  clever  ad. - 
writer — to  pretend  that  he  has  the  bulge  on  another  of  his 
cloth  ;  that  is,  of  course,  if  the  pretender  has  to  pay  for  the 
services  of  the  said  ad. -writer. 

K?e    9Cg 

trff         |C9 

IN  America,  the  lawyer  is  allowed  to  obtain  his  publicity, 
on  the  same  manly  and  business-like  lines  that  obtain  with 
any  other  trade  or  profession  ;  may  pay  for  it.  and  may 
insert,  in  his  own  particular  journal,  a  business  card,  exactly 
as  does  his  baker  or  grocer.  But  then,  America  is  peculiar 
—if  somewhat  more  honest,  in  many  things,  than  is  this 
effete  Britain  of  which  most  of  us  are  so  proud,  what  ? 
The  newspaper-man,  too,  is  not  nearly  so  'cute  as  he  would 
have  you  believe  !  If  you  try  to  work  in  a  "  news  par  " 
which  deals  with  the  virtues  of  somebody's  soap ;  or 
the  dyspepsia-avoiding  qualities  of  So-and-so's  special  flour, 
or  biscuits :  what  happens  ?  You  are  referred  to  the 
advertisement  manager :  are  informed  that  the  journal 
implicated  doesn't  advertise  for  fun  :  and  that  "  our  rates  " 
for  this  class  of  "news."  is  so-much  per  line,  "  according  to 
position."  This  is  exactly  as  it  should  be,  for  a  newspaper 
is  a  business  undertaking,  and  can  no  more  afford  to  trade 
for  love,  than  can  a  lawyer,  say.  All  the  same,  however, 
it  can  hardly  be  placed  as  "  news."  to  give  the  names  and 
titles  of  every  man  who  had  to  do  with,  for  instance,  a 
collision  case  ;  or  who  fought  out  the  pros  and  cons  of  a 
disputed  labour  bill  ? 

&  & 

WITH  the  decisions  and  the  facts,  the  public  have  a  right 
to  be  interested  ;  with  the  names  of  the  combatants 
(unless  they  pay  for  the  insertion)  nobody  ought  to  bother. 
It  is  the  principles  of  law  which  are  interesting — mainly 
because  of  their  variety  ;  not  the  men  who  work  off  those 
principles  ?  Very  well,  then.  We  trust  that  now  we  have 
entered  a  protest  in  this  connection,  the  Law  Society  will 
see  to  it.  that  their  members  either  pay  up  like  men  for 


June  30,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


value  received  :  or  that,  in  future,  the  names  of  all  advo- 
cates are  omitted  from  law  cases.  If  a  doctor  of  medicine 
endeavoured  to  work  in  cunning  little  pars,  concerning  his 
treatment  of  a  case  of  measles,  say.  he  would  soon  hear 
about  it.  His  Society  would  be  down  on  him,  like  one  John 
Smith  :  and  if  he  were  foolish  enough  to  "report"  a  second 
case  of  measles  ^well.  he  would  soon  cease  to  be  a  doctor, 
although  he  had  lost  none  of  his  one-time  heap  of  medical 
skill.  The  foregoing  is  the  result  of  a  conversation  with  an 
eminent  medical  man.  who  rightly  enough,  is  "down"  on 
all  this  free  advertisement,  which  is  given  to  a  profession 
which  claims  that  it  doesn't  advertise.  Come  we  now  to  a 
consideration  of  the  collison  case  which  started  us  off  on 
the  reminiscent  lay. 

5?  %? 

You  might,  or  you  might  not  know,  that  on  February  15 
1905,  the  German  steamer  Wega  and  the  British  steamer 
Belliver.  being  both  in  the  entrance  to  the  River  Humber, 
and  not  a  great  distance  off  the  Bull  lightship,  which  is 
stationed  thereaway.  "  set  to  partners,"  in  a  manner  of 
speaking  :  or  collided,  to  put  it  nautically.  As  you  will 
naturally  suppose,  there  was  damage  resultant  from  the 
collision  there  nearly  always  is.  Again,  as  you  will 
naturally  suppose.  Wega  was  sure  it  was  all  the  fault  of 
Belliver  :  while  Belliver  was  equally  certain  that  Wega 
was  solely  to  blame.  Furthermore.  Wega  reckoned  that  if 
any  misguided  person  should  declare  that  the  fault  of  the 
collision  lay  with  her,  then,  the  wickedness  was  consequent 
on  her  having  to  employ  a  compulsory  pilot  person.  So 
that  you  may  be  in  possession  of  the  whole  of  the  facts—  or 
as  much  of  that  "  whole."  as  turned  up  at  the  Admiralty 
Court,  one  day  last  week  -we  will  inform  you  that,  at  the 
time  of  the  collision,  the  weather  was  fine,  the  wind  some- 
where about  W.N.W..  and  therefore  off  the  land:  that  the 
tide  was  gentle,  being  on  the  ebb.  and  running  at  anything 
between  one  and  two  knots. 


THE  Wega.  moreover,  is  a  vessel  of  521  tons  net 
register  :  carries  a  crew  of  1  6  hands  which  is  by  no 
means  bad.  when  you  remember  that  a  7,000-tonner  of 
British  nationality  usually  manages  with  23  hands  :  and 
was  on  a  voyage  from  Hamburg  to  Grimsby  in  ballast,  by 
which  you  will  observe  that  she  was  engaged  in  the  amiable 
pastime  of  filching  from  the  Briton,  a  certain  quantity  of 
cargo  which  that  Briton  should  be  allowed  to  carry,  eh  ? 
So  far.  so  good,  and  once  more  impressing  on  your  notice 
that  the  Wega  was  a  foreign  vessel,  engaged  in  the  British 
coasting  trade,  we  will  state  that  the  Belliver  is  a  British 
steamer  of  755  tons  (gross,  this  time  >:  that  she  had  a  crew 
of  15  hands:  was  on  a  voyage  from  Goole  to  Torquay; 
and  was  also  in  charge  of  a  duly  licensed  River  Humber 
pilot  Of  course,  the  weather,  wind,  and  tide  to  the  Belliver, 
were  the  same  as  for  the  Wega  with  this  difference,  how- 
ever :  Wega  had  wind  and  tide  ahead,  so  was  in  a  better 
position  to  yank  herself  along,  than  was  Belliver,  who  had 
wind  and  tide  coming  along  behind.  Very  well  then.  With 
the  claims  of  either  Wega  or  Belliver.  we  shall  not  bother 
you. 

<5?*5 

You  know,  that  Wega  saw  Belliver  first,  and  did  the 
correct  thing  under  the  circumstances  :  you  also  know 
that  Belliver  saw  Wega  first,  and  also  did  the  correct  thing 
under  the  circumstances.  Possibly,  the  only  thing  which 
you  do  not  know  (  in  connection  with  this  case)  is.  that  as 
both  Wega  and  Belliver  did  the  correct  thing,  how  the 
collision  came  about.  We  are  afraid  that  we  cannot 
enligthen  you  thereon.  We  know  that  there  was  a  collision. 
A  nd  in  the  words  of  the  Wega  people  "  the  Belliver  came 
on.  and  with  the  bluff  of  her  port  bow  struck  the  bluff  of 


the  starboard  bow  of  the  Wega."  Exactly  how  much  bluff 
of  a  bow  was  implicated,  is  not  stated — merely  the  bluff  of 
two  different  bows,  so  as  you  have  paid  your  money,  you 
may  take  your  choice.  Giving  Belliver's  version  of  the 
catastrophe,  we  find  that  "  When  it  seemed  that  a  collision 
could  not  be  avoided  by  the  action  of  the  Wega  alone,  one 
short  blast  was  sounded  on  the  whistle  of  the  Belliver.  and 
her  helm  was  put  hard-a-port  in  order,  if  possible,  to  ease 
the  blow" — which  was  good  seamanship.  But  you  needn't 
think  that  Wega  cared  a  toss  for  "  one  short  blast."  She 
didn't,  in  the  least,  for  we  learn  that  "The  Wega,  however, 
still  came  on  and  the  collision  occurred." 

§£^ 

SEE.  there  was  nothing  in  this  instance,  concerning  bluffs 
of  bows,  either  port  or  starboard  ;  merely  the  plain  state- 
ment that  "the  collision  occurred."  Mind  you,  that  plain 
statement — or  the  collision  which  demanded  it — was  all- 
sufficient,  for  it  made  a  nice  little  law  case  for  the 
delectation  of  a  number  of  legal  gentlemen  who  argued  the 
case  on  either  side,  from  instructions  received.  This  is 
probably  as  good  as  any  alternative  method,  and  for  our 
part,  we  are  not  going  to  cavil  about  it.  Stripping  the 
incident  of  all  fancy  work,  it  would  appear  that  Belliver  was 
navigating  the  Humber  in  a  seamanlike  manner:  that  she 
was  on  her  own  side  of  the  road  ;  but.  at  the  psychological 
moment,  she  had  to  port,  or  get  ashore:  that  by  porting. 
she  naturally  put  her  red  light  where,  up  to  then,  her  green 
light  had  shown ;  that  Wega.  being  on  the  wrong  side  of 
the  channel,  had  no  chance  to  port  in  time,  and — that's 
how  it  happened,  even  as  it  has  happened  dozens  of  times, 
before  Wega  or  Belliver  were  thought  of.  As  far  as  we  can 
see.  the  learned  Judge  who  had  to  consider  the  knotty 
points  involved,  was  of  the  same  opinion  as  ourselves,  for 
we  note  that  "  In  the  opinion  of  the  Court,  the  Wega  was 
in  fault  for  being  on  the  wrong  side  of  a  narrow  channel, 
and  also  for  not  porting,  and  not  stopping,  and  reversing 
her  engines  sooner." 

#  & 

BUT  here  is  the  gist  of  the  situation — from  a  sailorman's 
point  of  view  :  "  All  these  faults  were,  however,  to  be 
ascribed  to  her  pilot,  who  was  compulsorily  in  charge,  and 
for  whose  negligence  the  plaintiffs  were  not  responsible." 
As  there  is  a  quantity  of  doubt  in  the  minds  of  seafarers  on 
this  point :  as  numberless  shipmasters  are  under  the 
impression  that  the  master  is  always  the  master,  and 
responsible  :  that  the  pilot  is.  under  no  circumstances,  the 
navigating  officer  of  the  ship,  but  merely  assists  the  master 
with  local  knowledge  :  well,  it  is  as  well  for  the  shipmaster 
to  remember  that,  according  to  yet  another  authority, 
directly  a  compulsory  pilot  comes  on  board  and  takes 
charge,  he  is  the  man  who  takes  the  blame— and  the  credit. 
So  far.  Wega  has  been  getting  it  up  against  her.  Now, 
..:.,,  a  delightful  impartiality.  Belliver  takes  a  hand  in  the 
game.  With  regard  to  the  navigation  of  the  latter  steamer, 
the  Judge  was  of  opinion  that  those  on  board  "were 
justified,  at  first,  in  assuming  that  the  Wega  would  comply 
with  her  obligations  under  the  narrow  channel  rule,  and  in 
keeping  on.  When,  however,  she  saw  that  the  Wega  was 
not  obeying  the  rule,  they  ought,  at  once,  to  have  done  all 
they  could  by  stopping  and  reversing  their  engines  to  bring 
their  vessel  to  a  standstill." 

5?^ 

THIS  is  alright,  from  a  Court  point  of  view,  we  suppose. 
And  possibly  "There  could  be  no  justification  for  their 
keeping  on  at  full  speed  under  a  hard-a-port  helm."  All 
the  same,  seeing  that  we  have  been  in  similar  circum- 
stances, we  are  of  opinion  that  nine  steamers  out  of  ten, 
would  have  done  as  did  the  Belliver.  According  to  book 
tactics,  it  is  easy  enough  to  monkey  your  vessel  around— 


106 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  30,    1905 


say  on  a  Court-room  table,  with  a  model  vessel,  and  where 
there  is  neither  wind,  nor  tide.  But  when  another  vessel 
is  about  to  plunk  into  your  bows,  it  is  all  Lombard  Street  to 
a  China  orange  that  hard-a-port  and  full  speed  ahead  will 
take  you  out  of  the  danger  zone  :  while  backing  and  filling 
will  simply  keep  you  in  position  awaiting  the  fatal  thump. 
Of  course,  we  appreciate  the  fact  that  from  a  legal  sense. 
it  is  always  good  business  to  "  keep  to  the  Rule  of  the 
Road."  for  then,  if  the  circumstances  have  been  too  heavy 
for  you  :  if  you  are  sunk,  and  ducked  under  water  for  the 
third  time  :  even  so.  you  will  have  the  satisfaction  of 
knowing,  at  about  the  third  second  before  unconsciousness 
overtakes  you.  that  you  are  a  man.  and  a  sailor  :  that  you 
are  being  drowned  in  a  thoroughly  legal  manner  :  and  hang 
all  expenses. 

&*& 

ALL  the  same,  these  tricks  are  bad  for  trade,  and  for  the 
underwriting  fraternity,  who  are  so  keen  on  upholding  the 
purse-strings  of  the  legal  profession,  even  as  they  endea- 
vour to  work  off  their  losses,  on  to  the  other  fellow.  Rules 
of  the  Road  are  all  very  well :  but  they  usually  take  the 
form  of  arbitrary  enactments  that  are  merely  of  use  when  a 
Rule  is  a  negligible  quantity.  In  other  words,  the  Rule  of 
the  Road  is  a  fairly  safe  arrangement,  under  ordinary  con- 
ditions :  but  when  the  pinch  comes,  it  shouldn't  be  followed 
too  slavishly.  We  quite  realise  the  fact,  that  a  certain 
article  provides  that  nothing  in  the  others,  shall  interfere 
with  the  special  circumstances  of  the  case,  or  the  common 
practice  of  seamen  :  but  when  the  special  circumstances  of 
the  case  are  so  involved,  that  it  takes  three  different  Courts 
to  decide  as  to  what  would  be  the  common  practice  of 
seamen  thereunder :  you  don't  need  to  wonder  that  a  mere 
sailorman  elects  to  be  run  into,  according  to  law,  when,  if 
he  were  sure  of  a  little  more  leniency  from  'longshore 
sailor  tribunals,  he  would  "  risk  it,  and  dodge  it,"  nineteen 
times  out  of  twenty.  It  takes  a  sailorman  to  reason  these 
things  out  successfully,  and  we  take  some  credit  that  way, 
ourselves. 

5?  & 

HOWEVER,  there  were  matters  other  than  what  had  to  do 
with  "  I  did."  and  "  You  didn't."  in  connection  with  the 
waltz  between  Wega  and  Belliver.  Matters  which  are  of 
considerably  more  importance  to  the  country,  as  a  maritime 
combination,  than  will  the  fact  of  hard-a-porting  or  hard-a- 
starboarding,  or  reversing  engines  and  what  not.  in  the  case 
which  we  are  discussing.  It  appears  that  the  pilot  of  the 
Wega  claimed  that  the  sailors  thereon-  the  look-out,  you 
know —had  not  reported  the  Belliver  s  lights.  The  German 
captain  said  "  Yes."  but  admitted  that  the  reporting  was 
carried  out  in  German — naturally.  On  this  portion  of  the 
case,  the  learned  Judge  "was  inclined  to  make  the  obser- 
vation that  a  pilot  ought  not  to  have  been  put  upon  this 
German  ship  unless  he  knew  something  of  German." 
Whatever  for?  We  know  that  his  lordship  gave  a  reason  : 
but  to  our  mind,  it  doesn't  amount  to  more  than  a  very  little, 
in  view  of  the  practice  of  modern  shipping  undertakings, 
these  days.  That  is  to  say,  the  other — and  larger — portion 
of  the  lawmaking  fraternity  are  not  of  the  same  opinion  as 
Mr.  Justice  Bargrave  Deane,  who  on  the  occasion  to  which 
we  are  referring,  said  that  the  pilot  was  placed  in  a  false 
position  "  if  he  had  to  rely  upon  the  assistance  of  the  crew 
of  the  vessel  and  did  not  understand  what  was  said  to  him." 

#  & 

MIND  you,  we  are  proud  to  rank  ourselves  under  the  same 
banner  as  Mr.  Justice  Bargrave  Deane  on  this  occasion, 
and  we  have,  for  ages  now,  expressed  the  same  opinion  in 
the  columns  of  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW.  But  we  never  hoped 
to  get  a  learned  Judge  to  back  us  up,  so  to  speak.  In  all 
probability,  two-thirds  of  the  British  Mercantile  Marine  is 
in  the  position  that  was  deprecated  by  the  Judge,  in  the 


case  of  the  waltzing  Weda.  That  is  to  say,  the  officer  of 
the  watch  is  just  as  dependent  on  the  look-out  man  who 
couldn't  report  a  light  in  English,  if  his  soul  depended  on 
the  transaction.  If  then,  a  pilot  under  these  conditions,  is 
in  " a  false  position  " — and  of  course,  he  is— what  sort  of 
position  is  the  British  Mercantile  Marine  in.  may  we  ask  ? 
Perhaps,  after  this,  you  will  understand  that  we  are  en- 
gaged, at  all  times,  in  giving  you  the  plain  unvarnished 
truth.  That  our  strictures,  in  this  connection,  although 
somewhat  unpalateable,  are  right  on  the  spot,  so  to  speak. 
Moreover,  we  give  you  those  opinions  from  years  of 
practical  experience  ;  not  merely  as  a  bit  of  academical 
verbiage,  which  has  been  culled,  more  or  less,  from  the 
brain-pans  of  a  couple  of  Elder  Brethren  from  Trinity 
House — who  may,  or  may  not,  know  a  deal  of  modern 
sailorising. 

#   & 

ON  the  Wega/ Belliver  trial,  we  find  that  Mr.  Justice 
Bargrave  Deane  laid  a  very  great  amount  of  emphasis  on 
this  inability  to  understand  the  language  of  the  country  to 
which  the  ship  belonged.  "He  thought  it  ought  to  be 
generally  understood  that  no  pilot  should  be  put  on  a  foreign 
vessel,  unless  he  understands  something  of  the  language, 
and  care  should  be  taken  to  see  that  a  pilot  who  boards  a 
foreign  vessel,  understands  something  of  the  language 
spoken  by  her  crew."  This  opens  up  a  terribly  big  vista  of 
possibilities.  A  vista  for  which,  at  the  moment,  we  have 
no  space.  Still,  we  presume  that  if  a  pilot  should  not  be 
put  on  a  foreign  ship  unless  he  is  cognisant  of  enough  of 
the  language  for  working  purposes  :  the  same  argument 
would  provide  that  no  foreigners  should  be  shipped  on  a 
British  vessel,  unless  they,  too,  have  a  working  knowledge 
of  English  ?  If  this  were  carried  out,  there  would  be 
weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth  among  certain  "  contract 
men  "  of  whom  we  wot.  Harpies  who  will  brazenly  trot  a 
number  of  non-English-speaking  larrikans  into  a  British 
shipping  office;  will  act  as  interpreter  for  them  ;  will  declare 
that  they  reside  at  a  given  number  in  Butey  Roadey;  and 
when  any  trouble  materialises,  will  pose  as  interpreter  for 
the  same  gentry,  at  a  Local  Marine  Board,  or  elsewhere 
that  "justice"  is  dispensed. 


IF  the  situation  were  not  so  parlous,  one  would  have  to 
smile  at  the  whole  conglomeration  of  nonsense.  One 
British  sailor  boards  a  foreign  ship,  and  he  is  "  in  a  false 
position  : "  twelve  foreigners  board  a  British  ship — and 
are  all  the  crew  which  is  there  -but  their  position  is  right 
and  proper ;  is  connived  at  by  the  powers  that  be  :  and  an 
unspeakable  "sweater"  is  allowed  to  march  those  "poor 
foreigners"  up  to  the  shipping  office  counter:  to  go 
surety  for  them  ;  to  draw  emoluments  for  the  meritorious 
action  which  he  is  engaged  on  ;  and  mainly  because  the 
rubbish  which  he  "  supplies,"  is  cheap  and  docile.  Docile, 
that  is,  until  it  gets  an  opportunity  of  jabbing  a  knife  into 
an  officer — when  no  one  is  looking,  and  there  is  conse- 
quently no  fear  of  having  to  face  another  kind  of  Court. 
But  even  if  the  Court  job  is  a  spot  affair,  then,  in  far  too 
many  instances,  the  knifing  monstrosity  is  fussed  over  by 
a  number  of  hysterical  persons,  who  are  sure  that  it  had  a 
terrible  amount  of  provocation  ;  and  that  anyhow,  it  is  a 
stranger  in  a  strange  land  :  is  a  "  poor  foreigner."  and  as 
such,  is  deserving  of  the  help  accruing  from  what  are  termed 
ameliorating  circumstances.  But  reverting,  once  more,  to 
the  Wega  Belliver  affair,  we  find  that  in  the  result,  both 
vessels  were  held  to  blame— which  was  nice,  and  impartial? 
But  the  Wega  was  held  to  have  established  her  plea  of 
compulsory  pilotage,  so  in  all  probability,  the  underwriters 
of  Belliver  do  not  look  upon  the  case  as  an  unqualified 
success?  And  Belliver  didn't  establish  a  compulsory 
pilotage  plea,  although  she  was  in  charge  of  a  "  duly 


June  30,    1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


107 


licensed  River  Humber  pilot."  You  see,  Belliver's  man, 
was  of  the  take-him-or-!eave-him  persuasion.  Funnv, 
isn't  it  ? 

&*& 

MELBOURNE'S  Age  has  been  having  a  bad  attack  of  nerves, 
over  the  handful  of  Chinamen  that  has  been  imported 
into  the  Rand.  Our  contemporary  has  lashed  itself  into 
a  terribly  frothy  state  over  the  matter,  and  flings  around 
such  epithets  as  "rank  infamy."  and  "unscrupulous 
capitalism:"  talks  of  the  "degradation"  of  white  labour. 
and  says  that  for  "economic  iniquity  it  has  not  been 
exceeded  by  the  misgovernment  of  Russia  or  any  other 
country  on  earth."  We  suppose  the  Age  imagines  that  it 
is  an  authority  on  these  matters,  and  in  comparison  with 
some  of  the  other  would-be  Mentors,  its  language  is  mild  ! 
All  the  same,  our  contemporary  would  be  doing  itself  much 
more  credit,  if  it  would  spare  the  same  space  to  a  quantity 
of  straight  talk  to  its  colonial  friends  who  are  guilty  of  far 
more  "rank  infamy."  in  the  matter  of  ruining  Australia's 
chances  of  commercial  success,  by  pandering  to  the  hob- 
nailed mob  who  appear  to  have  the  throttling  of  every 
phase  of  Australian  progress.  The  Rand  is  a  long  way 
from  Melbourne  :  mighty  little  of  Melbourne's  money  is 
invested  there  :  indeed.  Melbourne,  so  far  is  little  other 
than  a  glorified  Cape  Town,  say  :  and  viewed  all  'round, 
the  Age  has  a  better  chance  to  achieve  immortality,  if  it 
will  attend  to  matters  that  lay  nearer  to  its  offices.  Of 
course,  these  ravings  go  down  with  a  certain  number  of 
admirers  and  anyhow,  a  circulation  must  be  flogged  up, 
somehow.  Poor  Age  .' 

tifto 

DEAR,  dear!  After  we-forget-how-long.  the  question  of 
the  legality  of  making  the  poor  charterer  stamp  the  copies 
of  his  bills  of  lading,  and  charters,  is  receiving  attention. 
So  much  so.  that  at  the  monthly  meeting  of  the  Cardiff 
Chamber  of  Commerce,  held  —  but  we  forget  when  it  was 
held  :  time  was.  that  the  secretary  of  the  concern  thought 
us  worthy  of  a  circular  concerning  the  auspicious  event  : 
but  that  is  in  the  "  goneness  of  the  past."  alas  !  As 
things  are.  we  have  to  think  up  the  matter,  according  to 
the  remembrances  of  sundry  of  our  young  men.  But  let  us 
get  on.  The  chamber  is  going  to  see  about  the  legality  or 
otherwise,  of  that  bit  of  Inland  Revenue  "bluff."  It's  a 
funny  thing,  but  in  our  issue  of  June  1.  1904  -more  than 
twelve  months  ago.  that  is  we  remarked,  in  connection 
with  those  stamping  notions  :  "  Personally,  we  are  of 
opinion  that  the  mere  word  '  copy  '  on  top.  and  the  magical 
'  We  certify  this  to  be  a  true  copy,  etc.'  deleted,  with 
signatures  prefix  by  f.Sgd.  >.  will  quite  meet  the  case, 
when  Stamps  will  e'en  go  on  as  before."  Of  course,  we 
admit  our  limitations:  realise  that  we  are  merely  writer 
folk  :  but  somehow  or  other,  we  are  continually  receiving 
confirmation  that  our  words  are.  after  many  days,  acted 
upon  to  the  ultimate  good  of  the  actors. 


IT  might  be.  that  this  is  merely  another  instance  of  the 
similarity  between  great  minds  you  never  know,  you  know  ? 
But  whatever  the  reason,  it  would  appear  that  Mr.  E. 
Franklin  Thomas,  ex-president  of  the  Cardiff  Chamber  of 
Commerce,  and  popularly  credited  with  the  possession  of 
more  than  the  ordinary  allowance  of  so-called  common- 
sense.  has  been  consulting  an  "  eminent  firm  of  solicitors." 
who  state  that  in  their  opinion,  the  charge  of  stamping  mere 
copies,  is  an  illegal  one.  Exactly  as  we  suggested  in  the 
writing  which  we  have  re-produced  ?  Furthermore,  on  the 
occasion  referred  to.  we  wound  up  our  remarks  with  the 
words  :  "  That  is.  the  whole  thing  is  a  bit  of  official  '  bluff  '  : 
an  anticipated  dance  on  a  '  play  of  words.'  "  There  you  are  ! 
You  cannot  get  away  from  it.  can  you  ?  But  never  mind, 
that  is  merely  one  instance  of  which  our  advice  has  been 


acted  upon,  as  already  suggested.  We  note  that  the 
"eminent  firm  of  solicitors"  indicated  in  this  non-advertis- 
ing manner,  have  suggested  that.  "  If  necessary,  a  test  case 
should  be  made  by  a  combination  of  merchants  "  and  are 
disappointed  in  consequence.  We  are  not  going  to  attach 
any  importance,  to  the  "  eminence  "  of  any  firm  of  solicitors 
that  would  advise  such  action  that  is  here  set  forth. 

E??  Xs 

*fn      M? 

WHY  is  that?  Well,  principally  because  we  realise, 
thoroughly,  that  at  any  epoch  on  this  side  of  the  millennium, 
it  is  impossible  to  rake  up  any  such  combination  as  is  in- 
dicated in  the  advice  of  the  solicitors.  Mr.  Franklin 
Thomas  is  at  liberty  to  undertake  the  business,  pro  bono 
publico,  an'  it  so  pleases  him  :  but  if  he  hopes  that  anybody 
else  is  going  to  join  him  in  the  banging  of  sixpences,  then, 
we  are  much  afraid  that  he  will  be  doomed  to  disappoint- 
ment, yes  !  Each,  for  himself,  is,  unfortunately,  the  motto 
which  finds  most  adherents  in  Goalville,  and  pro  bono 
publico  is  merely  a  tag  used  to  drop  in  at  the  bottom  of  letters 
to  the  local  press,  to  save  the  expense  of  having  to  pay  for  a 
half-column  growl— at  ordinary  advertising  rates!  True, 
Mr.  Thomas  suggested  that  the  council  of  the  chamber 
should  be  allowed  to  go  in  on  the  new  drift,  and  to  take  such 
steps  as  prudence  says  is  proper  :  "  to  port  or  starboard, 
back,  or  stop  her."  so  to  speak.  Going  still  farther,  we  find 
that  Mr.  F.  H.  Lambert  seconded  the  ex-president's  pro- 
position, which  was  "  carried  unanimously."  That  is  to  say, 
it  was  carried  through  the  chamber.  Whether  it  will  be 
carried  any  further,  remains  to  be  seen.  For  ourselves  — 
well,  we  shall  maintain  an  open  mind  :  and  of  course,  an 
open  eye. 

E??  9ta 

W    w3 

EH?  What's  this?  Ice  cream  for  sailors  !  Do  you  wonder 
that  Uncle  Sam  is  making  such  a  big  show  at  mopping  up  a 
fleet  of  warships,  fully  manned  with  hardy  sons  of  the  sea  ? 
It's  all  very  well  for  you  sceptical  folk  to  declare,  that  it  is  a 
bit  tough  to  carry  out  any  strenuous  exertions  on  a  padding 
of  ice  cream.  That  is  just  where  you  sceptical  folk  are  a  bit 
unkind.  Ice  cream,  as  a  set  off,  and  in  beastly  hot  weather, 
is  a  fine  thing— even  if  it  does  muss  up  the  teeth  of  par- 
takers thereof,  to  say  nothing  of  its  proneness  to  "lower  the 
tone  of  the  system  "  which  is  concealed  about  the  same 
persons.  Anyhow,  the  whole  is  said  to  have  come  about  in 
this  way.  Admiral  Evans,  having  been  twitted  with  the 
yarn  that  his  seaboys  were  ill-fed,  and  that  in  consequence, 
the  navy  was  unpopular  with  the  nation,  laid  himself  out  to 
publish  a  few  menus,  taken,  hap  hazard,  from  different  war- 
ships. We  are  gravely  informed  that  "  strawberries,  ice 
cream,  asparagus,  and  other  luxuries  appear  frequently  on 
the  lists."  Eh  ?  What  ?  You  might  suggest  that  the  fore- 
going merely  applies  to  the  officers'  mess,  and  in  all  pro- 
bability, you  will  be  about  right.  Still,  to  a  daily  paper 
genius,  a  sailor  is  a  sailor,  you  know.  And  the  main  point 
to  remember  is,  that  Uncle  Sam.  to-date,  has  had  no  over- 
whelming application  for  lower  deck  ratings— ice  cream 

notwithstanding  ! 

E*  Xa 

t&l        list 

CONTINUING  with  the  high  living  idea,  it  is  interesting  to 
note  that — according  to  yet  another  "daily"  "cooks  are 
to  be  trained  in  special  classes,  which  are  now  being  estab- 
lished at  Portsmouth  and  Devonport,"  and  for  the  purpose 
of  being  better  able  to  cater  for  the  needs  of  the  British 
Handy  Man.  There  is  no  mention  of  giving  him  ice  cream. 
and  notions  of  that  character ;  but  if  we  are  to  believe 
the  nautical  authority  which  we  are  quoting,  "  The  ship's 
cook  is  not  responsible  for  failing  to  do  an  impossibility. 
He  cannot  successfully  boil  and  stew  for  his  shipmates, 
without  the  proper  facilities."  At  the  first  glance,  one 
was  constrained  to  believe  that  it  was  the  cook  who  was 
about  to  get  a  shaking-up  ;  on  second  thoughts,  it  must  be 
merely  the  galley— for  therein  are  the  facilities,  or  the  lack 


io8 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  30,    1905 


thereof.  Naturally,  the  new  notions  are  placed  to  the 
credit  of  Sir  John  Fisher.  As  mere  sailormen.  we  were 
under  the  impression  that  naval  cooks  were  trained  men  : 
every  one  of  them.  Apparently,  we  were  wrong.  They 
have  been,  in  the  past,  merely  culinary  experimenters, 
and  thus  it  comes  about,  that  dyspepsia,  bad  teeth,  and 
one  or  two  other  complaints  which  need  not  be  dilated 
upon,  are  somewhat  more  common  than  need  be,  in  the 
warships  of  the  nation.  Still,  better  days  are  coming. 

5?$3 

BUT  there  is  an  awful  similarity  about  these  good  people, 
who  more  or  less  regulate  the  sailorman,  don't  you  think  ? 
They  have  been  told,  so  frequently,  that  all  Jack  troubles 
about,  is  "  little  Mary."  until  at  last  the  dear  old  fossils 
have  come  to  believe  the  nonsense.  Mercantile  Jack 
drops  on  shore,  and  declares  he'll  see  everybody  concerned, 
in  Hades,  before  he'll  return — and  the  Board  of  Trade  at 
once  suggest  a  matutinal  kipper.  "  Let  him  smell  the 
aroma,  dear  boys,  and  he'll  return,  never  more  to  roam." 
The  succulent  kipper's  sniffyness  is  thrown  around  on  the 
breeze,  but  yet  Jack  shies  at  his  proper  business  !  "  Offer 
him  another  half-pint  of  water  :  he  gets  but  three  quarts 
per  diem  for  all  purposes,  at  the  moment :  hang  it,  give 
him  another  quart :  tell  him  he  shall  have  four  quarts  of 
fresh  water  daily."  They  do  so.  Explain  that  if  he  gives 
the  cook  the  whole  of  two-and-a-half  quarts  per  diem, 
for  cooking  purposes,  he  will  still  have  the  whole  of  three 
pints  for  drinking  purposes,  and  to  bath  himself  with — 
down  in  the  tropics.  But  even  then,  the  foolish  man  will 
not  recognise  the  heaven-sent  chance  of  keeping  clean,  and 
not  thirsty,  which  is  his.  He  continues  to  shun  the  sea,  so 
they  offer  him  an  extra  "  biscuit "  each  day  !  Makes  you 
smile,  doesn't  it? 

§£  & 

SOMEHOW  or  other,  we  feel  that  the  birth — or  construction 
— of  a  second  sort  of  President  Roosevelt  on  this  side  of 
the  Atlantic,  would  be  a  godsend  to  the  Briton.  The 
American  President  makes  it  fairly  clear  that  he  wants 
none  but  business  men,  in  the  offices  belonging  to  the 
Government,  and  the  same  action  is  exactly  what  is 
needed,  here.  Think  what  a  splendid  state  of  affairs 
would  result,  if  it  were  possible  to  weed  out  the  be- 
trousered  old  ladies,  who  cumber  up  the  chairs  in  the  Board 
of  Trade's  Marine  Department,  for  instance  !  Why,  we 
should  begin  to  imagine  that  the  millennium  had  really 
dawned !  Shipping  business  would  be  carried  out  on 
business  lines :  the  shipping  trade  would  buck  up,  with 
a  thousand  horse  power  buck  :  the  loafing  thousands  of 
British  seamen  who  are  now  on  shore,  would  return  to 
the  element  which  was  their's  from  their  birth  :  and  the 
'longshore  Briton  would  hardly  know  himself,  in  conse- 
quence. There  is  no  getting  away  from  the  fact,  that 
red  tape  is  slowly  but  surely  strangling  all  that  is  best  in 
British  commerical  life — even  as  it  has  come  dangerously 
near  to  doing,  in  America.  Columbia,  however,  has  been 
given  a  saviour :  by  and  bye,  this  country  might  be 
vouchsafed  another  ? 

£*& 

COULD  anything  be  better  descriptive  of  the  methods 
which  are  current  with  the  Marine  Department,  than  the 
following:  " There  is  a  type  of  bureaucrat- who  believes 
that  his  entire  work,  and  the  entire  work  of  Government, 
should  be  collecting  papers,  referring  to  cases,  commenting 
with  eager  minuteness  on  each,  and  corresponding  with 
other  officials,  with  reference  thereto.  These  people  care 
nothing  for  the  case,  but  only  for  the  documents  of  the 
case "  ?  It  couldn't,  surely,  and  yet  the  quotation  was 
first  launched,  to  describe  the  working  of  the  American 
official  mind.  This  country  might  be  somewhat  effete, 
according  to  the  American  Brother's  ideas ;  but  it  can 


run  him  that  close  on  a  bureaucratic  race,  that  it's  a  toss 
up  as  to  who  will  come  in  first.  If  you  don't  believe  us, 
just  you  send  along  some  grievance,  and  see  how  it  is 
received.  First  of  all,  you  will  receive  a  polite  tarradiddle 
to  the  effect  that  a  secretary  has  been  instructed  by  the 
Board,  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  communication. 
There  is  no  Board,  so  those  instructions  may  not  be  given 
in  the  manner  indicated.  The  gentlemanly  correspondent 
will  declare  that  he  is  "  Your  obedient  servant  " — but  don't 
you  attempt  to  trade  on  the  amiable  fiction  ;  for  if  you 
do,  you  will  soon  learn  that  he  is  your  exalted  Boss. 

#  & 

VERY  well,  then!  you  keep  on  waiting— perhaps  for  a 
week  :  possibly  for  a  month.  At  the  end  of  either  period 
you  will  receive  another  communication,  written  on  paper 
that  is  probably  about  six  times  as  expensive  as  the  busi- 
ness warrants  -but  as  it  is  all  paid  for  with  your  money,  it 
doesn't  matter  in  the  least ;  and  you  will  learn  that  once 
more,  the  Board  instructs  this  "  obedient  servant  "  of  yours, 
to  state  that  the  matter  is  having  the  consideration  of 
somebody  or  other  in  the  Department.  Right,  you  think  ! 
You'll  sit  down  and  wait.  Time  to  you,  is  pressing ;  but 
you  imagine  that  a  Government  official  is  worked  to  death — 
another  of  the  pious  fictions  with  which  you  are  fed  ;  and 
someday,  they  will  have  time  to  write.  You  wait  until  your 
patience  is  exhausted,  when  you  might  venture  on  another 
screed.  Good  business  !  Along  comes  a  reply  -same  ex- 
pensive paper,  and  same  old  tale.  The  Board  has  once 
more  instructed  "  your  obedient  servant."  somehow  or  other ; 
and  with  the  experience  which  you  have  already  gained, 
you  cuss  a  bit,  but  decide  to  go  on  waiting.  When  the 
official  wheel  has  revolved  until  your  name  and  address  are 
on  the  front  cog,  you  get  another  letter,  informing  you  that 
"  y.o.s."  has  again  been  instructed  to  tell  you  that  "  the 
Board  "  has  either  no  jurisdiction  in  the  matter  ;  or  that  it 
"  believes  "  that  you  are  wrong  in  your  premises.  You 
cuss  again ;  give  it  up ;  soulfully  long  for  a  President 
Roosevelt,  and  there  you  are  ! 

#  & 

HOWEVER,  you  cannot  very  well  blame  a  department  of  an 
alleged  Board  of  Trade,  for  acting,  what  Jack  is  inclined  to 
style  "the  goat,"  if  much  higher  sections  of  Governmental 
more  or  less  efficiency  do  likewise.  For  a  considerable 
time  past  Lord  Muskerry,  as  the  mouth-piece  of  a  very 
large  section  of  Mercantile  Marine  navigators,  has  been 
attempting  to  get  from  the  Gilded  Chamber,  a  little  of  the 
treatment  that  will  be  calculated  to  keep  the  same 
Chamber  in  existence.  But  do  you  think  that  it  is  probable 
that  his  Lordship  will  get  what  he  and  his  constituency— 
if  we  may  put  it  thus — desire  ?  Well,  they  won't,  and 
mainly  for  the  reason,  that  the  pressing  need  is  to  make  it 
impossible  for  an  alien  to  have  command  of  a  British  vessel. 
When  their  Lordships  of  all  kinds  of  carat — sit  down  in 
the  House  of  Lords,  they  give  us  the  impression  that  their 
job  has  been  specially  underwritten  by  Providence  :  that 
come  weal  or  woe,  they  will  still  be  members  of  the  Patri- 
cian Parcel ;  and  that  if  war  eventuates,  then,  it  will  be 
merely  necessary  to  suggest  to  the  advancing  conqueror, 
that  some  of  the  gentlemen's  forbears  came  over  with 
another  Conqueror— when  the  whole  thing  will  simmer 
down,  once  more. 

#  & 

IF  you  undertake  to  explain  to  any  of  those  Big  Wigs,  that 
in  war  time,  it  will  be  a  menace  to  the  State — and  therefore 
to  the  continuance  of  their  highly  respected  jobs — if  a 
homeward-bound  steamer,  laden  with  grain  or  other  food,  is 
under  the  command  of  a  foreigner  ;  those  gentlemen  will 
assume  the  superior  look  which  used  to  count  in  the  long 
ago ;  but  which  to-day  is  understood  to  cover  a  mere  vacuum. 
Indeed,  these  highly  respectable  persons  appear  to  be  imbued 


June  30,  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


109 


with  the  notion,  that  what  was  good  enough  a  hundred 
years  ago,  is  bound  to  be  good  enough  to-day.  Having 
delivered  themselves  of  this  weighty  pronouncement,  they 
merely  turn  a  set  of  aquiline  features  to  the  north-west 
corner  of  the  room,  and  well,  and  the  "discussion"  is 
closed.  Thus  far.  in  a  general  sense.  Turn  we  now.  to  a 
little  of  the  particularising  which  we  had  in  mind,  when 
starting  in  on  this  writing.  We  have  already  referred  to 
the  efforts  of  Lord  Muskerry  in  attempting  to  get  a  law 
which  shall  make  it  impossible  for  a  foreigner  to  steer  our 
argosies  of  golden  (or  other  sorts  of)  grain,  into  the  enemy's 
ports  in  time  of  war.  Let  it  be  understood  that  his  Lord- 
ship is  one  of  the  workers  in  the  hive,  instead  of  being 
merely  one  of  the—  shall  we  hazard  the  word  "  ornaments  ?" 

A  SAILOR  himself,  and  intimately  connected  with  sailor- 
men  of  all  sorts  and  conditions  :  equally  well  posted  on  the 
needs  of  the  shipping  industry,  and  realising  to  a  minute 
fraction,  the  ills  that  are  gradually  destroying  the  British 
Mercantile  Marine  :  Lord  Muskerry  is  exactly  the  authority 
to  which  the  House  of  Lords  should  give  attention.  Of 
course,  it  gives  no  such  attention,  and  mainly  for  the  reason 
that  it  knows  but  little  of  the  subject  with  which  his  Lord- 
ship treats.  You  see.  to  speak  about  foreigners  as  being  in 
command  of  the  national  bread-wagons:  indeed,  to  speak 
of  such  common  affairs  as  bread-wagons  in  the  "  Gilded 
Chamber  "  at  all.  is  simple  desecration.  The  idea !  Bother- 
ing those  gentlemen  with  such  common-place  affairs,  as 
the  "  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread  "  it's  preposterous  ! 
When  the  bread  fails  if  fail  it  must  then  the  fates  will 
send  us  along  manna  (and  quails  on  toast)  for  the  preserva- 
tion of  these  gentlemen  who  are  committed  to  protect  the 
policy  that  was  laid  down  a  century  back.  Ye  gods  !  You 
must  know  that  Lord  Muskerry  moved  the  second  reading 
of  the  Merchants  Shipping  <  Aliens  )  Bill,  and  particulars  of 
which,  we  have  given  in  recent  issues  of  THE  MARITIME 
REVIEW.  Lord  Ellenborough— another  seaman  supported 
the  Bill :  and  you  might  think  that  it  received  careful 
attention. 

BUT.  bless  you.  it  didn't.  The  Lord  Chancellor  announced 
that  the  Government  could  not  accept  the  Bill,  because 
here  take  a  huge  breath  "  It  would  involve  a  complete 
alteration  of  the  Navigation  Laws  and  of  the  policy  laid  down 
a  century  hack."  As  a  matter  of  fact  the  Lord  Chancellor 
didn't  use  those  exact  words :  'tis  a  local  contemporary 
that  affects  a  knowledge  of  shipping  who  put  it  thus.  But 
'tis  near  enough  anyhow.  Moreover.  "  the  noble  lord  very 
much  exaggerated  the  danger  to  the  State  !  "  This  con- 
clusively proves  what  we  have  ever  claimed  :  That  this  por- 
tion of  the  legislature  are  too  tired,  or  are  too  busy  on  other 
matters,  to  give  any  serious  attention  to  the  needs  of  to- 
day. A  certain  thing  was.  a  hundred  years  ago :  it  is.  at 
present :  ergo,  it  is  good  enough.  A  hundred  years  ago. 
stage  coaches  were  "  the  thing  "  when  a  journey  was  anti- 
cipated, and  the  traveller  "  got  there  "  too.  Some  pushing 
atom  was  ill-advised  enough  to  invent  steam  engines,  motor 
cars,  and  the  like  :  and  now.  everything  is  in  a  beastly 
bustle  and  confusion.  A  hundred  years  ago  nine-tenths  of 
the  world  had  no  education,  and  so  was  "  stuffed  "  into  be- 
lieving that  these  setters  back  of  the  clock  of  progress. 
were  divinely  placed  in  their  seats  in  the  Council  Chamber 
Chamber  of  a  mighty  nation.  A  hundred  years  ago,  there 
were  but  mighty  few  British  vessels  about,  and  practically 
none  belonging  to  any  other  nation,  so  it  didn't  matter  a 
toss  who  ran  those  ships. 

A  HUNDRED  years  ago.  too.  a  voyage  to  India  occupied 
three  years  and  lots  could  happen  in  that  time  :  at  present. 
the  same  journey  can  be  made  in  not  much  more  than  as 


many  weeks  ;  but  what  was  good  enough  in  the  old  days,  is 
good  enough,  now?  "A  century  back,"  a  naval  war  was 
calculated  to  last  along  to  anything  approaching  thirty 
years  ;  to-day,  it  would  be  probably  decided,  one  way  or  the 
other,  in  as  many  minutes.  Once  more  "  a  century  back," 
the  population  of  the  present  United  Kingdom  was  self- 
supporting  in  the  matter  of  grain  :  its  daily  bread  was 
grown  in  its  own  fields  :  and  any  suggested  shortage  didn't 
amount  to  a  very  great  deal.  In  the  present  year  of  grace, 
the  country  could  probably  support  itself,  in  a  normal  state, 
for  about  three  weeks,  and  yet  a  Lord  Chancellor  will  tell 
us  that  to  place  a  foreigner  in  charge  of  a  British  ship,  is 
an  exaggerated  danger  to  the  State.  Of  course,  we  didn't 
suppose  that  the  Aliens  Bill  would  be  accepted,  merely  for 
the  asking  :  that  would  be  too  much  to  expect— in  view  of 
the  neglect  which  is  ever  meted  out  to  the  Mercantile 
Marine.  It  is  fairly  well  understood  that,  in  these  days  of 
luxurious  ease,  our  so-called  statesmen  pursue  the  line  of 
least  resistance. 

#  & 

PATRIOTISM  is  a  word  for  the  hustings,  only  —especially  if 
to  define  the  real  meaning  of  the  word,  demands  a  little 
hard  work.  In  future,  as  long  as  a  thing  can  be  proved  to 
have  been  in  force  a  century  back,  it  is  useless  to  try  to 
change  it.  The  wonder  is,  that  these  sapient  rulers  of  ours 
do  oot  sell  out  all  the  warships  of  the  period.  We  know 
that  they  have  sold  off  as  many  as  possible,  and  that  they 
are  losing  sundry  others  of  those  that  remain  ;  but  then,  it 
is  just  as  well  to  do  the  thing  openly  :  to  own  up  that  as 
wooden  walls  were  de  riguer,  "  a  century  back,"  the  same 
kind  of  arrangement  would  be  just  as  good  to-day.  Never 
mind  selling  as  "  obsolete."  one  lot,  and  exonerating  those 
who  silently  "drop"  the  remainder,  on  the  quiet,  so  to 
speak.  If  "  a  century  back  "  argument  is  good  enough  for 
the  Aliens  Bill,  let  us  have  the  same  fair-and-above-board 
decision  concerning  telegraphs,  telephones,  electricity  in 
all  its  phases,  radium  quiffs,  and  the  thousand-and-one 
notions  which  were  not  in  existence  "a  century  back." 
However,  it  is  as  well  to  drop  the  theme.  It  is  by  no 
means  an  exalted  one.  And  one  of  these  days,  when  the 
bread-wagons  have  been  steered  into  a  foreign  port,  by 
the  foreign  skipper  which,  "  a-century-back  "-Government 
wet-nursed — well,  there  will  be  a  large-sized  capital  T 
sort  of  trouble  about,  don't  you  think  ? 


WE  are  in  receipt  of  a  copy  of  the  twenty-eighth  annual  re- 
port of  the  Scottish  Shipmasters'  and  Officers'  Association — 
and  it  makes  good  reading.  We  cannot  afford,  at  the 
moment,  the  space  for  an  extended  review  thereof;  but  one 
of  the  points  therein  which  catches  our  eye  is,  "  Nor  would 
we  wish  it  to  be  understood  that  merely  by  becoming  a 
•ember  of  this  Association,  a  Master  or  an  Officer  has 
a  guarantee  of  a  clean  record  unequalled  by  any  other 
body  of  shipmasters,  or  in  any  other  profession  calling  for 
the  same  amount  of  resource  in  times  of  difficulty  "  All 
the  same,  we  are  of  opinion,  that  when  an  Association 
of  educated  men  has  pluck  enough  to  table  such  a 
statement,  it  is  on  the  road  to  rapidly  acquire  the  very 
guarantee  alluded  to.  And  after  all  a  "guarantee  of  a 
clean  record "  is  the  one  great  desideratum  ?  Another 
good  result  is  to  the  credit  of  this  Association  :  The 
decision  as  to  the  shipmaster'  liability  for  the  incompetence, 
carelessness,  what  you  will,  of  a  licensed  pilot.  We 
have  already  touched  on  this  phase  of  nautical  muddling  ; 
the  doubt  which  appears  to  hang  around  the  nautical 
mind,  as  to  the  powers,  privileges  and  perquisites  of 
our  friend  the  pilot :  but  the  Scottish  Shipmasters' 
Association  have  certainly  done  service  in  fighting  to  a 
finish— and  at  a  big  expense— this  pilotage  question. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  30,  1905 


IT  appears  that  in  the  case  to  which  we  are  referring,  the 
decision  given,  was  :  "  That  a  master  is  not  responsible  for 
bad  navigation  by  a  licensed  pilot  :  and  that  a  master  is  not 
responsible  for  bad  navigation  by  a  licensed  pilot  even 
when  the  pilotage  is  not  compulsory."  To  our  mind,  this 
is  the  only  sensible  decision  which  can  be  arrived  at,  and 
while  admitting  that  it  has  taken  r,  number  of  years  to  get 
—well,  it  is  better  late  than  never?  Here  is  another 
quotation  which  "  touches  the  spot."  if  we  may  put  it  thus  : 
"  We  are  proverbially  blest  with  the  pabulum  of  content- 
ment. and  adverse  to  disturbing  the  rusty  antiquity  of 
ancient  institutions,  or  we  should  have  swept  into  the  sea 
of  oblivion  a  Board  (of  Trade)  which  in  the  past  has  con- 
tributed so  largely  to  the  discomfiture  of  shipmasters  by 
harassing  enactments,  irritating  instructions,  and  un- 
justifiable prosecutions,  if  not  persecutions."  Here  is  the 
truth,  and  if  the  shipmaster  would  but  appreciate  his  power 
in  this  direction  :  his  absolute  ability  to  have  his  wrongs  re- 
dressed by  boldly  demanding  that  redress,  instead  of  snivel- 
ling for  a  little  help,  kind  sirs  —well,  our  friends  of  the 
Scottish  Shipmasters'  Association  understand  our  meaning. 

5?  & 

ERE  leaving  this  subject,  and  at  the  risk  of  offending  the 
good  people  who  are  doing  such  yeoman  service  to  their 
country,  by  placing  on  a  workable  basis  that  country's  main- 
stay in  peace  or  war  :  we  yet  must  say  that  we  should  be 
better  pleased,  if  the  different  agencies  which  are  attending 
to  the  undeniable  needs  of  the  shipmaster  and  his  mate, 
would  join  up  their  ranks  :  would  stand  shoulder  to  shoulder 
for  the  common  good  ;  and  would  realise  that  it  is  only  by  a 
united  front,  that  the  miseriers  of  the  past,  and  the  dangers 
of  the  present  may  be  ameliorated.  It  is  useless  to  expect 
the  rulers  who  a're  pandering  to  the  inanities  of  the 
"  Board."  to  attach  any  importance  to  the  claims  set  up  by 
shipmasters,  if  the  different  combinations  put  in  the  greater 
portion  of  their  time,  in  attempting  to  convince  each  other. 
that  each  one  has  done  more  than  its  colleagues  ?  There 
can  be  no  gainsaying  the  fact  that  competition  is  good  for 
trade—  in  every  grade  thereof:  it  is  equally  true  to  say. 
that  since  the  advent  of  the  different  shipmasters'  societies, 
a  better  ordering  of  affairs  maritime,  has  resulted.  However, 
there  is  yet  much  to  do,  and  by  pooling  issues,  that  "much" 
will  soon  be  brought  down  to  little,  after  which,  the  various 
units  may  join  in  a  friendly  rivalry  as  to  who  did  most  ? 


IN  other  words,  bury  the  hatchet,  until  the  fight  is  won. 
In  fighting,  the  hatchet  is  obsolete,  and  is  best  buried  ?  You 
need  something  better  than  a  hatchet  these  days.  To 
quote  the  words  of  the  present  Lord  Chancellor,  "A 
century  back."  the  hatchet  was  good  enough  :  to  a  Lord 
Chancellor  it  might  prove  all  sufficient  to-day  ;  but  to  a 
number  of  navigators  who  are  seeking  due  recognition  of 
their  importance  in  the  scheme  of  creation,  the  hatchet  is 
best  buried.  Join  up,  and  convince  the  world  that  you  have 
advanced  with  it  ;  that  you  have  become  tired  of  merely 
asking  for  justice;  show  them  that,  in  great  measure,  you 
are  responsible  (although  unwittingly)  for  the  dangerous 
condition  which  has  materialised  ;  and  that,  as  you  have 
recognised  your  responsibilities  in  the  national  whirl,  you 
mean  to  make  all  and  sundry,  recognise  them,  as  well.  You 
cannot  do  this,  if  you  waste  your  best  efforts  in  having 
"sly  digs  "at  one  another:  the  "digs"  need  to  be  put  into  the 
human  obstacles  which  have  brought  the  country  so  close 
to  ultimate  ruin,  that  it  is  merely  a  question,  now,  whether 
she  will  weather  it.  or  have  to  go  to  loo'ard.  You  know 
that  your  interests  are  ours  ;  you  also  know  that  we  are 
writing  the  truth.  There  are  commercial  diseases  as  well 
as  physical  ones.  Sometimes  a  seidlitz  powder  is  sufficient  ; 
but  a  seidlitz  powder  is  of  little  use  in  treating  with  cancer  ? 


WE  note  that  Mr.  Seddon.  the  New  Zealand  Premier,  has 
been  having  a  drive  at  British  statesmen,  and  while  we  are 
of  opinion  that  the  latter  gentlemen  lay  themselves  open  to 
the  treatment,  we  are  not  quite  so  sure  that  the  objurgation 
is  seemly,  when  cominj  from  the  children  "down  under." 
It  is  all  very  pretty  for  the  New  Zealand  friend  to  run  on, 
about  the  Heathen  Chinee  who  has  been  introduced  into 
South  Africa.  "  After  the  colonies'  sons  have  fought  to 
save  the  country,"  but  there  is  just  a  little  bit  of  imper- 
tinence in  the  "  run  on,"  all  the  same  ?  The  colonies  did 
help  the  Old  Country,  of  course,  and  that  was  exactly  as  it 
should  be  ;  but  the  size  of  the  help  must  not  be  forgotten. 
When  all  is  said  and  done,  the  Old  Country  does  consider- 
ably more  to  maintain  her  colonies,  than  do  those  colonies 
to  help  the  Old  Lady.  Mr.  Seddon  is  of  opinion  that  New 
Zealand  would  fight,  again,  in  a  similar  emergency.  Of 
course  it  would.  Again,  and  again  ;  and  mainly  for  the 
reason  that  the  integrity  of  the  Empire  is  just  as  essential 
to  New  Zealand,  as  it  is  to  us,  at  home.  Why,  here  is  the 
gentleman  bewailing  the  fact  that  "  at  present.  British 
subjects  are  being  wedged  out  of  the  New  Hebrides," 
because  British  policy  has  failed. 

&  & 

THE  same  thing  is  supposed  to  apply  in  connection  with 
Samoa  and  Hawaii,  and  in  the  result,  the  mail  service, 
which  was  at  one  time — and  not  so  long  ago  British,  is 
now  American.  But  surely  Mr.  Seddon  will  not  be  mis- 
guided enough  to  place  all  these  little  fluctuations  at  the 
door  of  the  British  statesmen  ?  The  latter  unfortunates 
had  nothing  to  do  with  that  idiotic  cry  of  "  white 
Australia,"  neither  had  they  a  word  to  say  in  the  freezing 
out  of  the  British  steamer  lines.  It  is  all  a  question  of  cash, 
and  if  the  good  folk  "down  under"  must  go  mad  over  a 
metaphorical  "  white  Australia,"  then,  they  must  pay  for  it. 
The  fact  of  the  matter  is,  to  the  New  Zealander,  himself, 
an  all-British  steamer  line  is  a  weighty  possession  :  but  to 
the  people  at  home,  any  such  an  arrangement  is  merely  an 
episode.  This  is  where  our  esteemed  friends  get  adrift, 
and  somehow  or  other,  nobody  in  the  past — has  thought 
it  worth  while  to  point  the  correct  moral.  It  is  somewhat 
late  in  the  day  for  Mr.  Seddon  to  spread  himself,  on  the  dire 
wickednesses  which  surround  the  question  of  American 
predominance  in  the  Pacific.  If  the  gentleman  would  leave 
the  poor  Chinamen  to  their  not-altogether-dolorous  fate, 
and  would  use  the  same  energy  in  attempting  to  awaken 
his  friends  and  countrymen  to  a  due  appreciation  of  facts — 
well.  New  Zealand  would  soon  buck  up  ? 

E#  9Ca 

E&i     >ed 

FOR  thorough-going  ingenuity  in  the  matter  of  spoiling 
the  Mother  Land,  our  Canadian  friends  would  be  hard  to 
beat !  While  some  of  us,  here  at  home,  are  wasting  a 
terrible  quantity  of  fustian  over  the  "  to  be,  or  not  to  be  " 
of  Protection,  the  Canadian  man  and  brother,  is  simply 
walking  away  with  the  bread  before  our  very  eyes.  Walk- 
ing away  with  it,  even  as  he  spins  us  pretty  little  tales 
concerning  what  he  means  to  do  on  the  mutual  lay — by  and 
bye.  The  latest  piece  of  ingenuity  coming  from  the 
Dominion,  is  a  tax  on  the  drummer  of  commerce — the 
commercial  traveller  who  represents  a  house  that  has  no 
place  of  business  in  Canada.  Ostensibly  aimed  at  the 
wicked  American,  it  will  strike  with  equal  force,  against 
the  representative  from  home  ;  and  by  the  time  the  merry 
gentleman  has  paid  his  £60  per  annum  tax— for  that  is 
what  his  value  is  assessed  at  ;  has  fought  down  the  colonial 
prejudice  which  meets  him  at  all  corners ;  has  made  a 
book  for  the  people  at  home  ;  well — he  will  have  fairly 
earned  the  ten  per  cent,  or  so,  of  profit,  that  will  remain  to 
him.  The  newspapers  "  out  there,"  are  by  way  of  thinking 
that  the  tax  is  conceived  in  a  narrow  and  restrictive  spirit ; 
and  are  of  opinion  that  it  will  strike  a  hard  blow  at  British 
trade  with  Canada.  We  should  smile  ! 


June  30,  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


GENERALLY  speaking,  a  man  has  quite  exhausted  the 
gamut  of  human  misery,  ere  he  will  condescend  to  face  the 
hades  that  is  mis-named  stokehold  :  and  while  we  know 
that  there  are  exceptions  here,  as  elsewhere,  we  also  knew 
that  the  fireman  is  usually  an  individual,  who  understands 
nothing  save  force  majeure.  It  might  seem  unkind  to  put 
it  thus,  but  it  is  the  absolute  truth,  nevertheless.  For  pity's 
sake  let  us  have  the  facts  of  the  situation.  Don't  let  the 
country  go  to  pieces,  because  nobody  has  the  pluck  to  fit  the 
right  boot  on  the  right  foot.  We  could  go  on  almost  in- 
definitely. giving  personal  reminiscences  of  where  the  fire- 
man was  the  terror  of  the  ship—  below  the  fiddley  grating  : 
but  where,  above  that  grating,  he  was  the  quintessence  of 
politeness—  fireman  politeness,  you  understand.  The 
trouble  was.  that  below  the  grating,  nobody  seemed  to  think 
it  incumbent  on  them  to  insist  on  discipline,  and  through 
the  mistaken  belief,  that  discipline  meant  low  fires  and  poor 
steam.  Thus  it  came  about  that  the  terrors  of  the  ship 
•  below)  were  Jack.  Tom  or  Bill,  while  on  deck,  they  were 
oftener  "you  there,"  than  anything  else  :  and  as  little  evi- 
dence of  the  sweat  rag  as  possible,  was  insisted  on. 


WE  are  constrained  to  the  foregoing,  through  reading  an 
interesting  screed  in  the  British  Australasian,  concerning 
the  great  question  which  romps  along  under  the  title  of  "  Is 
the  Caucasian  Played  Out  "  ?  Obviously,  our  contemporary's 
sympathies  are  with  the  sailor,  and  we  are  proud  to  notice 
the  fact,  even  as  we  could  wish  that  a  few  more  were  in  the 
same  boat,  so  to  speak.  In  animadverting  on  Australia's 
bid  for  the  "  white  "  particular  of  which  we  have  frequently 
written.  British  Australasian  admits  that  "from  a  nation  as 
young  as  Australia  it  is  only  reasonable  to  expect  youthful 
faults."  We  then  read,  that  "the  adolescent  enthusiasm 
of  the  Commonwealth  is  responsible,  for  instance,  for  the 
curious  blend  of  youthful  arrogance  and  Quixotic  chivalry 
with  which  the  policy  of  a  '  white  Australia'  was  developed." 
You  know,  that  is  really  a  kindly  method  of  expressing  an 
unpleasant  fact,  and  we  congratulate  our  contemporary  on 
its  ability  in  this  connection.  It  is  unnecessary  for  us  to 
harp  upon  the  "white  Australia"  string:  we  have  tuned 
up  sufficiently  thereon,  in  the  past.  What  we  wish  to  show, 
is  the  amiable  manner  in  which  other  journals  touch  on 
these  nautical  subjects  which  effect  most  seriously,  the 
whole  of  the  nation. 

5?$J 

WE  know  that  the  Caucasian  is  not  played  out.  So  does 
British  Australasian,  for  it  remarks  that  "The  British 
Government  is  quite  capable  of  looking  after  the  British 
seaman—  in  due  time,  it  will  probably  be  forced  to  do  so." 
That's  it.  and  everybody  realises  the  connection  between 
force,  and  mad  dogs  ?  However,  we  are  informed  that  "  A 
month  ago.  the  first  mailboat  employing  white  labour 
reached  Australia,  and  the  Daily  mail  promptly  published  a 
cable  from  its  Sydney  correspondent,  which  made  it  appear 
that  the  British  sailorman  was  quite  unworthy  of  the 
sacrifices  the  Australian  Government  had  made  on  his 
behalf."  Our  contemporary  then  goes  on  to  give  us  the 
whole  of  the  mighty  ha'porth's  "  message  "—heaven  help 
us—  with  scare-heads,  and  all.  In  brief,  we  are  informed 
that  the  first  steamer  arrival  under  the  new  cantract. 
report*  that  white  labour  is  unsatisfactory.  Of  course  it 
is  !  Did  anybody  believe  it  would  be  any  other,  when  it  was 
—metaphorically  forced  down  the  necks  of  the  good 
people  who  objected  thereto  *  Anyhow.  Daily  Mail  laid 
itself  out  to  give  the  whole  sickening  alleged  details,  which, 
after  all.  had  nothing  to  do  with  British  seamen,  but  rather 
British  firemen  and  the  subtle  distinction  involved  is, 
naturally,  too  much  for  the  self-sufficient  ha'porth  from 
Carmellite  Street,  and  elsewhere. 


CONTINUING,  we  learn  that  "  the  purser  and  officer  spent 
hours  at  Adelaide  Police-court ...  in  connection  with 
drunken  firemen . . .  the  engine-room  was  often  left  in  a 
disgraceful  condition  . . .  the  men  were  accustomed  to 
coming  on  board ...  in  such  a  state  that  the  utmost 
difficulty  was  found  in  raising  steam . . .  stoking  was 
generally  characterised  by  incompetence.  The  chief 
engineer  emphasises  the  fact  that  the  present  crew  consists 
of  members  of  the  Shipping  Federation,  which  guarantees 
the  qualifications  and  characters  of  its  members,  and  is 
subsidised  by  the  shipowners."  Pretty,  don't  you  think  ? 
Especially  the  guarantee  from  Shipping  Federation  !  Won't 
somebody  tell  Daily  Mail  that  Shipping  Federation  is  not 
subsidised  by  shipowners :  that,  instead,  it  is  wholly 
supported  by  them,  in  their  interests  ?  What  we  wish 
to  emphasise  is.  that  if  Daily  Mail  had  written  that 
rubbish  concerning  a  shoreman,  there  would  have  been 
a  libel  case  on  tap,  and  we  should  have  probably  seen  a 
sneaky  little  paragraph  in  some  unconsidered  corner  of 
the  alleged  journal,  expressing  profound  regret  that  they 
had  been  misinformed,  etc.  You  know  the  kind  of  climb- 
down  to  which  we  refer.  We  have  one  before  us  as  we 
write,  although  it  doesn't  concern  a  shipping  case 

you  bet. 

E#  Xa 

t&     «? 

HOWEVER,  one  yarn  is  good  ( even  if  it  is  a  Dally  Mail 
yarn)*  until  you  hear  another :  and  after  the  ha'porth 
referred  to,  had  vented  its  bit  of  paltry  spleen  on  sailors 
who  attend  to  furnaces,  we  are  treated  to  a  letter  from 
the  chief  engineer  who  was  alleged  to  have  emphasised 
the  twaddle  spread  out  in  quote  marks  above ;  and  that 
letter  is  an  equally  emphatic  denial,  to  the  whole  of  the 
D.  M.'s  wail.  Mr.  Kenneth  Mclnnes — the  engineer  in 
question — wrote  to  the  Adelaide  Argus  after  the  following  : 
"  1  deny  that  I  made  any  comparison  between  white  and 
black  stokers  as  far  as  their  ability  went ...  1  never  sailed 
with  a  steadier  or  more  obedient  lot  of  men,  and  1  hope 
to  be  able  to  say  the  same  at  the  conclusion  of  the  voyage." 
Of  course,  the  chief  engineer  who  sailed  with  those 
"  drunken  firemen."  those  "  incompetent  "  fellows  who  left 
the  engine-room  in  a  "disgraceful  condition;"  that  chief 
engineer,  then,  couldn't  possibly  know  as  much  about  the 
circumstances,  as  could  the  Australian  "  lion "  who 
tootles  for  the  Daily  Mail,  could  he  now  ?  The  British 
Australasian  is  kind  (if  somewhat  sarcastic)  when  it 
remarks  that  "  It  is  probably  a  relief  to  the  Daily  Mail. 
to  find  that  the  British  seaman  is  not  quite  useless  .  .  .—at 
least,  we  hope  so."  Fancy  anything  being  a  relief  to  Daily 
Mail !  That  is,  as  long  as  the  relief  hangs  about  a  human 
being  who  is  too  poor  to  employ  a  solicitor.  Its  presiding 
genius  is  probably  a  hairless  and  cappy — no,  we  didn't  mean 
that ;  'twas  a  slip.  What  we  meant,  was  that  its  presiding 
genius  is  probably  a  careless  and  happy  individual,  heaven 
bless  him  -and  keep  him  safely  from  the  haunts  of 
"  British  seamen." 

tf'te 

IT  would  be  nice  to  know  what  the  opinion  formed  by 
H.R.H.  the  Prince  of  Wales  is,  now  he  has  had  an  oppor- 
tunity of  seeing  the  able  manner  in  which  the  Bute  Docks 
is  prepared  to  coal  the  Fleet  of  which  he  is  an  Admiral  ? 
That  the  merry  workings  of  the  Lewis-Hunter  cranes,  to 
say  nothing  of  the  other  up-to-date  features  which  abound, 
would  strike  His  Royal  Highness  as  being  something  to  be 
proud  of,  goes  without  saying  ;  and  the  Gardiffian  is  justifi- 
ably proud  of  the  fact,  that  our  future  King  has  had  an  in- 
troduction to  this  portion  of  the  possibilities  of  "  gallant 
little  Wales."  There  is  another  feature  we  should 
like  to  touch  on  ;  and  we  would,  only  we  happen  to  be  a 
mere  shipping  paper,  and  are  therefore  outside  the  pale  of 
fashion  discussions  ;  pretty  frocks  :  tasty  ankles  ;  and  dainty 
bottines  !  But,  dear  us  !  there  was  a  bewildering  profusion 
of  the  whole  lot  around  on  the  landscape,  on  Wednesday 
last— and  that's  a  fact ! 


I  I  2 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  30,  1905 


FRIDAY.  JUNE  30.   1905. 


EPOCH-MAKING   AT  CARDIFF  DOCKS. 


HAT  Thursday.  June  29,  1905,  will  be  a  day 
long-remembered  at  Cardiff  Docks,  is  certain, 
for  on  that  date  was  officially  opened,  by  the 
Most  Honourable  John  Marquis  of  Bute  and 
Earl  of  Dumfries,  the  "  Royal  Hamadryad 
Seamen's  Hospital  "—Cardiff's  method  of 
celebrating  the  sixtieth  year  of  reign,  of 
her  late  Majesty.  Queen  Victoria.  It  will  not  be  amiss,  if 
we  give  the  resolution  which  was  unanimously  passed  at  a 
Town's  Meeting,  on  February  24,  1897.  and  which  read  as  : 
"  That  this  meeting  of  the  inhabitants  of  Cardiff  rejoices  at  the 
opportunity  of  loyally  and  dutifully  celebrating  the  sixtieth  year  of  the 
Reign  of  Her  Most  Gracious  Majesty.  Queen  Victoria,  the  longest  in 
the  history  of  this  Country,  and  hereby  pledges  itself  to  make  every 
effort  to  raise  a  fund  for  the  purpose  of  erecting  and  completing  as  a 
Momento  of  Her  Majesty's  long  and  most  successful  Reign,  a  perman- 
ent Seamen's  Hospital  for  the  Port  of  Cardiff,  in  the  place  of  the 
•  Hamadryad  Hospital  Ship.'  " 

That  the  "  every  effort  "  referred 
to,  was  well  and  truly  carried  out, 
was  evidenced,  yesterday,  when  the 
Marquis  of  Bute  opened  the  building 
which  his  lamented  father's  gener- 
osity, in  large  measure,  made  possible. 
It  must  be  remembered,  that  previous 
to  the  Town's  Meeting  already  re- 
ferred to.  the  late  Marquis  had 
contemplated  the  building  of  such 
an  institution  as  now  flourishes 
under  the  title  of  the  "  Royal  Ham- 
adryad Seamen's  Hospital,"  and 
when  the  people  of  Cardiff  showed 
a  desire  to  perpetuate  the  Diamond 
Jubilee  of  Queen  Victoria  as  already 
explained,  he  gave  his  prompt  and 
hearty  assistance  to  the  scheme.  To 
what  extent  the  late  Marquis  was 
prepared  to  go,  in  bringing  to  a 
successful  issue,  this  scheme  which 
was  dear  to  his  heart,  is  evidenced 
by  his  Will,  dated  July  13,  1894, 
and  which  contains  a  provision  as  follows  : 

"  I  direct  and  appoint  my  Trustees  to  apply  a  sum  of  Twenty 
Thousand  Pounds  or  so  much  of  that  sum  as  may  not  have  been  ex- 
pended by  me  in  my  lifetime  in  erecting  or  completing  the  erection  of 
an  Hospital  at  Cardiff  to  come  in  place  of  the  ship  Hamadryad  at 
present  used  as  an  Hospital  declaring  that  in  the  event  of  such  Hos- 
pital not  having  been  completed  during  my  life  any  sum  or  sums  given 
or  paid  by  me  towards  the  erection  of  such  Hospital  shall  be  held  to 
be  payment  pro  tanto  towards  the  total  of  the  said  sum  of  Twenty 
Thousand  Pounds  hereby  directed  to  be  applied  towards  such  erection 
and  my  Trustees  shall  pay  the  balance  only  of  such  sum  or  such 
smaller  sums  as  may  be  necessary  to  complete  such  Hospital  my  in- 
tention being  merely  to  have  such  Hospital  completed  although  it  may 
be  at  a  less  cost  than  Twenty  Thousand  Pounds  and  in  the  event  of 
my  Trustees  finding  it  unnecessary  to  expend  the  w'hole  of  the  said 
sum  of  Twenty  Thousand  Pounds  either  by  reason  of  payments  made 
by  me  during  my  life  or  by  reason  of  money  being  available  for  the 
purpose  from  other  sources  the  balance  unexpended  by  them  shall 
revert  to  the  residue  of  my  estate  And  I  further  direct  and  request  my 
Trustees  upon  the  said  Hospital  being  completed  to  arrange  that  the 
sick  received  in  the  said  Hospital  shall  be  served  by  Sisters  of  some 
Roman  Catholic  Religious  Order  if  such  an  arrangement  can  be 
made." 

In  the   result,  we  find  that  the  total  donation  given  under 
the  foregoing  provision,  amounts  to  £13,50C — no  mean  gift 


V  MAIN  ENTRANCE — New  Seamen's  Hospital,     yi 
*.-.'•  W 


to  the  suffering  seamen  who  visit  our  Town  and  Port  ?  In- 
deed, it  may  not  be  amiss  if,  at  this  precise  period  in  our  writ- 
ing.we  suggest  the  desirability  of  similar  action  on  the  part  of 
the  local  shipowners.  To  the  present,  their  donations  for 
this  relief  of  their  worn-out,  or  otherwise  wasted  servants. 
have  been  by  no  means  munificent ;  and  if  they  would  but 
endeavour  to  work  on  the  belief  that  (in  such  a  connection 
as  this ).  it  is  better  to  give  than  to  receive,  then,  their  names 
would  go  down  in  honourable  history,  even  as  does  that  of 
the  large-hearted  gentleman  whose  works,  here,  do  follow 
him.  But  leaving  the  largely  problematical  for  the  actual, 
we  find  t^at  the  General  Committee  of  the  Hospital,  is  to 
consist  of  a  president,  vice-presidents,  patrons,  life  members 
and  ex  officio  nominated  and  ordinary  members,  and  of 
which  Committee  the  Trustees  for  the  time  being  shall  be 
also  members.  The  first  president  of  the  Hospital,  is  Sir 
William  Thomas  Lewis,  Bart.,  and  the  first  vice-presidents 
are,  the  present  Marquis  of  Bute,  together  with  Messrs. 
John  Moore.  David  Jones  and  Joseph  Larke  Wheatley— all 
well-known,  and  highly-esteemed  Cardiffians.  The  Trus- 
tees are  :  Sir  W.  T.  Lewis,  Bart.;  Alderman  David  Jones  ; 
Alderman  W.  J.  Trounce;  Mr.  John  Moore,  shipowner: 
Mr.  E.  L.  Downing,  shipbroker  ;  Mr.  William  Jones,  (W. 
and  C.  T.  Jones)  shipowner  ;  and  Mr.  T.  M.  Heywood,  ship- 
owner. From  the  foregoing,  it  will  be  admitted  that  the 
conduct  of  this  newest  undertaking  could  not  be  placed  in 
abler,  or  more  painstaking  hands,  and  the  General  Com- 
mittee which  commences  its  duties  from  to-day,  may  be 
depended  on  to  carry  the  whole  matter  along,  in  a  manner 

which    would    have    received     the 

encomiums  of  the  Founder  of  the 
Hospital,  had  he  been  spared  to 
live  to  see  the  fruition  of  his  wishes 
in  this  particular  direction.  The 
first  General  Committee  of  the 
Hospital,  is  to  consist  of  the  Pre- 
sident, the  Vice-President,  the 
Patrons,  the  Life  Members,  the 
Trustees,  and  the  following  ex 
officio  nominated  and  ordinary 
members : 

The  Mayor  of  Cardiff  for  the  time  being 
(ex  officio), 

Two  Members  to  be  nominated  by  the 
present  Marquis  or  other  the  owner  or 
owners  (being  a  descendant  or  descendants 
of  the  First  Marquis  of  Bute)  for  the  time 
being  of  Cardiff  Castle  and  in  case  of  the 
incapacity  of  any  such  owner  or  owners  by 
the  Trustee  or  Trustees  or  other  persons  or 
person  having  for  the  time  being  the  actual 
control  and  management  of  Cardiff  Castle. 
Two  members  to  be  nominated  by  the 
Cardiff  Railway  Company. 

Six  of  the  Consuls  or  Vice  Consuls  in  the 
Port  of  Cardiff. 

The    President    for    the    time   being  of  the  Cardiff  Chamber  of 
Commerce    (ex  officio). 

Two  Members  to  be  nominated  by  the  Barry  Railway  Company. 
Two  Members  to  be  nominated  by  the  Taff  Vale  Railway  Company. 
The   Chairman  for  the   time   being    of   the    Cardiff   Shipowners' 
Association    (ex   officio) ; 

and  the  following  (all,  for  the  time  being,  and  ex  officio): 
Chairman  of  the  Cardiff  Pilotage  Board  :  Dockmaster  of 
the  Bute  Docks  ;  Dockmaster  of  Penarth  Docks  ;  Dock- 
master  of  Barry  Docks.  Alderman  David  Jones,  J.P.,  for 
his  life ;  Ebenezer  Beavan.  Esq.,  J.P.  (who  was  Mayor 
of  Cardiff  in  the  Jubilee  Year,  1897),  for  his  life  ;  the  Town 
Clerk  of  Cardiff,  for  the  time  being  (ex  officio)  and  the 
following  twelve  ordinary  Members  :  Messrs.  J.  Cory,  H. 
J.  Edwards,  W.  R.  Hawkins:  James  Hurman.  Esq.,  J.P.; 
Count  Lucovich  :  Philip  Morel.  Esq.;  J.  W.  G.  Schroeter, 
Esq.:  Edmund  Handcock,  Esq.:  Dr.  W.  Taylor ;  Rev.  J. 
T.  Wordsworth  ;  L.  R.  Turnbull,  Esq.:  and  W.  J.  Tatem,  Esq. 
We  haven't  the  space  for  a  detailed  list  of  the  various 
subscribers  to  this  good  cause,  but  including  the  sum  of 
£13,500  already  stated  to  have  been  the  necessitated 


June  30,    1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


PhOtO  ty: 


THE    ROYAL    HAMADRYAD   SEAMEN'S   HOSPITAL. 


IH.  J.  B.  Wills.  Cardiff. 


amount  of  the  late  Marquis  of   Bute's  munificence,  we  be- 
lieve that  the  sum  total  paid  (and  promised,  which,  perhaps 
is  hardly  the   same    thing  ?»  is  £29.129  4s.  76.     Of  this 
sum.    some   £26.000  goes  for  the  cost    of  the  building. 
unfurnished,  and  on  reference  to  the  illustration  which  we 
are  able   to  give,   herewith,   it  will  be  admitted  that  the 
money's  worth  is  obviously  there  ?     In  this  connection,    we 
cannot  pass  on  without  referring  to  the  able  and  continued 
attention  which  has  been  given  to  the  undertaking,  by  the 
architect.  Mr.  E.  W.  M.  Corbett  :   not  merely  the  work  that 
is  included  in  the  ordinary  duties  of  an  architect :  but  the 
gratuitous  services  :  the  constant  care  :  the  effort  that  has 
been  forthcoming  at  all  times  :  the  all-pervadingness.   if  we 
may  put  it  thus,  which  may  not  be  paid  for  in  hard  cash- 
all  these  have  been  brought  forward  in  no  mean,  or  grudging 
manner.     And  coupled  with  the   name  of  Mr.   E.   W.  M. 
Corbett.  in  this  connection,  is  that  of  Cardiff's  Town  Clerk. 
Mr.  J.  I_  Wheatley,  whose  persistent  and  careful  attention. 
has  been  quite  as  unremitting.     Indeed,  the  Hospital   Com- 
mittee are  indebted,  in  no  small  manner,  to  both  the  gentle- 
men named,  for  the  success  which  has  undoubtedly  fallen 
to  the  new      Royal  Hamadryad   Seamen's  Hospital."     We 
know  that  it  is  unwise,  in  circumstances  of  this  nature,  to 
make  what  might  be  considered  as  invidious  distinctions : 
but  we  are  sure  that  the  gentlemen  who  are  associated  with 
the  work  which  we  are  discussing,  will  ungrudgingly  bear  wit- 
ness to  the  truth   of   our  statement  in  this  particular :  and 
will  be  just  as  willing  to  thank  both   Mr.  E.  W.  M.  Corbett, 
and  Mr.  J.  L.  Wheatley.  for  the  work  which  they  have  freely 
rendered,  over  and  above  that  which  was  "  in  the  bond."  so 
to  speak.     Concerning  the  opening  ceremony  we  have  but 
little  to  say.     It  was  a  local  function  :  and  our  Cardiff  con- 
temporaries have  probably  told  the  local  man  ( and  his  wife ) 
most  of  what  was  worth  knowing  :  but  we  feel  sure  that  the 
chief  personage  connected   with  that  opening  ceremony, 
must  have  felt  proud  to  have  been  in  a  position  to  put  the 
finishing  touch,  on  what  his  father's  brain  and  hand   had 
begun:  even  as  he  experienced  regret,  at  the  knowledge  that 
it  was  impossible  for  that  father  to  be  present,  at  the  crown- 
ing point.     However,  it  was  eminently  fitting  that  the  son 
should  complete,  that  which  his  father  had  commenced  :  and 
we  are  perfectly  sure  that  the  sympathies  of  the  whole  of 
commercial  Cardiff,  were  with  the  Marquis  of  Bute  yesterday. 
For  a  detailed  description  of  the  new  Hospital,  we  shall  await 
a  future  occasion :  but  we  may  remark  en  passant,  that  it  has 
accommodation  for  54  patients— 18  beds  on  each  floor,  and 


three  floors  in  all  :  that  it  is  replete  with  every  detail  which 
modern  medical  science  can  suggest,  it  is  substantially  built ; 
thoroughly  sanitary  in  every  particular  ;  lighted  throughout 
by  a  splendid  installation   of    electric  light,  with   current 
drawn  from  the  town  mains  :  is,  in  short,  an  up-to-date  and 
efficient  Temple  of  Healing  :  a  retreat  withdrawn  from  the 
madding  crowd,  and  entrance  to  which,  for  the  Jacks  of 
all  nations,  is  solely  conditional  on  their  need  for  medical 
help :  a  help  which  will  be  promptly  forthcoming  from  the 
able    hands    of    the    Medical    Superintendent,  Doctor  A. 
Dewar.     Ere  leaving  the  new  Temple  for  a  short  consider- 
ation of  the  old.  we  might  usefully  remind  our  readers  that 
Sir  W.  T.  Lewis  has   already   endowed   a  bed  in  the   New 
Hospital :  one  that  is  to  be  known  to  future  generations,  as 
"  The  Lady  Lewis  Bed,"   in  memory  of  one  who  has  gone 
before.     It  occurs  to  us  to  ask,    if  any  of  the  Merchant 
Princes  of  Cardiff,  have   a  dear  one  in  the  Great  Beyond, 
whose  memory  would  be  suitably  enshrined,  by  a  similar 
endowment?     As  a  matter  of  fact,  there  are  many  such  at 
the  Docks,  and  we  know  of  no  better  manner  for  perpet- 
uating the  memory  of  one  who  has  gone  before,  than  by  the 
endowment  of  a  bed   in   the   New   Hospital.      Moreover, 
among  such  numbers  of  really  wealthy  men  who  flourish  at 
the  Docks :  and  who  have  made  colossal  fortunes,  through 
the  agency  of  the  sailors  for  whom  this  Hospital  has  been 
established  ;  it  should  be  easily  possible  to  see  to  it,  that  at 
one  of  the  floors  — with  its  eighteen   beds — contained 
nothing  but  endowment  affairs.     Indeed,  the  Dockite  has 
earned  for  himself,  a  world-wide  reputation  for  doing  the 
the  right  thing  at  the   right  time  ;  and   with  all  the  faults 
which  have  been  placed  at  his  door,  that  of  niggardliness,  or 
a  deaf  ear  turned  to   suffering  humanity  has  never  been 
among  the  number.     Moreover,  we  are  of  opinion  that  they 
never  will,  and  a  fitting  culmination  to  the  splendid  building 
which  has  now  been  opened  for  its  mission  of  mercy,  would 
be  the  placing,  in  two  rows,  on  the  walls  of  the  ground-floor 
ward,  of  eighteen  nice  little  brass  plates.      Their  business 
would  be  to  inform  the  visiting  world,  that  even  as  the  late 
Marquis  of  Bute  had  a  kindly  interest  in  the  sailor,  so  have 
the  large-hearted   gentlemen   who    remain   with  us.     Sir 
William   Thomas  Lewis  has  set  the   example  ;  there  are 
considerably  more  than  eighteen  wealthy  men  amongst  us, 
here,  in  business  ;  they  have  often  shown  that  they  realise 
that  as  they  have  been  given  much,  then  much  is  expected 
of  them- is  it  necessary  to  say   more?     Surely  not,  if   we 
may  be  permitted  to  add  that  this  Hospital  is  no  "  party  " 


»4 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  30,    1905 


affair :  has  nothing  to  do  with  religion,  with  politics,  or  with 
any  of  the  burning  questions  which,  from  time  to  time, 
convulse  the  neighbourhood.  It  is  not  even  a  local  affair  - 
outside  of  situation  ;  for  as  already  stated,  the  Hospital  is 
open  to  the  whole  world,  and  the  only  condition  that  is  im- 
posed, is  that  the  entrant  be  a  sailor,  and  in  need  of  medical 
help.  The  Taff  Vale  Railway  Company  have  passed  over 
the  land  :  the  Marquis  of  Bute  has  given  the  major  portion 
of  the  money  ;  others,  at  the  Docks  have,  between  them, 
supplied  the  remainder  of  the  needed  capital :  who  is  going 
to  fill  one  ward  with  endowed  beds  ?  Ere  leaving  this 
part  of  our  discussion,  we  shall  be  doing  no  harm  if  we 
repeat,  that  he  gives  twice,  who  gives  quickly.  And  now 
let  us  give  a  brief  consideration  to  the  noble  work, 
which,  without  ostentation,  has  been  carried  out  by 
the  poor  old  Hamadryad,  whose  "curfew  tolls  the 
knell  of  parting  day."  Built  to  sink  and  destroy  her 
country's  seagoing  enemies,  the  irony  of  fate  ultimately 
brought  her.  into  a  state  which  has  proved  an  unqualified 
blessing  to  suffering  nautical  humanity.  Without  wishing 
to  suggest  that  there  is  a  positive  analogy  between  the  one- 
time man-of-war,  and  Goldsmith's  man  who  "  came  to 
scoff"  but  "remained  to  pray,"  we  must  yet  submit  that 
the  circumstances  are  as  near  thereto,  as  it  is  possible  to 
get  when  comparing  the  animate  with  the  inanimate.  To 
us  who  know  our  Cardiff,  the  word  Hamadryad  naturally 
recalls  the  well-known  figure  of  Dr.  Hughes,  the  strenuous 
worker  who  did  so  much  to  make  the  old  ship's  name,  as 
familiar  in  the  mouths  of  sailormen  the  world  over — as  the 
proverbial  "household  words."  Whether  the  untiring  and 
always  cheery  medico,  was  spared  the  pain  of  having  to 
leave  the  old  "  workshop  "  for  the  new  ;  or  if  his  ambition 
would  have  been  better  satisfied,  to  have  found  his 
sphere  of  usefulness  enlarged,  as  it  would,  undoubt- 
edly, have  been ;  we  care  not  to  say.  The  labourer 
has  gone ;  the  scene  of  his  years  of  labour  follows ; 
and  ours  be  the  privilege  of  stating,  in  cold  figures,  the 
aggregate  of  that  labour.  To  give  the  total  of  the 
human  sympathy ;  the  kindliness ;  the  ever-ready  word 
of  encouragement,  is  beyond  us ;  so  we  shall  make 
no  attempt.  Indeed,  it  is  altogether  unnecessary,  for  it  is 
impossible  for  a  man  to  spend  a  number  of  years  in  the 
alleviation  of  suffering — especially  when  that  alleviation  ex- 
tends to  the  seagoing  inhabitants  of  the  whole  world— with- 
out making  an  indelible  impression,  on  the  minds  of  those 
with  the  greatest  interest.  Personally,  we  have  heard  the 
word  "  Hamadryad  "  spoken,  in  every  quarter  of  the  globe  ; 
have  seen  it  act  as  a  bond  of  sympathy  between  seamen, 
the  world  over  :  have  noted  the  different  methods  of  pro- 
nouncing the  word,  "  Dr.  Hughes : "  and  have  heard 


eulogistic  remarks  concerning  the  gentlemen  who  attended 
to  the  financial  part  of  the  undertaking — have  heard  it  on. 
practically,  every  beach  on  earth.  For  let  it  not  be  for- 
gotten that  the  sailor  is  a  grateful  animal,  and  much  as  he 
is  maligned  by  some  of  those  whose  chief  reason  of 
existence  is  to  exploit  him  :  he  is  easier  "touched"  by  a 
kindly  action,  than  is  the  'longshoreman,  generally — a  fact 
that  is  worthy  of  remembrance,  and  continued  experiment. 
But  coming  down  to  figures,  we  find  that  from  the  time 
when  Hamadryad  first  took  up  her  position  as  a  Seamen's 
Hospital — on  November  1,  1866.  that  is--to  the  present 
date,  her  number  of  in-patients  treated,  amounts  to  17.464 
—a  present  average  of  about  450  per  annum  ;  while  her 
out-patients  number  (over  the  same  period)  237,928  or  a 
present  average  of  some  9, 000  per  annum.  As  an  example 
of  her  all  'round  utility,  we  find  that  in  addition  to  British 
seamen,  there  are  those  from  every  corner  of  the  world — not 
excepting  the  almond-eyed  Chinee,  or  the  swarthy  Arab. 
The  list  is  too  long  for  reproduction,  but  as  in-patients  in 
1904 — and  outside  of  Britons — there  were  representatives 
from  twenty-six  different  nationalities  ;  and  the  number  of 
ships  (including  British)  which  sent  those  broken  sailors  to 
be  mended,  amounted  to  no  less  than  1,026  vessels. 
Truly  a  noble  record  of  alleviated  suffering  ?  Reading 
down  the  list  of  diseases  recorded,  one  comes  across  a 
goodly  sample  of  well-known  ailments  ;  and  a  number  that 
one  will  probably  meet  for  the  first  time-  -in  that  list !  For 
instance,  there  were  two  cured  cases  of  beri-beri,  and  one 
is  constrained  to  wonder  which  nationality  supplied  the 
sleepy  ones  ?  Then,  there  is  a  solitary  instance  of 
contagious  petticoats— no,  no,  impetigo  contagiosa ! 
However,  we  will  leave  this  part  of  the  business,  as  we 
have  a  haunting  fear  that  it  is  somewhat  removed,  from  the 
line  which  we  usually  pursue  !  And  coming  along  to  the 
financial  side  of  the  institution— the  side,  which,  in  the 
majority  of  instances,  causes  more  trouble  than  all  the 
others  put  together ;  we  find  that  the  good  ship  Hamadryad 
has  been  one  of  the  pleasant  exceptions.  Her  Committee 
of  Management-  -or  whatever  title  these  able  gentlemen 
are  known  by — are  to  be  congratulated  on  the  success  of 
their  work  ;  and  that  the  old  ship  was  most  economically 
administered,  is  proved  by  the  fact  that,  instead  of  having 
to  plead  a  shortage  in  her  accounts,  there  is  a  substantial 
sum  to  be  handed  over  to  the  New  Hospital.  In  leaving 
the  subject,  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW,  on  behalf  of  the  host 
of  nautical  men  which  it  numbers  among  its  friends,  begs 
to  wish  the  New  Hospital  which  has  now  been  officially 
opened  to  the  world,  a  long,  and  as  proportionately  helpful 
and  prosperous  a  career,  as  the  "  sheer  hulk  "  which  it  has 
been  destined  to  relieve. 


Photo  by] 


THE  OLD  "HAMADRYAD"  HOSPITAL  SHIP. 


\H.  J.  B.  Wills.  Cardiff. 


June  30,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


Maritime 

(AND  OTHER) 

Ittoncp 
matters. 


I 


S  anybody  going  to 
believe  that  there 
is  anything  worth 
writing  about  in  con- 
nection with  Maritime 
or  any  other  sort  of 
Money  Matters  ?  Well, 
there  isn't,  you'll  find. 
You  will  also  find  that 
there  are  numerous 
reasons  for  this  hapless 
state  of  affairs.  Look 
at  the  political  horizon. 
What  do  you  find,  there  '.'  Clouds,  threatening  clouds. 
Germany  wants  the  earth  so  does  everybody  else,  as 
far  as  we  can  see !  "  Notes  "  are  pending,  and  while 
they  are  on  passage,  the  few  remaining  folk  who  have 
been  left  a  pound  or  two  by  the  Income  Tax  people,  are 
simply  holding  on  to  it.  Not  too  tightly,  perhaps;  but 
tightly  enough. 

1IND  you.  here  locally,  the  money  earners  have  been 
banging  it  a  bit ;  have  been  decking  her  out  in  a  fashion 
deserving  of  a  Royal  Visit:  and  if  anybody  in  this 
locality  has  any  money  left,  at  all  then,  it  must  be  the 
drapers!  Some  misguided  folk  are  of  opinion  that 
Cardiff,  for  instance,  is  a  shipping  place.  Well  it  is,  to  a 
certain  and  well-defined  extent.  To  the  extent  of 
20,000.000  tons  per  annum— of  outward  cargo,  and  other 
notions.  But  it  isn't  other  than  indirectly— a  shipping 
place  for  money.  If  you  doubt  us,  take  a  consideration 
over  what  you  saw  on  Wednesday  and  Thursday.  Eh  ? 
Did  it  speak  well  for  the  abilities  of  the  local  dry  goods 
men  '.' 

IT  did,  then,  and  that's  a  fact.  Don't  tell  us  about 
Tuesday's  Stock  Exchange  carrying-over.  That  was 
nothing  to  the  "  carry-over  "  that  some  of  the  heads  of 
families  will  have  to  provide  for,  as  the  result  of  the 
week's  festivities.  The  embroidery  that  will  be  apparent 
in  some  of  the  banking  accounts,  will  put  the  same 
article  which  appeared  on  other  accounts  (in  the  street, 
mainly)  to  the  blush,  you'll  find,  and  Papa  will  have  to 
hunt  around  for  some  of  the  cigar-ends  which,  absent- 
mindedly,  he  shoved  in  under  the  clock  in  more  affluent 
days !  Poor  Papa !  He  has  our  sympathy,  and  we  know 
that,  fora  day  or  so,  he  will  limit  himself  to  one  liqueur 
where  erstwhile,  he  had  a  dozen. 

•••  -f  -f 

YES.  we  can  quite  understand  that  on  most  of  the 
Stock  Exchanges,  "  prices  opened  dull."  We  happen  to 
know  that  they  were  dull  at  mid-day,  too ;  also  that  they 
were  more  dull  at  closing  time.  Home  Railways  have 
the  pip.  and  their  quotations  are  mainly  around  the 
mark  which  suits  your  own  ideas.  You  are  at  liberty  to 
quote  'em  as  you  will,  but  you  needn't  think  that  business 
will  result.  Not  by  a  very  long  way,  for  the  "  other 
fellow  "  has  his  own  ideas  about  quotations ;  and  it  is 
terribly  surprising  to  note  the  quantity  of  difference  of 
opinion  that  exists,  between  the  quoter,  and  the  "other 
fellow."  Moreover,  the  "other  fellow  "  has  the  money, 
and  that  is  exactly  where  the  bother  eventuates'.' 

CERTAIN  would-be  well-informed  persons,  are  trying 
to  persuade  us  that  the  American  market  is  the  only 
section,  which  shows  any  pronounced  strength.  And  yet 
the  American  is  not  unduly  fond  of  onions,  as  an  article 
of  diet,  is  he '.'  This  makes  us  wonder  where  the 
strength  materialises?  Now,  if  we  was  told  that  New- 
foundland business  was  humming,  we  should  be  inclined 
to  believe  the  soft  impeachment.  Our  experience  of  the 
Newfoundland  man,  as  a  whole,  is  that  you  may  stuff 
him  into  believing  anything— as  long  as  you  mix  enough 
of  yellow  metal  in  the  stuffing.  Yes!  Education  is  a 


great  thing  ;  but  so  far  in  the  history  of  the  world,  the 
Newfoundlander  hasn't  got  much  beyond  the  notch  which 
was  his,  in  the  old  days  when  seven-and-sixpenny 
muskets  were  unloaded  upon  him  at  thirty-shillings  a 
time.  +  +  + 

OR  for  the  matter  of  that,  when    molasses   were  dealt 

out  to  his  wife,  at  four-and-sixpence  the  gallon.  We  know 

ause  we  have  studied  the  gentleman  in  Newfoundland.' 

As  far  as  that  goes,  there  appear  to  be  other  good  people 

/ho  have  studied  him,  to  far  better  advantage  than  ever 

befell  us.      Yes,  the  American  market  is  alright— for  the 

American.     It    might    be  right   for  one    or    two  sapient 

itters  in  the  City  ;  but  for  the  common  or  garden  in- 
vestor—well, he  had  better  keep  clear  of  the  giddy 
throng,  just  now.  Indeed,  if  he  must  bang  his  good 
money,  why  not  invest  in  more  embroidery  stuff  ?  It  is 
quite  the  thing,  at  the  moment?  Moreover,  it  is  some- 
what tasty-looking,  on  occasion— and  some  human  beings! 

BUT  reverting  to  shipping  shares,  and  floating  invest- 
ments, did  most  of  you  see  the  two  man-of-war  vessels 
that  came  here,  to  keep  the  peace  against  all  comers? 
We  suppose  you  did,  and  consequently  you  are  satisfied 
that  the  £40,000,000  which  you  so  cheerfully  "  put  up  " 
among  you,  is  really  spent  as  indicated  in  the  Annual 
Report  of  the  Naval  Department  ?  Of  course,  you  would 
be  excused  for  doubting  that  the  dear  old  land  owned 
any 'warships.  You  mighty  seldom  see  them,  and  bar  an 
accident  now  and  then  (every  other  day,  about?),  you 
just  as  seldom  hear  of  them.  However,  in  view  of  the 
two  leviathans  which  have  been  sent  to  Britain's  premier 
coal  port,  you  realise  at  last,  that  there  are  such  things 
as  British  warships.  +  +  + 

WHAT  did  you  think  of  'em  as  dividend  earners  ?  Tidy 
vessels,  weren't  they  ?  Hardly  tidy  enough  to  warrant 
your  falling  over  each  other,  in  a  mad  desire  to  acquire 
shares  therein,  perhaps?  Still,  they  were  a  sort  of 
voucher.  A  proof  that  if  Britannia  means  to  go  on  ruling 
the  waves,  she  needn't  hope  to  do  so  with  the  craft  which 
you  own,  manage,  or  run,  here,  at  Cardiff.  You  know 
njost  about  the  tramp  of  commerce,  don't  you?  You 
have  also  heard  that  the  liner,  is  a  lidy  ?  Of  course  ;  and 
that  the  ordinary  warship  is  a  sort  of  Empress  of  the  Deep. 
But  never  mind.  It  did  your  hearts  good  to  see  old  Car- 
diff's streets  under  the  feet  of  a  crowd  of  Handy  men. 
It  did  ours,  anyhow,  and  we  couldn't  think  how  much 
nicer  it  would  be,  if  the  Authorities  (capital  A)  would 
develop  sense  enough  to  send  'em  along  oftener.  Do 
you  think  with  us  ? 

•f  +   + 

YOU  see,  we  have  all  become  so  used  to  the  tramp 
steamer,  and  its  uncertainty  in  the  matter  of  dividend, 
that  we  have  almost  forgotten  to  be  thankful  for  the 
small  mercies  vouchsafed  to  us.  That  is,  we  search 
through  a  balance  sheet  so  sceptically,  that  when  we 
^natice  that  the  loss,  so  to  speak,  is  because  one  Norah 
Macartharty  threw  the  deep-salt-sea-wather-bag  over  the 
battlemints,  and  the  bag  in  question  was  lost — well,  we 
are  inclined  to  sniff.  But  bless  you,  if  you  had  a  little 
more  knowledge  of  Naval  expenditures,  you  wouldn't 
grumble  at  the  poor  tramp  manager,  who  failed  to  make 
a  ten  per  cent,  dividend  out  of  three  shillings  to  Malta, 
and  eight  shillings  from  the  Black  Sea— when  the  whole 
round  trip  occupied  four  months. 

WE  told  you  at  the  beginning — at  least  we  suggested 
it— that  there  was  nothing  worth  writing  about  in  con- 
nection with  Maritime  Money  Matters.  If  you  didn't 
believe  us,  and  have  struggled  through  to  this  exact  point, 
you  might  side  with  us  now.  If  not — well  it  doesn't  mat- 
ter, for  this  "  money  "  page  is  quite  as  full  of  high-class 
hints,  as  are  most  money  pages  ;  and  it  is  a  derned  sight 
more  full  than  many  of  'em.  That  is  our  opinion  -  and 
yours,  we  are  nearly  sure. 


n6 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  30,    1905 


CARDIFF     (AND    OTHER)     COAL. 


CARDIFF.  June  28.  1905. 

The  lack  of  animation  in  the  market  which  has  to  do  with  Cardiff 
and  Other  Coal  continues,  and  the  demand-  -for  certain-  has 
shown  no  advance  on  what  has  been  in  evidence,  fop  weeks  past. 
Under  these  circumstances,  then,  you  will  naturally  conclude,  that 
we  have  but  little  chantfe  to  record.  All  the  same,  coalowners  are 
adhering  pretty  firmly  to  present  figures  if  only  for  the  reason 
that  but  small  inducement  exists,  for  any  other  kind  of  conduct. 

POSITION  -which,  at  most  times,  is  the  governing  factor — is 
everything,  to-day.  Thus,  where  buyers  are  enabled  to  suit  the 
colliery  man's  ideas  in  this  respect,  an  improvement  on  the  figures 
given  below,  may  reasonably  (and  successfully)  be  sought  for. 
Again,  accumulations  for  forward  shipment  are  very  slow  in 
manifesting  themselves,  and  the  outlook  is  the  reverse  of  rosy. 
No  wonder  the  colliers'  "leaders"  are  beginning  to  cast  about,  for 
some  reason  to  boost  the  Conciliation  Board,  which  is  mainly 
responsible  for  the  rotten  state  that  exists.  For  far  too  long  a 
time,  now,  the  coal  trade  has  been  carried  on  from  a  hand-to-mouth 
standpoint,  and  everybody  admits  that  this  is  the  reverse  of  con- 
ducive to  good  business. 

BEST  CARDIFF  ADMIRALTYS  are  steady  at  recent  figures,  in  spite 
of  the  fact  that  there  has  been  no  influx  of  new  business.  Stems 
cannot  be  regaeded  as  satisfactory,  although  the  collieries  which 
work  the  better  class  coal,  have,  for  a  week  or  so,  been  fairly  well 
off  in  this  respect.  Generally  speaking,  the  exponents  of  this 
grade  are  hard  at  12s.  9d.  -a  price  which  has  really  been  obtained. 


Other  sorts  in  the  section  rule  at  about  12s.  66.,  at  which  they  are 
being  upheld.  But  there  is  precious  little  doing,  even  at  that. 

SECONDS  are  beautifully  easy.  So  are  the  collieries  involved — and 
the  prices  are  no  better.  Quotably,  they  range  from  12s.  to 
12s.  6d.;  but  as  we  have  remarked,  ere  this,  quotations  are  merely 
a  delusion,  and  do  not  always  apply!  They  would  not  here,  for 
anything  prompt — and  that's  a  certainty.  The  prompt  buyer  could 
work  those  quotations  down  to  the  extent  of  threepence,  at  least ; 
and  without  turning  a  hair,  so  to  speak.  Stocks  are  heavy;  are 
increasing ;  there  is  no  present  prospect  of  other  conditions ; 
so,  qui  voulez  vous  ? 

ORDINARIES  continue  even  as  they  have  been  of  late — 
unprofitable.  Prices,  it  is  true,  have  not  declined  any  further  ; 
but  that  is  mainly  for  the  reason  that  the  seller  has  experienced 
no  temptation  in  this  direction. 

DRYS  are  still  unworthy  of  attention,  and  for  all  actual  use  or 
profit,  they  may  as  well  be  deleted  from  the  list.  They  have  a 
quotation^  but  then,  so  have  a  number  of  moribund  industrials, 
for  that  matter.  Those  industrials  and  DRYS  would  appear  to  be 
in  the  same  boat,  if  we  may  put  it  thus. 

MONMOUTHSHIRE  COALS  have  not  varied  appreciably,  remaining  an 
easy  department.  BEST  BLACK  VEINS  are  being  offered  at  Us.  3d.; 
but  the  offer  is  merely  a  "try  on."  Here  and  there,  it  is  possible 
to  bump  up  against  a  seller  who  keeps  his  hat  on,  so  to  speak  ; 
but  he  is  a  rarity — and  is  treated  as  such.  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
buyers  with  spot  tonnage,  are  easily  able  to  book  at  11s. — or  a 
trifle  under. 


APPROXIMATE:     FIGURES     FOR 


THF.     WEKK,     ARE     AS     FOLLOW; — 

(All  quotations  f.o.b.  at  the  respective  ports  of  shipment., 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Best  Cardiff  Ad'alty  Large 
Second         Ditto. 
Other  Second  Cardiff     ... 
Drys 
Best  Newport 
Ordinary  Bests 
Seconds" 
Best  House  Coal 
No.  3  Rhondda 
No.  2         Ditto. 
Rhondda  3  "  Thro." 
„        2        

I2S.  6vl.,    I3S.  0(1. 

i2s.  od.,  i2s.  3d. 
us.  6d.,  us.  gd. 
i  is.  gd. 
i  is.  od.,  us.  6(1. 
IDS.  gd.,  i  is.  o.l. 
IDS.  6d. 
153.  od. 
133.  9<l.,  143.  od. 
93.  6d. 
us.  91!. 
8s.  9d. 

i2s.  6cl.,  i2s.  gd. 

12S.  Oil. 

iis.  6d. 
us.  gd. 
i  is.  3d. 

113.  0(1. 

los.  6d. 
153.  oil. 
133.  gd. 
93.  6d. 
us.  gd. 
8s.  gd. 

i2s.  gd. 

I2S.  0(1. 

i  is.  6d. 
us.  6d. 
us.  3d. 

103.    lojtl. 

ios.  3d. 
143.  gd. 
133.  gd. 
gs.  7jd. 
us.  6d.,  us.  gd. 
gs.  od. 

123.   7^d. 

us.  gd.,  i2s.  3d. 
us.  4jd. 
us.  6d. 

1  IS.    I  '.(I. 

ios.  lo.Jd. 
ios.  3t!.~ 
143.  qd. 
133.  7.',d. 
gs.  7|d. 
us.  7  id. 
gs.  od. 

123.  7jd. 
123.  Od. 

i  is.  6d. 
us.  4jd. 
us.  iicl. 
ios.  gd. 
ios.  od.,  ios.  6d. 
143.  6d.,  153.  od. 
135.  7*d. 
93.  gd. 
us.  7^d. 
8s.  gd.,  gs.  3d. 

12s.  6d.,  123.  gd. 

123.  Od.,    I2S.  3.1. 

iis.  6d.,  us.  gd. 
1  1  s.  6cl. 
i  is.  od.,  us.  3d. 
ios.  gd. 
ios.  3d. 
145.  6d.,  143.  gd. 
133.  6d.,  135.  gd. 
gs.  6d.,  gs.  gd. 
us.  6d.,  i  is.  gd. 
8s.  6d.,  gs.  od. 

Smalls:— 
Best  Cardiff 
Seconds 
Ordinaries 
Best  Newport 
Seconds 
Rhondda  No.  2 
„       No.  3 

8s.  gd. 
8s.  -jd. 
8s.  od. 
73.  gd. 
73.  6cl. 
7s.  3d 
i  os.  od. 

8s.  gd. 
8s.  3d. 
8s.  od. 
73.  gd. 
73.  od. 
73.  3d. 

I  OS.  Otl. 

8s.  6d. 
8s.  od.,  8s.  3d. 
7S.  gd. 
73.  7jd. 
73.  3d. 
7s.  od. 
gs.  gd. 

8s.  6d. 
8s.  od. 
73.  gd. 
73.  6tl.,  73.  gd. 
73.  3d. 

7S.  Od. 

gs.  gd. 

8s.  4.U1. 
8s.  od. 
73.  7jd. 
73.  6d. 
73.  od.,  73.  3d. 
75.  3d. 
gs.  6d.,  ios.  od. 

8s.  3d.,  8s.  6d. 
73.  gd.,  8s.  od. 
75.  6d. 
73.  6d. 
73.  3d. 
73.  od.,  73.  6d. 
gs.  6d.,  gs.  gd. 

,            _      - 

Special 
Ordinary 

2IS.  6d. 

173.  gd. 

2  IS.  6ti. 

173.  gd. 

2  IS.  3'd. 

173.  6cl. 

2  IS.  3(1. 

173.  6d. 

2  IS.  Od.,  213.  6d. 

173.  od.,  183.  od. 

2  is.  od. 
173.  od.,  173.  6d. 

Furnace  Coke 
Patent  Fuel 

Pitwood  (ex  ship)    .. 

1  6s.  oil. 

123.  gel. 

iSs.  gd. 

i6s.  od. 
123.  gd. 

IS-.   <)d. 

153.  gd.,  163.  3d. 
I2s.  6d. 

i8s.  6d. 

133.  gd..  163.  od. 
12S.    6d. 

uSs.  6(1. 

1  6s.  od. 
123.  3d.,  I2S.  gd. 
i8s.  v\.,  iSs.  gd. 

163.  od. 
123.  gd. 

1  8s.  6d. 

All.  less  2^  per  cent,  discount,  with  payment  at  thirty  days,  except  where  otherwise  stated. 
All  quotations  for  large  Coals  imply  Colliery  Screened. 


SWANSEA,  June  28,  1905. 

HERE,  too,  the  improvement  since  our  last  is  inappreciable. 
ANTHRACITE  LARGE  is  ruling  fairly  steady  at  last  quotations,  but 
the  demand  is  considerably  below  the  supply.  For  figures,  we 
refer  you  to  the  list. 

MACHINE  MADE  COALS  are  not  in  brisk  demand,  although  a  few 
of  the  varieties  have  moderately  fair  engagements.  Prices, 
however,  have  undergone  no  change,  which  statement  applies, 


equally,    to    DUFF,  and   the  figures   for  which  is  still  the  old    old 
3s.  6d. 

CULM,  again  is  scarce,  and  there  has  been  no  slacking  off  in  the 
enquiry  therefor.  This  naturally  upholds  the  value— this  being 
from  5s.  6d.  to  5s.  9d.  STEAMS  are  weak.  Stems  with  the  collieries 
are  slack,  and  with  no  immediate  prospect  of  better  conditions, 
the  value  of  BESTS  work  out  to  12s.  9d.  SECONDS  are  easy,  while 
LOCAL  BUNKER  QUALITIES  are  quiet  at  10s.  6d. 


BELOW,  we  give  the  average  prices  for  the  week  :— 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Anthracite: 

Best    Hand    Picked  | 

Malting  Large      ...  i      ...             i8s.  6d. 

iSs.  6d. 

1  8s.  3d. 

1  8s.  3d. 

183.  od.,  i8s.  6d.    >            i8s  f,A 

Seconds    do.                   ...             i6s.  gd. 

i6s.  gd. 

173.  od. 

173.  od. 

i6s.  6d.,  173.  od. 

i6s  gd 

Hi.:  Vein  Large 

us.  3d. 

us.  3d. 

us.  od. 

us.  od. 

ios.  gd.,  us.  3d. 

us  3d. 

Red     ,. 
Machine  Made  Cobbles    ... 
„     Nuts 

gs.  gd. 
i6s.  od. 
1  6s.  3d. 

gs.  g-.\. 
1  6s.  od. 
i6s.  3d. 

ios.  od. 
153.  gd.,  1  6s.  3d. 
1  6s.  od. 

ios.  o:l 
1  6s.  od. 

153.  gd. 

gs.  6d.,  ios.  od. 
1  6s.  od. 
155.  gd  ,  i6s.  od. 

gs.  6d.,  gs.  od. 
153.  6d.,  163.  6d. 
1  6s.  od. 

„     Peas 

ios.  gd. 

ios.  gd. 

ios.  6d.,  ios.  gd. 

ios.  7^d. 

ios.  6d. 

i  os.  6d     1  1  s  od 

Kuhbly  Culm 
Duff 

53.  gd. 

33.  4.'(1. 

33.  6d.' 

53.  6d. 
3s.  6d. 

53.  6d. 
33.  3d.,  33.  gd. 

53.  7Jd. 
33.  6d. 

53.  6d.,  53.  gd. 
33.  6d. 

Patent  Fuel:— 

US.  lid. 

us.  6d. 

us.  7  .',<!. 

us.  6d.,  us.  gd. 

us.  3d.,  us.  gd. 

i  is.  6d. 

Steam  :— 

Best     Large 

123.  gd. 

I2S.  g    . 

12s.  6d.,  123.  gd. 

12s.  7id. 

I2s.  7jd. 

123.  6d. 

Seconds  ,, 

i2s.  od. 

I2S.  0(1. 

i  is.  gd. 

us.  gd. 

123.  Oil. 

I2S.  Oil. 

Hunker    ,, 
Thro'  and  Thro'         _    ... 

ios.  6d. 

8s.  7.\d. 

ios.  6d. 

8s.  7.'d. 

ios.  3d. 
8s.  6d. 

ios.  3d.            1     ios.  od.,  ios.  6d. 
8s.  6d.                 8s.  3d.,  8s.  gd. 

ios.  od.,  ios.  3d 
8s.  3d.,  8s.  6d. 

June    30, 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


117 


AND  FIXTURES, 


CARDIFF,  June  28,  1905. 

AGAIN,  the  tale  which  must  be  spread,  is  that  the  same  old 
step-and-fetch-it  continues  in  the  freight  market.  There 
is  an  Eastern  phase,  thereof  —  you'll  see  its  beauty,  below. 

FOR  the  matter  of  that,  there  is  a  Western  freight 
market,  but  it  would  appear  to  be  in  the  hands  of  a  dis- 
tinctly small  number  of  people.  The  prices,  too—  really, 
they  are  unworthy  the  use  of  good  type  !  You  may  pick 
them  out  for  yourselves,  seeing  that  we  are  giving  you  all 
there  is  in  this  connection.  Some  of  our  contemporaries 
are  of  opinion  that  chartering  has  been  "fairly  active."  As 
far  as  we  are  concerned,  we  should  like  a  little  explanation 
of  the  feature. 

TRUE,  the  Mediterranean,  as  usual  is  saving  the  ship- 
owner or  a  large  piece  of  him  —  from  closing  down  his 
business  altogether.  What  there  has  been  done  in  this 
direction,  is  scheduled,  lower  down. 

IN  leaving  the  subject,  for  this  occasion,  we  should  like  to 
hear  a  succinct  account  of  what  is  meant  by  the  words 
"fairly  heavy."  in  connection  with  chartering.  We  should. 
indeed  !  Is  the  adverb  to  be  considered,  merely,  in  a  com- 
parative sense  :  or  as  a  positive  piece  of  language  ? 

Week  Ending,  (  Wednesday),  June  28,  1905 

N     denote*   Newport.    ;8>   Swuriea.     P.  T.)    Port    Talbot,    loading. 

EASTERN. 

Colombo,  (via  Cape),    St<  ;:m>  !d. 

WESTWARD,     Etc. 

River  Plate,     Balhckmyltt   4,100  tons,    ;«..  7'd. 
h'flix  iff  .•l/Hi+it/H.    ;-.  6d. 

•ifJuiin-  .  llil'i-\. 
I  .i:'',>: 
(.Ifiialllinil'l. 
l.niira,    3,600    ton-., 
St«-;tmrr   4.500  ton-..   about    <Ss.  ijd. 

Rio  de  Janeiro.     Mmuhf^trr  >/>//////•/, 

Lord  (  in  ,  mi,    'i-. 

Buenos  Ayres  La  Plata,     Oi<>\,,,   4,300  tons,    8s. 
Monte  Video  Buenos  Ayres  La    Plata,     Steamer,  3,500 

ton-,    ,ss.  option    Rosario.  11-. 
San  Feliu,     I'vmrian,   1,200  tons,   ,s-.  ^j.   (-). 
Dakar.     11'illiniii  .  liliim^m,    2.  JOG   tons     ;s.  (>d. 
Rosario,     t  hingfoni,    2,000  tons,    7-.  6d.        (c.  orx.  ) 
Vera  Cruz,     Str.nu.  •!.   t'url. 


Genoa.     >../;//  Brnilli, 
l.infirim 
Mifhnrl, 


MEDITERRANEAN,     Etc. 


3,400  tons.   6*.  <n\.    spot. 
5,000  tons,    i,-..  .,il. 
3,  loot  <yd. 

;,'.  7,0  Ions,   08.  3d.    (I'.T.) 

'I. 


spot. 


^r  A'"i/<. 

Buttond,  3,100  ton-.  '>-.  f>d. 
irnrr.  4,200  tons,  i,-.  3d. 
im''r.  3.4°°  tons,  (,s.  3d. 

,7)    tolls,      ',-,.       ppt. 

U'im;ni;i.     |,OOO  IOIM,    <>*.   I  i«l.    s. 
Constantinople.      /»;•  •i-i-m.  na, 

I'l-iiiiiininl.     3,300  ton-,    i  s.  ^d. 
Naples,      Ei  ilcn,    2,-\~-  •  ton   . 

'fa  Mfndi,  .?.="<'  tons,  «,s.  >  <\.   option  Leghorn. 

(iirvin  .)f<it\i!-,    i,.'oo  tons.  .      ,,  ,, 

Alexandria.     ^i,/ni<>n//i,  5,800  tons,    ;s.  <>A. 

lln  liJOO     t"'is,    6s.  6(1.    s[xil.    (N). 

l:\ininilli,    ;/,--  ton-,     5s.  ()<|. 

5,800    ;•  ,?d. 


"«  \r 

KiHneau,    \.  :>^>   tons,   r,s.  <jd.  ppt. 
CivitaVecchia.     <  harlr*  /./.<;/-%,  3,0001011-,   ;-. 
Syra,     S»iitlif>»r/.    5,200  tons,    5*.  mjd.    option  Piraeus. 
Smyrna,    /'>•///>/</,  3,400  tons,  i,s.  yd. 
Venice,     •v.'.imrr,    2,000  •  tons,    7-.  4^d. 

Rh-  .   78.  3d. 

j  tons,  7-.  ,,,|.  , .,  i|,  Ss.  6d.  fuel,  (s). 

A///,-. /<•;;,'/;,    c.Soo  tons,     7s.  3d. 

Bari.      Trrgrnmt,  3,200   tons,     ^-.  9d. 

/;..//-.'•;.  /////,   j, 400  tons,    ;-.  7^d.  coal,  8s.  4^d.  fuel,  (s). 
Bon- 1  MT,    I.HMI  tons,  8-25   fcs. 

•f  Spin tr I.    :    J5  to.       (X). 


Corcubion,     Steamer,     750   tons,    6s.  7|d.     (s). 
Ancona,     Biida  II.,   3,000  tons,    /s.  6d.  (s). 
Gibraltar,     Rhio,   3,300  tons,    33.  gd.     (Admiralty). 

Anguste,   1,700  tons,    53.  6d. 

Malta,     Lydie,   3,600  tons,    43.  6d.    (Admiralty). 
Lisbon,     Ii-win,   i.iootons,    53. 

Elorrio,    1,500  tons,    53.   (N). 

Colhvand,    1,800  tons,    55. 

Belgica,   2,8cotons,    53. 
Pasages,     Santitrce,    1,600  tons,    55.  6d. 
Oran,     Steamer,  2,450  tons,    7-25    fcs. 

Anne  Thomas,     2,200  tons,   7-75    fcs.   coal,    8-75   fcs. 

fuel.  (s). 
Marseilles,     Dolcoalh,    2,150101:3,   8  francs,   (s). 

Rosina,    3, coo  4,000   tons,    7-25  fcs 
Phillippville,  Hawthorn,  1,000  tons,  9-50  fcs.  coal,  10-50  tcs. 

fuel.    (s). 

Aguilas,     Sargasso,     1,500  tons,     75.    (N). 
Marans,     Hnsclinerc,     1,400  tons,   5-75  fcs. 
Leghorn,     Orianda,  1,800  tons,  6s.  gd,  6id,  500. 

BALTIC,  Etc. 

Cronstadt,     Earl  of  Dumfries,    1,800  tons,    43.  6d. 

Steamer,    1,900  tons,   43.  6d. 

ihiiby,   2,450  tons,    43.  3d. 

Steamer,    1,500  tons,   43.  3d.    (N). 
StetWn,     G.Koch,    2, 200  tons,   43.  7|d. 
Kceningsberg,  Steamer,  (Foreign)   850  tons,    53.  6d.    (s). 


BAY,     Etc. 

Charente.     Ingoldsby,    1,600  tons,  4-87^  fcs. 

Htletie Lohden  1,500  tons   5-25    fcs,   option    Rochefort 

5-75  fcs.  (s). 

La  Pal  I  ice,    O/i-an-i,  2,000  tons,    4  fcs. 

(irrcnhill,    2,900    tons,    4-20  tcs. 
Sables,     SkuM,    1,500  tons,    4-75  fcs. 
Bordeaux,     Rocio,   1,700  tons,  5-50  fcs.  coal,  6  fcs.  fuel,  (s) 
Bayonne,  Malinno,   1,650  tons,  5-50  fcs.  coal,  6  fcs.  fuel.  (s). 
Chantenay,     Castlcfoni,  2,300  tons,    4-62!  francs. 

COASTING,     Etc. 

London,     Steamer,  700  tons,  33.  io^d.  optn.  Rochester,  43. 

(*)• 

Llaine,   1,000  tons,    33.  yd. 
Cork,      I'ulfiilr,   360  tons,   38.  6d.     (s). 
Newry,     Buffalo,  260  tons,    33.  6d.    (s). 
Belfast,     Croft  head,  400  tons,    33.   (s). 

May,    250   tons,    33.     (s). 

Dublin,     Contract  5,000  tons,  35.  7^d.  voyages  up   to   Dec. 
1905,  shipment  per  Steamers  of  300/400  tons.  (s). 
Limerick,     Stockton,   400  tons,    53.    (s). 
Portland,     Rochefort,    1,100  tons,  23.  gd.     (Admiralty). 
Haulbowline,     I'eclis,    i,oootons,  2s.  gd.  „ 

Cherbourg,      Yrtw/a/e,  500  tons,   43.  6d.     (s). 
Caen,     Theodora,   1,150  tons,    43.   (s). 

Lallan,    700    tons,    43.  3d.  (s). 
Rouen,     M.J.Craig,  800  tons,    43.  8d.    (s). 

Cnrran,    1,450  tons,   48.  7^d.  (s). 
m  Princess,  680  tons,    48.  9d.    (s). 

The  Princess,  700  tons,   43.  9d. 

.•I Her  M.  Craig,    1,200  tons,    43.  8d.    (s). 

St.  Kevin.   730  tons,    45.  9d.   (s). 

Bass  Rock,    850  tons,    48.    d.   (s). 
Havre,     Argus ;  or  Cnrran,   1,450  tons,   43.   (s). 

Sprightly,    1,000  tons,  43. 
Dieppe,     Borrowdale,   1,300  tons,    43. 

Steamer,    1,500  tons,  35.  7jd. 

Steamer,    600  tons,    43.  ijd. 
St.  Malo,     Skrldon,    1,750  tons,    33.  7Jd. 

Speedwell,   t, 200  tons,    33.  io:;d. 

Free  Lance,  1,500  tons,  33.  7-Jd. 
Hamburg,     Hansa,  850  tons  53.     (s). 
Honfleur,     Iron  King,  500  tons,    43.  3d.     (s). 

HOMEWARD. 

Bilbao  to  Cardiff,      Eastgnte,    3,400  tons,  43.  i^d. 
„        „        „  --'•*•/><?.   857  »•    4S.  i^d.   ppt. 

„    Briton  Ferry,  Baracaldo,  1,600  tons,  43.  6d.  ppt. 

,,    Newport,    Sardincro,    1,274  n-    4s-  4-|d.  ppt.  ore. 
Tunis  to   Swansea,    Steumsr,   2,200  tons,  6s.  gd. 


IIS 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  30,    1905 


SHIPBUILDING. 


The  steel  screw  steamer  A.  J.  Hocken,  built  by  the 
Grangemouth  and  Greenock  Dockyard  Company,  Grange- 
mouth,  in  1901,  for  Messrs.  R.  Hocken  &  Co.,  London,  and 
recently  taken  over  by  the  builders,  has  been  sold  to  foreign 
buyers  at  £17,500.  Here  is  an  example  of  the  great 
difference  between  prices  ruling  when  this  steamer  was 
contracted  for  in  1900,  and  the  present  time.  She  cost 
about  £29,000  to  build,  and  after  four  years'  trading,  is 
sold  at  £17.500  and  this  price  includes  the  passing  of 
Lloyd's  No.  1  survey,  and  a  new  patent  donkey  boiler  which 
has  just  been  fitted.  Similar  steamers  have  recently  been 
contracted  for  at  £21.500.  The  A.  J.  Hocken  carries 
about  3,100  tons  deadweight  on  17 ft.  5m.  draft.  Dimen- 
sions 270ft.  x  40ft.  Gin.  x  20ft.  6in.  moulded  ;  with  engines 
20in..  32 ,'2 in..  53in.  x  36in.  stroke  by  Messrs.  S.  &  H. 
Morton  &  Co.,  Leith. 

+  -f  + 

A  new  steel  screw  cargo  steamer  now  under  course  of 
construction  by  the  Northumberland  Shipbuilding  Company, 
Ltd.,  Howden-on-Tyne,  has  been  sold  to  Messrs.  Howard 
Smith  &  Company,  Ltd..  of  Melbourne.  The  steamer  is 
372ft.  x  48ft.  x  30ft.  lOin.  moulded,  and  is  building  under 
special  survey  to  the  highest  class  at  Lloyd's  spar  deck  rule, 
with  extra  strengthening  for  special  freeboard.  The 
machinery  will  be  supplied  by  Messrs.  Richardsons,  West- 
garth  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  consisting  of  engines  with  cylinders  26in., 
42in..  72in.  x  48in.  stroke,  and  three  large  single  ended 
boilers.  She  will  carry  about  7,000  tons  deadweight,  and 
steam  about  10  knots  loaded.  We  understand  the  price 
paid  is  about  £37,500. 

+  +  + 

We  understand  that  Messrs.  Furness,  Withy  &  Co.,  Ltd.. 
have  sold  a  spec,  steamer,  building  at  their  own  shipyard, 
at  West  Hartlepool,  to  Messrs.  Harris  &  Dixon,  of  London. 
Her  dimensions  are  :  340ft.  x  47ft.  x  29ft.  lOin.  moulded  : 
deadweight  capacity  about  6,300  tons,  on  about  24ft. 
loaded  draft.  Triple  expansion  engines  will  be  supplied  by 
Messrs.  Richardsons,  Westgarth  &  Company,  Ltd.,  Hartle- 
pool. the  cylinders  being  24in.,  39in..  65in.  x  45in.  stroke 
taking  steam  from  two  boilers  16ft.  by  10ft.  9in.  long. 
180  Ibs.  working  pressure.  The  price  paid  is  said  to  be 
about  £33,000. 

+  +  + 

It  is  reported  that  the  steel  screw  steamer  Cavalier. 
owned  by  Messrs.  Papayanni,  Stewart  &  Co.,  Ltd..  Liver- 
pool, has  been  sold  to  the  Union  Steamship  Company,  of 
New  Zealand,  Ltd.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  S.  P.  Austin 
&  Son,  Ltd.,  Sunderland,  in  1903.  Dimensions  247ft.  x 
36ft.  Sin.  x  19ft.;  1,376  tons  gross  :  with  engines  20in.. 
33in..  54in.  x  36in.  stroke,  by  the  North  Eastern  Marine 
Engineering  Company,  Ltd.  The  price  paid  is  said  to  be 
about  £20.000. 

+  +  + 

The  steel  screw  steamer  Marietta  Ralli.  lately  owned  by 
Messrs.  Foscolo,  Mango  &  Co.,  of  London  and  Constanti- 
nople, is  reported  sold  to  Greek  buyers,  at  about  £11,500. 
She  was  built  by  Messrs.  Furness,  Withy  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  West 
Hartlepool,  in  1891.  Dimensions  290ft.  x  38ft.  x  22ft. 
5in.:  2.239  tons  gross  ;  with  engines  22in.,  36in.,  59in. 
x  39in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  W.  Allan  &  Co. 

+  +  + 

The  steel  screw  steamer  Kestor,  lately  owned  by  Messrs. 
E.  J.  Caiger  &  Co.,  London,  has  been  sold  to  Mr.  R.  H. 
Holman,  London.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  W.  Gray  &  Co., 


Ltd.,  West  Hartlepool,  in  1890.  Dimensions  290ft.  x 
38ft.  x  22ft.  2in.:  2,289  tons  gross;  with  engines  21  '2in., 
35in..  58in.  x  39in.  stroke,  by  the  Central  Marine  Engine 
Works. 

The  iron  screw  steamer  Helen  Otto,  owned  by  Mr.  George 
Otto,  of  North  Shields,  reported  sold  to  foreign  buyers  at 
about  £6.000.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  J.  Readhead  & 
Co.,  South  Shields,  in  1883.  Dimensions  249ft.  x  36ft.  x 
18ft.  9in.:  1,433  tons  gross:  with  engines  29in.,  54in.  x 
36in.  stroke  by  Messrs.  Readhead. 

By  order  of  the  Lords'  Commissioners  of  the  Admiralty. 
Messrs.  Fuller,  Horsey,  Sons  &  Cassell,  will  offer  for  sale 
by  auction,  at  the  Dockyard,  Portsmouth,  on  Tuesday. 
July  11.  several  obsolete  war  vessels,  hulks  and  other 
craft. 

The  iron  steam  trawler  Boronia,  built  by  Messrs.  J.  P. 
Rennoldson  &  Sons,  South  Shields,  in  1892,  and  lately 
owned  by  Mr.  C.  C.  Morley.  of  Milford  Haven,  has  been 
sold  to  Dutch  buyers. 

The  iron  steam  trawler  Aries,  built  at  Grimsby,  in  1881 . 
and  lately  owned  by  the  Grimsby  &  North  Sea  Steam 
Trawling  Company.  Ltd..  Grimsby,  has  been  sold  to 
Swedish  buyers. 

Messrs.  Ferguson  Brothers,  Port  Glasgow,  have  received 
an  order  from  the  Kurrachee  Harbour  Trust,  for  the  con- 
struction of  Hopper  barges  of  800  tons  each. 

We  hear  that  a  new  steel  screw  cargo  steamer  recently 
launched  by  Tyne  builders,  of  about  7,000  tons  deadweight 
capacity,  has  just  been  sold  to  German  owners. 

The  Clyde  Shipbuilding  and  Engineering  Co..  Ltd.,  Port 
Glasgow,  have  received  an  order  from  a  Chilian  firm,  for  the 
construction  of  a  cargo  and  passenger  steamer. 

Messrs.  Cochrane  &  Sons.  Selby.  have  received  an  order 
from  Mr.  Wm.  Watkins,  London,  for  the  construction  of 
two  powerful  tugs  for  delivery  in  the  autumn. 

The  steamer  Maylands,  recently  purchased  by  Messrs. 
Van  Uden  Brothers,  of  Rotterdam,  from  Messrs.  J.  F. 
Wilson  &  Co.,  West  Hartlepool,  has  been  renamed 

Veerhaven. 

+  -»•  -f 

Messrs.  Elder,  Dempster  &  Company,  Ltd..  Liverpool, 
are  the  purchasers  of  the  steamer  Groxdale,  recently  re- 
ported sold.  She  has  been  renamed  Nembe. 

Messrs.  Mackay  Brothers,  of  Alloa,  have  received  an 
order  from  a  British  firm,  for  the  construction  of  a  cargo 
steamer  to  carry  about  600  tons  deadweight. 

S/S  Kiruna. — This  vessel,  built  by  Messrs.  William 
Doxford  &  Sons.  Ltd.,  Pallion,  for  the  Trafikaktiebolaget- 
Grangesberg-Oxelosund,  left  Sunderland  on  Saturday,  the 
24th  inst,  with  full  cargo  aboard  for  Stockholm.  Previous 
to  proceeding  on  her  voyage,  she  ran  a  most  successful 
trial  trip  on  the  measured  mile. 

S/S  Gellivare.—  This  vessel,  a  sister-ship  to  the  Kiruna. 
and  built  for  the  same  owners,  was  launched  from  the  yard 
of  Messrs.  William  Doxford  &  Sons,  Limited,  Wednesday, 
the  21st  inst. 


June  30,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


"9 


PATENTS  &  TRSDE 


Relating    to    SHIPPING   and    the    COAL    TRADE. 


Specifications  published  on  June  15,  1905,  together 
with  an  indication  of  their  subject  matter,  the  title 
being  printed  in  Italics. 

1 1,922/04 — VIGIE  —Improvements  relating  to  ships'  bunks. 

This  invention  relates  to  temporarily  fitting  cargo 
boats  with  removable  bunks,  when  such  vessels  are 
employed  as  troop  or  emigrant  ships.  The  invention 
consists  of  a  tubular  iron  column  or  upright  for  a  bunk, 
having  a  rod  or  extension  piece  telescoping  in  its  upper 
end.  This  rod  tends  to  be  forced  outwards  by  a  helical 
spring  which  surrounds  the  rod  and  bears  against  a  nut 
thereon  and  the  upper  end  of  the  tubular  upright.  The 
lower  end  of  the  column  and  the  upper  end  of  the 
extension  piece  is  fitted  each  with  a  foot  padded  with 
wood  or  leather  whereby  the  column  is  adapted  to  be 
fixed  upright  anywhere  between  decks,  without  requiring 
special  permanently  fixed  sockets.  In  a  modification 
the  extension  rod  is  adjustable  in  the  column  and  held  in 
position  by  a  pin  passed  through  both,  in  which  case  in 
the  place  of  a  foot,  the  upper  end  is  fitted  with  a 
laminated  spring  of  T  shape. 

1 3.594/04 -THWAITE,  DENNY  &  COMMONS— Improve- 
ments in  apparatus  for  dealing  with  dust  in  mines  and  the 
like. 

This  invention  relates  to  means  for  exhausting,  in 
mines,  dust  laden  air  from  bore  holes,  or  air  laden  with 
noxious  fumes  arising  from  blasting  operations  and 
after  purification  of  such  air,  re-discharging  same  into 
the  workings.  For  this  purpose  the  air  is  withdrawn 
through  a  hose  from  a  circular  hood,  which  is  supported 
so  that  an  annular  pad  on  its  face  is  in  close  contact  with 
the  face  of  the  rock  being  drilled.  The  hood  is  pro- 
vided with  a  central  hole  and  a  lateral  gap  for  the  passage 
of  the  drill  shank.  In  the  case  where  air  is  exhausted 
from  the  neighbourhood  of  an  explosion,  a  perforated 
pipe  is  fitted  by  means  of  terminal  extension  screws 
across  the  mine  gallery.  The  air  withdrawn  along  the 
hose,  encounters  first  a  gauze  screen  fitted  in  an 
enlargement  at  one  of  the  unions  of  two  sections  of 
hose.  This  screen  separates  the  grosser  particle  of 
dust.  The  hose  is  led  to  a  portable  carriage,  which  is 
fitted  with  a  washer  tank  containing  water  water,  mixed 
with  lime,  or  water  mixed  with  lime  and  a  disinfectant  or 
deodoriser.  The  air  is  drawn  through  the  washer  tank 
by  a  fan  also  mounted  on  the  carriage,  and  is  finally  dis- 
charged through  a  slag-wool  or  sawdust  filter.  The 
purpose  of  the  lime  in  the  washer  is  to  absorb  C  02 
produced  by  explosions. 

14.249  04— BlBSOH  — Improvements  in  or  connected  with 
percussive  rock  drills. 

This  invention  relates  to  the  class  of  rock  drills  in 
which  the  piston  of  the  drill  is  reciprocated  by  airr 
alternately  compressed  and  exhausted  in  a  pair  of 
flexible  pipes  communicating  each  with  the  drill  cylinder 
at  opposite  sides  of  the  piston,  their  other  ends  com- 
municating with  opposite  ends  of  a  compressor  cylinder 
located  alongside  the  drill.  It  is  usual  to  fit  each  end  of 
the  compressor  cylinder  with  a  non-return  valve,  com- 
municating with  the  atmosphere  to  supply  air  in  the 
place  of  that  lost  by  leakage.  Now  this  invention  con- 
sists in  providing  a  single  non-return  valve,  for  this 
purpose  on  the  cylinder  at  about  the  centre  of  the  stroke, 
so  that  there  can  be  no  leakage  past  the  valve  at  the  latter 
or  heaviest  half  of  the  stroke  of  the  piston,  owing  to 
same  having  past  the  valve,  whilst  the  valve  is  then 
placed  in  communication  with  the  suction  side  of  the 
piston.  A  second  feature  of  the  invention  consists  in 
mounting  the  driving  motor,  preferably  electric,  of  the 
compressor  in  the  plane  of  the  axis  of  the  cylinder 
thereby  increasing  the  inertia  of  same  and  reducing 
longitudinal  oscillation. 

15,17404  CRICIONI  Improvements  in  marine  sounding 
apparatus. 

This  sounding  apparatus  acts  on  the  principle  of  the 
Bourdon  pressure  guage.  It  consists  of  a  circular 


casing  adapted  to  be  sunk  to  the  sea  bottom,  enclosing  a 
Bourdon  tube,  provided  with  an  inlet  opening.  This  tube 
actuates  a  pointer  moving  around  a  dial.  The  connection 
between  the  tube  and  the  pointer  actuating  quadrant  lever, 
is  by  means  of  a  slotted  link,  so  that  the  tube  can  return  to 
zero  without  the  pointer  which  is  held  by  a  detent  and 
returns  under  spring  influence  when  released  by  hand. 

23,877/04 — LE  MEITRE — An  automatic  cord  or  rope  check 
for  use  with  roller  or  Venetian  blinds,  skylights,  rigging  and 
the  like. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  device  which  automatically 
prevents  the  passage  of  a  rope  in  the  one  direction  whilst 
allowing  it  to  freely  pass  in  the  other  direction.  It  con- 
sists of  a  base  plate  for  mounting  against  a  wall,  &c., 
provided  with  a  hood  shaped  piece  having  two  parallel 
side  cheeks,  and  a  front  face  inclined  to  the  base  plate. 
This  hood  piece  is  open  at  the  top,  where  it  is  narrowest, 
and  bottom,  and  forms  a  wedge  shaped  channel  in  which 
a  ball  is  contained.  The  ball  is  too  large  to  issue  from  the 
open  top  of  the  channel,  and  is  prevented  from  dropping 
out  of  the  lower  end  by  a  pin  passed  through  the  sides. 
The  cord  is  threaded  through  the  channel  and  is  clamped 
between  the  inner  front  surface  and  the  ball.  To  release 
the  cord  it  is  drawn  downwards  to  allow  the  ball  to  drop 
and  allowed  to  slide  through  the  channel  by  holding  its 
free  end  so  as  to  be  clear  of  the  ball. 

25,768/04 — BiERMANN  —  Improvements  in  and    connected 
with  life  buoys. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  life  buoy  in  which  both 
acetylene  and  phosphuretted  hydrogen  are  generated, 
the  former  as  an  illuminant  and  the  latter  as  a  means  of 
ignition  of  the  former.  The  buoy  itself  consists  of  a  hollow 
pear  shaped  body  inside  which,  at  the  base  two  chambers 
are  concentrically  arranged,  one  containing  calcium 
carbide  and  the  other  calcium  phosphide.  These  cham- 
bers are  closed  by  perforated  stoppers  to  admit  water 
when  thrown  overboard,  and  conrnunicate  by  concentric 
pipes  with  burner  orifices  at  the  apex  of  the  buoy.  Hand- 
les are  fitted  to  the  sides  of  the  buoy. 
26,541/04 — LlHON  &  IRVINE — Improvements  in  boat 
raising  and  lowering  gear. 

This  invention  relates  to  providing  davits  with  a  multi- 
plying gear,  and  a  reducing  gear,  and  means  for  bringing 
either  into  operation,  whereby  slack  may  be  rapidly 
taken  up,  whilst  heavy  boats  requiring  great  purchase 
can  also  be  handled  with  facility. 

2,195/05 — REID  Improvements  in  devices  for  lubricating 
sheaves. 

This  self  lubricating  sheave  is  provided  with  longitu- 
dinal grooves,  formed  by  boring  holes  parallel  to  the  axis 
at  such  a  distance  therefrom  that  the  section  slightly 
overlaps  the  hole  subsequently  bored  for  the  shaft,  thus 
forming  undercut  grooves.  These  grooves  are  filled 
with  fibrous  packing  and  communicate  by  means  of  holes 
'  'with  an  annular  oil  chamber  formed  in  the  body  of  the 
sheave. 

3,622/05 — FORBES — Improvements  in  and  relating  to  dis- 
tance recorders,  or  indicators  for  ships. 

This  distance  recorder  for  ships  consists  of  an  intake 
pipe,  provided  with  a  scoop  projecting  into  the  water 
near  the  vessel's  bottom,  and  containing  a  rotator  which 
is  operated  by  the  inrush  of  water  to  actuate  a  recording 
mechanism. 

These  applications  for  patents  are,  until  July  24,  1905, 
open  to  opposition  by  any  person  having  a  statutory 
right  to  oppose. 

Copies  of  the  speeificaticns  may  be  obtained  from  the 
Patent  Office  or  through  the  under-named. 


No   TRADE    MARKS   THIS   WEEK. 

Compiled  by  Messrs.  PHILLIPS  &  LEIGH,  Chartered  Patent 
Agents,  22,  Southampton  Buildings,  Chancery  Lane,  London, 
VVTC.  Local  Consultant:  Mr.  S.  W.  ALLEN,  Engineer,  of  Cardiff 
Exchange,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


June  30,  1905 


1  . 

' 


OUR  MARITIME  DIRECTORY. 


*  n 

V 
. , 


iliuiiiit 


CARDIFF. 


Colliery  Proprietors. 


BROS.  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff  and 
London.    Depots  at  all  the  principal 
ioaling  Stations  in  the  World. 

T.I.«         .    "Cony,  CARDIFF"  ; 
Telegrams.    ••  CORY.  LONDON." 


TNSOLE,  GEORGE  &  SON,  Cardiff.   Sole 
Shippers  of   Gymmer   Steam    Goal, 
Windsor  Steam  Coal,  and  Insoles  No.  2 
Rhondda  Goal. 

Telegrams:  "INSOLES.  CARDIFF." 


F  EWIS  MERTHYR  CONSOLIDATED  GOL- 
LIERIES,  LTD.,  Proprietors  and  Ship- 
Ders  of  "Lewis  Merthyr"  Navigation 
Steam  Goal. 

Toioors  "LEWIS  MERTHYR,  CARDIFF"  : 

elegrams  .    "  LEWIS  MERTHYR,  LoNDON.» 


MARQUESS     OF     BUTE     COLLIERIES, 
Aberdare.  Hirwain,   and  Rhondda 
Valley.     Shipping  ports  : — Bute  Docks, 
ardiff :      Penarth     Dock  ;      Swansea ; 
Briton    Ferry :     and    Newport    (Mon.) 

Telegrams:  "SEMA.  CARDIFF." 


f)CEAN    (MERTHYR)    GOAL   Co.,   LTD., 
1 1,  Bute  Crescent.  Cardiff,  proprie- 
;ors  of  Ocean  (Merthyr)  Steam  Goal. 


[JNIVERSAL  STEAM   GOAL  Co.,  LTD., 
Bute  Docks,  Cardiff.  Proprietors  of 
'  Universal  Steam  Goal." 

Telegrams  :   "  VERSATILE,  CARDIFF." 


C  AR  Dl  FF—  Continued. 


VIVIAN,   H.   C.   &  Co.,    Bute   Docks, 
Cardiff.     Sole  European  Agents  for 
"  The  Puritan  Coal  Mining  Co.,  Phila- 
delphia, U.S.A." 

Telenrrams  :  "VIVIAN.  CARDIFF." 


WATTS,    WATTS  &  Co.,   Cardiff    and 
London.  Contractors  for  the  supplv 
of  Goals  at  all  Dep6ts  abroad. 

Telegrams  :  "  WATTS,  CARDIFF." 


Dock   Owners. 


'THE  CARDIFF  RAILWAY  COMPANY,  Bute 
Docks.  Cardiff. 

Ship  Repairers. 


CHEARMAN,  JOHN  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff. 
and  at  Barry  Dock. 

'THE   BUTE  SHIPBUILDING,  ENGINEERING, 
AND   DRY    DOCK   COMPANY,    LIMITED, 
Roath  Basin,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:   "GAISSOM,  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF  CHANNEL  DRY  DOCKS  AND 
PONTOON    Co.,    LTD.,    Cardiff    and 
Barry  Dock. 

-r  i  "  Entrance,  Cardiff." 

Telegrams  .    ..  Channet  Barry  ... 


'THE   MERCANTILE   PONTOON  Co.,  LTD., 
1      Roath  Dock,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams :  "  MERCANTILE,  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF— Continued 


Miscellaneous. 


[EWIS  &  TYLOR,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 

Sole  patentees  and  manufacturers 

of  "Gripoly."  a  patent  woven  belting; 

and  "  Burals,"  a  semi-metallic  packing. 

Telegrams  :  "  BELTINO  CARDIFF."        Telephone,  Nat.  23 1 . 


Steamship    Owners. 


D 


AN.   JENKINS    &     Co..    Steamship 
Owners  and  Brokers,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "Stonewall,  Cardiff." 
Nat.  Telephone  :  1318. 


BARRY. 


Dock  Owners. 


"THE  BARRY  RAILWAY  Co..   Barry. 


Ship  Repairers. 


RARRY  GRAVING   DOCK  &  ENGINEERING 
Co.,  LTD. 

Telegrams:   "  BARDOCK,  BARRY." 
National  Telephone  No.  ?.         Post  Office  Telephone  No.  7. 


To    the    Proprietors    of 

"THE    MARITIME    REVIEW," 


DOCKS,     CARDIFF. 


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121 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July  7,  1905 


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with  the  opinions  expressed  by  Correspondents,  whose  letters  must, 
in  every  instance,  be  accompanied  by  the  name  and  address  (if  not  for 
publication,  then  as  evidence  of  good  faith),  of  the  writer,  and  must  be 
written  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only. 


«•*.»«  CONTENTS.  *  *  * 


PAGE 

MARITIME  MARK  MAKER— JOHN  MACAULAY.  Esa 120 

MARITIME  MURMURS          121 

THE  ALIENS  BILL 129 

THE  HUDSON'S  BAY  COMPANY ...  130 

CARDIFF  (AND  OTHER)  COAL        131 

COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES 132 

SHIPBUILDING          133 

MARITIME  (AND  OTHER)  MONEY  MATTERS        134 

AROUND  THE  DRY  DOCKS  135- 

PATENTS  AND  TRADE  MARKS      ...  136 


MARITIME    MURMURS. 


DOCKS,  CARDIFF. 

Thursday  Afternoon. 

IN  view  of  its  perennial  claims  to  earthly  superiority,  you 
might  think  it  strange  that  we  experience  a  difficulty  in 
accepting  Shipping  Federation,  Limited,  at  the  valuation 
which  is  usually  claimed  therefor,  by  some  of  the  estimable 
persons  who.  more  or  less,  "  boss  "  it.  All  the  same,  that 
difficulty  is  with  us,  and  if  we  have  ameliorating  circum- 
stances in  our  favour  :  if  we  have  had  personal  dealings 
with  the  contraption  :  know  it  more  for  what  it  is,  than 
what  (and  thanks  to  the  bleatings  concerning  it,  which  is 
periodically  indulged  in  by  sections  of  the  press  which 
would  be  better  employed  in  other  directions)  it  would 
appear  to  be  ;  well,  you  mustn't  blame'  us,  unduly.  Of 
course,  we  acknowledge,  right  away,  that  our  difficulties  in 
this  connection,  are  our  misfortune.  And  the  misfortune. 
perhaps,  is  accentuated  by  the  fact  that,  at  times,  and  when 
considering  the  doings  of  "  the  "  Federation,  we  cannot 
divest  ourselves  of  a  remembrance  of  an  old  song  which 
had  a  vogue,  some  year  or  so  ago.  You  remember  that  old 
lilt  concerning  "Mineself  and  God  Almighty?"  It  was 
rather  a  wicked  song.  Possibly  that  was  one  of  the  reasons 
for  its  popularity.  But  anyhow,  its  old  tag  always  comes 
to  our  mind,  when  Shipping  Federation  moves  are  toward. 


IN  the  world  of  shipping.  "  the  "  Federation  is  alpha  ;  the 
remainder  of  the  powers—  spiritual  and  temporal  —  fall  in, 
anywhere,  behind  :  this  is  oUr  straight  opinion  !  In  fact. 
were  it  not  for  this  combination  of  geniuses,  the  British 
Mercantile  Marine  would  be  —  Great  Scott,  we  shouldn't  like 
to  suggest  what  it  would  be!  But  you  may  take  it  from  us. 
that  it  would  be  considerably  more  of  a  national  institution, 
than  it  is  at  present.  Mind  you,  we  are  of  opinion  that  the 
Federation  has  quite  as  much  right  to  exist  at  the  expense 
of  shipping  shareholders,  generally,  as  have  a  majority  of 
its  paymasters  who  have  embarked  on  "  shipowning," 
without  knowing  the  first  thing  about  the  business.  You 
see,  in  the  "  good  old  days."  when  shipowners  were  men 
who  had  learned  their  trade  :  when  businesses  passed 
along  from  father  to  son,  in  orthodox  fashion  ;  and  when  a 
shipowner  knew  enough  to  manage  his  affairs,  without 
having  to  pay  a  sort  of  stick-carrier  ;  there  was  need  for 


no  Federation.  Moreover,  the  Mercantile  Marine  was  then 
a  national  institution,  for  although  it  had  a  smattering  of 
foreigners  in  its  forecastles,  that  smattering  had  not 
assumed  the  dimensions  of  a  national  danger. 

$  & 

FOR  it  must  not  be  overlooked  that,  in  the  old  days,  the 
foreign  element  was  the  result  of  accident.  British  Jack 
died  during  a  voyage  ;  his  place  had  to  be  filled,  from  a 
foreign  strand  ;  the  only  "filling  "  comeatable,  was  a  foreign 
one  :  so  the  alien  was  in  evidence  to  a  small  extent.  But 
since  the  advent  of  this  bolsterer  of  the  modern  ship- 
monger  ;  this  Shipping  Federation.  Limited,  which  is 
employed  as  a  metaphorical  policeman  and  backer-up  of  a 
number  of  inept  and  untrained  ship  managers — the  foreign 
element  has  been  imported,  wholesale.  Indeed,  the 
Federation  is  the  natural  corollary  to  the  laws  which  admit 
of  anything  with  an  aptitude  for  fairy  tales,  to  become  ship 
managers.  In  most  trades,  these  days,  it  is  necessary  for 
the  exponents  thereof,  to  know  something  of  the  business 
on  which  they  are  to  be  embarked — with  either  their  own, 
or  other  people's  money.  Shipowning.  is  probably  the  only 
exception  to  the  rule  ;  and  thus  it  comes  about,  that  you 
find  Mincing  Lane  tea  brokers;  other  lane  "dripping" 
sellers  ;  in  short,  anything  that  doesn't  quite  know  which 
end  of  a  ship  goes  first,  "  going  in  for  "  (that  is  how  they 
put  it!)  shipowning!  To  back  them  up.  and  help  run  the 
new  undertaking.  "  the  "  Federation  comes  in — and  has  to 
be  paid  for,  by  the  accommodating  persons  who  find  the 
money,  which  starts  "  shipowner"  off  on  his  merry  lay. 

§?^ 

VERY  well,  then.  Under  these  circumstances,  you  do 
not  have  to  wonder  because  the  combination  has  fastened 
itself  upon  the  shipping  industry  ;  or  that  its  chief  officer's 
job  has  become,  a  sort  of  hereditary  grand  prince  "  pass- 
me-along."  Neither  need  you  express  any  surprise  at  the 
idea,  that  quite  a  number  of  its  officials  know  their  value  to 
their  alleged  employers— and  act  accordingly  ?  Of  course, 
not !  If  you  pick  up  a  man  from  anywhere  ;  deck  him 
out  in  livery  ;  ask  no  awkward  questions  as  to  whence  he 
came  ;  take  him  at  his  own  valuation,  so  to  speak  :  and 
simply  ask  for  unquestioning  obedience,  in  return  for  the 
soft  living  you  undertake  to  provide  for  him  ;  well,  if  you 


July  7,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


122 


ultimately  find  that    the    "  unquestioning  "    particular,    is 

ely  in  evidence  just  while  you  are  looking-and  for  no 

there  is  no  necessity  to  say  anything,   is 

If.   in  the  result,  you  find  that  shipowners  may 

me.  that  shipowners  may  go.  but  that  the  holy  Federation 

goes  on  for  ever-are   you   going  to   pass   rude   remarks 

Certainly  not  !     Why.  to  belong  to  the  Federa- 

tion. is  now  a  mark  of  commercial  respectability.     It's  like 

joining  a  trade  club,  and  the  mere  fact  that  each  of  "your  " 

steamers    have    to    earn   so-much-per-ton.   by  way   of  a 

subscription     that    shall     enable    "our"    combination    to 

emulate  the  Brook—  well,  this  is  as  it  should  be  ? 

5?  %J 

You  know,  any  man  of  ordinary  intelligence  can  start  a 
shipowning  combine—  and  having  had  a  short  life  and  a 
merry  one.  can  find  himself  "sold  up."  But  it  takes  some 
"brains,  to  successfully  float  a  federation,  that  is  calculated 
to  stay  for  long  enough  to  pose  as  a  family  affair,  and  in 
which  the  Salic  Law  alone,  would  affect  the  succession. 
Therefore,  when  the  necessary  brains  have  been  forth- 
coming. and  a  federation  has  been  started  :  we  oughtn't  to 
be  surprised,  that  "  Mmeself  and  God  Almighty  "  comes  in 
to  a  certain  extent,  did  we  ?  What  started  us  off  on  this 
expression  of  opinion  ?  Well,  you  know  that  a  two-cent 
strike  has  been  in  evidence,  at  Liverpool,  for  some  little 
while,  past  ?  That  a  few  dockers  have  endeavoured  to 
work  a  modicum  of  excitement  into  their  otherwise 
uneventful  existences  ?  That  either  a  "serious  dislocation 
of  trade."  or  a  paltry  flutter  in  the  labour  world  according 
to  whether  you  are  a  Federation  official,  or  simply  the  man 
in  the  street  has  transpired?  That  viewed  dispassion- 
ately. the  whole  fitout  is  unworthy  of  the  consideration  of 
most  of  us,  although  if  you  have  to  make  capital  out  of 
such  happenings,  then,  you  can  put  the  "  strike  "  up  as  a 
tremendous  affair—  and  thus  justify  your  existence  ? 


ANYHOW,  there  has  been  a  strike  among  the  Liverpool 
dockers :  that  is  admitted.     Shipping  Federation,  Limited, 
has  been  called  on  to  show  shipowner  what  to  do  under  the 
circumstances :   sections  of  the  press  have  reported  the 
existing   conditions,  as  they  have  appeared  to  their  own 
young  men  ;    and   among  those  sections,  a  London  daily 
paper  has  become  entangled.     As  is  natural   under  the 
circumstances.  Mr.  C.  Laws,  hereditary  grand  duke  of  the 
Sloperies     no.  no.  general  manager  of  Shipping  Federation. 
Limited,  has  been  writing  "corrections"  to  that  misguided 
daily  paper.     We  needn't  bother  you  with  what  the  paper 
said  :  it  is  immaterial  ?      No  mere  newspaper  could  hope 
to  know  as  much  about  the  matter  as  the  grand  duke  -er 
—general  manager  referred  to.      Anyhow,  the  Federation 
man  puts  his  little  remarks  on  the  leeside  of  a  set  of  figures- 
in-brackets,  thus  <  1  i.  and  we  are  about  to  give  immortality 
to  the  statement  emanating  from  24,  St.   Mary,,Axe.  and 
under    date    of  July    1     this    present   year,    you    know. 
Read,  and  as  you  do.  remember  that  old  song  of  which  we 
have  told  you  :     "  The  facts  are-   i  1  '  that  the  matter  was 
placed  in  the  hands  of  the  Shipping  Federation  at  8  a.m.  of 
the  29th  inst..  and  that  by  4  p.m.  of  the  same  day  sufficient 
dock  labourers  h*d  been  drafted  (eh  ?  drafted,  you'll  note  !) 
into  Liverpool,  from  Glasgow.  Hull  and  Grimsby.  to  replace 
the  men  on  strike,  and  to  leave  a  surplus  of  50." 


will  do  the  "drafting  "  so  that  it  will  not  only  carry  on  the 
work,  but  leave  a  surplus  of  50  men— to  carry  home  your 
purchases  aforesaid  ?     Very  good,  sirs  !     Viva  Federation  ! 
Let  us  get  on  :     "  (2)    No  men  from  Hull  or  elsewhere 
requested  to  be  sent    back  (we  should  smile).      All  the 
imported    men    knew   the   purpose  for  which  they   were 
engaged,  and  most  (most,  you'll  note)  of  them  have  already 
worked  for  the  federation  during  many  previous  strikes." 
You  object  to  the  words  "  many  previous  strikes  ?  " 
Right  you  are!      The    same    objection     fluttered     over 
ourselves,  but  we  shouldn't  have  mentioned  it,  unless  you 
had   insisted.     This   is   a  proof  that  Shipping  Federation 
does  a  terrible  lot  of  unobtrusive  good  in  the  world?     None 
of  us  know  about  half   the   "  previous  strikes "   that  are 
around  on  the  breeze,  and  that's  a  fact.     No,  we  cannot 
tell  you  what  these  labouring  gentlemen  do.   in  between 
strikes,  so  to  speak  :  but  we  are  not  going  to  believe  that 
Shipping  Federation   keeps  them  hung  on  to  a  retaining 
fee,  not  us. 

THE  retaining  fees  in  this  world,  are  not  for  the  mere 
labouring  gentry,  you  may  be  sure.  They  are  reserved  for 
higher  ratings  than  are  those  of  the  corduroy-clad  brigade. 
However,  time  passes,  so  come  we  now,  to  "(3)  The 
imported  men  are  dockers  of  the  usual  class,  who  earn 
their  living  by  working  at  the  docks."  This  disposes  of  the 
retaining  fee  idea,  doesn't  it.  The  men  were  dockers,  and 
earned  their  living  by  working  at  the  docks.  Marvellous  ! 
Stupendous  !  One  is  almost  constrained  to  remark 
"  Crickey."  and  "  Oh,  laws  !  "  Think  of  the  calamity  that 
would  have  been  flung  around  on  the  summer  zephyrs,  if 
those  dockers  had  earned  their  livings  as — here,  say,  as 
managers  of  federations,  and  things  like  that !  But  they 
didn't,  for  we  have  it  on  indisputable  authority,  that  the 
men  were  dockers,  and  earned  their  living  by  working  at 
the  docks.  At  any  docks,  you  understand.  It  is  all  the 
same  to  those  dockers— at  least  to  most  of  them—whether 
they  work  at  the  docks  in  Liverpool,  Glasgow,  Hull  or 
Grimsby.  They  are  dockers-  and  earn  there  living  at  the 
docks,  'fore  all  the  world  like  the  local  coal-trimmers  earn 
their  living  at  trimming  coal.  We  remarked,  a  few  lines 
back,  that  most  of  these  dockers  found  similar  conditions, 
no  matter  where  they  worked  ? 


THERE  you  are  !  That  is  how  Shipping  Federation 
carries  out  the  work  for  which  the  British  shipping  share- 
holder antes  up.  No  shinnannakin.  here  !  You  put  it  into 
the  hands  of  Shipping  Federation.  Limited,  and  then 
supposing  you  are  a  "  shipowner  "  and  also  a  subscriber— 
you  may  go  out  and  see  a  lady  about  a  dog  :  or  you  may 
buy  pictures,  lace  fichus,  or  patent  log-books.  Federation 


WE  did  :    but  some  of  them  found  the  conditions  a  bit. 

different,  for  on  the  words  of  hereditary  grand  duke  Laws 

that  is,  of  general  manager  Laws,  "One  or  two  men  have 
been  badly  assaulted  by  union   pickets   and   taken   to   the 
hospital  in  consequence."     Such  wickedness  is  greatly  to 
be  deprecated,  and  for  our  part,  we  are  surprised  that  such 
a  hefty  combination  as  the  Shipping  Federation,  couldn't 
see  to  it  that  its  lambs  were  duly  protected.     Union  pickets, 
at  the  best,  are  merely  of  limited  numbers  ?    They  do  not 
usually  come  down  in  the  scene,  like    Byron's  wolf  came 
down  on  the  fold,  do  they  now  ?     They  might  be  in  twos  or 
threes     or  even  more.     But  then,  if  they  'had  come  down 
in  their   cohorts.   Shipping   Federation,   Limited,   with   its 
brass-bound-and-beautiful-henchmen,    should    have    been 
able  to  supply  the    necessary   protection,    what  ?     Judging 
by  the  able  manner  in  which  those  same  henchmen  have 
hustled  the  wily  Greek,  or  other  Dago,  in  our  presence,  we 
should  ha.ve  thought  that  mere  union  pickets  would  have 
been  a  sort  of  pastime.     Obviously,  they  were  not,  and  now 
we  are  wondering  if  this  is  one  of  the  reasons  why  Federa- 
tion favours  the  Greek,  and  Dago  generally,  so  much  ?     Are 
foreigners  brought  over  in  big  consignments,  because   they 
are  easier  to  kick  than  is  the  Briton  ? 


You  know  we  are  not  to  be  altogether  blamed  for  asking 


'23 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July   7,  1905 


such  questions,  for  if,  like  us,  you  had  seen  the  lordly 
manner  in  which  the  Federation's  Jacks-in-office  will  dictate 
to  the  Greek  alleged  sailor  :  and  will  then  remember  that 
a  union  picket  is  allowed  to  "  badly  assault  "  one  or  two 
dockers,  so  that  they  have  to  be  taken  to  the  hospital  in 
consequence  :  well,  you  would  see  some  reason  in  our 
inquiries.  In  our  opinion—  and  as  we  have  ever  declared- 
Federation  favours  the  foreigner  for  this  precise  reason. 
The  foreigner  is  willing  to  take  any  kind  of  treatment  which 
a  professional  bully  is  willing  to  offer.  British  Jack,  on 
the  other  hand,  will  have  none  of  it.  Indeed,  we  have 
seen  him  place  the  outer  edge  of  his  knuckles  so  close 
up  against  the  nose  of  the  bully  referred  to,  that  you 
couldn't  get  a  piece  of  tissue  paper  in  between,  so  to 
speak!  We  have,  indeed,  and.  as  emphasising  our  paganism, 
we  suppose,  we  have  simply  gloried  in  the  sight  ! 
Moreover,  we  are  convinced  that  you,  too.  would  have 
gloried  to  exactly  the  same  extent,  could  you  have 
but  realised  the  conditions,  and  have  marked  the  results. 
When  a  Briton  seeking  work  in  a  manly  fashion,  is  bullied 
and  passed  over  for  a  foreigner  —  well,  we  ought  to  look  the 
other  way,  while  that  Briton  undertakes  to  prove  the  fact, 
that  he  is  a  worthy  Briton  ?  This  is  how  it  appeals  to  us  ! 


HOWEVER,  we  are  of  opinion  that  we  have  exemplified  the 
fact  that  Shipping  Federation.  Limited  —  according  to  its 
own  claims  —  is  a  dependable  institution  ;  that  when 
matters  are  placed  into  its  hands,  you  may  usually  con- 
sider the  thing  as  good  as  done  :  and  that  viewed  all  'round, 
it  is  worth  the  charge  to  which  the  shipping  investor  is  put, 
for  its  maintenance  ?  At  the  same  time,  we  should  be 
more  inclined  to  give  it  our  approval,  if  it  attended  to 
matters,  a  little  better,  from  its  head  office  ;  if  it  saw  to  it, 
that  there  were  less  of  the  contract  man  on  view  in  its 
provincial  offices  :  that  continuous  discharge  books  were 
treated  with  a  little  more  respect  :  and  that  generally 
speaking,  there  were  a  little  less  of  that  "  Mineself  und  God 
Almighty  "  apparent.  To  the  people  who  are  running  it, 
we  are  inclined  to  believe  that  the  Federation  is  a  good 
job  :  is  worth  looking  after,  in  every  particular  ;  is  consider- 
ably better  than  shipowning  may  ever  hope  to  be,  while  the 
depression  is  on  ;  and  that  a  really  wise  man  nurses  a  good 
thing  when  he  has  it  ?  That  the  nursing  is  not  unduly 
pronounced,  these  days,  and  in  connection  with  this 
particular  Federation,  may  not  be  gainsaid.  Whether  this 
is  on  account  of  the  hereditary  succession  idea  that  is  on 
tap.  we  do  not  care  to  suggest.  But  the  safest  way  to 
have  your  own  rights  respected,  is  to  respect  the  rights  of 
others  ?  Verb,  sat  sap  ! 

$  ^3 

BY  the  way.  it  is  a  bit  rough  on  the  stranger,  when  he  is 
allowed  to  come  'to  Cardiff,  and  be  treated~exactly  as  would 
a  native  ?  There  was  that  Times  man.  for  instance,  who 
had  difficulty  with  a  St.  Mary  Street  barrier,  during  the 
festivities,  last  week.  It's  a  "jolly  shame,  that's  what  it  is  j 
Fancy  treating  the  respectable  representative  of  a  respect- 
able journal  in  any  such  a  manner  !  Had  it  been  one  of  the 
Hooligans  attached  to  some  of  the  "  rags  "  which  we 
could  mention,  it  would  have  been  up  another  street,  in  a 
manner  of  writing  :  but  the  Times  young  man-—  or  even  the 
Times'  middle-aged,  or  old.  man  ;  the  thing  ought  to  be 
seen  into.  yes.  At  the  first  glance,  we  were  afraid  that 
the  natives  had  eaten  the  Times'  genius,  but  this  could  not 
have  been  so,  as  we  learn  from  the  same  amiable  authority. 
that  "Cardiff  lives  on  coal  :  it  talks  and  thinks  coal,  it  eats 
and  drinks  and  dreams  of  coal."  so,  under  those  circum- 
stances, it  wouldn't  be  satisfied  with  any  such  questionable 
panem.  as  might  be  found  inside  the  clothes  of  a  Times 
man,  would  it  ?  The  fact  of  the  matter  is.  that  the 
growling  individual  came  down  here  without  his  "tally.1' 


He  must  have  meandered  around   as  if  he  were  in   small' 
and  circumscribed  London  ! 


NEXT  time  he  comes  this  way,  it  will  be  better  for  the 
pessimistic  one,  if  he  carries  a  card  on  his  behind  portions  ; 
a  card  bearing  the  legend,  "Note.  This  is  a  Times 
man,"  and  then  all  will  be  well  —  or  as  well  as  might  be, 
when  a  7/mes  man  is  involved  with  the  circumstances. 
Meanwhile,  we  have  been  given  sundry  screeds  in  the 
columns  of  "  the  Thunderer,"  and  all  more  or  less  connected 
with  Cardiff  doings.  This,  by  the  way  of  a  set-off,  for 
daring  to  jamb  their  young  man  against  the  barrier  referred 
to,  eh  ?  One  of  the  screeds,  appeared  in  one  of  the 
supplements  for  which  Times  is  gradually  becoming  famous, 
and  was  said  to  concern  "  Welsh  steam  coal  in  foreign 
markets."  Personally,  we  are  not  cavilling  about  the  title 
which  we  have  quoted.  It  is  as  good  as  any  other  title, 
and  if  it  attempts  merely  to  touch  on  the  subject  suggested, 
while  not  getting  very  far  on  with  it  —  well,  remember  the 
barrier,  and  be  indulgent,  if  you  please.  Anyhow,  after 
giving  the  figures  which  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW  quoted  some 
months  ago  ;  figures  concerning  the  export  of  Welsh  coal 
over  1904,  "a  correspondent  "  elects  to  go  in  on  what  he 
has  labelled  "  limits  to  the  supremacy  of  South  Wales." 
Of  course,  the  said  limit  is  to  be  taken  in  connection  with 
the  stuff  on  which  Cardiff  lives,  talks,  thinks,  eats,  drinks 
and  dreams—  coal,  to  wit. 


ALRIGHT,  then.  Having  cleared  the  decks,  a  little,  we'll 
see  what  this  young  man  has  to  tell  the  readers,  of  the 
estimable  bundle  of  reading  matter  which  goes  forth  to  the 
world,  under  the  style  and  title  of  Times.  First  of  all.  we 
are  informed  that  "  both  at  home  and  abroad,  Welsh  steam 
coal  is  in  great  demand  for  naval  and  manufacturing 
purposes  "  ;  then,  the  reason  assigned  is,  that  "  its  superior 
calorific  power  combined  with  its  weathering  capabilities, 
have  given  it  a  peculiar  advantage  over  other  coals,  for  the 
use  of  mercantile  steamships."  We  suppose  it  is  alright,  even 
if  it  is  rather  a  naive  manner  of  putting  it  ?  "  Weathering 
capabilities  "  is  a  good  expression,  and  when  a  steamer  is 
on  a  lee  shore,  with  the  boss  of  her  propeller  oftener  out  of 
the  water,  than  in  it,  the  coal  that  will  "weather"  her 
through  the  gale,  is  not  to  be  sneezed  at  ?  Really,  you 
know,  our  writing  friend  means,  that  the  reason  for  the 
great  demand  with  which  Welsh  coal  is  favoured,  is  that  it 
will  burn  well  when  placed  in  a  furnace,  and  will  keep  well. 
when  stored  up.  for  any  length  of  time.  Of  course,  the 
young  fellow  might  have  said  so,  right  out ;  but  then,  such  a 
style  of  writing  would  be  too  simple  :  too  bereft  of  ponder- 
osity, shall  we  say,  for  Times  ? 


HOWEVER,  we'll  get  on.  And  after  noting  that  although 
Welsh  coal,  "both  at  home  and  abroad,"  is  in  great  demand, 
we  are  told  that  what  really  has  to  be  considered,  "is  the 
disagreeable  fact  that  this  great  trade  is  vulnerable 
practically  at  all  points."  This  'is  where  the  trouble  is 
bound  to  come  in  ?  Here  have  we  Japan.  Australia,  and 
New  Zealand.  "  rapidly  ousting  British  coal .  .  .  and  are 
competing  with  each  other  and  with  Cardiff  in  other 
markets."  It  is  right  enough,  when  you  see  it  in  the 
Times,  so  nothing  need  be  said  on  the  point.  Nothing, 
that  is.  outside  the  fact,  that  the  ousting  process  is  no 
more  pronounced  to-day,  than  ever  it  was.  Nobody  is 
foolish  enough  to  suppose  that  you  can  profitably  send  coal 
from  Cardiff  to  Australia,  for  use  on  the  coast,  there, 
unless  the  price  of  the  local  stuff  has  "  gone  up,"  beyond 
all  reason?  With  the  advance  in  steam  propulsion,  handy 
coal-fields  are  getting  a  look  in  ;  but  this  is  not  because 
their  local  coal  is  worthy  of  comparison  with  good  old 


July   7,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


124 


Welsh  :  for  it  is  simply  a  question  of  carriage—  the  question 
that  has  ever  been  in  existence. 


o  put  the  matter  simply  :  If  one  ton  of  Welsh  coal  is 
worth,  f.o.b..  at  Cardiff,  say.  10s.  per  ton  ;  if  its  freight  to 
Australia  is  worth  20s.  per  ton  :  if  Australian  coal  f.o.b.  in 

tralia.  is  worth  also.  10s.  per  ton.  then,  unless  the 
Welsh  variety  is  good  as  a  steam-raiser,  even  as  three  is  to 
one  against  the  Antipodean,  naturally,  the  latter  is  going  to 
have  the  bulge  on  the  former  ?  Welsh  coal  is  good  :  but 
not  to  the  extent  of  three  to  one  against  the  other  sort. 
Here,  is  the  vulnerability,  and  if  the  fact  is  a  "  disagreeable  " 
t  has  been  in  existence  from  the  beginning  :  but  with 
this  difference  :  In  the  old  days.  Australia  used  precious 
little  coal,  but  that  same  little  was  Welsh.  Since  Australia 
has  grown  wise  enough  to  need  more  coal,  she  has  used  her 
own-  mainly  :  but  more  for  the  reason  that,  in  view  of  the 
distance  which  Welsh  coal  has  to  be  brought,  the  colonial 
brand  is  cheaper,  and  not  that  it  is  better,  or  more 
economical,  ton  for  ton.  This  is  the  little  point  which  the 
collier  and  his  friend  has  overlooked  :  is  overlooking  ;  and 
will  continue  so  to  do  unless  a  miracle  intervenes.  We 
most  of  us  remember  the  "old.  old.  bogey  man;"  have 
had  many  a  quiet  smile  at  his  expense  :  shall  probably  go 
on  smiling  in  the  same  manner  :  and  principally  because 
bogey-men  are  instituted  for  that  reason  ? 


BUT  'tis  when  the  financial  aspect  of  the  coal   trade  is 
reviewed  by  the  Times  man.  that  he  becomes  most  amusing. 
He  informs  us.  that  a  given  group  of  collieries  'representing 
between  them,  some  £2.300.000.  averaged  out  in  dividend, 
to  a  mere  7  per  cent,  over  last  year.      Now.    remembering 
that  the  group  referred  to.  contained    14  collieries:    that 
they   thus   worked   out   to   a   mere    £  160.000-odd    each: 
well,  it  will  be  seen  that  our  chiding  friend   has   taken  a 
very  poor  sample  of  colliery,  with  which  to  adorn  his  tale  ? 
Moreover,  he  doesn't  go  into  the  reasons,  even  here,  as  to 
why   the  7    per   cent.,  only,  was   paid.     He   says   nothing 
about  the  number  of  black-coated  gentlemen  who  have  to 
be  paid,  out  of  the  earnings  of  those  collieries  ;  is  silent  as 
to  how  many  of  its  colliers  walk  off  with  anything  up  to 
14s.   per  day.   for  mere  labouring:  doesn't  even  tell  us  if 
the  implicated  concerns  are  among  the  played   out  section 
—and.  oh.   there  are  a  dozen   points  worthy    of    further 
elucidation.     We  know  one  or  two  "  big  colliery  "  concerns, 
which  have  never  paid  anybody—  outside  the  black   coats 
and  colliers  involved  :    furthermore,  they  never  will  :    but 
nobody—  outside  of  their  own   offices—  considers  any  such 
freaks  as  representative  colliery  properties. 


As  well  argue  that  because  sundry  shipping  concerns 
never  paid  a  cent,  in  dividend  :  never  wanted  to  :  and 
never  mean  to  :  then,  all  shipping  property  is  non-paying  ? 
Why,  when  some  of  the  concerns  in  our  midst  pay  7  per 
cent,  on  their  ordinary  capital,  the  engineers  thereof 
positively  imagine  that  they  are  universal  benefactors,  and 
look  around  for  haloes,  and  things.  Of  course,  Times 
couidn't  be  expected  to  know  this  ?  That  is  why  it  fills  its 
"supplements"  with  moonshine?  Then  talking  of  the 
war  demand,  and  in  spite  of  which,  the  export  has  fallen 
off  considerably,  isn't  this  flogging  a  dead  horse  ?  Certainly  ! 
When  Cardiff  has  to  depend  on  a  war.  or  on  any  combination 
of  wars.  then,  it  will  be  time  for  her  to  close  her  shutters. 
Here  is  a  quotation  from  Tommy  no.  from  Times  :  "  But 
notwithstanding  this  great  belligerent  demand,  the  total 
shipments  from  Cardiff  in  1904  .  .  .  only  exceeded  those  of 
1902  by  about  800.000  tons,  while  the  net  result  of  the 
exports  ...  is  an  actual  decrease  of  167,000  tons."  Yea, 


lor' !  Makes  you  smile,  doesn't  it  ?  The  trade  in  every 
quarter  of  the  world  is  restricted  because  of  the  war :  in 
omparison  with  non-warlike  times,  there  is  nothing  doing- 
but  Times  wishes  to  tack  the  loss  on  to  normal  conditions, 
and  in  spite  of  the  war  supply  of  somewhere  approaching 
a  million  tons ! 

FUNNY,  isn't  it  ?     A  war  materialises  and  for  its  prosecu- 
tion, say,  1,000,000  tons  are  needed  ;  at  the  same  time,  it 
paralyses  the  world's  industries  to  the  extent  of  keeping 
back  supplies  up  to  2,000,000  tons ;  and  there  is  a  jeremiad 
thrown  around,  to  the  effect  that  the  "limitation"  of  the 
chief  market  is  assured.  Here  is  the  jeremiad,  crystallised  : 
There  has  been  a  slight  local  diversion  of  traffic  from 
Cardiff  to  other  Bristol  Channel  ports  of  shipment,  but  the 
returns  of  those  ports  only  go  to  confirm  what  the  case  of 
Cardiff  establishes- that  the  rapid  growth  in  the   foreign 
sxport  trade  of  South  Wales  has  sustained  a  severe  check, 
and  that  for  the  past  two  or  three  years  the  normal  trade, 
taken  as  a  whole,  has  been  practically  stationary."     How 
we  are  to  get  a  "  normal "  trade,  and  one  that  is  blessed 
with  "  a  rapid  growth  "  at  one  and  the  same  time,  deponent 
sayeth  not;  possibly,  he  doesn't  know.     And  now,  having 
got  to   the  end  of  this  consideration  of  the  metaphorical 
House  that  Jack  built,  you  might  be  inclined  to  ask  what 
'tis  all  about ;  want  to  seek  out  what  the  Times  young  man 
wishes  to  teach  you  ;    are  wondering    where    the    moral 
comes  in,  and  what  it  amounts  to  ?     If  so,  you  may  rest 
assured.     There  is  no  moral.     The  "supplement "  had   to 
be  filled  :  "a  correspondent  "  has  helped  in  the  filling  ;  by 
so  doing  he  has  earned    somebody's  gratitude— and  there 
the  matter  ends.     Let  us  leave  it,  right  here  ? 

DIDN'T    we    suggest    it    some     weeks    ago,    supposing 
Commercial  Intelligence  does  claim  the  whole  thing  for  its 
own.    What  ?  Why,  that  when  the  members  of  the  Thames 
Conservancy    Board    took    thei,     contemplated    jaunt    to 
Antwerp,  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  the  place  where  the 
improvements  are  going  to  be     some  ten  years  from  now 
—  they  would  come  back  "surprised  and  thoughtful?"     You 
know  we  told  you  about  it,  and  here  is  C.I.  taking  it  all  to 
its   little   self.     But   we  do   not  object,   in   the  least.     It 
pleases  our  contemporary,  and  doesn't  hurt   us.  while   in 
the  main,  the  statement  is  as  near  true  as  it  is  possible  to 
get,  under  the  circumstances.  In  our  opinion,  it  is  impossible 
to  surprise  a  Thames  Conservancy  Board  man.     He  isn't 
built  that  way.     To  make   him  thoughtful,  yes.     That  is 
fairly  easy,  because  they  are  naturally  thoughtful  persons. 
Indeed,  this  is   mainly  why  they  are   picked   out  for  the 
Conservancy   undertaking.      With  the  junkettmgs  of  the 
estimable  folk,  who  went  across  to  Belgium  on  the  historic 
occasion  referred  to,  we  have  nothing  to  do.    We  are  not  so 
frivolous,   and   moreover,  we    leave    such    little    items  to 
Commercial  Intelligence,    who   apparentjy  does  cater    for 
tales  of  luncheons,  and  things  of  that  sort. 


BUT  we  are  glad  to  note  that  the  visitors  did  themselves 
proud,  and  that  they  were  placed  in  the  hands  (ample  hands, 
those  Belgians  have,  if  you  care  to  give  the  subject  any 
consideration  ?)  of  the  City  Chief  Engineer,  who  toted 
them  around  the  docks  and  harbour.  You  may  be  sure 
that  the  engineering  gentleman  called  the  Londoner's 
attention  to  everything  that  was  worthy  of  attention  -even 
while  he  forgot  to  enlarge  upon  the  few  points  that  were 
not  quite  so  worthy;  this  is  only  natural -and  Belgian. 
Still,  the  Conservancy  men  appear  to  have  gleaned  quite  a 
number  of  additional  ideas.  For  instance,  we  note  that 
they  were  "  particularly  impressed  by  the  fact  that  the 
Belgian  Government  and  City  do  not  work  the  port  on  a 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July  7,    1905 


profit-making  basis  "  that  they  are  doing  it  all  for  a  joke  ? 
This  being  so,  we  are  wondering  why  the  gentlemen  wasted 
their  time  in  going  to  Antwerp?  They  could  have  learned 
all  that  stuff,  much  nearer  home  :  in  London  river,  to  be 
explicit.  This,  as  far  as  we  can  see.  is  the  only  resemblance 
between  the  Antwerp  river  and  that  of  London  :  Neither 
of  them  are  being  run  on  a  profit-making  basis.  While 
suffering  from  the  effects  of  the  Belgian  steamer  that  was 
placed  at  their  disposal,  one  of  the  Conservators  worked 
off  a  nice  little  bit  of  dead-knowledge. 

HERE  it  is  :  "  Private  enterprise  in  the  exploiting  of 
London  Docks,  is  the  greatest  obstacle  in  the  way  of  such 
improvements  in  London."  And  now  some  of  the  good 
people  at  home,  are  thirsting  for  the  name — and  the  gore—- 
of the  candid  person  alluded  to  Private  enterprise  for- 
sooth. Why  if  it  hadn't  been  for  that  particular  kind  of 
enterprise,  there  would  be  no  river  at  London,  at  all,  by 
now  ;  merely  a  ditch,  awaiting  the  advent  of  a  certain  New 
Zealander.  It  is  about  ready  for  the  gentleman,  as  things 
are.  and  we  should  not  be  surprised  to  hear  of  his  arrival, 
at  any  moment.  But  this  is  the  unkindest  cut  of  all :  "  In 
presenting  the  party,  Mr.  Hertslet  (the  British  Consul- 
General)  gave  a  full  explanation  of  the  powers  and  con- 
stitution of  the  Conservancy  (which  dates  considerably 
more  than  a  "century  back")  which  was  all  quite  new  to 
the  Antwerp  authorities  (naive  people!)  and  in  part,  no 
doubt,  to  some  of  the  members  of  the  Conservancy,  them- 
selves." If  anything  more  unkind  than  the  latter  words  of 
our  quotation,  could  be  thought  up  by  the  engineers  of  a 
mere  weekly  paper,  then,  we  should  like  to  hear  about  it. 
We  are  half  sorry  for  those  Conservators,  and  time  was, 
that  we  never  expected  to  be  in  that  frame  of  mind  over 
them  ! 


thing  they  will  ever  need  to  travel  on.  is  a  flying  bridge 
from  amidships,  aft.  Times  admittedly  change,  and  we 
have  to  change  with  them.  So  much  so,  that  we  are  not 
quite  sure  whether  this  cry  for  sailing-ship  made  seamen 
for  use  on  steamers,  is  not  much  after  the  contention  that 
would  arise  if  a  light-headed  human  were  to  try  to  feed  his 
horse  on  petrol ;  or  run  his  motor-car  on  corn-and-bean 
mixture.  We  do  not  wish  to  be  unkind,  but  we  must  still 
suggest  that  to  train  a  sailor  with  reefed  topsails,  when  the 
highest  he  will  ever  get  on  the  vessel  on  which  he  earns  a 
living,  will  be  when  he  reaves  a  gantline  for  his  funnel- 
boards  ! 

\O      Of 

EA     *VS 

E&I    as 

CONTINUING  with  this  theme,  we  note  that  Lloyd's  Regis- 
ter Book,  just  out,  gives  convincing  proof  that  if  the 
shipping  trade  is  an  altogether  unremunerative  affair  to 
monkey  with,  there  are  still  a  goodly  number  of  people  who 
do  not  believe  it ;  or  believing,  haven't  enough  grip  over 
their  will-power,  to  say  "No,"  when  the  tempter  comes 
along  !  Anyhow,  out  of  a  world's  total  of  some  36.000.000 
tons,  there  are  about  17,000.000  tons  attached  to  the 
British  flag,  as  Home  and  Colonial  property.  The  Old 
Country's  share  is  therefore  a  large  one,  although  not  pro- 
portionately so  large  as  it  was  in  the  good  old  days,  which 
appear  to  have  gone  beyond  recall !  However,  this  should 
give  us  anything  but  the  hump  which  is  so  evident  in  some 
quarters  ?  It  is  altogether  against  reason  to  suppose,  that 
Britain  is  to  go  on  for  ever,  at  the  head  of  the  shipping 
list.  Especially  when  everything  possible  is  done  to 
"  bleed  "  the  industry.  The  legislature  is  keen  on  legal- 
ising the  Mercantile  Marine  out  of  existence,  and  the 
shipowner  retaliates  by  squeezing  the  British  seaman,  in 
the  same  manner.  What  the  end  will  be,  is  not  by  any 
means  difficult  to  determine. 


THAT  Sailing  Ships  International  Union,  still  continues  to 
batter  away  at  the  wickednesses  which  surrounds  its  own 
particular  portion  of  the  shipping  entity.  The  concern 
holds  a  meeting  occasionally,  and  if  nothing  else  comes  of 
it,  the  various  members  who  attend,  are  by  way  of  having  a 
good  time.  At  the  latest  meeting,  held  in  Hamburg,  there 
were  representatives  from  London,  Glasgow,  Greenock, 
Nantes.  Dunkirk.  Bremen,  and  of  course  Hamburg. 
According  to  the  statements  made  by  the  members,  them- 
selves, there  are  now  some  800  vessels  within  the  sacred 
fold,  and  among  them,  they  stand  for  some  1,500,000  tons 
of  sailing  ship.  How  much  of  this  is  high-class  stuff,  or 
how  much  of  it  is  middling  or  t'other  sort,  is  not  stated  ; 
but  the  gentlemen  involved,  carry  out  their  business  in  a 
highly-creditable  manner.  For  instance,  on  this  occasion, 
we  find  that,  at  least,  one  important  resolution  was  passed, 
and  to  the  effect  that,  until  further  alterations,  an  abate- 
ment of  the  reduction  on  freights  for  direct  ports  shall  be 
9d..  instead  of  Is.  5d.,  as  heretofore.  The  .new  idea  will 
come  into  force  on  September  1,  next,  so  we  presume  the 
gathering  is  by  way  of  entering  into  happiness.  Personally. 
we  wish  the  Union  every  success. 

5?  & 

FOR,  after  all.  anything  which  tends  to  the  preservation 
of  the  dear  old  "  white  wings,"  is  worthy  of  support. 
Slowly,  but  surely-  at  least,  for  a  period — the  sailing  ship 
is  dying  out ;  and  although  we  number  ourselves  among 
those  who  by  no  means  believe  that  its  day  is  done  for  all 
time  ;  we  yet  must  admit  that  the  turn  in  the  tide  is  a  long 
way  off.  We  have  seen  it  proposed  that  a  sailing  ship 
should  be  upheld,  for  the  reason  that  it  is  a  means  for 
training  the  sailors,  of  which  the  country  is  so  badly  in 
need.  This  may  be  right  enough — and  it  might  be  alto- 
gether the  reverse.  It  might  easily  happen  that  there  is  no 
necessity  to  train  foot-rope  walkers,  when  the  trickiest 


AMERICA  appears  to  be  our  next  best  at  sailorising. 
although  there  is  mighty  little  to  choose  between  it,  and 
Germany.  But  in  America's  case,  the  same  factor  is 
spragging  her  nautical  wheel  (if  we  may  put  it  thus)  as  is 
doing  the  same  happy  trick  for  Britain.  That  is  to  say, 
the  American  is  not  a  nautically  inclined  individual  ___  by 
nature;  the  Briton  is  no  longer  one—  from  force  of  cir- 
cumstances. In  the  case  of  America,  it  has  no  power  to 
alter  the  conditions,  although  it  is  doing  everything, 
possible,  with  that  view  ;  Britain  could  alter  the  conditions 
to-day,  or  to-morrow,  but  is  heaven-bent  on  assuring  all 
hands,  that  she  will  see  them  jiggered  first  !  It  is  a  pity, 
of  course,  and  pity  'tis,  'tis  true.  On  this  side  of  the 
Atlantic,  the  idea  seems  to  be  firmly-fixed,  that  as  long  as 
you  have  the  ships,  all  the  other  items  which  tend  to  a 
successful  shipping  trade,  may  be  disregarded.  The  crowd 
have  (metaphorically)  taken  the  bit  between  their  teeth, 
and  are  raping  along  this  particular  road  for  all  they  are 
worth.  If  a  miracle  transpires,  they  will  see  the  folly  of  so 
doing,  before  it  is  too  late  :  failing  that  miracle,  well,  it  is 
easy  enough  to  size  up  the  end  of  the  journey. 


ANTWERP  is  all  very  well  in  its  way,  but  it  is  not  in  the 
way  of  everything  !  It  might  be  pluming  itself  on  those 
extensions  and  things,  and  might  coax  a  number  of  London 
Conservators  —  among  others—  to  see  the  follies  of  the 
port  ;  but  it  will  still  have  to  contend  with  Liverpool,  and 
that's  a  fact!  The  Mersey  port  has  awakened;  has 
realised  that  it  will  have  to  do  something  for  all  the  tonnage 
which  visits—  or  would  like  to  visit—  that  awful  river  ;  and 
now  that  the  local  pilots  are  decked  out  in  regulation  blue 
serge,  extensions,  befitting  such  a  swagger  state  of  affairs, 
are  to  be  worked  up.  This  is  as  it  should  be,  for  a  number 
of  docks  which  were  thought  out,  when  the  world  was 


July  7,  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


126 


considerably  younger  (and  lowlier-minded  in  the  matter  of 
tonnage)  cannot  be  expected  to  do  credit  to  the  serge  and 
buttons  alluded  to.  This  fact  is  recognised  on  Mersey  side, 
and  the  newest  step  in  the  progressive  line  is  going  to  cost 
over  £4.000.000.  That  is  to  say,  the  total  estimated  cost 
is  going  to  overstep  the  figures  written.  What  the  actual 
amount  will  run  into,  is  quite  another  matter. 

ALL  the  same,  it  is  a  step  in  the  right  direction.  Antwerp 
has  had  it  a  bit  her  way  :  Cardiff  is  by  no  means  behind  in 
the  struggle— although  Dicky  Sam  won't  admit  it.  bless 
you  :  and  there  are  other  places  with  which  we  shall  not 
bother,  now.  Mind.  £4.000.000  is  a  lot  of  money  to  spend- 
particularly  in  view  of  the  vast  sums  which  have  been  already 
spent  on  Liverpool's  docks.  But  it  is  fairly  easy  to  work 
the  public  up  to  the  sticking  point,  thereaway.  It  is  only 
necessary  to  remark  that  the  Board  is  bound  to  see.  as 
far  as  possible,  that  they  are  in  a  position  to  cater  for  all 
that  might,  could,  would  or  should  come  along,  and  all 
hands  remark.  "  hear,  hear."  The  Board  must  prepare 
increased  accommodation,  so  they  must.  But  after  the 
money  is  spent,  will  the  big  'uns  find  room  for  themselves? 
Will  they  be  able  to  enter  a  dock,  and  lay  there,  comfort- 
ably :  or  will  they  still  have  to  steer  away  the  heat  of  the 
tide,  while  laying  at  an  alleged  anchorage  ?  It  seems  to  us. 
that  with  all  the  money  that  has  been  spent,  the  poor 
sailorman— of  all  grades  receives  but  little  benefit,  and  his 
life  is  just  as  much  a  misery,  from  entering  to  leaving,  as 
it  ever  was  ?  But  then,  it  should  be  sufficient  satisfaction 
for  a  mere  sailorman  to  remark  that  he  has  seen  Liverpool, 
and  is  now  willing  to  die  !  It  used  to  be  Naples  :  now  it  is 
Liverpool :  by-and-bye.  it  will  be— but  no.  we  shan't 
divulge  it. 

POOR  old  Lloyd's !  It  is  having  a  hard  time,  thanks  to 
the  wickednesses  of  the  Russian  rovers.  Furthermore,  it 
seems  incredible  that,  under  existing  conditions,  the  harm- 
less merchantmen  belonging  to  the  greatest  Naval  Power 
on  earth,  should  thus  be  played  with,  fast  and  loose.  One 
is  almost  inclined  to  wonder  whether  the  same  notions  are 
being  allowed  to  work  themselves  out.  in  connection  with 
the  Mercantile  Marine,  as.  appear  to  be  in  favour  with  the 
Navy.  Over-production  is  more  than  a  word  :  it  is  a  very 
real  grievance.  Again,  the  loss  of  a  few  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  tons  of  ship,  would  give  a  splendid  stimulus 
to  the  building  trade  :  so  what  is  there  to  growl  about  in 
this  latest  move  ?  True,  the  underwriter  would  be  hard 
hit-- if  not  altogether  ruined.  But  then,  underwriters  were 
born  to  be  hit.  and  it  is  nearly  as  well  for  the  Russian  to 
do  it.  as  it  is  for  some  logbook-faking  ship-monger,  what  ? 
Beside,  the  Russian  is  doing  it  in  the  sight  of  man.  but  the 
faker  does  it  in  the  cabin— after  preparing  the  necessary 
"  proofs  "  in  the  office.  No.  taking  it  all  'round,  we  fail  t<T" 
see  anything  in  the  present  supposedly  deplorable  arrange- 
ment. Indeed,  we  are  half  inclined  to  believe  that  the 
Russian  is  a  universal  benefactor. 

IT  is  useless  to  pretend  that  Mr.  Terek  and  Co.  cannot  be 
rounded  up  in  style,  if  such  a  rounding  up  were  desired. 
When  Terek  cut  himself  adrift  from  communication  with 
his  Holy  Russia :  the  land  which  is  now  in  such  a  holy 
mess  ;  he  undertook  a  job  which  was  equivalent  to  shout- 
ing, against  himself.  "  mad  dog."  You  know,  a  steamer 
must  have  a  source  of  supply  for  coal,  and  for  food.  Those 
affairs  do  not  grow  on  the  crest  of  every  little  wave  which 
laps  itself  along  under  the  forefoot  of  the  one-time  German 
liner.  No.  sirs  !  Coal  is  a  bulky  sort  of  commodity.  You 
cannot  even  rush  it  through  a  troubled  sea.  without  some- 
body knowing  all  about  it.  If  you  doubt  us.  just  think  up 
the  instances  in  which  the  merry  little  Jap  "  cut  off  "  a 


number  of  British  boats.  Boats  whose  "late  cargoes," 
were  transferred  to  the  bunkers  of  the  Japanese  warships, 
when,  "heigho  for  Rowley,"  was  the  game.  We  are  nearly 
sure  that  if  the  British  Government  wished  to  put  a  period 
on  the  wickedness  of  Terek,  it  could  be  done  before  one 
could  safely  say  "  Knife  !  "  It  hasn't  been  done,  so  what 
are  we  to  think  ?  Simply  that  the  poor  underwriter  has 
another  natural  enemy.  That's  all  !  For  you  may  bet 
your  last  hairpin,  that  he  will  never  receive  a  cent  of 
compensation,  no  matter  how  heinous  the  Terek's  sins 
might  be.  Rule  Britannia! 


WELL,  well,  the  coal-trimmers  have  had  another  meeting, 
and  we  are  informed  that  some  500  of  the  gentlemen  sat 
in  the  Cory  Hall,  on  Sunday  afternoon—  which  was 
extremely  wicked  of  them.  We  read  that  "the  main 
subject  under  discussion,  was  the  tariff  question."  We 
are  half-inclined  to  believe  it  would  be,  come  to  think  of 
it  !  As  a  matter  of  fact,  we  are  of  opinion  that  the  main 
and  mizzen  subject  under  discussion  was  the  trimming 
tariff—  to  say  nothing  of  the  fore  portion  thereof.  It 
would  appear  that  some  of  the  "  lions  "  of  the  daily  press, 
are  under  the  delusion  that  coal  trimmers  are  likely  to 
meet  at  Cory  Hall,  on  a  Sunday,  for  the  purpose  of  sizing 
up»the  best  kinds  of  toilet  soap  ;  or  how  to  make  one  billy- 
can  hold  enough  "tommy"  for  three  healthy  men-  but 
they  don't.  Not  by  a  very  long  sight.  Tis  the  trimming 
tariff,  et  toujours  the  trimming  tariff,  which  calls  these 
hardy  souls,  to  the  Hall  aforesaid.  Times  are  hard,  and 
the  money  is  dribbling  down  to  vanishing  point,  so  the 
resolution  which  holds  sway  at  the  moment  is:  "It  is  the 
opinion  of  this  mass  meeting  that  before  any  idea  of 
stopping  work  is  entertained  every  possible  effort  must  be 
made  by  negotiation  to  settle  the  dispute." 


THAT  is  alright,  but  is  there  rf  ally  any  dispute  ?  If  so, 
where  is  it  kept?  The  shipowner,  we  know,  in  his  usually 
desultory  manner,  has  observed  that  £50  for  the  trimming 

so-called — of  some  1,500  tons  of  coal  in  one  cargo,  is 
altogether  too  much  :  yes,  by  quite  a  half.  The  trimmer 
suggests  a  doubt  as  to  the  shipowner's  knowledge  of  the 
subject,  and  his  right  to  an  opinion.  The  coal-man  is  of 
opinion  that  as  he  has  had  a  certain  amount  of  minnavellings 
from  the  business,  in  the  past — when  times  were  good  ; 
well,  he  is  going  to  be  blankettied  if  he  is  to  be  jewed 
out  of  his  lawful  "  pickings  " — now  times  are  bad.  Taken 
altogether,  each  side  of  the  alleged  dispute,  seems  to  take 
the  matter  very  much  after  the  fashion  in  which  Paddy 
was  supposed  to  take  the  rent — "aisy  ;"  so  we  are  some- 
what at  a  loss  to  understand  the  reason  of  the  latest 
resolution.  However,  the  committee  from  the  trimmers 
is  empowered  to  meet  the  shipowner— '- or  anybody  that  is 
prepared  to  talk,  we  suppose  ?--"  in  order  to  discuss  terms 
of  settlement."  It  is  all  very  pretty,  arid  even  if  the  whole 
fixing  should  be  of  the  nature  of  a  pious  sham,  nobody 
will  be  hurt  thereby.  We  are  prepared  to  stake  threepence 
in  silver,  that  the  trimmers'  grievance  will  be  settled  at  the 
Greek  calends— and  that  isn't  for  a  year  or  two,  is  it  ? 


SOME  time,  in  the  sweetest  by  and  bye,  the  shipowner  will 
give  over  wasting  his  shareholders'  money  in  going  to  law, 
and  will  realise  from  the  beginning  of  things,  that  an  ordinary 
signing-on,  does  not  include  every  mortal  contingency  on 
the  face  of  the  deep,  to  say  nothing  of  a  few  which  may 
possibly  transpire,  thereunder.  You  will  remember  that 
case  of  the  Agincourt,  of  which  we  told  you  'way  back  ?  Of 
how  the  seaboys  objected  to  run  contraband  cargo — for 
love  ;  and  of  all  the  petty  details  which  followed  ?  You 


137 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July  7,  1905 


will  also  remember  that  Alderman  Smallman  gave  it  as  his 
opinion  that,  in  effect,  a  mere  sailorman  should  be  paid  for 
anything  extra  which  wasn't  in  the  bond  at  the  time  of 
signing-on.  We  also  remarked  that  this  was  our  opinion, 
but  that  we  shouldn't  be  surprised  to  hear  that  the  case 
had  gone  to  a  higher  court.  We  suggested  this,  because, 
generally  considered,  we  know  shipowner.  He  is  keen,  as 
a  rule,  on  law,  and  mainly  because  that  although  he  fights 
with  his  shareholders'  cash  his  victims,  have  to  fight  with 
their  own.  When  the  victim  has  no  money,  he  cannot  fight. 
as  law  is  one  of  those  luxuries  for  which  the  instalment 
plan  of  payment  cannot  be  worked-  as  yet.  Moreover, 
when  the  victim  cannot  fight,  judgment  usually  goes  by 
default,  so  that,  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten,  Mr.  Shipowner 
is  playing  "  pitch,"  with  a  double-headed  ha'penny  ? 

tf'te 

SOMETIMES,  you  hear  of  the  odd  case.  Agincourt,  in  our 
opinion,  was  it.  In  any  case,  the  Lord  Chief  Justice,  Mr. 
Justice  Darling,  and  Mr.  Justice  Jelf,  jointly  listened  to  the 
learned  gentlemen  entrusted  with  the  arguments  on  both 
sides  ;  and  in  the  end  the  Lord  Chief  Justice  said  that  he 
came  to  the  conclusion  that,  here,  the  seamen  were  justified 
in  declining  to  go  beyond  Singapore,  with  a  contraband 
cargo  :  that  after  their  refusal,  the  master  by  putting  the 
seaboys  in  lodgings,  had  acted  so  as  to  keep  their  contract 
of  employment  alive  ;  that  appellants  had  not  shown  that 
there  was  any  wreck  or  loss  within  section  158  of  the  Act 
--although  while  the  Chinese  substitutes  were  on  board,  it 
will  be  remembered  that  Agincourt  went  ashore  ;  and  that 
there  was  no  proof  of  discharge  of  the  crew.  As  a  natural 
consequence,  the  decision  of  Alderman  Smallman  was  right 
and  proper  :  it  must  be  upheld  ;  and  this  present  appeal  must 
te  dismissed  with  costs.  Exactly  as  we  argued  months  ago. 
We  also  suggested  that  it  would  be  better  to  pay  the  money 
over  to  the  sailors,  rather  than  give  it  to  the  lawyers  :  that 
the  seamen  had  risked  their  lives  during  the  voyage,  while 
the  lawyers  risked  nothing  :  and  in  the  end,  both  sailors 
and  lawyers  have  to  be  paid  —  which  is  rough  on  Agincourt's 
shareholders?  Some  people  are  funny! 


THE  Cardiff  Bench  has  been  getting  a  wrinkle  or  so  in 
nautical  phraseology  !  It  has  positively  come  along  to  a 
consideration  of  the  words  "  blood  money,"  and  although 
there  appeared  to  be  nobody  handy,  possessed  of  a  genuine 
and  exhaustive  knowledge  of  the  mystic  term,  there  is  still 
hope.  When  the  Cardiff  Bench  becomes  inquisitive,  it 
usually  gets  all  it  needs,  in  the  direction  indicated  by  the 
inquisitiveness.  We  might  mention,  incidentally,  that  the 
case  where  "  blood  money  "  was  discussed,  was  one  of 
desertion,  and  Shipping  Federation  appeared  to  be  mainly 
interested  therein.  Under  the  circumstances,  therefore,  it 
is  unnecessary  to  go  into  the  details  of  the  case  :  at  least, 
no  farther  than  is  required  for  the  purpose  of  explaining 
away  the  misunderstanding  which  evidently  exists,  in  the 
minds  of  some  of  our  'longshore  friends.  It's  like  this  : 
The  Shipping  Federation's  lawyer  informed  the  Bench,  that 
because  of  the  desertion  to  which  we  have  alluded,  the 
shipowner  implicated  was  put  to  additional  expense,  "partly 
through  increased  wages,  and  partly  through  'blood  money' 
which  had  to  be  paid  to  the  man  who  found  the  seaman." 
Naturally,  the  magistrate  knew  nothing  about  such 
an  ominous-sounding  phrase,  and  repeated,  in  a  questioning 
manner,  the  words  "  blood  money." 


THIS  was  the  lawyer's  opportunity,  for  he  informed  the 
worthy  magistrate  that  "  it  is  familiarly  called  that  :  "  and 
he  also  supposed  that  it  meant  the  boarding-house  master's 
fees,  which  always  have  to  be  paid.  Now,  it  strikes  us 
that  this  is  playing  it  a  bit  low  down  on  the  native  boarding- 


masters,  and  we  are  surprised  that  they  have  made  no 
move  to  clinch  this  little  aspersion  against  their  fair  name. 
Most  of  us  realise  that  "  blood  money  "  is  no  "boarding 
house  fee,"  for  it  is  an  unofficial  poll-tax,  and  as  such  is 
illegal.  All  the  same,  we  know  of  one  gentlemanly 
supplier  of  seamen,  who  practices  here,  in  Cardiff,  and 
although  he  is  nothing  of  a  boarding-master,  he  exacts 
"  blood  money,"  on  every  occasion  that  a  seaman  —  or  even 
an  alleged  seaman—  is  supplied  by  him.  That  is  to  say, 
this  worthy  person  receives  a  fee  from  the  shipowner,  for 
the  supply  of  seamen  :  arid  he  collects  "  blood  money  " 
from  the  hapless  victim  which  he  unloads  upon  the  suffer- 
ing shipmaster.  A  fee  is  one  thing;  "blood  money"  is 
another  :  and  the  two  should  not  be  mixed  up  together. 
Personally,  we  are  somewhat  surprised  to  note  that 
Shipping  Federation  should  allow  its  legal  representative, 
to  accumulate  data  that  is  so  wickedly  misleading! 


A  LAWYER  might  honestly  take  his  recognised  fee  for 
defending  a  murderer,  say  :  but  if  he  were  to  accept 
another  solatium  for  "selling"  that  murderer,  then,  the 
latter  payment  would  be  of  the  nature  of  "  blood  money," 
wouldn't  it?  And  this  is  exactly  the  case  where  "blood 
money  "  comes  in  with  a  boarding  master.  His  fee  is  for 
board  and  lodgings  provided  :  "  blood  money  "  is  a  poll-tax 
which  he,  having  the  power,  assesses  as  the  outside  and 
distinct  value  of  giving  Captain  Smith  the  refusal  of  a 
sailor's  services,  ins'tead  of  giving  that  refusal  to  Captain 
Brown—  when  both  are  equally  in  need  of  a  man,  or  men. 
Nobody  wishes  to  back  up  the  pernicious  system  of  exact- 
ing "  blood  money  ;  "  but  it  is  just  as  well  to  give  the  truth 
about  it,  for  even  a  sailors'  boarding-house  keeper  has  a 
certain  amount  of  right  hanging  around  him  ?  And  to  say, 
in  open  court,  that  "  blood  money  "  is  the  familiar  term  for 
a  boarding-master's  fees  "  which  always  have  to  be  paid," 
is  doing  a  great  injury  to  a  class  of  men  who  may  not  be 
dispensed  with,  after  all.  Another  point  in  this  same 
alleged  trial,  strikes  us  as  being  somewhat  sweeping.  It 
appears  that  the  "deserter"  here,  excused  himself  for 
having  lost  his  passage,  by  reason  that  he  had  "  taken  a 
drop  of  drink  over  night." 

•srt      Q* 

fr*X    ?VS 

K?   a3 

THIS  brought  the  brilliant,  but  not-too-original  remark 
from  the  lawyer  who  worked  for  Shipping  Federation, 
"  that  that  was  the  excuse  of  every  seaman."  Now.  we 
feel  that  we  have  a  right  to  protest  against  such  biassed 
testimony,  and  we  are  perfectly  sure  that  if  this  legal 
gentleman  were  to  use  the  same  prejudicial  remarks 
concerning  any  other  trade  or  profession,  there  would  be 
trouble  on  the  heath,  at  once.  This  being  so,  what  right 
has  this  man  to  go  into  court,  and  needlessly  malign  the 
nautical  profession  ?  Shipping  Federation  paid  this 
advocate  to  prosecute  one  particular  seaman,  who  was 
said  to  be  a  /deserter  ?  Of  course!  But  from  the  large- 
ness of  his  nautical  —  if  not  from  his  legal  —  knowledge,  the 
gentlemanly  lawyer  undertook  to  prejudice  the  mind  of  the 
magistrate,  by  assuring  him  that'  to  lose  a  ship  through 
taking  a  drop  of  drink  over  night,  "  was  the  excuse  of  every 
seaman."  Personally,  we  lay  some  legal  claim  to  be 
considered  seamen  ;  we  never  used  such  paltry  excuses  ; 
we  know  quite  a  number  of  other  seamen  who  never  used 
them  ;  so  what  right  has  any  lawyer  to  stand  up  and 
condemn,  in  such  a  wholesale  manner,  the  very  man 
through  whose  instrumentality  he  is  earning  some  kind  of 
a  living  ?  Is  it  fair,  between  man  and  man  ;  or  is  there  any 

gratitude  in  it,  at  all  ? 

&?  9u 

5&!       bo? 

SOME  two-and-a-half  months  ago,  a  certain  lawyer  told 
us  a  bare-faced  lie  ;  but  we  should  be  sorry,  because  of  that 
contretemps,  to  emulate  one  King  David,  and  say  in  a 


July   7,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


128 


hasty  manner  that  all  lawyers  were  of  the  same  Glass  and 
Registry.  They  are  not— fortunately  for  the  community. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  quite  a  number  of  them  are  really 
estimable  persons,  and  it  is  a  positive  pleasure  to  know,  or  do 
business,  with  them.  But  then,  our  partiality  for  the  class, 
is  not  going  to  make  us  blind  to  the  short-comings  of  the 
individuals :  and  the  mere  fact  that  the  sailorman,  as  a 
rule,  has  nobody  to  say  a  word  in  his  defence ;  that  he  is 
helpless  :  is  treated  as  if  he  were  a  pariah  :  a  blot  on  the 
landscape  :  a  something  that  the  world  would  be  well  rid 
of ;  is  no  reason  that  every  second  man  one  meets,  may  go 
into  a  court  where  justice  is  on  tap.  and  may  make  sweep- 
ing assertions  concerning  his  quite  too-too  wickedness. 
That  word  gives  us  another  simile.  Sweeping,  we  mean. 
Some  few  shipowners — who  support  Shipping  Federation- 
are  quite  don  hands  at  the  bye-product  which  is  known  as 
"sweepings:"  but  he  would  be  a  rash  individual  who 
declared  that  all  shipowners  would  rob  the  main-hatch — by 
proxy— simply  because  they  happen  to  keep  hens.  What  ? 
No.  sirs,  let  us  have  the  truth,  no  matter  how  damaging  it 
might  be  :  but  don't  let  us  have  quite  so  much  of  the 
"  every  seaman  "  notion,  around  on  the  breeze. 

£  *J 

BY  the  way,  isn't  there  a  certain  amount  of  "  smallness  " 
apparent  in  some  circles  where  one  would  hardly  expect  to 
find  the  trait  ?  Business  circles,  you  know  ?  As  nearly 
everybody  is  now  aware,  the  Prince  of  Wales  was  at 
Cardiff,  last  week,  where  he  saw  some  few  matters  which 
called  for  his  praise,  and  attention.  Some  of  those  matters 
had  to  do  with  Carciff  coal :  some  of  them  had  merely  to 
do  with  foundation-stone  laying.  In  connection  with  the 
latter  business,  the  Newport  Chamber  of  Commerce  was 
represented  by  Mr.  T.  H.  Mordey,  its  president.  Well,  in 
the  course  of  the  Prince's  remarks.  His  Royal  Highness 
animadverted  on  the  importance  of  Cardiff  coal,  as 
connected  with  the  Navy,  and  placed  the  subject  in  a 
prettily  poetical  manner,  in  as  far  as  his  hosts,  for  the  time- 
being,  were  concerned.  This,  of  course,  was  exactly  as  it 
should  be  ?  An  accomplished  and  tactful  man  of  the 
world,  would  hardly  be  inclined  to  visit,  say,  the  factories 
where  Apple  Soap  was  in  course  of  preparation,  and  then. 
in  the  middle  of  it  all.  give  a  lea'ned  dissertation  on  the 
beauties  of  Jinolia  ?  Would  he.  now  ?  A  mere  Malaprop 
might  do  this :  but  there  is  nothing  of  the  male  Malaprop 
about  H.R.H.  the  Prince  of  Wales.  All  the  same.  Mr.  T. 
H.  Mordey  has  "  had  reason  to  believe  that  Newport  was 
rather  under,  than  over,  represented  at  the  ceremony." 

5?*9 

OP  course,  we  shouldn't  like  to  contradict  Mr.  T.  H. 
Mordey  in  this  matter  :  but  really,  we  were  of  opinion  that 
Newport  couldn't  well  have  a  more  creditable  representa- 
tive, and  we  write  it  in  all  seriousness.  We  will  go  farther 
than  that,  and  suggest  that  Mr.  Mordey  is  needlessly 
depreciating  his  own  powers.  Some  men  are  a  host  in 
themselves,  and  our  personal  opinion  is.  that  when  Newport 
is  championed  by  such  men  as  Mr.  T.  H.  Mordey.  then,  her 
prestige  is  in  fairly  good  hands.  Don't  tell  us  about  under- 
representation,  because  we  are  not  having  any  of  it.  But 
harking  along  to  another  portion  of  the  same  growl,  we  find 
this  :  "  With  reference  to  the  function,  on  Thursday,  the 
Prince  in  his  reply  made  reference  to  the  coalfields  of 
Cardiff  and  to  Welsh  steam  coal,  but  no  mention  was  made 
of  Monmouthshire  coal."  As  far  as  we  can  see.  there  was 
no  mention  made  of  North  Country  coal,  nor  of.  say. 
PocahonUs?  The  Prince  was  at  Cardiff:  was  talking. 
principally,  to  Cardiffians :  any  representatives  from  else- 
where were  merely  visitors  and  were  expected  to  act  as 
such  :  so  where  is  the  legitimacy  of  this  particular  growl  ? 
Do  you  altogether  wonder  that  we  should  ask  you  if 
"smallness"  were  not  somewhat  in  evidence?  And  not 
the  smallness  of  Cardiff  coal  !  However,  the  protest  has 
been  entered  :  has  received  a  "  hear,  hear ; "  so  that  is 
alright. 


*     to       MARITIME     MARK     MAKERS.       yt     at 

JOHN    MACAULAY,     Esa., 

(General  Manager,   Alexandra— Newport    and   South   Wales— Docks 
and    Railway    Company). 

'E  are  glad  to  be  enabled  to  give  our  readers  a  photo- 
graphic reproduction  of  one  of  the  most  widely 
known,  and  wholly  appreciated  personalities  in 
Bristol  Channel  life— Mr.  John  Macaulay,  general  manager 
of  the  Alexandra  (Newport  and  South  Wales)  Docks  and 
Railway  Company.  It  is  highly  probable  that,  in  recent 
years,  no  single  individual  has  done  more  in  the  matter  of 
rejuvenating  a  local  industry,  than  has  this  hard-working 
commercial  stalwart.  We  have  no  intention  of  entering  into 
comparisons  which,  to  some  of  our  readers,  might  be  odious. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  such  comparison  is  altogether  un- 
necessary, and  mainly  for  the  reason  that  everybody 
connected  with  Bristol  Channel  enterprise,  fully  realises 
the  share  which  Mr.  Macaulay  has  taken  in  the  latter-day 
development  of  Newport.  At  the  time  when  he  first 
became  associated  with  Usk-side,  industrial  progress  there, 
had  been  allowed  to  well,  say  to  languish  :  it  sadly  needed 
a  tonic.  Fortunately  for  Newport,  that  metaphorical  tonic 
was  comeatable  :  indeed,  was  supplied  on  the  very  day 
when  our  this  week's  Maritime  Mark  Maker  took  over  the 
reine  of  government,  thereaway.  The  gentleman  has  had 
his  detractors— and  who  is  there  among  us  worthy  of 
attention,  that  has  not  ?  You  see,  the  condition  into  which 
Newport  had  fallen,  is  best  described  as  appertaining  to  a 
state  of  commercial  beri-beri  ;  it  had  not  quite  gone  to 
sleep,  you  understand  ;  but  it  was  just  about  to  compose 
itself  for  a  fairly-long  nap!  Mr.  Macaulay  interfered  with 
the  contemplated  "rest,"  so  a  number  of  the  sleepy  ones 
bore  him  a  grudge  therefor !  Still,  it  need  not  be  supposed 
that  this  particular  Mark  Maker,  had  any  intention  of 
"holding  up"  on  that  account.  On  the  contrary,  rather, 
for  when  he  realised  that  a  very  big  job  was  in  front  of  him, 
he,  in  a  truly  characteristic  manner,  made  up  his  mind  to 
get  in  front  of  the  job.  By  those  that  know  him  best,  it 
will  be  conceded  that  this  is  exactly  what  was  expected 
of  him  :  nay,  that  it  was  for  this  very  reason,  that  he  had 
been  persuaded  to  take  Newport- metaphorically— under 
his  wing.  That  the  general  manager  of  the  Alexandra 
Docks  and  Railway  is  well  in  front  of  his  work,  to-day, 
is  an  indisputable  fact.  Moreover,  it  is  generally  admitted 
that  he  is  exactly  the  individual  who  is  going  to  remain  in 
the  same  happy  position— until  other,  and  more  weighty 
undertakings,  perchance,  shall  claim  his  services.  The- 
foregoing  might  appear  to  be  of  an.  oracular  r.ature  ? 
Perhaps  it  is ;  while  again  it  might  not  be  :  and  we  might 
merely  be  writing  in  a  general  sense  ?  In  either  case  it 
will  make  no  difference  to  Mr.  Macaulay— although  it  might 
possibly  make  a  difference  to  other  authorities  who  are  of 
t£e  festina  lente  kind  !  More  than  this,  and  on  this  account, 
we  shall  not  say  ;  but  it  is  by  no  means  difficult  to  surprise 
the  man  in  the  street,  these  days— even  as  our  Maritime 
Mark  Maker  surprised  the  good  people  of  Newport,  Mon., 
when  first  he  "rung  them  up,"  to  a  new  lease  of  life.  To 
put  the  matter  charitably.  Newport,  collectively  considered, 
knew  exactly  what  it  wanted  ;  but  like  numberless  other 
places,  it  didn't  quite  know  how  to  go  about  getting  it. 
Fate  intervened  ;  showed  somebody  the  right  man,  at  the 
right  minute  ;  the  tables  were  turned  ;  and  matters  soon 
began  to  assume  a  definite  shape  ;  to  evolve  order  out  of 
the  aforetime  chaos.  Nor  let  the  fact  be  forgotten,  that  the 
same  chaos  was  anything  but  of  a  picayune  character — a 
chaos  that  was  slowly,  but  effectually  freezing  Newport 
out  of  the  running.  The  "right  man"  in  this  instance, 
was  (and  is)  Mr.  John  Macaulay :  and  whether  he 
continues  to  favour  Newport  with  his  able  attention  :  or, 
having  put  it  on  its  feet,  looks  around  for  more  strenuous 
labour  :  we  are  sure  that  everybody  concerned  will  wish 
him  continued  health- -success  he  already  has, 
abundance. 


1 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July  7,    1905 


FRIDAY,  JULY  7.   1905. 


THE  ALIENS  BILL. 


>ITH  the  devious  workings  of  this  Parliamentary 
stumbling-block,  we  are  not  concerning  our- 
selves,   and     mainly    for    the    reason    that, 
although  the   times  are    somewhat   "  hard." 
life   is  altogether  too   short    to    follow    the 
dodgings  which  have  crystallised  around  the 
piece  of  legislation — or  would-be  legislation  — 
known  as  the  Aliens  Bill.     We  are  prone  to  admit  that  as 
a  means  of  showing  up  the  intellectuality  of  some  of  our 
law-makers  ( perhaps  the  ribald  portion  of  the  community, 
would  prefer  to  write  it  "lack  of  intellectuality!"),  this 
Aliens   Bill   is  more  or  less   pre-eminent ;   and  a  gentle 
consideration  of  the  circumstances  and  conditions  involved, 
should  go  far  to  convince  the  world,  that  it  doesn't  really 
need   a  tremendous  amount  of  brains,  to   enable  one   to 
indulge  in  the  glories  and  advantages  accruing  from,  the 
much-coveted-in-some-quarters  initials,  M.P.   We  wouldn't, 
for  worlds,  pass   any   unkind    remarks   anent  the  worthy 
gentlemen  who  have  been  rushed  into  Parliament,  at  the 
bidding  of  certain  sections  of  the  'orny  'anded.     At  the 
same  time,  we  are  constrained  to  write  it  as  our  unbiassed 
opinion,  that  because  a  man  is  qualified  to  shine  at  a  mass 
meeting   of  workmen,   it  by   no   means  follows  that    his 
assumed  brilliancy  is  bound  to  be  similarly  apparent,  when 
he  takes  his  seat  in  the  national  Talking  Shop.     In  other 
words,  we  are  gradually  coming  to  the  decision,  tha$  the 
House  of  Parliament  contains  more  than  its  fair  share  of 
Tritons-of-the-minnows.     It    is    disconcerting    to    decide 
thusly  ;  but  we  cannot  help  it.     Perhaps  the  atmosphere  of 
"  the  House  "  is  antagonistic  to  fustiany  speeches  :  possibly 
the   members,   having  once  attained  their  ambitions,   are 
then  of  opinion  that  it  is  only  necessary  to  sit  down  and 
enjoy  life  ;  or,  at  the  most,  to  rise  and  twaddle,  just  a  little. 
In  the  latter  event,  the  dear  fellows  will  be  immortalised  in 
print ;  their    admiring  constituents  may  wonder  what  it's 
all  about ;   sundry  of  the   bigger  minnows,  so   to  speak. 
might  mutter  all  manner  of  threats  of  what  will  transpire 
at  the  next  election  :  but  the  merry  game  goes  on,  just  as 
in  manner  provided.     That  is,  nobody  is  idiotic  enough  to 
kick  against  the  Parliamentary  pricks  :  and  individuality— 
when   it  is  at   all   in   evidence— must  be   very  strenuous, 
before  it  will  receive  any  attention.     Mind  you,  we  do  not 
wish  it  to  be  thought,  that  our  opinion  of  the  hon.  members 
of  the  country's  Parliament  works  out  to  the  belief,  that 
they   are   just   a   conglomeration   of   nonentities.     On  the 
contrary,   rather,  for   we   are   convinced  that  among  the 
whole   number  of   M.P.'s,  there  are   some  quite   sensible 
men.     Yes!     At  the    same    time,  truth    compels    us    to 
admit,  that  it  is  our  unequivocal  conviction,  that  in  the  same 
galaxy — if  we  may  be  forgiven  the  word— there  is  more 
than  a  fair  share  of  Tritons-of-the-minnows,  as  already 
explained.     Furthermore,   we    are  glad   to  state   that,   to 
judge    by    appearances,    there    are    many    aspirants    for. 
Parliamentary    honours,    who    could    easily    hocuss    any 
number  of  ignorant  workmen     as  long  as  those  workmen 
were  gathered  together  in  a  slum,  or  on  a  mountain  side  ; 
but    as     to     the     same     results    obtaining,     if    it    were 
possible     to     collect    those    same    workmen    within    the 
sacred  portals  of  "  the  House  " — well,  we  have  our  doubts  : 
are  of  opinion  that  the  workman  would  admit  that  this  was 
another  instance  in  which  the  idylls  of  his  youth  had  been 
dispelled  ;    that  his  allegorical  idol  had  clay  feet — and,  yes. 


and  the  same  sort  of  tongue  !     Of  course,  we  know  that  the 
foregoing  appears  to  be  of  an  unkind  nature  :    also,  that  it 
is  an   expression  of  personal  opinion  ;    but   let  it  not  be 
forgotten,  that  there  are  a  great  many  persons  who  share 
the  belief  with  us.     Moreover,  there  were  many  who  had 
doubts  on  the  subject,  previous  to  the  introduction  of  the 
Aliens  Bill ;    but  now — well,  now.   they  rank  themselves  on 
the  same  side  of  the  fence,  as  ourselves.     Don't  think,  how- 
ever, that  we  are  unduly  pleased  about  it.    We  are  not!   Asa 
matter  of  fact,   we  are  considerably    more  grieved,   than 
otherwise  ;    for  we  would  much  rather  wander  along  in  a 
mistaken  belief,  and  find  ultimately,  that  to  be  a  M.P.  meant 
to  possess  indubitable  brain  power:    than    we  would  find 
corroboration  on  every  hand,  in  which  case  Parliament  and 
brains  would  be   by   no   means,    synonymous  terms.     We 
remarked  above,  that  we  had  no  intention  of  following  the 
devious  workings  of  this  newest  Parliamentary  time-waster 
— and  it  was  the  truth.     All  the  same,  we  mean  to  give  a 
little  attention  to  that  portion  thereof,  which  is  supposed  to 
come  under  the  purview  of  the  shipping  community.     Even 
here,  we  are  somewhat  prone  to  admit  that  we  hardly  know 
where  to  begin,  for  some  of  the  Tritons  already  referred  to, 
and  not  being  satisfied  with  proving  that  they  were  meta- 
phorically at  sea  with  the  business,  have  laid   themselves 
out  to  show  that  they  were  inclined  to  go  to  the  extent  of 
being  really  "at  sea,"  with  their  alleged  discussions  of  the 
Bill.     That  is.   the   shipowner  and  the  shipmaster   have, 
unwittingly,  been  drawn  into  the  giddy  vortex.      Commen- 
cing with  the  shipmaster,  we  will  write — and  from  personal 
experience  of  the  profession— that,    as  he   has  absolutely 
nothing  to  do,  and  heaps  of  time  to  do  it  in.   there   is  no 
valid   reason   why   he   shouldn't  be   made   attend,   to   the 
immigration  business  of  the  whole  world.     You  see,  outside 
of  an  attempt  to  navigate  with  a  piece  of  scrap   iron  :    to 
dodge  a  breeze  of  wind  and  its  consequent  seas  :    to  save  a 
rotten  set  of  tarpaulins  from  being  washed  off  his  hatches  ; 
to  study  up  the  impossible,  as  represented  by  a  torn-fool 
charter    party ;     to  threaten  to    kill    sundry  mutineering 
firemen  or  foreign  seamen:    to  make  ten  days' provisions 
last  a  month  ;  to  cure  a  broken  neck  or  a  case  of  measles  : 
to  be  a  lawyer  at  the  port  of  discharge,  and  an  angel  at  the 
loading  port  :    to  act  as  chief  accountant,   and   assistant 
literary-help  when  log-books  are  about;   to — well,  to  attend 
to  a  few  more  odds  and  ends,    and   after  which,   he   has 
practically  nothing  to  do.     Obviously,  then,  he  could  easily 
carry  out  the  duties  of  an  immigration  officer?     Of  course! 
So    that    when     an    apparently    undesirable    alien    came 
along  with  a  ticket  and  the  measles,  the  Old    Man   could 
joyfully  roll  up  his  shirt-sleeves,   preparatory  to  counting 
the  correct  number  thereof,  for  entry  in  the  official  log. 
what  ?     The  same  thing  would  apply  with  an  alien  glory- 
ing in  the  possession  of  an  imaginary   dose    of    plague — 
bubonic,  or  otherwise?     Again,  of  course,    the    Old    Man 
could    direct    the    seeming    patient    to    stretch     himself 
out  on  the  deck  ;  having  got  him  there,  and  remembering 
that  England  expected  him  to  do  his  duty,  the  Old  Man 
could  jump   on   the    patient's    groin,    when,    if    anything 
bursted.  it  would  be   an    undesirable  alien  ;  if  the  groin  of 
the  foreigner  stood   it— aye,  even   if   the   Old   Man   were 
merely  a  light  weight— then,  the  captain  could  endorse  the 
ticket,  and  there  you  are  !     Naturally,  under   these    con- 
ditions, voyages  would  be  somewhat  extended,  but  the  Old 
Man  would  be  all  the  gainer?     In  addition,  he  would  have 
the  grim  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  he  had  done  his  duty  ; 
and  at  some  time  in   the  dim  vistas  of  the  future,  some  of 
him   might  earn   the  thanks   of   Parliament,  what  ?     You 
never  know  your  luck,  in  these  strenuous  days.     We  quite 
understand  what  is  in  your  mind,  at  this  precise  stage  of 
the  consideration.     We  do,  because  we  are  dab  hands  at 
telepathy,  ourselves,  see?      You  are  thinking,   in    effect: 
"This  is  all  very  well,  if  the  various  diseases  have  developed 
when  the  immigrant  presents  himself.     But  what  is  going  to 
happen,  if  the  fell  disease  breaks  out  after  the  vessel  has 
been  a  week  at  sea"?     Recognising  that  you  are  reasoning 


July  7,  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


13° 


somewhere  along  in  that  line,  it  convinces  us  that  you 
haven't  waded  through  the  alleged  discussion,  which  has 
surrounded  the  Aliens  Bill— and  we  don't,  by  any  manner 
of  means,  blame  you.  Once  more  we  will  admit  that  life 
is  too  short,  for  you  to  attempt  a  consideration  of  the  piff- 
niff  which  is  sometimes  dignified  with  the  name  of 
discussion,  at  St.  Stephens.  It  is  far  better  to  take  it  as 
read,  and  then  commission  us  to  wade  through  it  all, 
afterwards  giving  you  a  precis  of  the  whole  thing,  in  our 
own  inimitable  style.  Don't  apologise,  please.  The  weather 
is  too  sultry.  But  coming  to  business  :  serious  business. 
you  know  :  you  will  find  that  the  Tritons  have  allowed  for 
the  disease  manifesting  itself,  after  the  bonny  ship  is  on 
the  sea.  In  that  case,  the  Old  Man  will  be  held  blameless. 
and  the  common  carrier — a  man  who  never  saw  the  blessed 
immigrant,  and  if  he  can  help  it.  never  will— will  have  to 
save  the  Government  all  expense,  by  supplying  his  own 
lazarette.  doctors,  etc.  especially  etc.  If.  in  the  end,  he 
manages  to  nurse  the  patient  back  to  life  :  finds  him  a  job 
so  that  he  won't  come  on  the  rates :  keeps  his  nose  clean  ; 
and  doesn't  make  a  song  about  any  of  the  vicissitudes 
through  which  he  has  passed  :  then  shipowner  will  be 
allowed  to  keep  the  passage  money,  as  a  set-off  against 
the  other  incidental  expenses  of  immigrant  carrying.  You 
might  think  that  we  are  misleading  you  in  this  respect : 
but  we  are  not !  It  is  possible  that  you  will  doubt  the 
sanity  of  persons  who  will  size  up  the  situation  in  this 
manner.  Alright !  But  if  you  care  to  struggle  through 
with  the  nonsense  which  has  surrounded  the  Bill  in 
question,  you  will  find  that,  in  effect,  we  have  given  you 
the  true  facts  of  the  case.  Certainly,  the  legislative 
assembly  which  is  a  good  phrase  has  put  it  in  words 
other  than  what  are  set  out  above :  that  is  only  as  you 
would  suppose— and  maimy  for  the  reason  that  they  haven't 
originality  enough  among  them,  to  spread  the  stuff  out  in 
plain,  every-day  language.  They  "  hon.  member "  each 
other  :  become  indignant :  then  try.  what  they  consider  is.  a 
wheedling  manner :  but  you  may  bet  long  odds  on  the 
whole  thing,  that  anybody  save  the  Government  is  bound 
to  pay.  Shipowner  brings  in  aliens  :  let  him  attend  to 
them:  dock  companies  assist  in  the  disembarkation  which 
needs  a  dictionary  for  its  elucidation,  in  Parliament : 
what  happens?  Well,  in  the  words  of  one  hon.  member. 
"  I  feel  pretty  sure  that  the  dock  companies,  wishing  to 
attract  as  much  custom  to  their  docks  as  they  can.  will,  in 
the  end.  be  found  ready  to  provide  such  reasonable  accom- 
modation as  would  be  necessary  for  landing  emigrants." 
No  doubt !  But  then  there  is  such  a  terrible  amount  of 
mystery  surrounding  the  words  "reasonable  accommo- 
dation." A  stone  step,  and  an  iron  railing,  is  good  enough 
for  most  of  us  :  but  if  the  hon.  members— or  any  of  them 
—  are  of  opinion  that  sedan  chairs,  and  hot-water  bottles  in 
winter  are  essential,  where  are  we?  Another  hon.  member. 
who  is  in  collar  for  an  inland—and  somewhat  inappreciably  " 
important  district.  "  appealed  to  the  Home  Secretary  to 
require  that  any  accommodation  necessary  to  enable  the 
shipowners  to  carry  on  their  trade,  should  be  provided  by 
them,  and  not  by  the  public."  Prodigious,  isn't  it?  Ship- 
owner isn't  at  all  perfect :  we  have  never  pretended  to 
believe  that  he  is :  but  if  he  were  half  the  snivelling 
hypocrite  which  some  of  these  hon.  members  would  suggest, 
when  "appealing"  to  their  party  bosses,  then,  he  wouldn't 
be  fit  to  live.  Of  course,  it  is  altogether  his  own  fault,  for 
from  time  immemorial,  it  has  been  accounted  a  soft  snap,  to 
badger  the  shipowner.  Somehow  or  other,  his  usual  build 
favours  this  sort  of  thing,  for.  rightly  or  wrongly,  he  is 
catalogued  among  the  invertebrates.  Personally,  we  wish 
that  he  would  wash  in  alum-water,  or  other  astringent, 
after  which  there  would  be  some  hope  of  working  up  a 
better  state  of  affairs,  for  everybody  connected  with  the 
shipping  industry.  But  seeing  that  shipowner,  himself,  is 
so  hopelessly  "  limp."  it  is  taken  for  granted  that  the  ship- 
master, his  mates,  and  everybody  concerned,  must  be  in 
the  same  unenviable  condition.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  if  those 


good  people  would  agree  to  join  up  to  meet  their  common 
foe,  there  would  soon  be  an  alteration  in  the  undertakings 
of  the  country.  Let  shipowner  and  shipmaster  but  realise 
that  their's  is  a  common  interest :  give  up  being  played 
the  one  against  the  other ;  and  we  shouldn't  have  hon. 
members  appealing  to  the  Prime  Minister,  even  after  the 
manner  set  out  above.  If  such  a  desirable  state  should 
resolve  itself  from  this  Alien  Bill  piff-niff,  then,  the  whole 
tons  of  good  paper  which  have  been  given  over  to  it,  would 
not  have  been  given  in  vain.  Let  us  go  on  hoping,  for  as 
shipping  people,  it  is  about  all  that  is  left  us  !  And  there 
isn't  much  hope,  now,  is  there  ? 


THE    HUDSON'S    BAY   COMPANY. 


OLLOW1NG  our  recent  series  of  articles  on  Canadian 
progress,  a  short  consideration  of  the  happenings  at 
the  general  court  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company, 
and  which  was  held  on  Monday  last,  will  be  of 
interest.  Seeing  that  we  have  no  brief  for  the  corporation 
referred  to.  we  shall  not  be  blamed  for  declining  to  enter 
into  a  discussion  of  its  financial  "coulds,"  or"woulds," 
although  much  might  be  written  with  regard  to  both.  What 
we  ^are  mainly  concerned  with,  is  the  actual  progress  of 
the  Dominion,  and  if  we  cannot  quite  congratulate  the 
company  to  which  we  are  referring,  on  all  its  utterances, 
there  are  still  a  goodly  number  which  are  worthy  of  careful 
attention.  As  an  example  of  the  "  better  left  unsaid  " 
part  of  the  report  on  Monday,  we  note  that  "  Owing  to  the 
non-arrival  of  the  Stork,  it  had  been  necessary  to  carry 
the  outward  cargo  to  James  Bay,  this  season,  and  to  bring 
home  the  returns,  and  the  board  had  purchased  the  steamer 
Discovery,  which  was  built  for  and  had  been  employed  in 
Antarctic  exploration,  and  was  consequently  specially 
suited  for  service  in  Hudson's  Bay."  Why?  Is  there 
very  much  resemblance  between  the  navigation  in  the 
Antarctic,  and  that  to  be  encounfered  in  the  Bay  ?  We 
are  of  opinion  that  there  is  not.  and  that,  to  all  intents  and 
purposes,  there  is  no  more  difficulty  in  Hudson's  Bay,  than 
there  is  in  the  Baltic,  at  first  open  water.  Furthermore, 
everybody  knows  that  nothing  especial  in  the  matter  of 
steam  tonnage  is  essential  for  the  Baltic  trade  ;  on  the 
contrary,  rather,  for  viewing  the  matter  dispassionately, 
and  considering  some  of  the  marvels  of  marine  architecture 
which  essays  the  business,  one  is  almost  constrained  to 
remark,  that  anything  which  can  wag  a  propeller  is  good 
enough  ?  However,  we  may  safely  leave  this  portion  of 
the  discussion  to  old  Father  Time,  who  has  a  happy  knack 
of  levelling  these  matters  up  in  what,  to  us  poor  humans, 
is  a  somewhat  unaccountable  manner.  Coming  to  the 
immigrant  question,  we  find  that  from  Government  returns, 
these  amounted  to  some  160.000  during  last  year,  and  for 
^Rat  portion  ?i  the  country  embraced  between  Lake 
Superior  and  the  Pacific.  Of  this  fairly-good  number, 
some  48,000  were  from  the  United  States,  and  the  com- 
pany is  of  opinion,  that  this  contingent  will  prove  as  good 
and  loyal  settlers,  "even  as  those  who  come  from  the 
Mother  Land."  Why  not  ?  A  man  will  hardly  undertake 
an  immigration  job  into  Canada,  by  way  of  a  questionable 
joke?  He  usually  means  it;  didn't  get  caught  at  the 
business,  accidentally  ?  This  being  so.  it  doesn't  appear  to 
matter  unduly,  as  to  whence  that  immigrant  comes? 
Granted,  there  are  immigrants,  and  immigrants ;  but 
admitting  this,  it  is  fairly  safe  to  assume  that  each  sort  will 
do  all  that  in  him  lays,  for  the  purpose  of  making  his  efforts 
a  success  to  himself,  in  which  case  they  will  also  be  a 
success  to  the  Dominion  of  Canada.  Coming  to  the  wheat 
crop  of  Canada  for  the  year  1904,  we  find,  as  we  have 
previously  stated,  that  this  was  returned  as  57,000,000 
bushels  ;  but  the  estimated  crop  for  the  current  year,,  is;; 
75,000,000  bushels :  from  which  it  will  be  seen  that  the 
immigrants— no  matter  whence  they  come—are  giving  a  good 
account  of  themselves  ?  The  surest  sign  of  progress,  here  ? 


'3' 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July  7,   1905 


CARDIFF     (AND    OTHER)     COAL. 


CARDIFF,  July  5,  1905. 

TRUE  to  expectation,  the  Coal  Market,  since  our  last  time  of 
writing,  has  undergone  no  change — either  upward  or  downward. 
That  is  to  say,  it  continues  in  the  deadly  dull  condition  which  has 
been  its  own  for  some  time  past,  and  failing  a  heavenly  dispensation, 
it  is  difficult  to  say  when  an  improvement  will  eventuate.  Tonnage 
supplies  have  been  fairly  satisfactory  ;  but  of  what  use  are  tonnage 
supplies,  alone '.'  What  is  wanted,  is  vim.  Not  the  greatly  adver- 
tised stuff  which  stares  down  at  you  from  the  ornamental  partitions 
with  which  the  town  is  filled  ;  but  the  real,  genuine,  and  eighteen- 
oarat  vim  which  has  made  Cardiff  what  it  is. 

THERE  is  always  something  doing.  That  goes  without  saying. 
Even  if  the  something  is  merely  of  the  nature  of  piling  up  the 
stocks  !  But  every  second  coal  dealer  one  meets,  these  days,  is 
either  resplendent  in  a  "  fancy  "  waistcoat ;  or  he  looks  uncom- 
fortably damp,  and  muggy  !  One  ribald  member  of  the  crowd,  this 
morning,  tried  to  work  off  a  "  poetical  "  jape  upon  us.  Assured  us 
that  "Gone  are  the  days,  when  ma  heart  could  feel  no  pane  ;  gone, 
is  the  buyer,  an' he  won't  come  bank  again."  We  threw  rocks  at 
the  man.  Do  you  blame  us?  Gone!  It's  all  gone,  or  is  going. 

BEST  CARDIFF  ADMIRALTYS,  for  instance.  What  are  they  ?  Just 
that  and  no  more.  Fortune's  favo.urites  continue  at  it,  yes  ;  but  it 
takes  more  than  a  few  favourites  of  fortune,  to  keep  Cardiff  (and 
other)  Coal  a-humming.  As  to  price,  well,  it's  quoted  at  12s.  9d., 
and  the  figures — in  view  of  what  is  doing — are  as  good  as  any 
other.  For  that  matter,  so  are  12s.  6d.-  and  if  you  have  an  ex- 
ceptional gall,  you  might  get  off  with  your  life  (and  the  coal,  of 
course)  on  a  12s.  3d.  lay. 

APPROXIMATE     FIGURES     FOR     THE     WEEK 


SECONDS?  Let  us  quote  you.  "These  show  an  easy  tone 
throughout,  consequent  upon  a  limited  request,  and  the  fact  that 
supplies  are  plentiful."  Thus  our  own  prophet,  and  he  knows 
something  about  it,  yes.  In  plain  English,  you  may  knock  appre- 
ciable chips  off  the  quotation,  here,  for  anything  of  the  prompt  and 
big  variety.  Personally,  we  should  mark  the  quotation  at  12s.  and 
stick  to  it,  right  along. 

ORDINARIES  are  unchanged,  and  the  grade  is  averaged  at  11s.  6d. 
— if  you  are  easily  pleased,  you'll  pay  that  amount  ;  if  not,  you'll 
pay  slightly  lower.  DRYS,  too — but  we've  told  you  about  Drys 
right  along,  haven't  we?  They  are  dryer  than  ever,  and  the 
quotations  given  below,  are  merely  printed  because  we  do  not  like 
to  see  empty  columns.  That's  all. 

MONMOUTHSHIRE  COALS  have  been  favoured  with  a  little  better 
enquiry  -probably  because  of  the  prominence  given  thereto,  by  the 
president  of  the  Newport  Chamber  of  Commerce  ?  Still,  prices 
keep  along  at  the  old  notch,  and  in  spite  of  two  of  the  principal 
collieries  in  this  group  being  on  stop  because  of  labour  troubles, 
there  is  no  difference  in  the  price.  It  would  be  necessary  to  stop 
more  than  half-a-dozen  collieries,  before  prices  would  jump  here  ! 
Values  are  as  at  our  last,  for  BLACK  VEINS  range  at  11s.  3d.; 
ORDINARIES  at  11s.;  with  EASTERN  VALLEYS  at  10s.  3d.  These 
prices,  however,  are  merely  figurative,  you  understand  ! 

RHONDDA  No.  3's  show  a  maintenance  of  recent  figures — say, 
13s.  9d.  ;  but  No.  2's  are  unchanged  at  9s.  6d.  to  9s.  9d.  SMALLS 
opened  easier  ;  but  during  the  latter  days  under  review,  prices 
have  hardened.  Their  vagaries  are  to  be  found  in  the  list. 


ARE      AS      FOLLOW  ; — 


(All  quotations  f.o.b.  at  the  respective  ports  of  shipment. 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Bes(  Cardiff  Ad'alty  Urge 
Second         Ditto. 
Other  Second  Cardiff     ... 
Drys 
Rest  Newport 
Ordinary  Bests 
Seconds 
Best  House  Coal 
No.  3  Rhondda 
No.  2         Ditto. 
Rhondda  3  "Thro." 
2        

123.  gvl. 
I2S.  Od. 

i  is.  6d. 
1  1  s.  91!. 
us.  3d. 
IDS.  9<1.,  i  is.  ocl. 
los.  31!. 
155.  od. 
ns.  9<l. 
gs.  7?.'l. 
us.  gd. 
8s.  gd. 

las.  gd. 

12S.  O(l. 

us.  gel. 
us.  gd. 
us.  3d. 
IDS.  gd. 
i  os.  3d. 
155.  od. 
133.  gd. 
gs.  ?id. 
1  1  s.  gd. 
8s.  gd. 

i  as.  6d.,  123.  gd. 
us.  gd.,  i2s.  od. 
us.  6d. 
us.  6d.,  i  is.  gd. 

I  IS.    lid. 

i  os.  gd. 
IDS.  od.,  IDS.  6d. 
143.  gd. 
133.  6d.,  135.  gd. 
gs.  6d. 
us  7jd. 
8s.  6d. 

123.  7id. 

i  is.  gd. 
i  is.  cd. 
i  is.  6d. 
i  is.  i.Ul. 
i  is.  o  :. 
IDS.  3d.,  los.  6d. 
143.  Q  1. 
135.  7  id. 
gs.  6d. 
us.  6d. 
8s.  6d. 

I2s.  gd. 
i  is.  gd..  i2s.  3d. 
us.  3d.,  us.  gd. 
us.  6(1. 
i  is.  od.,  i  is.  3(1. 
los.  gd. 
los.  3d. 
143.  6cl.,  153.  od. 
133.  7|d. 
gs.  6d.,  gs.  gd. 
us.  6d.,  i  is.  gd. 
8s.  gd. 

123.  6J.,  138.  O:l. 
12S.  Od.,    12S.  3(1. 

us.  6d. 
i  is.  6d.,  i  is.  yil. 
us.  od.,  us.  6d. 
IDS.  gd.,  us.  od. 
los.  oil.,  los.  3d. 
143.  gd. 
133.  6d.,  133.  gd. 
gs.  gd. 
us.  ?id. 
8s.  gd. 

Smalls: 
Rest  Cardiff 
Seconds 
Ordinaries 
Best  Newport 
Seconds 
Rhondda  No.  2 
„       No.  3 

8s.  3d.,  8s.  6<1 
8s.  od. 
73.  6(1.,  75.  gel. 
75.  6<1. 
75.  3d. 
73.  6d 
95.  gd.,  los.  cxl. 

8s.  3d.,  8s.  6cl. 
8s.  od. 
73.  gd. 
73.  6d. 
73.  3d. 
~s.  6d. 
gs.  i  oid. 

8s.  4Jd- 
73.  gd. 
73.  6d. 
75.  4$d. 
73.  od. 
73.  3d. 
gs.  9d. 

8s.  3d. 
73.  gd. 
75.  6d. 
7s.  4sd. 
73.  od. 
75.  3d. 
IDS.  od. 

8s.  3d. 
73.  6d.,  73.  gd. 
73.  3d  ,  73.  6d. 
73.  3d. 
6s.  gd.,  73.  od. 
-s.  lid. 
93.  gd. 

8s.  od.,  8s.  3d. 
73.  7jd. 
75.  4jd. 
73.  3d. 
6s.  io.jd. 
73.  ocl.,  73.  3d. 
gs.  gd. 

Foundry  Coke  :— 
Special 
Ordinary 

2is.  6d. 
173.  6d. 

2is.  6d. 
175.  6d. 

2  is.  3d. 
173.  od.,  175.  M. 

2  IS.  3(1. 

173.  3d. 

2is.  od.,  2is.  6d. 
173.  od. 

213.  od. 

175.  od.,  173.  6cl. 

Furnace  Coke 
Patent  Fuel 

I'itwood  (ex  ship)    ... 

i6s.  3d. 
135.  od. 

1  8s.  6d.,  los.  od. 

i6s.  3d. 
133.  od. 

iSs.  gd. 

1  6s.  6d. 
I2s.  gd. 

1  8s.  6<1. 

163.  6d. 
123.  gd. 

iSs.  6'l. 

163.  od.,  i6s.  6d. 
133.  od. 
iSs.  3d. 

163.  3d. 
123.  gd.,  135.  3d. 
i8s.  3d.,  183.  gd. 

All,  less  2%  per  cent,  discount,  with  payment  at  thirty  days,  except  where  otherwise  stated. 
All  quotations  for  large  Coals  imply  Colliery  Screened. 


SWANSEA,  July  5,  1905. 

BUSINESS  here,  too,  has  been  the  reverse  of  active — small  blame 
to  it,  seeing  that  it  has  had  no  inducement.  Shipments  for  the 
week  just  ended,  show  a  decrease  over  those  of  its  immediate  pre- 
decessor, and  the  scarcity  of  tonnage  is  having  a  detrimental  effect 
on  values. 

ANTHRACITE  COAL  is  not  in  brisk  demand,  and  as  stocks 
are  mounting  up— well  you  realise  what  it  means.  MACHINE 
MADE  COALS  show  no  improvement  in  the  matter  of  demand,  this 


being  very  limited.  NUTS  are  fairly  steady,  having  moderate  en- 
gagements in  hand  ;  but  other  varieties  are  somewhat  neglected, 
so  prices  are  largely  governed  by  date  of  shipment. 

DUFF  is  steady  at  3s.  6d.  and  here  and  there,  higher  prices  have 
been  secured.  CULM,  too,  is  satisfactory,  recent  values  showing 
no  depreciation. 

STEAMS  are  even  as  at  our  last  time  of  writing.  Demand  poor  ; 
stocks  big  ;  prices — whisper  it  please,  rotten.  PATENT  FUELS  are 
steady  at  from  11s.  6d.  to  11s.  9d. 


BELOW,  we  give  the  average  prices  for  the  week  : — 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Anthracite:  — 

Best    Hand    Picked 

Malting  Large      ...  /      ... 

183.  6d. 

iSs.  6d. 

1  8s.  3d. 

183.  od.,  183.  6d. 

183.  3d. 

183.  od. 

Seconds    do. 

i6s.  gd.                       163.  gd. 

163.  6c.,  173.  od.         163.  gd.,  173.  od. 

1  6s.  bd. 

i6s.  g.1. 

Big  Vein  Urge 

i  is.  od.,  us.  3d.               t  is.  i.'d 

us.  iid. 

us.  od. 

i  is.  od. 

IDS.  gd.,  i  is.  ?d. 

Red    „       „ 

gs.  7',d.                      gs:  y.\. 

gs.  gd. 

gs.  6d  ,  gs.  gd. 

gs.  6d. 

gs  7id. 

Machine  Made  Cobbles    ... 

153.  od.,  i6s.  od. 

ISs.  6d. 

155.  6d. 

i6s.  od. 

i6s.  od. 

153.  6d.,  i6s.  6d. 

„          ,.     Nuts 

1  6s.  od. 

i6s.  od. 

163.  3d. 

163.  3d. 

i6s.  od. 

1  6s.  od.,  1  6s.  6d. 

,.         „     Peas 
Ruhbly  Culm 
Duff 

los.  gd. 
53.  yd. 
35.  6d. 

103.  gd. 
53.  gd. 
33.  gd. 

los.  6d.,  i  is.  od. 
53.  6d.,  6s.  od. 
33.  gd. 

los.  7.',d. 
55.  gd. 
33.  6tl.,  43.  od. 

los.  gd. 

'.    5s.  t>d. 
•  33.  6d. 

los.  6d.,  us.  od. 
53.  3d.,  53.  gd. 
33.  3d.,  33.  gd. 

Patent  Fuels- 

us.  6d. 

us.  6d.,  us.  gd. 

1  1  s.  gd. 

us.  7.\d. 

us.  7.^1. 

I  is.  qd. 

Steam:— 

Best    Large 
Seconds  ,, 

I2s.  6d.,  133.  od. 

123.  Od. 

i2=.  g  !. 

\2?.  od. 

123.  gd. 
us.  gd. 

123.  7id. 

us.  gd. 

123.  6d.,  I2S.  gd. 
12s.  od. 

12S.  gd. 

123.  Od. 

Bunker    ,, 
Thro'  and  Thro' 

los.  3d. 
8s.  6d. 

10?.  6(1. 
8s.  gd. 

i  os.  6d. 

8s.  gd. 

los.  3d.,  los.  gd. 

8s.  7id. 

IDS.  6d. 
8s.  6d.,  8s.  gd. 

IDS.  3d.,  los.  6d 
8s.  74<1 

July  7,    '9°  5 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


\    COAL  FREIGHTS  AND _  FIXTURES.    | 


CARDIFF.  July  S,  1905. 

GENERALLY  considered,  the  tonnage  taken  up  since  our 
last  time  of  writing,  has  been—  for  these  times  —  middling, 
although  it  took  the  "fancy"  quite  the  remainder  of  the 
week  that  was  left  over  from  the  Royal  visit,  to  recover 
from  the  jubilating  effects  thereof  !  Even  when  the 
recovery  had  materialised,  well,  there  was  no  exhibition  of 
undue  haste,  in  any  given  direction. 

TONNAGE  supplies  were  fairly  good,  so  that  the  rates. 
generally,  were  inclined  to  easiness  :  and  particularly  in 
the  matter  of  MEDITERRANEAN  business.  For  EASTERN  ports, 
the  tone  has  been  firm  —  mainly  because  there  has  been 
little  or  nothing  offering.  You  know,  when  the  shipowner 
is  convinced  that  he  will  not  be  throwing  away  a  particular 
"fix."  'tis  somewhat  surprising  to  note  the  amount  of 
stamina  that  he  will  work  up  !  But  let  the  proverbial 
little  bird  whisper  that  there  is  a  possibility  —  phew  !  Won't 
the  ill-used  gentleman  climb  down. 

FOR  the  WESTWARD.  BAY  and  COASTING  trades,  rates  are 
said  to  be  steady.  They  are.  in  reality  -but  for  the  reasons 
already  set  out  above.  Steadiness  is  the  prevailing  item 
everywhere,  at  the  moment  :  steadiness  and  a  lack  of 
remunerative  business.  All  the  same,  there  is  no  truth 
in  the  rumour  that  a  number  of  tramp  steamers  have  been 
offered  to  the  L.C.C..  for  work  on  the  river  which  is  said  to 
lave  the  banks  of  where,  once,  was  a  Thames.  The  L.C.C. 
has  about  had  enough  of  the  worries  which  are  incidental 
to  shipowning.  Of  that,  you  may  be  sure,  However 
representative  fixtures  for  the  week,  are  as  follow  : 


H 


Week  Ending,  (  Wednesday),  July  5,  1905 

N««rport,     8)  BWBIMM.     P.  T.)    Port    Talbot.    trading. 


EASTERN. 

Cape  Town,     MHWH,  4.5001011-,   11*.  <jd. 


WESTWARD,     Etc. 

St.  Vincent.      Kfrniomi,   3,000  tons,   6s.  lod. 
Rio  de  Janeiro.     .!/»//•/'</.  4,600  tons,  9*.  spot. 
River  Plate.  ',.500  tons,   r,s.  y\. 


3,200  tons,    S-.  y\. 
Mn-L-lf\.  .-•-..:.  ton-,    8s. 

'.<//,   3,2-0  3.400  tons,    8s. 
Znrid,   :.  \r  "-'  ton-;,   Ss.  jd. 

o   ton-,    ;-.   9d. 

m,  --.  io.jd. 

Las  Palmas,    /.«"/  /:<•;<;/;.  6s.   ."I. 
Cape  Verds,     Hetltysiat,  .;,        tons,    7>.  ppt. 
Zarate,     Ihh-rnia,  2,'  cc  tons.  8s.  •,!<!.    i« 
Buenos  Ayres  La  Plata.    /.».vw»or.    5,000  tons, 


;s.  IN). 


MEDITERRANEAN,     Etc. 


Port  Said,     .s/i»iW'«/.  4.200  ton-,  5*.  ;^d. 

Tntfon,    -..  -,  *  ton-.   ;-.  7jd. 

t  li'-ll'iiiinn,    5,000  ton-,     js.  <;d. 
Genoa.     l.r,'i,lt,i,  J,ioc  tons,   '  -     d.  coal,  -s.  3d.  fuel,   (s). 

F.thflhMii,  3,*oc  tons,    6*. 
.    3,100  ton-, 

I'n'/i'i.    1,3      "•"-.    S»-  'o!'1- 

rw... •;,/-;«,    1,300  ton-.    ;-.  ..pti-  n   Savona.   (a). 

ton-. 

Miinii'-,    i.-    '  '"M-,    7-. 
Marseilles,     Guildhall,   Xoo  i,:oo   ions,   7-50  francs,   (part 

Mm  I''-- 

Alexandria,  .  .?.°°'-  ton-,   o-.  6d. 

/»V,///-A/.    i,  ,       Ions,   '  s.  3<l. 
Naples,     i  'in',,  e,    5,1      to  -. 

•man,  4.000  ton-,    <-.  option   Leghorn. 
Venice,     /;«/<»/«;/,   3,100  ton-.    :-   fid.  coal,  8s.  3d.   tuel,(s). 

irin,.",:  to.,-,    7s.  7.Jd.   coal,    8s.  4^d.    In.  I, 

:oo  ton-,   ;-.  6d.  (s). 


Barcelona,     Falshaw,  2,700  tons,    6s.  io|d. 
Algiers,     Gafsa,  2,500  tons,    7-50  francs,   coal,   8-50  francs, 
fuel,  400 

Crimea,   2,200  tons,    7'37i  fcs. 
CivitaVecchia,     Ragusa,   2,000  tons,   75.  4id. 

Steamer,   2,800  tons,    75.  4jd. 

Ixia,  2,400  tons,  73.  4|d.  coal,  8s.  lid.  fuel.    (s). 
Piraeus,     Steamer,  3,400  tons,  6s.  3d. 
Huelva,    Ambient,   1,800  tons,    55.  6d.    (P.T.) 
Arcachon,     Comonn,   6-50  francs.   (N). 
Palermo,     Savona,   1,800  tons,    6s.  cd. 

Poldhu,    4,000  tons,    6s.  4jd. 
Trieste,     Wellington,  8,000  tons,    6s. 
Gibraltar,     Calgarth,    2,300  tons,    35.  yd.  (Admiralty). 

Ode,  800  tons,    6s. 

Leghorn,     Delamere,  1,000  tons,  75.   (s). 
Taranto,     Wansbeck,  2,200  tons,  -s.  3d.  (s). 
Vigo,     Lionel,   1,400   tons,     55.  3d.,    250. 
Valencia,     Steamer,    650   tons,    75. 

Philippeville,  Garonne,  1,100  tons,  8-75  fcs. coal,  9-75  fcs.^fuel. 
Constantinople,     Trevaylor,  3,000  tons,    6s.  3d. 
Marans,     Clarence,     1,350  tons,  6  fcs.     (s). 

BALTIC,  Etc. 

Copenhagen,     Hungarian,   1,700  tons,    43.  4id. 

Moiinlfiark,      1,350    tons,    43.  3d. 
Sundswall,  Steamer,   i, 600  tons,    48.  6d.    (s). 
Stockholm,     Marpessa,    2,200  tons,    43.  ?£d. 
Pillau,     Paul  Horn,   1,100  tons,  43.  7|d. 
Stettin,    Steamer,    2,500  tons,   43.  3d. 

BAY,     Etc. 

Nantes,     Gelso,  4-75  francs.    (N). 

St.  Nazaire,     llanna,  2,800  tons,   4-50  fcs.    (s). 

Central  Gurdon,    i, 800  tons,    8-75  fcs.   (s). 
Chantenay,     RostUa,   1,700  tons,    4-87!  francs. 
La  Rochelle,     AW/;///,   2,000  tons,  4-374  francs. 

COASTING,     Etc. 

Rouen,     Glynn,   1,450  tons,   43.  8d.   (s). 

Alice  M.  Craig,    1,^00  tons,  43.  gd. 
Honfleur,     G.  Player,    75010113,    43,  3d.    (s). 

Klliflherl,  620  tons,  45.  ijd,    (s). 
Caen,     Beacon  Rock,   600  tons,  43.  3d.   (s). 

(  mint?**,  680  tons,  48.  3d.  coal,  43.  gd.  fuel,  (s.) 
St.  Brieuc,     Lough  Fisher,  470  tons,    53. 
Hamburg,     Sinniini,  1,000  tons,    4s. 
Havre,     Bornwdule,  1,400  tons,  45. 

Cape  York,  650  tons,  45.  i|d.    (s). 

/•'(nr/-.s-,   750  tons,    43.  i.jd.   option    St.  Malo,    (s). 

Argus,    i, 450  tons,    33.  tod. 

.  I •<'(»!,    43. 

Lnlece,    i.Sootons,    33.  (jd. 

Cainillf,    1,300  tons,    3s.  io.|d.    (s). 

Roclii-f'urlf,    i,  100  tons,   43. 
Portsmouth,     Gran^lia,   1,500  tons,    23.  4^d.     (Admiralty). 

three  voyages. 
Portland,     Raloo,   1,100  tons,    23.  6d.  „ 

Sfofffs/ev,     1,200    tons,     23.  4id.  „ 

Belfast,     Mindful,  300  tons,    35.   (s). 

Harrington,  400  tons,    35.    (s). 
Guernsey,     /'mtfrexs,  440  tons,   43.  4^d.   (s). 
London,     Merailio,   33. 7^d. 
Dartmouth,    Abercraig,  300  tons,    33.  io^d. 
Sheerness,     Inner,   1,200  tons,  33.  3d.  (Admiralty). 

Wallsend,    1,200  tons,  33.  3d.  „ 

.s/W/W,    1,200  tons,  3*.  3d.  '„ 

Landscrona,      Tyne,    700   tons,    s-s.    fid.    (s). 
Fecamp,     Seiiga,  500  tons,    js.  3d.     (s). 

HOMEWARD. 

Alexandria  to  Bristol  Channel,  Steamer,  2,800  tons,  6s.  6d. 
Bilbao  to  Cardiff,      Alniumia,  3,000  tons,  45.  i|d.  ppt. 
Pasages  to  Briton  Ferry,  Ha-.i-lincn;    722  n.,  43.  6d.  ppt. 


133 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


July  7,   1905 


SHIPBUILDING. 


The  directors  of  Messrs.  John  Brown  &  Company,  in 
their  annual  report,  state  that  the  works  have  been  fairly 
well  employed,  and  that  there  is  prospect  of  some  improve- 
ment in  trade.  The  large  Atlantic  liner  Caronia,  has  been 
delivered  to  the  Cunard  Company,  and  the  two  other  large 
vessels  for  this  Company  are  making  good  progress.  The 
battleship  Hindustan  and  the  first-class  cruiser  Antrim,  will 
shortly  be  delivered  to  the  British  Government.  The 
directors  have  for  some  time  had  under  consideration,  the 
desirability  of  entering  upon  the  manufacture  of  ordnance, 
and  with  this  object,  negotiations  are  in  progress  for  the 
acquisition  of  a  half  share  in  the  Coventry  Ordnance  Works 
of  Messrs.  Cammell,  Laird  &  Company.  No  further  capital, 
however,  will.be  required  at  the  present  time,  as  the  exist- 
ing resources  of  the  company  are  sufficient  for  the  purpose. 

+  +  + 

The  tonnage  launched  by  Scottish  builders  during  the 
half  year  just  ended,  almost  equals  the  corresponding  half 
year  of  1902,  but  last  month,  only  about  20,000  tons  of 
new  work  was  booked,  and  the  prospects  are  that  still 
fewer  orders  will  be  placed  as  the  summer  passes  into  the 
autumn,  and  it  is  almost  certain  that  before  the  year  is 
ended,  the  output  will  be  considerably  behind  the  record 
figures  of  1902,  viz.,  534,406  tons. 

+  +  + 

In  June,  the  Clyde  builders  launched  22  vessels  of 
39,620  tons,  those  of  the  Forth,  two  of  1,220  tons,  those 
of  the  Tay,  three  of  6,200  tons,  and  those  of  the  Dee,  two 
of  1.185  tons.  These  figures  bring  the  half-years  total  up 
to  160  vessels  of  259,860  tons,  as  compared  with  20 1,633 
tons  for  the  corresponding  period  of  last  year.  The  Clyde's 
total  for  the  six  months,  is  123  vessels,  of  234,736  tons, 
a  total  which  is  exceeded  only  by  that  of  1902.  Of  the 
June  tonnage,  no  less  than  14,385  tons  was  for  foreign 
and  colonial  owners.  The  most  notable  vessel  launched 
was  the  turbine  steamer  Maheno,  built  at  Dumbarton,  for 
the  Union  Company  of  New  Zealand. 

+  +  + 

Messrs.  Robert  Stephenson  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  Hebburn-on- 
Tyne,  have  secured  the  contract  for  docking  and  repairing 
the  large  oil  tank  steamer  Narragansett,  belonging  to  the 
Anglo-American  Oil  Company,  and  the  largest  oil  tanker  in 
the  world,  measuring  531ft.  by  64ft.  beam  and  having  a 
total  capacity  of  3,600.000  gallons  of  oil.  She  is  said  to 
be  the  largest  merchant  steamer  which  has  so  far  been 
docked  on  the  North  East  coast,  but  the  extra  facilities 
which  have  lately  been  provided  in  the  way  of  large  dry 
docks,  at  Hebburn,  enables  even  larger  vessels  than  the 
Narragansett.  to  be  accommodated  when  required. 

+  +  + 

The  new  steel  screw  steamer  Dunclutha,  built  to  the 
order  of  Messrs.  Arbuckle  &  Steele,  of  Glasgow,  by  Messrs. 
Russell  &  Co.,  Port  Glasgow,  and  .launched  on  the  24th 
May,  is  reported  sold  to  Messrs.  Maclay  &  Mclntyre,  of 
Glasgow,  at  about  £38,000.  She  is  a  spar  deck  steamer 
of  the  following  dimensions:— 345ft.  x  49ft.  9in.  x28ft.  Sin. 
moulded,  deadweight  capacity  about  6,600  tons,  on  23ft. 
4in.  draft.  Machinery  by  the  Clyde  Shipbuilding  and 
Engineering  Company.  Ltd.,  with  engines  24in.,  40in.,  65in. 
x  45in.  stroke.  Two  single  ended  boilers  16ft.  x  1 1ft.  3in. 

+  +  + 

A  new  steamer  building  at  Middlesbrough,  by  Messrs. 
R.  Craggs  &  Sons,  Ltd.,  for  a  Cardiff  firm,  has  just  been 
sold  for  about  £36.000.  She  is  a  single  deck  steamer 
designed  to  carry  about  6,100  tons  deadweight,  on  21ft. 
Sin.  draft.  Dimensions  346ftf  6in.  x  50ft.  Sin.  x  25ft.  6in. 
moulded.  The  machinery  will  be  supplied  by  the  North 
Eastern  Marine  Engineering  Company,  Ltd.,  and  consists 


of  engines  having  cylinders  25in.,  42in.,  68in.  x  45  in.  stroke, 
and  two  single  ended  boilers  16ft.  9in.  x  lift.;  180  Ibs. 
working  pressure.  She  will  be  delivered  in  August. 

+  +  + 

The  committee  of  the  British  Corporation  for  the  survey 
and  Registry  of  Shipping,  have  now  appointed  an  exclusive 
surveyor  to  the  London  district,  where  the  society  has 
hitherto  been  represented  by  Mr.  W.  Lewis,  as  non-exclusive 
surveyor.  The  new  London  offices  of  the  Registry.  141, 
Fenchurch  Street,  E.G.,  were  opened  on  Monday  last.  The 
society  will  in  future  be  represented  there  by  Messrs.  A. 
Scott  Younger,  B.Sc..  William  James  Douglas  and  John 

B.    Kidston. 

+  +  + 

There  is  just  now  a  very  marked  dearth  of  new  inquiries 
in  the  shipbuilding  trade,  and  the  few  orders  that  are 
being  placed,  are  mostly  for  vessels  of  a  special  type,  but 
the  continued  scarcity  of  new  orders  for  ordinary  tramp 
steamers  is  becoming  ominous.  To  a  great  extent,  this  is 
accounted  for  by  the  number  of  "  spec  "  steamers  that  have 
been  on  the  market,  though  the  steady  sale  of  these  boats 
may  make  room  for  further  orders,  provided  builders  can 
quote  prices  low  enough  to  tempt  further  speculative 

business. 

+  +  + 

The  steel  screw  steamer  Drayton,  owned  by  Messrs.  W. 
&  E.  S.  Lamplough,  London,  and  at  present  lying  at 
Cardiff,  has  been  sold  to  Messrs.  G.  A.  Goroneos  &  Co., 
of  Piraeus.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  J.  L.  Thompson  & 
Sons,  Ltd.,  Sunderland,  in  1894.  Dimensions  279ft.  x 
37ft.  2in.  x  20ft.  9in.;  2,001  tons  gross;  with  engines 
2lXin.,  35in.,  58in.  x  39in.  stroke  by  J.  Dickinson. 

+  +  + 

The  steel  screw  steamer  Falshaw,  owned  by  Messrs.  H. 
Baxter  &  Co.,  of  Whitby,  is  reported  sold  to  a  Glasgow  firm 
at  about  £9,500.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  T.  Turnbull  & 
Son,  Whitby,  in  1888.  Dimensions  288ft.  x  38ft.  Sin.  x 
22ft.  2in.  moulded;  carries  about  3,250  tons  deadweight; 
with  engines  22in.,  36in.,  59in.  x  39in.  stroke,  by  Messrs. 

Blair  &  Co.,  Ltd. 

+  +  + 

The  iron  screw  steamer  Nero,  owned  by  Messrs.  Thomas 
Wilson,  Sons  &  Company,  Ltd.,  Hull,  is  reported  sold  to 
Greek  buyers,  at  about  £3,000.  She  was  built  by  Messrs. 
G.  &  W.  Earle,  Hull,  in  1868  ;  1,083  tons  gross  ;  dimen- 
sions 200ft.  x  31ft.  x  15ft.  6in.;  carries  about  1,400  tons 
deadweight.  She  had  new  engines  and  boilers  fitted  in 
1892,  by  Messrs.  Amos  &  Smith,  of  Hull. 

+  +  + 

The  iron  screw  steamer  Nant  Francon,  owned  by  Messrs. 
R.  &  D.  Jones,  Ltd.,  of  Liverpool,  is  reported  sold  to  British 
buyers,  at  ab,out  £3,000.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  J. 
Readhead  &  Go.,  South  Shields  in  1881.  Dimensions 
189ft.  Sin.  x  26ft.  7in.  x  ,  15ft.;  carries  about  900  tons 
deadweight,  on  15ft.  draft ;  with  engines  22Xm.,  42in.  x 

30in.  stroke. 

+  +  + 

The  steel  screw  tug  Penguin,  owned  by  Mr.  W.  Rowe,  of 
Falmouth,  is  reported  sold  to  foreign  buyers,  at  about 
£8,000.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  Cox  &  Co..  Falmouth, 
in  1901.  Dimensions  120ft.  x  21ft.  x  12ft.  6in.;  187  tons 
gross;  with  engines  \5%vn.,  25in.,  40in.  x  26in.  stroke  by 

Messrs.  Cox  &  Go. 

+  +  + 

The  Kosmos  Company,  of  Hamburg,  who  recently  pur- 
chased a  spec,  steamer,  of  8,000  tons  deadweight  capacity, 
building  by  Sir  W.  G.  Armstrong,  Whitworth  &  Go.,  Limited, 
Newcastle,  have  placed  an  order  with  the  same  builders, 
for  the  construction  of  a  duplicate  steamer  to  be 
delivered  in  the  early  part  of  next  year. 


July    7.    1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


134 


Maritime 

(AND  OTHER) 

iRonep 
Matters. 


R ITI NG  of  maritime 
and  other  money 
matters,  reminds  us  of 
a  handy  little  booklet 
which  comes  to  us  from 
Messrs.  F.  S.  and  J.  G. 
Thomas,  Stock  and 
Share  Brokers,  Cardiff 
Docks.  The  little  bro- 
chure is  the  twelfth 
annual  issue  of  an  alpha- 
betically arranged  "  List 
of  Local  Stocks  and 


Shares,"  and  although  it  may  scarcely  be  termed  a 
waistcoat-pocket  treasure,  it  certainly  will  prove  one  for 
the  busy  man's  desk.  Stock  and  Share  Lists  abound, 
we  know.  We  also  know  that,  in  the  majority  of 
instances,  the  abounding  principal  is  practically  all  there 
is  about  them.  That  is.  they  are  so  carefully  prepared  ; 
to  much  wealth  of  detail  has  been  incorporated  therein  ; 
that  in  the  end,  a  business  man  is  better  without  them  ! 

INDEED,  we  have,  carefully  folded  away  in  one  of  our 
table-drawers,  a  "  list  "  which  would  puzzle  the  brain  of 
the  proverbial  Philadelphian  lawyer  one  hears  of,  oc- 
casionally. This  little  effort  is  somewhere  about  three 
acres  in  extent— more  or  less,  of  course  ;  and  it  has  been 
thought  out  on  the  index  plan.  That  is,  if  you  have  a 
curiosity  to  learn  the  value,  at  a  given  date,  since  the 
Flood,  of  a  certain  industrial,  you  turn  up  the  letter  for 
that  period.  Sort  of  Golden  Letter,  you  know.  If  you 
succeed  in  finding  that  symbol  — and  it  might  easily 
happen  that  you  won't  find  it  in  years — you  trace  its 
ancestry  along  through  several  columns  of  very  tiny  print, 
until  you  reach  a  number. 

•f   +   + 

THIS  number  is  said  to  correspond  with  another 
number,  four  columns  farther  on.  Supposing  you  have 
found  the  second  number,  you  are  well  on  the  way 
toward  learning  things,  but  'tis  all  Lombard  Street  to  a 
China  orange  that  you  do,  at  this  stage,  exactly  as  did 
we  thnt  is,  fold  the  list  up  carefully,  and  shove  it  into  a 
table  drawer!  As  the  drawer  closes  over  it,  you  might 
soulfully  remark  about  the  number  of  dunder-headed 
cranks  with  which  the  world  is  filled,  and  then  decide  on 
going  out  to  learn  how  much  oof  was  collected,  via  the 
Cardiff  Charivana— no,  the  Infirmary  Charitaria.  If  the 
bewildering  dazzle  of  frock,  puts  you  off  your  search  for 
the  figures :  if  you  develop  a  sudden  mania  for  scribbling 
out  a  general  average  on  the  cost  of  the  frock  referred  to 
—you  are  not  to  be  blamed. 

+  •»•   * 

TIMES  might  be  hard,  but   in    the  sacred  cause    of 
charity,  no  effort  must  be  denidd     even   if  some  of  the 
good  hard,  red,  gold  is.      That  is,  if  you  see  what  our 
office  boy  described  as  "  on  old  ewe  dressed  up  lamb 
fashion."  you  must  please  remember  that  the  dressing 
up  was  for  Chanty's  dear  sake.      Pride  had  nothing  to 
do  with   it.     Oh,  dear,  no !      Moreover,  if  a  charitable 
soul  came  on  the  scene  wearing  a  twenty-guinea  gown — 
and  the  price,  under  the  circumstances,  is  moderate — 
and  charitanad  right  up  to  the  whole  of  eighteen-pence- 
and-a  smug-look,  it  is  still  alright.      Lots  of  people  are 
under  the  impression  that  these  "  functions  "  have   been 
introduced  for  the  purpose  of  allowing  the  decimal-four- 
hundred,  to  show  how  much  the  partners  of  their  joys 
and  sorrows  can  rise  to.  in  the  matter  of  credit. 

•f   •»•   -f 

CHARITY  is  a  noble  sentiment  or  whatever  kind  of 
thing  it  is.  Furthermore,  you  have  been  taught,  right 
from  your  youth,  up,  that  it  begins  at  home  ?  This 
being  so.  you  will  recognise  the  fittingness  of  the  thing, 
when  considering  the  frocks  to  which  we  have  alluded  ? 


That  is,  the  wearers  put  them  on,  at  home-fortunately  • 
hat  is  where  the  charitaria  commenced,  isn't  it? 
3  business  works  out  right,  in  the  end      You  see 
e  modistes-and  persons  of  that  sort-rake  in  a  fairish 
unt .of  unearned  increment   as  the  result  of  these 
Jho  flutters,  and   then,  as  thank  offerings  for  being 
to  catch  so  many  jays,   they  give  largess   to   the 
nfirmary.     Were    it   otherwise,    the   institution   would, 
long  ere  this,  have  closed  its  doors. 

BUT  bless  us,    we    have    wandered    off !     That's  the 
worst  of   considering  frock,  when  one    should   be  con- 
iermg  finance.     We  hope  that  those  misguided  people 
do  the   same   thing— on   the   wholesale    line-will 
use,  right  here.     Frock  is  right  enough  in  its  place  ;  so 
But  when  a  man  essays  to   commingle  the 
am,  m  earnest,  he  ends  up  by  paying  a  visit  to  a  person 
doesn't  wear  a  froek-the  Official   Receiver,  to  wit 
e  to  point  a  moral,  even  if  we  are  engaged  on  the 
bject    of    pelf ;    and   somehow  or   other,   the   eternal 
imme  comes  into  most  vistas  which   lead  to  financial 
-don't  they,  now?     However,  we  wish  to  get  back 
that  stock  and   share  list  which   beguiled   us  in  the 
manner  indicated  above. 

DOING  so,  we  dip  into  its  informative  pages,  and  find 
What  do  we  find  ?  Quite  a  number  of  reassuring  facts' 
The  world  is  not  anything  so  near  being  broken  up— in  a 
Financial  sense— as  some  worthy,  but  pessimistic  folk 
would  have  us  believe.  First  of  all,  it  is  still  a  good 

icy  to  put  your  money  in  the  bank.  Not  only  as  a 
Depositor,  but  also  as  an  investor.  For  instance,  Lloyd's 
Bank  is  good  for  a  return  of  anything  up  to  18|  per 
cent.;  the  National  Provincial  appears  to  be  of  opinion 
that  18  percent,  is  good  enough  for  anybody;  so  does 
the  London  and  Provincial.  This  is  maintaining  the 
good  name  of  banking  undertakings,  don't  you  think? 

COMING  to  colliery  concerns,  you  have  a  wide 
range  of  excitement  offered  you.  You  might  be  able 
to  dabble  in  North's  Navigation  shares  which  bring  in 
anything  between  10  and  20  per  cent!  Or  you  might  be 
satisfied  with  Internationals  and  their  10  per  cent.; 
Insoles  at  6;  Lockets  Merthyrat  5— but  that  is  enough 
of  them.  In  local  rails,  you  have  another  fine  range. 
If  you  do  not  wish  to  bother  about  signing  dividend 
receipts,  the  Port  Talbot  Railway  and  Docks  Company 
might  induce  you  to  "come  in."  The  ordinary  shares, 
here,  usually  have  the  significant  word,  Nil,  written  up 
against  them,  while  Barry  romps  along  with  anything 
up  to  9  per  cent.,  at  latest— and  you  may  pick  nearly  any 
rate,  in  between  these.  It's  all  according  to  the  degree 
of  excitement  which  tempts  you. 

DRY  DOCKS,  too,  offer  a  lovely  scope  ;  so  do  ship- 
repairing  concerns.  If  you  object  to  be  worried  with 
financial  items,  but  have  to  possess  shares  in  repairing 
concerns,  Mordey,  Carney  and  Company  offer  you  every 
inducement.  For  three  years,  past,  they  have  consist- 
ently patronised  the  word  Nil,  as  dividend-expressing ; 
and  you  needn't  carry  about  too  much  splosh  if  you  are 
out  to  purchase.  Their  lowest,  in  the  year  of  sin  just 
passed,  was  £2  per  share — their  highest  £2£.  On  the 
other  hand,  if  you  want  something  decent,  Barry 

Graving  Docks  at  9  per  cent  over  1904,  might  suit  you 

if  you  can  buy'em.  And  for  a  sort  of  three-per-eent- 
consol-affair  in  the  same  connection,  Hill's  Dry  Dock 
and  Engineering  scrip  is  the  very  thing.  Consistency 
is  apparent  here,  too,  for  3  per  cent,  has  been  the  figure 
for  the  past  nine  years  on  the  "  partly  paid  shares  " — 
£18  paid  out  of  £20.  Here,  for  this  time,  we  must 
leave  it. 


'35 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July  7,  1905 


Around  the  t)ry  t)ocks. 


IT  HAS  been  said  that  if  .you  give  a  lie  a  minute's 
start,  the  truth  will  ne'er  again  o'ertake  it.  This 
might  mean  that  the  twain  are  of  an  equal  speed  ;  that 
the  lie  is  ever  so  much  faster;  or,  if  you'd  rather  put  it 
that  way,  that  the  truth  is  much  slower— because  it  is  so 
much  rarer  and  that  during  its  travels,  it  has  to  ease  up 
now  and  then,  to  receive  the  admiration  of  the  mob. 
Sometimes— call  it  the  exception  which  proves  the  rule, 
an'  it  pleases  you  -the  lie  is  overtaken,  and  before  it  has 
well  got  into  its  stride  (if  lies  have  any  sort  of  stride 
worth  bothering  about ;  if  not,  it  doesn't  matter). 

+  +   + 

EH'.'  What  started  us  off  like  this?  Well,  we  have, 
from  time  to  time,  given  considerable  attention  to  the 
ship-repairing  industry  in  the  abstraet^and  the  Bristol 
Channel.  Have  told  you  all  manner  of  things  con- 
cerning it.  Have  argued  the  claims  of  sundry  bad- 
tempered  folk  who  ought  to  know  better.  Indeed,  have 
told  you  that  it  is  all  piff-niff  (by  the  way,  that  is  a  new 
word  which  we  have  copyrighted,  and  mainly  because  it 
is  expressive.  We  are  honest,  and  tell  you  this  before- 
hand. Later  on,  you'll  find  a  number  of  alleged 
journalists  annexing  that  word,  and  they'll  insist  that  it 
was  their  own.  Look  at  it,  well.  P-i-f-f-n-i-f-f,  piff-niff). 

+   +  + 

NEVER  mind.  We  shall  get  into  this  tele  presently, 
so,  here  goes.  You  will  remember  that  it  has  been 
stated  that  all  the  plums  of  the  ship-repairing  trade 
must,  eventually,  go  to  London,  or  Liverpool,  or  the 
North,  and  for  the  reason  that  the  dry  dock  men  had 
decided  to  stiffen  themselves,  a  little,  when  the  gentle 
tinker  was  out  for  skulls?  Personally,  we  told  you  that 
the  claim  was  all — that  new  word.  Some  of  you  believed 
us,  principally  because  you  had  some  big  jobs  in  your 
docks,  even  while  the  ink  on  our  paper  was  wet.  Others 
of  you  didn't  believe  it — once  more,  principally  because 
you  didn't  have  any  big  ships  in  your  docks,  and  you 
find,  under  those  conditions,  a  considerable  difficulty  in 
living  by  Faith  (capital  F,  mind,  printer). 

+  +  + 

COMING  down  to  actual  fact,  we  find  that  our  'fore 
words  have  been  proved  by  the  actual  happenings.  Eh? 
You  have  heard  of  the  Italian  steamer,  Giuseppe 
Accame  ?  Of  course,  you  have.  You  also  know  that 
she  had  received  considerable  damage  from  portions  of 
the  bed-plate  of  the  River  Plate.  You  «ven  had  a 
nodding  acquaintance  with  the  fact  that  she  underwent 
temporary  repairs,  out  there,  so  that  she  might  be 
enabled  to  come  home  to  a  dry  dock,  where  repairs  other 
than  temporary  could  be  carried 'out?  Very  well,  then. 
The  owner  of  the  Giuseppe  Accame,  appears  to  be  under 
the  impression  that,  in  the  Bristol  Channel,  dry  docking 
is  even  as  we  have  suggested — a  fine  art. 

+  +   + 

ALSO,  that  the  competition  of  which  we  have  heard  so 
much,  must  be  good  for  the  keeping  down  of  prices. 
With  this  in  view,  we  find  the  Italian  steamer  dry  docked 
at  the  Channel  Dry  Docks  and  Pontoon  Company's 
place,  for  examination.  To  "  lay  out  "  that  old  tale  about 
a  boycott,  a  ring,  a  close  borough,  a — what-you-will ;  we 
may  remark  that  every  freedom  and  facility  was  accor- 
ded to  intending  competitors,  and  ultimately,  the  job  of 
"  sizing  up,"  was  complete.  Then  came  the  stampede 
usual  on  such  occasions,  for  the  tenders  had  to  be 


delivered,  personally,  to  the  owner,  at  the  hotel  which  he 
favoured.  Here  is  a  point  for  the  British  owner;  at 
least,  that  portion  of  him  which  is  so  keen  on  toadying 
around  to  certain  people  we  all  wot  of. 

+  +  + 

THE  Italian,  feeling  that  the  steamer  was  his'n—  well, 
you  see  the  force  of  the  remark  that  we  ought  to  fit  in, 
here?  Anyhow,  "  fierce  competition,"  and  all,  notwith- 
standing (competition  which  wandered  in,  from  all  parts 
of  the  country,  don't  forget)  the  Channel  Dry  Docks 
have  secured  the  job.  Of  course,  it  was  a  "fine  cut" 
which  took  the  Giuseppe;  but  then,  some  concerns  are 
in  a  position  to  safely  undertake  a  "fine  cut."  The 
Channel  Dry  Dock  happens  to  be  one  of  them  ;  and  in 
addition  to  this,  they  have,  thanks  to  their  recent 
acquisition  in  the  matter  of  scooping  in  sundry  pro- 
perties elsewhere,  a  large  selection  of  dry  docks  at  their 

disposal. 

4    +  + 

SO  much  so,  that  they  may  pick  and  choose  as  to 
which  is  the  best  dock,  and  where,  at  the  moment,  the 
job  is  likely  to  receive  the  closest  personal  super- 
vision. That  is,  in  the  past,  this  concern  had  an 
enviable  position  in  this  direction  ;  at  present,  the 
position  is  more  enviable  —  as  some  of  the  cavilling 
friends  know  only  too  well  !  From  what  we  can  learn 
of  the  circumstances,  it  was  the  intention  of  Mr. 
William  Jones,  who  rules  the  destinies  of  this  go-ahead 
establishment,  to  effect  the  repairs  at  Newport,  in  the 
one-time  Severn  Dry  Docks  (for  that  matter,  we  might 
as  well  style  them  the  Severn  Dry  Docks  now,  mightn't 
we?  For  after  all,  we  have  it  as  a  fact,  that  the  name 
has  but  little  to  do  with  it). 


BUT  times  have  been  hard,  of  late,  in  the  ship- 
repairing  world,  and  the  unfortunate  employes  have  had 
anything  but  a  bed  of  roses.  This  being  so,  a  little 
gentle  persuasion  was  engineered  around  the  general 
manager's  chair,  and  to  those  who  know  the  gentleman, 
it  will  be  understood  that  the  said  persuasion  went  home, 
so  to  speak.  In  any  case,  the  repairs  were  not  sent  to 
Newport,  being  placed  instead,  on  the  company's  pon- 
toon. That  is  to  say,  the  Giuseppe  was  stripped  of  all 
her  heavy  gear  and  ballast,  and  was  carefully  laid  upon 
the  pontoon  referred  to,  to  the  everlasting  joy  of  "  the 
boys  "  who  will  thus  be  enabled  to  take  home  another 
loaf  of  bread,  as  well  as  a  sleev  —  but  never  mind.  It  is 
not  our  mission  to  "  give  away  "  the  ship-repairing  lads. 

+   +   -t- 

IN  all  seriousness,  however,  it  is  but  seldom  that  such 
consideration  is  shown  to  the  workmen,  and  they,  in 
return,  should  put  their  backs  into  the  work,  for  the 
purpose  of  co-operating  with  the  management,  so  that 
the  expenses  may  be  kept  down,  and  the  despatch  for 
which  the  district  has  become  noted,  may  bs  given  the 
owner  who  decided  to  give  good  old  Cardiff  a  turn  —  if 
possible.  Personally,  we  find  the  greatest  satisfaction  in 
the  fact  that  the  Bristol  Channel  ship  repairers  can  yet 
maintain  their  lead  in  this  manner,  especially  as  we  have 
been  to  some  pains  to  vindicate  them,  before  the  whole 
cult  in  other  parts.  We  are  but  human,  and  therefore, 
are  proud  to  note  that  our  old-time  prophetics  have 
worked  out,  even  as  suggested.  More  power  to  these 
upholders  of  the  local  prestige. 


July  7.   1905 


THE     MARITIME    REVIEW. 


136 


PATENTS  &  TRSDE  MSRKS 

Relating    to    SHIPPING   and    the    COAL    TRADE. 


Specifications  published  on  June  22,  1905,  together 
with  an  indication  of  their  subject  matter,  the  title 
being  printed  in  Italics. 

11,94904— THE  GRIMSBY  AND  NORTH  SEA  STEAM 
TRAWLING  Co.,  LTD.,  &  JOHNSON  -An  acetylene  gas 
light  buoy. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  buoy  for  use  in  trawl  fishing 
operations,  containing  an  acetylene  gas  generator,  and 
provided  with  a  mast  on  which  a  lamp,  supplied  by  the 
generator,  is  supported. 

12,02704 — SPARRE— Improvements  in  and  connected  with 
submarine  boats. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  submersible  vessel  which 
is  fitted  on  deck  with  a  number  of  tanks  provided  with 
opening  sides  or  valves  for  admitting  and  discharging 
water.  This  vessel  is  adapted  to  be  drawn  below  the 
surface  of  the  water  by  the  action  of  horizontal  screw 
propellers.  When  submerged  the  tanks  are  allowed  to 
automatically  fill  with  water  to  reduce  the  buoyancy. 
The  buoyancy  is  such,  that  with  filled  tanks  the  vessel 
would  ascend  to  an  awash  position  should  the  horizontal 
screws  cease  to  act.  On  ascending  above  this  position, 
the  tanks,  on  the  valves  being  opened,  discharge  their 
contents  by  gravity. 

12,575  04— CARMICHAEL  An  improved  construction  of 
hatch  coamings  of  sea-going  vessels. 

In  this  the  plate  which  forms  the  coaming  is  bent 
horizontally  outwards  to  form  a  ledge  for  supporting  the 
hatch  cover,  and  again  vertically  upwards  and  slightly 
inwards.  At  the  corners  of  the  hatch,  castings  or 
stampings  of  corresponding  curvature  are  employed, 
these  may  be  continued  down  to  the  level  of  the  deck  as 
substitutes  for  the  usual  angle  bars  fitted  in  the  internal 
angles  of  the  hatch  corners. 

12.922  04— BURNETT— Improved  method  of.  and  means  for 
loading  and  unloading  and  tipping  coal  and  other  minerals. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  system  of  handling  mined 
coal,  Ac.,  which  is  almost  entirely  automatic,  comprising 
means  for  loading  and  unloading  the  cage  with  tubs  at 
the  bottom  and  top  of  the  shaft,  unloading  and  tipping 
the  tubs  on  to  screens  or  belts,  or  into  wagons,  Ac. 
There  are  seven  sheets  of  drawings. 

15.256  04  BROWN  Improvements  in  steam  steering  gears 
for  vessels. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  steam  valve  for  steam 
steering  engines,  whereby  only  one  single  valve  is 
required  to  perform  the  functions  of  distributing  and 
cutting  off  the  steam  to  the  cylinders.  The  valve 
consists  of  a  pair  of  hollow  cylindrical  trunks  provided 
with  suitable  ports  and  circumferential  ways,  for  the 
distribution  of  the  steam,  and  working  in  a  cylindrical 
casing  likewise  provided  with  suitable  ports.  The  valve 
trunks  are  mounted  on  a  spindle,  and  operate  to 
distribute  the  steam  by  rotation  effected  by  bevel 
gearing  from  the  crank  shaft,  and  to  cut  off  steam  by 
axial  displacement  effected  by  the  differential  or  hunting 
gear  of  the  engines. 

15,274  04  RlCC  &  M  EACOCK  Improvements  in  apparatus 
for  loading  tender  coal  and  other  cargoes. 

This  apparatus  consists  of  a  chute  hinged  at  its  upper 
end  to  the  side  of  a  pier,  &o.,  and  supported  by  chains 
secured  to  its  lower  end.  so  that  it  may  be  raised  or 
lowered  to  accommodate  itself  to  the  height  of  the 
hatches  of  the  vessel  to  be  loaded,  and  a  bucket  adapted 
to  lower  the  coal  from  the  end  of  the  chute  into  the  hold 
of  the  vessel.  The  lower  end  of  the  chute  is  fitted  with  a 
door  to  govern  the  amount  of  coal  discharged  into  the 
bucket.  This  door  is  actuated  by  a  rope  from  the  deck 
The  end  of  the  chute  is  also  provided  with  a  horizontal 
shaft  to  which  pulleys  and  a  brake  drum  are  secured. 
The  bucket  with  a  discharging  bottom  is  suspended  by 
ropes  wound  around  one  pair  of  pulleys,  and  ropes 


wound  around  another  pair  are  led  over  sheaves  at  the 
top  of  the  chute  back  to  a  counterweight  carriage 
running  on  tracks  on  the  chute. 

15,321/04 — STASNEY — Improvements  in  mechanism  for 
propelling  boats. 

This  invention  relates  to  propelling  boats  by  means  of 
paddles  hinged  to  and  depending  from  a  horizontally 
reciprocating  carriage.  The  paddles  assume  a  vertical 
position  when  travelling  in  one  direction  and  turn 
horizontally  on  the  return  stroke  by  virtue  of  their 
manner  of  hingeing,  and  the  resistance  of  the  water. 
The  carriage  is  fitted  with  wheels  by  means  of  which  it 
runs  on  rails  fitted  on  the  inner  sides  of  the  divided  hull 
of  the  boat,  and  it  is  reciprocated  by  endless  chains  led 
over  pulleys  mounted  on  shafts  at  each  end  of  the  boat 
which  are  rotated  in  alternate  directions  by  chain  gear- 
ing from  another  pair  of  shafts  likewise  provided  with 
pulleys  and  an  endless  chain  to  which  a  handle  bar  for 
the  operators  is  secured. 

16,4.17/04— RAKY  —  P/i  and  Pit-head  arrangement. 

Instead  of  employing  one  shaft  of  sufficient  sectional 
area  to  accommodate  two  mine  cages  side  by  side,  two 
shafts  each  of  sufficient  area  for  one  cage  are  employed. 
These  shafts  are  connected  together  at  the  bottom  by  a 
transverse  tunnel  through  which  a  rope,  secured  by  its 
ends  to  the  bottoms  of  each  cage  respectively,  is  led. 

16,473/04     Improvements  in  reversible  propellers. 

In  this  reversible  propeller  the  bases  of  each  blade 
within  a  hollow  boss  are  provided  with  toothed  bevel 
wheels  or  sectors  with  which  engages  a  bevel  wheel 
mounted  on  an  internal  shaft.  To  reverse  or  alter  the 
pitch  of  the  blades  an  endways  movement  is  imparted  to 
the  internal  shaft,  which  movement  is  translated  into  a 
rotary  movement  of  the  bevel  wheel  by  means  of  helical 
grooves  and  threads,  or  flats  formed  on  and  in  the  shaft 
and  wheel  respectively.  The  hollow  propeller  shaft  and 
the  internal  shaft  are  formed  with  a  feather  key  and 
keyway,  and  a  cotter  and  slotway,  by  means  of  which 
relative  rotary  movement  between  them  is  prevented, 
and  the  endways  movement  of  the  internal  shaft  is 
limited. 

16,850/04—  HkNCOX— Improvements     in    hulls    of    vessels 
I  which  float,  or  are  driven  on  or  in  the  water) . 

This  invention  relates  to  building  up  the  hulls  of 
vessels  by  means  of  plates,  the  edges  of  which  are 
thickened  to  form  a  bead.  These  beads  are  inserted  in 
the  hollows  of  bars  of  H  or  E  section  and  are  gripped 
by  clinching  the  enclosing  portions  of  the  bars  around 
the  beads. 

1,160/05 — HlNSELMANN — Improvements  in  mining  struts 
o/  props. 

These-  struts  are  composed  of  two  lengths  of  wood 
with  cut-away  shouldered  and  overlapping  portions 
secured  together  by  a  clamp  composed  of  flanged  plates 
and  bolts  and  nuts.  The  two  lengths  do  not  butt  against 
one  another  with  their  shoulders  but  are  held  at  a 
distance  apart  by  the  friction  of  the  clamp.  When  the 
pressure,  approximates  to  the  breaking  point  of  a  strut, 
composed  of  one  length  of  timber,  the  two  lengths  yield 
by  overcoming  the  friction  of  the  clamp,  and  telescope 
together  without  fracture. 

These  applications  for  patents  are,  until  August  7,  1905, 
open  to  opposition  by  any  person  having  a  statutory 
right  to  oppose. 

Copies  of  the  specifications  may  be  obtained  from  the 
Patent  Office  or  through  the  under-named. 

No   TRADE    MARKS   THIS   WEEK. 

Compiled  by  Messrs.  PHILLIPS  &  LEIGH,  Chartered  Patent 
Agents  22,  Southampton  Buildings,  Chancery  Lane,  London, 
WTC.  Local  Consultant:  Mr.  S.  W.  ALLEN,  Engineer,  of  Cardiff 
Exchange,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July   7,  1905 


OUR  MARITIME  DIRECTORY. 


CARDIFF. 


Colliery  Proprietors. 


("DRY  BROS.  &  Co..  LTD.,  Cardiff  and 
London.    Dep6ts  at  all  the  principal 
Coaling  Stations  in  the  World. 

"  CORY.  CARDIFF  "; 
-  LONDON." 


CARDIFF—  Continued. 


VIVIAN.   H.    C.   &  Co.,    Bute   Docks. 
Cardiff.     Sole  European  Agents  for 
"  The  Puritan  Coal  Mining  Co.,  Phila- 
delphia, U.S.A." 

Telegrams:  "VIVIAN.  CARDIFF." 


T.lpcrmm*  • 

Telegrams. 


JNSOLE.  GEORGE  &  SON,  Cardiff.   Sole 
Shippers  of   Cymmer   Steam    Coal, 
Windsor  Steam  Coal,  and  Insoles  No.  2 
Rhondda  Coal. 

Telejrrams :  "INSOLES.  CARDIFF." 


T  EWIS    MERTHYR    CONSOLIDATED   COL- 
LIERIES. LTD..  Proprietors  and  Ship- 
pers  of    "Lewis  Merthyr"   Navigation 
Steam  Coal. 

"LEWIS  MERTHYR,  CARDIFF"; 
"LEWIS  MERTHYR.  LONDON." 


Telegrams 


MARQUESS  OF  BUTE  COLLIERIES. 
Aberdare,  Hirwain,  and  Rhondda 
Valley.  Shipping  ports  : — Bute  Docks, 
Cardiff ;  Penarth  Dock  ;  Swansea ; 
Briton  Ferry ;  and  Newport  (Mon.) 

Telegrams  :  "  SEMA,  CARDIFF." 


QCEAN    (MERTHYR)    COAL   Co.,   LTD., 
11.  Bute  Crescent.  Cardiff,  proprie- 
tors of  Ocean  (Merthyr)  Steam  Coal. 


I  JNIVERSAL  STEAM   COAL  Co.,  LTD., 
Bute  Docks.  Cardiff.  Proprietors  of 
'  Universal  Steam  Coal." 

Telegrams:   "VERSATILE.  CARDIFF." 


WATTS,    WATTS  &  Co.,   Cardiff    and 
London.  Contractors  for  the  supply 
of  Coals  at  all  Depots  abroad. 

Telegrams  :  "  WATTS.  CARDIFF." 


Dock    Owners. 


T 


CARDIFF  RAILWAY  COMPANY,  Bute 
Docks.  Cardiff. 


Ship  Repairers. 


CHEARMAN,  JOHN  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff, 
and  at  Barry  Dock. 

'THE   BUTE  SHIPBUILDING,  ENGINEERING, 
AND   DRY   DOCK   COMPANY,    LIMITED, 
Roath  Basin,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:   "CAISSON.  CARDIFF." 


'THE  CARDIFF  CHANNEL  DRY  DOCKS  AND 
PONTOON    Co.,    LTD.,    Cardiff    and 
Barry  Dock. 

Tn\nfr  "  Entrance,  Cardiff." 

Telegrams  :    ..  Cnannel   Barry  „ 


'THE   MERCANTILE    PONTOON   Co.,  LTD. 
1      Roath  Dock,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams  :   "  MERCANTILE,  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF     Continued. 


Miscellaneous. 

[EWIS  &  TYLOR.  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 

Sole   patentees  and  manufacturers 

of  "  Gripoly,"  a  patent  woven  belting  ; 

and  "  Burals."  a  semi-metallic  packing. 

Telegrams  :  "  BELTING  CARDIFF."        Telephone.  Nat.  231 . 


Steamship    Owners. 


D 


AN.   JENKINS    &     Co..    Steamship 
Owners  and  Brokers.  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "Stonewall,  Cardiff." 
Nat.  Telephone:  1318. 


BARRY. 


Dock  Owners. 


BARRY  RAILWAY  Co.,   Barry. 


Ship  Repairers. 


HARRY  GRAVING   DOCK  &  ENGINEERING 
Co.,  LTD. 

Telegrams  :   "  BARDOCK.  BARRY." 
National  Telephone  No.  7.         Post  Office  Telephone  No.  7. 


To    the    Proprietors    of 


"THE    MARITIME    REVIEW," 


DOCKS,     CARDIFF. 


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VOL.  VI.— No.  74- 


FRIDAY,  JULY    14,    1905. 


MARITIME     MARK    MAKERS. 


THREEPENCE. 


W.  NORTH   LEWIS,  ESQ. 

(Commercial  Manager,  Geo.  Insole  &  Son.) 

CSee  Page  145.) 


'38 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July    14,   1905 


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«  *  fe  CONTENTS.  >*  *  * 


PAGE 

MARITIME  MARK  MAKER— W.  NORTH  LEWIS,  ESQ. 137 

MARITIME  MURMURS          138 

MORE  STRAIGHT  TALK  ON  SEA  TOPICS?         ..  146 

RESPONSIBILITY  OF  OFFICERS      147 

CARDIFF  (AND  OTHER)  COAL        •  •-  148 

COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES  ... 149 

SHIPBUILDING          •••  150 

MARITIME  (AND  OTHER)  MONEY  MATTERS        151 

••BRITISH  SEAMEN"     152 

PATENTS  AND  TRADE  MARKS      153 


MARITIME    MURMURS. 


DOCKS,  CARDIFF, 

Thursday  Afternoon. 

LIKE  the  poor,  the  question  of  the  administration  of  the 
Life-saving  Appliances  Act,  is  ever  with  us.  An  over- 
worked Government  Department  finds  a  difficulty  in  coping 
with  the  necessary  examinations,  and  mainly  for  the  reason 
that  the  staff  of  surveyors  remains  almost  stationary,  no 
matter  how  the  fleet  of  merchant  ships  might  increase.  Of 
course,  it  would  never  do  to  wantonly  increase  the  surveying 
staff  of  the  Board  of  Trade— at  least,  not  while  a  niche  for 
an  additional  junior  clerk  is  to  be  found,  anywhere  among 
the  sub-departments  ?  However,  we  note  that  Lord  Mus- 
kerry  has  been  calling  the  attention  of  the  House  of  Lords, 
to  the  number  of  cases  in  which,  during  the  first  four 
months  of  this  year,  the  Liverpool  surveyors  happened 
upon  defective  apparatus,  and  which  had  to  be  destroyed. 
As  most  of  us  are  aware,  this  was  not  the  first  time  that 
his  Lordship  had  called  attention  to  the  matter ;  but  then, 
even  as  had  transpired  on  former  occasions,  he  was  assured 
that  the  business  was  anythipg.but  as  bad  as  he  supposed. 
It  appears  that  out  of  a  total  of  674  vessels  examined  at 
Liverpool,  there  were  78  cases  in  which  the  life-saving 
appliances  were  found  to  be  defective,  and  had  to  be 
destroyed  ;  and  rightly  enough,  Lord  Muskerry  was  of 
opinion  that  such  a  showing  amounted  to  a  grave  scandal. 

5?  & 

Now.  it  cannot  be  pretended  that  the  number  of  vessels 
visiting  Liverpool  in  four  months,  are  sized  up  as  merely 
674  ?  If  that  is  all  the  Mersey  port  can  look  forward  to. 
she  will  not  need  any  of  the  talked-of  dock  extensions? 
No.  sirs,  so  if  a  mere  674  inspections  have  taken  place,  and 
if  out  of  these.  78  were  wrong  'uns  — then,  the  inefficiency 
surrounding  the  Board  of  Trade's  administration  of  the 
life-saving  regulations,  are  about  on  a  par  with  the  same 
kind  of  thing  surrounding  other  regulations.  As  we  have 
remarked  ere  this,  the  Life-saving  Appliances  Act.  to  us, 
has  ever  appeared  a  gruesome  joke,  and  is  very  much  of 
the  nature  of  hanging  a  block  that  will  hoist  a  ton,  on  to  a 
ring-bolt  that  is  merely  good  enough  for  a  hundred-weight. 
In  other  words,  the  life-saving  appliances,  at  the  best,  are 
usually  fussed  over,  on  a  steamer  where  there  are  a  hundred 
other  items  far  more  essential  to  the  welfare  of  the  crew, 


but  which  are  totally  disregarded.  But  reverting  to  the 
78  cases  already  written  of,  the  Duke  of  Marlborough  —  the 
Board  of  Trade's  noble  champion-  was  inclined  to  smooth 
away  all  anxiety  on  the  matter,  by  declaring  that  the 
condemned  appliances  were  faulty  in  the  main,  in  con- 
nection with  life-belt  fastenings  only. 


THIS  is  highly  probable,  and  bears  out  the  contentions 
which  we  have  frequently  made.  The  inspecting  service 
is  altogether  too  inadequate  to  be  in  a  position  to  give  more 
than  a  perfunctory  attention  to  this  very  essential  phase  of 
nautical  life.  Mr.  Inspector  goes  aboard,  "  cocks  his  eye  " 
on  to  the  life-belts  which  are  festooned  around  for  orna- 
mental purposes  ;  sees  that  a  twine  seizing  is  wrong,  here; 
a  canvas  becket  is  awry,  there  ;  that  a  slip-toggle  which 
has  been  supplied,  won't  slip  for  Father  Peter;  and  the 
few  life-belts  are  condemned.  That  is  to  say,  the  inspector 
calls  the  mate  ;  the  latter  worthy  is  informed  of  his 
limitations  as  a  sailorman  ;  the  colossal  wickednesses 
hanging  around  the  man  who  puts  six  turns  of  twine  where 
but  five  are  sufficient,  is  descanted  upon  ;  the  mate  looks 
bored  ;  is  constitutionally  antagonistic  to  this  'longshore 
nautical  expert  :  a  few  unkind  remarks  are  thrown  around 
on  the  ambient  air  ;  inspector  gets  his  inspecting  back  up: 
the  life-belts  are  condemned  ;  and  the  worthy  Board  of 
Trade  official  strolls  ashore,  feeling  -and  looking  —  like  a 
man  who  has  done  his  duty  in  a  seamanlike  manner,  and 
who  has  taught  this  impertinent  mate,  what's  what.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  the  whole  undertaking  is  painfully  pitiful, 
for  while  straining  at  a  metaphorical  gnat,  Mr.  Inspector 
may  be  depended  on  to  negotiate  a  veritable  camel. 

<$    & 

THAT  is  to  say,  so  much  time  and  unnecessary  effort 
have  been  expended  on  these  half-a-dozen  life-belts,  that 
other  items  bearing  on  really  grave  issues,  have  been  passed 
over.  True,  some  of  these  items  are  outside  the  power  of 
the  inspector  ;  but  it  is  equally  true  that  others  of  them. 
are  just  as  much  inside.  To  examine  a  steamer  in  dock  is 
one  thing;  to  size  her  up,  at  sea,  in  "ballast."  and  when  she 
is  rolling  her  sides  out,  as  the  phrase  has  it,  is  altogether 
another  item.  Is  there  any  sense  or  reason,  for  instance, 
in  passing  a  vessel  as  seaworthy  because  she  has  a  couple 


July    14, 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


139 


of  life-boats  on  her  skids,  and  yet  everybody  admits  that 
when  they  are  most  needed,  it  will  be  humanly  impossible 
them  overside?  That  is  to  say,  the  Life-saving 
Appliances  Act  is  administered— when  at  all— merely  in  the 
letter  thereof  :  the  spirit  is  unfortunately  disregarded.  You 
have  the  necessary  number  of  life-boats  :  that  is  what  Mr. 
Inspector  is  paid  to  determine  :  whether  you  are  in  a 
position  to  put  them  in  the  water  for  life-saving  purposes 
-  well,  that  is  altogether  another  matter,  and  is  just  as 
altogether  outside  the  bond  !  With  six  hands  in  the  fore- 
castle, and  two  officers  to  superintend  the  work  ;  with  a 
ship  rolling  and  pitching  :  with  green  seas  breaking  over 
her.  and  the  wind  taking  liberties  with  boat  and  boat-falls  ; 
with  half-a-dozen  different  languages  in  use  at  this,  the 
crisis  of  the  voyage  :  well,  you  are  not  going  to  make  much 
of  a  fist  at  boat-launching,  are  you  ? 

IN  the  first   place,   from   the  meagre  number  of  hands 
which  you  have  at  your  command,  it  is  impossible  to  detail 
a  few  to  sit  in  the   boat,  and  attend  to  the   business  of 
keeping  her  clear  of  the  ship's  side.     You  need  all  the  men 
you  have,  to  attend   to  the  hoisting-out  business.     This 
being  so.  who  is  going  in  the  boat  ?     Nobody  !     And  thus 
it  comes  about,  that  as  soon  as  she  leaves  the  skids,  she  is 
at  the  mercy  of  the  elements  :    and  at  times  such   as  this. 
the  said  mercy  is  nearly  as  unsatisfactory,  as  is  that  which 
is  supplied  by  the  Department.     Still,  in  a  peaceful  dock. 
Mr.  Inspector  notes  that  you  have  the  regulation  number 
of  boats— and  he  isn't  paid  to  bother  himself  as  to  whether 
you  can  put  them  in  the  water,  say.  in  the  Bay  of  Biscay. 
You  see,  the  Bay  is  out  of  the  inspector's  jurisdiction :     is 
not  even  within  territorial  waters:  so  what  would  you?     As 
long  as  the  Board  of  Trade  looks  after  you,  at  a  time  when 
you    are  in  need  of  no  looking-after,  then,  who  will,  may 
attend  to  the  business,  when  you  find   yourself   between 
the  devil  and  the  deep  sea.     Is  not  this  good  reasoning? 
Of  course  it  is!     The   life-belts     which   oftener  than   not, 
wouldn't  float  a  kitten  anyhow     are  seized  up  in  the  wrong 
fashion,  so  they  they  must  be  condemned. 

NOT,  however,  because  they  are    unfloatable.     No.  sirs, 
for  you  have  it  on  the  words  of  the  Duke  of  Marlborough. 
that  "  the   defects  are   by  no  means  of  a  serious  nature, 
being  connected  chiefly  with  the  fastenings  of  the  life- 
belts."    Moreover,  the  noble  duke  is  of  opinion,  that  what 
has  occurred  in  this  connection,  shows  that  the  supervision 
of  the  representatives  of  the  Board  of  Trade,  is  "  real  and 
genuine."     Furthermore.  "  if  a  high  standard  is  insisted  on. 
and  an  efficient  system  of  supervision  is  carried  out,  clearly 
the  number  of  cases  required  to   be  dealt  with  is   likely  to 
be  higher  than  it  would  otherwise  be."     Eh  ?     You  don't 
quite  see  what  is  being  aimed  at  ?     Well,  that   is  not  your 
fault!     For  the   matter  of   that,  we  cannot  see  it  -and IT" 
isn't  our  fault,  either  !     To  our  mind,  there  is  a  little  too 
much  "  if."  to  start  with  :  the  "  high  standard  "  is  mythical 
in  the  extreme  :  the  "  efficient  system  of  supervision  "  is  a 
very    questionable   joke :    while    the    remainder    of   the 
sentence   is  altogether    too   paradoxical   to    deserve    any 
serious  attention.      We  should    have    thought,    that    the 
number  of  cases  "  required  to  be  dealt  with,"  would  include 
every  ship  entering  a  dock  ?     It  is  questionable   policy  to 
examine,  say.  every  second  ship  ?     We  can  quite  under- 
stand  that   if  the    Board    of  Trade  are   merely  out    for 
averages,  then,  an  examination  here  and  there   would  be 
sufficient. 

5?  & 

BUT  if  it  is  intended  to  inaugurate  a  really  efficient  life- 
saving  apparatus  on  every  vessel,  then,  it  naturally  follows, 
that  every  vessel  must  be  examined  ?  We  know,  and  you 


know,  that  this  is  exactly  what  the  Board  of  Trade  doesn't 
believe  in.  It  acts  as  if  it  were  convinced  that  it  is  alto- 
gether sufficient  to  put  the  fear  of  the  Lord  into 
one  shipowner's  heart,  for  by  so  doing,  a  similar  fear  is 
inculcated  in  all  their  hearts.  In  other  words,  if  you  drop 
down,  promiscuously,  on  the  fleet  of  steamers  ;  if  you  pick 
one  here,  and  there,  so  to  speak  ;  the  ones  which  you  do 
not  pitch  upon,  are  bound  to  be  alright,  as  they  never  know 
when  their  turn  will  come.  From  a  gambling  standpoint, 
this  is  very  pretty,  and  is  conducive  of  about  as  much 
excitement  as  it  is  possible  to  hope  for,  in  this  somewhat 
indifferent  world.  But  from  the  point  of  view  of  protecting 
the  sailor,  who  is  unable  to  protect  himself,  we  are  sadly  of 
opinion  that  the  tactics  do  not  amount  to  much.  "  If  a 
high  standard  is  insisted  on,"  then,  the  only  way  to  secure 
it,  is  by  inspecting  every  vessel.  We  can  scarcely  see  that 
it  will  unduly  benefit  the  drowning  crew  of  the  Sinking 
Shrimp,  whose  life-saving  appliances  were  not  inspected, 
to  remember,  at  the  crucial  moment,  that  the  crew  of  the 
Saucy  Sally  will  be  alright  if  they  meet  with  disaster— and 
for  the  reason  that  her  appliances  were  inspected,  and 
found  in  excellent  condition. 


You   know,  personal   experience  has  taught  us    that  a 
seafaring  life,  is  somewhat  peculiar,  in  this  respect.  That  is, 
if  the  mere  fact  of  inspecting  Saucy  Sally  made  her  liable  to 
nautical  disaster ;  while  the  fact  of  not-inspecting  Sinking 
Shrimp  made  her    immune  therefrom  :    we  should  allow 
the   matter  to   pass  without   comment.      As  things   al- 
though, it  is  usually  the  unexpected  which  happens,  at  sea, 
even  as  on  shore,  and   thus  it  comes   about,  that  there  is 
but  little  sense  or  reason  in  the  methods  which  provide  for 
the  inspection   of  a  steamer,  here  and  there,  so  to  speak. 
If  faulty   life-boat  gear  were  like  the   turnips  which  were 
under  process  of  growth,  in  the  fields  belonging  to  a  highly- 
respected  farmer  person  known    to    contemporary   history, 
under  the  name  of  Hodge,  things  wouldn't  be   so  bad.     In 
complaining  about  the  inwardness  of  those  turnips,  Hodge 
remarked  that  he  would  not  care  if  they  came  up  as   "one 
here,  and   one  there "  ;    but    they    didn't,    unfortunately. 
Their  state  was  better  known  as   "  one  here,   and  none 
there."      As  already  remarked,   if  faulty  life-boats,    and 
other  items  of  a  similar  character,  were  on   the   same  lay, 
then,  an  inspection  carried  out  on   present  lines  would  be 
good  enough.     This  is  the  unfortunate  part  of  the  business, 
and  practical  experience  has  taught  us  that,  in   connection 
with  life-saving  appliances,  you  will   find  the  faults,  "  one 
here,   and   six  there "     if  a  given  fleet  of  steamers  are 
grouped  thusly. 

ALL  of   which  goes   to   show,  that  things  in  the  adminis- 
.  tration  of  the  Life-saving  Appliances  Act,  are  anything  but 
what  they  seem  :  and  that  notwithstanding  all  that  may  be 
suggested   in   this  direction    (and  to  the   contrary),   the 
figures  which  have  been  quoted  by  Lord  Muskerry,  and  set 
out  by  ourselves,  'way  back,  do  show  "an  alarming  state  of 
affairs."     If   but  one  crew   of   one  steamer  are  sent    to 
possible    destruction,    the    affairs    which    admit    of  such 
happenings  are  alarming,  in  the  extreme.     It  is  forgivable 
for  a  Government  Department  to  waste  money :  but   not 
for  it  to  waste  life  ;  and  all  life  that  is  lost  from  prevent- 
able causes,  is  a  waste.     As  a  matter  of  fact,  there  are 
quite  enough  unpreventable  causes  operating  toward  the 
undoing  of  the  sailor,  without  the  House  of  Lords  putting  a 
premium,  in  a  manner  of  speaking,  on   the  perpetuation  of 
preventable   causes.     Everybody  connected  with  the  sea, 
knows  only  too  well,  that  Board   of  Trade  inspections  are 
among  the  most  perfunctory  on  earth,  and  for  the  reason 
that  the  staff  of  inspectors  is  disgracefully  inadequate  for 


140 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


July   14,    1905 


the  amount  of  work  that  has  to  be  done.     Lack  of  funds, 
too.  may  be  honestly  claimed  as  the  reason  therefor. 


INDEED,  it  is  high  time  that  the  surplus  which  remains 
from  the  light  dues— if  that  iniquity  is  to  continue— should 
be  used  up  for  the  good  of  the  men  who  earn  the  said  dues, 
rather  than  that  every  effort  should  be  used,  to  make  the 
said  surplus  as  large  as  possible,  and  to  hand  it,  by  way  of 
a  Christmas  box,  over  to  the  Treasury.  We  are  willing  to 
admit,  that  to  use  the  surplus  for  the  purpose  of  enforcing 
the  proper  supply  of  life-saving  apparatus,  would  be  after 
the  nature  of  making  shipowner  supply  a  whip  for  his  own 
back  ;  but  viewed  in  the  light  of  past  efforts,  he  doesn't 
mind  this,  in  the  least ;  and  there  is  always  a  possibility  of 
goading  him  into  that  state,  when  he  will,  in  desperation, 
arise  in  defence  of  his  own.  For  our  part,  we  are  of 
opinion  that  anything  which  will  do  this,  is  a  desideratum 
worthy  of  a  struggle.  With  shipowner  attending,  intelli- 
gently, to  his  own  affairs,  amateur  legislation  would  have 
less  opportunity  of  mussing  up  the  country's  greatest 
industry  :  the  Board  of  Trade  would  have  to  remember  the 
reason  for  which  it  was  instituted  ;  the  sailor  would  have  a 
better  time  all  'round  ;  and  trade  would,  once  more,  follow 
the  flag. 

&  & 

ARGUE  the  matter  out  as  one  may,  but  the  fact  remains, 
that  most  of  the  ills  attached  to  the  shipping  industry,  are 
resultant  from  the  fact  that  nobody  seems  to  have  any 
very  clear  idea  as  to  where  responsibility  begins  or  ends. 
Shipowner  is  sure  that  he'll  do  no  more  than  he  is  obliged 
to,  while  other  folk  get  the  credit  of  his  work,  or  sacrifices; 
the  sailor  is  just  as  certain  that  he  won't  go  to  sea,  as  long 
as  he  can  get  a  job  ashore ;  the  Board  of  Trade  fuss 
around  in  the  manner  usually  associated  with  a  wet  hen, 
and  is  equally  certain  that  as  an  administrative  combination 
it  cannot  be  dispensed  with  ;  the  foreigner  looks  on,  with  a 
smug  smile  spread  o'er  his  frontispiece,  what  time  he 
reckons  up  the  exact  date  when  he  will  have  "  knocked  " 
the  British  Mercantile  Marine,  for  all  ages  ;  and  the  'long- 
shoreman asks  his  pet  "daily,"  in  a  number  of  hysterical 
letters  to  the  editor,  as  to  what  it  is  all  about.  The  editor, 
instead  of  pleading  with  the  correspondent  for  mercy, 
undertakes  to  give  an  explanation  of  the  true  inwardness  of 
a  subject  about  which  he  is  as  well  posted,  as  he  is  on  the 
hieroglyphics  appearing  on  the  latest  Babylonian  brick: 
and  so  the  merry  game  continues. 

0  .& 

IN  conclusion,  we  will  remark  that  the  Duke  of 
Marlborough  stated,  on  the  historic  occasion  of  which  we 
have  told  you,  that  he  was  able  to  assure  Lord  Muskerry 
that  over  500  vessels  were  visited  in  the  last  four  months 
of  1904;  that  "certain  defects  in  apparatus  were 
discovered,  but  in  no  case  was  it  shown  that  the  boats 
were  in  any  way  defective."  Quite  so,  it  was  merely 
impossible  to  hoist  them  out,  in  view  of  the  conditions 
surrounding  the  manning  question,  we  presume?  It  is 
useless  to  ask  for  redress  in  this  particular  phase  of  life. 
It  is  an  accepted  axiom  that,  until  you  are  worth  something 
from  a  Parliamentary  point  of  view  ;  are  worth  tootling  to, 
for  your  vote,  that  is  :  it  is  useless  for  you  to  expect  any- 
thing more  than  platitudes,  when  on  your  way  to  avoidable 
execution.  Of  course,  there  is  one  way  out  of  it.  Jack 
might  decide  that  as  there  is  a  question  of  starving,  it  will 
be  as  well  if  all  hands  starve  together.  We  certainly  should 
so  starve,  if  the  sailor  decided  on  throwing  up  his  job,  and 
offered  the  suggestion  that  those  who  had  erstwhile 
battened  on  him.  should  have  a  shy  at  the  life  which  they 
were  so  positive  was  a  good  one.  One  of  these  days,  this 


will  happen,  and  then  there  will  be  surprise  on  the  board. 
Personally,  we  are  more  surprised  that  it  hasn't  already 
transpired. 

$*& 

DEAR,  dear  !     This  is  a  progressive  age,  and  there  is  no 
getting  away  from  the  fact !     At  one  moment,  we  receive 
news  that  wireless  telegraphy  has  been  invented,  and  that 
it  is  a  most  wonderful  affair  ;  the  next,  we  get  an  indulgent 
smile  from  a  lady  writer,  who  assures  us,  most  positively, 
and  from  her  own  knowledge,  that  there  is  nothing  wonder- 
ful  in   anything:  not  even   in  theosophy.      We    are    also 
informed  that  the  inventions  to  which  the  world  has  been 
treated,  are  as  nothing  to  those  which  will  come  along, 
later  on  ;  and  that  the  hidden  forces  of  nature  contain  more 
surprises  for  future  generations,   than    have    ever    been 
vouchsafed  to  the  present,  or  past,  groups  of  human  nature. 
We  suppose  it  is  alright,  and  if  the  gifted  writer  alluded  to, 
has  done  no  more  toward  giving  us  those  great  affairs  to 
which  she  so  vaguely  hints,  than  are  to  be  found  in  a  few 
volumes  of  more  or  less  mawkish  writings — well  it  will  be 
all  the  same,  fifty  years  hence  ?      And  coming  to  a  calm 
consideration  of  the  astral  plane,  or  the  dual  existence,  we 
are  almost  convinced  that  there  is  more  in  the  claims  of 
the  prophets  thereof,  than  meets  the  eye.      Perhaps  not 
altogether  as  suggested  by  the  exponents  of  the  old-and- 
yet-new  doctrine  ;  but,  still,  in  a  manner  which  commands 
the  wonder,  if  not  the  esteem,  of  most  of  us. 


"  EVERY  man  his  own  Mahatma  !  "  See  the  potential- 
ities in  the  phrase- -or  the  workings  thereof  I  Consider  it 
as  connected  with  the  men  who  do  business  in  shipping. 
We  are  informed  that  to  work  the  Mahatma  dodge,  it  is 
merely  necessary  to  exercise  a  certain  amount  of  will- 
power— and  there  you  are  !  Admittedly,  some  fellows 
haven't  enough  will-power  to  mahatma-ise  themselves 
from  yahoos,  into  respectable  members  of  society.  Others 
again,  are  so  full  of  the  stuff,  that  in  the  proverbial  brace  of 
shakes,  they  will  turn  from  thirty-shillings-a-week-clerks, 
into  high  falutin' — and  other  sorts  of — shipowners.  Eh  ? 
Haven't  you  seen  it  done  ?  Haven't  you  wondered  at  the 
gall  expressed  ?  Of  course,  you  have,  and  this  is  where 
you  were  wrong.  It  wasn't  gall,  it  was  simply  a  material- 
isation of  the  astral  plane  existence  ;  a  thorough  knowledge 
of  the  principles  (or  lack  of  'em)  underlaying  the  doctrine 
of  "  every  man  his  own  Mahatma."  Keeping  to  the  ill- 
paid  clerk,  and  following  him  along  to  the  topmost  pinnacle 
of  shipownerdom,  what  are  the  stages  ?  They  are  many, 
sirs!  But  even  so,  every  one- -of  them  follows  a  well- 
understood,  and  generally  accepted  line  of  resistance. 


FIRST  of  all,  there  is  the  essential  concentration  of 
will-power,  to  the  effect  that  in  his  own  opinion,  the 
budding  neophyte  is  a  better  shipowner,  than  is  the  man 
who  has  been  reared  to  the  business.  When  this  concen- 
tration is  pronounced  enough ;  when  the  feeling  has 
commenced  to  vibrate,  so  to  speak ;  "  circulars,"  is  the 
next  stage  of  the  proceedings.  The  word  "  circulars " 
conjures  up  a  terrible  amount  of  latent  possibilities.  There 
is  the  fairy  tale  writer  ;  the  printer  ;  the  Post  Master 
General  and  his  Department :  the  amiable  canvasser  of 
ooftish  ;  the  considerer  of  hire-purchase  shipbuilding  enter- 
prises ;  the  registration  agent :  articles  of  various  sorts — 
but  mainly  of  association  ;  brass  plates  for  the  official 
portals  ;  office  fixtures — such  as  a  cyclostyle,  a  typewriter 
and  things  ;  new  hats — and  other  articles  of  raiment ; 
gee-gees ;  motor  cars ;  voyage  accounts  and  more  fairy 
tales ;  hopes  and  fears ;  promises  of  better  luck  next 
time  ;  here,  comes  in  a  blank — a  long  one  ;  then  swelled 


July   i-(,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


141 


head,  and  a  fizzle!     Every   man   his   own    Mahatma    for- 
We  are  taking  no  roints  on  that  class  of  teaching 
Haven't  we  seen  the  gentle  trick  worked,  here,  at 
F.  until  we  can  tell  it  from  afar  ?   Rather  !    Moreover, 
we  read  the  whole  thing  up.  years  ago.     In   our  salad  days! 
in  point  of  fact. 

&*s§ 

BUT  then,   we  aren't  everybody  !      We  admit  the    soft 

>eachment.     Again,  because  we  noticed    all  these  little 

items  in  our  salad  days,  as  already  remarked,  that  is  no 

reason  to  suppose  that  nobody  else  has   a  right  to   possess 

salad  days.     It  isn't.     A  London  ha'porth    is  experiencing 

hem.  just  now,  and  is  aghast  at  something  which  its  young 
lions  have  but  recently  tobogganed  into.  Eh  ?  Well,  that 
London  ha'porth  has  been  <  and  is)  concerning  itself  with 

Falsehoods  in  Business."  Where  did  it  meet  them  ? 
Ask  us  another.  It  might  have  been  in  Carmelite  Street : 
it  might  have  been  in  Newfoundland  :  and  it  might  have 
been  in  neither.  We  are  not  concerning  ourselves  unduly, 
as  to  where  the  particular  brand  of  falsehood  was  met 
with  ;  and  mainly  for  the  reason,  that  those  falsehoods 
have  been  too  disgustingly  common  right  down  the  ages,  to 
cause  us  any  wonder,  at  this  late  stage.  Why.  we  notice 
that  a  solicitor  correspondent  ( how  is  it  these  lawyer 
gentlemen  have  so  much  time  en  their  hands  ?  They  are 
for  ever  attempting  to  oust  the  regular  journalist,  who 
depends  on  the  business  for  a  livelihood  )  eases  himself  as. 
"  Witness  advertisements,  testimonials,  adulterations,  false 
weights  and  measures,  fraudulent  competitions,  bogus 
companies,  reconstructions,  and  amalgamations,  etc..  etc." 

5?S? 

SEE  ?    There  is  a  double-barrelled  "  etc."  tacked  on  to 
the  liverish  stuff  which  we  have  quoted,  and  as  a  finale. 
this  esteemed  correspondent  'all  newspaper  correspondents 
are  "  esteemed."  and  this  is  not  the  least  business  false- 
hood you'll  be  likely  to  meet  >  writes.  "The  unhappy  fact  is. 
however,  that  truth  is  most  unpopular  everywhere,  to-dr.y." 
Gee-willikin  !     Makes  us  wonder  if  that  lawyer  person  has 
been  around  one  end  of  St.  Mary  Street.     But  even  if  he 
hasn't,  the  word  "  everywhere  "  embraces  that  end  of  St. 
Mary  Street,  and  for  once  we  are  inclined  to  side  with  the 
"esteemed   correspondent."      But  if   the  truth  is   really 
unpopular  everywhere,  how  may  we  mark  it  down  as  an 
unhappy  fact  ?     What  everybody  believes  in.  must  be  right? 
And  if  all  hands  have  gone  off  on  the  falsehood  tack,  then, 
falsehood  can  be  nothing  at  all  of  the  awful  sort  of  thing 
which  old-fashioned  people  tried  to  make  us  believe.     Can 
it  now?     Really,  we  are  inclined   to  believe  there  is  an 
awful  lot  of  lying  about :  and  we  should  not  be  surprised  to 
hear,  that  some  of  it  hangs  around  the  person   who  will 
wantonly  write,  that  "  truth  is  most  unpopular,  everywhere 
to-day."     As  a  matter  of  fact,  we  know  that  the  gentle., 
scribe  is  writing  what  isn't  true,  for  in  the  offices  of  THE 
MARITIME   REVIEW,    truth    is    the    most    popular    item    on 
draught. 

5?%? 

STILL,  it  is  a  sign  of  the  times,  when  the  legal  mind  will 
allow  itself  to  make  such  sweeping  assertions,  as  that 
which  we  have  twice  quoted  and  we  are  sorry  for  the 
times.  We  know  that,  in  the  shipping  trade,  there  is  a 
terrible  quantity  of  business  falsehoods  about— as  well  as  a 
number  of  lies,  that  are  merely  told  for  the  purpose  of 
exemplifying  the  depravity  of  the  teller.  That  is,  they  are 
so  abominably  thin,  that  they  cannot  be  marked  down  as 
falsehoods :  for  to  get  its  just  appreciation,  a  falsehood 
must  deceive  somebody  ?  Why.  bless  us,  we  could  give 
you  instances  of  where  the  composition  man  has  told  ship- 
owner the  most  fearsome  tales  of  sudden  death  and  the 
like,  to  the  mollusc  of  the  deep  sea  :  of  where  the  gentle- 


man has  sold  his  stuff,  even  as  he  fairy  taled  :    but  we  are 
>t  going  to  pretend  that  it  was  because  of  the  "falsehood." 
It  wasn't !     It  was  more  for  the  reason  that  he  had  shares 
steamer ;  that  he  had  invested  solely  for  the  purpose 
supplying  the  compo.    that   was   guaranteed   to   kill   a 
cle  at  as  great  as  distance  as  you  cared  to  write,  but 
on  which  the  same  barnacle  waxed  fat,  and  flourished  ;  and 
thus  the  gentleman  "worked"  a  profit  at  the  expense  of 
his  fellow  shareholders. 

_   IN  the  instance  cited,  there  was  nothing   of  the   business 
falsehood  about  the  dodge  ;   it  wasn't  even  a  business  lie— 
and  for  the  simple  reason  that  nobody  concerned,  believed 
a  word  of  the  whole  yarn.     A   lie   to   be   such,  must  claim 
d  get  belief.     If  it  is  merely  smiled  at,  it  is  just  a  com- 
bination of  meaningless  words.     And  as  far  as  we  can  see, 
the  fellows  who  are   mainly  growling,  now,  are  they  who 
have  essayed  the  gentle  task  of  hoodooing  their  fellowmen 
and  women,  but  have  been  hoist  with  their  own  petard— as 
the  poet  said.     Tis  surprising-  how  prone  human  nature  is, 
to  view  the  remainder  of  the  cult,  in  the  light  of   its  own 
Jxperiences.      It    dons    a    given-coloured    spectacle,  and 
because  it  views  the  world  in  one  ghastly  monotone  :   well, 
straightway  imagines  that  everybody  else   is   cursed  with 
the  same  all-one-coloured-ness  -if  we   may   write   it  thus. 
Great  Scott!     We  know   a   ship-chandler  who   would    sell 
salt-dog    to    a    shipmaster,   even    as  he  gave    a   written 
guarantee  that  the   stuff   was    "  Prime  India  Mess  Beef  "  ; 
but    we    are   not   assinine    enough   to    believe   that   every 
ship-chandler  is  built  on  similar  lines.     Again,  we  know   an 
optician  who  would  give    shipowner  a   bill  for   a  Thompson 
compass,    when    a    mere  fifty    shilling    touch    had    been 
supplied  ;  but  then,  all  opticians  aren't  built  that  way.  don't 
forget. 

SAME  thing  in  coal.  We  have  seen  seven-and-sixpenny 
stuff  shipped,  and  a  bill  tendered  for  the  eleven-shilling 
article— the  difference,  naturally,  being  looked  upon  by 
"  shipowner."  as  a  perquisite.  On  the  other  hand,  we  know 
of  coal  sellers  who  would  scorn  such  action  ;  and  we  also 
know  one  or  two  shipowners  who  would  thump  the  coal- 
seller,  were  he  to  suggest  (even  indirectly)  such  monkey- 
work.  Taking  the  matter  dispassionately,  and  viewing  it 
in  the  same  way.  we  are  under  the  impression,  that  the 
world  is  about  on  a  par  with  what  obtained  a  thousand 
years  ago  ;  and  with  what  will  obtain  a  thousand  years 
hence.  As  a  matter  of  course,  there  are  more  people,  so 
there  must  be  more  wickedness :  but  we  formed  the 
opinion,  right  away  back,  that  the  man  who  talks  most 
about  business  falsehoods,  is  he  who  would  tell  a  down- 
right lie.  providing  the  inducement  were  placed  high 
enough.  Not  so  high  that  he  couldn't  reach  it,  you 
understand  :  but  just  high  enough  to  make  matters  simple, 
and  easy.  The  truthful  man  is  so  sure  of  his  ground  ; 
believes  that  his  honesty  is  so  apparent :  realises  that  his 
rectitude  is  so  obvious;  that  he  doesn't  think  it  worth  his 
while  to  prate  about  it. 

IN  the  long  run.  too,  the  public  think  with  him,  and  his 
business  gains  in  proportion.  The  Johnny  who,  on  the 
other  hand,  is  for  ever  on  the  protest,  is  exactly  like  the 
lady  of  which  most  of  us  have  read  ;  you  know  ;  the  one 
of  whom  it  was  written,  "Methinks  the  lady  doth  protest 
overmuch?"  Still,  it  is  now  the  "silly  season,"  so  pre- 
sumably our  contemporary — in  accordance  with  tradition 
that  is  more  or  less  honourable — must  eke  out  his  columns 
as  easily,  and  as  cheaply  as  possible  ?  Truth  might  ulti- 
mately become  "unpopular,"  but  there  is  a  lot  of  it  about 
yet ;  and  lies,  to  get  their  fell  effect  in,  must,  of  necessity. 


142 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July    14,  1905 


be  worked  up  in  connection  with  those  who  are  either  too 
lazy,  or  too  well-paid,  to  look  for  the  truth.  If  a  gabby- 
shallow  enters  a  store,  and  commences  to  search  for  a  lie. 
it  is  ten  chances  to  one.  but  that  some  son  of  Adam  (or 
daughter  of  Eve.  an'  it  suits  you  better)  will  oblige.  It 
has  been  said  that  one  half  the  world  doesn't  know  how 
the  other  half  lives  :  it  is  equally  true  that  one  half  of  the 
same  entity  doesn't  know  what  the  other  half  says  ?  All 
the  same,  a  little  careful  attention  to  detail,  will  soon 
unmask  the  teller  of  "  business  falsehoods."  to  put  it  in  the 
same  mild  manner  as  has  been  adopted  by  the  London 
ha'porth. 

THE  subject  of  pilotage  certificates  as  connected   with 
the  alien  sailor,  is  still  receiving  a  little  public   attention 

albeit  of  the  intermittent  kind,  as  is  usually  the  case 
with  an  important  subject.  The  Secretary  of  Trinity 
House  has  been  holding  forth  on  the  subject,  and  we  are 
sure  he  will  forgive  us  if,  in  the  public  interest,  we  suggest 
that  it  would  be  far  better  for  all  concerned,  if  the  gentle- 
man would  give  the  same  public  the  whole  of  the  facts, 
with  their  natural  corollary.  Nearly  everybody  that  has 
any  interest  in  the  matter  knows,  at  this  late  date,  that 
pilotage  certificates  are  not  granted  under  the  Trinity 
House  Charter,  but  rather  by  Act  of  Parliament.  It  is  also 
fairly  well  understood,  that  Trinity  House  has  no  power  to 
exclude  the  master  of  a  ship  from  obtaining  a  certificate, 
providing  he  is  in  a  position — or  condition — to  pass  the 
necessary  examination.  We  also  know,  that  if  Trinity 
House,  or  other  pilotage  authority,  refuses  to  grant  a 
certificate  under  the  suggested  conditions,  then,  the  Board 
of  Trade,  with  its  usual  desire  to  do  anything  that  is 
inimical  to  the  men  who  earn  its  salaries  for  it,  will  step  in, 
and  hey,  presto,  another  Dutchman  has  a  British  pilotage 
certificate. 


Now.  if  there  were  any  sort  of  scarcity  in  the  ranks  of 
applicants  for  British  pilotage  certificates,  one  could  easily 
understand  the  dead  set  in  this  connection,  which  is  made 
by  the  Board  of  Trade,  when  a  foreigner  comes  along.  But 
there  is  no  such  scarcity.  On  the  contrary,  rather,  for 
there  are.  literally,  hundreds  of  men  who  have  passed  their 
examinations,  but  are  unable  to  practice,  for  the  reason 
that  there  is  no  vacancy  in  the  district  for  which  they  have 
qualified.  At  the  same  time,  they  have  the  doubtful 
pleasure  of  seeing  a  foreigner,  who  has  also  passed,  bring  a 
foreign  ship  into  a  British  port,  because  the  puissant  Board 
is  of  opinion  that  it  is  in  power  solely  for  the  purpose  of 
fostering  foreign  trade,  at  the  expense  of  the  British 
sample.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  Board  acted  in  precisely 
this  manner,  at  Bristol,  a  few  months  ago,  and  of  which  we 
told  you,  at  the  time.  That  is  to  say,  two  foreigners  "  sat": 
one  passed  and  got  his  certificate  :  the  other  failed,  and 
didn't  get  it.  Of  course,  it  is  useless  to  matye  represen- 
tations to  the  Board;  useless,  under  existing  circumstances, 
that  is.  But  if  the  seaman  once  obtained  the  power  of 
voting  for  the  laws  which  he  has  to  obey,  you  would  soon 
see  the  Board  of  Bathos  make  a  volte  face  ? 


NOT  the  least  questionable  feature  in  the  whole  deplorable 
business  of  pilotage  certificates  to  foreigners,  lays  in  the 
fact  that  "  the  duty  of  pilotage  authorities  is  prescribed  in 
the  Merchant  Shipping  Act  of  1854  (no  more  remote  a 
period),  which  entitles  any  master  of  a  ship  who  shall 
satisfy  the  Board  of  his  efficiency  to  a  certificate  as  a  pilot 
on  the  ship  he  navigates,  or  any  ship  belonging  to  the 
same  owner."  There  you  are,  the  laws  which  were  in 
vogue  in  '54,  are  still  binding  to-day  —  as  long  as  the 


foreigner  is  involved  ;  but  if  you  ask  the  same  sapient 
rulers  to  re-institute  the  "  old  "  Navigation  Laws,  "  thrown 
up  "  about  that  time,  they  become  hysterical,  and  tell  you 
tales  concerning  the  putting  back  of  the  hands  of  the  clock 
of  progress.  Furthermore,  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that 
the  '54  toss-around,  has  come  up  for  consideration  in  what 
should  be  considered  modern  time  ;  days  when  the  dis- 
covery of  x-rays  and  radium  ;  of  wireless  telegraphy  and 
submarine  navigation  ;  of  electric-cookers  and  eighty-mile- 
an-hour  motor  cars  are  commonplaces  ;  so  that  there  is 
absolutely  no  excuse  for  its  continuance  on  the  Statute 
Book.  You  see,  some  cavillers  at  the  Act,  tried  to  show 
that  the  original  framers  thereof,  meant  the  word  "ship"  to 
convey  the  idea  of  a  British  ship. 


BUT  no,  it  couldn't  be  that,  for  some  weak-kneed  folk,  on 
August  30.  1889  —  at  a  time  when,  in  all  probability,  some 
foreign  Power  was  engaged  upon  the  game  of  tail-pulling  in 
connection  with  one  British  Lion  of  which  we  hear. 
occasionally  ;  these  weak-kneed  ones  decreed,  then,  after 
the  manner  following:  "Whereas  doubts  have  arisen  as 
to  the  extent  of  the  application  of  certain  provisions  of 
Part  5,  of  the  Merchant  Shipping  Act,  of  1854.  and  it  is 
expedient  to  remove  those  doubts,  be  it  therefore  enacted 
and  declared  that  in  the  construction  of  Part  5  of  the 
Merchant  Shipping  Act  of  1854  and  the  enactments 
amending  the  same,  the  expression  '  ship'  includes  a  foreign 
ship."  There  you  are  !  And  the  same  brainy  affair  was 
re-enacted  in  1894.  Furthermore,  you  are  at  liberty  to 
bet  your  —  boots,  we  were  about  to  write  !  but  that  is 
slangy,  so  we  give  you  permission  to  solemnly  asseverate, 
that  if  the  old  thing  comes  up  for  consideration  in  2094.  a 
re-re-re-re-re-enactment  of  the  same  chunk  of  maiden-lady 
sweetness  will  transpire.  Yes  !  Anything  that  dates  from 
anywhere  around  "  a  century  back,"  is  good  enough  for  a 
century  hence—  as  long  as  it  is  even  distantly  connected 
with  freezing-out  a  British  seaman. 


GOME  we  now.  to  a  consideration  of  what  the  Secretary. 
already  quoted,  considers  as  the  "  real  issue."  But  which, 
in  reality,  is  as  far  therefrom,  as  is  everything  else  con- 
nected with  this  foolish,  and  iniquitous  enactment.  We 
are  about  to  give  you  the  Trinity  House's  Secretary's  own 
words,  yes.  Here,  then:  "An  alien  who  gains  a  certificate 
must  have  been  a  competent  pilot,  thoroughly  acquainted 
with  the  port  he  is  qualified  for,  before  he  ever  came  into 
contact  with  the  pilotage  authority.  He  learns  the  work 
by  observation  and  independent  study,  as  he  would  be  able 
to  learn  it  in  the  event  of  a  certificate  being  withheld."  Yea. 
lor'!  And  the  foregoing  is  supposed  to  be  a  "reason." 
Heaven  forgive  us,  good  people,  when  we  pay  folk  who 
cannot  see  farther  than  their  noses,  and  when  we  put  them 
into  positions  of  great  trust,  and  where"'  rriucfi  depends  on 
their  acumen  therefor.  The  foreign  pilot  who  ultimately 
secures  a  certificate,  "  learns  the  work  by  observation  and 
independent  study,  as  he  would  be  able  to  learn  it  in  the 
event  of  a  certificate  being  withheld  "  !  Did  you  ever  read 
anything  more  misleading  ?  We  never  did.  anyhow,  and 
we'll  endeavour  to  show  you  why,  now,  and  right  away, 
after  which  you  will  probably  agree  with  us. 


HERE,  goes  !  The  foreign  sailor,  up  to  the  time  of  obtain- 
ing his  pilotage  certificate,  is  merely  a  theoretical  pilot  ? 
That  is,  he  knows—  we'll  suppose—  every  wrinkle  on  the 
board,  in  an  academical  manner.  Is  he  then  fit  to  be 
trusted  with  the  pilotage  of,  say,  one  of  his  own  country's 
men  of  war,  up.  for  example,  Bristol  River  ?  Of  course, 


July    14,   1905 


THE     MARITIME    REVIEW. 


'43 


not.  and  his  own  Government  would  see  him  hanged,  before 
they  would  trust  any  such  grave  issue  to  this  certificated 
neophyte.  And  when  it  is  necessary  to  navigate  -a  foreign 
warship  up  Bristol  River  without  employing  a  Bristol  pilot, 
then,  you  can  wager  to  any  extent,  that  the  issue  is  grave 
-  for  Bristol  ?  Very  well.  then.  Let  us  now  come  to  the 
natural  deduction.  Your  foreign  friend  has  obtained  his 
pilotage  certificate,  and  straightway  busies  himself  in 
becoming  a  practical  pilot,  once  more  at  the  Briton's 
expense.  Which  is  to  say,  the  old  crock  with  which  he  is 
trusted,  is  insured  at  Lloyd's  :  if  he  comes  to  grief. 
Britain  will  be  the  loser,  if  he  doesn't  come  to  grief,  Britain 
will  still  be  the  loser,  in  that  it  has  gratuitously  prepared 
a  foreign  pilot,  who  is  ready  to  do  all  that  is  needful. 
the  moment  the  time  is  ripe. 


YET  the  Secretary  of  Trinity  House  would  assure  you. 
that  if  they  didn't  give  the  "  squarehead  "  his  certificate, 
he  would  still  be  in  a  position  to  learn  our  pilotages,  willy, 
nilly  :  and  merely  by  outside  "observation  and  independent 
study!"  Great  Scott!  Won't  somebody  explain  to  this 
secretarial  gentleman,  that  is  only  after  the  issue  of  the 
pilotage  certificate,  that  your  foreign  friends  begin  to  learn 
the  business  of  a  pilot  ?  Exactly  as  follows  in  the  case  of 
a  British  Admiral.  He  is  never  allowed  to  try  his  hand  at 
manoeuvring  a  fleet  until  his  flag  is  hoisted  :  hitherto,  he  is 
a  theoretical  adrnkal—  nothing  more  :  in  like  manner  the 
shipmaster  although  in  less  degree,  because  he  doesn't 
wobble  along  in  fleets,  and  has  but  one  ship  to  attend  to  : 
and  in  his  case,  he  usually  has  a  whole  passage  through 
deep  water,  in  which  to  become  used  to  the  feeling  of  having 
to  give  the  word  of  command  without  blushing.  But  in 
each  instance,  the  merry  gentlemen  are  merely  theoretical 
"salts."  and  as  such,  may  not  be  expected  to  do  much  in 
the  matter  of  getting  their  work  in.  Yet  they  all  learn 
their  business  as  "  practical  sailors."  exactly  as  would  they 
if  you  took  care  that  they  never  mounted  a  steamer's 
bridge. 

tf$3 

DOESN'T  it  make  you  tired  ?  Are  you  just  a  bit  disgusted 
that  your  intelligence  is  set  down  as  of  such  very  mediocre 
value,  that  you  are  to  be  "  stuffed  "  with  a  yarn  which  is 
meant  to  convince  you,  that  if  you  didn't  give  these  fellows 
permission  to  practice,  they  would  still  be  good  pilots  ? 
Good  heavens,  why.  after  a  man  has  been  actively  employed 
as  a  pilot  for  years,  the  slightest  change  in  the  marks  to 
which  he  has  become  accustomed,  will  play  havoc  with  his 
piloting.  Yet  he  knows  every  configuration  of  the  bottom 
over  which  he  sails  :  can  tell  you  every  peculiarity  of  the 
set  of  the  tides  and  currents  :  knows  all  the  soundings  by 
heart  :  but  if  you  wish  to  queer  his  pitch,  you  alter  things 
a  bit—  and  you  catch  him.  With  the  foreign  practiced  pilot, 
however,  you  would  not  catch  him  so  readily,  and  for  the 
reason  that  he  would  take  nothing  for  granted  in  war-time  : 
would  go  slow,  and  make  sure  of  his  position,  step  by  step. 
Is  he  going  to  pick  up  that  knowledge,  by  "  observation 
and  independent  study  "  ?  Not  by  a  long  way.  is  he,  and  if 
Trinity  House  doesn't  know  thus  much  of  the  business 
with  which  it  is  entrusted,  then,  it  is  in  worse  case  than 
we  thought 

fi?& 

Ir  it  does  know  better,  what  right  has  its  secretary  to  go 
out  of  his  way  to  pull  the  wool  over  the  eyes  of  a  daily 
paper  man  who.  in  turn,  will  pull  the  wool  over  the  eyes  of 
the  people  who  buy  their  heaven-sent  wisdom  ?  It  is 
beside  the  question  to  say.  that  "  Trinity  House  knows  the 
candidates  for  certificates  only  as  men  professing  to  be 
expert  pilots  already,  and  desiring  acknowledgment  of 
their  proficiency."  Such  a  statement  is  all  buncombe,  and 


Trinity  House  ought  to  know  it.  Does  Trinity  House  take 
the  foreigner  to  sea,  and  make  him  demonstrate  his  ability 
to  bring  a  ship  in  ?  No,  sirs  !  That  foreigner  is  merely 
asked  stated  questions,  which  he  may  learn  parrot-fashion, 
and  answer  in  the  same  manner.  If  he  satisfies  the  exam- 
ination person,  he  gets  his  certificate,  and  then,  for  a 
voyage  or  so,  he  is  still  enabled  to  employ  local  talent,  until 
he  feels  "  fit."  If,  after  that,  he  comes  to  grief,  well, 
Lloyd's  will  pay  up,  and  ultimately,  the  pilot  is  that,  in  deed 
and  truth—  as  you  are  all  likely  to  know,  at  a  date  which  is 
nearer,  perhaps,  than  any  of  us  imagine.  The  Secretary  of 
Trinity  House  might  be  "  at  pains  to  make  clear,"  that 
there  are  no  alien  pilots  save  masters  and  mates  ;  that  is 
not  the  question. 

e/#  9fa 

W    «? 

OF  course  it  is  scandalously  wrong  to  allow  the  foreigner 
any  advantage  over  the  Briton,  and  you  may  be  sure  that 
if  you  initiate  every  foreign  sailor  on  earth,  into  the 
mysteries  of  British  coastal  navigation,  the  foreigner  will 
not  reciprocate,  by  showing  one  Briton  a  quiff  concerning 
foreign  waters.  But  the  question  is  a  national  one.  Has 
no  local  significance—  or  none  worthy  of  our  attention.  If 
a  foreigner  is  allowed  to  practice  for  long  enough,  he  will 
soon  become  perfect  ;  and  when  he  has  become  perfect, 
where  does  the  inviolability  of  Britain's  shores  come  in  ? 
As'a  matter  of  fact,  while  foreign  nations  are  going  mad 
over  "  British  invasion  schemes,"  Britain  is  doing  its  level 
best  to  make  those  schemes  as  easy  as  possible.  We  have 
harped  on  this  string  for  ages  ;  others  have  done  the  same, 
to  a  greater  or  lesser  extent  ;  but  all  the  good  which  is 
likely  to  result,  is  an  academical  discussion  as  to  whether 
the  alien  pilot  is  a  real  blessing,  or  merely  a  negative  one  — 
to  his  own  country.  If  Britain  did  as  she  ought  to  do,  she 
would  see  to  it  that  every  certificate  that  has  been  granted 
to  a  foreigner,  should,  as  a  matter  of  public  expediency,  be 
withdrawn  at  once.  There  would  still  be  theoretical  pilots  ; 
but  their  value,  in  war-time,  doesn't  amount  to  much. 


WE  passed  some  remarks  concerning  the  Aliens  Bill,  in 
our  last  week's  issue,  and  now  we  see  no  just  reason  why 
we  should  refrain  from  pointing  a  further  moral  in  the  same 
direction.  For  instance,  on  Monday  night,  the  House  went 
into  Committee  on  this  same  Bill,  and  among  other  things, 
dealt  with  the  advisability  of  making  the  would-be 
immigrant  prove,  that  he  is  an  undesirable,  "if  he  cannot 
show  that  he  has  in  his  possession,  or  is  in  a  position  to 
obtain  the  means  of  decently  supporting  himself  and  his 
dependents  (if  any)."  Lord  H.  'Cecil,  Member  for  Green- 
wich, moved  an  amendment  to  insert  words  that  the 
intending  immigrant  should  show  that  he  could  do  the 
"decently  supporting"  act,  "  without  recourse  to  the  Poor 
.  feaw."  To  our  mind,  the  noble  lord  hit  it,  first  time,  when 
he  stated  that  "  it  might  be  argued  that  a  man  was  in  a 
position  to  obtain  the  means  of  decently  supporting  himself 
if  he  got  Poor  Law  relief.  The  words,  moreover,  would 
show  to  the  immigration  board  that  the  sub-section  was 
directed  against  pauper  immigrants,  and  not  cheap 
immigrants."  On  the  face  of  it,  we  should  imagine  that 
Lord  Cecil's  words  were  worthy  of  attention,  and  in  view  of 
other  ambiguities  of  which  we  could  write,  carried  a 
quantity  of  weight. 

#  & 

THEY  would,  too,  in  most  instances.  But  to  Sir  R. 
Finlay  (the  Attorney-General)  Lord  Cecil's  suggestion  was 
superfluous.  Not  only  superfluous,  but  it  was  contended 
that  the  clause  as  it  stands,  was  anything  but  ambiguous  ; 
and  "  still  less  that  anyone  would  read  it  in  the  sense 
indicated  by  the'noble  lord."  We  are  by  no  means  sure  of 
that  !  We  have  just  been  telling  you  about  another 


'44 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July    14,    1905 


weighty  law  the  one  which  dealt  with  alien  pilots—  and 
we  are  nearly  sure  that  the  original  framers  thereof,  never 
meant  the  word  "ship"  to  imply  a  "foreign  ship."  They 
looked  too  well  after  the  interest  of  their  own  countrymen. 
in  those  days  !  But  latter-day  Solons  have  decided  that 
the  word  "ship"  did  mean  "foreign  ship;"  so  what 
guarantee  have  we,  that  still  later-day  Solons  will  not 
decide  that  a  poor  foreigner  will  be  "decently  supporting" 
himself  and  his  dependents  (if  any),  providing  he  is  robbing 
your  son,  or  ours,  of  a  chunk  of  the  Poor  Law  Relief  which 
we  don't  mind  "  putting  up,"  for  the  benefit  of  our 
unfortunate  countrymen  ?  And  here,  look  at  this  !  Read 
it.  that  is  :  "  It  was  very  undesirable  to  say  that  no 
immigrant  should  be  excluded  so  long  as  he  did  not  actually 
come  on  the  Poor  Law."  Yes  ! 

5?  & 

NATURALLY  the  Attorney-General  had  a  reason  for 
denying  Lord  Cecil,  in  this  manner.  The  immigrant 
"  might  have  the  opportunity  of  making  just  enough  to  live 
upon  under  very  insanitary  conditions."  Quite  so.  but  his 
surroundings  wouldn't  be  altogether  salubrious  if  he  were 
"  decently  supporting  "  himself—  outside  of  the  Workhouse 
—  on  what  he  could  conjure  up  from  the  Poor  Law  Relief, 
would  it  ?  Then.  Sir  C.  Dilke  suggested  that  the  very  fact 
that  the  clause  was  receiving  opposite  interpretation  by 
those  who  supported  it,  showed  how  vague  it  was.  We 
should  smile  !  But  then,  it  is  the  mission  for  all  Bills  to 
be  vague.  To  dispose  of  that  vagueness,  it  is  essential  to 
have  committees.  Royal  Commissions,  and  what  not,  in 
which  case  a  goodly  number  of  legal  gentlemen  are  em- 
ployed :  and  for  our  part,  we  should  never  expect  an 
Attorney-General  to  so  far  forget  his  less-fortunate 
brethren,  that  he  would  be  disposed  to  shove  a  Bill  through 
Parliament,  without  showing  everybody  that  it  was  possible 
to  run  a  motor-car  through  it  —  we  are  up-to-date  people, 
you'll  observe  ?  However,  after  a  quantity  of  argument, 
for  and  against,  the  amendment  was—  for  form's  sake  —  put 
to  a  division.  The  Government  won,  and  future  historians 
will  now  be  able  to  quote  this,  even  as  we  quoted  the 
"  ship  "  case  in  the  alien  pilot  business.  Rule  Britannia  ! 


AFTER  making  every  allowance  for  the  excited  tales 
which  have  come  to  hand,  concerning  the  racing  between 
the  Bristol  Channel  passenger  steamers,  it  would  appear 
that  this  pernicious  "  pastime  "  is  being  indulged  in.  to  a 
greater  or  lesser  degree.  All's  well  that  end's  well,  but 
that  is  no  reason  why  a  number  of  shore  folk  who  make 
the  paying  possibilities  of  the  various  boats  possible,  and 
who,  after  all,  patronise  these  same  boats  on  "  pleasure  '• 
bent  —  should  be  terrorised  into  fainting  fits,  and  blue  funk 
generally,  for  the  very  questionable  honour  of  being  first  at 
a  given  place?  Far  be  it  from  us  to  cry  "  Wolf."  in  this 
matter,  but  personal  observation  has  convinced  us,  that 
there  is  much  to  be  desired  in  the  struggles  for  a  fictitious 
supremacy  in  this  connection.  There  is  absolutely  no  need 
for  any  racing  proclivities  to  manifest  themselves,  in  either 
of  the  rival  fleets,  and  if  such  tactics  are  persevered  with, 
the  only  possible  result  will  be  that  intending  passengers 
will  desert,  this  very  enjoyable  means  of  "putting  in"  a 
summer  afternoon  or  evening.  Personally,  -we  much  doubt 
whether  the  evil  is  quite  as  bad  as  has  been  represented  in 
some  quarters  ;  but  the  steamer  companies  will  be  studying 
their  best  interests,  in  seeing  that,  in  future,  no  semblance 
of  complaint  can  be  hurled  against  them,  by  either  in- 
terested, or  disinterested,  persons. 


WHEN   all   is  said,   the  'live    business    concern     deesn't 
attempt  to  gain  an  advertisement  at  the  expense  of    its 


clients :  at  least,  not  openly.  There  are  properly  con- 
stituted advertising  media,  and  when  the  time  for  a  boat's 
departure  has  arrived,  the  words  then  should  be,  "  with 
care  ."  and  always  "  with  care."  Fallibility  is  the  portion 
of  everything  human  ;  it  is  more  than  ordinarily  so  in  con- 
nection with  shipping ;  and  if,  in  the  future,  any  accident 
should  unfortunately  occur,  the  steamer  folk  may  rest 
assured,  that  every  little  departure  from  strict  propriety 
will  be  hurled  against  them— probably  with  disastrous 
effect.  Everybody  admits  that  it  is  in  human  nature  to 
cherish  a  desire  to  "  beat  the  other  fellow,"  especially  if  the 
power  so  to  do,  is  at  hand  :  but  the  business  heads  could 
easily  arrange  for  this  little  weakness,  by  seeing  to  it  that, 
under  no  circumstances,  could  the  boats  ever  be  in  a 
position  to  show  which  had  the  "prettiest  turn  of  speed."  A 
time  table,  here,  is  just  as  essential  as  elsewhere  that 
large  numbers  of  passengers  are  handled  :  furthermore, 
the  said  time  table  should  be  sized  up,  so  that  the  boats 
may  never  run  side  by  side,  as  they  undoubtedly  did,  on 
Saturday,  last. 


THE  skippers  involved,  too,  should  remember  the  jape 
concerning  the  applicant  for  the  job  of  coachman  to  a 
Lord  Mayor.  Said  No.  1,  "I  could  drive  so  close,  that  I 
could  keep  my  wheel  two  inches  clear  of  the  other 
fellow's."  No.  2,  went  one  better,  by  insinuating  that  he 
could  go  so  close  to  another  vehicle,  that  he  would  touch 
the  paint  on  its  wheel,  without  scratching  it.  No.  3, 
however,  remarked  that  he  would  keep  as  far  off  the  other 
fellow's  wheel,  as  the  width  of  the  road  allowed.  No.  3 
got  the  job.  Verb,  sat  sap.  Mind  you,  there  is  a  certain 
amount  of  satisfaction  to  be  gleaned,  from  the  fact  that 
certain  of  the  complainants  have  assured  a  few  of  us  that 
in  the  midst  of  the  struggle  for  supremacy,  the  flames  were 
shooting  out  of  the  funnel.  That  merely  showed  that  the 
coal- and  the  draught  — were  good?  Beside,  the  natural 
place  for  all  this  flame  (and  smoke)  is  the  funnel;  but 
after  making  every  allowance  for  the  excitement  which  is 
natural  to  the  non-nautical  mind,  there  was  certainly  a 
little  too  much  of  the  "  setting  to  partners  "  idea  around 
in  the  Channel,  on  Saturday.  Wise  managements  would 
take  care  that  it  doesn't  happen  again  ? 


IT'S  awful,  when  you  come  to  think  of  it!  Here  is  the 
country's  trade  going  up  by  leaps  and  bounds,  and  yet 
every  second  man  you  meet  is  asking  for  free  tips  on  the 
delightful  subject  of  dodging  the  Official  Receiver!  The 
Board  of  Trade  returns  show  that,  in  six  months  of  the 
present  year,  the  increase  has  romped  into  a  little  better 
than  1 1,1 2  millions  of  pounds,  sterling,  and  yet  the  growler 
.is  with  us!  It  isn't  of  much  use  to  tell  the  Cardiffian 
anything  about  that  increase  ;  at  least,  not  the  Cardiffian. 
generally.  We  heard  one  rude  man  remark  yesterday— 
when  told  about  the  continued  increase  in  Britain's  trade: 
"  I'm  somewhat  of  a  liar,  myself,"  and  (it's  rude,  we  know ) 
we  believe  him  !  However,  the  fact  of  our  belief  in  this 
connection,  makes  no  difference  to  the  man,  does  it : 
neither  does  it  make  any  difference  to  the  fact  that  British 
trade  is  on  the  boom— no  matter  what  the  local  man  may 
say  to  the  contrary  ? 

#  & 

A  BRAVE  act  on  the  part  of  a  merchant  officer  has  lately 
been  performed  by  Mr.  A.  G.  Large,  Chief  Officer  of  the 
s  s  Nicaraguan.  According  to  statements  furnished  to  the 
Merchant  Service  Guild  by  Captain  James  of  that  steamer, 
it  appears  that  the  vessel  mentioned  grounded  on  a  bank 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Palma  River  on  the  coast  of  Mexico. 
The  main  injection  pipe  got  choked  up  with  sand,  and  there 


July    14,  '905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


145 


being  every  indication  of  a  coming  Norther,  it  was  deemed 
advisable  to  communicate  with  Vera  Cruz  and  ask  for 
assistance.  Owing,  however,  to  the  very  heavy  surf  break- 
ing on  the  beach,  it  was  considered  impossible  to  land  or 
communicate  with  the  shore.  Mr.  Large  thereupon 
volunteered  to  swim  through  the  surf.  A  boat  was  manned 
and  pulled  in  as  near  as  was  deemed  safe.  and.  divesting 
himself  of  his  clothing.  Mr.  Large  plunged  into  the  surf  and 
was  soon  lost  in  the  waste  of  surging  water.  After  battling 
with  over  half  a  mile  of  heavy  breakers,  with  the  probability 
of  being  devoured  by  sharks.  Mr.  Large  reached  the 
shore,  delivered  a  message,  and  commenced  to  return 
through  the  surf,  notwithstanding  the  protestations  of 
the  inhabitants. 

5?  fc 

AFTER  being  repeatedly  knocked  down  and  bruised,  he 
ultimately  reached  deeper  water,  and  with  great  pluck  and 
determination  reached  the  boat,  and  returning  to  the  ship 
was  received  with  great  cheers  by  passengers  and  crew. 
The  passengers  on  board  handed  to  Mr.  Large  a  testimonial 
as  to  their  high  admiration  of  his  unremitting  zeal,  activity 
and  courage,  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties  in  what  might 
have  proved  a  critical  situation.  The  Merchant  Service 
Guild  have  laid  the  full  facts  of  his  gallantry  before  the 
Royal  Humane  Society  and  Lloyd's.  They  have  now 
received  from  the  Royal  Humane  Society  a  Silver  Medal 
for  presentation  to  Mr.  Large,  and  Lloyd's  have  addressed 
a  communication  to  the  Guild  stating  that  they  have  much 
pleasure  in  bestowing  upon  this  officer  Lloyd's  Silver  Medal 
for  meritorious  services  in  recognition  of  the  bravery 
displayed  by  him. 


IN  response  to  the  representations  of  the  Merchant 
Service  Guild,  the  Secretary  of  that  body  has  received  from 
the  Committee  of  the  Royal  Humane  Society  a  certificate 
on  vellum,  signed  by  The  Prince  of  Wales,  in  recognition  of 
the  act  of  bravery  performed  at  Barry,  by  Mr.  A.  H.  Clews, 
Third  Officer  of  the  Canadian  Pacific  Liner  Monteagle.  It 
appears  that  while  this  steamer  was  lying  alongside  the 
quay,  at  Barry,  a  fireman  coming  on  board,  fell  between  the 
quay  wall  and  the  steamer.  The  ship's  ropes  were  let  out 
to  give  him  more  room  between  the  ship  and  the  wall.  Mr. 
Clews  thereupon  jumped  into  the  water  and  though  there 
was  very  great  risk  of  being  crushed  between  the  steamer 
and  the  quay  wall,  the  rescue  was  successfully  performed. 
and  it  is  satisfactory  to  learn  has  been  duly  recognised. 


WE  note  that  the  current  issue  of  Syren  and  Shipping, 
contains  the  first  of  a  series  of  articles  on  "The  Welsh 
Coal  Fields."  from  the  able  pen  of  Sir  Charles  M'Laren, 
Bart..  M.P.  The  first  instalment  of  the  series,  covers  the_ 
coal  trade  of  Great  Britain,  generally,  and  makes  particular 
reference  to  the  position  of  South  Wales.  We  understand 
that  Part  2.  will  deal  with  the  special  features  of  the  South 
Wales  Coal  Fields,  and  that  subsequent  articles  will  touch 
on  other  details  relating  to  the  coal-winning  operations  of 
the  district.  The  series  should  form  a  valuable  addition  to 
the  literature  already  devoted  to  the  subject. 

6?  fc 

Messrs.  C.  G.  Wickberg  &,  Sons.  Sunderland,  are  the 
purchasers  of  the  steamer  Circassia,  recently  reported 
sold.  She  has  been  renamed  Duo. 


The  iron  steamer  Springfield,  built  at  Hull,  in  1895, 
for  the  Hellyer's  Steam  Fishing  Company.  Ltd.,  Hull, 
has  been  sold  to  a  French  firm. 


MARITIME     MARK     MAKERS. 
W.  NORTH  LEWIS,  ESQ.,  (Commercial  Manager,  Geo.  Insole  &  Son). 

Vi  do  not  wish  to  pretend  that  we  are  the  originators 
of  the  saying  that  "  Home  staying  youth  hath 
ever  homely  wit."  We  are  not  !  But  we  are 
perfectly  sure  that  the  youth  who  is  not  of  the  home- 
staying  persuasion  :  who,  on  the  contrary,  is  enabled  to 
visit  the  countries  of  the  world  :  well,  he  is  generally  the 
youth  who  gives  a  good  account  of  himself— and  of  the 
business  with  which  he  may  be  entrusted.  We  are  con- 
strained to  the  foregoing,  by  a  consideration  of  the  career 
of  our  this  week's  Maritime  Mark  Maker.  Mr.  W.  North 
Lewis,  the  commercial  manager  of  one  of  Cardiff's  most 
important  colliery  concerns — that  of  Messrs.  Geo.  Insole 
and  Son.  A  Cardiffian.  born  and  bred,  our  friend  has  by  no 
means  confined  himself,  or  his  education,  to  the  gleanings 
which  are  possible  on  his  native  heath,  alone  ;  for,  at  one 
time  or  another,  we  find  him  having  a  turn  at  most  of  the 
capitals  of  Europe,  to  say  nothing  of  a  number  of  cities 
which  are  not  capitals  ;  while  on  more  than  one  occasion, 
we  find  him  pursuing  the  finishing  touches  of  that  education, 
in  the  direction  where,  we  are  told,  the  Star  of  Empire 
travels- to  the  West!  While  on  this  portion  of  our 
writing,  we  might  remark  that  one  of  those  trips  to 
the  westward,  was  undertaken  in  company  with  a 
number  of  gentlemen  who  were  sent  to  Canada,  by  the 
Cardiff  Chamber  of  Commerce,  of  which  body  of  pro- 
gres'sives.  Mr.  Lewis  has  been  long  a  member.  For 
the  impressions  which  were  gathered  on  this  occasion, 
we  have  no  space.  That  is.  other  than  to  remark,  that 
the  erstwhile  delegate  is  fully  alive  to  the  commercial 
possibilities  of  the  Dominion,  and  is  as  keen  as  most  of  us 
to  help  foster  the  trade  which,  sooner  or  later,  must  come 
to  Cardiff,  from  that  quarter  of  the  globe.  In  view  of  the 
terrible  tales  which  have  been  spread  around  for  the 
delectation  of  those  of  us  who  have  time  to  consider  them  ; 
those  tales  which  have  as  their  burden,  the  awful  words 
"too  old  at  forty  :"  our  Mark  Maker  is  fortunate.  It  is 
said  that  a  woman  is  as  old  as  she  looks,  and  a  man  is  as 
old  as  he  feels.  Very  well,  then  !  A  casual  glance  at  the 
excellent  photograph  which  we  reproduce  on  our  front 
page — a  photograph  which,  by  the  way.  is  a  memento  of 
the  Canadian  trip  referred  to.  and  which  is  also  an 
extremely  good  representation  of  the  man,  himself — should 
convince  everybody  that  the  subject  thereof  couldn't 
possibly  feel  anywhere  near  forty  ?  Nearer  than  this,  we 
are  not  inclined  to  go  !  Not  that  it  matters,  greatly,  for 
his  personality  is  as  well-known  among  those  who  do 
business  in  coal,  that  nine  out  of  ten  men  will  give  you  the 
correct  figures  -at  the  first  try  !  However,  we  find  that 
the  business  career  of  our  Mark  Maker  is  another  exempli- 
fication of  what  is  possible  with  hard  work.  Some  twenty 
years  ago.  this  young  Cardiffian  entered  the  office  where 
he  is  now  the  commercial  manager,  as  "the  boy 
who  copied  the  letters."  His  father — Mr.  W.  H. 
iewis.  J.P.— was  then  the  head  of  affairs,  and  we  have 
it  on  good  authority,  that  the  youngster  was  in  no  manner 
"  eased."  because  he  was  working  with  his  father.  On  the 
contrary,  rather,  and  which  fact  probably  accounts  for 
much  of  the  success  which  has  been  his.  For  to  success- 
fully undertake  the  sole  sale  of  some  million  tons  of  coal 
per  annum  (the  Insole  output),  is  to  undertake  a  big  thing. 
Mr.  W.  North  Lewis  is  a  Benedict— and  has  been,  for  years 
-for  he  married  the  daughter  of  Mr.  T.  H.  Ensor,  one  of 
Cardiff's  best-known  solicitors.  If  we  may  be  permitted  to 
mention  the  private  life  of  our  friend,  we  will  remark  that 
his  one  hobby  is  the  cultivation  of  flowers— he  is  a  Fellow 
of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society— and  a  peep  at  the 
gardens  surrounding  his  residence,  "The  Orchard,'' 
Lisvane,  would  convince  you  that  here,  as  in  other,  and 
more  purely  business  matters,  thoroughness  is  the  key 
note  of  the  undertaking.  Mr.  Lewis  is  a  director  of  several 
important  local  companies,  and  is  also  secretary  of  both 
Insoles  and  the  Windsor  Coal  companies,  already  alluded  to. 


146 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


July    14,  1905 


FRIDAY,  JULY  14.   1905. 
MORE  STRAIGHT  TALK  ON  SEA  TOPICS. 


i/'HESEbe  stirring  times,  and  history  is  made 
with  lightning-like  rapidity.  Jealousies  are 
around  on  every  hand  :  one  nation  is  vieing 
with  another  :  the  papers  of  one  country  are 
amiably  disposing  of  the  problematical  enemies 
of  the  other:  to-day,  we  read  that  peace  and 
goodwill  is  all  that  is  sought  by  anybody  :  and 
to-morrow,  this,  that,  or  the  other  "  incident  "  leads  the 
whole  Continent  of  Europe  dangerously  near  to  devastating 
war.  In  the  midst  of  it  all,  we  are  gravely  assured  that  the 
whole  trouble  is  the  result  of  the  ambitions  of  one  man—  but 
each  day  gives  a  different  name  to  that  man  !  Alliances 
are  discussed  ;  ententes  are  thrown  around  :  and  look 
where  you  will,  evidences  of  the  neurotic  state  into  which 
the  world  has  been  thrown,  abound.  At  the  moment  of 
writing,  the  British  Fleet  is  giving  an  object  lesson  to  the 
Effulgent  One  who  is  chafing  against  restraint,  elsewhere  ; 
by  and  bye,  the  French  Fleet  will  return  the  compliment. 
Taken  altogether,  the  scene  suggests  a  barn-yard,  where 
one  old  rooster,  having  become  somewhat  stale,  is  busily 
engaged  in  strutting  around  before  some  young  cockerels, 
and  solely  for  the  purpose  of  showing  off  what  is  left,  of 
the  muscle  which  made  him  the  old-time  terror  of  the  hen- 
run.  Surprises  follow  on  surprises,  and  not  the  least 
among  them  is  the  fact,  that  somehow  or  other,  the  British 
seaman  is  anything  but  the  dissolute,  drunken  blackguard, 
which  popular  fancy—  eked  out  with  interested  detractors 
and  their  tales — has  painted  him.  We  know  that  if  you 
give  a  lie  a  start  of  a  few  minutes,  it  will  wing  its  way 
around  the  world,  just  that  exact  amount  ahead  of  the 
truth  which  is  started  away  behind  it.  The  plain  fact  of 
the  matter  is.  that  the  countries  of  Europe  have  been  blessed 
— or  cursed,  whichever  way  you  care  to  look  at  it — with  too 
much  civilisation.  The  stuff  has  been  jammed  down  our 
throats,  far  quicker  than  we  have,  most  of  us,  been  able  to 
digest  it.  The  natural  outcome  is,  that  indigestion  has 
resulted,  and  the  "  nerves,"  to  which  we  alluded.  What 
is  likely  to  be  the  end  of  it  ?  ,  A  burst-up,  as  sure  as  fate.? 
.Who  is  to  come  safely  out -of  that  burst-up  ?  Well,  if  you 
are  a  German  Germany  will ;  if  a  Frenchman— France  ; 
if  a  Briton— the  British  Empire.  This  is  another  evidence 
of  nerves— an  inability  to  face  facts,  when  they  happen  to 
be  unpalatable.  Obviously,  if  the  threatened  burst-up 
eventuates,  somebody  must  be  hurted ;  the  nations  of 
Europe  may  not  all  expect  to  come  safely  through  ?  This 
being  so,  what  are  the  probabilities  ?  Well,  that  land  which 
is  best  prepared  for  affairs  of  the  kind  suggested,  will  stand 
the  best  chance,  won't  it  ?  Of  course  !  There  is  no  sense 
in  asking  any  such  questions !  But  which  land  is  best 
prepared  for  the  inevitable  struggle  ?  Once  more,  if  you 
are  a  German— Germany  is  :  if  a  Frenchman— France  is  ; 
if  a  Briton — the  British  Empire  is.  In  all  probability, 
neither  of  them  is  prepared  :  all  of  them  have  left  undone 
the  things  which  they  ought  to  have  done  ;  and  in  any 
eventuality,  the  ones  who  make  the  trouble,  will  be  exactly 
the  ones  who  stay  at  home,  and  write  platitudes  to  the 
men  who  are  doing  the  dying.  Twas  ever  thus,  and  this 
is  one  of  the  features  of  human  life,  over  which  civilisation 
has  no  control.  But  if  neither  of  the  countries  alluded  to, 
have  done  everything  that  should  have  been  done,  there  is 
still  a  matter  of  degree  in  the  things  which  have  been 


neglected  ?  Seeing  that  we  give  first  place  to  nobody  in 
our  love  of  country/we  shall  concern  ourselves  most  with 
that  which  affects  our  country's  ultimate  salvation.  What 
is  it  that  affects  Britain  in  the  manner  indicated  ?  Her 
sailors,  of  course.  Time  was.  that  this  country  could 
safely  indulge  in  the  old  lilt  which  declared  that  "  We  have 
the  ships,  we  have  the  men,  we  have  the  money,  too."  But 
that  time  has  gone,  alas !  To-day,  we  merely  have  the 
ships  and  the  money,  while  our  bitterest  foes  are  gradually 
getting  the  men.  Have  you  considered  what  usually 
happens  to  the  country  which  has  the  men  ?  Well,  history 
teaches  us  that  those  sorts  of  country,  usually  end  up  by 
having  the  ships  and  the  money,  as  well  as  the  men.  Yet 
Britain  has  every  opportunity  to  gather  the  requisite 
number  of  men,  for  they  are,  at  present,  starving  on  her 
beaches.  Whose  fault  is  it?  Nobody's,  in  particular. 
Everybody  has  had  a  cut  at  the  job,  and  we  all  know  that 
everybody's  business,  is  merely  another  method  of  writing 
nobody's  business.  It  is  fashionable  to  blame  the  British 
shipowner  for  the  scarcity  of  British  seamen  :  but  as  usual, 
the  fashion  is  merely  true  in  part.  Shipowners  are  exactly 
the  same  as  other  classes  of  employers  ;  they  rank  among 
their  numbers,  good,  bad  and  indifferent.  The  bad  and 
indifferent,  could  easily  be  turned  into  "good,"  if  the 
powers  that  be,  thought  it  worth  their  while  to  make  the 
effort.  But  those  powers  are  just  about  as  "  stale,"  as  is 
the  remainder  of  the  modern  combination.  What  can  be 
said  in  favour  of  a  Government  that  will  spend  £40,000.000 
per  annum  on  a  chimera  ?  Nothing  much,  can  it?  Yet 
the  British  Navy  as  at  present  constructed,  is  merely  a 
chimera.  You  would  hardly  dub  a  man  well-clothed,  if  you 
knew  he  had  but  the  suit  he  stood  up  in  ?  You  would 
probably  style  him  a  "dude,"  and  would  also  suggest  that 
if  he  had  spent  the  same  amount  of  money  which  the 
swagger  suit  cost,  in  two  serviceable  suits,  he  would  be 
more  sensible — and  when  the  rain  fell,  would  be  likely  to 
be  more  comfortable  ?  Exactly  !  Yet  the  British  nation 
has  but  one  suit  of  fighting  clothes,  if  we  may  write  it  thus. 
Over  at  Brest,  it  looks  a  terrible  fit-out ;  but  if  you  will  try 
to  imagine  its  appearance  just  as  it  emerged  from  a  naval 
fight ;  could  see  funnels  that  were  turned  into  seeming 
colanders :  barbettes  that  were  chipped  and  splintered  ; 
big  guns  that  were  dismounted  and  useless  ;  sides  all  riven 
with  the  enemy's  shot  and  shell ;  decks  covered  with  dead 
or  dying:  and  at  the  same  time  if  you  realised  that  there 
were  no  other  ships  to  replace  these  battered  hulks,  and 
no  men  with  which  to  man  them,  supposing  you  could  find 
the  ships  ;  well,  you  would  feel  somewhat  tired,  wouldn't 
you  ?  Not  only  tired,  for  you  would  begin  to  look  around 
for  a  snug  hiding  place  for  your  remaining  odd  ha'pence, 
and  before  the  country  which  had  seen  to  it  that  its  men 
were  in  readiness  ere  risking  a  fight,  came  over  to  take 
charge  of  Britain  ?  A  little  calm  consideration  should 
convince  you,  that  we  have  by  no  means  overdrawn  the 
picture;  and  mainly  for  the  reason  that  the  picture  may  not 
easily  be  overdrawn.  Moreover,  you  should  remember  that 
when  the  "invasion  "is  an  accomplished  fact,  you  need  expect 
but  scant  pity.  The  nation  which  is  longing  to  get  at  your 
vitals,  doesn't  know  the  meaning  of  the  word,  and  if  ever 
it  gets  the  opportunity  of  scattering  its  brutal  horde 
around  on  your  heath,  you  will  realise,  only  too  well,  that 
"civilisation"  is  merely  a  word ;  that  it  has  no  real 
meaning — when  you  are  weaker  than  the  other  fellow  ; 
that  the  atrocities  which  are  handed  down  in  history,  by  no 
means  belong  to  a  given  epoch,  for  they  belong  to  all  time. 
Don't  be  misled  in  the  matter.  As  you  have  been  strong, 
in  the  past,  you  have  been  inclined  to  be  merciful ;  it 
doesn't  necessarily  follow  that  your  probable  enemy  will 
be  of  the  same  calibre.  He  will  not  be.  And  mainly  for 
the  reason  that  he  isn't  built  that  way,  while  moreover, 
his  whole  training  has  been  against  it.  You  might  ask 
how  you  are  going  to  guard  against  the  fearsomeness 
which  we  have  suggested  ?  It  isn't  a  difficult  matter — 
that  is,  providing  you  are  willing  to  get  away  from  the 


July   14,   1905 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


147 


"  staleness "  which  is  killing  you.  Collectively,  you  put 
up  all  the  money  which  keeps  this,  as  yet,  mighty  Empire, 
in  a  state  of  apparent  stability.  Why  not  interest  your- 
selves, a  little  more,  in  the  matter  of  how  that  money  is 
spent?  None  of  us  begrudge  the  capital— or  our  own  share 
thereof- -which  is  needed  to  keep  Britain  afloat ;  but  every 
one  of  us  has  a  right— nay,  it  is  our  bounden  duty— to  take 
an  interest  in  how  the  money  is  used.  Faith  in  your 
representatives  is  a  grand  trait :  but  it  isn't  business  ;  and 
Empire-running  is  a  pretty  big  business,  these  days.  In 
plain  language,  see  to  it  that  your  representatives  are  not 
allowed  to  put  all  your  money  on  one  suit  of  clothes,  so  to 
speak  :  nor  on  keeping  that  suit  laid  away  in  mataphorical 
lavender.  As  sailormen.  we  admit  that  it  is  a  pleasing 
sight  to  see  a  fleet  of  ships  looking  "  pretty."  It  would 
be  ever  so  much  more  pleasing  to  know  that  they  were,  in 
reality,  what  they  looked  :  that  they  had  gunners  who 
could  shoot :  officers  who  could  handle  the  vessels ;  and 
a  reserve,  at  the  back,  that  could  be  calculated  to  make 
good  all  the  losses  which  will  surely  materialise,  once  the 
fight  begins.  As  things  are  to-day,  you  have  no  such 
reserve,  and  you  are  satisfied  to  sit  down,  and  believe  the 
old  yarns  which  tell  you  of  the  lovely  changes  which  have 
been  made :  of  how  your  reserve  ships  are  kept  in  hand, 
manned  with  nucleus  crews,  and  which  could  all  be  ready 
for  the  fray  in  a  few  hours.  Fudge  Sirs !  The  next  fight's 
fate,  will  be  decided  in  less  than  those  few  hours.  You 
don't  want  nucleus  crews :  you  need  full  complements. 
Neither  do  you  particularly  hanker  after  theoretical 
fighters,  and  navigators :  you  want  them  to  be  in  a 
continued  state  of  practical  training.  But  this  will  cost 
money,  you  say.  Of  course,  it  will :  but  it  needn't 
cost  more  than  is  spent  on  the  job  already.  Men 
of  war  are  constructed  of  "  the  best."  This  is  all  very 
well,  but  is  anybody  going  to  pretend  that  it  is  necessary 
to  fit  them  out  in  a  manner  superior  to  a  high-class  yacht  ? 
Of  course  not.  Strong,  they  must  be  :  but  their  cost 
could  easily  be  kept  down  to.  at  least,  a  half  of  what 
is  charged  now.  Is  there  any  sense  in  spending  hun- 
dreds of  thousands  of  superfluous  pounds,  on  a  ship 
that  might  be  sunk  at  the  first  shot.  We  venture  to 
say  that  a  warship's  present  cost  is  out  of  all  reason 
for  the  work  which  is  asked  of  it.  Why  not  save  in  the 
cost  of  material,  and  use  up  the  savings  on  personnel  ? 
Let  us  have  less  magnificent  "  finish  "  on  the  machinery. 
and  more  coals  for  practice.  Do  with  less  brass-work  and 
"trimmings"  in  the  gun-mountings,  and  use  the  money 
thus  saved  in  supplying  ammunition  for  constant  practice. 
Is  it  to  be  seriously  supposed,  that  a  warship  is  bound  to 
have  the  "glitter"  and  "glare"  that  is  lavished  on  her, 
and  which  makes  her  total  cost  somewhere  about  40  per 
cent,  more  than  it  need  be  ?  No.  sirs,  it  is  not !  And  in 
the  matter  of  personnel,  is  there  »ny  just  reason  why  the 
Mercantile  Marine  should  not  be  taken  in  hand  by  the 
Government :  should  be  run  as  a  Government  side-show,  if 
you  like  to  put  it  that  way?  Don't  be  fooled  with  yams— - 
which  aim  at  assuring  you.  that  in  this  manner  you  will  be 
helping  the  shipowner  at  the  expense  of  the  nation.  The 
shipowner  doesn't  want  your  help  :  he  merely  asks  to  be 
allowed  to  run  his  business  his  own  way  :  and  nine-tenths 
of  him  would  be  glad  to  know  that  his  government  had 
created  a  decent  supply  of  seamen  for  his  uses  :  a  supply 
for  which  he  would  pay.  even  as  he  does  now.  Why  should 
the  whole  of  that  £40.000.000  per  annum  be  spent  on  one 
leg  of  the  national  unmentionables,  if  we  may  write  it  thus  ? 
A  man  is  hardly  to  be  considered  presentable,  when  he  is 
decked-out  in  one  trouser-leg  and  a  broken  boot-lace  ?  Yet 
this  is  what  is  happening  to  the  national  man.  and  nobody 
seems  to  care  a  toss  about  it.  Time  and  again,  we  have 
called  your  attention  to  the  dangerous  state  of  affairs  ;  and 
just  as  often  you  have  read  our  remarks  ;  have  commented 
thereon  :  and  have  then  dismissed  them  with  the  sugges- 
tion that  it  is  none  of  your  business.  Forgive  us.  but  the 
busipess  is  y«urs.  and  yours  only.  If  you  wish  to  be  able 
to  sleep  in  peace  :  if  you  want  to  feel  that  your  efforts  may 


be  safely  handed  along  to  your  children's  keeping,  later  on  ; 
if  you  would  rather  know  that  Britain  was  for  the  Briton- 
then,  you  must  quickly  take  this  matter  in  your  own  hands. 
Don't  be  imposed  upon  by  torn-fool  yarns  which  are  worked 
up  by  folk  who  have  never  been  outside  their  own  shores, 
for  it  is  this  sample  of  the  blind  leading  the  blind,  which 
has  brought  your  country  into  such  parlous  state.  Don't 
be  satisfied  with  throwing  mud  at  the  Russian,  for  his  case 
might  easily  be  yours  to-morrow.  The  Russian  had  the 
ships— plenty  of  them  ;  you  have  seen  that  he  had  the 
money — heaps  of  it ;  but,  alas  for  his  chances  of  success, 
he  hadn't  the  men.  The  plucky  Japanese  ally  hadn't  many 
ships  ;  was  not  overburdened  with  money  ;  but — and  don't 
forget  it— he  had  the  men.  Soon,  the  Jap  will  have  the 
ships,  the  men,  and  the  money.  Of  cours3,  the  Jap  had 
things  in  his  favour  ;  he  hadn't  been  "  civilised  "  out  of 
existence,  or  into  "staleness."  He  believed  in  putting  his 
best  men  into  the  best  places,  and  the  results  have  justified 
him,  in  every  particular.  Furthermore,  Britain  was  the 
nation  which  taught  the  Jap  his  business ;  indeed,  this  is 
mainly  the  trouble,  at  home.  This  country  is  so  busy  in 
teaching  others,  that  she  allows  her  chances  to  pass  her. 
Did  you  ever  hear  of  a  schoolmaster  dying  a  millionaire  ? 
No,  but  you  know  of  numbers  of  his  pupils  who  have.  Is 
it  irony  ?  No,  it's  just  human  nature  ;  the  stuff  which 
ought  to  prompt  you  to  hurry  up  and  get  a  Mercantile 
Marme  manned  with  British  subjects ;  men  who  may  be 
depended  on,  when  the  time  of  stress  materialises. 


RESPONSIBILITY   OF   OFFICERS. 


IN  connection  with  this  subject,  the  secretary  of  the 
Scottish  Shipmasters'  and  Officers'  Association  has 
received  a  communication  from  the  Board  of  Trade, 
calling  attention  to  the  views  expressed  by  the  Court  of 
Inquiry,  held  at  Liverpool,  and  which  dealt  with  the  circum- 
stances attending  the  stranding  and  loss  of  the  steamer 
Drumelzier,  on  Fire  Island  Bar,  Long  Island,  U.S.A.  Those 
views  were  to  the  effect  that  an  officer,  in  taking  charge  of 
the  deck,  should  consult  the  chin  for  himself ;  should 
learn,  at  least,  a  portion  of  the  hidden  subtleties  surround- 
ing the  course  of  the  vessel  :  and  that  the  pernicious  state 
known  as  "  one  man  navigating,"  should  be  buried  for  ever. 
The  same  thing  has  been  mooted  a  score  of  times, 
but  with  the  mere  expression  of  opinion,  has  been 
allowed  to  die  a  natural  death.  In  this  instance,  how- 
ever, it  was  suggested  that,  in  future,  the  officer 
should  be  held  equally  responsible  with  the  master,  for 
the  safety  of  the  vessel  during  the  former's  watch  on  deck, 
and,  during  the  absence  of  the  master — to  the  extent,  that 
is,  of  notifying  the  latter  of  any  danger  which  has 
materialised,  since  he  left  the  tharge  of  the  vessel  to  his 
subordinate.  As  the  Board  of  Trade  are  obviously  inclined  to 
give  effect  to  the  views  referred  to,  the  Association  suggests 
that  officers  should  recollect,  that  their  first  duty  is  to  verify 
ffie  position  of  their  vessels,  and  to  make  sure  -for  their 
own  sakes— that  the  course  steered,  is  a  safe  and 
pr6per  one.  Failing  this  -precaution,  an'd;  In  the  event  -of 
casualty,  the  officer  might  find  himself  open  to  punishment 
for  his  neglect.  We  note,  also,  that  it  is  added  that  masters 
should  encourage  their  officers  in  this  direction,  more 
especially  when  engaged  in  coastal  navigation.  At  any 
rate,  no  impediment  should  be  placed  in  the  way  of  an 
officer's  free  access  to  the  particular  chart  in  use,  before 
he  takes  charge  of  the  deck.  In  the  event  of  a  casualty 
necessitating  •  the  master's  appearance  at  a  Board  of 
Trade  inqury,  it  would  be  a  serious  matter  for  him,  if  it 
could  be  shown  that  a  lack  of  the  facilities  referred  to, 
was  a  contributory  cause  to  the  casualty.  Of  course,  the 
Board  of  Trade  does  not  aim  at  a  devolution  of  the 
master's  responsibility,  being  more  intent  on  an  endeavour 
to.  in  future,  "  put  the  saddle  on  the  right  horse."  We 
shall  return  to  this  subject  in  an  early  issue,  as  there  are 
quite  a  number  of  points  which,  to  our  pnind,  are  worthy  of 
ventilation  here. 


,48 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July  14,   1905 


CARDIFF     (AND    OTHER)     COAL. 


CARDIFF.  July  12.  1905. 

ALTHOUGH  the  coal  market,  since  our  last,  has  undergone  no 
startling  change,  prices  are  certainly  steadier  than  they  have  been 
for  some  time  past.  It  cannot,  however,  be  said  that  there  is  any 
great  improvement  in  business  ;  indeed,  the  old  trail  of  unprofit- 
able dealings  is  still  over  the  land,  and  the  apparent  steadiness  is 
more  on  account  of  stoppages  which  have  taken  place  in  various 
parts  of  the  coalfield.  Owing  to  the  most  regrettable  accident  at 
Wattstown,  practically  all  the  collieries  in  the  Rhondda  Valley  are, 
to-day,  idle,  and  we  take  this  opportunity  of  expressing  our 
sympathy  with  those  who  have  been  thus  hardly  dealt  with,  in 
their  struggle  for  existence.  Without  venturing  to  argue  out 
the  morality  of  the  conditions,  it  is  yet  a  fact  that  the  stoppages 
are  helping  to  harden  prices — even  though  no  new  influx  of 
business  results. 

BEST  CARDIFF  ADMIRALTYS  show  but  little  alteration,  and  taking 
them  at  <»n  average,  they  are  just  steady  at  12s.  9d.  for  the  usual 
sorts,  the  colliery  man  being  fairly  comfortabie  in  the  matter  of 
stems.  All  the  same,  the  demand  is  anything  but  excessive  ;  on 
the  contrary,  rather,  for  it  is  of  a  limited  kind.  So  much  so,  that 
the  quotation  in  anything  but  a  certain  basis  of  business,  and  there 
are  quite  a  few  under  this  particular  denomination,  which  may 
safely  be  taken  up  at  12s.  6d.  Therefore,  the  more  accurate  idea  of 
value,  is  expressed  at  anything  between  12s.  6d.  and  12s.  9d. 

SECONDS,  for  early  shipment,  are  obtainable  at  12s.,  which 
figures  represent  the  current  value  of  the  grade.  There  is  no 
particular  amount  of  firmness,  here,  which  is  not  to  be  wondered 
at,  seeing  there  is  no  new  business,  and  not  a  very  great  deal  of 
enquiry.  Colliery  stems,  too,  are  easy,  and  although  prices  appear 


to  be  maintained  for  reasons  already  stated,  it  is  highly  probable 
that  lack  of  inducement  has  had  much  to  do  with  the  matter. 
Prompt  business  would  soon  show  a  different  rendering  of 
accounts  ! 

ORDINARIES,  as  a  class,  are  much  as  shown  in  our  last  account 
of  the  merry  whirl.  Here  and  there,  you  find  a  little  more  hard- 
ness, or  t'other  sort,  even  as  you  will  ;  but  in  the  main,  they  are 
even  as  at  our  last  time  of  writing.  Quotably,  they  range  from 
Us.  6d.  upward.  But  what's  in  a  quotation — these  days?  One  or 
two  of  the  well-stemmed  variety  are  shipping  the  proverbial  stiff 
lip  ;  the  remainder  lack  stems — which  nobody  seems  to  require. 

DRYS  are  even  as  of  old — round  about  11s.  6d.  ;  but  the 
restriction  of  supplies  is  doing  a  little  for  DRYS.  Not  much, 
perhaps  ;  and  DRYS  do  not  expect  much,  now-a-days  !  Not  even 
in  the  way  of  demand  ! 

MONMOUTHSHIRE  COALS  are  a  somewhat  firmer  market,  for  the 
enquiry  continues  good,  and  there  have  been  a  fair  number  of 
actual  transactions.  The  continued  stoppages  in  this  section,  too, 
have  helped  the  seller  a  little,  and  BLACK  VEINS  are  offered  at 
11s.  9d.,  with,  it  is  rumoured,  sales  at  those  precise  figures.  All 
the  same,  lls.  6d.  more  nearly  expresses  their  value — all  other 
tales  to  the  contrary,  notwithstanding.  ORDINARIES  have  stiffened 
a  bit,  in  sympathy  for  their  betters,  but  SECONDS  are  even  as  at 
our  last. 

RHONDDA  No  3's  are  somewhat  quiet  at  about  13s.  9d.,  with  No. 
2's  at  9s.  6d.  SMALLS  remain  firm,  with  recent  values  easily  main- 
tained. The  demand  is  good,  while  supplies  are  somewhat  scarce 
— especially  for  prompt  shipment.  PITWOOD  and  PATENT  FUEL 
values  are  unaltered. 


APPROXIMATE:     FIGIIUFS     FOR     TIIK     \\'KKK,     AKK     AS     FOLLOW; — 
(All  quotations  f.o.b.  at  the  respective  ports  of  shipment. , 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Best  Cardiff  Ad'alty  Large 
Second         Ditto. 
Other  Second  Cardiff     ... 
Drys 
Best  Newport 
Ordinary  Bests 
Seconds" 
Best  House  Coal 
No.  :!  Rhondda 
No.  2         Ditto. 
Rhonddn  :<  "  Thro." 
2 

i  js.  r.l. 

I2S.  O.I. 

i  is   6cl. 
i  is.  gd. 
1  1  s.  3d. 
i  is.  o:l. 
los.  3d. 
i4s.  gd. 

133.  Q(l. 
gs.  9  1. 
us.  9<1. 
8s.  6d. 

12s.  6  1.,  i;s.  Qcl. 
us.  9;!. 
us.  6d. 
us.  gd. 
us.  31!. 
1  IS.  Oil. 
ios.  3d. 
143.  gd. 
133.  gd. 
gs.  gd. 
us.  gd. 
8s.  6d. 

123.  9  1. 

us.  gd.,  i2s.  od. 
iis.  3d.,  us.  gd. 
us.  6d. 
us.  3d.,  us.  6d. 
i  is.  od.,  i  is.  3d. 
ios.  6d. 
143.  6d.,  153.  od. 
133.  6d.,  133.  gd. 
gs.  7.id. 
us.  7^d. 
8s.  gd. 

123.    7.1(1. 
I  IS.    lO.yd. 

i  is.  3d.,  i  is.  6d. 
i  is.  6d. 
us.  6d. 
us.  3:!. 
ios.  6d. 
143.  od. 
133.  -.M. 
gs.  6d. 
us.  7Jd. 
8s.  gd. 

123.  g:l. 

123.  Od. 

i  is.  6d. 
us.  3d.,  us.  gd. 
i  is.  6  !..  i  is.  9  1. 
us.  3d. 
ios.  4.1,d. 
143.  6d.,  143.  gd. 
133.  7±d. 
gs.  6d. 
us.  6d.,  us.  gd. 
8s.  6d. 

i2s.  6J.,  123.  gd. 

123.  Od. 

i  is.  6d.,  123.  od. 
i  is.  6d. 
us.  gd. 
us.  od.,  i  is.  3d. 
ios.  3d.,  los.  6d. 
143.  gd. 
133.  6d.,  133.  gd. 
gs.  3d.,  93.  gd. 
us.  6d. 
8s.  6d. 

Smalls:  — 
Best  Cardiff 
Seconds 
Ordinaries 
Best  Newport 
Seconds 
Rhondda  No.  2 
„       No.  3 

8s.  od. 
is.  9d. 
75.  6cl. 
7s.  6(1. 
;s.  3d. 
73.  6d. 
gs.  9d. 

8s.  3cl. 
73.  gd. 
73.  6d. 
73.  6d. 
73.  3d. 
73.  6d. 
gs.  7^(1. 

8s.  3d.,  8s.  6d. 
8s.  od. 
7s.  7jd. 
-s.  6d.,  73.  gd. 
73.  od.,  73.  od. 
73.  3d. 
gs.  6d.,  gs.  gd. 

8s.  4.W. 
8s.  od. 
73.  7£d. 
73.  7id. 
7s.  6d. 
73.  3d. 
gs.  6d.,  ios.  od. 

8s.  6d. 
8s.  od.,  8s.  3d. 
73.  gd. 
73.  gd. 
73.  3d. 
73.  6d. 
93.  gd. 

8s.  6d. 
8s.  od.,  8s.  3d. 
73.  gd.,  8s.  od. 
73.  gd. 
73.  6d. 
73.  6d. 
gs.  gd. 

213.  Od.,  223.  0(1. 

175.  9d. 

2is.  6d. 

173.  o.l. 

213.  6d. 

i;s.  Ad.,  iSs.  od. 

213.  od.,  2  is.  6d. 
173.  7jd. 

213.  Oj. 

iys.  6il.,  173.  gd. 

2is.  od.,  2is.  6d. 
173.  6d. 

Special 
Ordinary 

Furnace  Coke 
Patent  Fuel 

I'itwood  lex  ship)    ... 

i6s.  3d. 
I2S.  6d.,  133.  od. 
igs.  od. 

i6s.  3d. 
I2s.  gd. 

igs.  od. 

1  6s.  3d.,  :6s.  6d. 
123.  gd. 
igs.  od.,  igs.  ^d. 

i6s.  3d. 

123.  6(1. 

igs.  3d. 

1  6s.  od. 

123.  6d. 

igs.  v.I. 

163.  0,1..  1  6s.  3d. 
123.  3d.,  123.  gd. 

igs.  od.,  igs.  od. 

All,  less  2%  Per  cent,  discount,  with  payment  at  thirty 
All  quotations  for  large  Coals  imply  Colliery  Screened. 

SWANSEA,  July  12.  1905. 

HEREAWAY,  the  market  has  undergone  no  appreciable  change,  for 
while  prices  remain  even  as  they  were,  it  is  not  altogether  for  the 
reason  that  there  is  any  wildness  in  the  demand. 

ANTHRACITE  LARGE  is  in  better  demand  for  early  shipment,  and 
as  stems  are  somewhat  better,  the  present  figures  are  fairly-well 
maintained.  This,  however,  is  all  that  can  be  said  for  them, 
insufficient  having  been  done  to  warrant  any  marked  improvement. 

MACHINE   MADE  COALS  are,  nominally,   unchanged.      They  are, 


days,  except  where  otherwise  stated. 

however,  an  easy  department,  with  but  a  fair  business  passing  in 
a  desultory  manner.  NUTS  continue  steady,  and  DUFF  is  main- 
tained at  about  3s.  6d.  Collieries  are  fairly  well  stemmed,  and 
CULM  quotations  remain  at  from  5s.  3d.  to  5s.  9d. 

STEAMS  are  receiving  a  little  more  attention,  but  actual  business 
is  still  slow.  As  a  matter  of  course,  prices  therein  are  weak,  and 
there  are  no  indications  of  a  better  state  eventuating,  just  at  the 
moment.  PATENT  FUELS  are  commanding  recent  figures,  and  are 
steady  thereat. 


BELOW,  we  give  the  average  prices  for  the  week  :  — 

QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Anthracite: 

Best    Hand    Picked  1 

Malting  Large      ...  j      ... 

i8s.  od.,  i8s.  6d.                iSs.  3d. 

183.  3d. 

1  8s.  od. 

i?s.  gd.,  iSs.  3d.         i8s.  od..  iSs.  id 

Seconds    do. 

i6s.  od.,  175.  od.                163.  6d. 

1  6s.  6J. 

1  6s.  3d. 

1  6s.  od.,  i6s.  3d. 

1  6s.  od.,  163.  6d. 

Big  Vein  Large 

ios.  gd.,  i  is.  o:l                .1  is.  od. 

ios.  lo'd. 

ios.  gd. 

ios.  gd 

I  IS.  O  I. 

Red    ,,       „                                  93.  9  1. 
Machine  Made  Cobbles    ...             i6s.  od. 
,,         ,,     Nuts         ...             i6s.  6d. 

gs.  g.l. 
i6s.  od. 
i6s.  o;l.,  i6s.  6(1. 

gs.  7jd. 
153.  gd. 
i6s.  3d. 

gs.  7.U1. 
153.  gd. 
163.  od.,  i6s.  }.l. 

gs.  6d.,  gs.  gd. 
153.  6:1.,  163.  o:l. 
i6s.  od. 

93.  6(1.,  ios.  o:l. 
153.  6d.,  163.  6d. 
153.  gd.,  1  6s  o  i 

„     Peas 

ios.  gd. 

ios.  gd. 

ios.  6d.,  ios.  gd. 

ios.  y.'.d. 

ios.  g:l. 

ios.  6d.,  i  is.  od. 

Rubblv  Culm 
Dull 

53.  6*1.,  53.  gd. 

33.  i,l. 

53.  gd. 
33.  6d. 

53.  gd. 
3*.  d.].,  _;s.  gd. 

53.  6d.,  6s.  od. 

5s.  gd. 
33.  gd. 

53.  3d.,  55.  gd. 
33.  3d.,  33.  g-1. 

35.  7^d. 

Patent  Fuel:— 

us.  gd. 

us.  gd. 

iis.  6(1. 

us.  7  .'.d. 

i  is.  6d. 

i  is.  6d.,  i  is.  gd. 

Steam  : 

Best     Large 

123.  gd. 

I2s.  gd. 

123.  7id. 

123.  6d.,  i2s.  gd. 

I2s.  6d. 

las.  7id- 

Seconds  ,, 

I2s.  od. 

12S.  3d. 

1  2s.  od.,  us.  3d. 

us.  gd.,  i2s.  y\. 

123.  0(1. 

123.  Oil. 

Bunker    ,, 

ios.  od. 

103.  6d. 

ios.  4Jd. 

ios.  3d. 

ios.  3d.,  ios.  6(1. 

ios.  od.,  ios.  6d. 

Thro'  and  Thro' 

8s.  7.1,1. 

Ss.  gd. 

8s.  6d.,  8s.  gd. 

8s.  gd. 

8s.  od.,  gs.  o:l. 

8s.  gd. 

July    14,    1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


149 


COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES. 


THE  representative  fixtures  of  the  various  markets  are 
as  follow  : 

Week  Ending,  ( Wednesday),  July  12,  1905 

N     denote*    Newport.    (8)   Swansea,     P.  T.)    Port    Talbot,    loading. 

EASTERN. 

Colombo,     Fentiu'a,  8s.  6d. 

(via  Cape),    Knight  <>f  the  Thistle,   8s.  4^d. 
Cape,     l-'i-nili-y,  5,000  tons,   1 1  s.  fid. 
Saukim,     Steamer,    3,800  tons,  95.   ij,d. 

WESTWARD,     Etc. 

River  Plate,     Steamer,   3,800  tons,    ;s.  ioid. 
imrr,   3,500  tons,    ;s.  yd. 

Ramilifx,    2,400  tons,   75.  gd. 

BMaswaU,  4,100  tons,  ;s.  yd. 

Mnrii-  EI--H-.    7-.  t)d. 

l.^tcr,   3,200  '3,500  tons,    7s.  yd. 

Steamer,    ,  s.  yd. 

Steamer,  3,500  tons,  7--  yd.  ppt     (N). 
Krioneri,     /fc*v,  2.600  tons,  7s.  «,d.  coal,  8s.  6d.  fuel. 
Vera  Cruz,     A'.^/7«vi.    ;-.  4]d. 
Pernambuco,     ./(/• .-."////.  1,700  tons,    ios. 
Rio  de  Janeiro.     /'/v<.w//r.    <;-. 

l>intiii<iiilli,   5,000  tons,     ys.  3d. 

AVWv//,   5,000  ton-,    y-.  3d. 

Buenos  Ayres  La  Plata,    Ormnznii,   4,000  tons,  75.  gd. 
Bahia  Blanca,     Ihinmli/r,  8s.  /,d. 

DmtHjptrik,  s-.  '  il. 
Buenos  Ayres  Boca  La    Plata,     Steamer,    4,500  tons, 

-;d.    250,  is.    IN  ). 

Santos,     Strainer.   4,400  tons,    iis.  yd. 
Madeira  Las  Palmas,    LoMia,  3,400  tons,  6s.  3d. 

MEDITERRANEAN,     Etc. 

Port  Said,     ll'm>nfr  4,850  ton -,   ;-.  4»d. 
Genoa.      ^t<  anu-r,  4,000  tons. 

Rnfkclifft,    4,300  ' 

AWrt,  3,700  tons,    ',-.  3d. 

;.HI    tllll-,    I,-.     I  Jd. 

Oporto,     /".,//>.   \,?-.o   ton-.    5-.  3d. 
Arosa  Bay,     Grrtnhill,  2,800  tons,    38.  yd.  (Admiralty). 
.'.3co  ton-,    3-.  9d.  „ 

2,450   ton-.    .;-.   9d. 
Venice,     .IAi//> //.•/./,    2,500  ton-.    .s-.  400 
ll'illiniii  HxHidlry,   4,200  tons,    7*.    400 

r>s,  3, 100  tons,    7-.  'id.   option  Ancona.    (s). 
Obvttnoor,  4,500  ton-,    7*.  3d. 
Marseilles,     >//v/d/-.  «/- .M//».,    5,000   tons,   7-25  fcs.  (C/N). 

toil-,     ; 

Constantinople,     U'olf,  3,300  ton-,    fcs. 

plinKHi--,    2,700  ton-,    ',-.    |\). 
•mrr,  3,000  ton-, 
Naples,      \rtliriin<*ir,   2,500  ton-,    '•-.  '"I. 

Llnnlx i  .  4 jd.  option Torr0.    (N). 

Algiers,     \ininn  Stmni,  2,500  tons,    7-50  francs,    ppt. 
/.miii/iii,     j.oco  tons,    ;-ir!  t, 
AY/,   2, ooo  tons     7-50 

-"O   toll-,      7'5 

Alexandria,     .\.,.-/iim-,  2,800  toi  •!.  spot. 

VigO,  U'liiiiiitifl.  700  tons.  ;-.',<!.  (N). 
Almazarron.  Rminor,  1,500  ton-,  ;-. 
Gibraltar,  /•;///•</,  1.3^0  tons,  ;-.;;<!.  (N). 

•//,,!.-,•/.  -.300  tons,   3-.  ,,<"].   (Admiralty). 

Miirifl,    2, Moo    !•  yd.  ,, 

Catania,     .\l,><i,-nn.   1,850  tons,  6s.  •,<!.  coal.  ?s.  6d.  fuel,  (s). 
Malta,     Milliffiil  Knight.  5,200   ton-,     4s.  gd. 
l.liin<irini{ini.    5, '.oo  ton-.    4-.  icjd.  (N). 

•oo  ton-.    4-.  yd.    (Ailmiralty). 
Itnlinnn,   3.500  ton-.   4-*.  7^1).      ,, 
Lisbon,  r,   i.Soo  tons,   5*.  ppt. 

.    i/.;o  ton-, 

'.    1,1  50  ton-. 

.l/'/r/i-  /.////r     2,500  tf>ns,     5*. 
(tlrnninrr.    2,600  ton-,    4s.  ^d. 


Ergastria,     Shelley,    2,700  tons,  6s.  nd.     (s). 
Porto  Ferraio,     Andros,  4,500  tons,  '53.  io|d. 
Torre,     I'era,  3,500  tons,    6s.  6d. 

Seirak  Bat,  3,000  tons,    6s.  7id. 

Steamer,    4,4co  tons,    6s.  ij-d. 
Almeria,     Steamer,   i, 800  tons"  6s.  6d. 
Varna,     Andreas,  2,800  tons,    6s.  6d. 
Brindisi,     Steamer,  4,600  tons,  6s.     (N). 
Spezzia,     Elswick,  3,000  tons,  6s.  yd.    ppt.    (s). 
Palermo,     Steamer,   r, 600  tons,   73.  yd.     (s). 

BALTIC,  Etc. 

Cronstadt,     Ellida,  600  tons,    53.  yd.    (s). 

//tor,   2,200  tons,    43.  cd. 
Stettin,    Steamer,    2,800  tons,   43.  3d. 
Ystadt,     Steamer,  3,500  tons,  43.  yd.    (s). 
Wisby,     Steamer,  3,000  tons,   53.   (s). 
Carlscrona,    Jeina,    1,100  tons,    43.  6d. 

Dotobns,    1,400  tons,   43.  6d. 

Stockholm,     F.  D.  Lambert,   3,000  tons,    43.  yd. 
Kiel,     Eduard  Grothmantt,   i, Goo  tons,  45.  yd. 

BAY,     Etc. 

St.  Nazaire,     Bangarth,  2,000  tons,   4-25  fcs. 
Bordeaux,     Anita,   1,700  tons,  5-25  fcs.   (s). 

Mayo,   2,800  tons,    5  fcs. 

Ben  Macdlnii,  1,000  tons,  1-75  fcs.     (s). 
Nantes,     Dueslo,  2,200  tons,    5  francs.    (N). 

Leila,    i, 800  tons,    5-50  fcs.  coal,    6  fcs.  fuel,    (s). 

Aktie,  i, 600  tons,  5-25  fcs.  coal,  5-75  fuel,    (s.) 
Charente,     Rive  de  Gier,   1,600  tons,   5-25  fcs. 

Alicrlawe,  i, 800  tons,  5  fcs.  (s). 
La  Pallice,     Steamer,   1,900  tons,  4-25  francs. 

COASTING,     Etc. 

Havre,     Raloo,   1,340  tons,   33.  io.'d. 

Rouen,     Prudhoe  Castle,  950  tons,   43.  8d.  (s). 

Deerhoitiid,   500  tons,  43.  yd.   (s). 

Si'iiga,   500  tons,    45.  yd.   (s). 

Steamer,  700  tons,  45.  yd.     (s). 
Boulogne,     Lough  Fisher,    500   tons,    43.  3d.    (s). 
Honfleur,     AV.Ww///-,    700  tons,    43.  3d. 
St.  Malo,     Ciirran,    1,450  tons,    33.  yd. 

St.  Kevin,    750  tons,  45.   (s). 
Dieppe,     M.J.Craig,  800  tons,    43.  ijd.    (s). 

Stream  Fisher,  580  tons,    43.  i£d.  (s). 
Bayonne,     Sardinero,  2,yoo  tons,   4-75  fcs. 
Caen,     Beacon  Rock,   500  tons,  43.  yd.  coal,  43.  yd.  fuel,  (s). 

Bay  Fisher.  500  tons,   45.  3d.   option  Cardiff"  Idg.    (s). 

Sound  Fisher,   500  tons,    45.  i^d.   (s). 

Balncil,   520  tons,  43.  3d.  (s). 

Devon  Coast,  45.  3d. 
Brest,     Kytinite,  or  sub.,   43.  3d. 
Cherburg,     Steamer,  500  tons,   43.  i.Jd.     (s). 
Shoreham,     Plover,  300  tons,   43.  6d.    (s). 
London,     Steamer,    700/850  tons,    33.  yd.   option    Roch- 
chester,   35.  iojd.  (s). 

Ilcnrv  Hi  and,    33.  yd. 

Portaferry,     Bronghshane,    360  tons,  (Private  terms),   (s). 
Belfast,     rigilant,  35010115,   35.   (s). 
Devonport,     Throstlegarth,    2,100  tons,  23.  3d.  (Admiralty) 

The   Monarch,     700    tons,     23.    4|d.  „ 

Portland,     Alacrity,   1,45010113,    as.  4|d.  „ 

Sheerness,     Rocheforl,   1,100  tons,  33.  3d.  ,, 

Chatham,    Speedwell,   1,250  tons,    33.  i|d.  „ 

Kingston,     Edith,  200  tons,    33.  ?4d.    (s). 
Littlehampton,     Clifton  Grove,  260  tons,   43.  6d. 


(s). 


HOMEWARD. 

Villagarcia  to  Cardiff,    Ely  Rise,   69611.   6s.  yd. 


Bilbao 


Lisbon 

Almeria 

Pasages  to  Newport, 

Bilbao 


Axpe,   1,900  tons,  45.  i|d.  ppt. 
Thor,   2,000  tons,   45.  i4d. 
Allainira,  2,500  tons,    43.  i|d. 
Euterpe,   ys6  n.    53.  i^d.   ppt. 
Steamer,   3,600  tons,    43.  iOjd.  f.d. 
Aberlatve,   i,yoo  tons,   43.  6d.  ppt. 
Aciivo,   i, 800  tons,   43.4^. 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


July   14,   1905 


SHIPBUILDING. 


Elswick.  for  which  Sir  Andrew  Noble  has  claimed  that  it 
supplied  all  the  guns  with  which  the  Japanese  did  such 
execution  in  the  battle  of  the  Sea  of  Japan,  is  now  credited 
with  the  production  of  a  new  and  improved  type  of 
torpedo.  The  secret  of  the  special  nature  of  the  con- 
struction is  jealously  guarded  for  the  moment,  but  it  is 
stated  that  it  is  designed  to  maintain  the  pressure  of  the 
air  by  which  the  torpedo  is  propelled  for  a  considerably 
longer  time  than  is  possible  in  any  of  the  existing  types  of 
torpedoes,  thereby  increasing  the  striking  distance  and  the 
force  of  the  projectile.  If  all  that  is  claimed  for  the  new- 
device  is  proved  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  representatives 
of  the  navies  of  the  world,  who  will  probably  be  present  at 
the  final  trials.  Elswick  works  are  likely  to  be  largely  em- 
ployed in  the  production  of  torpedoes  in  the  near  future. 

+  +  + 

During  June,  eight  vessels  of  23,425  tons  were  launched 
on  the  Wear,  as  against  four  vessels  of  11,335  tons  in 
June  last  year,  and  this  excellent  month's  work  has  brought 
the  total  for  the  half  year,  up  to  43  vessels  of  1 3 1 .879  tons, 
which  is  an  increase  over  the  corresponding  half  ol'  last 
year,  of  no  fewer  than  ten  vessels  of  37.548  tons,  and  is 
probably  a  record.  These  figures  certainly  do  not  look  like 
depression,  though  they  are  unquestionably  swelled  by  the 
extraordinary  productiveness  of  one  firm.  Messrs.  W. 
Doxford  &  Sons,  who  in  addition  to  other  turrets,  have 
turned  out  two  steamers  for  the  British  India  Company,  of 
over  10.000  tons  each,  and  two  vessels  of  9,000  tons 
each  for  Messrs.  Tatem.  of  Cardiff.  The  half-year's  pro- 
duction of  1 3 1 ,879  tons,  amounts  to  a  figure,  which  not  so 
many  years  ago,  would  have  been  considered  a  fair  year's 

work  on  the  Wear. 

+  +  + 

Messrs.  C.  W.  Kellock  &  Co..  offered  for  sale  by  auction, 
at  Liverpool,  on  the  6th  inst..  the  iron  screw  steamer 
Athenian,  built  at  Liverpool,  in  1875,  by  Messrs.  T.  Royden 
&  Sons.  Fitted  with  compound  engines  by  Messrs.  J.  Jack 
Rolls&Co..  in  1888.  Cylinders 22'sin.,  60in.  x  36in.  stroke, 
carries 2.215  tons  deadweight  on  20ft.  lOin.  draft.  Dimen- 
sions 301ft.  x  31ft.  2in.  x  23ft.  3in.  £2,540  was  the  best 
bid,  at  which  the  steamer  was  withdrawn.  It  is  reported 
that  she  has  since  been  sold  by  private  treaty  to  Messrs. 
J.  J.  King  &  Sons,  Ltd.,  Garston,  at  about  £2,600,  for 
breaking  up  purposes. 

The  steel  screw  steame.r  Qrosmont.  owned  by  Messrs. 
Gladstone  &  Co..  West  Hartlepool.  is  reported  sold  to 
Japanese  buyers,  at  about  £22.000,  for  delivery  in  the  Far 
East.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  Ropner  &  Sons.  Stockton, 
in  1899.  2.840  tons  gross  ;  dimensions  325ft.  x  46ft.  x 
24ft.  9in.:  carries  about  4.900  tons  deadweight:  with 
engines  22in..  38in.,  63in.  42in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  Blair  & 

Co.,    Ltd. 

+  +  + 

Messrs.  Harland  and  Wolff,  Belfast,  have  received  orders 
from  the  British  India  Steam  Navigation  Company.  London, 
for  the  building  of  two  large  high-class  cargo  and  passenger 
steamers,  one  to  be  fitted  with  turbine  machinery,  and  the 
other  with  reciprocating  engines  and  twin  screws.  Four 
other  steamers  are  about  to  be  contracted  for  by  the 
Company. 

The  steamer  Scot/an  recently  managed  by  Messrs.  G  H. 
Elder  &  Co..  Newcastle,  whose  affairs  are  now  in  bankruptcy, 
was  offered  for  sale  by  auction,  in  London,  last  week,  by 
order  of  the  mortgagees.  £9,000  was  the  best  offer,  at 
which  she  was  withdrawn,  the  reserve  price  not  being 
reached.  She  is  a  steamer  of  about  1 ,700  tons  deadweight, 
and  cost  about  £19,000  when  she  was  built  in  1901. 


The  Alexandra  (Newport  and  South  Wales)  Docks  and 
Railway  Company.  Newport,  have  given  orders  for 
the  construction  of  a  powerful  twin  screw  bucket  hopper 
dredger,  of  750  tons  capacity,  for  the  deepening  of  the 
port  of  Newport.  The  dredger  will  be  fitted  with  all  the 
most  modern  improvements,  and  will  be  constructed  under 
the  direction  of  Mr.  John  Macaulay,  general  manager  of 
the  Company. 

The  steel  screw  steamer  Robert  Aaamson,  owned  by 
Messrs.  Adamson  &  Mail,  Newcastle,  is  reported  sold  to 
Mr.  James  Westoll,  of  Sunderland.  She  was  built  by 
Messrs.  Short  Brothers,  Sunderland,  in  1895.  Dimensions 
335ft.  x  42ft.  x  25ft.  4in.;  2,992  tons  gross:  with  engines 
24in.,  40in..  65in.  x  42in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  George 

Clark,  Ltd. 

+  +  + 

Messrs.  Maclay  and  Mclntyre,  of  Glasgow,  are  the  pur- 
chasers of  the  steamer  Falshaw,  reported  sold  in  our  last 
issue.  It  is  reported  that  Messrs.  Hall,  Russell  &  Co., 
Aberdeen,  have  received  an  order  from  the  Indo  China 
Steam  Navigation  Company,  London,  for  the  construction 
of  a  cargo  and  passenger  steamer. 

+  +  + 

Messrs.  Vickers,  Sons  and  Maxim,  Barrow,  have  secured 
the  order  for  the  turbine  machinery  for  the  new  battleship, 
to  be  built  at  Portsmouth.  The  machinery  is  to  indicate 
about  2,300  horse-power,  and  is  to  be  delivered  so  that  the 
battleship  will  be  ready  by  December.  1906. 

+  +  + 

Messrs.  G.  T.  Bowring  &  Company,  of  Liverpool,  have 
purchased  a  cargo  steamer  now  building  by  Messrs.  R. 
Graggs  &  Sons.,  Ltd.,  Middlesbrough,  and  about  ready  for 
launching.  She  will  carry  about  6,000  tons  deadweight. 

+  +  + 

The  New  Zealand  Shipping  Company  have  contracted 
with  Messrs.  Wm.  Denny  and  Brothers,  Dumbarton,  for  the 
construction  of  a  steel  screw  steamer  of  about  460ft.  in 

length. 

+  +  + 

Messrs.  Gow,  Harrison  &  Co.,  Glasgow,  have  contracted 
with  Messrs.  Russell  &  Co..  Port  Glasgow,  for  the  con- 
struction of  a  steamer,  of  about  8,000  tons  deadweight 
capacity,  to  be  delivered  in  April  next. 

+  +  + 

Messrs.  Robert  Stephenson  &  Co..  Ltd.,  Newcastle,  have 
received  an  order  from  .Messrs.  Steel,  Young  &  Co.. 
London,  to  build  a  cargo  steamer  of  about  6,300  tons 

deadweight  capacity. 

+  +  + 

The  steel  screw  steamer  Valesia,  built  at  Kiel  in  1882. 
2,295  tons  gross,  and  lately  owned  by  the  Hamburg 
American  Line,  has  been  sold  to  the  Russian  Volunteer 
Fleet  Association,  and  renamed  Borga. 

+  +  + 

Messrs.  Turnbull,  Scott  &  Co.,  London,  have  contracted 
with  Messrs.  R.  Craggs  &  Sons,  Ltd..  Middlesbrough,  for 
the  construction  of  a  cargo  steamer  of  about  6,000  tons 
deadweight  capacity. 

Messrs.  R.  Jobson  &  Co.,  West  Hartlepool,  are  the  pur- 
chasers of  the  steamer  Nant  Francon,  reported  sold  in 

our  last  issue. 

+  +  + 

The  steel  screw  tug  and  salvage  steamer  Sars.  built  in 
Italy,  in  1904,  for  an  Italian  salvage  company,  has  been 
sold  to  the  Japanese  Government. 

+  +  + 

It  is  rumoured  that  the  P.  and  O.  Company,  are  about  to 
order  several  new  s  earners. 


July    14,    1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


fft 


Maritime 

(AND   OTHER) 

Iflonep 
Matters. 


W 


'HIGH  is  the  better 
investment — ship- 
ping,  or  indus- 
trials,  generally  ? 
Of  course,  it  all  depends 
en  the  shipping  and  the 
industrial,  doesn't  it? 
But  anyway,  there  is  a 
terrible  amount  of  range 
to  choose  from,  and  in 
many  instances,  the  net 
result  will  be  on  a  par 
with  a  successful  game 
of  chuck  ha'penny  ?  The  average  investor  is  a  queer 
animal,  and  viewed  in  some  lights,  he  throws  an  awful 
amount  of  shadow  on  the  blind  or  on  the  landscape,  if 
you  would  rather  put  it  that  way.  Moreover,  it  isn't 
always  the  "  portliest  "  investor  who  makes  the  most 
shadow,  please  remember.  For  the  matter  of  that,  the 
same  effects  light  and  shade  effects,  you  know — are 
noticeable  in  connection  with  investments. 

•f  +  + 

WE  have  met  men  who,  under  ordinary  conditions, 
would  have  to  stand  for  a  full  ten  minutes  to  make  a 
shadow— in  an  ordinary  light,  although  the  time  would 
be  reduced  quite  two  minutes  in  strong  sun-light;  but  as 
soon  as  they  have  been  prevailed  on  to  place  fourpence 
ha'penny  in  an  industrial,  or  other,  investment,  eh  ? 
stand  by  for  a  quick  shadow  !  In  fact,  these  good  people 
are  all  shadow,  in  the  conditions  suggested.  You  know 
the  old  jape  concerning  the  fact  that  where  a  man's 
treasure  is.  there  will  the  organ  which  keeps  his  cir- 
culation a-going  be.  also?  Really,  this  class  of  individual 
cannot  help  it.  They  are  born  like  it,  and  while  some  of 
us  are  merely  intended  to  be  blessings  (sometimes  in 
disguise),  others  of  us  are  marked  out  as  crosses— 
quite  openly ! 

THE  same  thing  applies  with  the  shadowy  portion, 
although  you  would  be  surprised  to  note  the  dreadful 
similarity  there  is  about  the  cult.  They  are  generally  of 
the  brand  which  has  done  nothing  in  life— save  eat,  and 
dress;  have  managed  to  scrape  together— sometimes  by 
not  too  palpably  clean  methods  a  few  odd  sovereigns ; 
and  yet,  when  they  undertake  to  invest  that  frightful 
amount  of  capital,  they  at  once  lay  themselves  out  to  linger 
on  the  doorstep  of  the  office  where  the  money  has  been 
placed.  You  can  easily  fall  over  them,  at  any  stage  of 
the  sun's  course ;  and  if  you  step  on  them,  you  cannot 
hurt  them.  In  a  weak  moment,  they  parted  from  all 
money  they  are  ever 'TikSly  to  see  and.  well,  that  is 
where  the  trouble  comes  in. 

BUT.  really,  the  weather  is  too  hot  to  continue  on  the 
moralising  lay,  isn't  it  ?  And  when  it  is  essential  to  keep 
a  bath-towel  under  one's  hand,  so  that  the  ink  may  not 
be  diluted  out  of  all  reason,  we  don't  particularly  care 
about  the  moralising  idea,  ourselves.  Mind  you,  there 
are  times,  when  we  simply  dote  on  the  particular;  there 
are  other  times  when  we  don't.  This,  is  one  of  the 
latter.  Being  so.  we  are  going  to  give  over,  even  as  we 
hunt  around  on  our  table,  for  something  that  is  worthy 
of  the  occasion.  First  thing  we  pick  up—such  is  the 
fatality  of  life  !  is  the  account  of  a  year's  work,  in  con- 
nection with  the  Rhymney  Iron  Company,  Limited.  You 
have  probably  heard  of  it  ?  If  not,  it  doesn't  matter,  in 
the  least,  for  we'll  tell  you  something  about  it  now,  and 
just  to  while  away  your  time  and  our  space  !  We  have 
remarked,  ere  this,  about  our  honesty? 

VERY  well.  then.  The  Rhymney  Iron  Company 
Limited,  is  a  highly  respected  concern,  for  it  dates  back 
to  the  year  1837.  With  its  evolution,  we  are  not  con- 
cerning ourselves  ;  but  from  a  financial  consideration, 


we  note  that  it  has  a  share  capital  of  a  level  million  — all 
of  which  has  been  issued;  it  has  also  a  nice  little  stock  of 
debentures  mounting  into  £350,000.  With  a  value 
reaching  up  to  that  height,  you  would  naturally  suppose 
that  the  investor  therein,  was  in  for  a  remarkably  good 
thing  ?  You  know,  it  should  be  possible  to  do  something 
handsome  with  a  mere  million,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
uneonsidered  debentures?  Yes?  Glad  you  agree  with 

us,  once  now  and  then. 

+  +  + 

WELL,  this  fair-sized  concern  commenced  the  new 
century  with  a  good  showing  — its  best,  in  our  recollec- 
tion ;  for  the  dividend  in  that  year  (and  also  for  the  year 
following)  was  the  whole  of  7^  per  cent.  Not  a  very 
great  deal,  when  considered  alongside  of  some  of  our 
local  shipping  companies  in  the  same  years,  we  know  ; 
but  the  amount  was  something  startling  when  compared 
with  results  which  have  been  achieved  by  the  same 
company,  in  other  years.  We  have  told  you,  ere  this, 
that  the  times  are  bad?  They  are,  and  presumably, 
this  is  one  of  the  reasons  why  Rhymney  Iron  Company 
isn't  doing  as  well  as  it  might  otherwise  do.  Anyhow,  it 
is  consistent  in  its  efforts,  and  shows  sort  of  willing. 
That  is,  the  flesh  is  willing,  although  the  earnings  are 

somewhat  weak  ! 

-«•  +  + 

ANYHOW,  the  diminution  has  been  gradual,  and  went 
from  7)2  as  already  stated,  down  to  3J2,  then  2/2,  2,  and 
now,  we  get  another  2  per  cent,  for  the  year  ending 
March  31,  1905.  That  is  to  say,  the  balance  of  un- 
divided profit,  after  deducting  interest  on  debentures, 
was  £16,450,  leaving  £25,259.  As  already  stated,  a 
dividend  of  2  per  cent,  is  to  be  declared  (oh,  yes,  clear 
of  Income  Tax),  and  it  is  recommended  that  £4,000 
should  again  be  carried  to  the  debenture  redemption 
fund,  which  will  leave  £1,259  to  be  carried  forward. 
That  £4,000,  by  the  way,  is  exactly  the  amount  which 
was  paid  in  December  of  last  year,  for  drawn  bonds. 
Of  course  in  view  of  the  bad  times,  two  per  cent, 
dividend  on  £1,000,000  isn't  bad,  is 'it?  Personally,  we 
wish  the  Rhymney  Iron  Company  a  continuance  of  their 
good  luck— eminently  good  luck,  we  should  like  to  write. 

+  +  + 

LET  us  pick  up  another  item  from  a  well-littered  table. 
Eh?  Balance  sheet  of  the  W.  and  C.  T.  Jones  Steamship 
Company,  Limited?  Yes,  that'll  do.  It  will  be  a  fair 
comparison,  don't  you  think?  Bad  times  will  effect  both 
equally.  Here  goes,  then.  We  read  here,  "To  share 
capital,  280,000  ordinary  shares  at  £1  each."  Thus,  the 
capital  to  be  worked  in  this  instance,  is  exactly  £280,000  ? 
Right!  There  are  just  e-leven  boats — the  majority 
thereof  new  vessels  -scheduled  as  belonging  to  the 
company,  and  between  them,  they  have  earned  the  by- 
no-means  paltry  profit  of  £22,573  Is.  ?d.  (Personally,  we 
should  have  dropped  out  the  tuppence  ;  but  it  is  in,  so  to 
xact,  we  have  to  quote  it)-,  om  of  this  respectable 
total,  a  level  £10,000  has  been  set  aside  for  depreciation, 
and  under  the  circumstances,  it  should  be  ample  ? 

+  +  + 

THAT  is  to  say,  when  one  has  a  fleet  of  practically 
new  steamers;  when  they  are  kept  in  first-class  con- 
dition;  are  right  up  to  the  mark  as  Al  cargo  carriers; 
then,  £10,000  is  a  really  good  appreciative  depreciation— 
if  you  will  allow  us  to  put  it  in  that  way  ?  Coming  to  the 
matter  of  dividend,  we  find  that  this  amounts  to  2i  per 
cent,  per  annum,  free  of  Income  Tax;  and  taking  it  alto- 
gether, we  are  fairly  clear  as  to  which  is  the  better  class 
of  investment— in  good  times  or  in  bad.  Seems  to  us,  that 
with  industrials,  generally,  you  get  but  little  in  good  times, 
and  considerably  less  in  bad;  but  in  shipping  investments 
you  get  a  thumping  big  dividend  when  times  are  on  the 
"boom,"  even  as  you  get  as  good  as  the  other  fellows, 
when  times  are  bad  for  both  ?  Possibly  this  is  the  principal 
reason  why  reputable  shipowners  find  no  'difficulty,  in 
getting  as  much  capital  as  they  can  reasonably  do  with? 


'52 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July   14,   1905 


BRITISH     SBAM 


NOT  often  do  we  undertake  to  "lift"  any  literary 
matter  from  the  columns  of  our  contemporaries 
—  indeed,  this  is  our  very  first  offence  in  this 
direction.  We  do  so,  now,  for  the  reason  that  the  St. 
James's  Budget  has  been  giving  valuable  attention,  to  a 
subject  with  which  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW  has  ever 
been  closely  associated— the  grave  national  danger 
which  is  brought  about,  by  the  neglect  that  is  accorded 
to  the  seamen  of  the  British  Mercantile  Marine. 
Personally,  we  are  glad  to  be  in  a  position  to  show  our 
readers,  that  British  Jack  is  receiving  able  attention  and 
help  in  other  quarters,  and  with  the  remark  that  the 
St.  James's  Budget  article  (a  portion  of  which  we  are 
reproducing)  was  written  by  a  British  vice-Consul—  and 
one  who  is,  obviously,  well  qualified  to  deal  with  the 
subject — we  leave  the  matter  to  your  careful  attention  : 

What  is  the  attitude  of  British  shipowners  to  the  alleged  scarcity 
of  British  seamen?  First-class  lines,  paying  and  feeding  their 
men  well,  in  well-fitted,  well-manned  vessels,  experience  little  or 
no  difficulty  at  present  in  meeting  with  good  British  material, 
whilst  the  majority  of  the  smaller  lines  and  single  owners  put  up 
with,  and  very  often  prefer,  foreigners,  on  account  of  their  greater 
amenity  to  discipline,  greater  steadiness,  and  less  inclination  to 
grumble  as  regards  foods  and  accommodation.  It  must  not  be 
overlooked  that  shipowners  are  quite  as  justified  as  are  other 
employers  of  labour  in  conducting  their  business  strictly  on 
business  principles,  one  of  which  is  to  make  as  much  legitimate 
profit  as  possible.  Most  "  tramp  "  steamers  can  do  8J  knots,  and 
quiet,  sober  foreigners,  very  plentiful  at  £3  or  £3  5s.  per  month, 
can  get  them  along  safely  and  less  expensively  at  that  rate.  Why, 
then,  reflect  the  owners,  should  they  be  troubled  with  complaints 
about  the  scale  of  food,  questions  of  overtime,  quibblings  about 
leaky  forecastles,  etc.,  capped  by  threatening  of  law  and  the  far 
more  potent  "Mr.  Wilson"? 

And  the  readers  of  these  lines!  Are  they  at  all  interested  in 
the  question?  Probably  not  to-day.  But  they  may  wake  up  some 
fine  morning  next  month  to  find  out  that  there  is  another,  more 
acute  "  Morocco  incident,"  and  that  although  they  have  the  ships, 
through  that  same  want  of  interest  certain  powerful  British  men- 
of-war,  urgently  required  in  throes  of  war  for  the  actual  preser- 
vation of  the  Empire,  are  either  woefully  undermanned  or,  for 
want  of  trained  naval  reserve  men,  cannot  be  commissioned  at 
all! 

Is  it  really  true?  Is  such  a  fatality  possible?  Who  is  to  be 
blamed?  And  what  is  to  be  done  ? 

It  is  true  !  It  is  possible!  No  one  is  to  blame!  and  as  little 
will  be  done  in  the  future  as  has  been  done  in  the  past.  We  shall 
jog  along  comfortably,  self-satisfied  and  fatuously,  tinkering  the 
Merchant  Shipping  Act  here  and  there  and  from  time  to  time,  and 
if  we  are  ourselves  unable  sufficiently  to  hamper  our  carrying 
trade  we  are  at  least  sure  of  foreign  assistance  in  our  inability. 
As  for  the  rest,  seamen  will  continue  to  lay  the  blame  on  owners 
for  presuming  to  prefer  steady,  disciplined,  and  cheaper  foreign 
labour.  Owners  will  continue  to  blame  and  hurl  epithets  at  the 
Board  of  Trade  and  at  the  Merchant  Shipping  Act,  but  will  go  on 
employing  foreigners.  The  Government  of  the  moment  will 
continue  to  draw  up  memoranda  and  appoint  further  committees 
on  manning.  There  will  be  more  tinkering,  but  the  crucial  point, 
viz.,  the  private  as  well  as  the  Government  manufacture  of  good 
British  seamen  and  firemen  will  have  received  no  real  impetus, 
with  the  result  that  our  naval  reserve,  upon  which  we  must 
depend  when  the  inevitable  crisis  arises,  will  prove  inadequate  for 
the  requirements  of  the  Empire.  We  shall  eontiue  to  pay  our 
money  willingly  enough  for  men-of-war  ;  we  shall  continue  to  teach 
our  children  that  "  Britannia  rules  the  waves,"  but  we  shall 
decline  to  face  the  inconvenience  of  the  manning  question,  because 
the  only  solution  is  compulsory  service. 

Just  as  England  has  hitherto  blindly  neglected  to  protect  her 
commerce  and  industries  by  tariffs,  whilst  other  nations  were 
gradually  becoming  manufacturers  and  shutting  us  out  of  their 
own  markets,  so  there  has  also  been  lacking  the  common-sense 
protection  of  our  own  seamen  by  legislative  preference  over  the 
foreigner.  The  Merchant  Shipping  Act,  passed  as  far  back  as 
1854,  but  consolidated  and  revised  as  recently  as  1894,  is  still  bare 
of  any  paragraph  enabling  a  superintendent  of  mercantile  marine 
at  home,  or  a  consular  officer  abroad,  to  prefer  a  British  seaman 
with  good  discharges,  but  who  is  out  of  employment,  to  a  foreigner 
— at  the  same  wages. 
The  pay  of  all  grades  of  merchant  seamen,  which  has  risen  very 


materially  abroad,  has  steadily  fallen  for  some  years  past  at  home. 
On  the  other  hand,   the   remuneration    for   nearly    all   classes   of 
shore  employment  has  increased  during  the  same  period. 

Even  £1  a  week  and  maintenance  will  not  induce  Englishmen,  in 
any  great  numbers,  to  prefer  the  discomforts  and  drawbacks  of 
a  seafaring  life  to  employment  on  shore  at  equivalent  wages.  But 
to  foreigners,  who  have  just  completed  their  three  years  or  so  of 
compulsory  service  in  their  respective  navies,  during  which  time 
their  pay  seldom  exceeded  threepence  a  day,  who  have,  moreover, 
been  subjected  to  rigorous  discipline  and  enforced  self-control 
during  that  period,  and  have  fallen  behind  in  their  aptitude  for 
their  previous  shore  employment,  even  could  an  opening  for  their 
return  thereto  be  found,  the  immediate  prospect  of  free  main- 
tenance and  2s.  to  3s.  a  day  in  a  calling  to  which  they  have  become 
accustomed,  and  in  which  they  are  thoroughly  expert,  is  salvation 
to  them,  and  when  they  may  be  wanted  by  their  own  naval 
authorities,  be  it  for  defence  or  for  defiance,  they  will  be  found 
still  in  good  training  and  at  the  disposal  of  their  respective 
Governments. 

Swedes,  Finns,  and  Dagos,  as  well  as  the  denizens  of  the  sea-girt 
countries  of  the  Mediterranean,  have  always  more  or  less  found 
employment  in  British  vessels.  But  the  compulsory  manufacture 
of  seamen  of  all  grades  by  half  a  dozen  foreign  nations,  resulting 
from  the  navies  established  by  them  during  the  past  twenty  years, 
navies  which  are  being  added  to  almost  daily,  is  producing  an 
overplus  of  seafaring  men  abroad,  which,  under  the  present  lack 
of  legislative  protection  of  Englishmen  in  their  own  vessels,  must 
ultimately  reduce  the  number  of  the  last-mentioned  to  an  in- 
adequate minimum. 

Youthful  spirits  and  lust  for  adventure,  aided  by  the  natural 
trend  of  occupation  of  the  population  living  in  the  vicinity  of 
England's  long  coast-line,  and  upon  her  fisheries,  not  to  speak  of 
reformatories  and  periods  of  trade  depression,  will,  of  course, 
always  provide  a  certain  number  of  British  seamen.  But  the 
mass  return  of  British  subjects  to  a  sea-faring  life  and  in  pro- 
portion to  British  naval  and  Mercantile  Marine  requirements,  will 
only  be  realisable  when  we  too  as  a  nation  have  adopted  naval  as 
well  as  military  conscription  in  some  suitable  form  for  British 
temperaments.  What  is  required  is  a  State  creation  of  seamen 
by  some  form  of  brief  compulsory  service  in  England,  which  will 
provide  a  sufficient  supply  of  trained  disciplined  seamen,  drilled 
to  self-control  and  to  sobriety,  who,  forced  by  habit  and  by  cir- 
cumstances, will  later  utilise  their  seafaring  knowledge  and 
training  as  a  livelihood,  and  such  men  must  then,  as  they  should 
unquestionably  be  at  present,  be  additionally  protected  against 
alien  competition,  by  a  short  section  in  the  Merchant  Shipping 
Act,  ensuring  them  preference  when  in  possession  of  health  and 
good  discharges  for  ability  and  for  conduct,  and  when  willing  to 
compete  with  their  foreign  colleagues  at  the  same  rate  of  wages 
offered  by  British  shipowners  to  the  latter. 

THERE  it  is,  and  while  we  are  not  inclined  to  go  quite 
to  the  length  suggested  by  our  contemporary's  able 
writer,  it  must  be  admitted  that,  in  the  main,  the  con- 
tentions are  even  as  we  have  been  continually  spreading 
out  for  your  consideration.  The  word  "  conscription  "  is 
a  bugbear  to  the  Briton  ;  more  for  the  reason  that  he 
doesn't  rightly  understand  its  potentialities,  than  for  any 
all-pervading  wickedness  which  might  coruscate  around 
the  condition,  we  know  ;  still,  it  is  useless  to  dodge  facts. 
A  miracle  will  be  needed  to  bring  in  conscription,  but  is 
altogether  unnecessary,  if  you  merely  wish  to  bring  back 
the  Briton  to  the  British  forecastle.  As  a  matter  of 
public  expediency,  it  is  simply  necessary  to  pass  a  law, 
limiting  or  abolishing  the  employment  of  aliens,  and  the 
matter  will  level  itself  up,  very  rapidly.  At  present,  there 
is  little  or  no  demand  for  British  seamen,  solely  for  the 
reason  that  the  foreigner  is  supposedly  cheaper.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  he  isn't  cheaper;  but  as  long  as  shipowner 
has  such  a  belief,  it  is  useless  to  appeal  to  him  on  patriotic 
lines.  Pass  the  suggested  law,  and  in  five  years  time, 
shipowner  would  be  the  most  grateful  of  the  nation's  units. 
Money  counts,  on  every  occasion  ;  and  in  the  comparison 
between  the  results  gained  by  Britons  over  foreigners, 
the  "counting"  would  be  all  in  favour  of  the  former.  Not 
just  at  once.  We  know  that,  as  well  as  anybody.  And  for 
the  reason  that  the  good  men  have  been  driven  ashore, 
or  to  other  lands  and  occupations.  But  once  allow  those 
good  men  to  see  that  there  was  room,  and  a  living  for 
them  on  British  vessels,  and  they  would  return,  in  shoals. 


July 


")°5 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


'S3 


PATENTS  &  TRSDE 

Relating    to    SHIPPING   and    the    COAL    TRADE. 


Specifications  published  on  June  29,  1905,  together 
with  an  indication  of  their  subject  matter,  the  title 
being  printed  in  Italics. 

12,605  04-PRESTON  AND  RALSTON— Improved  method 
and  apparatus  for  treating  and  discharging  ashes  and  clinkers 
on  board  ship. 

The  ashes,  clinkers,  &c.,  are  passed  through  a  crusher, 
and  the  crushed  clinkers,  &c.,  are  discharged  into  the 
sea  by  fluid  pressure. 

13,1 13;04     BAIRD — Improvements  in  ship's  berths. 

This  invention  relates  to  ship's  berths,  whereby  what 
is  known  as  a  block  of  berths  can  be  converted  into  open 
berths,  or  partitioned  off  into  a  series  of  room  berths. 

13.20504 — FORD — Improvements  connected  with  experi- 
mental tanks  for  testing  ships. 

A  tank  for  testing  model  ships,  in  which  the  motive 
power  for  hauling  the  models  is  obtained  from  a  weight 
running  on  an  inclined  tr'ek  over  the  tank.  The  weight 
is  connected  to  the  model  by  a  cord  led  over  sheaves. 
The  track  terminates  in  a  short  steep  upward  incline  to 
arrest  the  motion  of  the  weight. 

14,639  04  —  MILLER— Improvements  in  and  relating  to  coal 
handling  apparatus. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  system  of  transferring  coal 
from  one  vessel  to  another  ranged  alongside.  The  coal 
is  hoisted  from  bulk  in  the  hold  by  a  grab,  discharged 
into  a  hopper,  fed  into  sacks  and  transferred  in  sacks,  to 
the  other  vessel  by  being  hoisted  and  suspended  from 
the  end  of  a  spar  pivotted  so  as  to  swing  angularly  from 
a  mast. 

16,84704  WHITEHEAD-  Improvements  in  gyroscopic 
steering  mechanism  for  torpedoes  and  submarine  vessels. 

In  this  invention  the  gyroscope  wheel  is  driven  by  the 
re-action  of  compressed  air  discharged  through  radial 
passages  with  approximate  tangential  exits.  The  air  is 
conducted  to  the  wheel  by  channels  formed  in  the 
gumbals. 

17,052  04— DEMPSTER  &  SONS,  LTD.,  &  BROADHEAD— 
Improvements  in  bucket  conveyors  and  elevators  for 
transporting  coal,  ashes,  and  other  materials. 

This  relates  to  bucket  conveyors  in  which  the  buckets 
consist  of  hollow  semi-cylindrical  troughs,  provided  with 
circular  disc  ends,  and  pivotted  at  their  axes  between 
two  parallel  endless  chains.  The  buckets  remain  with 
the  bottoms  of  the  troughs  downwards  by  gravity  and 
are  inverted,  by  the  circular  ends  rolling  on  tracks 
provided  at  suitable  positions  in  their  paths. 
17,25704  BOYD  Improvements  in  apparatus  for  auto- 
matically signalling  the  depth  of  water  at  harbours,  docks, 
piers,  navigable  channels  or  the  like. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  method  of  signalling  the 
depth  of  water  in  harbours.  &c.,  by  a  series  of  balls  o*>- 
lamps  hoisted  on  a  mast  so  as  to  be  exposed  above  the 
top  edge  of  a  screen.  The  hoisting  is  automatically 
effected  by  means  of  a  float  secured  to  a  cord  in  connec- 
tion with  the  cords  for  hoisting  the  signals.  The  balls, 
lamps.  Ac.,  are  counter-balanced. 

'.7.30204  DUISBURCER  M  ASCH  I  NEN  BAN— A.  &  G.— 
Device  for  preventing  the  raising  of  dust  from  rock  drills. 
operated  by  compressed  air  or  the  like. 

This  invention  relates  to  an  improvement  on  patent 
No.  4.263  03.  In  this  invention  the  exhaust  of  a  rock- 
drill  operated  by  compressed  air,  passed  through  a 
chamber  before  issuing  to  the  open.  The  present 
invention  relates  to  constructing  this  chamber  so  that 
its  cover  is  rotatable,  for  the  purpose  of  enabling  the 
final  exit  orifice  to  be  directed  away  from  the  operator. 
17.36904  S.  PEARSON  &  SON,  LTD.— Improvements  in 
skips  or  buckets. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  construction  of  bucket 
which  is  suitable  for  depositing  concrete  underwater. 


It  consists  of  two  halves,  similar  to  a  grab  bucket, 
pivotted  together  at  the  top  where  the  two  halves  meet 
on  a  spindle  which  extends  their  full  width.  The  cover, 
likewise  in  two  halves  is  also  pivotted  on  the  same  spindle. 
Each  end  of  the  spindle  is  provided  with  an  upwardly 
directed  hook.  The  two  slings  for  the  bucket  are  secured 
to  the  outermost  edges  of  same  at  two  opposite  points, 
and  are  joined  up  to  one  ring  or  shackle.  At  a  point 
about  the  middle  length  of  each  sling  chain  a  ring  is 
included.  These  rings  are  passed  over  the  hooks  on  the 
spindle,  when  the  bucket,  so  suspended,  remains  closed 
by  gravity.  On  striking  the  bottom,  and  the  slings 
slackening,  the  rings  fall  off  the  hooks,  whereupon  on 
again  hoisting,  the  bucket  will  open  and  deposit  its 
contents. 

17,59404   -HOOS      Coupling  device  for  twisted  boring  tools. 

This  invention  relates  to  coupling  two  lengths  of 
twist-drills  together.  It  consists  of  a  flattened  annular 
socket  which  fits  over  the  flattened  end  of  one  length  of 
drill,  where  it  is  secured  by  a  set  screw.  The  other  end 
of  the  socket  is  provided  with  an  inwardly  directed 
tongue  or  burr.  This  engages  with  a  longitudinal  groove, 
which  does  not  quite  extend  to  the  end,  in  the  side  of 
the  flattened  end  of  the  other  length  of  drill.  This 
length  of  drill  is  inserted  obliquely  into  the  socket  and 
then  pressed  over  into  line  with  the  other  length,  for  the 
purpose  of  permitting  the  burr  to  engage  the  groove. 

18,384  04  —  POLL\N— Improvements  in  fixing  handles  or 
shafts  in  hammers  or  other  tools. 

After  the  hammer  or  pick-axe  head  has  been  passed 
over  the  end  of  the  shaft  it  is  held  in  place  by  the 
enlarged  head  of  a  rod  passing  longitudinally  through 
the  shaft  and  secured  at  the  handle  end  by  a  nut. 

24,303/04— YOUNG,  CLARK,  GREEN,  AND  BOUCHER— 
Improvements  in  coal  cutting  or  winding  machines,  and  in 
and  connected  with  carriages  or  supports  for  facilitating 
the  working  or  manipulation  and  the  transport  of  such 
machines. 

This  invention  relates  to  an  improved  construction  of 
carriage  for  coal  cutting  machines  in  which  the  trunnion 
frame  or  standard  is  movable  endways  thereon  by  means 
of  a  ratchet. 

These  applications  for  patents  are,  until  August  15,  1905, 
open  to  opposition  by  any  person  having  a  statutory 
right  to  oppose. 

Copies  of  the  specifications  may  be  obtained  from  the 
Patent  Office  or  through"the  under-named. 

TRADE   MARKS. 

The  following  applications  for  the  registration  of  Trade 
Marks  relating    to    the   shipping  and  coal  trades  were 
"advertised    on  duly   5,   and   are  open   to   opposition    by 
interested  parties  within  the  period  ending  August  5th. 

Class  8— Including  nautical  instruments. 

No.  271,517— 28th  March,  1905— The  device  of  hand 
with  first  two  fingers  and  thumb  upraised  ;  for  pressure, 
vacuum  and  hydraulic  gauges  and  other  instruments  of 
precision  included  in  class  8.  dames  Gibb  and  Co.,  Ltd., 
99,  Fenchurch  Street,  London,  E.G. ;  Engineers. 

Class  20— Explosives. 

No.  272,175— 20th  April,  1905— The  device  of  a  miner 
resting  on  a  pick  and  observing  an  explosion  ;  for 
explosive  substances.  The  Explosives  and  Chemical 
Products,  Ltd.,  207  and  208,  Finsbury  Pavement  House, 
London,  E.G.;  Manufacturers  of  explosives  and  chemical 
products. 

Compiled  by  Messrs.  PHILLIPS  &  LEIGH,  Chartered  Patent 
Aeents  22,  Southampton  Buildings,  Chancery  Lane,  London, 
VVTC.  Local  Consultant:  Mr.  S.  W.  ALLEN,  Engineer,  of  Cardiff 
Exchange,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July   14,  1905 


% 

Y.''. 

« 


OUR  MARITIME  DIRECTORY. 


mini lll|||||! 


Illliii UK 


CARDIFF. 


Colliery   Proprietors. 


(~ORY  BROS.  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff  and 
London.    Depots  at  all  the  principal 
Coaling  Stations  in  the  World. 

Telegrams 


"CORY,  CARDIFF"  ; 
"CORY.  LONDON." 


INSOLE.  GEORGE  &  SON,  Cardiff.   Sole 
Shippers  of  Cymmer   Steam    Coal, 
Windsor  Steam  Coal,  and  Insoles  No.  2 
Rhondda  Coal. 

Telegrams:  "JNSOLES.  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF   -Continued. 


VIVIAN.    H.    C.    &  Co..    Bute   Docks. 
Cardiff.     Sole  European  Agents  for 
"  The  Puritan  Goal  Mining  Go.,  Phila- 
delphia. U.S.A." 

Telegrams:  "VIVIAN.  CARDIFF." 


T  EWIS    MERTHYR    CONSOLIDATED  COL- 
LIERIES, LTD.,  Proprietors  and  Ship- 
pers   of    "Lewis  Merthyr"   Navigation 
Steam  Goal. 

T«IO,T,  "  LEWIS  MERTHYR,  CARDIFF  "  ; 

15  '    "LEWIS  MERTHYR.  LONDON." 


WATTS,    WATTS  &  Go.,   Cardiff    and 
London.  Contractors  for  the  supply 
of  Coals  at  all  Depots  abroad. 

Telegrams:  "WATTS.  CARDIFF." 


Dock    Owners. 


THE  CARDIFF  RAILWAY  COMPANY,  Bute 
Docks.  Cardiff. 

Ship  Repairers. 


MARQUESS  OF  BUTE  COLLIERIES, 
Aberdare.  Hirwain.  and  Rhondda 
Valley.  Shipping  ports  : — Bute  Docks, 
Cardiff ;  Penarth  Dock  ;  Swansea ; 
Briton  Ferry ;  and  Newport  (Mon.) 

Telegrams :  "  SEMA,  CARDIFF." 


QCEAN    (MERTHYR)    COAL   Co.,   LTD., 
11,  Bute  Crescent,  Cardiff,  proprie- 
tors of  Ocean  (Merthyr)  Steam  Goal. 


1JNIVERSAL  STEAM   GOAL  Co.,  LTD., 
Bute  Docks.  Cardiff.  Proprietors  of 
"  Universal  Steam  Coal." 

Telegrams  :   "  VERSATILE,  CARDIFF." 


CHEARM  AN,  JOHN  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff, 
and  at  Barry  Dock. 

XHE   BUTE  SHIPBUILDING,  ENGINEERING, 
AND   DRY   DOCK   COMPANY,    LIMITED, 
Roath  Basin,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "CAISSON.  CARDIFF." 

'THE  CARDIFF  CHANNEL  DRY  DOCKS  AND 
PONTOON    Co.,    LTD.,    Cardiff    and 
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Telegrams  : 


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T'HE   MERCANTILE   PONTOON  Co.,  LTD. 
Roath  Dock,  Cardiff. 

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CARDIFF    Continued. 


Miscellaneous. 

J^EWIS  &  TYLOR,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 

Sole  patentees  and  manufacturers 

of  "  Gripoly,"  a  patent   woven  belting  ; 

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VOL.  VI.— No.  75. 


FRIDAY,  JULY   21.    1905. 


THREEPENCE. 


MARITIME    MARK    MAKERS. 


WILLIAM     LAW,    ESQ.,    J.P., 

(General  Manager,  Swansea  Harbour). 

CS««  Page  162.1 


'55 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July    21,    1905 


***<  NOTICES.  >*  *>* 

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Correspondence  :  The  Editor  does  not  necessarily  identify  himself 
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written  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only. 


*  CONTENTS.  *  *  * 


MARITIME  MARK  MAKER— WILLIAM  LAW,  Esa,  J.P.  ... 

MARITIME  MURMURS          ...        .          

ONE  MAN  NAVIGATION      

A  NAUTICAL  PASSION-PLAY        

CARDIFF  (AND  OTHER)  COAL        

COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES 

SHIPBUILDING          

MARITIME  (AND  OTHER)  MONEY  MATTERS        

CONCERNING  "WORKMEN'S  NOTES" — AND  OTHER  THINGS 
PATENTS  AND  TRADE  MARKS      


PAGE 
..  154 


...  155 

..  163 

...  164 

..  165 

...  166 

...  167 

...  168 

...  169 

..  170 


MARITIME    MURMURS. 


DOCKS.  CARDIFF. 

Thursday  Afternoon. 

THERE  is  a  terribly  worrying  halo  of  beauty  around  Welsh 
coal  !  At  least,  there  is  an  intermittent  halo,  and  it  affects 
the  British  public  in  a  peculiar  manner.  Once  let  the  poor 
coalowner  attempt  to  make  a  living  from  the  stuff  in  which 
he  deals,  and  he  is  a  wicked  ghoul :  is  deserving  of  no  pity 
from  anybody  :  ought  to  be  outlawed,  at  the  least ;  and  if 
he  doesn't  then  mend  his  ways— heaven  help  him  !  But  let 
the  slightest  suspicion  of  a  tale  flutter  around,  to  the  effect 
that  the  hated  foreigner  has  undertaken  to  purchase  a 
chunk  of  the  coal-bearing  land  of  South  Wales,  and  there 
is  a  high-class  fuss  toward,  directly.  That  is.  if  the  foreigner 
"  shows  his  hand,"  so  to  speak.  If  on  the  other  hand,  the 
foreign  person  elects  to  purchase  the  half  of  Great  Britain, 
but  doesn't  make  a  song  about  it,  nobody  seems  to  care 
a  toss  for  the  whole  contraption.  For  example,  the 
foreigner  might  over-run  the  whole  of  the  British  Mercan- 
tile Marine,  and  nobody  is  concerned  ;  he  might  dump  as 
much  of  his  pauper  population  on  these  shores,  as  pleases 
him  :  he  might,  in  short,  buy  up  this  country,  lock,  stock 
and  barrel  ;  but  as  long  as  it  is  all  done  in  the  "  ordinary 
way  of  business,"  it  is  alright :  nobody  is  going  to  trouble. 

&  & 

SOMEHOW  or  other,  the  public  is  to  be  depended  on  to 
view  the  Welsh  coal  trade,  in  the  concrete,  as  a  lump  of 
concentrated  wickedness.  But  if  any  units  thereof  pass, 
as  in  the  case  of  the  much-written-of  WNtworth  estate, 
into  foreign  hands,  there  is  quite  a  flutter  toward,  and 
over-strung  patriots  are  at  once  started  off,  in  a  holy  shout 
as  to  the  wickedness  of  the  whole  deal.  We  are  not  con- 
cerning ourselves  with  the  question  of  whether  a  German 
syndicate  has,  or  has  not,  purchased  a  £250,000  chunk  of 
land  down  by  Neath,  and  mainly  for  the  reason  that  it  will, 
in  any  case,  have  to  be  worked  exactly  as  is  the  coal  sur- 
rounding it.  That  is  to  say,  it  will  be  subject  to  the  same 
labour  troubles ;  the  Miners'  Federation  will  take  it  under 
its  festive  wing  ;  "labour  leaders"  will  froth  over  it ;  and 
ultimately,  the  money  for  its  purchase,  will  be  taken  from 
the  foreigner,  exactly  as  the  money  for  the  millions  of  tons 
which  doesn't  belong  to  any  German  syndicate.  There  is 
nothing  particularly  funny  in  the  nature  of  the  deal ;  and  if 
it  is  even  as  is  claimed  by  "  those  who  know,"  and  the 


purchase  is  really  an  accepted  fact— well,  it  is  by  no 
means  the  first  time  in  the  history  of  Welsh  coal-land, 
where  a  foreigner  has  owned  portions  of  the  "bestun- 
worked  coal  stratum  in  the  British  Isles"  ? 


BUT  then,  in  this  instance,  it  is  a  German  "move,"  and 
for  all  things  German,  there  is  a  nervy  sort  of  feeling  on, 
at  the  moment.  We  are  not  quite  clear  as  to  why  this 
should  be  ;  are  not  even  sure  that  the  German  Bosses  are 
to  be  envied  in  the  least ;  and  mainly  for  the  reason  that 
things  in  connection  with  that  perpetually-advertised  land, 
are  by  no  means  what  they  seem.  However,  this  is 
beside  the  question.  The  tale  is.  that  a  German  syndicate 
has  commenced  its  purchase  of  Britain,  by  taking  unto 
itself  a  piece  of  the  Whitworth  estate,  and  there  is  trouble 
toward.  The  pinchbeck  patriot  is  lashing  himself  into  a 
fury,  because  of  the  scandalous  waste  of  the  "  nation's 
heritage"  which  .will  result:  is  drawing  fearsome  (if 
imaginary)  pictures  of  what  is  going  to  happen,  should  war 
eventuate  ;  he  sees  (again  in  imagination)  the  enemy  being 
assured  of  a  constant  supply  of  best  Welsh  coal,  while  the 
warships  of  the  Briton  are  being  "fired,"  on  anything  that 
comes  to  hand  ;  and  national  disintegration  naturally 
follows.  'Tis  a  most  soul-harrowing  spectacle,  and  is -fully 
deserving  of  attention— in  the  middle  of  the  "  silly  season!" 

&  & 

THE  hysterical  folk  who  are  shouting  loudest  about  this 
alleged  deal  in  coal,  appear  to  be  under  the  impression  that, 
supposing  a  foreign  syndicate  does  buy  a  portion  of  the 
dear  old  land,  the  said  portion  will  be,  at  once,  staked  out, 
and  will  henceforth  pose  as  a  colony  for  the  buyers. 
British  law  will  have  no  bearing  on  the  subject ;  and  the 
British  Government,  in  the  event  of  war,  will  not  be  enabled 
to  requisition  the  whole  of  the  output  (if  desired), from  this 
foreign-owned  piece  of  coal-land.  Needless  to  say,  the 
whole  contention  is  buncombe,  pure  and  simple  ;  and  that 
a  German  syndicate  has  the  same  right  to  purchase  a 
property  which  is  for  sale,  and  has  been  placed  upon  the 
market,  as  would  the  French  syndicates  who  have  already 
done  the  same  trick.  Why  doesn't  the  public  become 
troubled  about  the  vast  sums  of  foreign  capital  which  is 
invested  in  British  Shipping?  We  haven't  time  to  hunt 


July   21,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


156 


up  the  exact  amount  which  is  herein  involved  :  but  the 
grand  total  runs  into  many  millions,  where  the  newest 
syndicate's  purchase  merely  runs  into  a  quarter  of  one 
million.  Yet  in  the  case  of  the  shipping—  and  it  is  of  a 
thousand  times  more  important  to  this  country,  than  is  the 
inappreciable  purchase  of  a  chunk  of  coal  land—  there  is 
never  a  word  said,  as  indeed,  is  right  and  proper. 


THE  home-made  patriot  never  stops  to  think  of  the  vast 
sums  which  the  British  investor  has  placed  in  foreign 
industries  :  nor  of  the  gratitude  with  which  the  foreigner 
views  such  kindnesses  :  much  less  does  he  contemplate  the 
possibility  for  being  grateful  when  the  foreigner  reciprocates. 
Yet,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  any  such  purchase  as  this  much- 
talked-of  Neath  undertaking,  is  about  the  biggest  compli- 
ment that  can  be  paid  the  country.  It  shows  that,  at  least, 
one  group  of  business  men  are  of  opinion,  that  Britain  is 
anything  but  the  crumbling  combination  which  some  of  her 
own  sons  would  wish  to  pretend  ;  and  that  should  be  good 
hearing"  for  all  of  us.  in  these  days  when  "Wake  up, 
England  "  shouts,  are  as  common  as  Welsh  coal  !  Viewed 
dispassionately,  it  doesn't  matter  unduly  whether  a  German 
financial  group  are  going  to  take  the  risk  of  making  the 
Whitworth  estate  turn  out  a  success,  or  otherwise.  The 
Welsh  collier  will  have  to  work  the  coal  ;  Welsh  railways 
will  have  to  trundle  it  along  to  the  given  port  of  shipment  ; 
Welsh  docks  will  have  to  give  accommodation  to  the 
shipping  that  is  going  to  bear  the  stuff  away  :  and  Welsh 
coal  tips  and  their  workers,  will  have  to  load  the  coal  into 
the  vessels  implicated. 

§?%? 

INDEED,  the  whole  matter  will  work  out  in  exactly  the 
same  manner,  as  is  provided  in  cases  of  the  kind  :  and  the 
only  difference  that  will  be  apparent,  is  the  one  which 
provides  for  a  master  owning  a  motor  car.  say.  In  this 
instance,  the  master  might  be  a  German,  instead  of  a  Gaul  ; 
and  anyhow,  he'll  certainly  buy  the  motor  car  in  Britain  : 
for  notwithstanding  all  that  is  said  to  the  contrary,  the 
German  merely  manufactures  motor  cars  for  the  British 
market  :  when  he  needs  a  car,  himself,  he  can  be  trusted 
to  purchase  one  of  undoubted  British  manufacture  ?  In 
this  manner  is  Morocco  avenged  :  by  this  means  is  the 
entente  cordiale  discounted  !  Still,  people  will  not  stop  to 
think—  as  we  have  already  suggested  :  and  on  the  face  of 
things.  "German  syndicate  "  has  a  nasty  look  about  it.  for 
it  conjures  up  everything  that  is  terrible  :  and.  rightly  or 
wrongly,  is  supposed  to  figure  out  the  ultimate  downfall  of 
the  United  Kingdom.  There  is  one  item  in  connection 
with  this  theme  which  should  not  be  overlooked.  Here  is 
an  opportunity  for  Protection.  Failing  that  desideratum, 
the  new  collieries  might  reasonably  be  equipped  with  "made 
in  Germany  "  machinery—  and  that  would  be  awful?  Why,- 
under  the  circumstances,  such  afitout  would  be  a  thousand- 
fold worse  for  the  Briton,  than  if  the  wicked  syndicate  had 
purchased  two  pieces  of  the  Whitworth  estate  ? 


THE  inquiry  into  the  loss  of  the  Liverpool  four-master, 
Eulomene.  was  concluded  at  that  port,  on  Saturday,  last. 
It  will  be  remembered  that  the  ill-fated  vessel  foundered  at 
sea.  while  on  a  passage  from  Bremerhaven  to  the  Tyne,  in 
ballast,  and  in  January  last.  It  would  appear  that,  previous 
to  her  departure  from  Bremerhaven.  she  was  aground  on  a 
"  soft  beach."  and  that  after  she  had  been  refloated.  "  without 
having  sustained  any  ostensible  injury,"  it  was  decided  that 
she  should  be  towed  across  to  the  Tyne.  With  this  end  in 
view,  an  aduitional  250  tons  of  ballast  were  placed  on  top 
of  the  800  tons  which  had  already  been  shipped,  and  on 
January  22.  a  start  for  coaly  Tyne  was  made.  Eight  days 
later,  a  hurricane  ambled  along,  and  in  the  tribulation 


which  followed,  the  Eulomene  became  parted  from  her  tug, 
whose  captain  kept  her  in  sight  until  3  a.m.  This  was  in 
consequence  of  the  hurricane  referred  to.  Anyhow,  at 
about  3  a.m..  the  ship's  lights  suddenly  disappeared,  and 
although  the  tug-boat  at  once  proceeded  to  the  spot  where 
the  lights  had  last  been  seen,  no  trace  of  the  unfortunate 
vessel  could  be  found.  The  poor  souls  that  were  on  board, 
went  with  her,  and  subsequently,  the  Board  of  Trade  had 
to  find  out  all  there  was  to  find—  which  appears  to  have 
been  precious  little. 

K>?     9tg 

w5    Ha 

ANYHOW,  the  Court,  which  consisted  of  the  Liverpool 
stipendiary  and  nautical  assessors,  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  the  vessel  had  foundered,  and  "that  no  blame  attached 
to  anyone."  Here,  you  would  naturally  suppose  the 
matter  was  scheduled  to  end  ?  There  was  no  dispensation 
from  heaven  to  show  what  had  really  occurred  ;  whether 
the  absence  of  that  "  ostensible  injury  "  had  contributed  to 
the  vessel's  ultimate  loss  ;  or  whether  she  had  shifted  her 
ballast  and  had  then  turned  turtle.  Up  to  3  a.m.,  Eulomene's 
lights  were  visible  to  the  skipper  of  the  tug-boat;  thereafter, 
they  were  not  ;  ergo,  the  vessel  had  foundered.  Originally, 
the  unfortunate  vessel  had  been  considered  as  sufficiently 
ballasted,  with  the  800  tons  first  shipped  ;  but  after  the 
stranding,  it  was  decided  that  there  was  a  doubt  in  the 
matter,  and  the  other  250  tons  were  shipped.  Presumably 
the  Court,  for  this  reason,  decided  that  although  nobody 
was  to  blame  for  the  catastrophe.  "  the  master  would  have 
been  better  advised  to  have  taken  more  ballast  and  not  to 
have  had  the  vessel  trimmed  so  much  by  the  stern,  having 
regard  to  the  fact  that  she  was  to  be  towed  across  the 
North  sea,  in  the  winter."  This  is  a  variation  of  "Not 
guilty,  but  don't  you  do  it  again,"  and  is  only  what  one  has 
come  to  expect,  in  cases  of  this  kind. 


BUT  why  will  these  inquiry  Courts  perpetuate  the  pious 
shams,  which  prate  of  what  the  master  ought  to  do  in  given 
circumstances  ?  How  much  has  the  master  to  do  with 
these  little  items  ?  Writing  generally,  we  should  like  to 
know  the  exact  number  of  shipmasters  who  are  even  con- 
sulted on  the  subject  of  ballast,  when  about  to  undertake 
a  light  ship  passage.  It  may  be  taken  for  granted  that  but 
few  of  them  are  aS"  much  as  asked  for  an  opinion,  and  if 
any  of  them  were  to  be  so  ill-advised  as  to  take  on  board  a 
given  quantity  of  ballast  on  their  own  initiative—  well, 
something  nearly  as  bad  as  a  foundering  at  sea  and  the 
drowning  of  all  hands,  would  transpire.  In  the  case  of  the 
Eulomene,  if  nobody  was  to  blame  for  the  catastrophe,  why 
not  leave  it  at  that  ;  if  somebody  was  to  blame,  and  if  the 
master  would  have  been  "  better  advised,"  if  he  had  taken 
on  board  an  additional  quantity  of  ballast  :  why  not  let  us 
finow  how  much  of  it  was  due  to  the  Old  Man,  and  how 
much  was  not  due  to  him  ?  The  Eulomene  was  by  no 
means  the  only  vessel  on  the  sea  ;  there  are  numberless 
others  about,  as  yet.;  some  of  them  will  probably  sail  from 
Bremerhaven  in  ballast  ;  and,  may  be,  will  have  to  cross 
the  North  Sea  in  winter.  Why  not  tell  the  world  the  exact 
truth  concerning  these  little  matters  ? 


IF  the  master  was  allowed  to  please  himself  in  the  matter 
of  ballast,  it  is  only  right  and  proper  to  say  so  ;  if,  as  is 
usually  the  case,  he  had  to  subordinate  his  opinions  to  a 
superintendent  who  knows  nothing  about  the  special  cir- 
cumstances of  the  case  ;  why  not  tell  us  so,  again  ?  We 
all  know,  that  the  man  who  has  sailed  a  given  vessel  ;  who, 
therefore,  knows  most  of  her  eccentricities  and  weaknesses; 
is  usually  the  man  who  is  supposed  to  know  less  about  the 
subject,  than  the  servant  who  is  deputed  with  a  little  brief 
authority,  and  a  knowledge  gleaned  from  a  cursory  study 


•57 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July   21,  1905 


of  the  blue-print  supplied  by  the  builders— the  super  man, 
to  wit.  In  our  opinion,  these  little  wreck  inquiry  moves, 
should  be  given,  r.t  least,  tha  same  publicity  which  is 
accorded  the  case  of  an  ill-used  donkey.  In  other  words, 
the  Board  of  Trade  should  undertake  to  publish,  themselves. 
the  whole  of  the  evidence  produced  at  an  Inquiry  :  and  not 
leave  it  to  the  generosity  of  a  pressman  to  cull  as  much  as 
he  pleases,  from  a  case  which  should  be  of  interest  to 
everybody.  When  a  "  poor  dumb  animal  "  has  been  ill-used 
—either  accidentally  or  on  purpose— the  facts  are  posted 
outside  every  police  station  in  the  district :  why  not  give 
us  a  posting  of  the  salient  features  which  are  brought  to 
light,  in  the  case  of  a  foundering  at  sea,  with  its  consequent 
loss  of  life  ? 

WE  know  that  it  is  possible  to  obtain  a  complete  history 
of  the  case  ;    but  how   many   'longshoremen   know  how  to 
proceed  in  this  direction?    Not  many,  be  sure:  and  anyhow, 
a  drowned  sailorman  is  of  less  importance  than  a  galled 
horse,  for  instance  ?    If  he  really  is  not,  then,  the  powers 
that  be,  take  an  awful  amount  of  trouble  in  convincing  you 
that  way.     "No  blame  attached   to  any   one."   but   "the 
master  would  have  been  better  advised  to  have  taken  more 
ballast."     "  Aground    on    a    soft  beach . . .  without  having 
sustained  any  ostensible  damage."      What  is   "  ostensible 
damage."  anyhow  ?     Is  it  necessary  to  see  that  the  bottom 
of  a  ship  is  totally  gone,  before  the  damage  may  be  classed 
as  ostensible  ?     Again,  if  the  extra  250  tons  of  ballast  had 
been  shipped  when  the  800  tons  were  put  on  board,  would 
this  have  obviated  the  grounding  on  a  "  soft  beach  ?  " 
not,   why  were  the  additional  250  tons  shipped  ?     As  a 
matter  of  fact,  there  are  a  number  of  items  of  information 
which  would    be    of    interest    to  the    nautical   mind,   but 
which   are   missing  from   this  case   in    which  "  no  blame 
attached  to  anyone,"  but  in  which  "  the  master  would  have 
been  better  advised  to  have  taken  more  ballast."     We  are 
strongly  of  opinion    that,   if  a  law   were   passed  for  the 
purpose    of    invalidating    all  insurance   policies  when   an 
Inquiry  Court  found  after  the  foregoing,  then,  there  would 
not  be  nearly  so  much  of  the  under-ballasting,  and  founder- 
ings  resulting  therefrom,  which  abound  to-day. 

WHEN  Mr.  Keir  Hardie.  M.P.,  gets  off  on  the  prophetic  lay, 
he  is  seen  at  better  advantage  than  at  other  times.    Better 
advantage,  in   that  the  cult  which  he  represents,  is  show  n 
up  at  its  true  value  to  the  national  entity.     The   gentleman 
has  been  taking  a  reef  out  of  his  mantle,   over  the   Unem- 
ployed   Bill.     We   are   not  going  to  bother  you   with  the 
detail  of  that   monument  of  grandmotherliness  ;  you  have 
already  been  surfeited  therewith  ;  what  we  wish  to  show 
you,  is  how  the  Keir  Hardies  of  the  world  fulfil  their  reason 
of   existence.      "  Farm  colonies,"  at  the  expense  of  that 
portion  of  the  nation  that   will  work,  are  "  off."     This   is 
where  the  great  trouble  is  coming  in.     For,  in  the  words  of 
Merthyr's  junior    member,    "  The    outcome— and   here  I 
speak  with  authority— will  certainly  be  a  feeling  of  resent- 
ment  of  which  the  country  will   hear  during  the   coming 
winter  .  .  .  The  unemployed  are  organised  as  they  never 
have  been,  hitherto.    They  are,  in  most  cases,  being  led  by 
strong,   determined    men.      They  will   not   be   content  to 
suffer   in  silence,"  and   right   here,  Mr.  Keir  Hardie  leaves 
the  prophetic,  for  the  humorous  lay  ?     Whoever  heard   of 
the  great  unemployed   suffering  in  silence  ?    Isn't  their 
alleged  suffering,  among  the  noisiest  affairs  on  earth  ? 

AND  it  is  a  terrible  pity  that  the  worthy  M.P.  cannot  see 
the  pathetic  humour  attached  to  his  statement  that  the 
unemployed  are  led  by  strong,  determined  men.  Man, 
dear,  this  country  has  no  room  for  unemployed  "  strong, 
determined  men."  That  class  of  man  is  ever  to  be  found 


as  a  Boss  of  some  big  undertaking,  and  wouldn't  waste  his 
time  in  marshalling  a  horde  of  non-workers,  at  any  price. 
If  Mr.  Harcie  had  told  us  that  the  leaders  of  the  un- 
employed, were  merely  strong  and  determined  about  the 
jaw,  but  woefully  weak  about  the  spine,  we  should  have 
attached  more  belief  to  his  abilities  as  a  prophet.  As 
things  are,  we  are  bound  to  admit  that  the  poor  gentleman 
is  conjuring  up  all  manner  of  bogies,  solely  for  the  purpose 
of  frightening  himself.  When  the  unemployed  in  any  one 
section,  can  find  time  and  opportunities  to  organise  as 
suggested,  then,  they  are  a  menace  to  the  State,  and 
should  be  treated  as  such.  All  that  remains,  now,  is  for 
the  unemployed  to  organise,  and  seeing  that  they  number 
quits  a  thousand  to  one  of  the  other  sort— well,  we  are  of 
opinion  that  Mr.  Hardie  may  possess  his  soul  in  patience, 
even  as  may  the  remainder  of  us.  Any  number  of  men 
who  have  brains  enough  to  organise  as  a  mob  of  Tired 
Tims,  should  also  have  brains  enough  to  find  work,  in  a 
country  where  plenty  abounds. 

#  & 

FOR  when  all  is  said  on  the  subject,  there  is  no  scarcity 
of  work  in  Britain.  The  only  scarcity  which  exists,  is  for 
a  number  of  men  who  imagine  they  are  worth  a  sovereign, 
when  in  reality,  their  value  is  better  assessed  at  fourpence 
ha'penny.  This  is  the  real  crux  of  the  situation.  Cheap 
education  has  convinced  a  number  of  nonentities  that  they 
are  geniuses,  and  naturally-- under  the  circumstances — 
they  are  seeking  for  the  pay  of  a  genius.  The  trouble  is, 
that  the  same  cheap  education  has  not  convinced  the 
employer  quite  to  the  same  extent,  and  the  "suffering  in 
silence "  resolves  into  a  refusal  to  take  25  shillings  per 
week,  when  the  genius  has  assessed  his  value  at  25s.  6d. 
Acts  of  Parliament  will  never  operate  against  the  natural 
law  of  supply  and  demand.  It  is  usually  admitted  that  you 
cannot  make  a  nation  moral  by  Act  of  Parliament,  so  why 
should  it  be  assumed  that  you  can  raise  his  commercial 
value  by  the  same  means  ?  The  plain  fact  of  the  matter 
is,  that  the  unionistic  idea  has  been  neglected  ;  has  been 
allowed  to  pursue  but  one  phase  of  progression.  The  dire 
need  of  the  moment  is,  that  the  workers  of  the  world 
should  combine  themselves  into  a  non-Unionists  Union  in 
which  case  the  other  kind  of  Unionist,  being  in  a  howling 
minority,  would  soon  die  a  natural  death. 


CONSIDER  the  trouble  that  is  ever  to  the  fore  in  South 
Wales.  What  brings  it  about  ?  Simply  the  misplaced 
indulgence  which  has  been  meted  out  to  the  leathern- 
lunged  few.  who  have  such  a  pronounced  indisposition  to 
work,  that  they  are  for  ever  attempting  to  persuade  a  few 
more  irresponsibles  to  follow  suit.  Time  and  again,  it  has 
been  proved  that  a  "  Union  "  gives  trouble,  not  because  its 
members  have  any  grievance,  but  solely  for  the  reason  that 
the  agitator  shall,  by  this  means,  lay  claim  to  a  fictitious 
value.  It  is  useless  denying  the  fact.  It  is  too  self- 
evident  for  any  denial  to  be  of  avail.  We  know  of  instances 
where  men  have  been  "expelled"  from  a  "  union."  when, 
at  the  same  time,  they  were  in  receipt  of  more  than  union 
wages :  and  where  the  only  "  grievance "  was.  that  the 
undertaking  involved,  had  not  been  handed  over  to  the 
mercies— tender  or  otherwise — of  the  union's  secretary. 
We  believe  in  helping  our  down-trodden  brothers  :  but  we 
do  not  believe  in  helping  a  horde  of  undesirables  who  are 
merely  alleged  to  be  down-trodden.  With  this  in  mind,  we 
suggest  that  the  time  has  arrived,  when  the  genuine 
workers  of  the  nation,  should  band  themselves  into  a  non- 
unionists  society  ;  after  which,  they  could  reciprocate  by 
"  peacefully  persuading  "  the  minority  which  now  belongs 
to  the  other  sort  of  Union,  into  joining  the  new  cult.  For 
a  time,  there  would  be  some  fun,  no  doubt ;  but  eventually, 


July   31,    1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


reason  would  assert  itself  :  the  "  labour  leader  "  would  see 


perhaps  in  the  dim  vistas  of  the  future,  the 
British  Empire  will  be  known  as  a  modern  institution,  in 
that  it  will  have  weights  and  measures  which  date  from 
;han  "  a  century  back  "—and  more  !  The  Associa- 
tion of  Chambers  of  Commerce  have  been  again  busy  with 
the  subject,  and  have  asked  the  Board  of  Trade  to  sanction 
the  use  of  weights  of  SOlbs..  lOlbs..  and  51bs..  as  aliquot 


concerned,    are  distinctly    "off."    That's  what  they   are. 
en  Tod  Sloan — no,  Thomas  H.  Sloan.  Esquire,  gives  us 
a  straight  tip.  well,  we  are  all  for  taking  it. 

HOLD  on  a  bit  though.  Does  the  Sloanesque  strictures 
apply  to  shipping  M.P.'S  ?  And  if  so.  seeing  that  they  are 
invariably  honest,  is  the  thusness  of  the  situation,  because 
of  their  having  no  conscience  ?  They  do  live  up  to  the 
inward  workings  of  something,  we  know,  and,  personally. 
we  thought  it  was  a  conscience.  However,  we  have  never 


parts  of  the  cental.      What  is  more  to  the  point,  the  mighty       j366"  to  Parliament,  so  cannot  write  from  personal  know- 


Board  has  agreed  to  the  request.  You  understand  that  it 
didn't  put  the  matter  so  plainly  and  businesslike  as  that. 

Not  altogether.  The  Board's  method  of  dismissing  the 
subject,  was  "  the  Board  of  Trade  have  given  careful  con- 
sideration to  the  representations  which  have  been  made. 
and  they  are  prepared  to  assent  to  the  application."  Yea. 
lor'  !  It  is  somewhat  of  a  good  thing,  and  a  better  sign. 
when  the  Board  of  Trade  is  prepared  to  assent  to  anything 
less  pre-historic  than  the  half-time  survey  of  the  Ark  ? 
Anyhow,  it  means  business,  this  time,  for  we  have  it  on  the 
authority  of  Lord  Salisbury  and  he  is  calculated  to  know 
something  about  the  needs  of  the  tradesman-  that  "  Steps 
will  therefore  be  taken  for  the  preparation  of  standards  of 
the  same  octagonal  form  as  the  present  SOlbs.  weight." 

5?%5 

WE  are  in  for  a  good  time,  after  all.  and  if  anybody  can 
offer  any  genuine  reason  why  a  ton  should  be  other  than  a 
level  2.0001bs..  let  him  now  speak,  or  for  ever  after  hold 
his  peace.  -That  good  time,  too,  will  help  the  sailorman. 
equally  as  much  as  it  will  help  the  'longshore  brother.  By 
and  by.  we  shall  have  cargoes  assessed  at  so  many  tons  of 
S.OOOlbs.  each  :  and  a  hundred  weight,  will  ultimately 
signify  a  hundred  pounds.  First  along,  the  whole  business 
will  be  little  short  of  a  national  calamity,  we  know  :  but 
seeing  that  France  and  America  have  made  a  fairly  good 
showing  with  reasonable  and  sensible  weights,  there  is  no 
reason  to  suppose  that  the  Briton  will  be  any  the  worse 
off?  Of  course,  we  are  willing  to  admit  that  it  is  Consti- 
tutionally wrong  to  simplify  the  matters  appertaining  to 
British  trade  :  but  even  so.  it  had  to  come,  sooner  or  later  : 
and  the  present  generation  might  just  as  well  claim  the 
credit  therefor,  as  leave  it  to  its  sons  and  daughters. 
When  the  weights  and  measures  have  been  tried  on  a 
modern  scale  :  when  it  is  noted  that  nothing  untoward  has 
happened  in  consequence  ;  it  is  highly  probable  that 
English  money  will  be  modernised.  We  mustn't  go  too 
fast  it  is  unseemly.  And  several  other  things,  as  well. 

5?  & 


WE  always  had  an  idea  that  it  was  anything  but  a  "  great 
cop."  being  a  Member  of  Parliament.     We  had  a  sneaking  _  ,.  -m 


ledge.  Mr.  Sloan  has,  and  presumably  does.  Doing  so,  he 
says  that  no  man  could  be  honest,  or  having  a  conscience, 
could  live  up  to  its  dictates— and  be  a  Member  of  Parlia- 
ment. Good  heavens!  The  sweepingness— if  we  may 
write  it  thus— of  the  declaration  is  dreadful  to  contemplate. 
We  have  a  sort  of  feeling  that  some  nasty  people  in 
Parliament,  have  been  up  against  Mr.  Sloan,  considerably 
more  than  they  had  any  right  to  be,  and  we  are  sorry 
in  consequence.  What  connection  has  the  continuance  of 
the  light  dues  ;  the  absence  of  a  light  load  line  ;  the  non- 
passing  of  a  Flag  Bill ;  the  continued  struggle  after  chasing 
the  Briton  out  of  the  British  vessel :  or  any  of  the 
thousand-and-one  disabilities  under  which  the  shipping- 
industry  languishes,  to  do  with  the  lack  of  conscience,  we 
wonder  ?  Really,  any  further  consideration  of  this  phase 
of  national  life,  is  impossible.  It  is.  indeed  ! 


IT  would  be  interesting  to  know  what  this  old  Homeland 
of  ours  would  develop  into,  if  every  crank  were  given  a 
free  hand  in  mapping  out  his  own  crankiness  ?  Private 
Philanthropy  (with  a  capital  P)  is  now  out  on  the  war-path, 
intent  on  the  establishment  of  labour  colonies,  and  some  of 
our  contemporaries  are  labouring  under  the  delusion,  that 
the  State  might  come  into  the  scheme,  and  help.  We  note 
that  in  the  event  of  State-help  intervening,  it  might  be 
necessary  for  the  Weary  Willies  wno  are  to  be  helped  (?), 
to  carry  a  "  waybill  "  -a  sort  of  bill  of  health,  showing 
where  the  human  derelict  is  bound  to,  whence  he  has  come, 
when  he  last  had  a  wash,  and  several  other  items  of  a 
similar  character.  Tickles  you,  doesn't  it  ?  You  can 
imagine  the  sturdy  wanderer  who  claims  to  be  a  man  and  a 
brother,  deigning  to  allow  you  to  put  any  such  personal 
questions  to  him.  can't  you  ?  Mind  you,  there  are  such 
colonies  on  the-free  and  happy  Continent :  the  place  which 
is  soldier-ridden  and  disciplined  to  death,  nearly.  And 
certain  well-meaning,  but  in  our  opinion,  eminently 
misguided  individuals,  are  about  to  visit  these  Continental 
paradises.  What  the  upshot  of  it  all  will  be — well,  jou  can 
put  it  down  to  the  hot  weather,  and  then  give  it  up  ! 


sort  of  notion  developed  at  the  expense  of  some  few  of 
the  hon.  members  which  we  have  studied  that  most 
decent  individuals  were  sorry  that  they  ever  troubled  about 
the  fictitious  honour.  And  now  we  have  it  on  the  word  of 
Mr.  Thomas  H.  Sloan.  M.P.  for  South  Belfast,  that  our 
decision  on  the  subject,  was  anything  but  a  long  way  out ! 
As  a  matter  of  fact.  Mr.  Sloan  is  sorry  that  he  ever  entered 
Parliament,  and  has  no  desire,  whatever,  to  see  himself 
back  there,  once  again.  Indeed,  the  gentleman  is  assured, 
is  convinced,  has  a  firm  belief,  or  which  of  the  various  ways 
you  would  rather  put  it.  that  "  no  man  could  be  honest,  or, 
having  a  conscience,  could  live  up  to  its  dictates,  and  be  a 
Member  of  Parliament."  There  you  are.  you  good  Parlia- 
mentarians. Don't  you  try  to  mislead  us  in  any  of  your 
usually  shameful  manners,  any  more.  Mr.  Sloan  has  been 
in  the  talking  shop  for  some  three  years,  and  that  ought  to 
be  long  enough  to  admit  of  his  sizing  you  up.  Henceforth. 
all  notions  toward  Parliamentary  honours,  as  far  as  we  are 


You  know,  it  is  almost  impossible  for  us  to  scan  the 
"labour"  column  of  "London's  best,"  without  wondering 
why  there  is  still  room  at  Hanwell — or  Bridgend  ? 
Touching  on  the  recent  disaster  in  the  Rhondda  Valley,  the 
heaven-sent  genius  who  attends -more  or  less— to  the 
column  referred  to,  is  more  than  usually  amusing.  Every- 
body deplores  the  sad  accident  which  carried  off  so  many 
bread-winners,  and  we  venture  to  say  that  not  one  man  in 
the  whole  of  Wales  but  would  do  his  utmost  in  the  relief  of 
the  distress  which  is  consequent  on  the  disaster,  or  to 
obviate  any  such  deplorable  mishap  again  occurring.  All 
the  same,  there  is  absolutely  no  sense,  or  reason,  in  talking 
through  one's  hat  about  the  matter  ?  Poppycock  will  not 
bring  the  victims  to  life,  nor  will  it  help  to  stop  the  hunger 
of  those  who  have  lost  their  mainstay.  Yet  poppycock  is 
about  all  that  one  "  L.G.G.M."  brings  to  bear  on  the  subject 
— at  least,  it  appears  so  to  us.  In  one  breath  this  would-be 
regenerator  of  mankind  tells  you  that  "the  latest  holocaust 


'59 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July   21,    1905 


(there  is  no  originality  in  these  writers;  "holocaust"  is 
their  pet  word  )  will  scarcely  disturb  the  average."  If  not, 
of  what  use  is  it  to  lash  one's  self  into  a  ferment  over  the 
miserable  occurrence  ? 

5?  & 

You  are  first  assured  that  the  life-loss  in  coal-winning  is 
so  great,  that  but  few  people  realise  the  magnitude  thereof: 
you  are  then  told  that  this  greatness  notwithstanding.  120 
additional  victims  will  not  "  disturb  the  average."  which, 
year  in,  year  out.  is  twenty  per  week.  In  view  of  the  total 
number  employed,  this  twenty  per  week  should  show  that 
coal-mining  is  considerably  safer,  as  a  means  of  livelihood. 
than  are  dozens  of  other  occupations  of  which  the  "daily  " 
youth  seldom  or  never  prattles.  But  then,  the  mining 
industry  has  succeeded  in  looming  tall  in  the  public  eye- 
thanks  to  Mr.  Agitator  while  the  other  trades  referred  to, 
are  quiet,  and  bear  their  portion  of  the  white  man's  burden, 
without  a  continual  growl  being  thrown  around  on  the 
breeze.  Moreover,  the  genius  to  whom  we  have  already 
referred,  winds  up  his  peroration  as  "I  have  often  remarked 
how  unfairly  the  earnings  of  coal-mines  are  divided  between 
the  owners  of  the  mines,  the  shareholders  of  the  companies. 
and  the  men  who  win  the  coal  for  us."  Yet,  in  spite  of  the 
great  "  Fs"  frequent  remarks,  the  world  pursues  the  even 
tenour  of  its  way.  It's  shameful.  That  same  old  world 
ought  to  stop  on  its  axis,  yea,  right  up  to  the  moment  when 
"  I  "  is  listened  to,  with  all  the  veneration  which  his  abilities 
command  —  or  should  command. 


23BuT,  for  one  reason  and  another,  these  attendants  to  the 
"popular"  column  of  "London's  best,"  seldom  if  ever 
write  in  a  manner  that  is  convincing.  They  bring  our  their 
cheap  bit  of  pathos,  and  if  they  would  leave  it  right  there, 
no  harm  would  result  -nor  any  good.  Unfortunately,  how- 
ever, they  slide  along  over  the  piece  of  pathos,  and  get 
into  —  yes,  into  bathos  ;  for  they  start  writing  of  subjects 
on  which  they  are  obviously,  ill-posted.  When  all  is  said 
and  done,  the  collier  is  the  one  man  who  gets  nearly  all 
there  is  to  get  out  of  the  Welsh  coal  trade.  In  any  case, 
he  obtains  the  lion's  share  of  the  proceeds.  For  it  cannot 
be  gainsaid  but  that  with  very  few  exceptions,  a  colliery 
undertaking  is  about  the  least-paying  of  all  the  industrials 
Yet  the  miner  can  reasonably  expect  to  rope  in  a  full  day's 
work,  all  the  year  'round  :  and  without  having  to  risk  a 
penny  piece  :  and  his  life  is  considerably  less  in  danger 
than  are  others  who  are  not  nearly  so  well  recompensed 
for  their  labour.  In  view  of  the  fact  that  a  colliery  concern 
might  reasonably  be  expected  to  spend  several  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  pounds  before  it  is  in  a  position  to  earn  a 
penny  ;  that  every  cent  is  by  way  of  a  gamble  :  and  that 
every  cent,  again,  is  paid  out  in  wages,  to  the  very  people 
that  "  London's  best"  is  pretending  to  champion:  well,  you 
can  see  the  farce  of  the  poppycock  alluded  to,  can't  you  ? 


IF"L.G.G.M."  can  be  persuaded  to  get  away  from  the 
one  idea  which  appears  to  pervade  his  every  line  :  can 
find  the  time,  and  the  capital  to  admit  of  his  coming  down 
this  way,  for  the  purpose  of  sizing  up  the  dividends  of  the 
collieries  of  which  he  prates  so  lightly  ;  he  will  probably 
learn  that  the  dividing  of  the  ooftish  is  unfair-^but  not  in 
the  manner  which  he  imagines.  He  will  find  that  in 
numberless  instances,  not  a  cent  of  dividend  has  been 
returned  to  the  long-suffering  shareholders  involved  ;  and 
that,  in  effect,  the  collieries  are  being  run  solely  in  the 
interests  of  the  colliers—  and  their  officials.  For  the  men 
referred  to,  are  about  all  that  are  getting  anything  out  of 
the  millions  which  have  been  invested.  Naturally, 
"  London's  best  "  young  man,  cannot  be  expected  to  know 
anything  about  this  phase  of  the  subject  ?  He  isn't  built 


that  way  ?  He  is  the  aider  and  abettor  of  sundry  cliques 
of  universal  reformers  :  at  least,  he  would  probably  wish 
to  appear  thusly.  In  reality,  his  lucubrations  are  useful, 
merely  for  the  reason  that  we  have  used  them  ;  to  fill  a 
corner,  and  to  pass  the  time  away  !  Still,  now  that  the 
great  "  I "  has  shown  you  the  frequency  with  which  he  has 
approached  the  theme,  perhaps  you  will  do  better.  Will 
keep  a  bit  from  the  collier,  and  pass  it  over  to  the  investor? 

&  & 

WE  are  more  than  half-inclined  to  believe  that  there  is 
more  than  mere  hot-weather-feeling,  in  the  opinions  given 
to  the  same  "daily"  as  we  have  quoted  above,  by  Member 
of  Parliament  T.  J.  Macnamara.  Here  is  the  awful  warning 
that  is  given  us  if  we  care  to  subscribe  thereto  :  "It  will 
all  be  just  the  same  next  time  and  worse  (we  are  bound  to 
admit  that  the  gentleman  is  a  bit  mixed,  and  that  he  means 
it  will  be  unjust  the  next  time,  and  worse).  All  the  mistakes 
of  South  Africa  are,  in  detailed  identity,  but  a  reproduction 
of  the  disclosures  of  the  Roebuck  and  Sidney  Herbert 
Committees  of  50  years  ago.  Nothing  followed  the  .Crimean 
scandals  because  the  public  forgot  them  even  before  the 
various  Commissions  had  reported  "  In  which  case,  the 
public  couldn't  have  bothered  unduly  about  it,  could  they  ? 
However,  that  is  as  may  be  ;  but  there  is  a  lot  of  hidden 
possibility  in  the  following  :  "  And  we  shall  drift  on  in  the 
same  sweet  old  way  (which  is  somewhat  poetical  for  such 
a  nauseous  subject  ?)  until  one  fine  day  (must  it  be  a  fine 
day  ?)  we  shall  knock  up  against  a  thoroughly  scientifically 
organised  force  like  the  Japs,"  when,  what  is  going  to 
happen?  Something  dref'ful,  you  may  be  sure:  and  some- 
thing very  much  out  of  the  common — or  you  would"  not  see 
the  name  of  T.  J.  Macnamara  underneath  the  screed. 


BUT  what  really  is  going  to  happen — at  least,  in  the 
opinion  of  the  same  authority— is  that  "John  Bull  will  go 
down,  cursing  the  stupid  folly  and  indifference  that  have 
been  his  undoing."  Well,  well,  to  think  of  John  Bull  going 
off  the  world's  stage,  in  any  such  indecent  manner ! 
Cursing  the  stupid  folly—  Great  Scott !  If  the  old  chap 
were  to  curse  the  sensible  folly,  it  would  not  be  half  so  bad  ; 
but  when  we  are  assured — and  by  a  piece  of  John  Bull, 
himself  ;  say,  one  of  his  trouser  buttons,  if  you  like — that 
the  dear  old  stupid  will  go  down,  cursing  the  stupid  folly  of 
the  fit-out,  well,  this  is  distinctly  a  case  of  "  If  you  have 
tears,  prepare  to  shed  them,  now  ?  "  We  haven't  the  space 
to  go  into  the  side  issues,  and  ancient  history  portions  of 
the  Macnamara  yarn  ;  neither  is  it  necessary,  for  that 
matter.  The  worthy  M.P.  has  opened  up  nothing  that  is 
new  :  he  does  but  prattle  along  over  the  lines  which  have 
been  followed  by  others.  But  in  the  midst  of  it  all,  there 
is  the  little  point  about  knocking  up  against  that  meta- 
phorical but  "  thoroughly  scientifically  organised  force." 
which  is  going  to  play  Old  Harry  with  every  one  of  us. 
There  is  truth  in  the  statement,  and  when  you  have 
succeeded  in  stripping  away  the  brilliant,  but  somewhat 
misleading  metaphors  adopted  by  Gamberwell's  elect,  you 
have  something  to  think  about.  Personally,  we  hope  you 

will  do  the  thinking. 

t)8  Xg 
t&i     2$ 

THE  shrieking  concerning  the  decision  of  the  Board 
of  Admiralty  to  sweep  out  the  nation's  dockyards,  and 
ultimately  to  attempt  to  put  them  on  a  workable  basis, 
continues.  Naturally,  those  with  most  to  say.  are  they 
who  had  come  to  look  upon  the  Dockyard  as  a  close 
borough  affair  for  themselves.  But,  after  all,  it  is  unneces- 
sary, at  this  late  date,  to  pretend  that  the  Government 
Dockyards  have  been  other  than  public  money  swallowers  ; 
and  that  if  the  .proper  thing  had  been  done,  they  would 
have  been  either  closed,  or  reconstructed,  years  ago. 


July 


'9°5 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


1 60 


Then,  the  claim  that  these  dockyards  are  the  workshops  of 
the  nation,  and  that  they  have  been  specially  constructed, 
at  the  cost  of  millions,  for  the  building  and  repairing  of  the 
fleet,  will  hold  no  water  ?  Men  of  war,  directly  they  have 
come  to  the  mark  which  is  assessed  as  obsolete,  are  sold 
without  reserve  :  they  are  practically  given  away.  Why, 
then,  should  the  Dockyards  receive  a  different  fate  ?  Is  it 
because  the  nation's  pensioners— for  that  is  about  all  that 
the  workmen,  there,  really  are— must  be  cared  for?  If  so, 
it  would  be  much  cheaper  for  the  nation  to  pension  the 
whole  lot  off.  and  close  down  the  yards.  In  that  event, 
the  same  nation  would  merely  have  to  pay  a  comparatively 
inappreciable  amount  as  pension  money,  where  now  the 
establishment  charges  are  immeasurably  beyond  the 
benefits  received. 

$?*? 

Is  anybody  going  to  pretend  that  a  private  shipbuilding 
yard  could  survive  for  three  weeks,  under  the  conditions  of 
waste  which  exist  in  connection  with  Government  Dock- 
yards? Certainly  not.  and  if  the  future  should  make  a 
hurry-up  job  essential  to  the  nation's  safety,  it  is  fairly  safe 
to  assume  that  private  enterprise  will  be  called  upon,  to 
supply  the  means  of  that  "  hurry-up."  This  being  so — 
and  it  is— of  what  use  is  it  to  pretend  that  there  is  any 
need  of  these  Government  establishments  ?  Shipbuilding 
is  like  every  other  thing  appertaining  to  the  sea  service. 
Constant  practice,  alone,  makes  perfect.  Now,  what 
practice  of  the  hurry  up  kind,  is  there  to  be  found  at  a 
Government  Dockyard  ?  Practically  none,  is  there  ?  All 
the  crowd  appears  to  be  imbued  with  the  one  idea  of  going 
home  to  glory,  in  the  steps  their  fathers  trod  :  and  if  you 
were  misguided  enough  to  attempt  to  galvanise  them  into 
real  life— well,  something  would  happen.  The  Dockyards, 
themselves,  might  be  right  enough,  and  under  an  efficient 
system  of  commercial  management,  might  reasonably  be 
expected  to  "  turn  a  honest  penny  "  for  the  nation.  As 
things  are.  however,  there  is  but  little  hope  in  this  direc- 
tion, and  the  safest  way  out  of  the  imbroglio,  is  to  close 
them  for  a  time,  and  start  afresh  ? 

s?*a 

THE  stranding  of  the  passenger  steamer  Brighton,  off  the 
Mumbles  Head,  again  calls  attention  to  the  need  of  an 
efficient  fog-horn  on  this  particular  portion  of  the  Bristol 
Channel  coast.  We  are  not  inclined  to  suggest  that  if  the 
Mumbles  had  been  supplied  with  a  hundred  efficient  horns, 
the  Brighton  would  have  fared  any  better  than  she  did,  for 
when  there  is  a  fog  about,  and  a  tide  is  playing  havoc  with 
a  skipper's  dead  reckoning,  a  fog  horn,  only,  is  not  to  b3 
considered  as  essential  to  safe  navigation.  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  the  horn  of  commerce  is  there  mainly  for  the  purpose 
of  acquainting  the  navigator  that,  in  a  general  sense,  there 
is  land  in  the  direction  whence  comes  the  sound.  Tho> 
captain  of  the  Brighton  already  had  that  information,  and 
was  therefore,  to  a  very  great  extent,  beyond  the  need  of  a 
reminder.  There  was  nothing  particularly  exciting  in 
connection  with  the  stranding,  for  all  the  passengers  were 
safely  landed,  thanks  to  the  assistance  rendered  by 
Swansea's  steam  pilot  boat  Beaufort,  and  we  note  that  the 
usual  "  if."  is  around  in  quite  fair-sized  chunks.  That  is  to 
say.  if  the  Brighton  had  taken  a  course  "  twenty  yards  more 
seaward  the  accident  would  have  been  averted."  Quite  so ! 
Reminds  you  of  the  dog.  the  bone,  and  the  hare,  doesn't  it? 

5?*J 

IN  the  House  of  Lords,  on  Monday,  Lord  Brassey  called 
attention  to  the  report  of  the  Select  Committee  on  Steamship 
Subsidies.  In  doing  so.  his  Lordship  went  into  the  subject 
exhaustively,  and  reminded  his  audience  that  Lord  Nelson's 
cry.  on  a  certain  historical  occasion,  had  been  "  Frigates, 
more  frigates."  Presumably.  Nelson  got  the  frigates,  for 


if  the  Home  Government  were  a  bit  slack  in  responding  to 
his  demands,  the  old  hero  had  a  natty  little  manner  of 
helping  himself  from  the  other  side  !  Present-day  Nelsons 
will  not  be  able  to  do  this  quite  so  well,  and  for  the  reason 
that  "the  other  side  "hasn't  the  necessary  number  of  frigates 
— or  their  modern  equivalent.  It  appears  that  Lord  Charles 
Beresford  informed  the  Select  Committee,  that  success  or 
defeat,  in  the  initial  stages  of  a  war,  might  turn  on  speedy 
information  and  the  maintenance  of  long  lines  of  commu- 
nication :  also,  that  the  best  kind  of  scouts  for  this 
particular  duty,  were  the  ocean  greyhounds  belonging  to  the 
British  Mercantile  Marine.  Lord  Brassey  wished  to  know, 
if  the  Mercantile  Marine,  unaided  by  the  State,  could  supply 
the  ships  that  would  be  required,  and  then  went  on  to  show 
that  in  his  opinion,  it  could  not.  For  in  spite  of  all  the 
"  Rule  Britannia  "  with  which  the  country  is,  from  time  to 
time  excited,  first-class  ships  are  becoming  scarcer,  every 
year. 

&#   Sta 
£&i     «3 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  Mistress  of  the  Seas  is  third  on 
the  list,  when  she  should  be,  undoubtedly,  first.  For 
instance,  of  the  nine  10.000-tonners  having  a  speed  of 
20  knots,  and  which  have  been  built  since  1895,  one  only 
—the  Oceanic — is  under  the  British  flag.  Lord  Brassey 
had  a  lot  to  say  concerning  the  Cunard  agreement,  and 
suggested  that  therein  the  Government  had  not  gone  far 
enough  as  regards  numbers,  and  had  been  too  exacting  in 
the  matter  of  speed.  But  then,  the  Government  never  will 
go  far  enough  where  a  mere  merchant  ship  is  concerned, 
and  it  is  always  too  exacting  under  the  same  circumstances. 
The  plain  fact  is,  that  the  Government  and  its  officials, 
seeing  that  they  have  but  a  very  perfunctory  knowledge  of 
the  Mercantile  Marine,  have  also  a  scant  sympathy  there- 
with. It  is  useless  cloaking  the  truth,  for  that  line  of 
conduct  will  never  put  nautical  affairs  on  the  correct 
footing.  There  is  no  justification  for  the  conduct,  we  know, 
but  it  is  only  misleading,  to  try  to  get  away  from  the  actual 
conditions  which  apply  :  That  Governmental  folk  gaze  upon 
the  Mercantile  Marine,  its  owners,  and  its  personnel,  as  a 
sort  of  nautical  natural  history  group.  A  something  to  be 
looked  at,  much  as  you  would  look  at  the  skeleton  of  a 
mastodon,  or  the  much-written-of  dodo. 


SUCH  a  condition  is  deplorable,  we  admit ;  but  it  is  there, 
all  the  same.  The  Naval  officer  generally  affects  an 
indulgent  style,  when  hard  fate  makes  it  imperative  for  him 
to  exist,  for  a  few  moments,  in  company  with  a  merchant- 
man. That  is  to  say,  the  mercantile  officer  is  a -well, 
dontcherknow,  he  is  rather  a  decent  sort  of  chappie,  p'r'aps, 
but,  still,  he  is  only  a  merchantman  !  The  latter  worthy, 
not  to  be  outdone  in  this  particular,  is  prone  to  look  upon 
the  Naval  man,  as  a  kind  of  Lowther  Arcade  mannikin,  and 
until  this  ridiculous  state  of  affairs  is  altered,  there  will  be 
no  better  ordering  of  matters  nautical.  The  Naval  officer 
takes  his  cue  from  his  owners,  the  Government ;  and  they 
in  turn,  have  taken  their's,  from  nonsensical  tradition. 
That  the  whole  fit-out  is  senseless,  and  utterly  unworthy 
of  the  progressive  times  in  which  we  live,  cannot  be  gain- 
said ;  that  the  conditions  are  even  as  we  have  written,  is 
equally  certain.  There  is  a  way  out  of  the  imbroglio,  and 
it  is  the  Government's  bounden  duty  to  show  that  way. 
Let  there  be  a  little  more  mixing  of  the  two  classes  ;  let 
one  get  to  know  the  other  as  he  really  is,  and  not  as  he  has 
been  traditioned  as  appearing ;  and  the  first  step  in  the 
road  to  improvement  will  have  been  taken. 

IN  this  connection,  there  is  one  great  essential.  Every- 
body concerned,  should  be  willing  to  look  at  the  subject 
from  an  unprejudiced  point  of  view  ;  should  endeavour  to 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July  21,   1905 


size  up  the  actual  value  of  each  branch  of  the  service,  from 
a  national  point  of  view  :  should  realise  that  the  Navy  and 
the  Mercantile  Marine  are  inter-dependent  :  and  that  even 
as  the  merchant  ship  could  not  pursue  its  peaceful  path 
unless  protected  by  its  fighting  friend  :  neither  could  the 
fighter  exist  for  ten  minutes,  were  it  not  that  the  peaceful 
vessel  earns  the  money,  and  brings  the  stores  which  make 
it  possible  to  keep  a  "fleet  in  being."  Once  make  both  sides 
realise  that  they  are  but  nautical  twins,  so  to  speak  :  that 
the  nation  regards  them  both  with  the  same  kindly  thought: 
and  Britain's  place  in  the  scheme  of  creation  would  be 
trebly  secure.  There  is  no  getting  away  from  the  knowledge 
that  the  nation  at  large,  has  a  different  feeling  for  the  two 
services.  Merchant  Jack  might  march  about  inhisthousands- 
and  the  crowd  would  adopt  the  same  sort  of  smile  that 
would  be  their's,  if  they  were  putting  in  an  afternoon  at 
the  Zoo.  But  if  a  dozen  or  so  of  blue-jackets  foregather 
at  a  given  spot,  the  same  crowd  will  put  away  the  smile 
alluded  to.  even  as  it  waxes  quite  enthusiastic  over  the 
boys-in-blue. 

iff  & 

IT  will  be  a  bad  day  for  Britain,  when  that  enthusiasm  is 
a  thing  of  the  past  ;  but  it  is  just  as  valuable  an  asset, 
when  used  in  connection  with  the  merchant  sailor  :  and 
if  this  fact  would  be  but  apparent  to  those  with  the  greatest 
interest  in  the  conditions,  the  Government  would  not  be 
quite  so  apathetic  where  the  Mercantile  Marine's  interests 
are  at  stake.  It  is  all  very  well  to  appoint  Select  Com- 
mittees, but  it  is  highly  probable  that  they  are  more  or  less 
tainted  with  the  same  feeling  of  national  superiority,  as  is 
in  evidence  with  other  sections  which  deal  with  merchant 
questions.  Under  those  circumstances,  then,  it  is  hopeless 
to  expect  a  better  ordering  of  affairs,  for  the  would-be 
orderers  start  out  with  a  wrong  feeling  ;  a  feeling  that  the 
shipowner  is  a  sort  of  spoiled  darling  :  that  as  such,  he 
must  be  made  to  realise  his  proper  position  in  the  general 
scheme  ;  and  thus  it  comes  about,  that  every  phase  of  the 
business  is  attacked  from  a  prejudiced  point  of  view.  Really 
speaking,  the  subsidy  committee  should  have  had  nothing 
to  do  with  the  idea  that  they  were  sitting  in  judgment  on 
the  shipowner  :  should  have  realised  that  their's  was  a 
national  duty  :  that  they  were  employed  for  the  purpose  of 
getting  something  worth  having,  for  the  general  benefit  of 
the  nation  ;  and  that,  anyhow,  shipowner  doesn't  care  a 
toss  as  to  how  any  subsidy  concern  comports  itself. 


FURTHERMORE,  if  a  better  state  is  really  desired,  the 
Government  must  give  more  attention  to  the  personnel  side 
of  the  Mercantile  Marine.  There  is  absolutely  no  reason 
that  the  mercantile  officer  shall  be  kept  away  from  the 
nation's  vessel,  as  if  he  had  the  plague  ;  and  the  naval  man 
would  learn  quite  a  quantity  of  resourceful  quiffs,  if  he 
were  "  detailed  "  for  service,  on  a  Bilbao  iron-ore  steamer. 
There  is  nothing  impossible  in  the  suggestion,  and  a  care- 
fully worked-out  scheme  on  the  suggested  lines,  would  be 
of  incalculable  benefit  to  the  country.  For  in  this  manner, 
the  naval  man  would  rapidly  acquire  a  well-merited 
toleration  for  his  mercantile  brother,  while  the  latter  would 
add  a  certain  amount  of  real  life  to  the  mechanical  routine 
of  the  Navy.  That  all  hands  would  be  gainers;  goes  without 
saying  ;  and  the  biggest  gainer  of  all,  would  be  the  nation. 
In  our  opinion,  there  is  ever  too  much  attention  paid  to  the 
actual  trade  of  the  country,  rather  than  to  the  methods 
which  should  be  adopted  to  carry  on  that  trade.  In  other 
words,  the  whole  of  the  trade  has  to  be  conveyed,  some- 
how ;  and  instead  of  seeing  that  the  carrying  portion  of  the 
deal  is  in  first-class  order,  the  maximum  of  care  is  given  to 
working  up  the  stuff,  itself,  while  a  trust  in  Providence  is 
manifested  as  to  how  that  same  stuff  shall  be  carried. 


THE  early  nightingale  is  no  more  ;  the  big  gooseberry  has 
ceased  to  charm  ;  no  kindly-disposed  person  will  oblige 
with  a.  sea-serpent  story  ;  "  business  falsehoods  "  have 
begun  to  pall :  even  the  German  coal  deal  is  of  little  use  as 
an  irritant-of-the-moment ;  so  threats  of  a  big  coal  strike 
are  toward.  It's  a  gay  world,  good  people,  and  if,  in  these 
sad  times  of  stress,  you  happen  upon  "  scare  heads  "  in 
your  own  particular  "  daily,"  don't  be  alarmed  :  patiently 
wade  through  all  the  sickening  detail ;  wipe  away  the  salt- 
laden  tear  :  and  even  as  you  note  that  the  end  of  the 
particular  paragraph  is  about  reached  ;  prepare  to  ship  your 
best  and  most  expansive  smile,  for — "  You'll  find  it  contra- 
dicted at  the  bottom  !  "  'Tis  ever  thus,  if  you  care  to  give 
the  subject  a  little  consideration  ;  it  is  exactly  the  same,  if 
you  don't;  and  thus  the  world  wags!  "And  why  is  the 
threatened  strike  on  tap  ?  "  "  Oh,  the  owners  have  formed 
a  combine  to  defeat  the  men."  "How  do  you  know?" 
"  Why,  there  is  a  strike  on  at  Such-a-colliery,  and  its  trucks 
have  been  collecting  coal  from  So-and-so's."  Here  friends, 
is  the  sort  of  clap-trap  with  which  you  are  assailed,  if  you 
are  misguided  enough  to  spend  a  penny  for  certain  of  the 
"  daily  "  arrangements. 

e#  9<a 

Ki    1e3 

THE  journalist  of  commerce  is  supposed  to  be  an  obser- 
vant biped,  and  generally  speaking,  he  is  just  that. 
Exceptions  prove  the  rule,  and  some  of  our  contemporaries 
prove  the  exception  !  Since  coal  trains  were  first  made  up, 
it  has  been  a  common  sight  to  notice  on  one  train,  anything 
up  to  a  dozen  different  names.  Most  folk  are  aware  that 
this  is  merely  a  case  of  accommodation,  between  one 
colliery  company  and  another:  merely  a  case  of  "we'll 
hire  yours  to-day  :  you  shall  hire  ours  to-morrow."  Now, 
although  most  people  were  well  aware  of  this  little  item  of 
commercial  interest,  one,  at  least,  of  our  "daily"  contem- 
poraries had  doubts  upon  the  subject.  So  many  of  those 
doubts,  that  it  actually  deputed  "  a  representative "  to 
enquire  into  the  apparently  hidden  meaning  of  the  job. 
What  did  "our  representative"  find  out ?  Simply  what 
you,  and  ourselves  knew,  years  ago.  That  is,  the  accom- 
modation work  was  not,  in  any  way,  connected  with  a 
"combined  movement  to  defeat  the  strikers" — at  Ebbw 
Vale  in  this  instance — but  simply  a  commercial  transaction. 
Dear  us !  It  is  hot,  and  sort  of  sultry — by  day  ;  but  it  is 
somewhat  cool — at  night  ? 

g>?   9Cs 

t&     ie3 

THE  comparative  figures  showing  the  trend  of  the  coal 
trade,  and  which  are  compiled  by  Mr.  W.  R.  Hawkins, 
secretary  of  the  Cardiff  Chamber  of  Commerce,  are 
always  interesting.  We  have  made  the  statement,  ere  this; 
but  it  is  a  true  one,  and  the  truth  should  be  no  worse,  for 
being  twice  told?  The  total  quantity  of  coal  exported' from 
the  United  Kingdom,  on  foreign  account,  and  for  June,  of 
this  year,  shows  a  decrease  when  compared  with  the 
figures  for  June  of  last  year,  of  414,444  tons,  the  actual 
figures  being:  June,  1904,  4,243,700  tons  :  and  June. 
1905,  3,829.256  tons.  As  showing  the  extent  to  which 
Cardiff  figures  in  the  list  as  a  coal-exporting  centre,  nearly 
one-half  of  the  decrease  isallotedto  her.  Coastwise,  how- 
ever, Cardiff  somewhat  redeems  her  character,  for  she  is 
the  only  port  in  the  Bristol  Channel  group,  which  marks  an 
increase,  albeit  amounting  to  but  22,491  tons— very  small 
figures  for  Cardiff.  In  bunker  coal,  there  is  an  increase  in 
the  periods  already  mentioned,  of  8,889  tons,  and  on  the 
face  of  it,  this  appears  somewhat  paradoxical,  doesn't  it  ? 
That  is,  there  is  less  cargo  being  carried,  but  there  is  more 
bunker  coal  being  used  !  How  do  we  account  for  it  ?  We 
don't.  We  do  but  state  the  fact,  and  anyhow,  it  is  too 
warm  to  bother  about  reasons  in  this  connection.  Per- 
sonally, we  are  satisfied  that  this  is  merely  one  of  the 
fluctuations.  By-and-bye,  it  will  fluctuate  the  other  way. 


July 


1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


162 


WE  are  informed  that  the  steamer  Arran.  launched  from 
"Earle's,"  Hull,  was  taken  for  her  official  trial  trip  on 
Monday,  last.  Needless  to  say.  the  steamer's  engines 
worked  smoothly  and  without  a  hitch  throughout  the  trial. 
at  which  a  speed  of  10  knots  was  maintained  :  and  in  all 
probability  those  engines  will  continue  to  work  in  the  same 
satisfactory  manner,  for  many  other  trips  which  will  not  be 
of  the  official  trial  variety -for  "Earle's"  are  noted  for 
satisfactory  work.  We  will  remark  that  Arran-the  third 
of  six  similar  vessels  which  the  same  builders  have  in  hand 
-  is  now  the  property  of  the  Hull  Steam  Fishing  and  Ice 
Company.  Ltd..  and  will  be  a  valuable  addition  to  their 
already  large  number  of  "fleeters." 


366005 — HAILWOOD  &  HENRV     Improvements  in  and  relat- 
ing to  brushes  for  cleaning  miners  safety  lamps  or  the  like. 

This  brush  is  so  constructed  that  the  hemispherical  end 
thereof  can  be  removed  and  the  cylindrical  body  portion 
reversed.  The  brush  consists  of  a  rod  forming  a  handle 
the  end  of  which  is  provided  axially  with  a  screwed  spindle. 
a  hollow  cylindrical  bristle  portion  of  the  same  diameter  as 
the  handle  is  fitted  over  the  spindle  and  secured  by  screw- 
ing a  shouldered  hemispherical  end  piece  likewise  provided 
with  bristles  or  the  projecting  end  of  the  spindle.  In  a 
modification  the  end  piece  has  a  hook  which  is  inserted 
into  the  hollow  bristle  body  and  engages  an  eye  formed  at 
the  end  of  the  spindle.  The  spindle  is  then  tightened  by 
screwing  into  the  handle,  or  the  three  portions  may  screw 
together  by  threads  formed  thereon. 

10.225  05     OLBERS     A    device   for    coupling    and     holding 
together  chains,  ropes,  and  the  like. 

This  is  a  device  for  securing  two  chains  together  so  that 
they  extend  side  by  side  approximately  in  a  parallel  manner. 
It  consists  of  a  ring  flattened  or  circular,  divided  into  two 
halves  which  are  hinged  together  at  one  pair  of  meeting 
ends,  and  secured  together  when  closed  by  a  screw  at  the 
other  ends,  one  half  ring  is  provided  with  two  or  more 
internally  projecting  pins  which  enter  sockets  on  the 
interior  of  the  other  half,  and  bridge  over  the  space  between 
them  when  closed.  The  pins  are  previously  inserted 
through  links  of  the  chains  or  eyes  provided  on  the  ropes. 

6.651  05     ROTH     Improvements  relating  to  explosives  con- 
taining aluminium  or  other  light  metals. 

This  invention  relates  to  means  for  enabling  explosives 
containing  aluminium  as  described  in  specifications 
16.277  00.  3.253  04  and  4.699  04.  to  be  exploded  by  gun- 
powder instead  of  fulminate  of  mercury.  The  process 
consists  in  adding  mixtures  of  peroxide  of  lead,  carbon, 
sulphur  and  potassium,  nitrate,  to  the  explosive  and  i 
sorting  same  in  strong  she'.ls. 


*t      MARITIME     MARK     MAKERS. 


"  RATSHOP."  Yes.  dear,  we  saw  it  after  you  had  sent  us 
the  cutting.  This  is  a  serious  journal,  and  we  have  no 
time  to  bother  with  the  lucubrations  of  every  two-cent 
sheet,  which  flutters,  for  a  moment,  on  the  metaphorical 
breeze  of  an  imaginary  "  popular  "  consideration.  Beside. 
we  did  the  work  it  didn't !  On  second  thought,  we'll  ask 
you  a  question.  Did  you  ever  read  a  yarn  concerning  one 
Androcles  and  a  lame  lion  ?  If  so.  you'll  remember  that 
the  lion  was  ultimately  grateful  to  Androcles.  for  per- 
forming the  quasi-surgical  operation  ?  Well,  in  this 
instance,  you  might  consider  us  as  Androcles.  By-and-bye. 
the  "  lame  lion  "  will  be  grateful  to  us.  for  extracting  its 
thorn  of  overweening-self-appreciation  :  at  the  moment  the 
wound  is  too  sore.  Now.  run  away  and  play,  dear? 
We're  busy. 


WILLIAM     LAW,     ESQ.,    J.P., 
(General    Manager,    Swansea    Harbour.! 

TO  the  shipping  community,  generally,  the  subject  of 
this  present  writing  needs  but  little   introduction, 
for  to-day,  the  words   Mr.  William  Law  and  Swan- 
sea   Harbour,    are    practically    synonymous.      We 
write   this  from   personal   experience,   having    heard    the 
combination  in  most  of  the  world's   shipping   ports,  and    if 
the  gentleman,  himself,  should  be  inclined   to    say  us   nay 
—well,  we  should  leave  the  subject,  retaining,  at  the  same 
time,  the   opinion  which   we  have  gleaned  in  the  manner 
indicated.     On  more  than  one  occasion,  too,  we  have  heard 
the  doubt  expressed  as  to  Mr.  Law  being  a  "Geordie,"  and 
mainly  for  the  reason  that  he  has,  in  his  varied  experience, 
garnered  a  fair  amount   of  that   suaviter  in  modo  which 
doesn't     always     accompany    the     North     Countryman's 
fortiter    in    re.      In    all    probability,    the    "  gentleness  of 
manner."  has  had  much  to  do  with  the  materialisation  of 
the  other   portion   of  our  tag,  and  this   being  so,  we  may 
safely   leave  this   phase  of   the  subject  to  which  we   are 
committed.     Coming  to  the  undoubted  success  which  has 
followed  Swansea's  shipping  trade,  since  it   was  placed  in 
the  capable  hands  of  our  Mark  Maker,  it  will  be  of  interest 
to  recapitulate,  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  may  be  outside 
the  knowledge,  the   steps  which  ultimately  led  up  to  his 
present   gratifying  position.     We  are  willing  to  admit,  that 
with  the  training  and  experience  which  he  brought  to  the 
business,  nothing  short  of  success  was  to  be  expected.  For 
instance,  in   the   golden   days   of  his  youth,  the    present 
general    manager    of    Swansea's    Harbour  --and    of    the 
business  for  which  it  is  responsible  —  commenced  to    glean 
points  as  an  employe  of  the  North-Eastern  Railway  Com- 
pany. his  particular  coign  of  'vantage,  being  on   the   Leeds 
Northern  branch  of  the  Company's  system.     This   portion 
of  his  gleaning  continued  for  two  years,  when  we  find  him 
transferred   to  a  subordinate  position  at  Tyne  Dock.     But 
the  subordinate  idea  did  not  continue  for  long.     Promotion 
followed  promotion,  and   ultimately  we  find   Mr.   Law  in 
charge    of    the   loading  and  discharging  of    vessels  fre- 
quenting the  dock,  and  attending  —  when  necessary  -  to  the 
storing  of  their  various  cargoes.     After  a  total  service  of 
16  years  with  the   North-Eastern.  our   Mark  Maker  next 
took  over  the  management  of  the    then     newly-opened 
Sutton  Bridge  Dock  ;  and  yet  later,  acted  as  Dock  Super- 
intendent, to  the  Hull  and    Barnsley  Railway.     Here   was 
it,  that  the  real  groundwork  of  the   knowledge  which  has 
since  done  so  much  for  Swansea's  progress,  was  laid,  for 
the  business  which  came  to  the  Hull  and  Barnsley   under- 
taking. had  to  be  sought  for—  aye,  and   practically  fought 
for.     To  go  into  dates,  we  may  remark  that  the  year  1892, 
was  that  in   which   Mr.  Law   identified   himself  with  the 
fortunes  of  the  port  with  which  his  name  is   now   a  house- 
-hold  word  ;  and  as  to  his  appointment  to   the   office   which 
he  has  so  ably  filled  being  a  wise   one  —  well,  we  are  con- 
vinced  that   there    was    no  two   opinions  thereon.     Each 
succeeding  year  has  been  marked  with  increasing  prosper- 
ity. and  it  may  be  taken  for  granted,  that  if  it  is  within  the 
bounds  of   human    possibility,    that   same    prosperity   will 
continue.      Of    course,    this    increased    trade    has    made 
greater  demands  on  the  facilities  of  the  port,  and  as  every 
shipping   man    is   now   aware,    future    increases    are     by 
way  of  being  provided  for.  by  the  construction  of  the  new 
dock.     Of  this  feature  of  the    Western  Port's  progress,  we 
shall   treat,   later  on.      Meanwhile,    in    closing  this   brief 
sketch,   we    will    remark    that    according    to    Mr.    Law, 
himself,  the  progress  has  been   more   the   result  of   the 
establishment  of  a  genuinely  progressive  body  of  trustees, 
than  for  any  inherent  merit  which  might  lay  within  the  power 
of  the  Harbour's  general  manager.    This  might  be,  of  course  ; 
and  it  might  also  be,  that  the   happy  results  are   the   out- 
come of  a  combination  of  both  conditions.     Personally,  we 
incline  to  the  latter  belief. 


163 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July  21,    1905 


FRIDAY,  JULY  21,   1905. 
ONE  MAN  NAVIGATION. 


:>E  are  willing  to  admit  that  there  is  somewhat 
of  a  lack  of  originality  in  the  above  title ;  that 
it  has  been  used,  before — for  we  have  used 
it ;  that  it  will  certainly  be  used,  again  ;  and 
that,  no  matter  how  we  are  inclined  to  argue 
the  matter  out ;  it  is  impossible  to  kill  the 
"  one  man  navigator."  He  is  usually  too 
chuckle-headed,  to  take  any  notice  of  the  well-meant 
raillery  with  which  he  is  assailed  ;  has  too  much  of  an  over- 
weening belief  in  the  great  almightiness  of  himself,  and  his 
calculations,  generally  ;  is,  in  short,  too  mentally  dense  to 
realise  exactly  how  many  varieties  of  a  fool  he  succeeds  in 
making  himself,  within  the  limited  number  of  days  which 
go  to  make  up  a  latter-day  steamer  passage.  No !  You 
cannot  convince  the  confirmed  "  one  man  navigator,"  that 
he  is,  more  or  less,  an  ass,  and  mainly  for  the  reason  that  if 
he  had  brains  enough  to  realise  the  truth  of  the  matter,  he 
would  be  anything  but  the  freak  which  he  undoubtedly  is. 
Still,  there  are  quite  a  number  of  highly  respectable 
navigating  gentlemen,  who  are  merely  of  the  almost- 
persuaded  brand,  and  it  is  in  their  especial  interest  that  we 
have  undertaken  this  present  writing.  To-day,  the  one 
man  navigator  is  a  solecism— more  than  at  any  other  time 
in  the  world's  history  ;  and  although  we  are  prone  to  admit 
that  his  numbers  are  on  the  decrease,  there  are  yet  enough 
of  him  about,  to  constitute  a  serious  menace  to  the  welfare 
of  the  service  to  which,  no  matter  how  you  look  at  it,  he 
does  anything  but  adorn.  How  do  we  recognise  the  one 
man  navigator  ?  What  are  his  peculiarities  ?  Generally 
considered,  he  is  among  the  lowest  type  of  Mercantile 
Marine  officer  :  a  relic  of  a  barbarous  and  bygone  age.  We 
know  that  he  doesn't  consider  himself  as  such.  On  the 
contrary,  rather,  for  he  usually  imagines  that  all  the 
navigating  skill,  of  all  the  navigating  geniuses  of  the  past, 
have  been  re-incarnated  in  himself  ;  and  that,  in  effect,  he 
is  a  sort  of  nautical  Mokanna — a  veiled  prophet,  you  under- 
stand ?  At  least,  if  he,  himself,  isn't  a  Mokanna,  then,  his 
alleged  navigation  is  !  You  might  be  inclined  to  wonder 
how  that  navigation  is  carried  on  ?  If  so,  we  are  sorry 
that  we  cannot  oblige  you,  with  any  degree  of  certainty. 
All  we  can  tell  you,  is  the  visible  and  outward  tokens  there- 
of. We  have  heard  it  declared,  that  this  class  of  navigator 
is  prone  to  work  his  varied  problems  out,  with  the  help  of 
noughts  and  crosses,  and  that  is  mainly  why  he  is  indisposed 
to  admit  of  any  spying  on  his  copyrighted  methods.  Be 
this  as  it  may,  we  do  know  that  he  is  a  "  black-board  man," 
in  addition  to  his  other  titles.  That  is  to  say,  he  trigs  a 
nicely-got-up  black-board  into  some  prominent  portion  of 
the  bridge  space,  and  on  its  more  or  less  glossy  surface,  he 
inscribes — generally  in  terribly  groggy  characters — the 
course  for  the  nonce.  The  officer,  on  taking  charge  (save 
the  name)  of  the  bridge,  and  all  that  the  said  charge  implies, 
has  to  meander  across  to  the  black-board  ;  learn  the  course 
that  is  there  set-out ;  and  for  the  whole  of  the  watch, 
puts  his  time  in,  nagging  the  man  at  the  wheel,  and 
wondering  why  it  is  that  a  shipowner  will  trust  a  £50,000 
steamer,  to  the  care  of  such  dunder-heads  as  one 
meets  with,  in  this  year  of  grace.  Of  course,  the  un- 
fortunate officer  can  work  up  no  intelligent  answer  to  his 
self-imposed  conundrum  ;  so— well,  he  walks  out  his  four 
hours,  ultimately  turning  over  the  job,  to  the  man  who 
relieves  him,  and  who  in  turn,  has  to  "  con "  from  the 


board,  and  keep  her  thus  !  Far  too  frequently,  the  crock 
comes  to  grief,  and  the  learned  tribunal  before  which  the 
genius  is  brought,  reads  ths  usual  little  homily  connected 
with  the  use  of  the  lead  ;  suspension  or  cancellation 
follows  ;  the  underwriters  pay  up  ;  and  everybody  is — or 
ought  to  be — supremely  happy.  There  is  seldom  a  ques- 
tion asked,  as  to  how  the  ill-fated  ship  was  really  navigated, 
and  forgetful  of  the  days  when  he  was  merely  one  of  them, 
this  all-wise  navigating  prodigy  will  anathematise  about 
the  lack  of  dependable  officers,  even  as  he  insinuates  that 
the  moment  when  he  was  promoted  to  "  a  command,"  was 
the  precise  epoch  when  dependable  mates  ceased  to  exist. 
We  shall  not  spread  ourselves,  unduly,  concerning  the 
rank  idiocy  which  surrounds  the  notion  of  expecting  a  mate 
to  be  cognizant  of  knowing  where  the  ship  is,  and  what 
dangers  surround  her,  merely  because  a  course  has  been 
chalked  up  on  a  piece  of  blackened  shifting-board.  But  we 
might  be  forgiven  for  remarking  that,  on  one  occasion. 
when  the  Old  Man  had  written  us  up  what  he  declared  was 
N.E.  by  E.,  but  which  we,  and  "the  other  fellow,"  had 
interpreted  as  N.  by  E.,  and  had  steered  it  for  the  whole 
night — well,  there  was  no  end  of  a  row,  and  for  once  in  a 
life-time,  a  one  man  navigator  was  cured  of  his  besetting 
sin  !  Still,  it  is  impossible  to  touch  all  of  the  brand  in  this 
manner,  so  under  the  circumstances,  the  owner  (and  the 
underwriter)  should  see  what  they  can  do  in  the  matter. 
We  have  already  remarked  that  the  Board  of  Trade  have 
promised  to  attend  to  the  little  matter,  but,  unfortunately 
for  most  of  us,  the  Board  of  Trade  may  act,  only  after  the 
trouble  is  done  ;  at  the  inevitable  inquiry.  Mind  you,  the 
shipowner  is  not  altogether  blameless  in  the  matter,  for  he 
— albeit,  and  in  some  instances,  unconsciously — puts  a 
premium  on  the  manufacture  of  the  one  man  navigator. 
That  is  to  say,  in  an  effort  to  shirk  his  proper  responsibilities, 
shipowner  declines  to  supply  his  ship  with  charts,  even  as, 
in  a  sudden  burst  of  misplaced  generosity,  he  will  allow  the 
Old  Man  to  believe  that  the  last  sovereign  of  wages  may 
be  considered  in  the  light  of  "  chart  allowance."  This  is 
altogether  wrong,  and  to  a  parsimonious  shipmaster,  is 
exactly  the  inducement  toward  one  man  navigating,  which 
is  calculated  to  count,  every  time.  The  worthy  commander, 
not  being  blessed  with  an  abundance  of  reasoning  power, 
argues  to  himself.  "  Well,  I  have  to  pay  for  these  charts,  so 
they  are  my  property.  If  I  allow  those  unkempt  mates  to 
look  at  them,  even  from  a  distance,  what  happens  ?  Well, 
I  shall  have  to  purchase  another  four  shilling  chart  on  my 
return,  and  what  will  the  Missus  do  then,  poor  thing  "  ? 
There  is,  as  a  rule,  nobody  about  with  a  sufficient  interest 
in  the  business,  that  shall  supply  the  necessary  answer,  so 
"  hands  off,"  is  the  order — followed,  in  far  too  many  cases, 
with  disastrous  results.  We  are  by  no  means  endeavouring 
to  justify  the  one  man  navigator,  in  this  portion  of  our 
discussion,  but  we  are  prone  to  admit  that,  in  nine  cases 
out  of  ten,  the  owner  is  directly  responsible  for  the  whole 
business.  Obviously,  the  owner  has  no  more  right,  or 
reason,  to  spot-bar  the  supply  of  charts,  than  has  he  to 
declare  that  as  a  set-off  against  the  last-pound-but-one  in 
the  Old  Man's  wages,  bunker  coals,  in  future,  will  be  at  the 
shipmaster's  expense  ?  As  well  argue  that  the  engineer 
must  supply  the  propeller,  or  the  log-book  in  which  the 
fakes  are  worked  ?  To  our  mind,  this  chart  question  is 
one  which  easily  admits  of  legislation.  That  is,  the  legis- 
lature would  be  doing  the  right  thing,  were  it  to  make  it 
penal  for  a  shipowner  to  saddle  the  master  with  the  supply 
of  the  very  essence  of  successful  navigation.  Further- 
more, instead  of  printing  out  those  artistic  sets  of  rules, 
wherein  all  manner  of  idiotic  regulations  are  set  forth  :  it 
would  be  better  if  a  plain,  straight-forward  notice  were 
supplied,  to  the  effect  that  the  charts  were  the  owner's 
property  ;  were  placed  on  board  for  the  navigating  of  the 
ship ;  and  not  for  the  purpose  of  proving  the  heaven-sent 
cleverness  of  the  master,  for  the  time-being.  Also,  that  if 
the  owners  became  aware  that  the  charts  were  used 
merely  for  the  last-mentioned  purpose,  then,  it  would  be  in 


July  21,  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


164 


the  interests  of  all  concerned,  if  the  said  master  should 
charter  a  cab.  at  the  final  port  of  discharge— for.  in  any 
case,  he'd  need  it.  A  notice  after  the  manner  suggested. 
would  quickly  kill  off  the  one  man  navigators  which  remain- 
Don't  we  all  know  the  sort  of  fit-out  that  these  alleged 
path-finders  usually  carry  ?  Of  course,  we  do  !  We  know 
that  the  majority  of  the  so-called  charts  were  purchased 
some  twenty  years  ago  ;  that,  since  that  time,  they  have 
never  been  corrected  :  that  they  have  been  patched  until 
it  is  practically  impossible  to  lay  off  a  moderately  correct 
course,  because  of  the  cockling  of  the  brown  paper  backing 
which  has  been  used,  in  conjunction  with  the  "  paste  "  of 
many  moons  past :  and  that  to  a  small  boy  with  a  predilec- 
tion for  marble-playing,  the  said  charts  would  appear  as  a 
godsend  -so  full  of  pits  have  they  become,  through  the 
frequent  and  careless  application  of  blunt  "dividers.'' 
Writing  in  this  manner,  makes  us  somewhat  reminiscent. 
and  our  minds  wander  back  to  the  various  "  whales  "  with 
whom  we  have  sailed.  Investing  "  whales."  who,  on 
arrival  in  port  thanks  to  the  thorough-going  efficiency  of 
their  officers— will  welcome  the  shipmasters  from  other 
vessels,  and  during  the  intervals  between  swilling  cheap 
claret  and  smoking  bunker  cigars,  will  expatiate  on  the 
manner  in  which  they  have  invested  in  "  ours."  They 
wil!  then  pass  on.  to  the  absolute  ruin  which  is  surrounding 
the  British  Mercantile  Marine  :  will  spin  maudlin,  and  tame 
stories  concerning,  the  general  ineptitude  of  the  genus 
mate  :  but  will  forget  to  impart  the  great  truth,  that  had  it 
not  been  for  those  very  mates  <  who  navigated  by  intuition, 
and  not  by  chart )  the  good  steamer  Wibbly  Wob  would 
never  have  got  beyond  the  Wolf.  This  is  another 
of  the  weaknesses  of  the  one  man  navigator — he  turns  in 
at  8  p.m..  and  leaves  the  actual  navigation  of  the  ship,  to 
the  decadent  mates  of  which  he  so  loudly  complains. 
Sometimes,  this  class  of  "  navigator "  is  lucky  in  his 
choice  of  mates.  Sometimes  he  isn't.  In  the  latter 
eventuality,  he  comes  to  grief:  otherwise  he  is  a  "  splendid 
sailor."  We  all  know  the  class  of  man.  don't  we  ? 
Fortunately,  and  as  we  have  already  remarked,  he  is 
gradually  dying  out :  but  there  are  far  too  many  of  him 
about,  yet.  And  if  any  of  his  number  happen  upon  these 
lines,  we  sincerely  trust  that  he  will  give  up  his  idiotic 
tricks :  will  understand  that  no  man  is  infallible  ;  and  that 
his  mates  have  been  put  on  board,  to  share'  in  the  general 
navigation  of  the  ship.  Traditions  die  hard—  nearly  as  hard 
as  some  of  the  ancient  barnacles  who  cherish  them.  All 
the  same,  it  is  anything  but  a  sensible  idea,  to  keep  on  at  a 
dodge  which  has  absolutely  nothing  to  recommend  it.  To 
crystallise  the  matter  down  to  a  fine  point,  the  shipmaster 
is  exactly  what  his  employer  would  make  him.  If  that 
owner  continues  to  sail  his  vessels  at  the  master's  expense. 
then,  one  man  navigation  will  continue  in  certain  quarters. 
It  is  distinctly  human  to  save  expense,  and  if  the  Old  Man 
is  informed  that.  say.  his  wages  are  £18  per  month,  but 
that  he  will  be  paid  £20,  providing  he  supplies  charts  and 
chronometer :  that  if  he  isn't  willing  to  assume  command 
on  those  conditions,  then  he  may  goto  Hades:  well,  you  can 
be  fairly  certain  that  the  charts  on  that  ship,  will  be  about 
as  poor  as  they  may  possibly  be,  and  yet  remain  charts. 
There  is  still  a  belief  that,  somewhere  on  one  of  the  derrick 
poles,  there  is  a  sweet  little  cherub  thing  :  that  its  sole 
mission  in  life,  is  to  take  care  of  chart-dodging  shipmasters : 
and  this  being  so.  undue  risks  will  continue,  for  just  as  long 
as  the  conditions  prevailing,  suggest  them.  Most  of  us.  at 
some  period  or  other  in  our  nautical  wanderings,  have  been 
shipmates  with  the  Old  Man  who  wouldn't  trust  the  mates 
"  sight."  for  Father  Peter.  That  is,  the  shipmaster  who 
mounts  the  upper  bridge  with  the  identical  "  horse's  head," 
with  which  Captain  Noah  determined  the  position  of  the 
starboard  peak  of  Ararat :  the  dear  old  fossil,  who  having 
already  exposed  his  hired-for-the-trip  chronometer,  to  the 
draughts  and  air-currents  which  prevail  on  the  tramp's 
alleged  chartroom.  will  measure  the  angle  for  which  he  is 
"out."  and  then,  with  the  words  "one.  two.  three-and-a- 


bit,"  will  stalk  back  to  the  chronometer,  and  mark  the  time! 
Haven't  we  all  seen— and  admired— him  ?  Of  course  we 
have  !  Have  wondered  how  in  thunder  such  men  ever 
obtained  a  certificate— and  a  ship  !  Still  these  men  are 
about,  and  in  the  interests  of  safe  navigation,  it  is  high  time 
that  they  were  taught  their  proper  position  in  the  economy 
of  the  maritime  world.  We  are  glad  to  state,  that  in  our 
opinion,  the  master  who  believes  that  safe  navigation  may 
only  be  attained,  by  acting  on  the  truth  that  two  heads  are 
better  than  one— and  that  three  are  better,  still— are  in  the 
vast  majority.  All  the  same,  the  one  man  navigator  is  by 
no  means  as  scarce  as  some  of  our  friends  would  pretend  ; 
and  shipowner  should  unite  with  underwriter,  in  insisting 
that  this  nautical  curiosity  should  be  put  away  with  the 
ribs  and  trucks  of  the  mastodon  ?  There  are  quite  enough 
nautical  freaks  about,  to-day,  without  adding  thereto, 
needlessly,  by  the  cultivation— from  a  mistaken  sense  of 
economy— of  the  style  of  navigator  which  we  have  been 
discussing,  here. 

A    NAUTICAL    PASSION-PLAY! 

THERE  is  no  getting  away  from  the  fact  that  his 
Majesty  of  Germany  is  a  dramatist  of  the  first 
water.  The  world  has  had  continued  evidence 
thereof.  But  we  much  doubt  if  a  better  showing 
of  the  trait  has  been  rendered,  than  that  which  took  place 
at  Swinemiinde.  some  few  days  ago,  when  Prince  Billow 
went  thitherward,  for  the  purpose  of  reporting  progress  to 
his  versatile  Boss.  It  appears  that  the  Hunky  Boy  was  on 
Hohenzollern — the  Imperial  yacht  Hohenzollern,  you  under- 
stand— when  the  Prince  arrived  on  the  scene,  and  in  the 
words  of  a  contemporary.  "  As  soon  as  Prince  Billow  put 
off  from  the  shore,  the  order  was  given  to  dress  and  man 
ship,  and  the  officers,  together  with  the  Emperor's  suite, 
paraded  in  full  dress  at  the  head  of  the  ship's  steps  [sort 
of  naive,  don't  you  think?),  where  the  Imperial  Chancellor 
was  received  by  his  Majesty  and  by  the  assembled  company, 
at  the  salute.  The  Emperor  then  led  off  three  ringing 
cheers  for  Prince  Billow,  in  which  all  present  joined."  So 
far.  so  good,  and  right  up  to  this  point,  the  staid  Times 
appears  to  take  the  matter  seriously.  Thereafter,  however, 
our  comtemporary  evidently  felt  the  warm  weather;  wanted 
to  let  off  some  superfluous  steam  :  became  wickedly  sar- 
castic, in  point  of  fact.  Why  ?  Well,  just  you  '  read  the 
following:  "  By  the  side  of  an  incident  like  this,  the  Anglo- 
French  naval  festivities  at  Brest,  are  regarded  as  fading 
into  comparative  insignificance."  We  should  smile ! 
Don't  tell  us  Of  the  "  uniquity "  of  such  little  affairs, 
and  anyhow,  we  should  have  been  glad  to  have  been 
there — at  Swinemiinde,  you  know— to  see  how  the  Imperial 
yacht  Hohenzollern  looked,  when  she  was  "dressed"  and 
"  manned  " — to  say  nothing  of  having  the  whole  caboodle 
at  "the  salute."  Everybody,  at  this  late  date,  knows  that 
German  silver  isn't  a  very  valuable  metal ;  but  hang  it, 
sirs,  it  will  shine  almost  as  brightly  as  the  real  McKoy— if 
'  you  only  rub  it  hard-,  and  long-enough  ?  And  anyhow, 
who  has  any  right  to  pass  remarks  because  the  One  and 
Only  elects  to  let  off  his  super-heated,  and  Imperial  vapour, 
by  leading  off  with  "three  ringing  cheers?"  He  might 
easily  be  occupying  himself  less  innocently  ?  For  instance, 
he  might  be  fussing  around  in  an  endeavour  to  alter  the 
Rule  of  the  Road  at  sea  ;  or  in  working  new  quiffs  into  the 
steering  rules  which  have  been  in  existence,  since  the  days 
before  Germany  was  thought  of.  Moreover,  if  a  highly 
respected  gentleman  has  a  Chancellor  who  is  'cute  enough 
to  triumph  "  over  French  diplomacy  "—aye,  even  if  nobody 
outside  of  the  Fatherland  can  see  it :  what  is  wrong  with 
letting  things  go  a  bit,  in  the  matter  of  dressing  and  manning 
ship  ?  Some  people  are  never  satisfied,  and  appear  to 
imagine  that  these  kinds  of  festivities  are  only  correct,  when 
used  in  connection  with  proper  vessels,  and  genuine  sailors 
—  like  those  who  have  been  jubilating  over  at  Brest,  and 
—well,  yes,  over  at  Paris !  An  Emperor's  job,  these  days, 
doesn't  appear  to  be  one  where  beer  and  skittles  are  about 
all  the  time  ? 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July   21.    1905 


CARDIFF     (AND    OTHER)     COAL 


CARDIFF,  July  19.  1905. 

No  alteration,  worthy  of  note,  has  eventuated  in  the  Coal 
Market,  since  our  last  time  of  writing.  That  is  to  say,  the 
steadiness  of  which  we  told  you,  then,  is  still  apparent  ;  but  the 
pit-stoppages  which  occur  with  such  sickening  frequency, 
contribute  largely  to  this  steadiness,  which  is,  therefore,  a  fictitious 
kind  of  hardening.  Anyhow,  it  cannot  be  truthfully  suggested  that 
business  has  been  any  more  active.  There  certainly  has  been  an 
increased  enquiry  ;  but  most  of  it  is  merely  a  matter  of 
inquisitiveness  on  the  part  of  those  of  the  cult  who  find  time 
hanging  heavily.  True,  some  of  the  enquiry  has  materialised  into 
bookings,  which,  in  one  or  two  lucky  quarters,  have  been  fair. 
But  with  the  majority,  circumstances  are  even  as  set  out  above. 

BEST  CARDIFF  ADMIRALTYS  are  quotably  steady  at  recent  figures. 
Colliery  stems  are  no  more  than  fairly  satisfactory,  for  there  is 
ample  room  for  much  improvement,  even  in  BESTS.  The  demand 
is  limited,  at  the  moment,  and  there  is  but  little  left  of  old-time 
business  to  work  off.  Coming  to  figures,  we  find  that  these  are  a 
general  12s.  9d.,  which  is  outside  value.  Moreover,  it  is  by  no 
means  difficult  to  improve  upon  the  quotation,  quite  to  the  extent 
of  threepence— if  you  keep  a  stern  unbending  look  spread  over  the 
portions  to  which  this  is  usually  allotted. 

SECOND  ADMIRALTYS  remain  scheduled  at  12s.,  and  the  price  is 
really  about  their  present  worth.  The  position  of  collieries  in  this 
group,  is  nothing  to  brag  about ;  on  the  contrary,  rather,  for  they 
are  best  described  as  easy.  Even  so,  the  figures  given  are  being 
adhered  to — until  somebody  comes  along  with  the  glint  of  business 
shining  from  his  expressive  eye  ;  then — well,  it  is  e'en  as  you'll 
make  it. 

ORDINARIES  have  been  blessed  (or  favoured,  which  best  suits  you), 
APPROXIMATK  FIGOKKS  rou  THI:  WKI-.K.  ARK  AS 


with  no  increased  demand,  and  as  a  consequence  their  position  is 
as  weak  as  at  our  last  time  of  addressing  you.  The  figures,  here, 
are  written  from  11s.  6d.  upwards;  but  with  firm  business  in  hand, 
the  inevitable  will  happen.  You  know  what  it  is,  so  pass  we  on  to 

MONMOUTHSHIRE  COALS  which,  on  this  occasion,  are  a  firm 
market.  In  the  main,  recent  prices  have  easily  obtained,  while  in 
some  few  instances,  an  enhanced  figure  has  been  reached.  For 
BLACK  VEINS,  as  much  as  I2s.  has  been  paid,  although  11s.  9d.  may 
really  be  taken  as  the  actual  value.  The  collieries  here,  are  busily 
employed  on  good  stems,  and  are  likely  to  continue  so,  for  a  week 
or  two  forward.  The  stoppages,  too,  are  helping  the  seller,  as 
usual.  ORDINARIES,  while  unchanged  in  actual  price,  are  steady  at 
lls.  3d.,  f.o.b.  Newport,  and  the  collieries  have  anything  but  a 
superfluous  stock  of  the  commodity  on  hand.  SECONDS  are  under- 
going a  hardening  process  ;  but  although  10s.  6d.  is  being  asked, 
10s.  3d.  approximates  into  the  figures  at  which  most  of  the 
trading  is  passing. 

DRYS  are  in  no  better  position  than  has  been  their's  for  some 
time  past,  and  the  values  remain  as  before — lls.  3d.  to  lls.  9d. 
Sellers  lack  stems ;  stocks  are  heavy;  demand  nil;  let  us  leave 
DRYS.  They  make  us  pessimistic. 

RHONDDA  No.  3's  are  a  trifle  easier  at  under  13s.  9d.,  but  No.  2's 
are  steadying  up  a  little.  The  hardness  of  SMALLS  has  diverted  a 
lot  of  bunkering  to  this  grade,  so  the  quotation  has  been  raised  to 
9s.  9d. 

SMALLS-  good  old  smalls!  All  that  we  have  said  for  the  past 
month  or  two,  and  in  their  behalf,  applies  equally  to-day.  With 
that,  let  us  leave  them. 

PATENT  FUELS  show    no  change,   and    PITWOOD,  once   again,  is 
steady. 
FOLLOW  : — 


(All  quotations  f.o.b.  at  the  respective  ports  of  shipment. , 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Best  Cardiff  Ad'altv  Large 
Second         Ditto. 
Other  Second  Cardiff 
Drys 
Best  Newport 
Ordinary  Bests 
Seconds 
Best  House  Coal 
No.  3  Rhondda 
No.  2          Ditto. 
Rhondda  3  "  Thro." 
2        „             ... 

123.  6d.,    138.  Oil. 

us.  gd.,  i2s.  3d. 
us.  6d.,  I2s.  od. 
1  1  s.  gd. 
us.  6<1.    us.  gd. 
i  is.  oil.    i  is.  6d. 

10S    31!. 

143.  6il.   153.  oil. 
135   gd. 
gs.  6<1. 
us.  91!. 
8s.  6d. 

las.  gd. 

12S.  0'.}. 

1  1  s.  9  J? 
us.  gd. 
i  is.  gd. 
i  is.  3d. 
IDS.  3d. 
i4s.  gd. 
133.  gd. 
gs.  6d. 
1  1  s.  gd. 
8s.  6d.- 

I2S.    yl'.l. 

us.  gd.p  I2s.  od. 
i  is.  6d.,  i  is.  g'l. 
us.  y  id. 
i  is  gd. 
us.  3d. 
IDS.  3d.,  ics.  6d. 
143.  gd. 
133.  y!il. 
gs.  3d.,  gs.  gd. 
us.  6d.,  i  is.  gd. 
8s.  gd. 

I2S.  6d.,  I2S.  gel. 
us.  lojd. 
us.  yjd. 
i  is.  7|d. 
i  is.  gd.,  123.  od. 
us.  3d.,  us.  6d. 
IDS.  4jd. 
143.  od. 
133.  7id. 
gs.  6d.,  gs.  od. 
us.  y.'d. 
8s.  gd. 

12S.  9']. 
123.  Od. 

i  is.  gd. 
us.  3d.,  i  is.  gd. 
us.  6d.,  123.  oil. 
us.  3d. 
los.  6d. 
143.  6d. 
133,  6d.,  133.  gd. 
gs.  yid. 
us.  6d. 

ss.  7:.<i. 

12S.  6;i.,    12S.  gd. 

i2s.  od.,  i2s.  3d. 
us..  6d. 
i  is.  6(1. 
us.  gd. 
i  is.  od.,  i  is.  6d. 
i  os.  6d. 
143.  3d.,  143.  gd. 
133.  6d. 
gs.  yjd. 
us.  6d. 
8s.  6d.,  8s.  gd. 

Smalls:— 
Best  Cardiff 
Seconds 
Ordinaries 
Best  Newport 
Seconds 
Rhondda  No.  2 
„       No.  3 

8s.  6d.,  8s.  gd. 
8s.  od.,  8s.  31!. 
ys.  gd. 
73.  6d. 
7s.  3''- 
73.  30. 
gs.  gd. 

8s.  7kl. 
8s.  31). 
75.  gd. 
73.  gd. 
7s.  6d. 
ys.  31!. 
gs.  ?.\il. 

8s.  gd. 
8s.  od.,  8s.  6:\. 
8s.  od. 
73.  gd. 
ys.  6d. 

7S.  6:1. 

gs.  Tjd 

8s.  gd. 
8s.  3d. 
8s.  od. 
7s.  gd.,  8s.  od. 
"s.'fd. 
ys:  6tl. 
gs.  6d.,  gs.  gd. 

8s.  6il.,  gs.  od. 
8s.  6d. 
8s.  3d. 
73.  6d.,  8s.  od. 
js.  3<\. 
73.  4^d. 
gs.  6d. 

8s.  gd.,  gs.  od. 
8s.  6d. 
8s.  3d. 
ys.  gd. 
7s.  oJ.,  73.  6d. 
73.  6d. 
gs.  6d. 

foundry  Coke  : 
Special 
Ordinary 

2  IS.  3-1. 

178.  gd. 

2  IS.  3<!: 
17,3.  <>-i. 

2  IS.  Oil. 

:I7S.  6d.,  i8s.  o;i. 

2IS.  Oil. 

173.  gd. 

2  is.  od.,  2  is.  6d. 
J7s.  6d. 

«; 

2  IS.  od. 

173.  6d. 

Furnace  Coke 
Patent  Fuel 

Pitwood  (ex  ship)    .. 

i6s.  3d. 
123.  gd. 
i8s.  6'i.,  IQS.  oil. 

i6s.  3d. 
12S.  gd. 

iSs.  91  1. 

1  6s.  6d. 
I2s.  6d.,  133.  od. 
igs.  o  1. 

163.  6d. 
I2s.  6d.,  i2s.  gd. 
igs.  o  1. 

i6s.  31!.,  i6s.  6d. 
i2s.  yjd. 
igs.  od..  igs.  T,d: 

'  /:"*^*~i  —  i  

i6s.  4Ad. 
I2s.  6d.,  123.  gd. 
i8s.  gd.,  igs.  3d. 

All,  less  2.%  per  cent,  discount,  with  payment  at  thirty  aays.  except  where  otherwise  stated. 
All  quotations  for  large  Coals  imply  Colliery  Screened. 


SWANSEA,  July  19,  1905. 

HERE,  too,  there  has  been  the  reverse  of  anything  exciting  since 
our  last,  for  prices,  generally,  are  about  on  a  par  with  what  they 
were  then.  While  these  have  been  maintained,  there  has  been 
anything  but  a  mad  rush  of  new  business,  so  that  insufficient  has 
transpired  to  warrant  a  change  in  the  figures  ruling, 

ANTHRACITE  coals  are  receiving  a  fair  enquiry,  and  collieries  are 
moderately  well  off  in  the  matter  of  stems.  All  the  same,  supplies 
are  easily  coping  with  demand,  and  sellers  are  just  able  to  maintain 
late  prices.  Inferior  sorts  continue  easy,  with  bot  little  prospect 


of  an  early  improvement. 

MACHINE  MADE  COALS  are  unchanged  in  the  matter  of  price, 
business  therein  remaining  somewhat  quiet.  COBBLES  are  easy, 
but  PEAS  and  NUTS  are  in  fair  demand  at  recent  figures. 

RUBBLY  CULM  is  not  so  firm  as  of  late,  supplies  being  rather 
more  plentiful,  with  an  easier  demand.  STEAM  COALS  are  some- 
what steadier,  especially  for  the  superior  sorts,  which  are  well 
stemmed,  and  being  maintained  at  12s.  9d.  SECONDS  are  quoted  at 
from  12s.  to  12s.  3d.,  but  somewhat  slack  withal.  Local  BUNKER 
qualities,  too,  are  inclined  to  dulness. 


BELOW,  we  give  the  average  prices  for  the  week  :  — 

QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Anthracite:  — 

Best    Hand    Picked  1 

Malting  Large      ...  i      ... 

1  8s.  od.,  183.  6d. 

183.  3d. 

i8s.  3d. 

i8s.  od. 

183.  ocl.            '     173.  9d.,  1  8s  3d 

Seconds    do. 

173.  od. 

173.  od. 

i6s.  gJ. 

163.  gd. 

1  6s.  gd.,  lys.  od.     '     i6s.  6d..  175.  od. 

Big  Vein  Large 

us.  od.                        us.  od. 

'  i  os.  gd. 

los.  gd. 

IDS.  6d.,  i  is.  od. 

i  os.  6d.,  IDS.  gd. 

Red    .. 
Machine  Made  Cobbles    ... 

gs.  gd. 
i6s.  od.,  i6s.  6d. 

gs.  g  1. 
i6s.  3d. 

gs.  6d.,  gs.  gd. 
163.  3d. 

gs.  7  id. 
i6s.  6d. 

gs.  y^d. 
163.  ocl.,  i6s.  6d. 

gs.  gel. 
163.  3d. 

..     Nuts 

1  6s.  3d. 

1  6s.  31!. 

i6s.  od. 

i6s.  oil. 

1  6s.  od.,  163.  6d. 

163.  o:l. 

..         ..     Peas 

i  os.  gd. 

IDS.  gd. 

i  os.  6d.,  los.  gd. 

los.  7^d. 

103.  7id. 

los  6d.,  los.  gd. 

Kubhly  Culm 

53.  6d.,  ss.  gd. 

53.  6d. 

53.  6d. 

53.  3d.,  53.  6d. 

Ss.  3d- 

53.  od.,  53.  6d. 

Duff 

33.  6d. 

33.  6(i. 

33.  4jd. 

.$s,  3d. 

33.  31!.,  33.  6d. 

..33.36.    • 

Patent  Fuel: 

i  i  s.  gci. 

i  is.  gd. 

us.  y§d. 

us.  6d.,  us.  gd. 

us.  yjd. 

us.  gih 

Steam: 

Best     Large                     ...     123.  6d.,  123.  gd. 

123.  6d. 

123.  6d. 

I2S.  3d.,  123.  gl 

123.  6d. 

123.  6d. 

Seconds  ,,                   ;    ...     us.  gd.,  123.  od. 

IIS.    lO'll. 

123.  Ocl. 

12S.  Ocl. 

us.  gd.,  I2s.  od. 

us.  gd. 

Bunker   ,, 
Thro'  and  Thro' 

IDS.  6d. 
8s.  6d.,  93.  od. 

i  os.  6d. 
SS.  gd. 

los.  3d. 
Ss.  gd. 

i  os.  3d. 
8s.  ioid. 

los.  od.,  los.  6d. 
8s.  gd.,  gs.  ocl. 

IDS.  3d.,  IDS.  6  I. 
8s.  gd. 

July   it.    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


166 


[^COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES.     { 

""  "  " *    ""  ~-~     ---"'•"     • • "     ••!    •   i' •     ••  •         mil"     «•   .  .***t^v>i**iiv,»  I 


STEADINESS  prevails,  the  representative  fixtures  for  the 
week  varying  as  follow  : 

Week  Ending,  ( Wednesday),  July  19,  1905 

N     dtr.ole.    Niwpcrt.    (8)   Swarsea.    {P.  T.)    Port    Talbot,    loading. 

EASTERN. 

Aden     Dnnolly,  8s.  6d. 

Colombo,  (via  Cape),  Knight  Batchelor,  4,142  n.   IDS. 

WESTWARD,     Etc. 

River  Plate,     Ardoe,      ys.  gd. 

Southland*,  4,000  Tons,  75.  gd. 

Steamer,  2,800  tons,  75.  io^d. 
Teneriffe,     Torr  Head.  6,000  tons,    6s.  3d. 
Santos,     Edale,  or  sub.,    iis.  7jd. 
Las  Palmas  Madeira,    Lord  Charlemont,  6s.  3d. 
Monte  Video,     Hurnliohne,     5,000  tons,     75.  3d. 
Campana,    Su-ami-r,    3,800  tons.    75.   7|d.    option   Villa 

Constitucion  Rosario. 
Vera  Cruz,     Steamer,    4,000  tons,    75.  3d. 
Dakar,     Wevbridge,    ;s.  6d. 
Bahia.     Ruskin,   10-.   option    Pernambuco. 
Quebec,     Dunnmrf  Hfnd,    3,000  tons,  55.    (Admiralty). 

imer,  2,700  2,800  tons,    75.  6d.   (Admiralty) 
Rio  de  Janeiro,     1'iirfxiist,  4,000  tons,   95.   6d. 

MEDITERRANEAN,     Etc. 

Port  Said,     Htt •tlioi'en,   4,500  tons,  55.  3d. 
/'ii/i-itrina,   4,700  tons,    5*.  3d. 
Afoitwttt,  4.7°°  tons,    55.  3d. 
Frederick  Knight,  5,000  tons,  55.  3d. 
Genoa,     Maria  I'itlnria,    3,000  tons,  6s.  6d.  (s). 
/ 'at tlif nmi.    3,800   tons,    6s.  i^d. 
CoUtMgwood,  3,600  ton-,    'i-.  3d. 
Steamer,  3,500  tons,   6s.  6d. 
Elixir,  3,200  tons,    6s.  6d.  (s). 
Whinfield,  3,350  tons,  6s.  6d.     (s). 

Venice,     .  //A/i.v<i///.   3,800  tons,    73.  6d.  optn.  Ancona,  (s). 
/V//MN,     .5.300  tons,   75.  3d. 
Hillhonse,  about  7s.  3d. 
'..j/A/'i-.  4,400  tons,  7s.  3d.   (N).     or  Ancona. 
Carthagena,   (,utndi>line,  1,850  tons,  75.  Md.  coal,  75.  io£d. 

fuel. 
Barcelona,     Elwine  Roeppen,  2,600  tons,   6s.  lojd. 

.'in,  3,200  tons,    6s.  icjd. 
Steamer.   1,800  ton-,  <>-.   lojd.     (s). 
Palermo,     Marie,  2,2001011-.  '.-.  6d.  option    Messina/or 

Catania. 
Steamer,  6s    6d. 
Messina,     l-'ra^-nti,  3,000  tons,  6s.  6d.  400,  optn.  Palermo/ 

or  Catania. 

Constantinople,     Rainlth,  3,200  tons,    53.  io^d. 
Naples.     M  interne,  4,300  t»n-,   ta. 

.   7,200  t.u,-,  '>-.  3d.  800  ppt. 
Marseilles,      lirreno,    3,500    tc.n-,    7-50   frs.   ppt. 
<nf>u<i,  2,600  tons,    7-50  fcs. 
.•Unifrin.    },  >oo  lons«   7'5ol(v 

Algiers,     / '////•  •/'  />'•" •••nn>:    i.soo  tons,    7-25  francs. 
I ).-,i \  (  hurt-til,-*,   2,000  tons,    7-25  fcs. 

nti,  2,200  tons,    7-25  fcs.  option  Oran.  (s). 
Lnlrrfx-.   i.Soo  tons,  7-25  fcs. 
Alexandria,    Strait*  of  MOMH,  3,800  tons,  6s.  6d. 

Dalegnrth,  2,900  tons,  r,s.  6d.  (replacing  Newquav  cancld) 
(  nlninli,!.    ;,|IH,  tons     53.   9Jd. 
(ilenby,   a,6oo  tons,  6s.   6d. 
H',H»/,I,   s.8«H,  tons,   ss.   io^d.     (P.T.) 
Leghorn,     fib/awl,    3/>oo  tons,    6s.  4^d. 

<»/;//,    2,200  tons,  6s.  9d.     (s). 
Sebenico,  (Adriatic).   Steamer,  4,000  tons,    7s- 3d-    35° 

Dunn;;    1,000  tons,    7S.  3d.    (s). 

Oran,     St.-amrr,    '/>oo  tons,  y$o  fcs.  coal,  8-50  fcs.  luel,(s). 
Lisbon,     Maroon,   1,800  tons,  4s.  lojd. 

Slakf*h\;     1 ,650  tons.     5s.    (N). 

Spezzia.     On  .»,  3,200  tons,  6s.  3d.   ppt.   (N). 
Pasages,     .S«/»w,    i.Hootons,   4s.  gd.  (N). 


Nice,     Isle  of  Ramsey,   2,200  tons,  73.  coal,  75.  gd.  fuel.  (s). 

Vigo,     Compostela,    650  tons,    53. 

Beyrout,    Easlgaie,  2,000  tons,  73.  coal,   73.  gd.  fuel. 

Palma,     Steamer,   1,500  tons,  6s.  6d. 

Gibraltar,     Da/egarth,   3,000  tons,    33.  <;d.   (Admiralty). 

Elorrio,   1,600  tons,  53.  gd.  (N). 
Malta,     Exe.  2,500   tons,     53.    ioid.  fuel.    (Admiralty). 

Shakespear,   2,400  tons,   53.    io4d.,   fuel  (Admiralty). 
Syracuse,     Steamer,    1,900  tons,  6s.  gd. 

BALTIC,  Etc. 

Stockholm,     Dowlais,    1,500  tons,   43.  gd. 

Mary  Horton,  1,200  tons,  45.  gd.  (s). 
Carlscrona,  Nautik,  1,350  tons,  45.  6d. 
Cronstadt,  Cairnmona,  2,100  tons,  43.  6d. 

Steamer,    2,oco  tons,    43.  6d. 

Hiso,    2,300  tons,   43.  7^d. 

Varns,   1,850   tons,    43.  6d. 
Stettin,    Harold  Horn,    43.  yd.     (P.T.) 
Copenhagen,     Manchester,   1,200  tons,   45.  4|d.  (s). 

BAY,     Etc. 

Sables,      Youkon  or  Clarence,  >:, 400  tons,   5  fcs.  (s). 

Spurt,    1,500  tons,   5'izJ  fcs. 
La  Rochelle,     Mary,   1,700  tons,    4-75  fcs.   (s). 
Chantenay,     Haze/mere,   1,450  tons,    5-25  francs,  (s). 

Charlaw,   1,200  tons,   5  fcs.     (s). 

Charente,  Swansea,  1,200  tons,  5-25  fcs.  coal,  5-75  fcs.  fuel  (s). 
Nantes,     Baltiqne,  1,750  tons,  5-25  fcs.  coal,  5-75  fuel,   (s.) 
La  Pallice,    Behera,  2,300  tons,  4.37^  fcs. 
Rocheforte,     Marima,  2,000  tons,  4-75  fcs. 

COASTING,     Etc. 

Havre,     Camille,   1,400  tons,   43.  (s). 

Olivine,    700  tons,   43.  i.Jd.     (s). 

Skeldon,    i, 7 50  tons,  35.  iod.,(s). 

Raloo,   i,iootons,    48. 
Dieppe,     Quickstep,   1,100  tons,    45. 

Ossian,  or  sub.,  600/800  tons,   43.  3d.  (nine  voyages)  (s). 
Brest,     Speedwell,   1,250  tons,   33.  9d. 

Glynn,    1,450  tons,  33.  gd. 
Hamburg,     Sappho,  or  sub.,   i, 600  tons,   43. 
Caen,     Flandria,   2,000  tons,    45. 

Cape  York,  600  tons,    45.  (s). 

St.  Kevin.  550  tons,  43.     (s). 
Caen  Honfleur,    Steamer,    750  tons,   43.   3d. 
St.  Malo,     Slokesley,   1,250  tons,    33.  io|d. 
Trouville,     Queens  Channel,  380  tons,    43.  3d.    (s). 
Rouen,     St.  Patrick,  750  tons,   43.  gd.   (s). 

Tliiske,    i, 250  tons,  43.7^.    (s). 

Glynn,   1,400  tons,    43.7^.  (s). 

Amethyst,  700  tons,  45.  gd.  (s). 

G.  Player,  750  tons,    43.  gd.   (s). 

Onnerod,    570  tons,  43.  gjd.   (s.) 

Alice  M.   Craig,    1,200  tons,   45.   7|d.  (s). 

^/.  /.  Ort^,    820   tons,  43.  8d.  (s). 
Haulbowline,  and/or  Queenstown,    Bass  Rock,   760  tons, 

2s.  io4d.     (Admiralty). 
Portland,    ./.  Duncan,  2,500  tons,    23.  4|d.   (Admiralty). 

Weir,    1,500  tons,    2S.  4|d.  „ 

Throsllegar/Ii,    2,000   tons,     23.   4^d.  „ 

Great  Yarmouth,     Fenlon,   800  tons,   45.  4|d.  (s). 
King's  Lynn,     Treleigh,   320  tons,    53.  3d.    (s). 
Dover,    Denbigh,  380  tons,    43.  3d. 
London,     Devonia,    1,900  tons,    33.  7|d. 

Tourmaline,  950  tons,  33.  gd. 

Steamer,    700/850   tons,   33.  9d.  option    Rochester, 

35.  lojd.   (s). 

Belfast,     Croflhead,  400  tons,    33.   (s). 
Pembroke,    India,   400  tons,   33.  (Admiralty). 

HOMEWARD. 

Villagarcia  to  Cardiff/Newport,   Irwin,   598  n.    75. 
Bilbao  „          Bangarth,  2,000  tons,  4s.  i|d. 


I  6- 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July  21,   1905 


\     5?      SHIPBUILDING. 

i  •      *     m*\  ,   *—tm*    r.  >     .*•'•    »r>  •  .in — ».ii>    r   i    .ri,  i  **y,  ,nn~%^_  r  %_,   A  ,_r"V*iii" — n. 


THE  returns  compiled  by  Lloyd's  Register  of  Shipping,  state, 
that,  excluding  warships,  there  were  472  vessels  of  1,301,457  tons 
gross,  under  construction  in  the  United  Kingdom,  at  the  close  of 
the  quarter  ended  30th  June,  1905.  The  vessels  in  question 
are  made  up  as  follow  : — 

Description.  No.  Gross  Tonnage. 

STEAM. 

Steel        440         ...       1,296,066 

Iron         1          ...  320 

Wood  and  Composite  1         ...  220 

Total       442  1.296,606 

SAIL. 

Steel        18         ...  3,591 

Iron         

Wood  and  Composite  12         ...  1,260 

Total       30         ...  4,851 

Total  Steam  and  Sail  472  1,301,457 

THE  following  table  gives  the  total  figures  for  vessels  (warships 
excluded)  now  building  in  the  principal  ship-building  districts  of 
the  country,  as  compared  with  those  for  the  same  period  last  year. 
Each  district  includes  places  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  port  after 
which  it  is  named  : — 


District. 
Belfast     .. 


Description. 

(Steam) 

(Sail) 


June  30th,  1905.       June  30th,  1 904. 

No.    Gross  Tonnage.    No.  Gross  Tonnage. 

22         208,525         21          168,660 


Total       

.     22 

208,525 

21 

168,660 

Barrow,  Maryport'  (Steam)  .. 
and  Workington      i     (Sail)     .. 

Total       

.       6 
6 

2,580 

12 

1 

18,500 
150 

2,580 

13 

18,650 

Glasgow  (Steam)     .. 
(Sail)      ... 

Total       

.     89 
.     10 

267,606 
2,050 

69 
9 

178,202 
2,295 

.     99 

269,656 

78 

180,497 

Creenoek            ...     (Steam)     .. 
...       (Sail) 

Total       

.     64 

199,161 

45 
2 

119,461 
4,250 

.     64 

199,161 

47 

123,711 

Hartlepool  and*       (Steam)     .. 
Whitby            ...)"         (Sail) 

Total        

.      19 

63,350 

17 

54,135 

.     19 

63,350 

17 

54,135 

Middlesbrough)       (Steam)     .. 

.     24 

88,817 

28 

84,535 

(Sail) 


and  Stockton 


Newcastle 


Sunderland 

(Sail) 

Total 


Total 

..     24 

88,817 

28 

84,535 

...     (Steam)     . 
...       (Sail) 

Total 

..     77 
3 

259,108 
810 

65 

174,266 

..     80 

259,918 

-    65 

174,266 

(Steam) 

..     50 

160,368 

48 

157,865 

...     50         160,368        48         157,865 
+   -f    + 

A  new  steel  screw  cargo  steamer,  building  by  the  Tyne 
Iron  Shipbuilding  Company,  Ltd.,  Newcastle,  has  been  sold 
at  about  £35.000.  Dimensions  348ft.  x  50ft.  x  25ft.  9in. 
moulded,  estimated  to  carry  6,000  tons  deadweight  on  21ft. 
3in.  mean  draft ;  three  deck  rule,  with  single  deck  laid, 
poop  29ft..  bridge  100ft.,  file  35ft.;  cubic  capacity  about 
329,000ft.  The  machinery  will  be  supplied  by  the  North 
Eastern  Marine  Engineering  Co.,  Ltd.,  with  engines  24in., 
39in.,  66in.  x  45in.  stroke  ;  two  single  ended  boilers  16ft. 
x  10ft.  6in.:  1801bs.  pressure;  six  steam  winches;  donkey 
boiler  9ft.  x  9ft.  The  steamer  will  be  launched  this  month, 

and  delivered  in  August. 

+  +  + 

The  iron  screw  steamer  Linares,  lately  owned  by  Messrs. 
Scott  Brothers.  Ltd.,  Newcastle,  has  been  sold  to  Messrs. 
Hansen,  Brown  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  Middlesbrough,  at  about  £9.500. 
She  was  built  by  the  Palmers  Company,  Limited,  Newcastle, 
in  1883.  and  had  new  boilers  fitted  in  1903  :  1,667  tons 
gross  :  dimensions  265ft.  6in.  x  36ft.  3in.  x  19ft;  carries 
about  2,200  tons  deadweight  on  17ft.  3in.;  with  engines 
29in.,  60in.  x  39in.  stroke  by  the  Palmers  Company.  The 
steamer  has  been  renamed  Lion. 

+  +  + 

The  lodges  on  the  North  East  Coast  associated  with  the 
Boilermakers  and  Iron  and  Steel  Shipbuilders'  Society  have, 


after  taking  a  vote,  given  notice  that  they  intend  to  apply 
for  an  increase  in  wages,  of  Is.  6d.  per  week  on  time  rates, 
and  5  per  cent,  on  piece  rates.  It  is  understood  that  a 
conference  will  shortly  take  place,  between  the  repre- 
sentatives of  the  men  and  the  masters,  to  consider  the 

question. 

+  +  + 

Messrs.  Swan.  Hunter  and  Wigham  Richardson,  Ltd., 
Newcastle,  have  booked  an  order  for  French  owners  for 
the  construction  of  two  fast  passenger  steamers,  of  high- 
class,  intended  for  the  Mediterranean  service.  The  engines 
which  are  to  be  of  the  Tweedy  type,  will  be  supplied  by 
the  builders.  The  order  will  entail  considerable  work  in 
both  the  shipbuilding  and  engineering  departments,  and 
brighten  the  outlook  of  the  yard  for  the  coming  winter. 

+  +  + 

The  steel  screw  steamer  Manchester  Miller,  lately  owned 
by  the  Manchester  Liners.  Ltd.,  Manchester,  has  been  sold 
to  Messrs.  Watts,  Watts  &  Co..  Ltd.,  London.  She  was 
built  by  the  Northumberland  Shipbuilding  Co..  Ltd..  New- 
castle, in  1903.  Dimensions  360ft.  x  48ft.  x  28ft.:  4,234 
tons  gross  :  with  engines  25in..  41in.,  69in.  x  48in.  stroke, 
by  Messrs.  Richardson,  Westgarth  &  Co..  Ltd.  The 
steamer  has  been  renamed  Fulham. 

4-4-4 

Shipbuilders'  quotations  have  kept  very  steady  for  several 
months  past,  and  they  are  now  more  than  likely  to  be 
raised  a  little,  as  in  the  North  of  England,  the  quotation 
for  steel  ship's  angles  has  been  advanced  Is.  3d.  per  ton 
to  £5  11s.  3d.  So  far,  plates  do  not  seem  to  have  been 
put  up,  but  the  price  for  these  will  no  doubt  be  raised  in  a 
few  days. 

4-    +    + 

Messrs.  Wm.  Hamilton  &  Co.,  Port  Glasgow,  have  booked 
an  order  for  a  fairly  large  cargo  steamer  for  Glasgow 
owners,  and  Messrs.  John  Blumer  &  Co..  Sunderland,  are 
reported  to  have  received  an  order  from  a  Cardiff  firm,  for 
the  construction  of  a  cargo  steamer,  of  about  4,800  tons 

deadweight   capacity. 

+  4  + 

The  iron  paddle  steamer  Siren,  owned  by  the  Tyne 
General  Ferry  Company,  Newcastle,  is  reported  sold  to  the 
Royal  Mail  Steam  Packet  Gompay,  London.  She  was  built 
at  Cardiff,  in  1 892.  Dimensions  1 54ft.  x  2 1  f t.  x  8ft.  6in. 

-f  +  + 

Messrs.  W.  Simons  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  Renfrew,  have  received 
the  order  to  build  the  dredger  for  the  Alexandra  (Newport 
and  South  Wales)  Docks  and  Railway  Company.  Newport, 
referred  to  in  our  last  issue. 

+  -f  + 

The  Wallasey  District  Urban  Council  have  decided  to 
advertise  for  tenders  for  the  construction  of  two  ferry 
steamers,  and  the  Clyde  Trust  are  inviting  tenders  for  the 
construction  of  two  barges  of  1,200  tons  capacity  each. 

-f  +  + 

Messrs.  Thomas  Wilson,  Sons  &  Co..  Ltd.,  of  Hull,  have 
sold  one  of  their  old  steamers  to  the  Shipping  Agency,  Ltd., 
London. 

FOR   SALE   OR   CHARTER. 

Steam  Yacht    "CURLEW," 

Length  60ft.,  beam  (2ft.,  and  draft  5ft.;  c.s.c. 
engines;  good  cabin  accommodation;  and  excellent 
outfit,  including  two  good  boats.  Fully  insured  for  a 
month's  cruising  in  the  Bristol  Channel.  Can  be 
inspected  at  Channel  Dry  Docks,  Newport. 

For  further  particulars,    apply   THE  CARDIFF   CHANNEL 
DRY  DOCKS  Co.,  Ltd.,  Cardiff. 


July    _M,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


168 


maritime 

(AND  OTHER) 

monep 
matters. 


HAT  is  wrong 
with  the  world? 
The  business 
world,  that  is?  At  least, 
with  the  portion  that 
was  the  business  world, 
sometime,  in  the  days 
which  appear  to  have 
gone  beyond  recall. 
Here  are  we  with  wars, 
rumours  thereof, 
failures,  rumoured 
failures,  and  heaven 

knows  what  beside:  and  yet,  in  the  midst  of  it  all,  the 
total  trade  of  the  country  is  on  the  boom — if  we  are  to 
attach  any  belief  to  Board  of  Trade  returns :  and  quite  a 
number  of  persons  are  making  money.  Not  only  persons, 
but  syndicates  thereof  are  in  the  merry  swim,  even  as 
on  the  other  hand,  there  are  persons  (and  syndicates  of 
persons)  who  are  not  in  the  merry  swim,  being  rather  in 
the  backwash  which  will  r.ot  admit  of  swimming — save 
under  very  great  difficulties. 

•f  -f   •»• 

TIME  and  again,  we  have  told  you  our  views  concerning 
dry  dock  ventures.  Have  suggested  that,  in  some  in- 
stances, they  are  first-class  properties;  that  in  others 
their  class  is  not  quite  so  apparent :  while  yet  in  others, 
the  class  is  neither  apparent  nor  otherwise,  most  of 
their  virtues  being  of  a  negative  character.  Of  course, 
there  is  a  certain  amount  of  infatuation  attached  to  these 
little  whirls  :  and  men  who  are  generally  credited  with 
the  possession  of  about  as  much  brain  as  is  usually 
accorded  to  one  chunk  of  humanity,  will  enter  into  the 
said  whirl.  Sometimes,  these  speculators  come  out 
alright:  sometimes,  they  don't. 

WE  used  to  know  a  man  whose  speciality  was  dry  dock 
enterprise — at  least,  one  of  his  specialities  was  that  way; 
and  he  made  no  end  of  money  out  of  the  business.  Mind 
you.  he  was  about  the  only  one  of  his  own  clique  who 
stood  in  this  peculiarly  (to  him)  gratifying  position:  for 
most  of  the  other  fellows  lost,  most  disappointingly.  But 
then,  this  is  merely  following  out  a  general  law?  A  law 
which  provides  that  when  one  human  being  gains,  some 
other  unfortunate  member  of  the  crowdt  must  have  lost? 
But  the  man  we  used  to  know,  was  invariably  on  the  win- 
ning side  when  playing  with  dry  docks,  you  understand. 
We  are  not  quite  sure  whether  this  was  because  he  was 
smarter  than  the  other  fellows  ;  or  merely  that  he  didn't 
bother  himself  with  nonsensical  scruples  concerning  the 
ethics  of  meum  et  tuum. 

•f   -f   -f 

BUT  we  are  certain  that  this  gentleman  of  whom  we 
are  reminded,  was  a  high-class  fictionist— to  put  the 
matter  in  swagger  dictionary  talk.  If  you  would  rat: 
have  it  in  the  language  of  "  the  Square,"  the  man  we 
used  to  know  was  a  log-book  faker.  Of  course,  you  will 
see  the  potentialities  toward  wealth,  which  lay  in  the 
dual  role  of  dry  dock  exploiter,  and  log-book  faker  ?  To 
work  off  both  wheezes,  it  is  necessary  to  be  a  dry  dock 
man.  a  shipowner,  and  a  fairly  good  scholar.  The  latter 
particular  is  not  a  sine  qua  non.  because  if  you  are  smart 
enough,  you  can  hire  a  super  to  carry  out  the  paltry 
detail  of  the  faking  :  the  mere  writing  of  up-strokes  and 
down-strokes  which,  after  all,  is  what  successful  faking 

amounts   to '' 

•»•   -f  + 

WELL,  the  man  we  used  to  know,  being  a  dry-dock- 
and-ship-owner,  had  this  sort  of  super.  His  (the  man 
we  used  to  know,  you  know)  scrupulosity  didn't  amount 
to  much,  and  his  gall  was  large  enough  to  admit  of  his 
getting  in  behind  a  locked  door,  if  anybody  came  to 
interview  him  with  a  club.  You  might  be  inclined  to 


think  that  this  same  man  was  hardly  worth  knowing. 
He  wasn't,  and  that  is  mainly  why  we  write  him 
down  as  a  man  we  used  to  know.  All  the  same,  this 
man  made  heaps  of  money,  and  he  was  also  a  leading 
figure  in  a  chapel  which  we  could  name  if  we  felt 
disposed.  Where  is  he  now?  Sakes?  Don't  ask  us  !  But 
wheresoever  he  might  be,  you  may  write  it  down  that 
he  is  nibbling  at  a  dry  dock;  is  dallying  with  shipowning; 
has  a  superman  after  his  own  heart  (and  moulding);  and 
that  he  is  piling  up  the  shekels. 


YOU  will  naturally  understand  that,  by  the  words  "we 
used  to  know,"  we  refer  to  a  by-gone  age.  Not  too  by- 
gone, you  understand  ;  but  just  by-gone  enough.  Still, 
leaving  the  foregoing,  and  coming  right  down  to  present- 
day  happenings,  we  are  sorry  to  note  that  dry  dock  work 
is  nothing  near  as  good  as  it  was,  in  the  "  good  old  days  " 
of  which  we  have  been  reminiscing.  At  least,  judging  by 
some  recent  examples,  it  would  appear  not  to  be.  For 
example,  we  note  that  one  unfortunate  individual  has 
come  to  financial  grief,  partly  through  "depreciation  in 
dry  dock  investments  "  which,  in  this  particular  heading, 
amounts  to  £8,610.  Then  there  is  another  dry  dock  loss 
scheduled  in  the  same  list,  as  £2,660.  You  know,  when 
one  man  works  up  a  loss  on  dry  dock  enterprise,  which 
meanders  into  the  £11,270  stage,  then,  you  will  believe 
us*  when  we  remark  that,  in  some  instances,  dry  docks 
are  the  reverse  of  remunerative  ? 

-f   -f   -f 

HOWEVER,  you  need  not  rush  off  and  sell  out  all 
your  holding  in  dry  dock  stuff,  for  there  are  dry  docks, 
and  —  well,  dry  docks  ;  exactly  as  there  are  shipowners, 
and  shipowners?  Then,  once  more,  there  are  hotel 
properties  which  pay  the  men  who  hold  their  stock,  as 
well  as  some  that  don't.  We  do  not  know  how  many  of 
the  former  kind  there  are  at  Minehead  ;  but  according  to 
the  schedule  which  we  have  already  quoted,  there  is 
one,  at  least,  of  the  latter.  The  losses,  in  this  instance, 
amount  to  £3,080,  and  considered  in  some  lights,  a  man 
might  reasonably  expect  to  acquire  quite  a  decent  ehank 
of  a  village  hotel  for  that  snug  little  amount  ?  In  other 
lights,  again,  the  money  mightn't  go  far  where  hotels 
are  concerned.  Say,  in  the  matter  of  a  caravanserai 
that  was  fitted  with  electric  light,  lifts,  and  orientally 
magnificent  upholstering—  to  say  nothing  of  a  £l,000-a- 
year  chef  —  well,  £3,080  would  not  purchase  a  lot  of  stock 

in  a  hotel  of  that  class  ? 

+   +  + 

STILL,  the  sum  mentioned  should  go  far  toward 
furnishing,  say,  the  South  Wing  (you  ought  to  write 
those  kind  of  properties  in  capital  letters?),  don't  you 
think?  But  after  all,  it  is  somewhat  disappointing  to 
note  that  it  wouldn't  go  far  enough  to  do  the  thing  in 
style,  and  under  the  circumstances,  we  are  inclined  to 
leave  the  subject,  even  as  we  ask  your  opinion  on  German 
syndicates?  Gosh!  But  there's  an  awful  lot  of  syndi- 
cate about  just  at  the  moment,  isn't  there?  What  with 
the  sample  which  is  going  to  play  old  hash-me-goose 
with  the  anthracite  business;  the  one  that  was  going  to 
commence  building  down  at  Sully  ;  another  which  was 
to  be  started  for  the  production  of  patent  unfakeable 
log-books  ;  yet  another  that  was  going  to  provide  homes 
for  broken  financiers  ;  and  now  this  one  that  is  going  to 
play  the  something  or  other,  with  the  Whitworth  estate. 

+  +  + 

IT'S  awfully  warm?  Did  you  notice  it?  But  no 
matter,  for  it's  just  the  time  of  the  year  to  expect  it,  and 
reverting  to  that  German  syndicate,  well,  if  you  good 
people  who  have  the  superfluous  capital,  would  rather 
keep  it  to  play  push-ha'penny,  instead  of  placing  the  stuff 
where  it  would  keep  the  German  out  of  the  hunt  —  No, 
we  can't  go  on  —  and  mainly  because  we  have  got  to  the 
bottom  of  the  page. 


169 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July 


1905 


Concerning  "Workmen's    Notes"  -and  other  things. 


WE  have  something  of  an  admiration  for  Mr.  William 
Brace.  vice-President  of  the  Miners'  Federation,  and  should 
be  sorry  to  see  him  removed  from  the  world  of  industrial 
strife.  All  the  same,  he  is  dreadfully  na'ive.  in  some  of  the 
deductions  which  he  affects  to  draw  from  contemporary 
history.  And  the  naivete  is  not  altogether  a  desirable 
trait.  Through  the  indefatigable  efforts  of  a  press-cutting 
agency,  we  occasionally  have  an  opportunity  of  scanning 
some  of  the  "workmen's  notes"  with  which  Mr.  Brace 
supplies  a  local  "daily."  In  the  very  latest  batch  of 
cuttings  to  hand,  we  note  a  homily  as  follows  :  "  Some  ill- 
informed  parties  make  the  huge  blunder  of  thinking  that 
trade  organisations  are  established  primarily  for  the  purpose 
of  fostering  industrial  strife."  Now,  why  are  those 
"  parties  "  ill-informed  on  the  subject  ?  In  view  of  quite  a 
number  of  instances  which  could  be  given,  it  is  difficult  to 
suppose  that  a  trade  organisation,  as  generally  met  with, 
is  for  any  other  purpose  than  for  fostering  industrial 
strife  Indeed,  it  is  for  this  very  reason  that  deep-thinking 
people  will  have  none  of  the  latter-day  "  unionism."  It  is 
somewhat  unreasonable  to  hope  for  perfection,  in  this  very 
indifferent  world  :  but  one  has  a  right  to  expect  a  set  of 
conditions,  that  are  somewhat  in  line  with  the  educational 
advantages  of  the  day  ? 

IT  is  all  very  nice  to  suggest  that  "  there  is  no  end  of 
courses  to  be  pursued  before  a  body  of  workmen  put  them- 
selves in  order  to  demand  liberty  to  tender  notices  :  "  but 
how  often  is  it  that  those  same  courses  are  neglected 
altogether  ?  In  view  of  the  terrible  amount  of  clap-trap 
which  has  been  going  around  among  "  some  ill-informed 
parties."  concerning  our  alleged  attitude  to  Trades 
Unionism:  remembering  that  so  far  in  the  "slanging," 
there  appears  to  be  but  little  knowledge  of  the  subject 
among  those  who  have  most  to  say — although  that  is 
matter  for  no  surprise  ;  let  us  give  Mr.  Brace  a  personal 
example  of  what  we  mean,  while  we  ask  him  to  bear  in 
mind,  that  even  as  promises  won't  butter  parsnips,  neither 
will  a  quantity' of  scribble  concerning  "ill-informed  parties." 
tend  to  mend  a  situation  which  has  become  well-nigh 
intolerable.  Here  you  are,  then,  friend  Brace  :  A  machine- 
man  lately  employed  in  a  printing  works  of  which  you 
might  have  heard — where  this  journal  is  printed,  that  is — 
some  two  or  three  weeks  after  his  engagement,  asked  the 
management  if  there  was  any  objection  to  his  continuing 
as  a  member  of  the  printers'  union  (never  mind  its  official 
title,  Mr.  Brace,  for  what  we  have  written  is  near  enough)- 

NATURALLY,  seeing  that  we  believe  in  genuine  union,  as 
distinct  from  the  pinchbeck  article  which  passes  current  in 
our  midst,  the  management  referred  to,  intimated  that  it 
hadn't  the  slightest  possible  objection  ;  that  the  machine- 
man  involved,  could  be  in  our  employ,  and  belong  to  three 
unions,  an'  it  pleased  him — always  providing,  of  course, 
that  he  knew  his  business  as  a  machine-man.  As  the 
management  had  no  very  grave  doubts  as  to  the  man's 
ability,  they  were  quite  careless  as  to  what  he  belonged  to 
after  working  hours — so  that,  during  working  hours,  he 
comported  himself  as  a  decent  craftsman,  and  was  a  credit 
to  himself  and  his  employers.  What  happened,  think  you, 
Mr.  Brace  ?  Simply  that  the  man  in  question  wrote  to  that 
printers'  union,  and  offered  to  continue  as  a  subscriber  there- 
to, at  the  same  time  intimating,  that  he  was  receiving  more 
than  union  money.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  that  machine-man 
was — and  is— receiving  an  appreciable  amount  more  wages 
per  week  than  the  union  rate  :  but  what  was  the  assinine 
treatment  meted  out  to  him  by  those  folk  who— according 
to  Mr.  Brace — do  not  establish  trade  organisations, 
"  primarily  for  the  purpose  of  fostering  industrial  strife?" 
Well,  sirs,  they  held  a  meeting  in  some  unknown  place,  and 


(7 


in   the   height  of  their  superior  wisdom,   they  "  expelled  " 
that   machine-man  from  their  union. 

OBVIOUSLY,  the  man  had  no  grievance  ;  had  managed  to 
convince  his  employers,  that  he  was  worth  more  than  the 
common  or  garden  stuff  which  is  on  offer  ;  was  willing  to 
support  "  the  cause  ; "  his  employers  had  absolutely  no 
objection — didn't  care  one  way  or  another  ;  and  the  result 
was  even  as  we  have  stated.  What  do  you  think  of  it,  Mr. 
Brace  ?  If  we  were  as  sadly  mediocre  as  some  of  the 
newspaper  folk  in  the  district,  we  should  print  that  query 
at  the  top  of  one  of  our  columns,  issue  by  issue.  We 
should,  indeed.  But  then,  you  will  probably  have  learned 
by  this  time,  that  mediocrity  seldom,  if  ever,  gets  below  the 
Custom  House  Street  Bridge  ?  In  any  case,  there  is  none 
of  it  at  the  Docks,  while  there  are  quite  big  chunks  of  it, 
in  town— unfortunately  for  the  district.  Then,  again,  if 
Mr.  Brace  will  throw  his  gentle  mind  back  to  the  con- 
tinuance of  the  Hirwain  strike — it  isn't  so  very  long  ago.  as 
time  runs,  although  it  possibly  appears  as  ages  in  the  diary 
of  the  labour  leader — he  might  be  good  enough  to  tell  us 
what  he  thinks  of  the  action  of  one  stentorian  gentleman, 
who  said  things  up  against  the  men  who  wished  to  return 
to  work,  rather  than  to  continue  starving. 

You  know,  Mr.  Brace !  That  bright  star  in  the  labour 
leading  crown,  which  suggested  that  the  women  of  the 
combination  should  do  even  as  had  the  women  in  some  other 
combination  —throw  rocks  at  them,  wasn't  it?  And  having 
told  us  a  few  of  these  little  items  for  which  we  have  asked, 
you  might  say  whether  "ill-informed  parties"  are  altogether 
adrift,  when  they  size  up  the  situation  as  far  as  to  suggest, 
that  trade  organisations  are  established  primarily, 
secondarily,  thirdly,  and  every  other  "ly  "  "for  the  purpose 
of  fostering  industrial  strife  ?  "  It  is  pretty  enough  to  pass 
complimentary  remarks  about  the  fourteen  pioneers  who 
started  the  boilermakers'  society ;  but  we  have  a  shrewd 
idea  that  if  those  sturdy — and  honestly  efficient — workmen, 
had  pursued  the  tactics  so  loved  by  a  number  of  their 
degenerate  successors,  then,  there  wouldn't  have  been  half 
such  a  fine  tale  to  tell.  No,  Mr.  Brace.  We  hate  to  appear 
unkind,  but  we  have  to  state  that,  in  our  serious  opinion, 
the  major  portion  of  the  present  style  of  trade  unionism,  is 
just  a  cult  for  the  purpose  of  enabling  a  number  of  non- 
workers,  to  eke  out  a  comparatively  "  soft  "  living. 

WILL  you  be  good  enough  to  repeat  that  to  the  old 
granny  who  affects  such  a  kindly  and  newspapery 
regard  for  trades  unionism  in  the  lump?  And  while  on 
the  subject,  please  forgive  a  brother  journalist  for  asking 
you  to  give  up  using  such  terribly  long  periods.  It  is 
somewhat  uncomfortable,  in  the  midst  of  this  summery 
weather,  to  have  to  struggle  along  over  16  lines  of 
"  righteous  indignation,"  without  getting  an  opportunity  to 
"  count  four  " — as  we  were  wont  to  say,  at  school.  The 
"tip"  might  be  well  followed  by  some  of  the  other  "giants" 
belonging  to  the  same  dime  museum — or  whatever  it  is  they 
choose  to  style  their  place  of  business  ;  and  then,  one  of 
these  days  they  might  learn  to  write,  which  is  a  consumma- 
tion devoutly  to  be  hoped  for.  We  shouldn't  personally  care 
a  dump,  one  way  or  another,  were  it  not  for  the  fact  that 
those  press-cutting  people  will  include  nearly  anything  in 
the  paper  line,  which  tends  to  make  their  parcel  hefty. 
We  trust  that  Mr.  Brace  will  understand  that  we  have  no 
ill-feeling  in  the  matter ;  but  when  it  is  seriously  intended 
to  make  us  believe  that  the  trades  unionism  which  is  on 
tap,  in  most  instances,  these  days,  has  nothing  to  do  with 
the  fostering  of  industrial  strife — well,  forgive  us,  won't 
you  ?  We  have  to  use  our  best  endeavours,  to  hide  the 
ingenuous  smile  for  which  we  have  become  noted.  Yes 
indeed,  now  ! 


July    2',   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


170 


PATENTS  &  TRSDE  MSRKS 

Relating    to    SHIPPING   and    the    COAL    TRADE. 


Specifications  published  on  July  6,  1905,  together 
with  an  indication  of  their  subject  matter,  the  title 
being  printed  in  Italics. 

13,574  04     STEUART  -Improvements    in    and  relating    to 
rock  drills  and  the  like. 

The  drill  spindle  receives  a  reciprocating  motion  by 
means  of  pairs  of  cams  operating  on  both  faces  of  a 
collar  formed  on  the  drill  spindle.  The  cams  are  carried 
by  short  parallel  shafts  one  of  which  is  driven  by  a  motor 
and  the  second  derives  its  motion  from  the  first  by 
means  of  a  pair  of  spur-wheels  and  accordingly  the  cams 
rotate  in  opposite  directions.  The  spindle  is  provided  at 
a  portion  of  its  length  with  a  straight  and  a  slightly 
helical  feather  which  works  in  loose  nuts  formed  with 
external  ratchet  teeth  in  which  pawls  on  the  casing 
engage  in  such  a  manner  that  the  drill  spindle  does  not 
revolve  on  its  forward  stroke  but  makes  a  portion  of  a 
revolution  on  the  return  stroke.  Buffer  springs  are  pro- 
vided and  the  drill  is  adapted  to  be  both  fed  axially 
forward  and  adjusted  laterally  on  its  stand. 

13,822  04— WHITTAKER  -  Improvements   in   the    manu- 
facture of  peat  fuel  and  in  apparatus  therefor. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  process  for  preparing  peat 
fuel.  It  consists  broadly  in  drying  the  peat  in  a  centri- 
fugal hydro-extractor  from  which  it  is  removed  by 
lowering  a  brush  or  scraper  mounted  on  a  pivoted 
counter  weighted  arm,  so  that  the  inside  of  the  perforated 
wall  of  the  extractor  is  brushed,  whereupon  the  dried 
peat  falls  to  the  bottom,  where  it  is  removed  through  a 
door.  The  peat  is  then  treated  in  an  edge  runner  mill. 
the  track  of  one  of  the  rollers  of  which,  is  continuous  and 
of  the  other  is  interrupted  by  gratings.  These  gratings 
in  combination  with  a  scraper,  act  as  cutters  for  the  peat 
which  falls  through  them.  The  peat  drops  into  the 
hopper  mouth  of  a  steam  jacketted  conical  chamber  of  a 
kneading  machine  in  which  revolved  a  horizontal  shaft, 
provided  with  lateral  blades  and  a  worm  of  diminishing 
pitch.  The  peat  is  expressed  therefrom  in  a  column. 
It  may  then  be  cut  into  briquettes  or  fall  down  a  chute 
to  a  horizontal  plunger  press. 

1 7.537  04     Improved  apparatus  for  counting  and  registering, 
chiefly  designed  for  colliery  use. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  device  for  counting  and 
indicating  a  recurring  reciprocating  movement,  such  as 
the  up  and  down  movement  of  a  mine  cage.  It  consists 
of  a  casing  fitted  with  dials  and  pointers,  and  a  train  of 
wheels,  one  for  each  dial.  A  pawl  on  a  sliding  weight 
reciprocated  by  a  cord  leading  from  the  cage  and  led 
over  reducing  sheaves,  engages  the  ujiit  dial  lantern 
wheel  and  advances  it  step  by  step.  One  complete 
revolution  of  the  unit  wheel  causes  a  radial  pin  therein 
to  engage.  Free  movement  of  the  wheels  is  prevented 
by  detents. 

17.673  04     WlTCOMBE  -Improvements  in  tackle  for  lower- 
ing or  hoisting  sacks  or  other  articles. 

This  invention  relates  to  means  for  enabling  the 
operative  lengths  of  the  ropes  employed  in  a  lowering 
tackle  to  be  adjusted.  The  tackle  consists  of  a  drum  on 
which  one  length  of  rope  is  wound  up  whilst  the  other  is 
unwound.  It  is  formed  in  two  portions.  One  portion  is 
fast  to  the  shaft,  and  around  it  is  wound  one  length  of 
rope.  The  other  portion  is  loose  on  the  shaft  but  is 
adapted  to  be  clutched  thereto.  The  second  length  of 
rope  is  wound  in  the  reversed  direction  on  this  loose 
portion. 

18,001  04     SPENCER     Improvements    in    and    relating  to 
devices  for  screening  coal  and  the  like. 

For  the  purpose  of  preventing  lumps  of  coal,  which 
normally  are  too  large  to  pass  through  the  perforations 
of  an  inclined  vibrating  screen,  from  being  broken  and 
forced  through  by  becoming  jammed  in  the  perforations 
to  an  abrading  action  by  larger  lumps  riding  over  them 


the  screen  perforations  are  formed  with  approxi- 
mately horizontal  tongues  of  metal  below  each  of  the 
perforations. 

18,106/04     WILLSON—  An  automatic  gas  buoy. 

In  this  gas  buoy  an  internal  cylindrical  chamber  is 
provided,  which  is  charged  with  calcium  carbide.  The 
carbide  is  supported  on  a  grid,  and  the  water  in  which 
the  buoy  floats  penetrates  to  the  carbide  through  an 
opening  in  the  bottom  of  the  buoy  by  the  hydrostatic 
pressure.  On  an  excess  of  gas  being  generated  the 
water  is  expelled,  sufficient  remaining  adherent  to  the 
particles  of  carbide  to  continue  the  generation  of  gas. 
The  orifice  can  be  closed  by  a  valve  when  the  chamber 
is  being  charged. 

27,649/04 — BELL — Improvements  in  rail-joints  for  collieries, 
quarries.  light-railways,  and  the  like. 

The  meeting  ends  of  the  rails  are  rebated  to  half  their 
thickness,  and  the  overlapping  ends  so  formed  are 
bolted  together  dispensing  with  fish  plates. 

28,61 1  04  — RlCE — Improvement  in  gas  actuated  or  hydro- 
carbon rock  drilling  machinery. 

The  spindle  of  this  rock  drill  is  operated  by  a  pair  of 
pistons  arranged  in  tandem  thereon  and  working  in 
separated  cylinders  by  the  internal  combustion  of  gases 
therein. 

2,608  05 — Improvements  in  or  relating  to  wells  and  shafts 
of  mines.  *" 

This  invention  relates  to  tubbing  for  lining  shafts. 
The  tubbing  is  composed  of  curved  plates  forming  por- 
tions of  a  hollow  cylinder.  The  convex  faces  of  the 
plates  are  plane  and  the  inner  or  concave  faces  are 
tapered  towards  the  edges  to  form  a  flattened  pyramid. 
The  centres  of  the  plates  are  formed  with  a  perforated 
flattened  circular  boss.  Each  plate  is  framed  in  grooved 
flanged  bars.  The  flanges  are  'provided  with  bolt  holes. 

3.781,05— GOERC  &  CHRIST — Improvements  in  and 
relating  to  rock  drills. 

This  invention  relates  to  securing  a  removable  end 
length  to  a  twist  drill.  The  meeting  edges  of  the  two 
ends  are  each  cast  away  on  one  side  so  as  to  overlap. 
A  hole  is  formed  by  a  notch  of  semi-circular  section 
formed  in  both.  The  ends  are  inserted  and  surrounded 
by  a  flattened  sleeve  and  secured  together  by  a  spring 
urged  pin  or  bolt  which  passes  through  the  sleeve  and 
the  hole  in  the  ends  of  the  drill  lengths. 


These  applications  for  patents  are,  until  August  21,1 905, 
open  to  opposition  by  any  person  having  a  statutory 
right  to  oppose. 

Copies  of  the  specifications  may  be  obtained  from  the 
latent  Office  or  through  the  under-named. 


TRADE   MARKS. 

The  following  applications  for  the  registration  of  Trade 
Marks  relating  to  the  shipping  and  coal  trades  were 
advertised  on  July  12,  and  are  open  to  opposition  by 
interested  parties  within  the  period  ending  August  12th. 

Class  4 — Including  coal. 

No.  273,496,  9th  June,  1905—  BALDWICK— for :  All 
goods  included  in  class  4.  Ellis  &  Everard,  Ltd.,  10, 
East  Street,  Leicester,  Merchants. 

No.  273,497,  9th  June,  1905— THORN  B'LACK— for :  All 
goods  included  in  class  4.  Ellis  &  Everard,  Ltd.,  10, 
East  Street,  Leicester,  Merchants. 

Compiled  by  Messrs.  PHILLIPS  &  LEIGH,  Chartered  Patent 
Aeents  22,  Southampton  Buildings,  Chancery  Lane,  London, 
Wfc  Local  Consultant:  Mr.  S.  W.  ALLEN,  Engineer,  of  Cardiff 
Exchange,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July   21,  1905 


OUR  MARITIME  DIRECTORY. 


CARDIFF. 


Colliery  Proprietors. 


(~ORY  BROS.  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff  and 
London.    Dep6ts  at  all  the  principal 
Coaling  Stations  in  the  World. 

—  ,  "CORY.  CARDIFF"; 

Telegrams:    ..CoRy;  LoNDON.- 


TNSOLE.  GEORGE  &  SON.  Cardiff.   Sole 
Shippers  of   Cymmer   Steam    Coal, 
Windsor  Steam  Goal,  and  Insoles  No.  2 
Rhondda  Coal. 

Telegrams:  "INSOLES.  CARDIFF." 


T  EWIS    MERTHYR    CONSOLIDATED   COL- 
LIERIES,  LTD.,  Proprietors  and  Ship- 
pers  of    "  Lewis  Merthyr "   Navigation 
Steam  Goal. 

T»1»<™  "LEWIS  MERTHYR,  CARDIFF"  ; 

elegrams  .    ••  LEWIS  MERTHYR.  LONDON." 


MARQUESS  OF  BUTE  COLLIERIES, 
Aberdare.  Hirwain,  and  Rhondda 
Valley.  Shipping  ports  : — Bute  Docks, 
Cardiff ;  Penarth  Dock  ;  Swansea ; 
Briton  Fe*fry  :  and  Newport  (Mon.) 

Telegrams  :  "  SEMA,  CARDIFF." 


QGEAN    (MERTHYR)    GOAL    Co.,    LTD., 
11,  Bute  Crescent,  Cardiff,  proprie- 
tors of  Ocean  (Merthyr)  Steam  Goal. 


I  JNIVERSAL  STEAM  GOAL  Go.,  LTD., 
^  Bute  Docks.  Cardiff.  Proprietors  of 
"  Universal  Steam  Goal." 

Telegrams:   "VERSATILE.  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF—  Continued. 


VIVIAN,    H.    G.    &  Co.,    Bute   Docks, 
Cardiff.     Sole  European  Agents  for 
"  The  Puritan  Goal  Mining  Co.,  Phila- 
delphia, U.S.A." 

Telegrams:  "VIVIAN.  CARDIFF." 


WATTS,    WATTS  &  Co.,   Cardiff    and 
London.  Contractors  for  the  supply 
of  Coals  at  all  Dep6ts  abroad. 

Telegrams  :   "  WATTS,  CARDIFF." 


Dock    Owners. 


"HE  CARDIFF  RAILWAY  COMPANY,  Bute 
Docks.  Cardiff. 


Ship  Repairers. 


CHEARMAN,  JOHN  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff, 
and  at  Barry  Dock. 

T"HE   BUTE   SHIPBUILDING,  ENGINEERING, 
AND  DRY   DOCK  COMPANY,   LIMITED. 
Roath  Basin,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:   "CAISSON.  CARDIFF." 


'THE  CARDIFF  CHANNEL  DRY  DOCKS  AND 
PONTOON    Co.,    LTD.,     Cardiff    and 
Barry  Dock. 

•    "  Entrance,  Cardiff." 
.    •<  Gnanneli  Barry.» 


VHE   MERCANTILE    PONTOON  Co.,  LTD. 
Roath  Dock,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams  :    "  MERCANTILE,  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF     Continued. 


Miscellaneous. 

[EWIS  &  TYLOR,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 

Sole  patentees  and  manufacturers 

of  "Gripoly,"  a  patent  woven  belting; 

and  "  Burals."  a  semi-metallic  packing. 

Telegrams  :  "  BELTING  CARDIFF."        Telephone,  Nat.  23 1 . 


Steamship    Owners. 


P)AN.    JENKINS    &     Co..    Steamship 
Owners  and  Brokers,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "Stonewall.  Cardiff." 
Nat.  Telephone:  1318. 


BARRY. 


Dock  Owners. 


rHE  BARRY  RAILWAY  Go.,  Barry. 


Ship  Repairers. 


I5ARRY  GRAVING   DOCK  &  ENGINEERING 
"     Co.,  LTD. 

Telegrams  :   "  BARDOCK,  BARRY." 
National  Telephone  No.  7.         Post  Office  Telephone  No.  7. 


To    the    Proprietors    of 


"THE    MARITIME    REVIEW,' 


DOCKS,     CARDIFF, 


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VOL.  VI.— No.  76. 


FRIDAY,  JULY   28,    1905. 


THREEPENCE. 


MARITIME    HARK    MAKERS. 


Photo  ty\ 


WILLIAM     SCOTT,    ESQ., 
(General    Manager.    Bute    Shipbuilding  and    Engineering  Company,  Ltd.) 

(See  Page   179). 


[H.  J.  B.  Wills.  Cardiff. 


172 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July    28,    1905 


to  to »,  NOTICES.  »*  >*  * 

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accidental  loss  of  MMS.  or  illustrations  submitted,  but  every  effort 
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Correspondence  :  The  Editor  does  not  necessarily  identify  himself 
with  the  opinions  expressed  by  Correspondents,  whose  letters  must, 
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written  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only. 


*  to  to  CONTENTS.  »** 


MARITIME  MARK  MAKER — WILLIAM  SCOTT.  ESQ. 

MARITIME  MURMURS          ...        .          

MARINE  ENGINEERING  AS  A  PROFESSION 

AN  ACT  OF  JUSTICE  LONG  DELAYED    

CARDIFF  (AND  OTHER)  COAL       

COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES 

SHIPBUILDING          

MARITIME  (AND  OTHER)  MONEY  MATTERS 

THE  CARGO-CARRIERS'  COMBINE  

PATENTS  AND  TRADE  MARKS      


PAGE 

.  172 

180 

181 

182 

.  183 

.  184 

.   185 

.  186 

187 


MARITIME    MURMURS. 


DOCKS.  CARDIFF. 

Thursday  Afternoon. 

THE  hysteria  consequent  upon  the  terrible  wickedness 
of  the  Germans,  in  trusting  a  few  of  their  unconsidered 
shekels  in  Welsh  coal  enterprise  continues,  and  if  we  are 
to  believe  some  of  the  exponents  of  the  newest  disease, 
Britain's  fate  is  sealed  !  Pall  Mall  Gazette  is  especially 
anxious  on  the  matter,  and  we  are  of  opinion  that  the 
Government  is  extremely  callous  in  not  answering  our 
contemporary's  tragic  queries.  The  authority  quoted, 
declares  that  it  is  beside  the  point  to  contend  that  the 
shares  will  be  issued  in  London,  and  that  the  concern  will 
have  an  English  name.  Personally,  we  fail  to  see  any 
point  in  the  whole  contraption,  and  we  are  nearly  sure  that 
we  have  given  the  matter  as  much  study  as  P.M.G., 
while  we  are  positive  that  our  opportunities  for  sizing  up 
the  situation  have  been  greater.  Is  anybody  going  to 
pretend  that  Pall  Mall  Gazette  would  be  of  less  (or  more) 
utility  as  a  national  sheet,  merely  because,  say,  an 
American  financier  should  run  it  as  a  hobby  ?  Of  course 
not  !  The  journal  would  continue  in  its  old-time  happy 
position,  and  come  weal  or  woe,  would  be  just  as  militantly 
British  as  it  ever  knew  how  to  be  ?  Then,  there  is  another 
point  quoted  by  our  contemporary,  although  it  doesn't 
seem  to  ease  the  situation  any. 


THAT  is  to  say.  we  are  assured  that  "  of  course  the 
nature  of  the  question  of  the  coal  remains,  and  due  weight 
must  be  given  to  the  opinion  of  Mr.  D.  A.  Thomas.  M.P. 
(we  should  smile  !),  that  it  is  not  of  a  kind  suitable  for 
Government  acquisition  for  naval  purposes."  Of  course  ! 
When  Mr.  D.  A.  Thomas  tells  you  anything  —  well,  you 
ought  to  believe  it,  because  that  gentleman's  experience  in. 
coal  matters  has  been  somewhat  unique  ;  especially  when 
it  comes  down  10  making  a  pile  of  money,  through  working 
at  a  time  when  his  neighbours  were  engaged  upon  the 
merry  pastime  of  settling  the  coal  question,  and  a  great' 
strike  ?  Ws  wish  it  to  be  understood  that  Mr.  D.  A. 
Thomas  has  to  be  listened  to  with  respect  ;  there  must  be 
no  shinnannakin  on  the  subject  ;  and  if  Pall  Mall  Gazette 
thinks  it  worth  its  while  to  quote  the  great  man's  assur- 


ances, and  to  "of  course,"  about  it :  well,  why  doesn't  it 
give  over  ?  Why  go  to  such  awful  lengths  as  are  implied 
by  the  words  :  "  We  ask  again  :  What  are  the  Government 
going  to  do  ?  "  Great  Scott !  Did  our  contemporary  really 
imagine  that  the  said  Government  was  going  to  send  an 
Under  Secretary  around  in  a  cab,  for  the  purpose  of  telling 
it  things  ?  If  not,  why  all  the  pother,  and  all  the  fustian  ? 
As  we  have  remarked,  before,  the  whole  hotch-potch  is  an 
outcome  of  the  silly  season. 

e^  *& 

EW     w? 

THEN,  there  is  another  "great  organ"  in  the  breach,  so 
to  speak.  Daily  Mail  assured  its  clients  that  "  the  reply  of 
the  Government  to  Sir  Howard  Vincent's  question  in 
regard  to  the  sale  of  the  Whitworth  estate  coalfield  to  a 
German  syndicate,  was  awaited  with  great  interest":  and 
gives  the  quoted  sentence  on  the  authority  of  its  Cardiff 
correspondent—  which  is  sort  of  vague  ?  We  can  quite 
understand  that  the  reply  in  question  was  "  awaited  with 
great  interest  "  by  the  scribe  with  an  unconsidered  column 
to  fill:  but  we  are  practically  certain  that  not  half-a-dozen 
men  in  Cardiff — outside  of  the  few  searchers  after  con- 
cessions and  options — cared  a  brass,  or  other  kind  of, 
farthing,  one  way  or  the  other.  It  might  be  considered 
cruel  of  us  to  write  it  thus  openly,  but  the  whole  of  the 
"  sensation  "  concerning  the  Whitworth  deal,  has  been 
worked  up  in  London,  where  they  might,  or  might  not, 
know  a  deal  about  any  kind  of  coal.  It  is  very  certain  that 
Welsh  colliery  folk— and  after  all,  they  should  know  at 
least  as  much  about  the  subject  as  London  "bulls"  or 
"bears"?— are  not  troubling  themselves  worth  a  cent,  in 
the  matter.  And  while  the  colliery  man  on  the  spot  is 
inclined  to  be  indifferent,  the  remainder  of  the  nation  need 
not  get  in  any  sort  of  a  trepidated  feeling  over  the 
business  need  it  ? 

K>?    9Cw 

«5     w3 

ALL  manner  of  sidelights  are  resulting  from  the  Liverpool 
dock  strike  !  One  of  the  most  amusing,  is  that  concerning 
the  devotees  of  the  fragrant  weed.  It  appears  that,  among 
other  alleged  blessings,  the  "imported  men"  are  being 
allowed  to  smoke,  so  for  the  purpose  of  "  testing  the  law," 
the  secretary  of  the  labourers'  union  indulged  in  the  meta- 
phorical "three  draws  and  a  spit."  A  lynx-eyed  policeman  — 


July    ;S,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


'73 


all  policemen  at  Liverpool  docks  are  lynx-eyed,  you'll  please 
stand-  who  saw   the  deed,    suggested    that  if    the 
Jtary  person  wanted  to  smoke  there,  he  would  have  to 
go  outside  and   smoke-which   is  another  weakness  with 
majority  of  the  Liverpool  dock  police  !     The  secretary 
wouldn't,  and   for  the  reason  already  stated.     Which  is  to 
t  was  intended   to  show  that  the   police  were  siding 
the  "imported   men."  against  the  regular,  but   non- 
ting  variety-otherwise,  where  did  this  permission  to 
smoke  come  in.     Anyhow,  in    the  result,  the   "law  tester" 
Ined  5s.  and  mulcted  in  4s.  6d.  costs,  so   it   is  highly 
probable   that  he   will   now   understand  that   preferential 
•eatment  is  by  no  means  the  divine   right  of  the   labour 
unions,  alone.     That  is  to  say.  dock  boards  may  "  wink  the 
>ther   eye."   an'   it   pleases  them  ?     But  what  about  the 
button  ?      The   wearing  thereof  appears  to   be   as   big  a 
grievance     at  least,   not  being  allowed    to    wear   it.  you 
understand     as  is  the  question  of  too  little  pay. 


TISN'T    all    Dutch    cheese    and  onions    being  a  multi- 
millionaire. even  if  the  condition  does  make  you  the  richest 
man  in  the  world  !     There's  Mr.  Rockefeller,  for  instance. 
He  is  said   to  be   suffering  from   melancholia    and  why. 
think  you  ?     Merely    because  folk  are  saying  nasty  things 
about  the  trait  which  made  it  possible  for  one  man  to 
"corner"  the  greater  portion  of  the  world's  wealth.     Mind 
you.  we  are  strongly  of   opinion   that  the  whole  claim   is   a 
canard  :  that  any  man  who  has   pursued   the   path  trodden 
by   Mr.  Rockefeller,  is   beyond  the  reach  of  melancholia,  or 
any  other  sort    of   "  olia."     Still,    if  there   is    truth  in  the 
statement,  it  should  be  fairly  easy  for  the  great  man  to  ease 
himself,  somewhat.    There  are  quite  a  number  of  deserving 
causes  which  could  be  put  upon   their  metaphorical  feet. 
without   touching   any  more  than  the  mere  fringe  of  the 
£100.000,000.   there,   or   thereabout,   which   are  said   to 
represent  the  life-gleaning  of  the  world's  champion  accum- 
ulator.    For  instance,  it  should  be  possible  to  ease  up  the 
price  of  petroleum,  and  give  the  small  traders  who  have 
been  starved   out  of  their  legitimate  callings,   a  chance. 
Then,  again,  instead  of  emulating  a  brother  millionaire,  who 
goes  Skiboing  around   the  world  with  a  number  of  free 
libraries  which   nobody   seems  to  want,  why   not  try  the 
pleasures  of  giving  the  hungry,  bread,  instead  of  a  stone  ? 
There  are  possibilities,  here  ? 


SOMEWHERE  in  a  preceding  paragraph,  we  have  touched 
upon  the  Miners'  Federation,  and  that  reminds  us  that  the 
tty    httle   organisation   held  a  meeting  at  Cardiff    on 
Monday  last.     There   isn't  much  to   wonder  at  in  that,  for 
the  Federation  frequently  holds  meetings.     The  latest  one 
somewhat  different  to  the  others,  in  that  the  engineers 
the  movement  are  face  to  face  with  another  of  those 
i  things,  for  which  the  Welsh  coal  trade  has  become 
ous.     At  least,  that  is  how  the  vice-president  of  the 
affair  put  it.     The  said   crisis   is  to  come  about   for  the 
reason   that  the  Conciliation   Board   is  on  its  last  legs  or 
castors,    or  what    it    is    such   arrangements  stand    upon 
how,  Mr.  Brace,  of  the  Federation,  assured  his  hearers 
that  it  was  necessary  for  the  Executive  Council  (and  they 
always  write   it  with  capital   letters,  you'll  have  noted)  to 
for  power  "to  open  negotiations  for  the  establishment 
a  wage   system,  to   succeed   the  present  Conciliation 
Board    agreement."     If  this   is   neglected,    the  crowd   is 
scheduled  to  find  itself  "face  to  face  with  a  crisis,  without 
a  settled   system  for  the   regulation    of    the    workmen's 
This  is  more  or  less  as  it  should  be,  so  presumably 
nobody  has  any  right  to  jib  at  the  conditions  ? 


.GETTING  farther  along  with  this  same  subject,  we  observe 
that  Mr.  Brace  imformed  his  butties,  that  the  Conciliation 
Board  had  been  an  experiment,  and  that  it  had  succeeded 
beyond  the  most  sanguine  expectations  of  either  side.     Mr. 
Brace's  words,  mind.     Don't  blame  them  on  to  us,  if  you 
please.     All  the  same,  the  crowd  was  assured  that  it  was 
'the  unanimous  conviction  of  the   workmen,  that  there 
could  be  no  wage  agreement  which  did  not  recognise  the 
principle  that  there  should  be  no  reduction  in  the  minimum." 
By  which  it  will  be  seen  that  the  statement  concerning  the 
beyondness  of  the  most  sanguine   expectations  of  either 
side,  is  somewhat  equivocal?     If  the  Conciliation   Board 
has  been  such  an  unqualified  success,  why  need  the  Brace- 
lets of  the  bunch,  commence  a  shout  about  "  no  reduction  " 
all    this    distance  off  a  termination    of  the  tremendous 
success  ?     We  merely  put  the  question  to  you,  as  a  matter 
of  form  ;  just  by  way  of  courtesy  ;  and  not  because  we 
imagine  that  you  will  be  idiotic  enough  to  worry  around  to 
find  the  requisite  reply.     You  see,  there  is  no  reply,  mainly 
because  the  statement  is  a  one-sided    affair,  and   probably 
not  more'n  two  men  in  a  hundred  set  any  stock  by  it  ! 


HAVING  tired   of   the  suggested   trick,   there  is  quite  a 
quantity  of  excitement  to  be  gathered  from  attending  to 
the  needs  of  the  British   Mercantile  Marine,  on  business 
lines.     The  man  who  will  undertake  the  latter  job.  will  go 
down  in  history  with  a  halo  around  his  neck,  far  larger  than  . 
could  be  gained  by  the  giving  of  a  million  libraries,  which  to 
our  mind,    is  a  species  of  philanthropy  run  to  seed.      If 
attending  to  the   Mercantile   Marine   should  pall,  what  is 
wrong  with  putting  some  time  -and  money — into  a  careful 
consideration  of  the  Miners'  Federation  on  this  side  of  the 
Pond  ?    There's  a  crance  for  hilarity,  if  you  like  :  for  the 
dispelling  of  every  chunk  of  melancholia  that  ever  was ! 
No  man   could  have  anything  to  do  with  the  Federation 
referred  to.  and  be  sad  !     Not  he !     There  is  one  of  two 
courses  open,  as  far  as  we  can  see.  in  this  connection.     An 
attache  would  either  have  to  laugh  himself  sore  in  various 
parts  of  his  anatomy  :  or  he  would  have  to  become  really 
"  mad."  at  such  one-sided  tales  as  are  continually  on  tap  in 
connection  with  this  combination  of  labour-leaders-and-led. 
Failing  either  of  these  proposed  methods  of  dispelling  that 
"tired  feeling."  Mr.  Rockefeller  could  change  his  name, 
and  then  people  would  forget  about  him  and  his  millions. 
what? 


MIND  you,  we  hate  to  appear  rude  on  occasions  such  as 
these.     Indeed,  if  it  were  not  for  our  absolute  disinclination 
that  way.  we  should  be  constrained  to  remark  that,  now 
and  then,  Mr.  Brace  could  talk  through   portions  of  his 
-anatomy,  other  than  are  to  be  found  in  the  middle—  there 
or  thereabout—  of  his  speaking  countenance.     You  under- 
stand that  we  have  no  intention  to  suggest  that  the  gentle- 
man speaks  through  his  neck,  for  that  is  an  impossibility- 
even  in  a  popular  agitator.    Still,  there  are  various  methods 
of    saying    things.     One    of    them   runs   along    after    the 
following:"!  do  not  think  it  will  benefit  the  employers  to 
be  saving  pence  in  the  workmen's  wages,  at  the  time  their 
(coalowners)  agents  are  giving  away  coal  at  shillings  per 
ton   cheaper  "   (than   its  value  ?)     Of  course,  Mr.  Brace 
might  have  been  off  on  a  metaphorical  lay,  for  all  we  know  ; 
but  we  have  a  sad  remembrance  that,  the  last  time  we 
purchased   coal,  the  stuff  cost  us  23s.  per  ton,  delivered 
into  the  domestic  bunkers  ;    and  if  there  is  any  giving  away 
connected  with  that  price,  please  come  down  and  tell  us 
about  it  ?    Success  of  the  Conciliation  Board  notwithstand- 
ing, we  are  also  assured  that  "  employers  united  to  a  man 
when   the   men's   wages  had    to  be   reduced  or  attacked 
(attacked  is  a  good  word,  and  always  goes  down  with  the 


'74 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July   28,    1905 


mob  !),  but  when  they  talked  of  uniting  the  employers  "• 
here,  let's  start  a  fresh  par  with  this  ? 


VERY  well,  then.  "  But  when  they  talked  of  uniting  the 
employers"  do  you  grasp  the  immensity  of  the  under- 
taking?— "for  the  purpose  of  maintaining  prices  at  a 
point  which  would  mean  fair  wages  and  a  fair  return  upon 
capital,  they  said  it  was  impossible."  You  know,  we  like 
that  "  fair  return  upon  capital,"  principally  because  it  is 
one  of  those  pious  shams  with  which  we  are  occasionally 
greeted.  We  quite  understand  the  meaning  of  fair  wages. 
Yes,  we  do.  It  means  that  the  workmen  shall  receive  at 
least  nine-tenths  of  the  sales-money,  while  the  remaining 


WHERE  were  we  ?  Oh.  if  the  masters  wouldn't  co- 
operate with  the  men  for  the  purpose  of  putting  an  end  to 
an  alleged  dumping  of  coals,  well.  "  they  cannot  expect 
the  workmen  to  accept  substantial  reductions  in  their 
wages,  because  the  prices  were  low."  Certainly  not. 
The  idea  is  not  to  be  entertained,  for  one  moment. 
Under  the  conditions  suggested,  the  "masters"  should 
turn  their  collieries  over  to  the  workmen,  openly,  and  not 
go  on  with  the  pretence  that  they  are  really  running  those 
industrial  affairs,  for  their  own  good  and  comfort.  Con- 
sidered from  any  standpoint  you  care  to  assume,  the 
agitator,  when  about  to  suffer  a  reverse,  is  ever  most 
inclined  to  paw  the  ground — if  we  may  be  excused  for 
likening  the  gentleman  to  a  horse.  You  know,  it  is  useless 


-y  .y  «y  .y  -y  > 


OLD  METHOD  OF  SHIPPING  CoAL-The  first  Coal  Staith,  Cardiff  West  Moors,   1835. 
/From  an  Oil  Painting,  by  Alexander  Wilson.) 


one-tenth  shall  be  distributed  around  over  the  cost  of 
production,  exclusive  of  wages.  We  have  studied  this 
subject,  and  are  taking  no  points  from  anybody  on  the 
question  of  "fair  wages."  Not  us  !  And  here.  Consider 
this  :  "  If  the  employers  are  not  prepared  to  co-operate 
with  the  workmen  to  put  an  end  to  this  dumping  of  coal 
in  markets  where  it  is  not  required  "  —  pause  here,  and  fully 
consider  the  expression,  after  which  you  will  appreciate 
our  allusion  as  to  whence  comes  the  agitator's  talk  ? — 
"they  (the  miners)  ought  to  show  that  the  masters  (who 
agree  to  the  success  of  the  most  sanguine  beyondness  !.) 
must  take  up  that  attitude  ...  on  their  own  responsibility." 
Yes,  yes.  it  is  somewhat  sultry,  we  know.  Still  you'll  bear 
with  it  for  a  while  longer? 


for  us  to  fool  each  other.  The  Conciliation  Board  is 
anything  but  the  huge  success  which  the  collier  friend 
would  have  us  believe,  and  mainly  for  the  reason  that  such 
an  institution  is  against  nature.  There  is  no  particle  of 
conciliation  in  the  collier,  considered  from  any  phase  you 
like  ;  so  how  is  it  possible  for  a  Conciliation  Board  to  be 
other  than  a  mere  phrase  ?  The  collier  will  conciliate,  if 
you  give  him  the  whole  of  his  own,  and  two-thirds  of  yours. 
Under  any  other  circumstances— short  of  force  majeure— 
he  will  see  you  jiggered.  He  has  evidenced  this  in  the 
past ;  is  doing  so.  now  ;  and  may  be  safely  depended  on  to 
adopt  the  same  tactics  in  the  future. 

E*   ^3 

t&l     a? 

WE  are  willing  to  admit  that  the   collier  is   not  to   be 


July   2-.i. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


'75 


blr.med  for  this  state  of  affairs :  at  least,  only  indirectly. 
He  is  built  that  way  :  agitator  knows  it :  comes  along  and 
works  the  vein  for  all  it  is  worth  :  and  the  result  is  even 
as  we  have  written — for  the  "master"  allows  it  to  be  so. 
We  may.  all  of  us.  deplore  the  conditions  :  but  nothing 
much  short  of  a  miracle  will  alter  it.  However,  having  put 
themselves  in  line  to  regulate  the  future  conduct  of  the 
masters,  our  friends  next  essayed  to  fix  up  the  Government 
in  so  far  as  the  regulation  of  coal  mines  is  concerned. 
Pine  fellows,  these  labour  leaders  !  For  ourselves,  we  shall 
not  be  surprised  to  find  them,  in  the  golden  time  that  is 
coming,  squaring  up  the  Angel  Gabriel,  and  working  up  a 
conciliation  board  to  be  used  between  those  old  jigs  known 
as  the  Furies.  Just  you  wait.  The  half  of  their  talents 


the  like,  you  know — to  the  Government.  This  is  as  it 
should  be,  for  as  far  as  we  can  see,  there  is  no  use  in  being 
an  agitator,  unless  you  can  assist  the  Government,  in  your 
odd  moments  between  putting  the  "  masters  "  right.  For 
ourselves,  we  wouldn't  think  of  taking  on  an  agitator's  job, 
unless  w'e  were  assured  beforehand,  of  a  sight  better 
screw  than  we  could  earn  as  a  mere  workman  ;  and  of  the 
possibility  of  posing  on  every  other  Royal  Commission, 
Select  Committee,  or  whatever  it  is  the  Government  offers 
as  a  sop  to  Cerberus.  Not  us  !  Moreover,  we  should  want 
to  see  that,  after  the  Government  had  held  those  Committee 
things,  a  law  would  have  to  be  passed,  making  colliery  ex- 
plosions illegal.  If  they  occurred  after  that,  we  should  have 
the  collieries  up  for  contempt  of  court,  or  something  equally 


MODERN     METHOD 


OF    SHIPPING   COAL   -The    Lewis    Hunter    Patent   Coaling 
Cranes,    Bute    Doo^s,    Cardiff. 


have  yet  to  be  told-the  agitators,  you  know  :  not  the 
Furies.  But  getting  down  to  that  meeting  of  which  we 
have  told  you.  the  late  regrettable  explosion  came  up  for 
consideration,  and  among  other  items,  a  resolution  was 
shoved  through,  for  the  purpose  of  showing  the  Home 
Secretary  how  to  manage  these  little  occurrences,  according 
to  the  book.  That  is  to  say.  a  special  investigation  is  to  be 
ask*d  for  and  we  should  not  be  surprised  to  hear,  that  a 
good  sprinkling  of  agitators  had  been  offered  for  the  job. 

You  might  never  have  noticed  it.  but  generally  speaking. 
an  agitator  has  a  quantity  of  time  on  his  hands :  and  t 
really  patriotic  desire  to  lend  some  of  it-for  expenses  ar.u 


distressing.  We  wouldn't  have  any  shinnannakin,  would 
we  I  You  see.  when  the  explosion  occurred  at  the  Cam- 
brian Collieries— the  pits  which  have  become  historic 
because  of  one  Mr.  D.  A.  Thomas'  connection  therewith 
—the  inspector  was  asked  if  he  had  anything  to  suggest  by 
way  of  improvement. 


THE  gentleman  said  "  No,"  as  "  the  law  had  been  fully 
complied  with  in  its  practical  sense,"  and  all  "blowers" 
had  been  diluted.  By  the  way.  what's  a  "  blower,"  and  how 
do  you  dilute  him  ?  And  if  he  is  in  fairly  good  proportions 
above-ground  (on  the  management,  say),  is  it  lawful  to 
have  another  one  or  two.  under-ground  ?  We  like  to  own 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July  28,  1905 


up,  when  we  are  in  doubt  upon  a  given  point,  for  we  are 
unlike  some  of  our  contemporaries,  which  pretend  that 
they  are  au  fait  on  every  subject,  yes!  Of  course,  we 
understand  that  it  is  comma  il faut  to  have  a  "  blower"  or 
so  in  a  Federation,  because  "  blower  "  is  a  swagger  name 
for  something  else  not  totally  unconnected  with  gas— but 
there  !  How  one  does  get  tempted  to  run  on.  when  con- 
sidering this  phase  of  industry— no  offence,  you  know. 
Still,  with  reference  to  that  Cambrian  Colliery  disaster,  and 
the  "  blowers  "  that  were  above  or  below,  a  Mr.  D.  Watts 
Morgan  (he  is  something  or  other  in  the  miners'  agent 
business)  undertook  the  prophetic  role.  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  we  have  heard  it  said  that  some  of  those  miners' 
agents  will  undertake  a  number  of  things,  while  some  of 
them  will  actually  work—as  long  as  the  job  isn't  too 
difficult,  or  messy. 

&  & 

BUT  coming  along  to  that  prophesy,  we  find  that  this 
Mr.  D.  Watts  Morgan  (no,  there  is  no  hyphen  in  the  name  ; 
at  least,  as  yet,  and  as  far  as  we  can  see)  "  ventured  to 
predict  Uo  predict  is  to  prophesy,  isn't  it  ?),  that  so  far  as 
the  provisions  of  the  law  were  concerned,  they  would  be 
told  about  Wattstown  that  they  had  been  observed,  and 
that  there  would  be  no  blame  attached  to  anyone."  It  is 
somewhat  difficult  to  understand  what  this  particular 
person  is  after.  Does  he  wish  to  saddle  the  blame  of  the 
dire  calamity  of  which  we  all  have  heard,  on  to  the 
devoted  shoulders  of  some  poor  unfortunate  wretch  ?  If 
so.  would  he  take  a  master,  or  a  non-unionist,  for  choice  ? 
Most  sensible  folk,  are  of  opinion  that  the  Wattstown 
disaster  was  the  result  of  natural  causes  :  causes  over 
which  mankind  had  no  control  ;  so  what  this  Mr.  D.  Watts 
Morgan  (like  to  give  the  gentlemen  his  full 'title,  mainly 
because  Morgan  is  not  an  altogether  uncommon  name  in 
the  district,  and  we  wouldn't  have  you,  for  worlds,  mix  his 
identity  up  with  some  mere  male  who  just  labours  for  a 
living,  in  the  ordinary  fashion,  not  us)  is  driving  at— well, 
we  leave  it  to  you.  It  might  help  your  decision  in  this 
direction,  if  we  tell  you  that  the  prophet  was  kind  enough 
not  to  blame  the  inspectors — which  was  good  of  him  ?— 
"but  he  held  that  the  law  was  too  weak." 


POOR  law  !  Why  don't  they  feed  it  on  nourishing  food  ? 
It's  awful  to  see  a  law  getting  too  weak — aye.  even  if  it 
is  simply  a  law  for  the  special  governing  of  deep-chested 
and  extensive-mouthed  mob-orators  ?  But  there  is  a 
terrible  lack  of  originality  among  these  agitating  gentlemen, 
don't  you  think  ?  We  remarked,  'way  back,  about  the  ease 
and  rapidity  with  which  these  friends  of  the  poor  (you'll 
have  noticed  that  they,  themselves,  are  seldom  fabulously 
wealthy  ?.)  demand  a  Government  inquiry  on  this,  that,  or 
the  other  thing.  Well,  this  Mr.  D.  Watts  Morgan  plumped 
solid  for  an  inquiry  of  the  kind,  and  we  hope  the  Govern- 
ment will  realise  there  remissness  on  this  head  ;  will, 
fall  over  each  other  in  an  effort  to  remedy  the  crying  evil ; 
and  if  the  inquiry  is  scheduled  for  any  time  this  side  of  the 
millennium  ;  we  beg  to  suggest  that  Mr.  D.  W.  M.  (we 
can't  go  on  writing  his  name  for  ever,  you  know)  will  be 
included  therein.  We  note  that  the  need  is  for  an 
"  independent  man,"  who  shall  be  appointed  by-  the  Homej 
Secretary,  so  the  latter  individual  had  better  attend  to  it — or- 
keep  away  from  (say,  where  does  Mr.  D.  W.  M.  officiate  ? 
Blessed  if  we  know,  and  yet  tame  people  come  in  here,  and 
prate  to  us  of  fame  !) 

&   ^ 

GETTING  down  to  the  end  of  the  transactions,  we  find  that 
one  Stentorian  Stanton  was  on  tap.  so  to  speak.  Somebody 
in  Cardiff,  has  been  writing  him  down  on  a  par  with  the  law, 
as  defined  by  one  Dogberry.  Anyway,  his  talkee-talkee 


was  labelled  as  a  "  silly  speech,"  and  we  have  absolutely  no 
objection  to  the  phrase.  In  fact,  it  is  something  original 
come  to  look  at  the  words  dispassionately  ?  However,  we 
find  that  in  Stentonan's  own  words,  "This  was  not  the  first 
time  miners'  agents  had  been  so  treated,"  guid  faith.  Why 
it's  simple  mutiny— to  treat  a  miners'  agent  in  any  such 
scurvy  manner  ;  that's  exactly  what  it  is.  And  why  were 
miners'  agents  treated  in  this  abominable  fashion  ?  Just 
because  they  happen  to  say  something  "  which  did  not  suit 
the  palate  of  the  editor."  We  have  declared,  ere  this,  that 
editors  are  queer  animals.  Here  is  proof !  Not  only 
queer,  but  obviously  hard-up — or  they'd  never  attempt  to 
"  palate  "  the  stuff  which  emanates  from  the  facial  orifices, 
of  a  number  of  the  miners'  agents  which  we  could  name. 
Time  was,  that  we  had  hankerings  after  an  editor's  job. 
That  hankering  is  now  off.  If  they  have  to  live  on  such 
panem  as  suggested  by  Stentorian  Stanton — take  it  away, 
please.  Moreover,  the  last-named  worthy  entered  a  protest 
against  "the  shabby  way  in  which  they  (miners' agents) 
were  treated.  Some  men  were  not  reported  at  all.  and 
others  had  been  misrepresented." 


LAND  sakes !  Don't  these  gentlemen  take  themselves 
seriously  ?  Some  of  the  cult,  not  reported  at  all  ;  others, 
misrepresented.  Why.  its  a  national  disgrace,  and  we  are 
not  a  whit  surprised  to  note  that  friend  Stanton  soulfully 
inquired,  "  Are  we  going  to  tamely  submit  to  be  kicked  in 
this  way  ? "  Personally,  we  have  a  suspicion  that  the 
gentleman  can  have  his  kicking  in  nearly  any  fashion  which 
best  suits  his  ideas  of  the  dignity  appertaining  to  a  miners' 
agent.  And  can  you  really  imagine  a  labour  leader 
"  tamely  "  submitting  to  anything  ?  Why,  this  Mr.  Stanton 
is  too  delicious  for  words,  and  if  he  would  promise  to  refrain 
from  mixing  his  metaphors  in  this  sadly  Hibernian  manner, 
why,  we  should  like  to  have  something  good  from  him, 
which  would  be  calculated  to  suit  our  palate  :  and  we'd 
promise  to  send  all  the  kicks  for  the  benefit  of  the  ribald 
editor-man,  who  cannot  see  the  coruscating  brilliancy 
which  scintillates  around  the  path  of  a  miners'  agent. 
That  is  what  we  would  do.  Anyhow,  the  same  doughty 
(mind  you  spell  that  word  correctly,  Mr.  Printer)  champion 
wants  fair  play,  and  he  is  going  to  get  it.  so  we  presume  he 
will  bang  another  sixpence  per  week,  after  Monday,  last  ? 
Personally,  we  should  be  inclined  to  state,  that  if  the  Press 
left  those  ranters  severely  alone,  they  would  all  die  a 
natural  death,  in  a  very  few  years. 


PUBLICITY  is  as  the  breath  of  their  nostrils,  and  if  ad- 
vertisement rates  were  quoted  for  reports  of  the  alleged 
speeches,  there  would  be  no  miners'  agents  left,  as  already 
intimated.  Instead  of  saying  things  up  against  the  poor 
overworked  scribe  who  had  silly  season  on  the  brain  so 
badly,  that  he  passed  the  same  qualifying  word  in  con- 
nection with  "speech,"  Mr.  Stanton  should  feel  that  the  said 
scribe  was-  and  is— a  man  and  a  brother.  Personally,  we 
do  not  believe  that  the  stuff  was  silly  ;  but  then,  we  are  as 
nearly  convinced  that  it  wasn't  a  speech.  If  you  were  to 
ask  us  for  a  straight  opinion  about  the  business,  we  should 
feel  constrained  to  say  that  the  whole  concatenation  was 
simply  a  jumble  of  meaningless  mouthings.  And  ere 
leaving  this  theme,  we  feel  that  an  apology  is  necessary  to 
the  patient  reader,  in  that  we  haven't  treated  this  subject 
seriously.  We  admit  the  soft  impeachment ;  but  then,  the 
men  we  have  been  discussing  do  not.  in  our  opinion,  treat 
themselves  seriously.  What  seriousness  is  there,  in  the 
bits  of  stuff  which  we  have  quoted  for  your  benefit  ? 
None,  is  there  ?  Furthermore,  are  we  to  be  denied  our 
share  of  the  spindrift,  so  to  speak,  which  is  ever  on  the  go, 
directly  the  silly  season  comes  in  with  force  ?  Of  course 


July   28,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


177 


We  may  not  be  miners'  agents.  We  will  own  right 
up  that  we  are  not.  The  loss  is  ours,  you  understand  : 
but  then,  we  are  so  sunken  in  depravity  (we  like  to  say 
these  things,  so  as  to  stop  the  other  fellow  from  using  the 
same  words  !)  that  we  cannot  even  deplore  that  loss.  Turn 
we  now  to  pleasanter  themes. 

&  & 

LONDON  must  be  in  more  parlous  state  than  we  thought  ! 
We  knew  that  its  trade  was  on  the  wane  :  that  its  river 
was  rapidly  filling  up  :  that  the  argosies  which  once  fre- 
quented the  port  and  made  its  inhabitants  wealthy,  were 
gradually  seeking  out  places  where  there  is  more  water  and 
less  mud  :  but  we  hardly  cared  to  think  that  it  had  got  so 
low  in  the  scheme  of  creation,  that  the  crimp  had  passed 
from  its  bye-  ways—  perhaps  for  ever.  However,  such  is 
the  case,  for  we  have  it  on  the  authority  of  Evening 
Standard  and  St.  James's  Gazette  (  good  lor',  ain't  that  a 
combination  and  a  study  in  nomenclature  for  this  hot 
weather  ?  >.  and  if  the  journal  is  calculated  to  know  a  deal 
about  shipping  affairs,  then,  it  is  really  smart  in  covering 
that  knowledge  from  the  vulgar  gaze  of  the  mob,  generally. 
The  Thingamy  <  its  proper  name  is  too  long,  and  occupies 
too  much  space  >  sadly  remarks  that  "  the  docks  have  a 
listless  air.  and  the  sailors'  quarter  is  strangely  quiet  "  — 
which  is  a  poetical  manner  of  dealing  with  the  subject. 
Poetical,  you  know,  if  it  isn't  altogether  true.  Next  we 
read,  that  the  "  most  disquieting  fact  of  all  is  that  the 
crimp  the  parasite  who  has  fed  upon  the  sailors'  generosity 
and  folly  in  the  days  when  London  was  a  great  seaport  —is 
removing  to  "  several  other  places,  including  Park  Lane. 
we  believe  ! 


PERSONALLY,  we  have  remarked  about  the  decline  of 
London  :  shall  probably  go  on  remarking  about  it  :  but  we 
are  not  at  all  clear  concerning  the  alleged  removal  of  the 
crimp.  But  let  it  pass,  even  as  we  give  you  a  few  more 
selections  from  Thingamy's  bundle  of  groans.  What's  the 
matter  with  this:  "The  shops  of  the  sailors'  quarter  of 
the  world's  greatest  seaport  '  supposedly  Liverpool  )  have  a 
richer  supply  of  the  gear  loved  of  deep-water  sailors—  the 
gay  serge  suits,  pink  socks,  and  square-toed.  Derby-tied 
shoes,  for  himself,  and  the  gaudy  bracelets  and  ear-rings 
for  the  girl  he  loves."  What  is  wrong  with  it  ?  Nothing. 
is  there  ?  Nothing  that  is.  for  a  bit  of  descriptive-out-of-a- 
book-dealing-with-a-by-gone-age  :  but  if  intended  for  a  point 
on  latter-day  nautical  ethics,  well,  it  is  woefully  out  of  the 
running,  although  we  will  not  go  so  far  as  to  suggest  that 
the  whole  of  it  is  twaddle.  You  see.  these  poor  people 
who  have  to  fill  up  column  after  column  of  nice  clean  paper. 
must  get  the  stuff  from  somewhere  :  and  if  no  other  sources 
of  supply  are  to  hand.  then.  Captain  Marryat  is  as  good  as 
any  other?  If  the  foregoing  is  a  fair  sample  of  the  sailor^ 
talk  which  flourishes  to-day,  in  London,  we  are  not  a  bit 
surprised  to  note  that  London's  "Sailor-town  has  the 
quietness  of  a  decayed  cemetery." 


SEE.  Thingamy  has  'em  bad  !  It  won't  even  agree  that 
the  cemetery  might  be  taut  and  trim  :  no.  the  simile 
takes  in  a  decayed  cemetery,  after  the  fashion  of  one 
which  used  to  moulder  along  in  the  City  Road  !  However. 
you  are  next  given  a  biggish  chunk  of  the  personal  history 
of  one  Irish  crimp  named  Williams—  the  name  being  dis- 
tinctly Irish  ?  Fact,  we  assure  you.  And  as  crimps  go. 
this  Williams  was  about  as  picturesque  a  scoundrel  as  ever 
the  seafaring  profession  heard  tell  of.  We  should  be  glad 
to  give  you  pieces  of  his  life's  history,  but  can't,  for  reasons 
—  mainly  appertaining  to  copyright.  We  feel  sure  that 
Thingamy  would  never  launch  such  a  masterpiece  of 
descriptive  ability  as  is  the  life  of  Crimp  Williams,  without 


protecting  the  stuff.  But  leaving  the  one  phase  of  fictional 
writing,  we  will  come  to  another-  all  in  the  Thingamy 
screed.  Here  you  are,  friends:  "the  listlessness  of  our 
merchants  has  brought  about  the  decay  of  London  trade. 
At  one  time,  great  ships  sailed  from  this  city  to  the  East, 
and  returned  to  be  unloaded  in  a  London  dock.  Few  great 
ships  enter  or  leave  a  London  dock  now."  Why  "  enter  or 
leave  ?  "  Everybody  knows  that  if  a  ship  uses  a  given 
dock,  she  must  enter  and  leave  ? 

s^  9& 
&*     a? 

BUT  let's  get  on,  for  as  already  stated.  Thingamy  has  'em 
bad.  Those  great  ships  "  make  for  Antwerp  .  .  .  where 
the  goods  destined  for  London  are  unloaded  on  small 
lighters?"  Why  small  lighters?  Aren't  there  any  big 
lighters  in  the  much-and-cunningly-advertised  Belgian 
port  ?  Seeing  that  Thingamy  is  sure  about  the  scarcity 
of  "great  ships"  in  the  port  of  London,  we  hope  that, 
after  this,  such  picayune  concerns  as  the  P.  and  O., 
Union-Gastle.  and  the  few  dozen  other  supposedly-big 
lines  will  take  a  back  seat  ?  There  has  been  a  bit 
too  much  "side"  put  on  by  these  "small"  concerns  of 
late,  and  we  are  not  altogether  sorry  that  Thingamy  is 
up  against  'em.  We  cannot  do  better  (just  here  )  than  give 
you  the  concluding  -vords  of  our  contemporary,  on  the 
occasion  referred  to.  Here  you  are  :  "  Once  again,  no 
grimmer  commentary  on  the  decay  of  London  as  a  seaport 
can  be  given,  than  its  desertion  by,  the  crimp."  This 
may  be  alright,  but  in  our  opinion,  there  are  considerably 
greater  powers  in  the  commentary  line,  than  may  be  gar- 
nered from  the  crimp  question.  For  instance,  what  better 
proof  could  you  have  with  reference  to  London's  backward- 
ness in  coming  forward,  than  is  to  be  found  in  the  necessary 
amalgamation  between  two  journals  which,  erstwhile,  were 
able  to  eke  out  a  modest  living  as  two  separate  under- 
takings ? 

E?f   9C* 

c6i     w? 

IN  the  good  old  days  ;  days  whin  the  crimp  flourished  and 
waxed  fat  :   days  when  P.  and  0.  liners  were  considered 
as  something  decent  in  shipping;  and  days  when  Sailortown 
had  merely  the  respectability  which  hovers  around  a  well- 
kept  cemetery  ;  St.  James's  Gazette  and  Evening  Standard 
had  no  necessity  to  pool.     To-day,  they   have,  and  this  is 
the  biggest  of  all  commentaries,  don't  you  think  ?     Poor 
old  London  !     It  doesn't  know  a  thing  about  the  beauties 
of  advertisement,   and    stands   aside  for  pushing  Antwerp 
which  loads  up  London's  goods  in  small  lighters,  and  then 
sends  it  all  across  the  North  Sea.     Let  us  leave  it,  even  as 
we  offer   up  a  prayer—  for  deliverance  from   the  piff-niff 
which  is  scattered  around,  more  or  less,  by  every  sensation- 
loving  amalgamation  which  knows  as  much  of  the  subject, 
as  we  know  of  Choctaw.     London   is   slack  in   her  efforts. 
-We  have  remarked  the  same  thing,  ere  this.     But  a  quantity 
of   unutterable    nonsense    will    not    benefit    the    situation. 
Instead  of  ringing  the  changes  on  the  conditions  that  must 
ultimately    bring   along    Macaulay's    New   Zealander,   why 
doesn't  Thingamy  act  up  to  its  self-imposed  responsibilities 
as  a  London  journal  ;  quit  the  realms  of  the  fictionist  ;  and 
go  in  solid  for  the  improvement  and  benefit  of  the  port 
whence  it  draws  its  support  ?      Wouldn't  this  be   more   in 
line  with  modern  needs  ?     You  cannot  blame   London   for 
any  retrogression,  while  it  has  journals  which  will  print  the 
piffle  which  we  have  been  discussing. 


YET  another  phase  of  the  "  business  falsehoods  "  craze 
comes  along!  Some  time  ago.  "A  Skipper"  made  a 
confession.  Needless  to  say,  that  confession  was  extremely 
open,  and  if  it  merely  stated  what  every  sailorman  is  well- 
acquainted  with,  it  is  understood  that  most  of  the  "  revel- 
ations "  came  as  news  to  the  'longshore  friend.  Well,  to 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July   28,    1905 


back  up  skipper  No.  1.  "Another  Skipper"  obliges  the 
company  with  a  song,  and  we  are  somewhat  of  opinion  that 
the  gentleman  gives  his  case  away,  to  a  certain  extent. 
Among  the  items  which  make  us  think  so.  are.  "  On  more 
than  one  occasion  I  remember  being  asked  to  provide  '  pro 
forma'  accounts  for  very  large  sums  upon  the  assurance 
that  instructions  for  delivery  would  follow  in  a  day  or  two. 
The  instructions  for  delivery  did  not  come,  and  on  my 
subsequently  calling  at  the  office  was  told  the  goods  would 
not  be  wanted."  This  is  alright,  and  proper—  according  to 
the  ethics  of  some  tramp  managers  which  we  could 
mention.  Even  when  "  Another  skipper  "  was  told  that  the 
accounts  implicated  had  been  destroyed  :  but  that  he 
ultimately  found  that  they  had  been  included  with  another 
batch  (.mostly  bogus)  for  payment  :  well,  the  gentleman  is 
merely  stating  a  more  or  less  well-understood  movement  ? 


BUT  going  along  a  bit  farther  over  this  same  communica- 
tion. we  find.  "  1  actually  once  heard  of  a  tramp  steamer 
that  stranded  on  Bilbao  Bar.  being  brought  home  to  a 
South  Wales  port  to  repair,  and  after  all  accounts,  amount- 
ing to  several  thousands  of  pounds,  were  paid,  the  managers 
actually  (lot  of  actually  in  it,  isn't  there  ?)  managed  to  pay 
a  dividend  to  the  shareholders  out  of  the  balance  of  the 
sum  the  underwriters  paid."  Good  heavens  !  That's 
nothing.  "  Another  Skipper."  We  "  actually  once  heard  of 
a  tramp  steamer  "  that  didn't  go  ashore  on  a  bar  :  didn't  as 
much  as  toboggan  into  a  match-box,  for  the  matter  of  that: 
but  she  went  into  dry  dock  for  repairs  (sic)  ;  and  her  owner 
made  a  decent  dividend  for  himself,  out  of  the  "  balance  of 
the  sum  the  underwriters  paid  "—in  the  belief  that  she  had 
been  ashore.  Don't  work  off  any  more  of  these  old  japes 
on  along-suffering  public,  please,  "Another  Skipper."  When 
it  comes  down  to  a  real—  or  actually,  if  you  like  it  better  — 
business  falsehood,  we  commend  you  to  a  sample  of  our 
knowledge  concerning  some  of  the  tramp  managers  of 
whom  we  have  heard.  Yes  !  But  then,  of  what  use  is  it 
to  prolong  the  theme  ?  Fakers  will  be  fakers  —  mainly 
because  they  cannot  be  anything  else  Moreover,  under- 
writers will  be  underwriters  ? 


THERE  is  another  trouble  in  store  for  the  poor  shipmaster  ! 
Female  labour  has  made  a  start  against  him,  and  one  of 
these  days,  he  will  find  himself  out-classed  by  the  softer 
sex  !  So  far,  the  lady  skipper  has  merely  graduated  for 
fun,  as  the  phrase  has  it  :  later  on,  one  may  depend  on  the 
undertaking  being  carried  out  seriously.  When  that  time 
arrives,  it  is  easy  to  foretell  the  everlasting  advantage 
which  the  lady  navigator  will  have,  over  her  male  com- 
petitor. Consider  a  hypothetical  case  :  A  rugged,  and 
more  or  less  grizzled  skipper-man  tacks  into  "the  Square," 
at  the  same  time  as  a  dainty  and  shapely-looking  feminine 
possessed  of  the  then  common  "mistress  mariner" 
certificate.  They  both  gravitate  to  the  particular  office^ 
where  a  vacancy  for  a  commander  is  supposed  to  exist. 
Now,  what  is  likely  to  happen  ?  Well,  the  grizzled  one 
will  be  handed  over  to  the  tender  care  of  the  precocious 
piece  of  boy-flesh  which  is  ever  to  be  found  in  the  ship-. 
owning  office,  while  the  "dainty  and  shapely-looking" 
navigator  will  be  shown  into  the  inner  sartctum.  The 
results?  Go  on,  'tis  not  for  us  to  comment  on  these  little' 
affairs  ;  but  we  are  willing  to  put  our  few  ha'pence  on  the 
lady  getting  the  job,  for  personally,  we  know  but  some  half- 
dozen  shipowner-persons  who  would  be  ungallant  enough 
to  say  "  Nay,"  to  the  class  of  navigator  suggested. 


BUT  the  whole  contraption  opens  up  a  lovely  view  for  the 
future,  don't  you  think  ?     Can't  you   imagine  hubby  going 


down  to  "  the  office,"  on  white-stocking-day,  for  the  purpose 
of  drawing  his  navigating  wife's  half-pay  ?  You  can  also 
see  the  amount  of  money  that  would  be  ultimately  saved  ? 
For  it  is  hardly  possible  that  anybody  in  that  office,  would 
be  so  idiotic  as  to  pass  out  two  whole  sovereigns  more 
than  the  correct  half-pay  to  hubby,  at  the  same  time 
asking  him  for  his  address,  so  that  the  payer  might  call 
and  re-collect  the  overpaid  amount?  No.  sirs!  There  is 
a  good  time  coming,  and  the  lady  skipper  is  going  to 
inaugurate  it.  After  her  advent,  we  shall  have  the  lady 
chief,  and  then  certain  supers  that  we  could  mention,  would 
have  a  considerably  rosier  time,  even,  than  they  get  now. 
There  is  a  terrible  amount  of  potentiality  in  the  direction 
of  a  super's  questions  concerning  thrust-shafts,  and 
bottom-end  brasses,  say  ;  and  seeing  that  we  have  studied 
the  gentlemen,  somewhat  exhaustively  —  while  the  results 
of  that  study  would  make  interesting  reading  :  we  are 
prepared  to  believe  that  the  lady  chief  will  inaugurates 
new  era  !  The  engines  might  reasonably  be  expected  to 
become  more  wobbly  :  but  if  so,  the  super  wouldn't  growl 
about  it.  and  —  no.  we  can't  go  on.  Really  ! 


THIS  is  good  reading  !  Lord  Charles  Beresford  has  been 
congratulating  the  master  of  the  Derbyshire  on  the 
"excellence  of  his  signalling."  The  facts  of  the  case 
appear  to  be,  that  on  July  11,  the  merchant  steamer  passed 
the  Mediterranean  Fleet,  and  was  asked  by  signal.  "Have 
you  seen  any  men-o'-war?  "  The  reply  was  given  by 
semaphore,  to  the  effect  that  the  Derbyshire's  captain 
had  seen  Russian  torpedo-boats,  and  also  a  French  cruiser. 
This  action  brought  along  the  congratulations  referred  to. 
We  suppose  it  is  alright,  but  to  our  mind  there  is  nothing 
remarkable  in  the  occurrence.  We  know  that  it  has 
become  fashionable  to  suppose  that  the  merchant  captain 
can  do  nothing  that  is  worthy  of  the  traditions  of  his  race. 
All  the  same,  we  much  doubt  if  there  is  more  than  an 
inappreciable  number  of  shipmasters  afloat,  to-day,  who 
could  not  signal  on  any  subject,  and  by  any  modern  method, 
if  their  circumstances  warranted  such  action.  Any  failure 
to  signal,  is  not  because  of  a  lack  of  knowledge  :  it  is  solely 
because  modern  manning  conditions  make  such  signalling 
impossible.  If  your  "  hands  "  are  all  engaged  in  cleaning 
holds,  and  the  mate  is  doing  the  steering-  being  the  only 
man  on  deck—  you  cannot  expect  to  get  much  signalling 
done,  can  you  ?  However,  Lord  Charles  has  made  the 
amende  honorable,  so  the  nation  may  now  rest  in  peace  — 
until  the  next  scare  is  worked  up  ? 


THE  Merchant  Service  Guild,  who  have  been  actively 
interesting  themselves  in  the  subject  of  mariner's  votes 
for  some  years,  have  received  a  further  communication 
from  Sir  Elliott  Lees,  who  is  very  kindly  co-operating  in 
the  matter  in  the  House  of  Commons.  On  the  occasion  of 
the  last  debate  on  a  resolution  moved  by  Sir  Elliott,  there 
was  a  unanimous  feeling  of  sympathy  on  both  sides  of  the 
House,  although,  owing  to  the  inclusion  of  an  amendment 
proposed  by  Mr.  Bell.  M.P..  on  behalf  of  railway  workers, 
the  Government  withdrew  their  offer  as  to  forming  a 
committee  to  consider  the  subject.  Subsequently.  Sir 
Elliott  framed  a  resolution  which  met  the  views  of  both 
sides  of  the  House,  and  elicited  the  information  from  the 
Prime  Minister  that  the  Government  would  have  no  ob- 
jection to  the  formation  of  a  committee.  Therefore  Sir 
Elliott,  has,  on  several  occasions,  attempted  to  bring  forward 
a  resolution  for  a  committee,  but  progress  in  this  way  has 
been  defeated  by  Sir  Frederick  Banbury.  M.P.  Appeals, 
both  on  the  part  of  Sir  Elliott  and  the  Merchant  Service 
Guild,  to  Sir  Frederick,  to  withdraw  his  opposition  have  so 
far  proved  unavailing.  Sir  Elliott  now  fears  it  is  too  late 


July   ?8,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


to  hope  to  do  anything  more  this  session.     This  he  regrets 
but  trusts  that  there  may  perhaps  be  some  means  of  raising 
question   in  another  way   on  the   Redistribution    Bill 
next  year. 

WE  note  that   Lord    Muskerry  has  again   been   calling 
the  miseries  and  life-loss  which  surround  the 
I  of  ballasting  in  steamers -or.  for  the  matter  of  that 
sailing  vessels.      Needless  to  say,   the   noble   lords  who 
nfortably  in  the  Gilded  Chamber,  couldn't   possibly 
my   hardship,   or  misery  attaching  to   this  curse  of 
>  at  sea.      The   floor  of  the   House  of  Lords 
.mg-room  is  fairly  secure  :  and  at  most,  none  but  stray 
>hyrs  may  enter  the  sacred  portals,  to  fan   the  heated 
rows  of  the   nation's  law-makers  who  congregate   there, 
lore  or  less,  during  that  portion  of  the  year  which  is  not 
ievoted   to  grousing,  or  golf.     Under  the   circumstances, 
efore.   it   is    somewhat  nonsensical   to    suppose,   that 
8  noble  gentlemen  would   be    inclined  to  think  that  a 
statement  of  any  kind,  concerning  the  dangers  and  dis- 
comforts faced  by  the  men  who  make  a  House  of   Lords 
possible,  were  worthy  of  their  attention.     All   the   same,  it 
i  time  that  a  move  were  made  in  the  direction  indi- 
cated by  Lord  Muskerry  :  and   although   we   are   prone  to 
believe  that  nothing  will   be  done   in  the  matter  until  the 
sailor  secures  a  vote,  and  is  thus  in  a  position  to  force  some 
measure  of  attention  to  his  manifold  grievances  :  we  are 
somewhat  surprised  that  the  noble  lords  would  rather  await 
that  time,  than  do   something  of   their  own   sweet  wills. 


THE  Duke  of  Marlborough  took  exception  to  Lord  Mus- 
kerry's  statement,  that  the  recommendations  of  the  Light 
Load  Line  Committee   had   been   treated,  by   the   Marine 
Department  of   the    Board    of    Trade,   as    "mere  empty 
utterances."     But    why    take   exception  ?    Is  not  it  the 
truth  ?     Have  the   Board    of  Trade  done  anything  in  the 
matter?     And  can   the  same   Board   move  a  finger,  until 
accident  has  occurred     accident  or  misfortune  ?     If  they 
can  do  so.   why  don't  they  ?     Prevention  is  better   than 
cure,  so  if  the  Board  of  Trade  have   not   been     as  usual- 
contemptuous  in   every  detail    belonging    to    the    sailor's 
welfare,   why   is   it  that  the   same    old   state    of    misery 
prevails  ?     It  is  all  very  pretty  to  say  that  "  The  view  of 
the  Select  Committee   was  that   they   could    rely  on  the 
Board  of  Trade  to   use   the   powers  already  conferred  on 
them  by  Parliament  to  prevent  the  improper  or  insufficient 
ballasting  of    ships."      But  then,   the    Select   Committee 
doesn't  jeopardise  its  collective  life  by  risking  a   voyage   in 
a  "  light  "  vessel.     It  is  fairly  easy  to  rely  upon  the  conduct 
of  anybody  that  doesn't  affect  one.  in   the   least?    That  is 
not  the  point.     What   the  sailor  wishes  to  make  known,  is 
the    fact    that    he   is  unduly   handicapped    by    prevailing"' 
methods  of  alleged   ballasting :  that  his  miserable   life  is 
made  doubly  miserable,  through  the  parsimony  which  sends 
a  ship  to  sea  but  once  removed   from   the  condition   of  an 
empty  bladder  :  and  if  this  state  of  affairs  is  resultant  from 
determination  on  the  part  of  the  Board   of  Trade   "  to  use 
the  powers  already  conferred  upon  them."  then,  the  sooner 
those  powers  are   increased,    the   better  will   it  be  for  all 
concerned.     None  of  us  wish   to  jib  against  the  Board  of 
Trade's  powers  :  what  most  of   us  are  hankering  after  is 
that  vessels   will   be   sent  to  sea  in  a  sea-worthy  state,  as 
regards  ballast.     To-date.  the  great  majority  thereof,  are 
anything  but  seaworthy,  and    it    is    time  the    evil    were 
remedied.    Naturally.  Lord  Muskerry 's  motion  was  rejected 
without  a  division. 

Sf  IS 

Mr.  G.  O.  Wallenberg,  of   Stockholm,   is  the    purchaser 
of  the  steamer  A.  J.  Hocken.  recently  reported  sold. 


MARITIME     MARK     MAKERS. 


WILLIAM    SCOTT,    ESQ., 
(General    Manager,    Bute    Dry    Dock). 


the  shipping  man,  generally— as  distinct  from   he 
who  merely  does  business  in  the  Bristol  Channel— 
the  photographic  illustration  appearing  on   our  this 
week's  front  page,  will   recall   a  well-known  face.     It  is 
practically  impossible  for  a  man  to  spend  half-a-century  on 
this  mundane  sphere  :    to  put  in  by  far  the   major  portion 
thereof,  in  attending  to  ships  and  shipping  ;    to   follow    the 
business  nearly  everywhere  that  a  ship  may  go  ;    to  mix 
with  all  sorts  and  conditions  of  men  in  that  following  ;    and 
yet.  at  the  end   of  the   suggested    period,   to  successfully 
affect  the  belief  that  he  is  known  to  but  few.     That   Mr. 
William  Scott,  general  manager  of  the   Bute   Shipbuilding, 
Engineering  and  Dry  Dock  Company,  Limited,  has  done  all 
the    foregoing— and    possibly    a   bit   more— we     mean    to 
show.     With  our  friend's  early  days,   we  have  no  concern, 
our  mission  being  to  chronicle  a  few  of  the  events  in   his 
business  career.     With  this  end  in  view,  we  will   begin    by 
saying  that  he  started  life  as  a  mill-wright  apprentice   with 
the    Wallsend  Slipway,  on  Tyneside,  and  that  he  ultimately 
became  the  mechanical  expert  for  the  same  progressive 
co/icern.      That    the    latter    position    was    anything    but 
a  sinecure,  may  be  understood  from  the  fact  that  in   the 
exercise   of   his  various  duties,  it  was  necessary  for    Mr. 
Scott    to    travel    over    the    whole    of    Europe,    for    the 
purpose  of  attending  to  the  hulls  and    machinery   of  the 
vessels—mostly     oil-carriers— which     were      under     the 
guarantee    of    his    employers.      In   addition  to   the   "oil- 
tankers."  too,  there  were  a  goodly   number  of  mail-boats, 
while  the  tramp  of  commerce  was  by  no   means  forgotten. 
In  a  thirteen  years'  spell  at  sea,  our  Mark   Maker  enacted 
the  role  of  "  guarantee  chief  "  to  many    fine  steamers,  and 
in  so  doing,  laid   the  foundation  of  the   knowledge  which 
now  stands   him   in    good   stead.     Ere   leaving   this    short 
description  of  Mr.  Scott's  sea  ser/ice,  we  might  mention  that 
he  was  chief  engineer  of  a  boat  engaged  in  carrying   mails 
from  New  York  to  Venezuela,  naturally  for  the  American 
Government.     This  was  one  of  the  "Glen"   boats,    which 
had  been  chartered  for  the  purpose.     Sea  service,   proper, 
being  finished,  our  friend   returned  to  his  alma  mater,    as 
already  stated,  and  eventually,  he  was  detailed  for  service 
at  the  Cardiff  branch  of  the  Wallsend  Slipway,  as  assistant 
manager  to  the  late  Mr.  George  Rutherford.     As   most  of 
our    readers    are    aware,   the   Wallsend    Pontoon   of  that 
period,  is  the  Mercantile  Pontoon  of  to-day,  and  it  is  rather 
a  coincidence — to  say  the  least— that  Mr.   Scott's   present 
duties  should  include  the  managership  of  the  same  pontoon 
under  its  new  name.     However,    before   that  managership 
became  an  accomplished  fact,  there  was  one  other  r6le  in 
the  mechanical  world  awaiting  this  versatile  engineer — the 
post  of  general  manager  to  the  Tydvil   Engineering  Works, 
also  at  Cardiff  Docks.       We   forget   how    many   years   our 
Mark  Maker  was  at  "the  Tydvil,"  but  it  was  long  enough 
to  win  the  approbation  of  the  Bute  Dry  Docks  directorate, 
and  when  a  vacancy  occured  in  the  management,  Mr.  Scott 
was  offered  the  position  on,  we    believe,   a  fairly   lengthy 
agreement.     Circumstances    had    conspired   to    make  the 
post  of  general  manager  to  "the  Bute,"  about  two  removes 
from  a  bed  of  roses,  and  even  as  has  happened  to  most  of 
the  other  dry  docks  in  the  Channel  (.and   elsewhere),  the 
slackness  of  trade  has  since  made  the  said  removes  a  bit 
disheartening.     All  the  same,  it  might  be  taken  for  granted 
that  with  the  turn  in  the  tide,  our  Mark  Maker  will  be  just 
the  man  to  take  it  at  the  flood— even   as  he  has  done  in 
numberless  instances  elsewhere.     Mr.  Scott  is    a   Member 
of  the  Institute  of  Mechanical  Engineers;     of  the  Institute 
of  Naval  Architects;  of  the  North-East  Coast   Institute  of 
Engineers  and   Shipbuilders  ;    and   his  is  a  popular  per- 
sonality, wheresoever  shipping  men  do  congregate. 


i8o 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July   28,   1905 


FRIDA.Y.  JULY  28.   1905. 
MARINE  ENGINEERING  AS  A  PROFESSION, 


O  those  who  have  not  been  watching  the  trend  of 
this  phase  of  affairs  nautical,  it  might  come  as 
somewhat  of  a  shock,  to  learn  that  indications 
are  all  in  favour  of  the  belief  that  marine  engin- 
eering as  a  means  of  livelihood,  is  becoming 
dangerously    near    that    condition     which     is 
tersely  expressed  by  the  words,  "played  out." 
But  shock,  notwithstanding,   that   belief   is  more  or    less 
justified,  and  if.  to-date.   none  of  the   engineering  organs 
have  dealt  with  the  subject,  it  is  not  because  the  seriousness 
of  the  subject  has  not  been  recognised  by   most  of  them. 
Supply  and  demand  have  had  largely   to  do   with  the  un- 
satisfactory state  which  has  gradually  developed,  although 
there    are    other    causes  affecting   the   situation— causes 
which  are  remediable.     For  many  years  past,  the  question 
"  What  to  do  with  our  boys,"  has  been   answered   in  great 
measure  by  the  decision.   "  We'll  make  him   a  sea-going 
engineer,"  and  the   inevitable    glut  in   this  branch  of  the 
labour  market  has  resulted.     Slowly,  but  surely,  the  supply 
has  exceeded  the  demand,  and  in  the  future,  that  supply 
will  more  than  treble  the  demand,  unless  drastic   methods 
of    elimination    are    rapidly    resorted   to.      Comparatively 
speaking,  engineering  is  a  new  thing;  has  not  been  hallowed 
by  ages  of  exploitation  :    and  in  the  very  early  days  of  its 
existence,  there  was  a  sort  of   "free   stem"  in   the   pro- 
fession.    Ships  were  turned  out  in  a  bewilderingly  rapid 
fashion,  and  the  crying  need  at  that  time,  was  for  engineers 
with  which  to  man  them.     The  building  of  steamers  has 
received  a  serious  check  ;    the  mark  in  the  progress  of  the 
British  Mercantile  Marine  has  been  reached,   when  future 
development  will  be  painfully  slow  ;    but  the  manufacture 
of  engineers  continues,  with  the  same  feverish  activity  as 
obtained,  when  the  merchant  tonnage  was  represented  by 
the  figures  3.000.000,   instead   of  those   of  the   present 
which,  in  round  figures,  we'll   place  at    10,OOO.OOO   tons. 
Obviously,  something  will  have  to  be  done,    but  what  that 
"  something"  is  to  be,  is  not  very  clear.     Time   was,    that 
the  surplus  stock  of  British  marine   engineers,  was  easily 
used  up  in  supplying  the  necessary  skill  to  foreign  countries 
that  were  out  upon  the  hunt  for  a  merchant  marine.     Those 
foreigners  had  ambitions  towards   some  sort  of  maritime 
position  :    they  had  the  money  with  which  to  purchase  the 
steamers ;      but    their    own    countrymen    were   woefully 
ignorant  of  the  business  of  engine-driving— if  we   may   be, 
forgiven  for  placing  the  matter  in   such  a  manner.     The 
natural  result— seeing  that  the    Briton   was   prepared   to 
supply    engines,  and   engineers     was,   that   the  foreigner 
bought  the  steamer,   and    hired    the    British   engineer  to 
attend  to  its  engines.     Year  in,  year  out,  this  merry  game 
continued  ;     wages   were  fairly  good  ;    and   paterfamilias, 
with  a  boy  to  launch  on  life's  way,  pursued  the  line  that  is 
usually  followed  in  cases  of  this   kind— the   line  of  least 
resistance.     To  put  a  son  "  on  deck,"  was,  admittedly,  a 
"mug's    game."       The    dear   old    "white    wings"    were 
gradually  passing  :    steam  was  monarch  on  the  waters,  as 
on  shore,  and  the  few  sailors  that  were  yet  needed,  were 
easily  obtainable  from  the  Continental   scrap-heaps,   so — 
"  make  Tommy  an  engineer,  and  he  will  then  have  bread  for 
life."      If  but  a  few   of  those   problematical  fathers   had 
indulged  in  the  little  game,  things  might  not  have  developed 


into  their  present  state,  quite   so   rapidly.     Unfortunately, 
however,  whole  families  "took"  to  the  business,  and  where, 
in  the  case  of  the  sailorman,  but  one  of  a  family  of   lads 
indulged  his  fancy  for  a  life  on  the  ocean  wave  :    with  the 
mechanically  minded  folk,  the  whole  of  the  boys  in    the 
family  were  turned  into  more  or  less  high-class  engineers.  As 
a  natural  result,  wages  gradually  commenced  to  decline,  and 
a  fictitious  belief  in  the  efficacy  of  a  "  Union  "   was  born. 
That  is  to  say.  the  wages  dropped  but  slowly,  and  the  fact 
was  placed  to   the   credit   of  the   Engineers'   Union.     At 
present,  thinking  engineers  are  coming  to   the   knowledge 
that  the  power  of  their  Union    had   little  to  do   with   the 
pleasant    conditions    which   have  obtained,    and   that  the 
inexorable  laws  of  supply  and  demand  are  more  responsible. 
Engineers  have  ever  been  inclined  to  assure  all  and  sundry, 
that  if  their  services  are  not  required  at  sea,  they  can  still 
use  the  blessings  to  be  derived  from  their  trade,  by  working 
ashore.     That  this  is  but  true  in  part,  the  vast  majority  are 
beginning    to    see.       If   the    advance   in    the   shipbuilding 
industry  had  continued  as  of  old,  engineers  would  still  be 
wanted,  in  galore.     Unfortunately,  however,  this  is  exactly 
what  the  shipbuilding  industry  hasn't  done.     It   has   prac- 
tically   reached    top-notch,   and    all  future   additions  are 
likely  to  be  more   of  the   nature   of   replacements  in   the 
tonnage   list,    than    of   the    creation    of    new    units.      This 
means,  that  the  ranks  of  engineering  experts   will   go   on 
increasing,  while  the  outlets   open  to  them   as   craftsmen, 
will    remain     almost  at   a  standstill.       What  this    again 
means  to  those  with  most   at  stake,   needs   no  prophetic 
soul  to  determine.     Wages  have  been  constantly   lowered, 
and  the  lowering  process  will  continue  :    for,  hide  the  fact 
as  one  may,  the  "good  old  days"   of  marine   engineering, 
are  even  as  are  those  of  the  sailorman — gone,  beyond  recall. 
The  "  Union  "  will  be  helpless  in  the  matter,   for  any  com- 
bination is  of  use,  only,  when  the  demand   is  greater   than 
the  supply.     Human  nature  is  the  same  to-day,  as  it  was 
before    mechanics    were    thought  of ;    and    when  hunger 
pinches,  "  Unionism  "  will  be  as  little  thought  of,  as  it  has 
been  right  down  the  ages.     To  suppose  anything  different 
to  the  foregoing,  is  to  suppose  an  absurdity  :    and    while   it 
is  competent  for  any  of  us  to  deplore  such  a  commonplace 
state  of  affairs,  truth  compels  us  to  admit  its  existence. 
As  already  suggested,  the  foreign  mercantile   navies  are 
closed  to  the  British  engineer  :   he  has  taught  the  foreigner 
the  trade,  and    now,    the   foreigner  — at    less    wages — will 
attend  to  the  business.     The  last  supporter  of  the   British 
marine  engineer — outside  of  Britain — was  the  gentle  Jap, 
who  employed  the   Briton   in   quite   respectable   numbers. 
At  the  moment,  the   British  engineers  who  are   earning   a 
livelihood  from  the  Land  of  the  Rising  Sun,  are  an  inappre- 
ciable number.      Yet  it  is  but  a  few  years  ago.   since  that 
old  yarn  concerning  the  methods  of  the  Japanese   engine- 
driver  was  first  worked  up.     You  know  the  yarn   to  which 
we  are  referring?     How,  when  a  squad  of  British  engineers 
steamed  a  vessel  to  the  land  of  the  Mikado,  and  on  arrival 
were  turned  out  to  make   room  for  native  talent :    again, 
how  the  merry  Japs  started  the  engines  away,  and  because 
they  hadn't  the  necessary  knowledge,  had  to  steam  her 'round 
and 'round  the  Bay,  until  the  fires  had  died  out.  and  the  en- 
gines stopped  of  themselves?  As  a  yarn,  the  whole  thing  was 
good  enough,  and  is  somewhat  on  a  par  with  what  we  have 
been  taught  to  believe,  concerning  our  Eastern  allies.     At 
present,  however,  the  Jap  knows  enough,  not  only  to  start 
and  stop  a  set  of  engines  ;  but  he  is  in  a  position  to  build 
them— at  prices  that  would  break  the  heart  of  his   British 
colleague  !     Some  few  days  ago,  we  were  discussing  this 
phase  of  industrial  life,  with  a  seagoing  engineer  who  is  the 
father  of   several   boys,   that  have   elected   to    serve    an 
apprenticeship  at  the  fitting  bench.     From  the  largeness  of 
his  own  personal  experience,  this  father  is  convinced  that 
marine  engineering  as  a  means  of  livelihood,   is.  to   put  it 
colloquially,  "  played  out."     So  much  so,  that  as  his  boys 
pass  out  of  their  engineering,  he  is  apprenticing  them  to 
the  deck  department  which  is  attached  to  Britain's  maritime 


July 


1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


181 


supremacy.  It  might  be  argued  that  this  is  an  extreme 
case  :  but  even  so,  it  is  but  an  indication  of  how  matters  in 
this  connection  are  tending.  With  reference  to  the  claim 
that  if  an  engineer  is  not  wanted  at  sea.  he  may  still  ply  his 
trade  on  shore,  a  slight  inquiry  in  the  regions  which  are 
given  over  to  the  fitting  shops  of  commerce,  will  soon 
convince  you  that,  to  put  it  plainly,  the  statement  is  bun- 
combe. Ask  a  few  questions  in  the  vicinity  of  that  locality 
known  as  the  "  scrap  heap."  and  what  are  you  certain  of 
hearing?  Simply  that  there  are  half-a-dozen  applicants 
for  every  job  that  turns  up :  and  the  same  thing  applies 
when  a  marine  engineer's  berth  falls  vacant.  The 
stampede  for  that  job  may  not  be  quite  so  pronounced  as 
is  that  which  transpires  when  a  mate  is  needed  :  but  don't 
forget  that  engineering  is.  as  already  stated,  comparatively 
a  new  thing  :  that  in  ten  or  a  dozen  years  from  now — at 
the  present  rate  of  increase  the  competition  for  an 
engineer's  vacancy,  will  be  ten  times  more  pronounced  than 
is  that  for  a  deck  officer.  In  the  case  of  the  latter,  the 
manufacture  if  we  may  put  it  thus  is  practically  at  a 
standstill.  Young  fellows  are  still  passing  examinations. 
yes.  But  in  nothing  near  the  proportion  in  which  the  old 
'uns  are  passing  out.  As  time  progresses,  this  feature  will 
level  matters  up.  although  the  fact  will  not  unduly  bless  the 
poor  fellows  who  have  had  the  misfortune  to  live  in  the 
interregnum,  so  to  speak.  But  in  the  case  of  the  marine 
engineer,  he  is  being  made  in  his  thousands,  and  regardless 
of  the  fact  that  the  supply  is  already  miles  ahead  of  the 
demand.  To  say  the  least,  the  situation  is  most  disquieting. 
and  if  any  doubt  of  our  statements  be  entertained,  just  take 
a  stroll  aiong  James  Street.  Cardiff,  and  hint  at  a  vacancy 
for  a  "  second's  job."  on  any  old  dug-out  which  pleases 
you:  having  hinted,  watch  the  wild  stampede  that  will 
ensue  :  and  watching,  pity  the  poor  super  who  has  to  say 
"  No."  to  all  the  crowd,  save  one  fortunate  individual.  It 
is  sad.  we  know  :  but  it  is  the  sad  truth  :  That  the  day 
has  gone,  when  the  marine  engineer  had  to  be  approached 
diplomatically,  if  it  were  intended  to  persuade  him  to  quit 
the  shore  for  a  trip  at  sea.  At  present,  the  engineer. 
himself,  has  to  work  the  diplomatic  act.  and  the  situation  is 
by  way  of  becoming  worse,  for  his  own  cloth  are  among  the 
greatest  offenders  in  selling  his  birth-right.  Do  not  we  all 
know  of  the  tin-pot  repairing  shop  which  is  "  bossed  "  by  a 
one-time  sea-going  engineer  :  and  where,  say.  the  youthful 
Greek  is  taken  in  as  an  apprentice,  because  his  father  sends 
an  occasional  crock  along  for  repairs  ?  Of  course,  we  do. 
And  we  also  know  what  happens,  when  the  young  Greek 
has  completed  his  time,  and  is  in  a  position  to  know  just 
enough  about  engineering,  to  enable  him  to  patch  up  some 
kind  of  a  job.  somehow  ?  We  do  !  For  we  know  that  in 
future,  the  repairs  of  the  Greek  dad's  steamers,  will  be 
carried  out  at  Patras.  or  other  classically-situated  fittery  : 
and  to  the  everlasting  loss  of  the  British  sample  of  the 
trade.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  these  picayune  exploiters  of 
the  business  are  they  who  are  doing  most  in  killing  native— 
supremacy,  and  we  are  strongly  of  opinion  that  legislation 
is  necessary  in  their  case.  To  say  the  least,  it  is  unwise 
to  allow  a  number  of  nibblers-after-trade  to  damage  the 
country's  interests,  merely  because  they  haven't  enough  of 
business  acumen  to  carry  on  their  work  in  a  business-like 
manner?  A  law  that  should  compel  these  exploiters  to 
engage  none  but  Britons,  would  never  be  objected  to  by  the 
vast  majority  of  employers  who  act  that  way  from  convic- 
tion, anymore  than  the  remainder  of  us  object  to  the 
penalty  of  hanging  being  meted  out  to  the  murderer.  That 
is.  capital  punishment  is  accepted,  because  it  is  supposed  to 
deter  the  minority  from  blood-letting.  By  the  same  line  of 
reasoning,  a  law  such  as  we  have  suggested,  would  be 
acceptable  to  the  vast  majority  who  do  not  need  it,  because 
by  its  means,  the  "  nibbler  "  already  referred  to,  would  be 
compelled  to  confine  his  competition  into  legitimate 
channels  :  and  he  would  also  be  less  of  a  national  danger. 
We  are  willing  to  admit  that  this  exploiter  of  the  foreigner 
who-reciprocate*-with-a-slice-of-work  is  in  a  minority :  but 


then,  he  is  a  potential  factor  in  the  national  disintegration 
which  is  toward.  Once  start  a  fitting  shop,  say,  at  Patras, 
and  you  have  a  school  for  the  preparation  of  thousands 
more  of  the  same  countrymen.  We  know  that  the  Greek 
has  an  equal  right  with  the  Briton  to  learn  the  business  of 
an  engineer  ;  but  then,  the  Briton  has  exactly  the  same 
right  to  refuse  the  tuition  ?  If  he  won't  refuse  it  of  his 
own  sweet  will,  then,  in  the  interests  of  the  remainder  of 
the  nation  which  he  in  no  manner  adorns,  he  should  be 
made  to.  Leaving  this  exploiter,  let  us  give  a  brief  con- 
sideration to  another  sample  of  fitting  shop  which  is  doing 
much  to  worsen  the  situation.  We  refer  to  the  shops 
where  young  fellows  are  taken  as  apprentices  ;  are  allowed 
to  follow  their  own  sweet  bent-  which,  needless  to  say 
under  the  circumstances,  will  be  a  lazy  one  ;  and  when  out 
of  their  time,  are  kept  on  as  "  improvers  "  at  25s.  per  week. 
Kept  until  some  kindly  disposed  super  will  give  them  a 
start  as  third  or  fourth  engineer,  so  that  the  chief  and 
second  may  have  the  felicity  of  teaching  these  embryonic 
engineers,  the  work  which  they  have  already  served  an 
apprenticeship  to  glean.  Is  this  fair,  either  to  the  men 
who  are  acting  as  chief  and  second,  or  to  the  lads  who  have 
practically  wasted  five  years  of  their  lives  ?  The  five 
most  impressionable  years,  too  ?  Indeed,  it  is  the  slip-shod 
methods  of  apprenticeship,  which  undermines  the  budding 
manhood  of  most  of  the  present-day  apprentices.  Tacked 
up  to  a  vise-bench,  with  a  number  of  "  old  growls  "  who  are 
more  or  less  filled  with  Utopian  ideas  concerning  a 
millennium  which  is  supposed  to  be  due  at  any  moment  ;  is 
it  any  wonder  that  the  latter-day  youth  starts  his  sea- 
career,  with  a  number  of  unworkable  notions  concerning 
sociology  :  and  a  total  absence  of  the  skill  which  rightly 
belongs  to  marine  engineering  ?  Moreover,  under  the 
conditions  which  we  have  thus  briefly  touched  upon,  is  it 
any  wonder  that  marine  engineering— as  a  means  of 
livelihood  — is  rapidly  becoming  "played  out?"  Surely  not! 

AN  ACT  OF  JUSTICE  LONG  DELAYED. 

NEARLY  four  years  agcf  the  Allan  Line  steamer 
Grecian  went  ashore  at  the  entrance  to  Halifax 
harbour,  and  became  a  total  loss.  At  the  time  of 
the  casualty,  the  vessel  was  under  the  charge  of 
a  licensed  pilot  named  Fleming.  The  Court  of 
Inquiry,  presided  over  by  Mr.  Salmon,  Wreck  Commissioner, 
held  that  the  master,  Captain  Harrison,  should  be  respon- 
sible for  the  fault  or  negligence  of  the  pilot,  and  suspended 
his  Master's  certificate  for  nine  months,  granting  him  a 
mate's  certificate  during  the  interim.  On  behalf  of  the 
Scottish  Shipmasters'  and  Officers'  Association,  of  which 
Captain  Harrison  was  a  member,  and  which  provided  him 
with  defence,  on  the  pronouncement  of  this  verdict,  an 
intimation  of  their  intention  to  appeal  was  made,  and  the 
Association  forthwith  converted  their  intention  into  au  fait 
accompli  by  appealing  to  the  Admiralty  Court  here,  to  have 
the  Canadian  verdict  reversed.  The  appeal  was  sustained, 
but  an  application  for  costs  was  not  allowed,  on  the  ground 
that  the  Court  had  no  jurisdiction  in  this  case,  to  make  an 
order  for  these  The  Association  put  themselves  in  com- 
munication with  the  Government,  and  the  matter  was  made 
the  subject  of  question  in  Parliament  without  result.  The 
Dominion  Government  was  then  approached.  While  ad- 
mitting that  an  injustice  had  been  done  Captain  Harrison 
by  the  erroneous  decision  given  in  Canada,  they  sheltered 
themselves  behind  the  plea  that  there  was  no  precedent  to 
justify  them  in  recompensing  the  Master,  or  in  returning 
him  the  costs  of  his  defence  and  appeal.  The  Association 
were  determined  that  if  no  precedent  was  in  existence  to 
cover  this  case,  one  should  be  created.  It  is.  therefore, 
with  extreme  satisfaction,  they  learn  from  the  Minister  of 
Marine  that  the  Government  of  Canada  have  at  length  given 
way,  after  a  lapse  of  nearly  four  years,  to  their  persistent 
representations ;  and  have  paid  over  to  Captain  Harrison, 
the  whole  costs  incurred  in  his  defence  in  the  Canadian 
Court,  and  of  the  appeal  on  his  behalf,  here. 


I  82 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


July  28,    1905 


CARDIFF     (AND    OTHER)     COAL. 


CARDIFF,  July  26.   1905. 

A  CAREFUL  ^consideration  of  the  happenings  in  the  Coal  Market 
since  our  last  time  of  writing,  shows  that  the  conJition  of  things 
has  not  varied  appreciably.  Business  may  not  be  truthfully  stated 
to  have  been  brisk,  although  in  one  or  two  sections  a  little  more 
than  the  ordinary  excitement  has  prevailed.  In  the  matters  of 
figures,  these  remain  practically  as  at  our  last,  and  in  the  main, 
are  rather  inclined  to  steadiness,  than  otherwise. 

COLLIERIES,  in  the  majority  of  instances,  are  somewhat  better 
placed  in  the  matter  of  stems — some,  again,  being  better  circum- 
stanced than  their  competitors.  Where  this  little  feature  is  in 
evidence,  you  will  understand  that  the  quotations  are  considerably 
firmer  than  where  the  contrary  exists.  All  the  same,  during  the 
past  day  or  two,  steadiness  has  not  been  too  apparent  ;  indeed, 
when  all  is  said  on  the  subject,  the  Market  is  inclined  to  be  as 
kittle,  kattle,  as  ever.  Certainly,  in  the  matter  of  forward  shipment, 
there  has  been  an  improvement,  generally-  -in  so  far  as  enquiries 
are  concerned.  But  these  have  yet  to  materialise  into  real 
business. 

FOR  BEST  CARDIFF  ADMIRALTYS,  we  find  that  the  quotation  re- 
mains at  12s.  9d..  and  stems,  here,  in  the  majority  of  instances,  are 
fairly  good.  Moreover,  there  are  quite  a  few  of  the  grade  blessed 
with  a  sufficiency  of  business  to  last  them  over  next  month. 
Particularly  is  this  noticeable  with  the  superior  brands,  and  for 
which  the  price  is  given  with  a  certain  and  well-defined  amount  of 
APPROXIMATK  FIGURES  FOR  THK  WF.KK.  ARK  AS 


"  We  don't  care  a  hang,  sirs."  But  then,  the  colliery  man  is  ever 
in  this  position  when  he  hasn't  a  great  quantity  of  stuff  to  spare  — 
small  blame  to  him.  Other  qualities  in  this  section,  are  moderately 
busy,  but  their  position  is  anything  but  so  good  as  is  the  case  with 
the  premiers.  Actual  values,  are  altogether  another  set  of  cir- 
cumstances !  So  much  so,  that  each  one  has  to  be  settled  on  its 
own  merits — and  the  persuasiveness  of  the  buyer. 

SECOND  ADMIRALTYS  have  received  no  changing  impetus  to  speak 
of,  and  while  prices  are  much  on  a  par  with  those  which  ruled  last 
week,  the  tone  so-called — is  inclined  to  the  easy  side  of  the  deal. 
The  plain  facts  are,  that  stems  are  by  no  means  in  favour  of  the 
seller,  and  when  this  is  so,  you  know  what  to  expect.  Putting  it  in 
figures,  we  find  that  from  12s.  to  12s.  3d.  is  the  prevailing  idea 
among  sellers — an  idea  which  the  buyer  is  willing  (and  able)  to 
discount  a  little. 

ORDINARIES  are  offering  from  11s.  6d.  upwards,  according  to 
quality.  For  top  sorts,  12s.  is  being  demanded,  and  in  one  or  two 
isolated  instances,  has  been  secured.  Generally  speaking  how- 
ever, the  values  are  ranging  around  about  last  week's  levels. 
Anything  of  a  prompt  nature — especially  if  it  is  also  a  big  order 
will  easily  obtain  a  concession  over  the  quotation. 

DRYS  are  still  in  the  "  no  demand  "  stage,  this  remaining  as  their 
characteristic  feature.  Stocks  are  very  heavy,  and  thus  it  comes 
about,  that  buyers  are  able  to  book  lower  than  quotations,  which 
are:  11s.  9d.  for  BESTS,  and  from  11s.  3d.  to  11s.  6d.,  for 
the  others.  For  other  sorts,  see  list,  herewith  : 
FOLLOW  • — 


(All  quotations  f.o.b.  at  the  respective_ports  of  shipment. , 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Best  Cardiff  Ad'alty  Large     123.  6d.,  138.  od. 
Second         Ditto.            ...     us.  gd.,  123.  od. 
Other  Second  Cardiff     ...     us.  3d.,  us.  gd. 
Drys                                 .»             us.  7Jd. 
Best  Newport                   ...      us.  6d.,  123.  od. 
Ordinary  Bests                ...      i  is.  od.,  us.  6d. 
Seconds"                         •••            los-  3d- 
Best  House  Coal                    149.  6d.,  153.  od. 
No.  3  Rhondda                ...             i3s-  9d- 
No.  2         Ditto.              ...       93.  6d.,  95.  96. 
Rhondda  3  "  Thro."       ...             us.  6d. 
2        „             —              8s.  gd. 

I2S.  7jd. 
us.  io|d. 
us.  4.UL 
1  1  s.  6d- 
u  s.  gd. 
1  1  s.  3d. 
ios.  3d. 
145.  gd. 
133.  gd. 
gs.  6d. 
us.  3d. 
8s.  gd. 

i2s.  7|d. 
us.  io.|(l. 
1  1  s.  6d. 
i  is.  6d.,  i  is.  gd. 
us.  6d.,  us.  gd. 
us.  3d. 
IDS.  4id. 
143.  gd. 
135.  7id. 
gs.  7id. 
us.  od.,  i  is.  6d. 
8s.  6d.,  gs.  od. 

i2s.  6d.,  123.  gd. 

I2S.  Od. 

us.  6d. 
i  is.  7jd. 
us.  gd.,  I2s.  od. 

US.  4jd. 

los.  6d. 
143.  od. 
133.  6cl.,  133.  gd. 
93.  7^d. 
us.  3d. 
8s.  7  id. 

i2s.  gd. 
us.  gd.,  123.  3d. 
us.  6d.,  i  is.  gd. 
us.  gd. 
us.  gd. 
us.  od.,  i  is.  6d. 
IDS.  6d. 
145.  3d.,  143.  6d. 
133.  6d. 
gs.  gd. 
us.  od.,  us.  3d. 
8s.  6d. 

I2S.  gd. 

123.   Od. 

us.  6tl. 
i  is.  gd. 
us.  gd. 
i  is.  od.,  i  is.  3d. 
los.  3d.,  103.  6d. 
143.  6d. 
133.  6d. 
gs.  gd. 
us.  ou.,  us.  3d. 
8s.  6d.,  gs.  ort. 

Smalls:   - 
Best  Cardiff 
Seconds 
Ordinaries 
Best  Newport 
Seconds 
Rhondda  No.  2 
„       No.  3 

8s.  gd. 
8s.  7-Jd. 
8s.  3d. 
73.  6d.,  73.  gd. 
73.  3d. 
ys.  6d. 
i  os.  od. 

gs.  od. 

8s.  7id. 
8s.  3d. 
73.  gd. 
73.  3d. 
75.  6d. 
gs.  lOjd. 

8s.  gd.,  93.  3(1. 
8s.  gd. 
8s.  3d.,  8s.  6d. 
8s.  od. 
7s.  4id. 
73.  6d.,  73.  gd. 
gs.  6f!.,  IDS.  od. 

gs.  od.,  gs.  3d. 
8s.  gd. 
8s.  4|d. 
8s.  od. 
73.  6d. 
73.  7id. 
gs.  gd. 

gs.  od. 
8s.  6d.,  8s.  gd. 
8s.  4id. 
7s.  gd.,  8s.  3d. 
73.  3d  ,  73.  6d. 
73.  6d. 
gs.  7|d. 

gs.  od.,  gs.  31!. 
8s.  gd. 
8s.  3d. 
8s.  od. 
75.  6d.,  73.  gd. 
7s.  6d.,  7s.  gd. 
gs.  6d..  gs.  gd. 

Foundry  Coke  : 
Special 
Ordinary 

21S.  O,l.,  2IS.  6d. 

173.  6d.,  i8s.  od. 

2  is.  3d. 
1  78.  gd. 

2  IS.  Oil. 

173.  gd. 

2  is.  6d. 
1  8s.  od. 

2IS.  Od.,  213.  6d. 

175.  gd. 

213.  Od.,  22S.  Od. 

173.  6d. 

Furnace  Coke 
Patent  Fuel 
Pitwood  (ex  shin)    .. 

i6s.  3d. 
i2s.  gd. 
iqs.  od. 

i6s.  6d. 
135.  od. 

iqs.   Q'\.,    IQS.   6(1. 

1  6s.  6d. 
135.  od. 

iqs.  3<l. 

i6s.  4^d. 
133.  od.,  133.  6d. 
IQS.  •?<!.,  iqs.  6'i. 

163.  4Jd. 
133.  3d. 

igs.  6:1. 

1  6s.  3d.,  i6s.  6d. 
133.  3d.,  133.  6d. 
193.  6d. 

All  quotations  for  large  Coals  imply  Colliery  Screened. 

SWANSEA.  July  26.  1905. 

THE  market,  here,  during  the  past  week,  has  been  steady  and 
somewhat  more  encouraging.  Prices,  however,  continue  as  before. 
For  prompt  shipment,  a  much  better  request  is  in  evidence,  but 
futures  are  rather  limited. 

ANTHRACITE  LARGE,  for  instance,  is  a  trifle  firmer.  Stems  have 
been  filling  up,  and  supplies  are  therefore,  restricted.  This,  coupled 
with  an  improved  demand,  has  hardened  the  market,  and  BEST 
MALTING  SORTS  are  quoted  from  I8s.  upwards. 

MACHINE  MADE  COALS  are  moving  off  slowly,  and  buyers  are 
able  to  lower  the  quotation,  to  an  appreciable  extent.  NUTS  on 

BELOW,  we  give  the 


the  other  hand,  have  remained  fairly  steady  throughout.  RUBBLY 
CULM,  too,  remains  a  satisfactory  market,  for  a  good  demand 
continues,  while  the  quantity  at  present  available  is  somewhat 
limited.  DUFF  continues  along  between  3s.  3d.  and  3s.  6d.,  at 
which  range  there  is  a  fair  enquiry. 

STEAMS  have  undergone  no  change  worth  mentioning,  BESTS 
being  valued  at  13s.— thanks  to  fairly  good  stems.  SECONDS  are 
inclined  to  easiness,  and  average  around  12s.,  at  which  there  is  but 
little  doing.  Local  bunker  qualities  are  about  maintained.  PATENT 
FUELS  may  be  safely  marked  at  an  average  of  1  Is.  9d.— a  little 
higher  or  lower,  as  the  case  might  be. 

average  prices  for  the  week  : — 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Anthracite:— 

Best    Hand    Picked  \ 

Malting  Urge      ...  i 

i8s.  od. 

173.  gd. 

173.  gd. 

173.  6d.,  1  8s.  od. 

173.  6d.,  173.  gd. 

173.  6d.,  1  8s.  od. 

Seconds    do.                   ...      i6s.  6d..  ITS.  od. 

1  6s.  gd. 

163.  gd.                        173.  od. 

163.  6d.,  173.  od. 

1  6s.  6d.,  163.  gd. 

Big  Vein  Urge 

ios.  gd. 

los.  7jd. 

IDS.  7Jd. 

IDS.  6d.,  los.  gd. 

ios.  6d.,  i  is.  od. 

ios.  gd. 

Red    „       „                                gs.  6d. 

gs.  3d.,  93.  gd. 

gs.  6d. 

gs.  4.U1 

gs.  3d.,  gs.  6d. 

gs.  6(1. 

Machine  Made  Cobbles    ...     i6s.  od.,  i6s.  6d. 

i6s.  3d. 

,  1  6s.  3d. 

i6s.  od.,  i6s.  3(1. 

1  6s.  i,d. 

i6s.  od.,  i6s.  3d. 

„          ,,     Nuts 

163.  od.,  178.  od. 

1  6s.  gd. 

1  6s.  gd. 

i6s.  6d.                 i6s.  3d.,  1  6s.  6d. 

i6s.  ocl.,  1  6s.  6d. 

„         ,,     Peas 

IDS.  6d.,  us.  od. 

los.  gd. 

IDS.  gd. 

IDS.  7jd. 

ios.  6d. 

ios.  3d.,  ios.  gd. 

Rubbly  Culm 
Duff 

53.  6d.,  55.  gd. 
35.  3d. 

55.  6d. 
3S-  3d. 

53.  6d. 
35.  od.,  35.  6d. 

53.  3d.,  53.  6d. 
33.  od.,  33.  3d. 

53.  od.,  53.  6(1. 
33.  od. 

5S.  3""- 
33.  od.,  33.  6(1. 

Patent  Fuel:— 

US.  6(1.,    123.  od. 

us.  gd. 

,   I2S.  od. 

12S.  Od. 

i  is.  gd.,  i2s.  od. 

us.  gd. 

Steam  : 

Best    Large                                  123.  gd. 

I2s.  gd. 

i2s.  gd.,  135.  od. 

133.  od. 

12s.  6d.,  133.  od. 

12S.  gd.,  ijs.  o;l. 

Seconds  ,,                       ...us.  gd.,  128.  od. 

us.  ioid. 

I2S.  Od. 

12S.  0(1. 

us.  gd.,  123.  od. 

123.  od.,    123.  3<1. 

Bunker    ,,                        ...      ios.  3d.,  los.  gd. 

IDS.  6d. 

IDS.  6d.,  ios.  gd. 

ios.  7jd. 

ios.  6d. 

ios.  6d.,  ios.  qd. 

Thro'  and  Thro'                        s.  6d.,  gs.  od.                   8s.  gd. 

8s.  gd. 

• 

8s.  io.\d. 

Ss.  gd.,  gs.  od. 

8s.  ic^d. 

July    28,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


'83 


COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES. 


CARDIFF.  July  26,  1905. 

As  may  be  gathered  from  the  appended  list,  chartering 

>  past  week,   has   been  fairly   active-for   these 

•or  the  Mediterranean  section,  business  has  been 

Jderately  busy,  but  at  the  time  of  writing,  an  easier  tone 

man.festing  itself.     Twas  ever  thus-at  least,   it   has 

r  some  considerable  time  past,  and  not  yet  is 

the  depression  reached.     For  representative 

[tures  smce  our  last  time  of  writing,  a  perusal  of  the 

following,  might  prove  of  interest  : 

Week  Ending,  <  Wednesday),  July  26,  WOS 

K     C.rcl..    *..,<„.     8)   £„.,„..    ,f.  -,.)    Ftl,    Taltcl      It8tilf 

EASTERN. 

Singapore.     AW///,,.    ,  ,  s. 
Cape.      Sti-irniT.    i  .:-.  <,d. 

WESTWARD,     Etc. 

River  Plate,     End.ltigh,      8s. 

Str.imir.  alx>ut  4.1  *MI  tons,  8s. 

Olivf,   8s. 

4Jd. 

Tenerifle,     Rif>liii~Kliani,  3,300  tons,   6s.  i,d. 
Buenos  Ayres,     FaOo+M,   4,oco  tons,    s-.  Od     250    (N) 
Las  Palmas  Madeira,   L,,dv  AY/A  3.500  tons,   6*.  6d.  ' 
Las  Palmas,     .-llliniira,   1,850  ton-,   <,s.  <>d.    200 

<  •irn'i'nii  llr,i,l,    ,,:;;o   tons,    6s.   3d. 

f»rWa>iW.    4.100101,-,    5-.  /id.     (Admiralty). 

DO  ti,n-,    ',-.  jd. 

Cape  Verdes.      <  <»iiin»n;ftallh,    4,500  tons,  75. 
Monte  Video,     Stc.imcr,   .j.-oo  ton-,   ;-.  -id.  250   is.    (N). 
Sabang,    sti-atm-r.    i 

MEDITERRANEAN,     Etc. 


Port  Said,      //,•,-///<;»,    4,400  tons,  55.  36. 


ppt. 


(s). 


option  Messina  or 


Genoa.     //,,/,//-;  W>.    3,700  ton-,   /,-. 

DO  ton-.    ',-.  od. 
Steamer,    3,500   ton-,     <,-.    500 
"-.    ;-.    lojd. 
•/.    2,600  ton-. 
//"///,/•-'//,     ;,-ooton-,    5-.  (,d. 

ltn  (  iiim/iii.  4,000  ton-,    5-.  ,  <|. 
1,000  tons,    5-.  ,)(|. 

A"////i/;-/fi,>.    5,300  ton-,    5-. 
Palermo,     iinrlainl-.,   *.;iMitoi>s.  /,-.' 

Catania. 

•'/»///'/>/;«<,'>,    2,000  ton-,    7*.  3d.    (-). 
Venice,     Str.imrr.    4,000  tons,    ;s.  3d.   option.  Ancona. 

/>««>,   3.300  tons,    7-.  3<1.   option  Ancona. 
Valencia,      tvmrt'an,     1,300  ton-.    6-.  <>d.   (.-). 
Naples,     >«/>//,,  3,500  tons,  6s.    800,  option    Leghorn.  • 
Anlliimv  Raddiffe.    3,500  tons,  800,        „  „ 

/  //,/W.s,   2,400  tons,  6s.  6d.  coal,    7-.  3d.  fuel.  (-). 
.\niili  Hrilnn,    2,600  tons,    5s.  yd.  800,    option    Newport 

loading   '•-. 
Marseilles,     Strann-r,   5,000  tons,  7-25  fcs. 

.   .'.700  ton-,  7'.'5  li  •-. 
I  In-  riii,    2,  too  tons,    7-25  fcs.    (s). 

•icr,    4,500  tons,    6-87^  fcs. 
Algiers,      Innrniina,   1,800  tons,    7  francs,    spot. 

Imr.ii,    I,8OO   tons,    7  fcs. 

Alexandria.     /:,/«/<•,  4,600  tons,   53.  7^d. 

300  tons,    6s.  3d. 

I  n^llrgiirth,    3,500  tons,   6s.  9d.  coal.  75.  6d.  fuel,   (s). 
I.  "in,    3,500  tons,    6s.  3d. 
Oran,     /,/,,-v,   2,050  tons,    ^  -50  fcs.  coal,  8-50  fcs.    fuel, 

-pot,  (s). 

irner,    1,600  tons,  7-50  fcs.,  ppt. 
Barletta,     Rosalha,    2,400   tons,    js.   j^d.  coal,   8s.  4^d. 

furl,  (s). 

Savona.     >-'.imrr,   1,400  tons,  6s.  7^  d.   option   Spezzia. 
(-.  or  P.T.) 


Cagliari,     Alleanza,  2,300  tons,   T&.    fuel,  ppt.    (p  T  ) 
Piraeus,     Anastasios  Coroneos,  2,200  tons. 

Mary  Thomas,  2,5001003,    6s.    (N). 

Steamer,   2,900   tons,    53.  9d.    (N). 
Syra  Piraeus,     Steamer,  2,95o  tons,  5s.   ioid. 

lena,     Canganian,   1,350  tons,  6s.  9d. 
Gandia,    Silurian,   1,350  tons,    6s.  9d. 
Torre,    Huddersfield,    3,000  tons,    6s.    1,000 
Cadiz,     Steamer,    1,400  tons,    6s    3d 
Huelva,    EnulRetshff,    Ss.  3d.  coal,   7s.  3d.  goods. 
Arcachon,     Corrwg  1,100  tons,  6  fcs. 
Guillianova,     Ceres,   1,850  tons,  8s.  coal,  8s.  9d.  fuel,    (N). 
Vigo,      Whimbrel,   700  tons,    53.  6d.   (N). 
Gibraltar,     Carlo,    1,700  tons,     3s.  9d.        (Admiralty). 

Muriel,     2,800   tons,    33.    9d. 

Rlrio,     3,600    tons,    33.  9d. 

Rothesay,    2,500  tons,  33.  9d. 
Lagos,  (Portugal),  /.  Duncan,  2,500  tons,  33.  ioid.  " 

Kildonian,    3,200  tons,    33.    io.-!d. 

Knightsgarth,  4,000  tons,  3s.  ~io4d. 

Sheldon,     1,700    tons,     33.    io4d. 

J.  Duncan,  2,500  tons,  3s.  ioid. 
Volo,  Treneglos,  1,850  tons,  6s.  44d. 
Malta,  Steamer,  43.  Cd. 

.    Eugenie,    2,100  tons,   43.  7 id.,    (Admiralty). 
Nice,   Feniside,    2,000  tons,    9s.  6d.  coal,    8s.  3d.  fuel    (s). 


BALTIC,  Etc. 

Stettin,    Steamer,  1,550  tons,   43.  7^d.   (s). 
St.  Petersburg,     Steamer,   2,500  tons,  53.  3d. 
Cronstadt,     Steamer,  4,500  tons,   45.  3d. 

,    3,700  tons,  45.  3d.   coal,  55.  fuel,    option 
St.  Petersburg,  (s). 


BAY,     Etc. 


II 

n 
it 


4-375 


La  Pal  I  ice,     Everest,  2,100  tons, 
Maywood,   1,430  tons,    4-37^  fcs. 
HoUentess,    2,300  tons,   4-25  fcs. 
4-50  fcs. 

Bordeaux,    Gardepee,  2,100  tons,  5-1  2^  fcs. 
Talabol,    1,600  tons,   5   fcs.     spot. 

Sables,     Amor,  650  tons,    5  fcs. 

St.  Nazaire,     Kylera,  2,000  tons,    4-50  fcs.  (s). 


option    Rochefortev 

(s). 


COASTING,     Etc. 

Rouen,     St.  I'/i/rick,  730  tons,   43.  9d.  (s). 

The  Countess,  650  tons,  48.  7^d.   (s). 

St.  Kevin.  750  tons,  48.  7<jd.     (s). 

Alice   M.    Craig,    1,200  tons,    43.    7^d.  (s). 

Steamer,   700  tons,    43.  6d.   (s). 

Yewdale,    480  tons,    43.  6d.    (s). 
oaen,     Scnga,    500  tons,    43.    (s). 
Dieppe,     Rowena,   1,400  tons,    33.  9d. 
Havre,     Stokesley,  or  sub.,   1,35010113,   35.  io4d. 
J.  Duncan,   2,500  tons,  33.  9d. 

Steamer,    400/500   tons,    43.   ijd. 
St.  Malo,     Pearl,  4s.     (N). 

Clonlee,    1,450  tons,    33.  9d. 
Cherburg,     Bay  Fisher,  520  tons,   45.    (s). 
Newry,     Dunscore,   160  tons,   33.  6d. 
Portland,     Sheldon,   1,500  tons,    25.  3d.     (Admiralty). 
Honfleur,   St.  Kevin,   750  tons,    45.   (s). 
Brest,     Spurt,   1,42010113,   3s.  9d.     (s). 


HOMEWARD. 

Pomaron  to  Swansea,     Cywrian,    ,500  tons,   53. 
Oporto  to  Card  iff/ Barry/or  Newport,  Steamer,    53.  9d. 
Bilbao  to  Cardiff,    Elinville,   2,400  tons,    43.  3d.  ppt. 
Agua  Amarga  to  Newport,  Themis,  3,800  tons,  53.  f.d.  ppt 
Bilbao  „          „  Steamer,  45.  4^d. 

Villagarcia  to  Cardiff  or  Newport,    Whiinbrel,  393  n.  /s. 


184 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July  28,   1905 


D 


SHIPBUILDING. 


The  new  volumes  of  "Lloyd's  Register"  make  their 
appearance  once  again  and  furnish  material  for  a  com- 
parison of  the  progress  of  the  merchant  shipping  of  all 
nations.  They  show  a  total  increase  in  1905,  as  compared 
with  1904.  of  466  vessels  and  1,211,704  tons.  The 
Empire's  share  of  this  addition  is  indicated  by  the  following 

figures  :— 

BRITISH   FLAG. 

Vessels.  Tons. 

1905  11,365  ...  17,009,720 

1904  ...  11,250  ...  16,580,845 


Increase 


115 


428,875 


The  year  1904  itself,  showed  an  increase  of  116  vessels 
and  574.471  tons,  so  that  in  point  of  tonnage,  we  have  not 
progressed  so  rapidly.  These  figures  include  the  merchant 
fleets  of  the  Colonies,  which  now  number  2.O17  vessels 
and  1.206.540  tons,  an  increase  of  3  vessels  and  17.045 
tons.  The  statistics  for  the  United  Kingdom  alone,  are 

as  follows : — 

SAILING  SHIPS. 

Vessels.  Tons. 

1905  ...  1,455  ...  1,306,417 

1904  1,537  1,392,132 


Decrease 


82 


1905 
1904 


Increase 


STEAMSHIPS. 
Vessels. 

7,893 

7,699 

194 


85,715 

Tons. 
14,496,763 
13,999,218 

437,545 


This  shows  a  net  increase  of  112  vessels,  as  compared 
with  84  in  1904.  Sailing  ships  have  been  removed  to  the 
extent  of  85.715  tons,  which  was  about  the  figures  for  the 
previous  12  months.  Steamers  have  augmented  by 
497.545  tons,  as  compared  with  588,000  tons.  The  net 
growth  in  our  shipping  as  a  whole,  is  411,830  tons.  The 
following  figures  show  the  net  steamship  additions  to  the 
world's  fleets  :— 

NET  STEAMSHIP  ADDITIONS. 

United  Kingdom.  Foreign. 

Tons.  Tons. 

1905      ...      497,545      ...        833,199 
1904  588,324      ...        860,995 


Taking    steamships    and    sailing 
growth  of  tonnage  in  the  case  of 
countries  is  as  follows  : — 

PRINCIPAL 


vessels  together,  the 
the   principal  maritime 


MARITIME 

NATIONS. 

1904. 

1905. 

Increase. 

Tons. 

Tons. 

Tons. 

15,391,350     .. 

.      15,803,180     ... 

411.830 

3,369,807     . 

3,564,798     ... 

194,991 

3,849,400     . 

..       3,996,479     ... 

147,079 

1,717,654     . 

1,776,218     ... 

58,564 

1,693,366     . 

1,728,038     ... 

34,672 

1,187,566     . 

..       1,189,066     ... 

1,500 

840,515     . 

862,909     ... 

23,394 

751,533     . 

804,346     ... 

52,813 

687,529     .. 

701,754      ... 

14,225 

671,417     . 

873,552     ... 

202,135 

597,984     . 

626,512     ... 

26,528 

585,156     . 

618,194     ... 

33,038 

United  Kingdom 
Germany 

United  States 

Norway 
France     ... 

Italy         

Russia 

Sweden  ... 

Holland 

Japan      

Denmark 
Austria  Hungary 

Spain  is  still  inclined  to  shrink,  the  tonnage  having 
decreased  from  754,855  tons  in  1904,  to  731,581  tons,  a 
loss  of  25,274  tons.  Italian  shipping  is  practically  sta- 
tionary. The  Japanese  figures  show  a  remarkable  growth 
of  tonnage,  which  seems  inconsistent  with  the  wastage  of 
of  the  war.  The  German  additions  are  nearly  half  as  large 
as  our  own. 

+  +  + 

The  general  position  and  outlook  in  the  shipbuilding  trade 
does  not  show  much  change.  A  few  orders  continue  to  be 
booked,  but  by  no  means  sufficient  to  ensure  steady  future 


employment.  Messrs.  Swan,  Hunter,  and  Wigham 
Richardson,  Ltd.,  Wallsend,  have  been  commissioned  to 
build  two  high-class  fast  passenger  boats  for  Messrs. 
Fraissinet  &  Go.,  of  Marseilles.  The  Indo-Ghina  Steam 
Navigation  Company  has  ordered  two  boats  of  between 
3,000  and  4,000  tons,  one  from  Messrs.  W.  Dobson  &  Co., 
Low  Walker  on  Tyne  and  the  other  from  Messrs.  Hall 
Russell  &  Co.,  Aberdeen.  Messrs.  Houlder,  Middleton  & 
Co.,  London,  have  ordered  two  7.000  tonners  from  the 
Northumberland  Shipbuilding  Company,  Ltd.,  Howden-on- 
Tyne.  The  Clyde  Shipping  Company  have  contracted  with 
the  Caledon  Shipbuilding  and  Engineering  Company  for  the 
construction  of  a  steamer  of  about  2.000  tons,  with  good 
speed  and  passenger  accommodation.  The  Booth  Steam- 
ship Company,  Liverpool,  have  ordered  a  large  steamer  to 
be  built  by  Messrs.  R.  &  W.  Hawthorn,  Leslie  &  Co.. 
Hebburn  on  Tyne.  The  Russian  Transportation  Company. 
Odessa,  have  ordered  two  3.000  deadweight  steamers,  to 
be  built  in  England. 

+  +  + 

A  deputation  from  the  Boilermakers  Society,  headed 
by  Mr.  Cummins,  the  secretary,  waited  last  week  upon  the 
North  East  Coast  shipbuilding  employers.  According  to 
the  rules  between  the  parties,  when  either  side  desires  a 
change  of  wages  or  conditions,  that  side  must  give  14  days 
notice  of  a  conference,  at  which  the  trade  situation  can 
be  discussed.  The  present  conference  was  called  at  the 
instance  of  the  men,  who  desired  that  their  wages  should 
be  increased.  It  lasted  a  couple  of  hours,  and  took  the 
form  of  a  preliminary  discussion.  At  its  conclusion,  the 
representatives  of  the  press  were  informed  that  no  notice 
had  been  handed  in,  but  that  probably  another  conference 
would  be  held. 

+  +  + 

The  steel  paddle  steamer  Greyhound,  lately  owned  by 
the  North  Pier  Steamship  Co.  (Blackpool)  Ltd.,  in  Liquida- 
tion, has  been  sold  at  about  £8,000.  She  was  built  by 
Messrs.  J.  &  G.  Thomson,  Ltd.,  Glasgow,  in  1895. 
Dimensions  230ft.  x  27ft.  x  9ft.  7in.  Fitted  with  two  sets 
of  engines,  cylinders  21in..45in.  x  48in.  stroke.  Had  new 
boilers  in  1903,  by  Messrs.  Laird  Brothers.  Steams  16/ 
17  knots.  Carries  990  passengers  on  No.  4  certificate. 

-f  +  + 

The  iron  screw  steamer  Aviemore,  owned  by  Messrs.  D. 
Scott  &  Son,  Dundee,  has  been  sold  to  Japanese  buyers, 
at  about  £7,000.  She  was  built  and  engined  by  Messrs. 
W.  B.  Thompson  &  Co.,  Dundee,  in  1882.  Dimensions 
204ft.  x  29ft.  9in.  x  20ft.  6in.;  931  tons  gross;  with 
engines  24in.,  48in.  x  30in.  stroke. 

+  +  + 

The  Granton  Steam  Trawlers,  Mont  Visa,  Mont 
Rosa  and  Simplon,  belonging  to  the  Muirhead 
Trawlers  Limited,  have  been  sold  to  a  Swansea  firm.  They 
were  built  in  1898,  by  Messrs.  Gumming  and  Ellis, 
Inverkeithing,  and  are  to  be  employed  in  trawling  operations 
in  the  Bristol  Channel. 


FOR   SALE   OR   CHARTER. 

Steam  Yacht    "CURLEW," 

Length  60ft.,  beam  12ft.,  and  draft  5ft.;  c.s.c. 
engines;  good  cabin  accommodation;  and  excellent 
outfit,  including  two  good  boats.  Fully  insured  for  a 
month's  cruising  in  the  Bristol  Channel.  Can  be 
inspected  at  Channel  Dry  Docks,  Newport. 

For  further  particulars,    apply   THE  CARDIFF   CHANNEL 
DRY  DOCKS  Co.,  Ltd.,  Cardiff. 


July   jS,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


185 


maritime 

(AND  OTHER) 

monep 
matters. 


certainly  ap- 
pears to  be  a  fata- 
lity hanging  around 
that  great    International 
Shipping     Combine,     of 
which     the     world     has 
heard     so     much.     The 
past  year's    working    re- 
sulted in  a  loss   of  some 
£600,000,    and    come  to 
think    of    it,    you    don't 
need    to   be   excessively 
smart,"  to  put  up  such 

wing  as  that '.'  About  a  year  ago,  the  shareholders 
were  promised  great  things  as  a  result  of  the  energetic 
treatment,  that  was  to  be  the  outcome  of  Mr.  Bruce 
Ismay's  nomination,  to  the  post  of  president  of  the 
Company.  Somehow  or  other,  there  is  a  deal  of  Ameri- 
canism in  the  word  "  president,"  when  applied  to  a  mere 
trading  concern,  and  probably  this  is  one  of  the  reasons 
why  the  combine  has  made  such  a  poor  showing  :• 

•f  4   + 

THERE  is  no  getting  away  from  the  fact  that, although 
a  huge  success  in  practically  every  other  branch  of  in- 
dustry, the  American  friend  is  no  great  shakes  where 
shipping  is  concerned.  This  is  only  as  it  should  be,  for 
although  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic,  we  have  a  number 
of  irresponsible  persons  who  scarcely  ever  saw  a  ship, 
previous  to  the  moment  when  they  undertook  the 
management  thereof;  it  by  no  means  follows  that  this 
is  the  kind  of  genius,  who  has  made  Britain  maritimely 
supreme.  There  are  failures  in  every  trade  ;  shipping 
is  certainly  no  exception  to  the  rule;  and  a  few  moments 
consideration  will  supply  the  searcher  after  truth,  with 
quite  a  number  of  names  which,  as  eighteen-carat 
"  wasters."  it  would  be  hard  to  beat. 

•»•   -f   + 

MOST  of  these  failures,  too.  have  been  born  in  all  the 
glitter  which  modern  methods  may  command.  They 
have  also  been  snuffed  out  in  the  glorious  gloom  which 
is  the  complement  of  the  said  glitter.  Even  as  we  write, 
we  have  in  mind  a  number  of  those  sporting  gentlemen 
who.  directly  they  assume  the  directorship  of  some  poor 
little  second-hand  crock,  may  no  longer  patronise  the 
necessary  though  humble  tram-car.  Nothing  less  than 
a  "carriage,"  of  some  make  or  another,  will  suit. 
In  other  words  these  gentry  fail,  not  so  much  because 
there  is  an  undue  depression  in  the  shipping  trade,  as 
because  they  have  developed  swelled  head,  and  meta- 
phorically, "  Don't  know  where  they  are."  Furthermore, 
there  is  seldom  anybody  about,  who  is  in  a  positon  to 
tell  them. 

NATURALLY,  when  Mr.  "Shipowner"  doesn't  quite 
know  where  he  is.  his  poor  shareholders  are  likely  to  be 
in  the  same  unenviable  position,  and  chus  the  world  wags.— - 
Still,  common  honesty  compels  us  to  admit,  that  for 
every  failure  on  this  side  of  the  Pond,  there  are  many 
successes.  In  their  case,  too.  the  shareholder 
knows  all  about  it ;  and  this  is  mainly  the  reason  why 
reputable  shipping  concerns,  are  enabled  to  command  as 
much  of  the  public's  money  as  is  considered  necessary. 
Across  the  seas,  however,  the  position  is  somewhat 
different,  and  for  a  reason  which  we  have  given,  times 
out  of  number.  That  is.  the  American  is  not  a  shippy 
individual.  Of  course,  there  are  a  few  on  that  side  of 
the  world,  who  are  up  to  every  wrinkle  on  the  shipowning 
board,  and  they  invariably  come  out  on  top. 

•f  -f   -f 

BUT  generally  considered,  the  number  of  shipping 
men  under  the  flag  of  Uncle  Sam,  is  inappreciable,  and 
for  many  years  to  come,  that  number  will  continue  so. 
We  quite  understand  that  there  are  numerous  efforts 
toward,  with  a  view  to  altering  all  this;  but  those  efforts, 


as  already  suggested,  will  bs  doomed  to  disappointment, 
and  for  the  fact  that  it  is  impossible  to  raise  a  shipping 
community  in  a  couple  of  years.  The  Briton  would  do 
no  better,  under  the  same  conditions.  That  is  to  say  if 
)hn  Bull  had  to  depend  on  the  antics  of  the  "new 
chum  "  m  shipping,  then,  you  could  make  up  your  mind 
the  Mistress  of  the  Seas  title,  would  be  passed  over 
to  some  other  nation.  As  things  are  being  muddled  up, 
now,  there  is  a  danger;  but  to  "muddle  through,"  is 
Britain's  heaven-sent  right? 

+  +  + 

HOWEVER,  reverting  to  the  tactics  of  the  "  combine  " 
of  which  we  have  written,  it  will  be  remembered  that 
Bruce  Ismay  "  raised  Cain  "—to  put  the  matter  in 
the  vernacular— when  he  started  in  on  his  retrenchment 
Office  expenses  were  said  to  have  been  reduced  in 
i  most  alarming  (to  the  clerks)  manner;  and  every 
item  of  expenditure  was  to  have  been  subjected  to 
microscopic  examination.  We  suppose  it  was  alright, 
and  the  retrenchment  came  off  ?  That  is,  it  appeared 
to  come  off,  for  in  the  latest  balance  sheet  issued  by  the 
Internationa}  concern,  it  would  appear  that  all  these 
retrenchments  notwithstanding,  the  management  ex- 
penses have  increased  to  the  tune  of  £40,000.  The 
amount  is  not  a  big  one,  when  the  total  capital  at  stake 
is  borne  in  mind.  All  the  same,  it  should  be  possible  to 
purchase  a  deal  of  management  for  £40,000  ? 

+  +  + 

THE  fact  of  the  matter  is,  the  international  "combine" 
is  making  the  same  mistake  that  other,  and,  what  should 
be,  better  posted  affairs  in  the  shipowning  world  are 
doing.  We  know  of  quite  a  number  of  apparently 
flourishing  shipping  undertakings  which,  if  the  book- 
values  of  their  fleets  were  written  down  to  a  sensible, 
and  business-like  limit— well,  those  concerns  would  cease 
to  be  of  even  the  apparently  flourishing  sort.  This  is 
another  instance  where  the  fatality,  to  which  we  have 

already  alluded,  comes  in.      Things  are  going  bad cut 

the  expenses.  The  badness  continues — cut  some  more. 
In  the  first  instance,  most  of  the  bad  conditions  were 
the  result  of  an  ill-manned  enterprise  :  how  then,  will  a 
continued  cutting  mend  matters  ?  It  won't,  of  course, 
and  the  last  stage,  of  the  "  cutters  "  is  considerably  worse 
than  their  first. 

•f   +   + 

ANYHOW,  there  are  not  wanting  they  who  are  prepared 
to  swear,  that  the  ordinary  shares  of  this  very  great 
International  Linking-up  of  the  Earth,  are  by  way  of  be- 
coming worthless.  This  opinion  has  been  arrived  at 
after  years  of  consideration,  and  it  is  admittedly  easy  to 
be  wise  after  the  fact.  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW, 
however,  ventured  on  the  prophetic  lay  in  this  con- 
nection, at  the  time  when  the  Company  had  just  been 
floated;  and  when  most  of  the  units  of  the  shipping 
•  pfess  were  prepared  to  put  up  affidavits,  that  this 
American  quiff  was  THE  security  of  the  age.  As  we 
have  stated  on  numerous  occasions,  the  American  is  no 
more  able  to  make  an  over-capitalised  affair  pay,  than 
is  his  British  competitor.  The  trouble  is,  that  the 
public  will  not  believe  this  great  truth. 

+  +  + 

THAT  is  to  say,  the  public  will  not  believe,  until  the 
flesh  is  coming  off  its  fingers  in  chunks — thanks  to  the 
amiable  manner  in  which  it  has  been  burned !  The 
"  combine  "  has  already  laid  up  several  freight  steamers  ; 
the  new.Cunarders  will  probably  cause  another  big 
laying-up  match.  Here  is  more  prophesy :  Once  those 
boats  have  been  laid-up,  we  are  convinced  that  when 
next  they  run,  it  will  be  under  a  flag  that  has  nothing  in 
common  with  that  which  is  at  present  favoured  for 
"  house  "  purposes,  by  what  we  consider  as  the  modern 
rendering  of  the  Great  South  Sea  Bubble.  This  is  our 
candid  opinion,  and  we  have  pluck  enough  to  print  it. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July   20,  1905 


Gargo-Carriers'  Conjbine. 


6 


WARS  and  rumours  thereof  are  in  the  air.  When  it  isn't 
the  German  Emperor,  it  is  the  Czar  of  All  the  Russias— 
which  are  left ;  failing  those  disturbers  of  the  world's  peace, 
the  American  "combineer"  is  to  the  front ;  when  he  has 
had  enough  of  it,  the  sailing  ship  owners'  union  takes  a 
hand  in  the  game  :  after  the  sailing  ship  man,  comes  the 
"  tramp  "  owner  :  and  after  the  tramp  owners'  union — the 
deluge  !  We  dislike  to  appear  rude  in  this  consideration  of 
current  shipping  topics  :  otherwise,  we  should  hunt  up  our 
proverbial  philosophy  book,  for  the  purpose  of  extracting 
therefrom,  the  correct  rendering  of  the  saw  which  deals 
with  the  potentialities  of  one  fool,  when  a  goodly  number 
are  desired. 

BUT  we  are  not  inclined  to  be  rude  over  the  matter — only 
sorry.  That  is,  we  are  sorry  to  see  so  much  importance 
attached  to  the  impossible,  for  it  must  be  admitted  that  any 
union  among  the  tramp  owners  of  commerce,  is  altogether 
out  of  the  question  ?  The  merry  gentlemen  will  promise 
any  mortal  thing  that  is  suggested.  It  is  a  weakness  with 
them  so  to  do.  But  when  it  comes  to  performing  in 
unison  ;  if  a  solid  front  is  expected :  when  the  gentle 
enemy  is  to  be  sent  to  the  right-about,  with  the  flea  one 
reads  of  in  his  ear:  then,  don't  you  count  unduly  on  the 
tramp  owner.  By  nature,  the  tramp  owner,  as  usually  met 
with,  is  a  queerly  constituted  biped.  He  cannot  help  it.  of 
course,  and  is  deserving  of  everybody's  pity  on  that 
account. 

ALL  the  same,  he  must  not  be  taken  too  seriously,  for 
when  the  tramp  owner  is  taken  thusly,  he  becomes  bad  tem- 
pered— and  a  bad-tempered  man  is  of  little  use  in  forming 
a  union  ?  Mind  you,  there  are  tramp  owners,  and  tramp 
owners.  Quite  a  goodly  number  thereof,  may  be  depended 
on  at  all  times,  and  if  the  success  of  a  contemplated  union 
rested  on  their  combined  efforts,  things  would  soon 
rattle  along  to  a  joyful  issue.  Unfortunately,  however, 
there  are  far  too  many  who  may  not  be  depended  on  -in 
any  other  direction  than  to  scuttle  away  from  their  solemnly- 
given  promises,  directly  an  incentive  so  to  do,  is  offered. 
It  might  be  thought  that  we  have  a  prejudice  against  the 
genus  tramp  owner,  so  we  hasten  to  say  that  such  is  not 
the  case.  On  the  contrary,  rather,  for  we  have  a  very 
great  chunk  of  respect  for  quite  a  number  of  him. 

You  see.  we  have  worked  for  the  tramp  owner,  and  when 
you  have  done  this,  you  are  in  something  of  a  position  to 
pass  a  few  well-merited  strictures  on  his  conduct  ?  At 
least,  it  appears  that  way,  to  us,  and  at  this  particular 
moment.  It  is  all  very  pretty  to  start  a  union  of  owner- 
men  ;  the  movement  is  modern,  and  is,  therefore,  to  be 
commended.  But  if  it  is  expected  to  glean  any  benefits 
from  that  union — well,  the  expecter  doesn't  know  his 
business.  That  is  certain.  If  the  British  Mercantile 
Marine  contained  an  assortment  of  tramp  steamers  which 
were  identical,  one  with  another,  some  hope  of  ultimate 
salvation  might  be  permissable.  As  things  are,  with  scarcely' 
two  vessels  alike,  the  hope  referred  to  is  hopeless— if  we 
may  put  it  in  that  apparently  equivocal  manner ! 

You  see,  its  like  this.  If  turret  owner  is  -faced  with  a 
question  of  rate,  he  will  vehemently  declare  that  his  boat 
is  worth  10  per  cent,  more  than  is  that  of  the  trunk  man  — 
and  he  might,  conceivably,  have  some  little  justification  in 
the  claim.  Then,  trunk  man,  under  the  same  conditions, 
will  solemnly  declare  that  he  will  see  everybody  in  Heaven, 
before  he  will  fix  his  marine  beauty  for  anything  less  than 
10  per  cent,  over  the  rates  offered  for  a  mere  shelter- 
decked  steamer.  The  latter  gentleman  will  be  just  as 
vehement  in  his  declamation  of  his  vessel's  value  over  the 


ordinary  single-decked  steamer :  and  the  owner  of  the 
single-decked  steamer  will  declare  that  as  his  vessel  is  a 
ship,  and  not  a  modern  freak,  then,  he  is  deserving  of 
10  per  cent,  more  freight  than  the  turret;  15  percent. 
more  than  the  trunk  :  20  per  cent,  more  than  the  shelter- 
decked-bluffer-of-dock-rates  ;  and  as  much  more  ahead  of 
every  other  kind,  as  he  can  possibly  obtain. 

THUS  will  the  merry  game  continue.  Meanwhile,  the 
subject  is  productive  of  some  animated  discussion,  and  as 
far  as  we  can  see,  it  offers  possibilities  of  publicity,  to 
sundry  gentlemanly  discussers  who  might,  under  other 
conditions,  pass  along  to  the  grave,  having  left  never  a 
foot-print  in  the  metaphorical  sands  of  time.  For  this 
reason,  we  are  inclined  to  give  the  tramp  owners'  union  a 
run.  We  like  to  uphold  earnest  endeavour,  wheresoever 
we  might  lilt  up  against  it.  Numerous  members  of  various 
chambers  of  commerce  have  run  a  tilt  in  connection  with 
this  subtle  question  of  a  tramp  owners'  union,  and  although 
it  is  somewhat  invidious  to  make  a  distinction  in  this 
instance,  we  will  quote  the  words — or  give  them  to  you. 
in  effect — of  one  Mr.  F.  H.  Lambert. 

DON'T  imagine  that  we  are  doing  this,  because  we  have 
an  idea  that  the  gentleman  in  question,  is  head  and  shoulders 
above  his  fellows  in  the  matter  of  knowledge  of  the  subject. 
Not  at  all.  for  really  we  have  no  statistics  which  help  us  to 
arrive  at  a  just  estimate  as  to  what  Mr.  Lambert  knows  of 
the  business.  Indeed,  and  as  far  as  we  know,  Mr.  Lambert 
might  not  be  a  tramp  owner  at  all :  might  have  no  more 
than  a  nodding  acquaintance  with  this  phase  of  business. 
Not  that  his  disabilities  in  this  line  have  anything  to  do 
with  the  question,  for  it  is  admitted  that  a  man  might  know 
a  good  piece  of  bread  when  his  molars  close  over  it.  and 
yet  be  blissfully  ignorant  of  the  first  (and  every  other 
point)  in  its  manufacture  ?  Very  well.  then.  Supposing, 
for  example,  that  Mr.  F.  H.  Lambert's  chief  reason  of 
existence  is  to  pose  as  a  middleman,  he  is  still  a  member  of 
Cardiff's  chamber  of  commerce  ;  and  the  position  carries 
certain  privileges. 

ONE  of  the  said  privileges  is  to  stand  up  and  speak — 
whenever  the  inclination,  and  the  rules  of  debate,  admit 
of  the  practice.  Anyhow,  Mr.  Lambert  did  not  think,  that 
in  the  matter  of  the  suggested  union  and  its  objects, 
"'there  was  any  need  at  the  present  moment  fmind  you. 
that  was  nine  or  ten  days  ago,  and  the  situation  might  have 
altered  since  then  ?)  to  take  any  special  measures  in  regard 
to  the  matter."  That  is  plain  to  you.  isn't  it?  Further- 
more, the  same  gentleman  "  did  not  regard  the  matter  as 
being  so  serious  as  indicated,"  and  that  ought  to  be  good 
enough  for  most  of  the  people  who  pretend  to  have  an 
interest  in  the  matter?  All  the  same,  we  should  have 
thought  that  some  of  the  members  of  the  same  associated 
combination  of  business  men  who  were  really  tramp 
owners  ;  men,  say,  who  had  more  than  a  couple  of  picayune 
boats  to  their  credit,  or  otherwise,  would  have  given  their 
opinions  on  the  subject ;  and  we  believe  you  will  admit  that 
we  are  justified  in  our  thoughts  on  this  occasion  ? 

WHAT'S  that?  We  haven't  told  what  the  contemplated 
union  is  for  ?  Why  should  we  bother  with  the  detail  of 
what  will  never  materialise  ?  In  sultry  weather  like  the 
present,  it  would  be  unkind  of  us.  Beside,  nobody  seems 
to  be  quite  sure  what  the  union  is  going  to  do.  It's  alleged 
reason,  is  to  freeze  the  hated  alien-owned  tramp  from 
Britain's  shores.  Now  you  understand,  don't  you  ?  You 
also  see  the  necessity  for  treating  the  affair  indulgently  ? 
The  alien-owned  tramp  is  there,  right  enough— but  the 
"  union  "  isn't. 


July    _vS.    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


187 


PATENTS  &  TRZCDE  M»RKS 


Relating    to    SHIPPING   and    the    COAL    TRADE. 


Specifications  published  on  duly  13,  1905,  together 
with  an  indication  of  their  subject  matter,  the  title 
being  printed  in  Italics. 

13,622  04     HUNTER-  Improvements  in  the  construction  of 
battleships,  torpedo  boats,  floating  targets  and  lightships. 

This  improved  construction  of  vessels  consists  in 
forming  a  rectangular  "  well  "  or  tank  in  the  body  of  the 
vessel  below  the  water  line.  This  tank  is  closed  at  the 
top  and  perforated  at  the  sides  and  bottom  to  admit 
water.  The  advantages  are  stated  to  be  increased 
buoyancy  and  steadiness. 

14,418  04     BRAY — An  improved  fastener  for  ropes,  cords, 
and  the  like. 

This  fastener  consists  of  a  bell  crank  lever,  one  arm 
of  which  forms  a  handle,  and  the  other  a  small  forked 
projection  at  right  angles  thereto.  This  lever  is  pivoted 
on  a  horizontal  pin  to  a  base  plate,  adapted  to  be  secured 
to  a  wall,  Ac.,  in  such  a  manner  that  when  the  handle  is 
turned  downwards  the  forked  projection  enters  an  open 
bottomed  recess  in  the  base  plate.  The  cord  is  secured 
by  winding  same  around  the  forked  projection  and  turn- 
ing the  handle  to  cause  the  former  to  enter  the  recess. 
The  base  plate  is  also  provided  with  lateral  horns  which 
may  serve  as  a  cleat. 

17,780  04— PRIEST    AND     MORRALL—  Improvements    in 
travelling  carriages  for  overhead  runways. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  trolley  from  which  a  load 
is  suspended  which  will  switch  off  on  to  a  branch  of  the 
track  when  a  bias  in  the  required  direction  is  imparted 
to  the  load.  It  comprises  a  plate,  provided  at  the  top 
with  two  rollers  each  of  which  runs  on  the  top  edge  of  a 
pair  of  overhead  track  rails  between  which  the  plate  is 
suspended.  At  each  end  of  the  bottom  edge  of  the 
plate,  a  lens  shaped  pilot  roller  is  pivoted  in  a  swivelling 
bracket.  These  rollers  are  interposed  between  the 
track  rails  in  front  and  behind  the  trolley.  The  swivell- 
ing brackets  each  have  an  arm  which  are  cranked  and 
pivotally  connected  together  in  an  opening  in  the  plate. 
Here  their  mutual  pivot  is  provided  with  a  vertical  anti- 
friction roller  also  running  between  the  track  rails. 

17,849  04—  WILLIAMS—  Improvements  in  or   appertaining 
to  the  cages  of  lifts  or  elevators  for  use  in  mines. 

This  invention  relates  to  the  provision  of  stages  or 
platforms  for  facilitating  access  to  the  sides  of  a  mine 
shaft  for  inspection  purposes.  These  platforms  are 
hinged  to  the  side  of  a  mine  cage,  and  adapted  to  be 
folded  flat  against  the  sides  thereof  when  out  of  use. 
18.000  04— ANDERSON— Improvements  in  transporters. 

This  invention  relates  to  an  apparatus  for  unloading 
packages  from  a  vessel  and  transporting  same  to  a 
waggon  Ac.  on  the  quayside.  It  consists  of  a  truak- — • 
running  on  rails  on  which  is  mounted  a  turntable  plat- 
form. This  platform  carries  the  boilers  and  engines  and 
is  provided  with  a  mast  from  which  jib  arms  extend  over 
the  vessel  and  the  waggon  to  be  loaded  respectively. 
The  arm  over  the  vessel  has  pivoted  to  its  end  an  ex- 
tension which  extends  downwards  to  the  deck  of  the 
vessel.  The  arms  are  provided  with  endless  chain 
conveyors. 

18,653  04— GROSE—  Improvements  in  and  appertaining   to 
the  valves  of  rock-drilling  machines. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  special  construction  of 
valve  for  rock  drilling  machines. 

19.882  04— Bo R NET— An    improved     method    of   making 
hollow  rock  drills  or  jumpers. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  method  of  forming  tubular 
steel  rods,  it  consists  in  hammering  a  billet  of  steel 
into  a  block  of  square  of  poly-gonal  cross-section  of  such 
dimensions  that  its  corners  will  just  touch  the  interior 
cylindrical  surface  of  a  mould  or  matrix  into  which  the 
block  is  inserted.  When  in  position  a  central  hole  is 


punched  in  the  block  whereby  the  metal  is  forced  out- 
wards into  complete  contact  with  the  cylindrical 
surface.  The  hollow  cylindrical  block  so  formed  is 
rolled  into  hollow  rods,  which,  it  is  stated,  may  be 
obtained  of  greater  length  than  hitherto. 

6,960  05 — BEN N IS — Improvements  in  rotary  tipplers  for 
coal  wagons. 

In  this  tippler  which  consists  of  the  usual  two  tippler 
rings  and  tracks,  the  waggon  is  secured  by  two  cross 
bars  which  are  placed  across  its  top  and  are  tightened 
and  secured  by  links  and  tightening  screws.  To  prevent 
undue  strain  owing  to  the  action  of  the  waggon  springs, 
when  released  from  the  weight  of  the  coal,  springs  are 
inserted  between  the  links  and  the  frame. 

29,266/04 — CAMERON — Improvements  in  or  relating  to 
revolving  cranes  or  the  like. 

For  the  purpose  of  enabling  a  crane  to  hoist  a  load 
near  its  base,  a  trolley  running  on  a  track  on  the  under- 
side of  the  jib  is  provided.  This  trolley  carries  the 
sheave  over  which  the  hoisting  cable  is  led.  The  trolley 
is  raised  and  lowered  along  the  jib  by  a  cable  led  over  a 
sheave  at  the  upper  end. 

589/05 — GREEN — Improvements  in  rotary  tipplers  for  dis- 
charging coal  or  other  minerals. 

This  invention  relates  to  means  for  rotating  a  tippler 
in  both  directions,  by  means  of  friction  wheels  in  contact 
with  the  circular  frame  rings.  These  friction  wheels 
are  mounted  on  a  shaft  parallel  to  the  tippler  axis.  This 
shaft  is  rotated  in  either  direction  by  a  system  of  open 
and  crossed  belts  and  fast  and  loose  pullies. 

3,085/05 — SMITH — Improvements  in  apparatus  for  handling 
coal  or  other  granular  material. 

This  apparatus  consists  of  a  building  arranged  on  a 
quay,  &c.,  and  having  its  floor  at  a  level  above  that  of 
the  quay.  The  floor  slopes  downwards  outwardly  from 
the  middle  line.  The  roof  of  the  building  is  open  along 
the  middle  line  and  a  track  for  a  travelling  tower  is 
arranged  thereon.  This  tower  has  outwardly  directed 
arms  on  which  grab  bucket  hoisting  trolleys,  &e.,  travel. 
The  tower  is  also  provided  with  a  hopper  for  discharging 
coal  into  the  building.  Discharge  chutes  are  arranged 
along  the  sides  of  the  building. 


These  applications  for  patents  are,  until  August  28, 1 905, 
open  to  opposition  by  any  person  having  a  statutory 
right  to  oppose. 

Copies  of  the  specifications  may  be  obtained  from  the 
Patent  Office  or  through  the  under-named. 


TRADE   MARKS. 

The  following  applications  for  the  registration  of  Trade 
Marks  relating  to  the  shipping  and  coal  trades  were 
advertised  on  July  10,  and  are  open  to  opposition  by 
interested  parties  within  the  period  ending  August  19th. 

Class  8— including  nautical  instruments. 

No.  273,418,  6th  June,  1905— THE  MINERVA— for: 
all  goods  included  in  class  8.  Sydney  Lawrence,  trading 
as  Lawrence  &  Mayo,  67/69,  Chancery  Lane,  London, 
and  India.  Optician. 

Class  20— Explosives. 

No.  273,778,22nd  June/05— COSONOID— for :  Explosive 
substances.  Cogswell  &  Harrison,  Ltd.,  29  A  Gillingham 
Street,  Victoria  Station,  London,  Fire  Arms  and  Ammu- 
nition Manufacturers. 

Compiled  by  Messrs.  PHILLIPS  &  LEIGH,  Chartered  Patent 
Agents  22,  Southampton  Buildings,  Chancery  Lane,  London, 
WTC.  Local  Consultant:  Mr.  S.  W.  ALLEN,  Engineer,  of  Cardiff 
Exchange,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 


v 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


July  28,  1905 


OUR  MARITIME  DIRECTORY. 


CARDIFF. 


Colliery   Proprietors. 


(~ORY  BROS.  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff  and 
'     London.    Dep6ts  at  all  the  principal 
Coaling  Stations  in  the  World. 


Telegrams  : 


"CORY,  CARDIFF" 
"CORY.  LONDON." 


TNSOLE,  GEORGE  &  SON,  Cardiff.   Sole 
Shippers  of   Cymmer   Steam    Coal, 
Windsor  Steam  Goal,  and  Insoles  No.  2 
Rhondda  Coal. 

Telegrams :  "INSOLES.  CARDIFF." 


f  EWIS    MERTHYR    CONSOLIDATED   COL- 
LIERIES, LTD.,  Proprietors  and  Ship- 
pers  of    "  Lewis  Merthyr "   Navigation 
Steam  Goal. 

Tclpirrams    •      "LEW'S   MERTHYR,   CARDIFF"; 

Telegrams  .    "LEWIS  MERTHYR.  LoNDON." 


[MARQUESS     OF     BUTE     COLLIERIES, 

Aberdare,  Hirwain,   and   Rhondda 

Valley.     Shipping  ports  : — Bute  Docks, 

ardiff ;      Penarth     Dock  ;      Swansea ; 

Briton    Ferry ;     and    Newport    (Mon.) 

Telegrams  :  "  SEMA.  CARDIFF." 


(~)CEAN    (MERTHYR)    COAL   Co.,   LTD., 
1 1,  Bute  Crescent,  Cardiff,  proprie- 
;ors  of  Ocean  (Merthyr)  Steam  Goal. 


T  JNIVERSAL  STEAM   COAL  Co.,  LTD., 
Bute  Docks,  Cardiff.  Proprietors  of 
'  Universal  Steam  Coal." 

Telegrams  :   "  VERSATILE,  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF— Continued. 


VIVIAN,    H.    G.    &  Co.,    Bute   Docks, 
Cardiff.     Sole  European  Agents  for 
''The  Puritan  Goal  Mining  Co.,  Phila- 
delphia, U.S.A." 

Telegrams  :  "  VIVIAN.  CARDIFF." 

WATTS,    WATTS  &  Co.,    Cardiff    and 
London.  Contractors  for  the  supply 
of  Coals  at  all  Depots  abroad. 

Telegrams:   "  WATTS,  CARDIFF." 


Dock   Owners. 


CARDIFF  RAILWAY  COMPANY,  Bute 
Docks.  Cardiff. 


Ship  Repairers. 


CHEARMAN,  JOHN  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff. 
and  at  Barry  Dock. 


BUTE  SHIPBUILDING,  ENGINEERING, 
AND   DRY   DOCK   COMPANY,    LIMITED, 
Roath  Basin,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:   "CAISSON.  CARDIFF." 


'THE  CARDIFF  CHANNEL  DRY  DOCKS  AND 
PONTOON    Co.,    LTD.,    Cardiff    and 
Barry  Dock. 

Toko-ratYKi  •    "  Entrance,  Cardiff." 
Telegrams  .    ..  channelf  Barry." 


VHE   MERCANTILE   PONTOON  Co.,  LTD., 
Roath  Dock,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:   "MERCANTILE,  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF  -Continued 


Miscellaneous. 

J^EWIS  &  TYLOR,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 

Sole  patentees  and  manufacturers 

of  "Gripoly,"  a  patent  woven  belting; 

and  "  Burals."  a  semi-metallic  packing. 

Telegrams  :  "BELTING  CARDIFF."        Telephone.  Nat.  231. 


Steamship    Owners. 

HAN.    JENKINS    &     Co..    Steamship 
Owners  and  Brokers,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "Stonewall.  Cardiff." 
Nat.  Telephone:  1318. 


BARRY. 


Dock  Owners. 


THE  BARRY  RAILWAY  Co.,  Barry. 


Ship  Repairers. 


T5ARRY  GRAVING   DOCK  &  ENGINEERING 
Co.,  LTD. 

Telegrams  :   "  BARDOCK,  BARRY." 
National  Telephone  No.  7.         Post  Office  Telephone  No.  7. 


To    the    Proprietors    of 

"THE    MARITIME    REVIEW," 


DOCKS,     CARDIFF. 


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NARITIHE    MARK    MAKER5. 


THREEPENCE. 


JOHN  CORY,  ESQ.,  J.P.,  D.L. 

(Chairman  of  Cory  Bros.  &  Co.,   Ltd.,  &c.,  &o.' 
fSee  Page  7951. 


189 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


August  4,    1905 


*  *.  fc  NOTICES.  *  »*  * 

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EDITOR,  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW,  CLARENCE  ROAD,  DOCKS, 
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be  obtained  direct  from  the  PUBLISHERS,  or  through  NEWSAGENTS. 

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toe  "er  with  all  BUSINESS  COMMUNICATIONS,  must  be 
addressed  To  CLARENCE  ROAD,  DOCKS  CARDIFF.  Telegraphic 

Address:     " Review.  Cardiff."     Nat.  Telephone  :     No.  1 0 1 9. 

Company's  Reports  and  Balance  Sheets,  Books  for  Review,  etc.,  are 
invited,  and  should  be  addressed  THE  EDITOR. 

Contributions  (either  literary  or  pictorial),  if  intended  for  the  next 
issue,  must  reach  the  EDITOR,  not  later  than  the  first  post  on  Monday. 
Neither  the  Editor  nor  the  Publishers  will  accept  responsibility  for  the 
accidental  loss  of  MMS.  or  illustrations  submitted,  but  every  effort 
will  be  made  to  return  unsuitable  contributions,  provided  stamped  and 
addressed  envelopes  are  sent. 

Correspondence  :  The  Editor  does  not  necessarily  identify  himself 
with  the  opinions  expressed  by  Correspondents,  whose  letters  must, 
in  every  instance,  be  accompanied  by  the  name  and  audress  (it  r 
publication,  then  as  evidence  of  good  faith),  of  the  writer,  and  must  be 
written  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only. 


«.*.».  CONTENTS.  *** 


MARITIME  MARK  MAKER— JOHN  CORY.  ESQ.,  J.P.,  D.L. 

MARITIME  MURMURS 

SHIPBUILDING 

NEWFOUNDLAND  NAVIGATION        

NEW  LIGHT  ON  HOLY  ISLAND     ... 
CARDIFF  (AND  OTHER)  COAL 

COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES 

MARITIME  (AND  OTHER)  MONEY  MATTERS 
SHIPMASTERS  IN  CONSULTATION 
PATENTS  AND  TRADE  MARKS      


PAGE 
..  188 


...  189 

...  196 

..  197 

...  198 

...  199 

...  201 

...  202 
...  203 

.  204 


MARITIME    MURMURS. 


DOCKS.  CARDIFF, 

Thursday  Afternoon. 

THE    present    is    a   strenuous   age.   and  events    follow 
rapidly,   one   upon  the   other.      We  are  willing  to  acknow- 
ledge   that    there     is     but    little    of     the     original    idea 
appertaining    to    the    foregoing— but    there     is     a    large 
amount  of  truth.     The  awkwardness  of  the  situation,  lays 
in  the  fact  that  most   of  the  "  strenuousness  "  is  brought 
about  by   a  number  of  human  beings,  that  fortune  never 
intended  to  work.     It  is  quite  bad  enough  to  have  to  keep 
at  the  mill,  for  the  purpose  of  besting  a  legitimate  compet- 
itor :  but  when  a  metaphorical  "  lily  of  the  field  "—or  what, 
in  the  natural  order  of  things,  should  be  a  lily  of  the  field- 
lays  himself  out  to  increase  the  pace,  to   harden   the  strain 
(put  it  any  way  you  care  to),  well,  it   is  about  time  that  a 
reconsideration  of  cause  and  effect  were  indulged  in  ?   The 
latest  attempt  to  increase  the  pace,  lays  in    the   suggestion 
(from  the  German  Ganesha)  that  the  Baltic  shall  (if  those 
with  most  interest  therein  will  agree )  be  converted  into   a 
mare  clausum  :  or  to  put  it  in  the  vernacular,  a  sea  closed 
to  the  commerce  of  wicked  Britain— for   that   is   what  the 
whole  idea  works  out  to.     Nobody  supposes   that   the  idea 
will  be  allowed  to  fructify.     All  the  same,  these   little   pin- 
pricks are   calculated    to   increase  the    pace    (as   already 
suggested),  and  the  expenses  of  Government.     The   plain 
fact  of  the  matter   is,  that  the    world    has    become    so 
"  revivalled  "  thanks  to  the  exertions  of  sundry  "  cranks." 
that  some  of  the  best   of  the   old  saws  which  most   of   us 
learned   at  our  mothers'    knees,    have    been    overlooked. 
There  is  that  piece  of  dead  knowledge  which  taught  us  that 
"  Satan   finds   some   mischief   still,  for  idle   hands  to  do." 
That  saying-  and  its  teaching— has  fallen  into   desuetude, 
and  as  a  natural  consequence,  the  world   is  for   ever  being 
troubled   with   ebullitions  of   energy   which,  'under    other 
conditions,  would  be  of  inestimable  value   to  its  progress'; 
but  which,  under  existing  circumstances,  are  little  short  of 

a  nuisance. 

g>?    9ta 

V&i      US 

WHEN  Canesha  is  tired  of  wiring  wires  which  set 
the  universe  dangerously  near  to  a  general  conflag- 
ration, he  gets  off  on  another  tack — which  has  the  same 
potentialities.  If  it  isn't  Morocco,  it  is  Stamboul  :  failing 


that,  it  is  a  "mailed  fist,"  out  East;  when  that  pails, 
personal  communications  with  an  American  President  fills 
the  aching  void  ;  and  now,  as  a  bit  of  midsummer  madness, 
we  have  the  cool  attempt  made,  to  block  out  the  world  from 
one  of  the  world's  seas.  Nobody  takes  the  suggestion 
seriously  ;  nobody  with  any  sense,  that  is  ;  at  the  same 
time,  the  continued  threatenings  are  calculated  to  destroy 
all  hopes  of  peaceful  trading  :  and  in  the  interests  of  man- 
kind, generally,  these  disturbers  of  the  peace  should  be 
shown  the  misguidedness  of  their  actions.  In  the  mare 
clausum  dodge,  there  is  a  very  simple  method  of  showing 
the  road  home,  so  to  speak.  At  present,  when  anybody 
threatens  poor  old  Britain,  she  has  to  take  it  laying  down, 
unless  the  threat  is  considered  large  enough  to  justify  the 
unleashing  of  the  dogs  of  war.  Obviously,  a  war  is  too 
expensive  to  be  entered  upon  lightly  ;  but  a  Protectionist 
policy  is  cheap -and  altogether  effective.  The  Colonies 
are  working  out  their  destinies  on  this  line  :  in  fact,  every 
country  on  earth  is  doing  the  same—with  the  exception  of 
Britain.  For  this  reason,  she  is  for  ever  running  up  against 
the  pin-pricks  of  life,  and  has  no  weapon  with  which  to  turn 
them  aside— outside  of  a  Flying  Squadron.  If  this  country 
were  to  plump  solid  for  the  Protection  which  is  otherwise 
universal,  we  should  soon  find  the  Ganeshas  of  life,  diverting 
their  malign  influences  to  other  quarters— and  we  shouldn't 
hear  talk  of  any  mare  clausum  notions.  Never  a  word,  sirs ! 

K#  %g 

£&i      te3 

CONSIDERING  the  claims  to  superlative  beauty  (or  unquali- 
fied successfulness)  which  is  supposed  to  hang  around  the 
consumptive-tendencied  Conciliation  Board,  there  is  a 
terrible  quantity  of  rant  on  the  subject,  about?  Doubtless, 
the  situation  has  appealed  to  you  in  this  manner,  and  we  do 
but  echo  your  sentiments  on  this  apparently  vital  matter  ? 
Again,  you  might  be  in  a  position  similar  to  that  which  is 
enjoyed  (we'll  put  it  that  way.  for  the  sake  of  politeness) 
by  ourselves,  in  that  you  get  an  occasional  peep  at  the 
supposedly  best  portions  of  certain  local  news  sheets- 
thanks  to  some  indefatigable  friends  in  London,  who  have 
earned  a  name  as  "  press  cutters."  Right,  then  !  Tis  like 
this.  The  portion  to  which  we  are  alluding  on  this  occasion, 
is  labelled  "cool  heads  wanted,"  and  seeing  that  the 
weather  is  somewhat  sultry,  we  are  not  to  be  blamed  for 


August  4,  1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


190 


struggling  through  with  the  M  cutting  "  referred  to  ?    That 

what    we    thought.      Cool    heads,    when    the    sun    is 

ieaven-knows-how-many-degrees  Fahrenheit,  Centigrade 

nur,  or  which  particular  authority  one  believes  in.  is  a 

isideratum.     Thus  our  decision.     Not  mind  you,  that  we 

over-disposed  to  believe  in  the  coolness,  and  read  on 

the  purpose  of  proving  our  loyalty  to  the   "  press 

than  for  other,  and  more  valuable  reason.     How- 

r,  we  did  read  on.  and  ultimately  came  to  the  stuff  with 

which  we  commence  the  next  paragraph. 


"Bur  facts  are  facts  (yea,   lor'!),  and  it  is  patent,  if 
that  the  price  of  coal  has  been  steadily  falling 
the  last  reduction  was  put  into  force  by  the  machinery 
the  Conciliation  Board."     Right  here,  you  are  asked  to 
top.  for  long  enough  to  work  up  some  kind  of  definition 
ling   "the   machinery  of  the  Conciliation    Board." 
ow  what  does  that  machinery  consist  of  ?     Is  it  a  com- 
ition  of  chins-and-fixings.  eked  out  with  a  quantity  of 
bluff:  an  arrangement   in   which  conciliation  is  merely  a 
erm  that  has  been  coined  with  intent  to  deceive  ;  a  some- 
thing in  which  diplomacy   has  considerably  more  weight, 
than  actual  fact  :  and  an  eventual  despoiler  of  the  trade  of 
the  district  ?    Cool  heads,  forsooth  !     In  our  opinion,  there 
is  something  more  than  a  cool  head  needed  in  the  present 
And  that  something  ?     Well,  it  has  a  little  to  do 
with  the  finding  of  a  man.  or  a  number  of  men.  who  will 
have   pluck  enough   to  give   us  the   unadulterated    facts 
concerning  the  subject  with  which  the  Conciliation   Board 
affects  to  deal  :  who  will  throw  this  supposed  diplomacy  to 
the  winds-or  elsewhere  :  who  will  speak  the  truth,  the 
whole  truth,  and  nothing  but  the  truth,  in  connection  with 
the  coal  trade's  situation  ;  and  will  then  leave  the  matter 
to  the  decision  of  the  public.     Time  was.  that  the  district 
had  such  a  set  of  machinery,  and  it  was  known  as  the  Slid- 
ing Scale.      By   and    bye,    the    district    might    again    be 
similarly  blessed  :    but.   meanwhile,   we  have    to    wobble 
along,   practically  at  the  mercy  of  any   wind-bag  whose 
disinclination  for  work  makes  him  a  more  or  less  "  popular 
agitator." 


WE  know  that  the  trade  is  also  at  the  mercy  of  another 
set  of    conditions—  if    we   may   be   held  guiltless  of  lese 
majesle  for  putting  it  that  way.     The  "  set  "  referred  to, 
is  made  up  of  a  number  of  coalowners  who  have  insufficient 
pluck  to  enable  them  to  face  their  responsibilities.     Instead. 
they  submit  to  any  sort  of  indignity:  put  up  with  any  kind 
of  treatment  :  agree  to  almost  anything  that  is  demanded  : 
and  yet.  at  the  same  time,  they  would  receive  the  solid 
support  of    the  vast  majority  of  the  community,   if  they 
would  but  assert  themselves  in  the  manner  to  which  they 
have  a  right.     For,  hide  the  fact  as  one  may  (and  some^" 
times  does  >  the  community  is  heartily  sick  of  the  reign  of 
King  Demos  :  is  longing  for  some  sort  of  a  change  ;   and 
would  hail  with  joy.  the  sturdy   employer  who  would  bring 
that  change  about.     It  is  all  very  pretty  to   prattle   along 
with  "Owners  cannot  go  on  indefinitely  paying  wages  on 
which  they  do  not  receive  a  fair  return,  indeed,  in  some 
instances,  no  return  at  all."     But  why  not  come  out  with 
the  truth  of  the  situation  ?     Why  not  tell  the  dissatisfied 
workers  that  they  are  gradually,  but  surely,  driving  all  trade 
from  the  country,  by  their  agitator-made  demands  ?      Look 
where  you  will,  and  unrest  is  apparent.     The  labourer  —  in 
small  sections,  we  know,  but  yet  in  large  enough  divisions 
to  play  havoc  with  the  trade  of  a  district—  is  for  ever  on 
the  growl  :  and  if  you  give  him  >  one  concession  to-day,  he 
comes  along  to-morrow  with  a  brazen-faced   demand  for 
another.     At  the  present  moment,  he  is  fed,  clothed,  and 
housed  beyond  the  wildest  dreams  that  were  his.  a  few 


years  ago:  he  gets  away  with  a  day's  pay,  for  something 
sr  a  half-day's  work  :  and  with  it  all  he  is  dissatisfied.  ° 


THESE  facts  are  admitted    on  all  sides,  but  directly  a 
hreatened  deadlock  is  to  the  'fore,  the  council  which  is 
Fered,  runs  along  as  :     "  All  that  onlookers  can  hope  for 
iis  juncture  is  that  both  sides  will  go  into  the  forth- 
coming negotiations  with  a  determination  to  make  the  best 
f  a  rather  unhappy  conjunction  of  circumstances  "     Un 
happy  conjunction  of  fiddle-sticks !  Why  is  the  "  conjunction  " 
unhappy  ?     Mainly  because  the  labourer  has  been  allowed 
to  lose  the  grip  of  his  proper  perspective  in  the  national 
It  is  not  his  fault,  anyway.     The  blame  rests  with 
the     masters  "  who  have  proved  themselves  as  more  fitting 
be  workmen.     Scuttle,  has  done  it  all— or  most  of  it. 
Instead  of  putting  a  united  front  before  the  malcontents  ; 
lisrupture  and  petty  disagreements  have  been  too  much  in 
evidence.     If  the  masters  had  but  half  of  the  cohesion  of 
the  men,  the  latter  wouldn't  be  so  perpetually  on  the  growl, 
s  anybody  going  to  believe  that  the  workmen  will  "go  into 
the  forthcoming  negotiations  "  with  any  sort  of  determin- 
ation, other  than  that  which  will  prompt  them  to  get  all 
there  is  to  be  got  ?     Is  justice  or  fairness  to  be  hoped  for, 
under  any  circumstances  other  than  that  which   is  -engen- 
:red  by  the  master  hand?     If  so,  then  will  there  be  a 
vast  difference  in  the  tactics  which  are  to  be  pursued  later 
on.  as  compared   with  those  which  have  ruled  in  the  past. 
Don't  talk  to  us  about  cool  heads,  for  as  "facts  are  facts," 
the   wages  should  drop  still   lower- aye,  even    if  they  go 
appreciably   below  that  much-vaunted  minimum  that  was 
going  to  do  so  much  for  the  good   of  the  district.     How 
much  good  it  has  done,  is   apparent  to  the  most  careless 
observer.     Which  is  to  say  it  hasn't  done  any  good  at  all  ; 
but  has  merely  mussed  up  the  coal  trade,  until  it  is  merely 
a  shadow  of  what  it  was,  when  the  minimum  was  established. 


IN  February,  1902,  the  certificate  of  Captain  J.  Harrison, 
of  the  Allan  Line  Steamship  "  Grecian,"  was  suspended  for 
three  months  by  a  Naval  Court  sitting  in  Canada,  to  inquire 
into  the  circumstances  of   the  stranding  of   his  steamer 
An  appeal  against  this  decision  was  lodged,  and,  on  the  10th 
of    June  following,   the   Admiralty   Division  of   the   High 
Court  of  Justice  reversed  the  decision  of    the   Canadian 
Court.     On  the  grounds,  however,  that  because  the   Board 
of  Trade  did  not  initiate  the  Inquiry  :    did  not  oppose  the 
Appeal ;  nor  add.  in  any  respect,  to  its  expense  ;  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  High  Court,   while  sympathising  with  Captain 
Harrison  in  his  position,  said  that  it  appeared  to  him  im- 
possible that,  in  this  case,  the   Board  of  Trade  should  be 
saddled  with  any  part  of  the  costs.       Although  Captain 
Garrison  was  not  a  member  of  the  M.S.G.,  it  was  felt  that 
this  decision   as  to  costs  involved  an  important  point  of 
principle  affecting  all  captains  and  officers,  and  that  it  was 
a  very  serious  thing  if  a  shipmaster  who  was  successful  in 
an  appeal  should  yet  be  required  to  pay  the  costs.     Accor- 
dingly, the  Guild  communicated  with  the  Minister  of  Marine 
and    Fisheries  in  Canada,  and  elicited  the  reply  that  the 
matter  would  have  his  consideration.     Also,  they  submitted 
the  case  to  Lord  Muskerry,  who  brought  the  matter  before 
the  House  of  Lords,  asking  whether  His  Majesty's  Govern- 
ment could  not  assist  in  recovering  these  costs.    The  reply 
of  the  Earl  of  Dudley,  on  behalf  of  the  Board  of  Trade, 
was  a  sympathetic  one,  and  the  promise  was  given  that  the 
Board  of  Trade  would  confer  with  the  Colonial  Office  upon 
it.  and  that,  if  there  was  a  way  of  meeting  such  cases  in  the 
future,  they  would  endeavour  to  find  it.      The  result  is  em- 
bodied in. a  letter  which  the  Guild  have  just  received  from 
the  Deputy-Minister  of  Marine  and  Fisheries,  Canada,  from 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


August  4,   1905 


which  it  will  be  observed  that  the  Canadian   Government 
has  agreed  to  bear  the  costs  which  were  incurred  : — 

Ottawa, 

12th  July,  1905. 

Sir.  Referring  to  previous  correspondence  with  regard  to  the 
payment  of  certain  expenses  incurred  by  Captain  James  Harrison,  in 
appealing  against  the  decision  of  the  Court  of  Inquiry  at  Halifax,  in 
the  case  of  the  Grecian.  I  am  to  inform  you  that  the  Minister  of 
Marine  and  Fisheries  has  obtained  the  authority  of  Parliament  to  pay 
him,  as  a  matter  of  grace,  the  sum  of  S750'00  in  full  settlement  of  his 


claim.    A  cheque  for  that  amount  has  been  sent  to  Captain  Harrison. 

I  am,  Sir. 

Your  obedient  servant. 

(Signed)  F.  GOURDEAU. 
Duputy  Minister  of  Marine  and  Fisheries. 
T.  W.  MOORE,  ESQ., 

Assistant  Secretary, 

The  Merchant  Service  Guild. 

Needless  to  say,  this  decision  on  the  part  of  the  Canadian 
Authorities,  will  give  widespread  satisfaction  to  Mercantile 
Marine  captains  and  officers. 


THE  SURFACE  WORKS  OF  A  TYPICAL  WELSH  COLLIERY 


August  4,    1905 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


WITH  praiseworthy  (as  long  as  you  are  not  a  shipmaster) 
consistency,  the  old.  old  sentence  of  "  off  with  his  head  " 
continues.  The  latest  example  of  the  metaphorical 
decapitation  is  in  connection  with  the  loss  of  the  Goidelian, 
such  loss  being  the  subject  of  what  is  known  as  a  Board 
of  Trade  inquiry  ('why,  the  fates  and.  perhaps,  the  Board 
of  Trade,  know)  at  Cardiff,  last  week.  It  is  quite  unneces- 
sary for  us  to  go  into  particulars  :  by  this  time,  you  know 
the  procedure,  by  heart  ?  Same  old  japes :  similar 
questionings :  identical  cautionings,  and  remarks  about 
Also,  the  same  old  result-  six  months'  suspension 
of  the  master's  certificate.  Of  course,  the  master  deserved 
it  all :  that  goes  without  saying,  for  a  shipmaster  seldom 
bumps  up  against  anything  that  he  doesn't  deserve. 
Moreover,  if  he  didn't  deserve  it  on  this  occasion,  well,  you 
can  bet  your  life  that  according  to  the  Board  of  Bathos  - 
he  will  deserve  it  at  some  future  period  in  his  life,  so  there 
you  are  !  In  this  instance,  the  suspension  is  supposed  to 
have  materialised  because  the  Old  Man  didn't  get  a  cast 
of  the  lead,  half-an-hour  before  the  stranding  eventuated. 
Here's  a  breakfast-table  problem  for  you  :  If  a  shipmaster's 
livelihood  is  suspended  for  six  months,  for  not  taking  a  cast 
of  the  lead  within  half-an-hour  of  stranding :  how  many 
months  would  he  get.  if  the  cast  were  taken  within  ten 
minutes  of  the  accident,  and  why  ? 

HAVIWO  satisfactorily  disposed  of  the  above,  you  are  at 
liberty  to  worry  along  over  any  other  series  of  problems 
which  you  may  consider  fitting  to  the  time  of  the  year,  and 
the  special  circumstances  of  the  case.  For  instance,  you 
might  profitably  work  out  the  suspension  that  would  follow 
if  the  mate,  or  other  officer,  had  unfortunately  lost  the  lead 
line  :  or  if  the  number  of  hands  on  board,  had  been  alto- 
gether insufficient  for  the  purpose  of  taking  a  chain  of 
soundings :  or  if  the  captain  had  honestly  believed,  as  an 
efficient  navigator,  that  his  ship  was  miles  away  from 
probable  danger.  In  either  of  the  foregoing  ( and  each  of 
which  items  are  to  be  met  with  every  day),  supposing 
accident  had  followed,  the  alleged  inquiry  would  have  been 
in  evidence  :  and  just  as  inevitably.  "  off  with  his  head  " 
would  have  followed.  Therefore,  kind  sirs,  be  good  enough 
to  think  up  the  necessary  "  suspension  "  that  should  fit 
each  case :  mark  them  down  on  the  tablets  of  your 
memory— or  waistcoat-pocket :  and  then  lay  a  hundred-to- 
one  wager  with  anybody  that  will  take  you  on.  that  in  each 
of  your  decisions,  you  will  be  hopelessly  wrong.  That's 
what's  the  matter.  However,  in  the  Goidelian  case,  the 
captain  had  his  ticket  suspended  for  six  months,  because 
he  was  "  solely  responsible  for  the  casualty  "  not  accident 
you'll  observe. 

WE  are  somewhat  surprised  at  the  seeming  callousness 
of  the  Shipping  Federation.  Limited.  You  will  rememHer 
that  the  organisation  has  been  supplying  the  Liverpudlian 
folk  with  "free  labour."  that  should  fill  the  place  of  the 
merry  gentlemen  who  have  been  on  strike,  at  the  docks, 
there.  Why  these  'orny  'anded  persons  should  be  styled 
"free  labourers."  we  are  not  altogether  clear,  for  as  far  as 
we  can  letrn.  they  are  paid  for  their  labour.  Anyhow,  there 
has  been  a  law  case  on,  in  which  certain  of  these  "  free  " 
individuals  has  been  suing  the  Federation  for  some  £3-odd. 
the  amount  to  be  considered  in  the  matter  of  wages.  It 
appears  that  the  labourers  were  to  have  been  paid  30s.  per 
week,  and  Is.  per  hour  overtime,  and  it  was  suggested  that 
the  answer  to  the  claim  would  probably  be,  that  complainant 
had  left  without  notice,  and  in  this  manner  had  forfeited 
his  wages.  This  is  as  may  be.  and  we  are  not  unduly 
bothering  about  this  phase  of  the  subject.  What  we  are  most 
concerned  with,  is  the  statement  that  the  labourers  were 
given  sleeping  quarters  which  consisted  of  the  iron  deck  of 


a  coal  bunker  ;  that  the  said  deck  was  overcrowded  with 
'  free  "  gentlemen  :  and  was  dirty,  and  verminous,  withal. 
The  men  complained  of  this  state  of  apparent  wretched- 
ness, and  because  the—  the  -well,  let  us  write  'em  down 
as  "  p.o.  chees,"  even  as  would  any  other  self-respecting 
sailorman  :  because  the  "  p.o.  chees,"  then,  were  not 
"Keatinged."  the  free  labourers  gave  24  hours  notice 
and  left  the  scene. 

&*  9<a 

t£i    TO 

THIS  was  alright,  for  you  can  hardly  expect  a  free 
labourer  to  be  so  free,  that  he  will  supply  free  lunches  to 
every  kind  of  parasite  that  might,  could,  would,  or  should  be 
included  under  the  managament  (for  the  time  being)  of 
Shipping  Federation,  Ltd.?  And  if  the  "bug-gun"  were 
conspicuous  by  its  absence,  can  you  reasonably  blame  the 
poor  labouring  person  for  deciding  that  he  had  enough  of 
You  know,  if  those  "  p.o.chee  "  things  were  really 
thriving  and  frisky,  it  would  take  more  than  30s.  per  week 
to  rebuild  the  tissues  which  —  in  their  numbers—  they  might 
destroy.  Still,  we  do  not  wish  to  split  straws,  or  to  quibble 
over  this  phase  of  an  unsavoury  subject.  Indeed,  we 
merely  touch  on  it  for  the  reason  that  we  have  had  some 
little  experience  of  bunker-decks  ;  and  can  well  appreciate 
their  state,  if  strewn  over  promiscuously,  with  a  number  of 
somnolent  (and  possibly  unwashed)  free  labourers. 
According  to  the  statements  of  the  plantiffs  in  this  case,  at 
the  expiration  of  the  24  hours  notice,  they  were  handed  a 
shilling  each,  and  a  railway  ticket  to  London.  Whether 
this  was  for  the  specific  purpose  of  mixing  the  peculiarities 
of  the  Liverpool  sample  of  "  p.o."  things  with  those  of  the 
London  variety,  is  not  stated,  so  may  be  allowed  to  pass  ; 
but  Shipping  Federation  told  the  conscientious  objectors 
that  they  would  be  prosecuted  for  breach  of  contract-  - 
perhaps,  at  the  Greek  calends  ? 


HOWEVER,  some  of  the  evidence  offered  by  a  unit  of  this 
"  free  labour  "  coterie  of  brother  men-  so  to  speak—  was 
distressing  in  the  extreme.  For  example,  the  stevedore, 
himself,  remarked  that  after  he  had  arrived  in  Liverpool,  in 
charge  of  about  a  hundred  men,  the  city  clocks  chirped  out 
a  warning  that  the  time  was  2-30  a.m.  This  is  not 
altogether  a  nice  time  to  be  wandering  around  in  a  place 
like  Liverpool,  is  it?  And  under  ordinary  circumstances, 
one  might  be  in  danger  of  losing  one's  reputation—  and 
other  things  ?  Never  mind  !  These  were  free  labourers, 
and  nobody  seems  to  have  taken  any  liberties  with  them, 
for  later  on  we  find  them  on  board  the  good  steamer 
Colonial  ;  and  later,  yet,  asleep  on  the  iron  deck  already 
referred  to.  In  the  words  of  the  stevedore.  "  When  I  woke 
up,  my  face  was  as  black  as  my  coat  with  coal  dust."  Of 
course,  this  is  open  to  explanation,  and  the  man's  coat  might 
have  been,  originally,  of  a  greyish  sort  of  colour,  but  was 
now  black  with  coal  dust  ;  or  his  coat  might  have  been 
black  at  the  time  of  his  laying  himself  down  to  woo 
Morpheus  on  that  bunker-deck  ?  Proceeding,  we  find  that 
"  there  were  a  hundred  of  us  laying  so  close  together,  that 
we  touched."  The  latter  is  not  a  football  term,  please 
note. 


THE  horrors  of  what  was  left  of  that  night  being  con- 
cluded, "  we  had  to  get  a  bit  of  soap  to  wash  with,  the  best 
way  we  could."  It  doesn't  really  matter  whether  this 
means  that  the  best  way  referred  to  the  soap  or  to  the 
wash,  but  in  either  case,  the  men  put  up  with  these  not- 
too-sanitary  conditions,  from  the  4th  until  the  llth  of 
July,  and  then  "  chucked  it."  Can  you  altogether  blame 
them  ?  And  if  this  sort  of  thing  occurred  in  private  life, 
what,  think  you,  would  happen  ?  Would  there  be  a  prose- 
cution for  endangering  the  public  health,  or  is  it  allowable, 


'93 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


Augus-t  4,    1905 


these  days,  to  herd  men  in,  anyway  you  care  to  arrange  ? 
We  merely  ask  for  information,  and  mainly  because  we 
have  our  own  ideas  on  the  subject  —  which  are  rather 
antagonistic  to  this  new-style  fashion  of  plague  (or  worse) 
breeding.  Naturally,  the  Federation  was  not  to  be  blamed. 
It  couldn't  be.  anyhow.  For,  as  was  remarked  by  their 
solicitor,  they  were  not  bound  to  find  accommodation  for 
the  "free  labourers,"  which  is  true.  The  Federation's 
business  is  to  find  men,  and  plenty  of  'em.  The  mere  fact 
that,  having  found  them,  they  might  be  degraded  to  a 
depth  lower  than  that  usually  assigned  to  the  brute  creation. 
has  nothing  to  do  with  Shipping  Federation,  Limited's 
articles  of  association,  or  memorandum  of  that  ilk  ?  And 
if  table  "A"  wouldn't  really  apply  in  either  instance,  how  can 
it  be  expected  that  bucket  "  B,"  or  bedstead  "G,"  should  ? 


IT'S  a  queer  world  -  that  which  has  to  do  with  shipping  ? 
Time  and  again,  the  nation  is  treated  to  some  revolutionis- 
ing quiff  (at  least,  to  particulars  thereof)  and  straightway 
goes  into  more  or  less  hysterical  convulsions  over  the 
matter.  The  latest  dodge,  has  to  do  with  submarine 
signalling,  and  from  the  day  after  to-morrow  —  there  or 
thereabout—  there  is  to  be  no  more  difficulty  in  foggy 
weather,  for  the  submarine  bell  is  going  to  fix  matters  off, 
in  the  proverbial  brace  of  shakes.  The  whole  caboodle  is 
so  simple,  that  it  seems  wonderful  that  no  investigating 
genius  has  stumbled  across  it  erstwhile.  You  merely  have 
to  fix  up  a  lightship,  and  from  any  portion  of  her  hull,  you 
drop  a  large  bell  into  the  briny.  That  bell  has  to  be 
"  electrically  connected  "  with  something  or  other  ;  and 
then  you  sit  down  and  wait  for  the  fog.  Of  course,  we 
might  have  missed  out  some  of  the  details,  but  in  the  main, 
our  description  is  near  enough.  Very  well,  then.  The  fog 
comes  along  ;  so  does  a  steamer,  or  two.  But  this  is  a 
case  where  "  Don't  worry,"  fits  in.  To  make  the  thing 
regular  and  proper,  it  is  essential  that  the  steamers 
should  be  fitted  as  in  the  manner  already  described  -which 
is  to  say,  they  must  each  be  carrying  a  bell  on  their 
underneath  portions. 

E#  9<a 

v&i     ted 

So  far,  the  matter  is  clear  enough,  and  on  the  off  chance, 
so  to  speak,  the  lighthouse  man  touches  the  button,  hits  a 
peg,  hammers  something  or  other,  as  in  the  manner  provided, 
and  then  —  what  happens  ?  Well,  the  approaching  steamer 

always  providing  she  has  the  bell  attachment  —  catches  a 
sound  wave,  from  underneath,  and  the  Old  Man  knows  that 
there  is  a  lightship  around,  on  the  starboard  beam,  generally. 
Everybody  smiles  :  the  passengers  rub  shoulders  against 
the  nearest  saloon  pillar  ;  the  junior  flunk  passes  a  remark 
concerning  the  wish  that  Heaven  will  bless  the  Duke  of 
Argyle  ;  and  there  is  no  more  sorrow  on  the  sea.  Thus 
far,  we  have  endeavoured  to  give  you  a  brief  translation  of 
the  affair  as  it  appeals  to  the  daily  paper  man.  There  is 
only  one  little  item  which  that  worthy  overlooks.  A 
Gunarder  might  be  induced  to  tote  around  one  of  those 
bell  things  ;  but  then,  Gunarders  are  in  a  splendid  minority. 
What  is  going  to  happen  to  the  vast  majority  of  other 
steamers  ?  Do  you  give  it  up  ?  Well,  they'll  just  go  on 
as  before.  If  they  don't  hit  the  lightship,  they  won't  have 
run  into  her  !  All  the  same,  submarine  signalling  has 
possibilities  about  it,  yes. 

5?^ 

You  know,  there  is  no  getting  away  from  the  fact  that 
the  foreign  seaman  -when  lined  up  under  the  British  flag 
—is  a  really  cherubic  sort  of  biped.  The  country  is  con- 
tinually receiving  evidences  which  tend  to  the  belief,  and 
until  the  law  is  altered,  and  the  "  everything-that-is-dreadful 
Briton  "  is  shipped  instead,  those  evidences  will  come 
along.  You  might  imagine  that  we  are  waxing  sarcastic. 


and  if  we  really  "  waxed  "  that  way,  you  ought  not  to  blame 
us?  We  have  been  thinking  up  the  various  examples  of 
mutiny,  knifing,  and  other  amenities  which  have  come  our 
way,  since  first  we  became  acquainted  with  the  British 
Mercantile  Marine.  In  the  whole  list,  we  cannot  remem- 
ber one  instance  of  where  a  British  crew  acted  in  this 
manner.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  fairly  easy  to  think  up 
dozens  of  instances  where  the  gentlemanly  foreigner 
has  run  off  with  a  British  ship,  after  practicing  a  little 
ornamental  carving  on  the  bodies  of  the  master  and 
officers.  Somehow  or  other — possibly  because  British  law 
fosters  the  belief — the  foreign  sailor  imagines  that  he 
may  do  exactly  as  he  is  able,  in  connection  with  the  ship- 
master of  commerce.  But  if  the  British  shipmaster  as 
much  as  taps  one  of  the  foreign  beauties  (only  once),  on 
that  portion  of  his  anatomy  which  has  been  styled  "the 
point,"  well,  the  Old  Man  is  bound  to  "  pick  it  in,"  as  the 
phrase  goes. 

B#    9<3 

vG    lea 

WE  remember  strolling  down  Bute  Street,  not  so  very 
many  years  ago,  and  had  just  passed  a  given  doorway,  when 
a  "  boozed  "  or  otherwise  maddened  Maltese-Joe,  pirouetted 
out  across  the  side-walk,  and  incontinently  pulled  a  razor 
across  the  neck  of  an  unfortunate  "  whale  "  who  was  sun- 
ning himself  on  the  curb-stone.  Naturally,  there  was  a 
quantity  of  blood  around  on  the  scene,  and  without  giving 
particulars,  we  will  merely  state  that  Maltese-Joe  was 
ultimately  (and  kickedly)  taken  into  custody.  The  end 
of  the  thing,  as  far  as  "Joe  "  was  concerned,  was  that  he 
was  confined  "during  her  Majesty's  pleasure,"  mainly 
because  he  was  a  native  of  a  sunny  clime  ;  couldn't  speak 
English — and  was  therefore  tootled  to  as  a  "  poor  foreigner." 
The  cut  sailor?  Oh.  he  died,  but  as  he  was  a  Briton,  and 
could  speak  English  (after  some  sort  of  a  fashion)  that 
didn't  matter.  The  occurrence  comes  to  our  mind, 
through  that  little  episode  which  transpired  a  few  days  ago 
at  Newport.  You  might  have  heard  of  it  ?  One  Captain 
Lawson,  of  the  good  steamer  Falloden,  while  walking  up  a 
Newport  street,  had  an  appreciable  quantity  of  steel  knife 
introduced  into  the  back  portions  of  his  anatomy,  by  an 
Arab  sailor  recently  employed — but  more  recently  dis- 
charged from  the  steamer  in  question. 

E??  9^3 

ta     iS 

THE  condition  of  the  captain  is  serious;  concerning  the 
Arabian  gentleman— well,  he's  a  poor  foreigner,  so  we 
ought  to  pity  him  ?  Of  course  !  As  a  matter  of  fact,  we 
do,  and  in  the  midst  of  that  pity,  can  conjure  up  all 
manner  of  poetical  fervour  which  has  to  do  with  another 
Arab's  farewell  to  his  equine  friend.  Again,  of  course  ! 
The  Arab  is  an  impressionable  child  of  nature.  In  fact,  his 
impressions  are  double-barrelled,  so  to  speak,  for  he  is' not 
satisfied  with  receiving  them  himself,  but,  as  in  the  case  of 
the  master  of  the  Falloden,  he  can  be  depended  on  to  give 
them,  as  well.  It  seems  to  us,  that  it  is  possible  to  work 
up  a  fairly  good  impression,  providing  you  have  a  knife  that 
has  had  a  rub  on  the  nautical  grindstone  ;  a  man  walking 
on  in  front  of  you,  and  whose  back  is  therefore,  most  in 
evidence  ;  and  the  will-plus-the-ability  to  make  a  butcher- 
like  cut  in  the  right  place,  at  the  right  time  ?  As  far  as  we 
can  see,  the  Arab  merely  acted  up  to  his  early  training. 
He  is  one  of  "  the  Faithful ;  "  the  British  shipmaster  is  a 
giaour— and  several  other  things.  When  the  "Faithful" 
gets  up  behind  the  giaour  (and  the  former  has  a  decent 
sort  of  knife  in  his  possession)  it  is  generally  bad  for  the 
giaour.  Whether  it  will  be  bad  for  the  "  Faithful  :  "  well, 
we  shall  see,  later  on  ? 

s#  Xs 
^.     iS 

IN  view  of  the  fact  that  the  Cardiff  Railway  Company 
are  pushing  on  to  a  finish,  the  new  South  Dock  which  will 
form  such  a  valuable  addition  to  the  already  exceptional 


August  4,  1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


'94 


Gate  Gill  and  Lock  Floor. 


facilities  of  the  Bute  Docks,  we  are  reproducing,  in  this 
issue,  a  couple  of  illustrations  showing  the  immensity  of 
the  work  that  has  to  be  carried  out.  before  a  new  wet 
dock  is  in  readiness  for  the  coal-carrying  vessels  which,  in 
this  instance,  will  occupy  the  major  portion  of  the  space 
therein.  As  companion  pictures,  we  are  also  giving 
representations  of  pit-sinking.  Here  you  have  the  com- 


mencement of  the  undertakings  which  have  made  modern 
Cardiff,  and  although  the  pit-sinking  is  by  no  means  so 
expensive  as  the  dock-making,  it  is  necessary  to  have  a 
goodly  number  of  shekels  in  hand,  before  starting  any  such 
enterprise.  We  are  wondering  where  the  collier  would  be, 
if  there  were  insufficient  of  tha^  enterprise  about,  to  enable 
us  to  have  those  collieries  for  the  supply,  and  the  docks 


CARDIFF'S  NEW  "Sou™  "  DOCK  in  course  of  construction,  showing  tne  Entrance  Lock,  as  seen  from  the  Sea  Gates. 


'95 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


August  4,   1905 


for  the  transport,  of  the  stuff  on  which  South  Wales 
depends,  for  its  commercial  prosperity  ?  Yet  from  time  to 
time,  the  collier  and  his  alleged  "friends"  would  attempt 
to  assure  you  that  he,  alone,  is  the  alpha  and  omega  of  the 
business.  Needless  to  say.  these  illustrations  of  ours,  will 
forcibly  remind  you  that,  after  all,  the  collier  is  but  an 
inappreciable  portion  of  the  undertaking,  and  he  will  be 
acting  in  his  own  interests,  if  he  refrains  from  placing 
obstacles  in  the  way  of  those  who  are  doing  so  much  in 
the  two  directions  indicated. 


AGAIN,  the  labouring  fraternity  are  making  an  endeavour 
to  hash  up  the  prospects  of  the  Port  of  Cardiff.  This 
time,  it  is  the  painters  of  ships'  bottoms  that  are  on  the 
"  stand  off  "  lay.  It  is  really  unnecessary  for  us  to  go  into 
the  details  of  the  matter,  for  they  are  much  on  a  par  with 
what  usually  occurs  on  such  occasions.  That  is  to  say, 
the  men  claim  that  they  have  been  refused  a  hearing  from 
the  masters :  the  masters  are  equally  positive  that  this  is 
not  the  case.  But  stripped  of  all  verbiage,  the  cause  of  the 
trouble  is.  that  the  men  have  demanded  a  rise  in  wages  to 
the  extent  of  Is.  6d.  per  diem,  and  an  advance  of  3s.  6,'^d. 
on  night  work.  This  is  the  time  of  year  when  anything 
appertaining  to  the  "  cool  "  particular  should  be  appreciated 
by  the  employers.  Somehow  or  other,  though,  the  "  cool- 
ness "  in  this  instance  is  a  bit  too  "frosty,"  for  the  masters 
are  allowing  the  induced  "  coolness  "  to  work  its  own  way 
out.  It  is  impossible  to  wonder  at  the  impertinence  of  this 
demand,  at  a  time  when  trade  in  the  district  is  at  a  lower 
ebb  than  it  has  probably  been,  within  the  memory  of  any  of 
the  labourers  involved.  To  our  mind — and  to  the  minds  of 
most  unprejudiced  individvals — 8s.  1  L2d.,  the  old  rate  for 
night  work,  would  appear  to  be  a  sort  of  bank  directors' 
remuneration  ?  And  that  lls.  8d. — the  new  rate  demanded 
-  is  rather  too  princely  for  painters  of  ships'  bottoms  ? 

WE  note  that  the  directors  of  the  Barry  Railway  Company 
have  decided  on  a  successor  to  Mr.  Richard  Evans,  as 
general  manager  of  the  Barry  Docks  and  Railways,  and 
the  North  Eastern's  loss  in  this  respect,  will  be  the  Barry 
Company's  gain.  Mr.  E.  Lake,  the  newly-elected  general 
manager,  will  commence  his  duties  as  from  October  1, 
and  South  Walians.  generally,  will  wish  him  every  success 
in  his  new  vocation.  That  he  will  have  plenty  to  do,  goes 
without  saying,  for  South  Wales  is  the  natural  home  of  the 
"  hustler,"  while  Barry  has  all  a  "  hustle  "  of  its  own  !  We 
note,  also,  that  the  Taff  Vale  Railway  Company  has  parted 
with  a  good  man  in  Mr.  H.  F.  Golding,  who,  in  future,  will 
be  the  locomotive  engineer  to  the  Barry  Railway  Company 
—and  that  berth  is,  by  no  manner  of  means,  a  sinecure. 
We  hope  to  giVe  a  more  extended  consideration  to  this 
subject,  in  an  early  issue. 

ON  Saturday  last  the  s-s.  Serbury,  a  large  single-deck 
turret  steamer,  was  launched  from  the  yard  of  Messrs. 
William  Doxford  and  Sons,  Ltd.,  Pallion.  Unlike  the 
preceding  launch  from  this  yard,  a  week  ago — when,  owing 
to  a  subsidence  of  the  ground  near  the  river,  a  large  turret 
steamer  took  no  less  than  six  days  to  launch — the  Serbury 
was  afloat  within  half  a  minute  from  her  release  from  the 
blocks,  and  proceeded  at  once  to  her  outfitting  berth.  She 
is  built  to  the  order  of  Messrs.  George  Horsley  and  Son. 
West  Hartlepool,  and  is  the  eighth  turret  steamer  built  for 
this  firm.  The  vessel  was  named  Serbury  by  Mrs.  Briggs- 
Bury  of  Manchester,  who  was  accompanied  by  a  number  of 
friends.  *x  9u 

Messrs.  Harris  and  Dixon,  London,  are  the  purchasers 
of  the  new  6,000  deadweight  steamer,  now  building  by 
the  Tyne  Iron  Shipbuilding  Company,  recently  reported  sold. 


MARITIME     MARK     MAKERS. 


JOHN  CORY.  ESQ..  J.P.,  D.L.,    (Messrs.  Gory   Brothers  and  Co..  Ltd.) 

TO  endeavour,  at  this  late  period  in  the  history  of 
Cardiff,  to  give  any  new  points  concerning  the  life- 
work  of  our  this  week's  Maritime  Mark  Maker,  may 
well  be  considered  as  appertaining  to  that  phase  of  work 
which  has  been  styled  supererogatory.  Mainly  for  the 
reason  that  the  subject  has  already  received  the  extended 
attention  of  many  abler  scribes,  and  also  because  the  name 
of  Mr.  John  Cory  has  long  been  a  household  word  in  the 
social  life  of  the  town,  where  evidence  of  his  philanthropic 
work  is  scattered  in  every  direction.  If  a  gathering  of  dis- 
satisfied townsmen  wish  to  air  their  views  :  if  a  number  of 
scientifically-disposed  gentlemen  mean  to  enlighten  the 
community  ;  if  the  devoutly-inclined  are  of  opinion  that 
their  efforts  might  be  calculated  to  strengthen  and  help  the 
halting  ones  in  our  midst ;  either  or  all  may  repair  to  the 
Gory  Hall— one  of  "Mr.  John's"  creations — where  ample 
accommodation  and  every  facility  will  be  their's.  The 
sailor  (or  the  soldier,  for  that  matter),  if  in  search  of  a 
place  of  rest,  instinctively  wanders  along  Bute  Street,  to 
the  palatial  building  which  will  go  down  in  history  as  the 
John  Cory  Soldiers  and  Sailors  Rest.  And  these  efforts 
could  be  multiplied  almost  indefinitely,  if  these  columns 
were  a  fit  and  proper  place  for  that  multiplication.  Our 
business,  however,  is  for  a  consideration  of  the  mere 
commercial  side  of  life,  and  although  the  history  of  the  firm 
of  Cory  Brothers  and  Company  has  already  been  told  in 
various  quarters,  there  is  absolutely  no  reason  why  it 
should  not  be  repeated  in  brief,  for  the  benefit  of  the 
readers  of  THE  MARITIME  REVIEW — especially  as  that  history 
is  practically  the  life-story  of  the  gentleman  whose  present- 
ment appears  on  our  this  week's  front  page.  The  business 
which  is  now  known,  the  world  over,  as  that  of  Gory 
Brothers  and  Co.,  was  started  in  the  year  1844,  by  the 
father  of  our  present  Mark  Maker.  Needless  to  say, 
the  year  1844  is  ranked  among  the  years  which  we 
modern  folk  designate  as  "  the  good  old  times ; "  but 
it  may  be  safely  assumed  that  then,  even  as  now.  the 
"goodness"  depended  absolutely  on  the  amount  of  hard 
work  which  was  expended  thereon.  Be  this  as  it  may. 
we  find  that  shortly  after  its  inception,  the  founder  of 
the  business  which  was  destined  to  grow  into  such  colossal 
proportions,  took  his  sons  into  partnership,  the  title  of  the 
combination  then  being  Richard  Gory  and  Sons.  On  the 
retirement  of  the  late  Mr.  Richard  Gory,  our  Mark  Maker 
and  his  brother — Mr.  Richard  Cory — continued  the  under- 
taking as  Gory  Brothers  and  Go.  Thanks  to  the  hard  work 
to  which  we  have  already  alluded,  the  concern  prospered,  and 
its  ramifications  gradually  took  on  a  world-wide  character  ; 
for  travel  practically  whithersoever  you  will,  you  cannot 
help  running  up  against  the  name — and  the  commodity 
with  which  that  name-  is  indissolubly  associated  !  The 
pioneers  of  foreign  coaling  depots,  there  is  no  need  to 
wonder  that,  to-day,  they  are  facile  princeps  in  the  business, 
and  much  of  the  success  is  directly  attributable  to  the 
shrewdness  and  business  acumen  of  the  large-hearted 
gentleman  who  is  the  subject  of  our  present  writing.  In 
1888.  the  company  was  turned  into  a  limited  liability  con- 
cern, and  its  ultimate  progress  has  in  no  manner  suffered  in 
consequence.  In  this  condensed  sketch,  we  do  not  pre- 
tend to  more  than  touch  on  the  attributes  which  have 
made  Mr.  John  Cory  the  "Captain  of  Industry"  which  he 
undoubtedly  is.  and  in  conclusion,  we  will  state  that 
among  his  many  and  varied  occupations,  he  finds  time 
to  be  chairman  of  Cory  Brothers  and  Go..  Limited  ;  deputy- 
chairman  of  Barry  Railway  Company  ;  chairman  of  the 
Penrikyber  Navigation  Colliery  Co.,  Limited  :  he  is  also 
chairman  of  the  following  companies :  Aden  Goal  Co., 
Limited  ;  Brazilian  Coal  Co.,  Limited  ;  Cardiff  Coaling  Go., 
Limited  ;  Cory's  Madeira  Coal  Co..  Limited — and  many 
more,  for  which  we  have  no  space. 


August  4,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


SHIPBUILDING. 


In  its  tables  dealing  with  the  dimensions  of  the  world's 
kreatest  steamships.  "Lloyds'  Register"  gives  a  list  of  the 

nodern  leviathans  of  over  10.000  tons.  The  number  of 
these  vessels  is  still  less  than  a  hundred,  but  the  list 

;ontinues  to  receive  additions.  The  numbers  and  nation- 
alities of  these  steamers  as  they  are  returned  for  the  years 
named,  are  : 

STEAMSHIPS  ABOVE  10.000  TONS. 


Great  Britain 

Germany 

United  States 

Holland 

France 

Denmark 

Belgium 


1899 
6 
10 
4 
1 
0 
0 
0 

21 


1904 

45 

25 

12 

4 

2 

2 

1 

91 


1905 

48 

26 

12 
4 
3 
2 
1 

96 


Having  once  lagged  behind  Germany  in  the  matter  of 
large  steamers.  Great  Britain  seems  determined  to  'main- 
tain the  lead  which  she  afterwards  secured.  The  biggest 
merchant  steamer  in  the  world  is  still,  apparently,  the 
White  Star  liner  Baltic,  of  23.876  tons  :  for  the  Amerika, 
the  new  boat  of  the  Hamburg  American  Line,  is  returned 
at  the  round  figure  of  25.000  tons.  The  Cedric,  21,035 
tons,  and  the  Celtic.  20.904  tons,  are,  like  the  Baltic. 
Combine  ships,  and  some  people  might  suggest  that  their 
British  register  is  open  to  qualification.  The  Carman/a,  the 
new  Cunard  boat,  is  put  at  20.000  tons,  with  her  sister 
ship  the  Caronia.  a  little  below  that  figure.  There  are  only 
seven  ships  of  20.000  tons  and  upwards,  and  of  these 
Great  Britain  boasts  the  four  already  named,  the  United 
States'  two  is  the  Dakota,  of  20.714  tons,  and  the 
Minnesota  of  20.718  tons,  and  the  Germans  the  Amerika. 
Their  next  biggest  ship  is  the  Kaiser  Wilhelm  II..  19,360 
tons.  France  has  no  20.000  tonner.  the  La  Provence  of 
1 5.000  tons  being  her  largest  steamer.  Belgium  is  still 
content  with  one  vessel  above  1 0,000  tons,  the  Vaderland, 
of  12.000  tons.  Denmark's  two  big  ships  are  just  over 
10.000  tons  each,  but  three  of  Hollands*  four  are  consider- 
ably larger.  Seven  years  ago  the  Kaiser  Wilhelm.  of 
14.549  tons,  was  the  biggest  merchant  steamer  in 
existence,  so  we  have  advanced  a  good  deal  since  then, 
and  no  one  can  say.  with  certainty,  that  such  steamers  as 
the  Baltic  and  the  Amerika  at  all  represent  finality. 

The  steel  screw  steamer  Scotian.  recently  managed  by 
Messrs.  G.  H.  Elder  &i  Co..  Newcastle,  has  been  sold  by 
the  mortgagees  to  Mr.  F.  Malmros.  of  Trelleborg.  Sweden, 
at  about  £  1  1 .250.  She  was  built,, by  Messrs.  Mackie  & 
Thomson.  Glasgow,  in  1901.  Dimensions  228ft.  x  34ft.  " 
Sin.  x  14ft.  4in.:  carries  about  1.700  tons  deadweight  on 
15ft.  4in.  mean  draft :  with  engines  17in..  27 '2 in.,  46in.  x 
33in.  stroke.  She  was  offered  for  sale  by  auction,  last 
month,  in  London,  and  withdrawn  at  £9,000. 

•f  -f  -f 

A  new  single  deck  cargo  steamer,  building  by  Messrs.  W. 
Hamilton  &  Co..  Port  Glasgow,  and  now  about  ready  for 
delivery,  has  been  sold  to  Messrs.  Furness.  Withy  &  Co., 
Ltd..  West  Hartlepool.  for  about  £31.000.  Dimensions 
550ft.  x  45ft.  6in.  x  25ft.  lOin.  moulded,  deadweight  about 
5.50O  tons  on  22'2ft.  draft.  Machinery  by  the  Clyde 
Shipbuilding  and  Engineering  Company,  with  engines  24in., 
4Oin..  65in.  x  42in  stroke  :  two  single  ended  boilers  15ft. 
Sin.  x  10ft.  6in.:  ISOIbs.  working  pressure. 

Messrs.  Furness.  Withy  &  Co..  Ltd.,  have  also  purchased 
a  new  single  deck  cargo  steamer  building  by  Messrs.  Robert 
Duncan  Si  Co..  Port  Glasgow,  and  now  ready  for  launching, 
at  about  £  1 9.000.  She  is  estimated  to  carry  2,750  tons 


deadweight  on  1 7ft.  1 1  in.  draft.  Dimensions  260ft.  x  37ft. 
x  20ft.  6in.:  with  engines  19lz\n.,  32in.,  53in.  x  36in. 
stroke.  Two  single  ended  boilers  12ft.  9in.  x  9ft.  9in. 

^  The  iron  screw  steamer  Neto,  lately  owned  by  Messrs. 
Strong,  Reid  &  Page,  Liverpool,  has  been  sold  to  Messrs. 
Whimster  &  Co.,  Glasgow,  at  about  £6,000.  She  was 
built  by  Messrs.  Dobie  &  Co.,  Glasgow,  in  1882,  and  had 
new  boilers  fitted  in  1899.  Dimensions  260ft.  x  34ft.  x 
24ft:  1696  tons  gross:  with  engines  20in.,  50in.  x  36in. 
stroke. 

•f  +  + 

The  steel  twin  screw  steamer  Ibadan,  lately  owned  by 
Mr.  F.  S.  Clarke,  London,  has  been  sold  to  Japanese  buyers. 
She  was  built  and  engined  by  Messrs.  D.  J.  Dunlop  &  Co., 
Port  Glasgow,  in  1896.  Dimensions  204ft  x  35ft  x  12ft 
3in.:  793  tons  gross :  with  engines  llin.,  18in.,  28in.  x 
24in  stroke. 

The  steel  screw  steamer  Twilight,  owned  by  Messrs. 
John  Wood  &  Co.,  West  Hartlepool,  is  reported  sold  to 
Spaniards.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  Furness,  Withy  &  Co., 
Ltd.,  in  1894.  Dimensions  270ft  x  38ft.  x  19ft  3in.; 
1,919  tons  gross  ;  with  engines  20in.,  31  '2in.,  53in.  x  36in. 
stroke,  by  the  Central  Marine  Engine  Works. 

•f  +  + 

It  is  reported  that  a  new  cargo  steamer,  now  building,  by 
Messrs.  Wm.  Gray  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  West  Hartlepool,  for  Messrs. 
John  Wood  &  Co.,  West  Hartlepool,  has  been  sold  to 
Messrs.  Maclay  and  Mclntyre,  Glasgow,  for  about  £32,750. 
She  will  be  ready  for  sea  in  September,  and  will  carry  about 
5,200  tons  deadweight  on  20ft  Sin.  draft. 

The  steel  screw  steamer  Newquay,  owned  by  Messrs.  J. 
J.  &  C.  M.  Forster,  Newcastle,  is  reported  sold  to  Messrs. 
Gueret,  Limited,  Cardiff.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  Swan 
Hunter,  Newcastle,  in  1889,  with  engines  20,!i'in.,  36in., 
59in.  x  39in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  Black,  Hawthorn  &  Go. 
2, 1 12  tons  gross.  Dimensions  280ft.  x  37ft.  Sin.  x  21ft.  Sin. 

Tenders  have  been  invited  for  a  steamer  of  600  tons 
which  Messrs.  Biles,  Gray  &  Co.,  have  designed  for  the 
Harbours  Department  of  the  Board  or  Trade.  The  vessel 
is  intended  to  be  a  lighthouse  tender  in  the  Bahamas. 
Offers  are  due  at  6,  Lloyd's  Avenue,  London,  E.G.,  by  the 

15th  inst. 

+  -f  + 

Messrs.  G.  and  J.  Burns,  Ltd..  Glasgow,  have  placed  an 
order  for  two  high-class  passenger  and  cargo  steamers 
with  Messrs.  John  Brown  &  Co.,  Limited,  Clydebank. 
They  will  be  employed  in  the  routes  between  Glasgow  and 
Ardrossan  and  Belfast 

Messrs.  James  Gurrie  &  Co.,  Leith,  have  invited  tenders 
from  various  shipbuilding  firms  for  the  construction  of  a 
screw  steamer  for  their  passenger  and  goods  trade  between 
Leith  and  Hamburg. 

+  4  + 

Messrs.  D.  &  W.  Henderson,  Glasgow,  have  received  an 
order  to  build  a  cargo  steamer  of  about  7,000  tons,  for 
Messrs.  Harris  and  Dixon,  London. 

The  steamer  Cavalier,  recently  purchased  by  the  Union 
Steamship  Company  of  New  Zealand,  has  been  renamed 
Karitane. 

The  old  Tyne  trader  John  Grafton  has  been  sold  to 
Messrs.  Watts,  Watts  &  Co.,  London.  She  is  an  iron 
steamer  of  563  tons  gross,  and  was  built  in  the  Tyne 
in  1883. 


'97 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


August  4,   1905 


'  .^i^<jjk<£f&  ''/-Ci-^J^y-'i; 


FRIDAY.  AUGUST  4.   1905. 
NEWFOUNDLAND  NAVIGATION. 


ilS  somewhat  difficult  to  understand  why  many 
of  Britain's  best  colonial  possessions  have 
been  neglected  in  the  shameful  manner 
which  has  obtained  for  very  many  years. 
That  they  have  been  neglected,  may  not  be 
truthfully  gainsaid ;  indeed,  the  neglect  in 
many  instances,  has  been  so  blatant,  that  out 
of  sheer  pity,  private  individuals  have  taken  the  breach,  if 
we  may  put  it  thus,  and  have  exploited  them  for  all  they 
are  worth.  The  said  individuals,  too,  have  not  always  been 
blessed  with  any  particular  amount  of  worldly-knowledge, 
outside  of  an  ability  to  drive  a  hard  bargain,  and  a  solid 
intention  of  annexing  everything  that  was  annexable— aye, 
even  if  the  items  were  immediately  resold  to  the  blind 
Government,  much  after  the  manner  in  which  this  class  of 
business  is  alleged  to  have  been  transacted,  in  the  late 
Boer  War ;  and  which  gentle  trait  is  now  being  bandied 
about,  under  the  style  and  title  of  "the  Stores'  Scandal." 
If  a  concrete  example  of  this  neglect  is  needed,  it  is 
necessary  to  go  no  farther  than  Britain's  nearest  colony- 
Newfoundland.  If  any  one  can  find  a  better  showing  of  the 
private-venture-worked  particular  than  this,  we  shall  not 
be  averse  to  hear  about  it.  Without  going  back  into  the 
dim  vistas  of  the  past ;  indeed,  if  we  keep  our  retrospect  to 
fairly  recent  date  ;  we  shall  find  ample  proof  of  the 
neglect  which  a  so-called  paternal  Government  metes 
out,  to  the  possessions  which  are  among  the  brightest  gems 
in  its  metaphorical  crown.  At  the  period  to  which  we  have 
referred,  a  more  or  less  unkind  Fate  took  us  to  certain 
parts  of  Newfoundland,  where  the  "dry  fish  "  of  commerce 
is  prepared  for  the  world's  markets.  Arriving  there,  what 
did  we  find  ?  Well,  we  found  plenty  of  "  dry  fish  " — and 
come  to  think  of  it,  that  is  about  all  that  we  did  find ;  that  is. 
if  we  except  the  exploitation  of  the  gentle  folk  who  prepared 
the  said  "fish:"  who  knew  no  better:  and  who,  because 
of  their  ignorance,  should  have  received  better  attention 
from  the  powers  that  were,  at  that  time.  We  remember 
one  "settlement"  that  was  "worked"  by  a  home  trad- 
ing company,  which  supplied  its  agents  with  yearly  drafts 
of  labourers  from  Somerset  and  Dorset :  and  which  paid  its 
full-blooded  and  able-bodied  workmen,  the  munificent  sum 
of£l  per  month,  and  victuals.  These  men  were  herded  into 
a  tenement  styled  a  "cook-room,"  and  a  more  soul-destroy- 
ing environment,  it  would  be  difficult  to  imagine.  Naturally. 
there  was  a  "store"  for  the  supply  of  the  necessary  articles 
of  life,  and  yearly  consignments  of  goods  were  shipped 
across  in  the  company's  vessels.  Needless  to  say,  the  said 
"  store  "  contained  practically  everything  that  a  man  could 
need,  as  well  as  sundry  items  that  he  would  never  need, 
and  could  well  do  without.  What  was  hardly  as  natural, 
was  the  merry  way  in  which  Mr.  Agent  carried  out  his 
peculiar  ideas  of  trading.  That  is  to  say.  the  various  items 
which  went  to  make  up  a  consignment  of  goods,  were 
invoiced  to  the  gentleman  referred  to,  at  a  price  which 
allowed  for  a  very  handsome  profit  to  the  company 
implicated — possibly,  to  the  extent  of  the  proverbial  sixty- 
per-cent.  This  was  all  very  pretty.  But  it  was  by  no 
means  final,  nor  did  it  meet  with  the  unqualified 
approval  of  the  agent-person.  Not  it,  for  that  gentle- 
man had  a  neat  little  manner  of  fixing  things  off.  That 
is  to  say,  for  the  occupants  of  the  "cook  room" 
already  mentioned,  the  firm's  prices  were  exactly  doubled  ; 


while  for  the  few  residents  which  the  settlement 
boasted  of,  a  mere  fifty-per-cent.  was  added  to  the  firm's 
invoiced  value.  When  it  is  remembered  that  the  same 
agent  had  the  paying  of  the  various  workmen  who  ulti- 
mately posed  as  purchasers  at  the  "  stores,"  it  will  be 
understood  that  this  particular  brand  of  parasite,  had  a 
splendid  opportunity  of  amassing  much  wealth  ?  If  the 
workman  wanted  any  of  the  "  luxuries  "  that  were  current, 
they  were  "  sold  "  to  him  at  the  prices  already  suggested  : 
and  at  pay-day  -  the  end  of  each  month  —his  indebtedness 
to  the  firm  (and.  of  course,  to  the  Agent)  was  deducted, 
and  the  remainder  passed  out  to  him.  That  the  said  re- 
mainder didn't  unduly  worry  the  workman,  may  be  taken 
as  a  dead  certainty.  You  might  reasonably  ask  as  to 
where  the  Government  came  in,  and  consequently,  we 
hasten  to  state  that  it  was  occasionally  represented  by  a 
British  gunboat,  the  commander  of  which  had  to  visit  the 
"  stores,"  and  examine  the  price  list  current  at  that  precise 
and  psychological  date.  You  may  take  it  as  another  cer- 
tainty, that  the  prices,  on  those  occasions,  were  "  marked 
down  " — as  they  say  at  latter-day  drapery  emporiums.  All 
the  same,  you  must  not  imagine  that  the  marking  was  of 
any  benefit  to  the  workmen.  It  was  more  than  their  heads 
were  worth,  for  any  of  them  to  dare  purchase  three-penny- 
worth while  the  pretended  "  sale  time  "  was  in  progress  ; 
for  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  Mr.  Agent  was  an  auto- 
cratic (and  as  a  rule  disgustingly  ignorant )  person,  and 
compared  with  the  Russian  bureaucrat  of  which  we  hear  so 
much,  at  present — well,  the  comparison  was  all  in  favour 
of  the  Russian.  You  may  take  this  from  us,  who  happened 
to  have  been  there — both  before,  and  after  the  visit  of  the 
gunboat  aforesaid.  Immediately  following  the  departure 
of  the  vessel,  prices  went  up  at  a  bound,  and  by  the  time 
its  smoke  was  becoming  just  a  bit  hazy  around  the  bend  of 
the  " arm  "  of  the  sea,  prices  in  that  "settlement"  were 
normal  — which  is  to  say,  twice  as  high  as  had  been  assessed 
by  the  firm.  Under  these  circumstances,  you  will  readily 
understand  that  to  be  "  agent  "  for  a  home  firm,  was  about 
the  readiest  chance  of  becoming  wealthy,  which  existed  in 
the  whole  of  Newfoundland  ?  You  will  also  understand, 
that  after  some  five  or  six  years  as  "  agent,"  it  was  the  cor- 
rect thing  to  carry  the  exploitation  of  the  country,  to  greater 
lengths  ?  Say,  to  the  extent  of  sequestering  copper  mines, 
timber  tracts,  "  concessions  "  of  one  sort  or  another,  and 
to  ultimately  die,  and  have  a  stained  glass  window  in  a 
local  church  ?  To  many  of  our  readers,  these  remarks 
might  well  come  in  the  nature  of  a  twice  told  tale  ;  to 
others,  they  might  just  as  well  be  new.  In  either  instance, 
we  shall  be  doing  a  good  turn  to  some  of  the  poor  struggling 
souls  by  animadverting  on  the  wickednesses  :  for  we  have 
very  good  reason  to  believe  that  the  tricks  are  by  no  means 
numbered  among  the  things  which  have  been,  but  are  not ; 
and  if  a  number  of  his  Majesty's  liege  subjects  abroad,  are 
too  simple  to  obtain  justice  for  themselves :  then,. his 
Majesty's  advisers  should  give  a  little  attention  to  the 
matter.  That  the  dodges  to  which  we  have  referred  are  by 
no  means  done  away  with,  our  correspondence  amply  demon- 
strates, and  a  letter  to  hand  no  later  than  July  29,  and  which 
touches  on  this  particular  subject,  is  mainly  our  reason  for 
treating  with  the  matter,  here.  We  are  willing  to  admit 
that  the  Newfoundland  Government  is  making  an  effort  to 
justify  its  existence  ;  that  it  has  awakened  to  a  new  under- 
standing of  the  responsibilities  which  devolve  upon  it :  and 
that  with  a  bit  of  luck  (and  some  fine  weather),  it  in- 
tends to  do  something  for  which  the  world  out  that  way, 
shall  arise  and  call  it — well,  blessed,  shall  we  say  ?  For 
instance,  we  note  that  the  Governor,  Sir  William  Macgregor, 
started  away,  on  Sunday  last,  for  a  six  week's  cruise  along 
the  coast  of  Labrador.  That  cruise  is  not  to  be  viewed  in 
the  light  of  a  pleasure  jaunt.  On  the  contrary,  rather,  for 
its  itinerary  embraces  quite  a  number  of  big  undertakings. 
Included  among  the  party  which  will  accompany  the  worthy 
Governor,  are  a  number  of  English  and  Colonial  scientists, 
and  when  those  estimable  people  are  around,  the  cause  of 


August  4,   1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


198 


civilization  is  bound  to  benefit.  To  show  you  the  importance 
—and  probable  cost  of  this  latest  "  sail  away  " — we  might 
mention  that  the  little  pic-nic  will  be  carried  on  two 
Colonial  cruisers  *  Fiona  and  Scylla},  the  survey  ship  Ellinor, 
and  the  hospital  ship.  Strathcona.  Taken  altogether,  the 
fleet  should  make  a  goodly  showing,  and  on  arrival  at  any  of 
the  "  settlements  "  of  which  we  have  written,  they  should 
prove  the  finest  incentive  to  a  general  "marking  down  " 
of  goods,  that  it  is  possible  to  imagine  ?  Indeed,  we  can 
quite  imagine  the  "  bless  you.  my  children "  aroma  that 
will  follow  in  the  wake  of  the  Governor's  little  party:  can 
think  up  the  possible  shooting  and  trouting  expeditions  that 
will  be  worked  up  for  this  especial  occasion  :  can  under- 
stand the  care  that  will  be  taken  to  show  that  everything 
in  each  separate  "agentdom  "  is  exactly  as  it  should  be; 
how  the  party  of  scientists  will,  with  continued  luck,  return 
to  St.  Johns.  Newfoundland  :  and  how  each  unit  of  the 
little  caboodle  will  be  prepared  to  swear,  that  for  happiness, 
prosperity,  and  general  contentedness,  the  denizens  of  that 
far-off  and  somewhat  dreary  land,  will  be  hard  to  beat. 
Thus  will  another  of  the  little  side-lights  of  the  Colonial 
expansion  have  been  worked  :  for  another  year,  will  the 
grumblings  of  the  fishermen  have  been  stifled  ;  and  if  we, 
at  home,  do  not  believe  that  the  conditions  of  life.  "  out 
there."  are  only  once  removed  from  the  beatific — then,  it 
ought  not  to  be  laid  to  the  blame  of  the  Government,  did 
it  ?  Of  course  not !  However,  it  must  not  be  supposed  that 
the  expedition,  to  which  we  have  referred,  will  do  nothing 
save  indulge  in  shooting  expeditions,  and  work  up  trouting 
parties.  On  the  contrary,  rather,  for  it  is  saddled  with 
the  onerous  job  of  fixing  the  longitude  of  the  principal  head- 
lanos  an  undertaking  which,  according  to  most  nautical 
ideas,  could  have  well  been  done,  some  hundred  or  so  years 
ago  ?  Still,  it's  better  late  than  never,  and  if,  after  the 
return  of  this  combination  of  business-with-pleasure  under- 
taking, the  navigation  around  the  base  of  certain  of  "Green- 
land icy  mountains  "  is  safer  than  it  was  wont  to  be.  of 
old  well,  the  cruise  of  the  doughty  Governor  and  his 
entourage-  which  is  a  good  word  will  not  have  been  made 
in  vain  ?  And  by  the  way.  this  fixing  of  the  longitude  of 
the  principal  headlands,  should  show  fairly  well,  that  the 
neglect  to  which  we  have  called  your  attention,  is  no  mere 
idle  tale  :  that  it  has  been  pretty  much  in  evidence,  right 
down  the  ages  ?  Who  would  believe  that  the  said  longitude 
had  been  allowed  to  diddle  along,  until  the  summer  of  1 905  ? 
Yet  such  is  the  case,  or  why  should  the  Governor — at 
great  expense  to  the  Colony— undertake  the  determination 
of  that  longitude,  now  ?  But  we  shall  not  pursue  the 
longitudinal  subject  any  further.  It  is  by  way  of  being 
definitely  decided,  at  last :  moreover,  the  seaboard  there- 
away, is  to  be  charted,  during  the  continuance  of  the 
same  cruise  :  and  sundry  other  nautical  arrangements  are 
to  be  carried  out.  That  is  to  £ay.  the  cruisers  will  be  used 
for  hydrographical  surveying  purposes-  among  other 
items  :  and  the  scientists  intend  to  collect  some  industrial 
and  mineral  data  from  along  the  coast !  To  our  mind,  this 
attempt  to  collect  "industrial  data"  from  the  bleak,  barren, 
and  practically  uninhabited  shores  of  Labrador,  is 
supremely  funny.  You  see.  we  have  been  there,  and  thus 
the  subtlety  of  the  whole  arrangement  is  calculated  to 
appeal  to  us.  We  quite  understand  that  it  is  necessary  to 
give  some  reason  for  the  employment  of  a  trio  of 
Government  vessels:  and  one  reason  is  nearly  as  good  as 
any  other,  when  all  brands  thereof  are  of  equivocal  value  ? 
We  also  realise  that  it  would  be  hardly  the  thing  to  say, 
right  out.  that  any  such  expedition  were  merely  in  the 
nature  of  a  pleasure  trip,  so  we  are  inclined  to  accept  the 
longitude  notion,  the  seaboard  charting,  the  hydrographic 
survey  business,  and  the  collection  of  industrial  and 
mineral  data.  Aye.  even  if  the  whole  concatenation  has 
to  b«  carried  out  inside  a  six  weeks  limit.  You  know,  it 
should  be  possible  to  fix  a  number  of  longitudes  in  six 
weeks  especially  of  headlands  which  are  not  too  far 
removed,  one  from  another?  Furthermore,  if  a  crowd  of 


scientists  are  really  industrious,  it  should  be  in  a  position 
to  work  up  a  valuable  addition  to  the  charts  of  the  world 
within  the  same  period  ?  And  in  the  matter  of  hydrographic 
surveys— particularly  in  waters  where  great  depth  is  the 
rule— the  same  gentlemen  should  be  able,  in  off  moments 
from  their  other  duties,  to  work  out  quite  a  number  of 
soundings,  don't  you  think  ?  Personally,  we  are  glad  to 
know  that  the  Colonial  Government  has  awakened  to  its 
responsibilities,  and  that  after  the  summer  of  1 905  there 
will  be  hardly  a  headland  whose  longitude  is  a  doubtful  quan- 
tity ;  that  the  various  chunks  of  seaboard  thereaway,  will 
be  as  an  open  book  to  the  careful  navigator --who  trusts 
more  to  his  lead-line  than  to  the  information  of  "the  Depart- 
ment :  "  and  that  any  searcher  after  unconsidered  copper 
— or  other  -mines,  will  know  exactly  where  to  seek  for  his 
"  concession."  In  addition  to  the  reasons  which  we  have 
set  out,  this  expedition  is  going  to  observe  the  solar  eclipse 
which  is  due  on  August  50.  Rude  folk  might  be  inclined 
to  suggest,  that  the  eclipse  is  the  main  reason  for  all  this 
shipping  expense  :  but  we  are  not  rude.  If  any  such  thing 
entered  into  our  considerations,  then,  the  statement  that 
"The  expedition  is  expected  to  have  important  results  by 
showing  the  commercial  possibilities  of  Labrador,"  would 
certainly  arouse  them.  When  a  six  weeks'  cruise  is  going  to 
determine  longitude,  make  charts  and  hydrographic  surveys, 
pick  up  mineral  data,  and  show  the  commercial  possibilities 
oia  whole  district  which,  to  date,  has  laid  under  a  cloud  — 
if  we  may  write  it  thus — then,  we  are  of  opinion  that  a 
grand  awakening  has  transpired  in  Newfoundland.  Par- 
ticularly when  it  is  remembered  that  an  observation  of  an 
eclipse  is  to  be  thrown  in.  so  to  speak.  Is  it  necessary  for 
us  to  continue  further  with  the  theme  ?  We  think  not,  for 
by  this  time,  you  will  have  sized  up  the  situation,  about  as 
closely  as  makes  no  odds.  Government  neglect,  however. 
is  buried.  A  new  era  has  dawned  for  Newfoundland — and 
for  our  part,  we  are  unfeignedly  glad  ! 


NEW    LIGHT    ON    HOLY    ISLAND. 


<VT  has  been  long  a  matter  of  serious  complaint  among 
navigators  frequenting  the  Clyde,  that  the  character 
1  of  the  light  on  the  south-west  end  of  Holy  Island,  was 
of  an  unsatisfactory  and  misleading  character ;  and 
that  it  was,  furthermore,  badly  situated.  It  was  frequently 
found  that  the  green  light  above  the  red,  was  mistaken  for 
the  lights  of  an  approaching  vessel.  Especially  was  this 
the  case,  when  hazy  weather  prevailed,  and  the  result,  on 
more  than  one  occasion  was,  that  shipmasters  have  found 
themselves  and  vessels  piled  up,  before  the  mistake  was 
realised.  The  many  complaints  which,  from  time  to  time, 
have  reached  the  Scottish  Shipmasters'  and  Officers' 
Association,  induced  that  body  of  navigators  to  ask  for  a 
more  distinct  and  powerful  light,  with  the  addition  of  a  fog 
signal.  The  demand  has  not  been  in  vain  which,  under 
the  circumstances,  is  just  as  it  should  be,  for  after  all,  the 
navigator  is  calculated  to  know  something  of  the  needs  of 
navigation  ?— for  the  Northern  Lighthouse  Board  have 
busied  themselves  in  the  matter.  So  much  so,  that  they 
have  notified  the  Association,  that  the  new  light  which  has 
been  (or  is  being)  established  on  Pillar  Rock  Point,  on  the 
south-east  end  of  the  Island,  will  be  flashing— red  and 
white  alternately ;  will  show  one  flash  every  fifteen  seconds, 
and  will  be  visible  at  a  distance  of  some  seventeen  miles. 
The  fog  signal  connected  with  the  same  "lead,"  will, 
during  thick  or  foggy  weather,  give  two  blasts— high,  low— 
of  five  seconds  duration,  each,  in  quick  succession,  every 
two  minutes.  Both  the  light  and  the  fog  signal  will—say 
the  Lighthouse  Board— be  in  operation,  on  October  1,  next; 
so  you  rock-dodging  gentlemen  who  frequent  that  par- 
ticular portion  of  Neptune's  realm,  will  do  well  to  make  a 
note  of  the  fact— which  is  best  allowed  for  by  writing  it  in 
your  "Findlay,"  what? 


'99 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


August  4,   1905 


CARDIFF     (AND    OTHER)     COAL. 


CARDIFF.  August  2.  1905. 

SINCE  OUP  last  time  of  writing,  business  in  the  coal  trade  has 
been  fairly  active  for  these  out-of -joint  times.  The  terrible  Whit- 
worth  estate  tragedy  (or  farce,  if  you  like  it  better)  continues,  and 
some  few  of  the  local  giants  who  have  a  perpetual  longing  for 
cheap  advertisement,  are  still  concerning  themselves  with  the 
awful  subject,  'fore  all  the  world  as  if  they,  alone,  were  the  pro- 
tectors of  the  nation's  welfare.  It  is  all  very  funny,  even  supposing 
it  isn't  utterly  ridiculous,  and  the  one  soothing  thought  in  the 
whole  business  is.  that  yet  in  a  little  while  the  silly  season  will  be 
"off,"  and  the  serious  business  of  life  will  again  claim  the  attention 
of  the  said  "  giants  ?  " 

BUT  reverting  to  the  actual  passings  in  the  Welsh  coal  market' 
we  find  that  there  has  been  a  certain  improvement,  particularly 
for  early  shipment.  Then,  again,  the  approaching  holidays  have 
given  a  fillip  to  prices.  Not  too  great  a  fillip  you  understand,  but 
just  enough  to  keep  them  from  falling  lower  than  they  were,  when 
last  we  had  the  pleasure  of  giving  you  our  weekly  review.  In  the 
main,  the  prices  are  unaltered  :  but  if  the  holiday  touch  had  not 
intervened,  the  alteration  would  probably  have  been  in  evidence — 
downward.  As  things  are,  the  brake  was  applied  as  suggested, 
and  in  a  few  especially  favoured  instances,  the  quotation  has  been 
raised,  although  actual  transactions  on  the  new  figures  have  been 
anything  but  plentiful. 

HOWEVER,  there  is  no  getting  away  from  the  fact  that  a  few  of 
fortune's  favourites  have  succeeded  in  increasing  their  stemming 
responsibilities,  and  that,  at  the  moment,  their  position — in  com- 
parison with  some  of  their  competitors  -  is  passing  good.  Then, 
in  the  matter  of  tonnage  supplies,  the  arrivals  have  been  satis- 
factory. There  ever  appears  to  be  something  uncanny  in  this 
phase  of  the  coal  trade.  To-day,  there  is  scarcely  any  shipping 
about,  and  nobody  is  particularly  impressed  with  the  idea  that 
there  is  going  to  be  much  to-morrow  ;  yet,  in  spite  of  this,  the 
morrow  brings  along  a  supply  which  somewhat  staggers  the 
exponents  of  coal,  although  nobody  appears  to  be  in  a  position  to 
give  a  reason  for  the  condition. 

You  see,  somebody  pulls  the  string,  and  the  nice  little  fleet  of 
tramps  which  must  have  been  dodging  outside  the  dock-gates, 
amble  along  in  their  dozens,  and  there  is  immediate  activity.  Take 
last  week  as  an  example.  Then,  there  was  an  increase  of  35,000 
tons  in  the  exports  of  coal,  over  the  quantities  shipped  the 
week  before.  Now,  there  is  an  abundance  of  tonnage  offering— to 
the  undoing  of  the  efforts  of  the  gentle  chartering  youth  ;  and  as 
a  natural  result,  rates  have,  to  use  the  words  of  our  own  charter 
ing  genius,  "  gone  all  to  pieces,  especially  in  the  ease  of  the 
Mediterranean  section."  Poor  genius  !  He  is  ever  on  the  growl, 
and  if  we  were  notau/a;'(to  his  besetting  sin,  we  should  declare  that 
things  nautical  are  more  out-of-joint,  than  is  really  the  case. 

INSTEAD  of  inclining  to  any  such  nonsense,  we  are  going  to  stick 
to  our  old-time  belief,  to  the  effect  that  the  present  slump  is 
merely  another  instance  of  history  repeating  itself  ;  and  that  if  it 
has  "  hung  out  "  for  something  longer  than  usual,  when  the  change 
does  arrive,  the  good  time  will  be  proportionately  extended.  The 
study  of  history  is  of  mighty  little  use,  if  one  is  disinclined  to 
profit  by  its  teachings,  what  ?  The  healthy,  and  non-dyspeptic 
man — whether  his  business  is  that  of  coal-pushing  or  steamer- 
share-shoving-  while  admitting  that  "Sweet  are  the  uses  of 
adversity,"  is  yet  sure  that  he  "  Finds  tongues  in  trees,  books  in 
the  running  brooks.  Sermons  in  stones,  and  good  in  everything." 
Moreover,  the  whole  bag  of  tricks  costs  him  but  little,  eh  ? 

WHILE  the  present  rates  of  freight,  and  current  prices  of  coal, 
make  business  practicable  where  the  opposite  was  in  vogue  but  a 
few  days  ago,  it  cannot  truthfully  be  said,  that  the  altered  con- 
ditions have  resulted  in  any  great  influx  of  new  business.  Enquiries 
continue  to  float  around  for  materialisation  in  the  possibly  dim 
and  distant  future :  but  actual  business  transactious  are  for 
nothing  more  than  of  the  prompt  shipment  variety — thanks  to  the 
holiday-bug.  We  have  told  you  before,  that  it  would  be  a  national 
calamity  to  allow  a  few  steamers  to  rest  in  dock  over  a  given 
holiday,  and  there  is  no  change  in  the  tactics  pursued  in  certain 
shipowning  quarters,  yet  awhile.  That  is,  no  matter  how  much 
sloth  is  allowed  to  crystallise  around  a  steamer's  path,  onee  she  is 
safely  away  from  Cardiff  Docks  ;  while  she  is  there,  earth  and 
heaven— to  say  nothing  of  the  other  alternative— must  be  invoked 
to  see  her  safely  away  for  another  wrestle  with  the  sloth 
referred  to. 

FUNNY  people,  these  shipping  folk?  But  as  we  have  already 
suggested,  prices  have,  at  least,  been  well  maintained,  with  a  fairly 
good  prospect  of  their  being  kept  at  current  levels.  Especially  if 
dear  old  "  Mabon  "  is  spared  to  thoroughly  recuperate  for  that 
problematical  fight  which  is  before  himself  and  his  lambs— if  we 
may  believe  the  tales  which  his  blessed  convalescence  gives  us. 


Even  as  the  hart  panteth  for-  you  know  the  rest  of  it  ? — so  does 
the  "  veteran  leader  of  men  "  pant  after  a  "  scrap  "  with  the  wicked 
employer.  Sometimes,  the  said  "pants"  are  of  the  striped 
pattern  ;  but  more  often  they  are  of  the  check  variety — and  so  the 
merry  game  continues!  That  might  sound  oracular,  but  let  it 
pass,  please.  There  is  a  break  in  the  weather  and  even  as  we 
write,  the  rain  descends  in  torrents.  Moreover,  the  weather  has 
no  copyright  in  breaks,  don't  forget. 

THE  seller  of  coal  has  a  belief  that  improved  prices  will  be  with 
him,  ere  long,  and  personally,  we  hope  he  may  be  right ;  but  the 
seller  is  an  individual  who  is  blessed  (or  cursed)  with  lofty  notions 
— aye,  even  at  the  worst  of  times.  He  cannot  help  it,  you  know, 
for  he  is  built  that  way.  Like  the  remainder  of  mankind  (although 
you  couldn't  get  him  to  admit  it  for  fourpenee  a  time)  he  is  born 
to  sorrow,  even  as  the  sparks  fly — whithersoever  they  will 
Sometimes,  he  extracts  some  portions  of  joy  from  the  sorrowful 
deal-  and  then  there  are  summer  confections  hung  upon  the  angles 
or  curves  of  the  sharer  of  his  joys  and  sorrows  ;  at  other  times, 
the  extract  is  of  the  gall  and  wormwood  sort — and  then  "  confec- 
tions" are  distinctly  "off."  But  more  power  to  the  merry 
gentleman.  We  wish-  him  all  that  he  may  wish  himself;  more 
than  that  cannot  be  expected  of  us  ? 

COMING  to  the  particularising  theme,  we  find  that  BEST  CARDIFF 
ADMIRALTYS  are  moderately  firm  at  about  12s.  9d. — while  the  whole 
of  13s.  is  softly  breathed  as  a  quotation,  in  certain  instances. 
Mind  you,  it  is  only  a  breathed  affair  as  yet,  for  we  can  find  no 
record  of  the  figures  having  been  reached,  in  actual  business.  In 
the  latter  instance,  as  you  might  readily  guess,  the  quotation 
emanates  from  the  eoalowner  who  is  the  fortunate  possessor  of  a 
full  stem  (and  a  fuller  gall),  and  has,  therefore,  little  to  spare,  just 
now  !  Furthermore,  there  are  quite  a  few  collieries  in  this  grade, 
whose  engagements  are  sufficient  to  comfortably  tide  them  over 
the  present  month.  In  their  ease,  additional  stemming  is  naturally 
difficult,  and  the  quotation  is  given  with  rather  more  than  a 
pretence  of  firmness.  All  the  same,  the  actual  value  of  BESTS 
pans  out  to  12s.  9d.  as  an  average — which  means  that  quite  a  few 
are  willing  to  discuss  the  relative  beauties  which  coruscate  around 
a  possible  12s.  6d.,  "  If  you'll  make  it  large  and  prompt,"  yes. 

SECONDS  are  showing  some  little  attempt  at  steadiness,  although 
the  demand  has  been  insufficient,  so  far,  to  enable  sellers  to  raise 
prices — which  continue  at  about  last  levels,  if  the  conditions  of  the 
particular  colliery  involved  is  allowed  for.  With  regard  to  figures 
— quoted  figures,  you  understand-  these  range  around  from  12s.  to 
12s.  6d.,  and  the  top  qualities  are  being  really  maintained  at  the 
latter,  as  stems  are  good  enough  to  admit  of  this.  But  for  the 
average  SECOND,  the  former  figures  are  about  the  actual  value. 
There  is  no  great  activity  here,  but  as  alreadly  stated,  steadiness 
is  in  evidence,  although  the  demand  is  somewhat  limited. 

ORDINARIES  continue  in  a  state  of  easiness;  values  likewise  ; 
these  latter,  being  expressed  in  figures,  will  be  written  as  ranging 
from  11s.  6d.  to  12s. — according  to  the  variety  implicated.  There 
is  but  little  new  business  coming  forward,  and  while  prices 
are  unaltered  (for  the  reason  that  nothing  has  transpired  to 
warrant  any  alteration)  there  is  but  little  doubt  that  anything  of  a 
tempting  nature,  would  work  a  reduction  in  short  order.  Nice 
state  of  affairs,  isn't  it  ?  To  see  that  prices  continue  "as  they 
were,"  merely  because  nobody  seems  to  be  in  any  undue  hurry 
to  buy  the  stuff  !  But  the  figures  quoted  have  been  obtained  in 
one  or  two  instances,  although  buyers  are  too  few  to  stimulate, 
or  otherwise,  this  section  of  the  coal  trade. 

DRYS  may  not  be  said  to  have  assimilated  any  additional 
steadiness,  for  their  old-time  inactivity — that  masterly  condition 
which  has  been  their's  of  late — continues.  Naturally,  this  same 
condition  keeps  the  grade  in  a  weak  state,  and  promptly,  good  coals 
could  be  obtained  at  lls.  6d.  Indeed,  for  anything  required  for 
this  position,  BESTS  are  readily  obtainable  at  lls.  9d.  stems,  all 
'round,  being  dishearteningly  easy,  with  supplies  greatly  in  excess 
of  the  demand. 

MONMOUTHSHIRE  COALS.  There  is  but  little  that  is  new  to 
report  in  connection  with  this  phase  of  local  industry.  For 
immediate  requirements,  prices  have  ruled  as  firmly  as  last  week 
--more  particularly  in  the  ease  of  BLACK  VEINS,  and  stems  for 
which  are,  at  the  moment,  somewhat  tight.  Moreover,  Collieries 
here  are  well  supplied  with  a  good  show  of  tonnage.  For  prices,  we 
find  them  mainly  as  at  our  last  time  of  writing — lls.  9d.,  which 
figure  it  is  difficult  to  improve  upon. 

ORDINARIES,  too,  are  in  fairly  good  demand,  for  the  quotation  is 
steady  at  lls.  6d.  All  the  same,  there  is  no  undue  amount  of 
business  passing  herein,  at  least,  above  11s.  3d.,  and  ORDINARIES 
may  not  be  truthfully  written  as  worth  anything  above  this,  at 
the  moment.  Even  the  so-called  sympathy  with  the  premier  sorts 
has  had  no  visible  effect,  in  this  direction,  for  restriction  of  output 
is  the  one  condition  which  is  operative  in  this  particular  grade. 


4,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


SECONDS  have   hardened.     This,   consequent  upon  an  improved 

demand,    which    has    resulted  in  a  filling   of   stems.     The  sellers' 

idea  is  around  from    10s.  3d.   to  10s.  6d..  and  as  in  other  quarters 

transactions  have  been  for  prompt  loading,  forward 

business  being  altogether  slow  and  disappointing. 

RHONDDA  No.  3's  are  an  unchanged  section.  Values  show  a 
maintenance  of  those  ruling  at  our  last-  13s.  6d.  to  13s.  9d.  ;  but 
they  are  easy  inclined,  rather  than  otherwise.  Stems  are  fairly 
good,  and  this,  of  course,  keeps  collieries  well-employed  :  but  out- 
side of  these  engagements,  business  is  the  reverse  of  brisk. 

RHONDDA  No.  2's.  having  experienced  a  good  week  in  the  matter 
of  demand,  are  firmer.  Supplies,  on  this  account,  have  been 
somewhat  restricted,  and  the  quantity  available  at  an  early  date, 
being  anything  but  considerable,  prices  have  ruled  in  the  close 
neighbourhood  of  10s.  which  has  been  paid.  too. 


ft,.,  f^  ,  '    °nCe    agai"'    y°U     have    the    Adeeming 

feature  of  the  market.     The  demand  continues  great   as  ever  • 

supply  equally   restrieted-the   latter   accounted  for  by  fulness  of 

i,  and  approaching  holidays.     BESTS  have  readily  commanded 

the  time  of  writing,   9s.   6d.   is  the  quotation-although 

s  scarcely  applicable,  seeing   that  dealers  have  none  to  sell  ! 

NDS  have  ranged  between  8s.  6d.  and  9s.,  while  for  ORD,NAR,ES' 

there  has  been  a  flattering  demand  at  8s.  6d.     Other  vagaries    we 

give  below,  although  NEWPORTS  have  advanced  considerably  during 

the  last  day  or  so.  present  value  for  BESTS  of  that  ilk,  being  around 

by  8s.  6d. 

PATENT  FUELS  are  steady— not  so  much  on  positive  business   as 
jcause  of  the  firmness  of  SMALLS.     Average  values  are  at  13s  3d 
PITWOOD,  which   is   quoted    at   from    19s.  6d.   to    19s.    9d.,   is  much 
firmer  than  of  late. 


Ari'KOXIMATK        Fl'.tKKS       FOR        Till.        \Vn-.K.        ARK       AS       FOLLOW;  — 

(All  quotations  J.o.b.  at  the  respective  ports  of  shipment.. 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Best  Cardiff  Ad'alty  Urge 
Second         Ditto. 
Other  Second  Cardiff     ... 
Drys 
Best  Newport 
Ordinart  Bests 
Seconds 
Best  House  Coal 
No.  3  Rhondda 

us.  gd..  us.  31!. 
us  6d..  us.  od. 
n- 
.  .  us  cxi. 

u-.  3-1. 
31!. 
!  .  143.  9<l. 
otL 

us.  6d..  us.  gj. 
us.  od. 
us.  6d. 
us.  6d. 
1  1  s.  gd. 
i  is   31!.,   us.  6(1. 
ios.  3d.,  K 
M<    7jd. 

us.  g-.l. 
us.  od. 
i  is.  6d. 
us.  6d.,  us.  gd. 
i  is.  gd.,  us  od. 
us.  4.^(1. 
ios.  4Jd. 
I4s.  6(1. 

us.  6d.,  135.  od. 
us.  od.,  us.  3d. 
i  is.  gd. 
i  is.  gd. 
us.  od. 
us.  4.U1. 
ios.  6(1. 
145.  od. 

us.  gd. 
us.  ijd. 
us.  6cl.,  us.  od. 
i  is.  6d.,  us.  od. 
us.  gd. 
us.  6d. 
ios.  3d.,  ios.  6d. 
MS.  od.,  143.  6d. 

us.  gd.,  138.  od. 
us.  3d. 
us.  g(!. 
us.  gd. 
us.  gd.,  us.  od. 
us.  6d. 
ios.  6il. 
143.  3d. 

So.  2          Ditto. 
Rhondda  3  ••  Thro. 
* 

1  1  -.  gd. 
fcjl 

.-    lo.jd. 
us.  gd. 
8s.  6(1. 

gs.  gd.,  ios.  od. 
i  is.  7?.d. 
8s.  gd. 

ios.  od. 
us.  6d.,  us.  gd. 

8s.  gd 

ios.  od. 
us.  6d. 
8s.  6d.,  gs.  od. 

135.  6d. 
gs.  gd.,  ios.  3d. 
us.  6d. 
8s.  gd. 

Smalls: 

Best  Cardiff 
Seconds 

Ordinance 

8s.  9<l.,  gs.  al. 

a. 

8s.  31! 

h   10.',,  I. 
8s.  3d.,  8s.  6d. 

gs.  o.l. 
8s.  gd. 
8s.  4.U1. 

gs.  od. 
8s.  io»d. 
8s.  6d. 

gs.  od.,  gs.  3d. 
8s.  gd.,  gs.  od. 
8s.  bd. 

qs.  od.,  gs.  3d. 
8s.  gd. 
8s  3d    8s  6d 

Best  V»piiri 

/s.  9d. 

gd. 

8s.  od. 

8s.  od. 

8s.  3d. 

8s  3d 

Seconds 
Rhondda  »o.  2 

fid. 
ad. 

6d 

75.  ox). 

75.  od. 
7s-  9('- 

73.  gd. 
8s.  od. 

7s.  6(1  ,  73.  gd. 
8s.  od.,  8s.  6d. 

8s.  od. 
8s  3d 

Ma.  3 

: 

os.  9,1. 

os.  od. 

gs.  7jd. 

93.  6d. 

gs.  6d. 

Foundry  Cake  : 

Special 

-•is.  31). 

zis.  3;!. 

iis.  od.,  .MS.  6d. 

213.  3(1.,   2  IS.  6(1. 

2is.  6d. 

213.  3(1 

Ordlnan 

i  ?».  9.1. 

i;s.  Q<1. 

i;s.  6<|. 

175.  6d. 

i?s.  6d.,  1  7s.  gd. 

173.  gd. 

Fnrnace  Coke 

3d. 

(xl 

i6s.  6d. 

163.  od.,  1  6s.  6d. 

i6s.  3d. 

163.  od.,  i6s.  3d 

Patent  Fnel 

i  ;-   ml. 

133.  od. 

1-'-     illl..    I3S.   31!. 

'3s.  3d. 

133.  od.,  135.  6d. 

133.  6d. 

l-it-*..  iid     c\  -hip 

19*.  6.1. 

igs.  gd. 

igs.  gd. 

igs.  6d.,  igs.  gd. 

igs.  y.'.d. 

All.  less  2V,  per  cent,  discount,  with  payment  at  thirty  days,  except  where  otherwise  stated.' 
All  quotations  for  large  Coals  imply  Colliery  Screened. 


SWANSEA.  July  26.  1905. 

THIS  market  has  undergone  but  little  change  since  our  last,  and 
generally  speaking,  business  remains  in  a  state  of  quietude.  For 
prompt  shipment,  there  is  a  moderate  amount  of  enquiry,  and  stems 
for  this  position  are  decently  full  in  a  few  favoured  quarters.  The 
demand,  however,  n  anything  but  active,  and  nominally,  prices  are 
unchanged. 

ANTHRACITE  COALS  of  the  best  descriptions,  are  steady  at  the  moment- 
seeing  that  stems  therein,  are  passing  good.  But  beyond  this,  there 
is  very  little  new  business  about,  and  the  tendency  is  all  toward 
easiness.  Inferior  qualities  have  anything  but  a  good  request,  and 
while  values  vary,  according  to  quality  and  position,  they  are  easy  and 
open  to  an  appreciable  reduction  where  the  date  of  shipment  suits 
the  stem.  BIG  VEINS  average  from  I  Is.  to  lls.  6d..  with  RED  VEINS 
at  about  9*.  6d.  The  others  we  give  you  below. 

DUFF  continues  fairly  active,  present  figures  being  represented  by  a 
steady  3s.  3d.  There  is  ample  room  for  improvement  in  this  section. 


as  supplies  are  more  than  equal  to  the  demands  made  thereon.  CULM 
shows  no  great  disposition  to  weaken,  and  values  have  been,  during 
the  past  week,  maintained.  Collieries  are  busy,  and  there  is  a.  fair 
enquiry. 

MACHINE  MADE  COALS  show  no  improvement.  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
lack  of  appreciation  is  the  prevailing-  trouble,  here,  and  quotations, 
although  unchanged,  may  be  easily  improved  upon.  STEAMS  are 
somewhat  steadier,  on  account  ol  firmer  enquiry.  Stemming, 
also,  has  been  better— this,  more  especially  with  the  BEST  SORTS, 
which  are  now  firmly  quoted  at  1  3«.  But  3d.  under  has  eventuated, 
quite  as  frequently  as  has  the  quotation,  and  can  be  considered  as 
present  value. 

SECONDS  are  even  as  at  our  last,  and  prompt  supplies  are  very 
plentiful.  BUNKER  QUALITIES,  too,  are  negotiable  at  under  the 
quotation,  which  is  1  Os.  9d.,  stems  being  very  easy.  PATENT  FUELS 
are.  nominally,  unchanged  :  but  they  are  an  easy  section  at  about 
1  Is.  6d. 


BELOW,  we  give  the  average  prices  for  the  week  :— 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY.                   MONDAY. 

TUESDAY.                 WEDNESDAY. 

Anthracite: 

Best    Hand    Picked 

NallinX  Lame 
Seconds    do. 

ad. 

its.  6(1. 

od.                          193.  od.                          i8s.  gd.             i     1  8s.  6:1.,  1  8s.  g:l.     i             183.  7.U1. 
3d.                i6s.  oil.,  i6s.  Jc.         i6s.  o:!.,  i6s.  6d.                i6s.  3(1.                        163.  3(1. 

HI*  Vein  Lar<e 
Red    .. 

us.  9<l. 

,    9 

us.  6d.,  us.  gd 
gs.  6d. 

us.  6d.                       los.  4^d.              iis.  3d.,  us.  gd. 
gs.  6d.                  gs.  3d.,  gs.  6d                  93.  6d. 

i  is.  6d. 
gs.  3d.,  gs.  6d. 

Machine  Made  Cobbles 
..     Nnts 

od. 
IDS.  od.,  I7s.  cxi 

153.  gd.                         158.  gd.                 155.  6(1.,  i6s.  i«l.                 153.  gd 
i6s.  fd.                         l6s.  6d.                          1  6s.  3(1.                         1  6s.  3(1. 

i;s.  gd. 
163.  o:l.,  i6s.  6d. 

,,     Peas 

los.  cxl  .  los.  td. 

los.  3d.                        IGS.  3d.                        los.  od. 

IDS.  o.i.,  ios.  6d. 

ios.  ^d.,  ios.  6(1. 

Hubh!>  Cnln 
D>ff 

6d. 

1  .   ;«.  yl 

53.  fed. 
38.  od. 

55.  3d. 
39.  6d. 

53.  3d.,  53.  6:1. 
33.  6d.,  35.  gd. 

55.  3d.,  <(s.  g.l. 
33.  6(1. 

-s.  6d. 
33.  .vl.,  3s.  6-1. 

Patent  Fuel: 

us.  9d. 

us.  7{d. 

us.  6d. 

us.  6d. 

i  is.  3(1.,  us.  gd. 

us.  6d. 

Steam: 
Best     Larjte 
Seconds  .. 
Bnnker    .. 
Thro'  and  Thro' 

12-    6(1.,   I2S.  91! 
127.   «1 

IDS.  6(1. 
7>}t. 

\2S.  9(1. 
I2S.  Oil. 
IOS.  6(1. 

8s.  7id. 

'3s-  «|- 
i  is.  od. 

ics.  3d. 

8s.  gd. 

133.  od. 
us.  gd. 
IDS.  3d. 
8s.  gd. 

us.  gd. 
us.  gd.,  us.  od. 
ios.  od.,  ios.  6d. 
8s.  6d.,  8s.  gd. 

12S.   9  1. 

us.  od. 
ios.  6d. 
8s.  7£<1. 

20 : 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


August  4,   1905 


COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES. 


CARDIFF,  August  2,  1905. 

CHARTERING,  during  the  past  week,  has  not  been  unduly  active. 
Whether  this  is  because  of  the  approaching  holidays,  or  rather  from 
the  inherent  cussedness  which  hangs  around  this  phase  of  the 
country's  industry,  we  do  not  care  to  say.  In  fact,  where  chartering, 
or  its  lack,  is  concerned,  it  is  ever  safer  to  keep  clear  of  reasons 
of  any  sort. 

IN  EASTERN  directions,  business  is  more  than  usually  dull— which  is 
admitting  a  very  great  deal.  WESTWARD,  rates  have  been  main- 
tained—what there  is  of  them,  which  is  not  a  terrifying  amount. 

MEDITERRANEAN  freights  show  an  appreciable  (from  the  charterers' 
point  of  view)  weakness,  especially  for  Italian  ports.  GENOA  rates,  for 
example,  have  declined  considerably,  since  our  last,  those  current 
being  represented  at  about  5s.  3d.,  although  for  handy-sized  tonnage, 
this  has  been,  in  one  or  two  instances,  improved  upon. 

BAY  AND  COASTING  are  in  the  schedule,  but  business  in  this  con- 
nection at  the  moment,  is  uniformly  and  disappointingly  dull.  HOWEVER, 
low  rates  notwithstanding,  a  fair  amount  of  tonnage  has  been  taken 
up  ;  personally,  we  are  inclined  to  believe  that  if  rates  were  at  half 
their  present  level,  the  same  thing  would  apply.  For  representative 
fixtures  in  the  various  trades,  we  refer  you  to  the  subjoined  list : 

Week  Ending,  (Wednesday),  August  2,  1905 

(N)   denotes    Newport,    (S)   Swansea,    (P.  T.)    Port    Talbot,    loading. 

EASTERN. 

Cape,     Angola,   5, 500  tons,    123.  3d.    300 
Colombo,      Argyll,    iis. 

WESTWARD,     Etc. 

River  Plate,     Hillgmve,    8s.  fid.    250 

Steamer,   8s.  6d. 

Brooinfield,     2,700  tons,    8s.  6d. 

Kirkoswald,  8s.  fid. 

Marv  Park.    8s.  6d.    (Monte  Video  f.o.) 
Rio  de  Janeiro,     Driinicliffe,   93.  9d. 
Las  Pal  mas,     Restorntel,  3,200  tons,    6s.  3d.   option 

Teneriffe. 
St.  Michaels,     Bengore  Head,   2,700   tons,    6s.  3d.    option 

Fayal. 

Buenos  Ayres,     Steamer,    about    8s.  :d.      (N). 
Madeira,     Forest,    2,000   tons,    73. 
Zarate,    Giusseppe  Accame,   3, 500  tons,    <js. 
Cape  Verdes,     Eastlands,    3,600  4,000  tons,  75. 
Bahia  Blanca,     Steamer,  4,500  tons,    <)s.  3d.  (N). 

MEDITERRANEAN,     Etc. 

Port  Said,     Replonian,    4,500  tons,   55. 

Etonian,   55. 

Hainbletont    4,000  tons,    53. 
Genoa,     Aeolus,    3,400  tons,  CF. 

Steamer,    4,500  tons,   55.   6d. 

Sarnia,    5,000  tons,    55.  6d. 

Polvnesir,    25,00  tons,    53.  9d. 

Wenvoe,  4,500  tons,    53.  6d. 

Frank  Covenlale,    5,000  tons,    53.  fid. 

Mora,   55.  fid. 

Epiros,   3,000  tons,   53.  9d. 

Steamer,    5,000  tons,   55. 

Steamer,    53. 

Segonlian,    1,400  tons,   6s.  3d. 
Palermo,     Dovedale,  3, 500  tons,  6s. 
Brindisi,     Steamer,    3,800/4,200   tons,    53.  3d. 
Alexandria,     Ruperra,  5,500  tons,    6s.     100 

Dingivall,    2,400  2,600  tons,    6s.    fid. 

Banco,    3,600   tons,     6s. 

Ncivstead,    3,700  tons,    53.  7^d. 
Constantinople,     Lyell,  2,800  tons,    53.  fid. 

Steamer,     53.  fid.     option   Haida  Pasha. 
Piraaus,     Steamer,  4,600  tons.    53.  fid.    (N). 
Venice,     Kolozsvar,    2,600  tons,    73.    ijd.  coal,  73.    io4d. 

fuel,    (s). 

Valencia,     Sargnsfo,    1,400  tons,    6s.  (jd.  (s). 
Ortcna,     Duchess  uf  Cornwall^    2,?co  tens,    -ts.  3d. 
Catania,     Pendeen,  2,900  tons,  55.  gd.  coal,  6s.  fid.  fuel,  (s). 


Algiers,     Sarah  Raddiffe,    2,000  tons,    7    fcs.   coal,    8    fcs. 
fuel,   (s). 

Steamer,   2,400  tons,    6-75  fcs. 

East 'field,  3,000  tons,   675  fcs. 
Danube,     Maria,    3,700  tons,    53. 9d. 
Barcelona,     Broadgartli,  4,800  tons,    6K.  3d. 
Volo,     Dunsley,  2,500  tons,    6s.  3d.   (s). 
Messina,      Steamer,   1,500  tons,    75.    (s). 

C/ymene,    1,600  tons,    73.  coal,    73.  gd.  fuel   (s). 
Tunis,     Steamer,    2,550  tons,    9-12^  fcs.  coal,    10-124  fcs. 

fuel,   (s). 

Cagliari,  Manonssis,  2,700  tons,  6s.  fid.  coal,  75.  3d.  fuel,  (s). 
Marseilles,     Anialfi,    2,700    tons,    7   fcs. 

Alcana,  or  sub.,  5, 500  tons,    7  fcs.     (x). 

Nigarislan,   3,600  tons,    0-87^  fcs.   (N). 

Spennymoor,   4,000  tons,    6-75  fcs.     (s). 
Oran,     La  Viennc,    1,900  tons,    7-25  fcs.    (N). 
Trieste,     Florida,    4,700  tons,    53.  fid. 
Naples,     Steamer,  4,400  tons,  43.  gd.    1,000. 
Lagos,  (Portugal),     Greenhill,   (part   cargo),    2,450    tons, 

33.   ioid.   (Admiralty.) 

Gibraltar,     Cassia,    1,350  tons,     53.  fid.     spot. 
Malta,     Mendelssohn,   3,500  tons,    43.  6d. 

Lady  Iveagh,   2,900  tons,    43.  3d. 
Lisbon,     Speedivell,   1,200  tons,   43.  gd.    ppt. 

Garth,    1,800  tons,    43.  9d. 

Ross,  1,400  tons,  43.  3d. 
Vigo,  Lionel,  1,350  tons,  53. 
Torre,  Steamer,  4,500  tons,  53.  3d. 

BALTIC,  Etc. 

Cronstadt,     Steamer,   2,500  tons,    43.  fid. 
Steamer,      2,100    tons,     43.  fid. 

BAY,     Etc. 

Nantes,    Johanna,  1,200  tons,  5-25  fcs.  (s.) 
Charente,    Rive  de  Gier,   2,400  tons,   4-87 1  fcs. 

Helene  Lohden,    1,500  tons,  4-80  fcs.     (s). 
Chantenay,     Sclialdis,   1,650  tons,    4-87!  francs,  (s). 
Bordeaux,    Abertawe,   1,770  tons,  4-87^  fcs.    (s). 
La  Rochelle,     Clarence,   1,350  tons,    4-37^^3.   (s). 


COASTING,     Etc. 

Devonport,    Alacrity,    1,25010113,    2s.  i^d.    (Admiralty). 
Belfast,     Prase,  240  tons,    35.  3d. 
Depots,     County  Clare,    330  tons,    33.  gd. 
Guernsey,     York,    140  tons,   43.  6d.  (s). 
Bremen,     Hansa,  (part  cargo),    600  tons,    55.    (s). 

Kings-Lynn,   660  tons,    55.    (s). 

Portland,     Inver,   1,200  tons,    23.  3d.     (Admiralty). 
Passage  West,     Emma,    135  tons,    53.  3d. 
Rouen,     M.J.  Craig,  800  tons,    43.  6d.   (s). 

Vril.  420  tons,  43.  gd.    (s). 

Gransha,    1,450  tons,    43.  6d.    (s). 

Senga.    500  tons,    43.  gd.  option  Duclaire,  (s). 

Steamer,  600  tons,    43.  7|d.   (s). 

Steamer,    550   tons,   43.  7 id.    (s). 

Alice  M.  Craig,   1,15010113,  43.  fid.      (s;. 

Hampshire,     8co   tons,     45.  id.     (s). 
St.  Malo,     The  Monarch,  or  sub.,   700  tons,  43.    (s). 
Caen,     Race  Fisher,    580  tons,    43.    (s). 

Theodora,    1,200   tons,    (Private  terms),  (s). 
Caen/Honfleur,     rec/is,    1,150  tons,   43. 
Havre,     Curran,  or  suit.,   1,450  tons,   33.  ioid.   (s). 

Mercator,     1,300    tons,    35.  gd.  option  St.  Malo. 
St.  Valery,     Le  Havrais,    300  tons,    53.  gd.   (s). 
Brest,     Normandiet,   1,130  tons,    33.  9d. 
Cherbourg,     Steamer,    2,900  tons,  43.  coal,  43.  6d.  fuel,  (s). 
Fecamp,     Nephrite,  or  sub.,  650  tons,  43.    (s). 

HOMEWARD. 

Carthagena  to  Swansea,     Monza,  3,100  tons,    53.    f.d. 
Bilbao  to  Briton  Ferry,  Jason,  850  tons.  43.  9d.    ppt. 

Sunlight,    1,500  tons,    43.  gd.     ppt. 
Pasages  to  Newport,    Steamer,    2,300  tons,    43.  fid. 


August  4,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


maritime 

(AND   OTHER) 

roonep 
matters. 


,  eh  !  But  its  a 
long  lane  that 
has  no  turning — 
as  the  proverbial  philo- 
sophist  would  remark, 
although  for  the  matter 
of  that,  some  very  short 
lanes  have  nothing  of 
the  turning  particular 
about  them.  But  for 
months  past  —  how 
many,  exactly,  we 
shouldn't  care  to  hazard 
—no  one  seems  to  have  had  pluck  enough  to  face  the 
word  "  acquire,"  in  connection  with  steam  shipping. 
You  know,  the  word  which  we  have  placed  in  inverted 
commas,  has  a  terrible  amount  of  fascination  about  it, 
and  on  occasion,  has  been  responsible  for  much  tribula- 
tion, vexation,  botheration,  and  several  other  "  ations  " 
with  which  we  have  no  time  to  concern  ourselves. 

HOWEVER,  there  is  a  break  in  the  monotony,  and 
sundry  enterprising  people  are  out  to  show  the 
remainder  of  the  world,  that  old  "acquire"  is  by  no 
means  dead.  If  their  prime  little  parcel  of  property  is 
not  altogether  new ;  if  she  is  not  particularly  valuable, 
as  steamers  rank,  these  days  ;  if  she  is  not  absolutely  in 
the  front  row  as  a  clipper  steamer;  she  is  worthy  of 
acquirement,  for  divers  persons  down  Newport  way, 
have  registered  a  company  with  a  capital  of  £10,240  in 
£40  shares,  and  the  concern  will  go  down  in  history  as 
the  Elorrio  Steamship  Company,  Limited.  Personallyt 
we  wish  this  little  venture  every  success,  and  we 
sincerely  trust  that  her  dividends  will  ever  be  above  the 
mark  which  will  call  for  the  trade  attention,  of  those  of 
her  shareholders  who  are  analytical  chemists. 

•f  •«••»• 

WHAT'S  that?  Who  are  the  enterprising  ones? 
Well,  in  the  first  place— this  time-  the  Elorrio  was  under 
the  management  of  Messrs.  Richard  W.  Jones  and  Co., 
who  have  unacquired  (this  is  our  manner  of  putting  it) 
their  management,  and  are  going  to  act  as  ship's  husband 
and  general  agents  to  seven  gentlemen,  who  are 
respectively  named:  B.  H.  Jones,  who  is  a  shipowner; 
A.  T.  Jones,  a  clerk;  G.  T.  Jones,  another  clerk;  A.  R. 
Twist,  clerk,  once  more :  A.  J.  Atkinson,  analytical 
chemist;  C.  White,  a  gasworks-manager;  and  R.  W. 
Atkinson,  again,  an  analytical  chemist.  We  are  hardly 
sure  whether  this  is  a  case  for  congratulation,  and  if  so, 
where  it  should  rightly  belong. 

•f  •»•  -f 

IT  will  be  admitted  that  there  is  a  certain  amount  of 
responsibility  attaching  to  the  business  of  managing 
owner?  For  that  matter,  tnerc  is  a  chunk  or  so  hanging 
around  the  business  of  ships  husband— even  if  h«wars* 
never  legally  married  to  her?  But  as  far  as  we  can 
learn,  the  responsibility  in  the  latter  instance,  is  con- 
siderably less  than  rules  in  the  former,  and  it  is  right 
here  that  we  are  in  the  dark,  as  to  where  we  should 
apportion  our  congratulatory  encomiums.  Somehow, 
we  seem  to  realise  that  Messrs.  Richard  W.  Jones  and 
Company,  as  managers,  ought  to  have  a  tougher  time 
than  will  the  same  good  people  when  merely  engaged  as 
husbands  to  Elorrio.  How  it  will  work  out  in  toughness 
to  the  others  who  are  exactly  seven,  time,  alone,  will  tell. 

•f  -f  + 

FROM  shipownmg  to  dry  docks  is  but  a  step,  is  it  ?  As 
a  matter  of  fact,  the  one  is  complement  to  the  other, 
although  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  it  is  possible  to 
run  a  ship  without  having  a  dry  dock  handy;  while  to 
run  a  dry  dock  it  is  essential  to  have  a  ship  or  two- 
unhandy,  for  choice?  There  is  a  bit  of  subtlety  herein 
involved,  if  you  have  but  time  to  hunt  it  up.  We  haven't, 


so  we  pass  on  to  ask  if  you  have  heard  of  the  labour 
troubles  in  the  dry  dock  world  ?  Labourers  won't  labour ; 
painters  won't  paint ;  in  consequence  of  all  this,  ships 
won't  dry-dock.  With  the  foregoing  in  mind,  you 
naturally  turn  to  the  question  of  what  you  are  likely  to 
receive,  as  your  share  of  the  results  of  the  dry  dock 
manager's  worry  over  the  past  half-year  ? 

+  +  + 

WELL,  it  all  depends  on  the  particular  dry  dock  which 
is  implicated — or  with  which  you  are  implicated,  as  the 
case  might  be.  Some  dry  docks  are  inclined  to  pay 
very  fairly — some  ain't.  With  the  latter  sort,  we  are 
not  concerning  ourselves  on  this  occasion — they'll  come 
in,  later  on.  But  among  the  payers,  we  note  that  the 
Cardiff  Channel  Dry  Docks  and  Pontoon  Company, 
Limited,  come  first,  with  the  interest  on  the  "  A  "  and 
"B"  debentures,  due  on  Tuesday,  paid  up  like  a  shot. 
We  have  heard  one  or  two  envious  individuals  ask, 
"  However  does  '  Billy  denes'  do  it,  in  these  hard  times?" 
For  ourselves,  we  do  not  care  to  hazard  a  reply.  If  we 
were  to  give  any  sort  of  answer,  we  should  have  to  state 
that  he  has  done  it  out  of  earnings—bad  times  and  all, 

notwithstanding. 

+  +  + 

WHY  should  we  make  this  statement?  Well,  it's  like 
this  :  We  took  a  surreptitious  stroll  around  the  property 
over  which  Mr.  William  Jones  is  "  Boss,"  and  we  kept  a 
very  keen  lookout  for  some  sort  of  a  tree  about  which 
travellers  have  talked.  Needless  to  say  we  are  referring 
to  the  pagoda  tree.  Do  you  suppose  that  we  found  any 
such  tree  at  "  the  Channel  ?  "  Well,  we  didn't !  Ergo, 
the  interest  was  not  the  resolt  of  a  shake  at  any  pagoda 
tree,  was  it?  But  if  we  didn't  find  that  particular  tree, 
we  noticed  one  or  two  other  items  which  are  popularly 
supposed  to  be  conducive  to  dividend  paying — when 
considered  in  connection  with  a  dry  dock.  What  was  it? 
Why,  a  few  steamers  "  in  "  for  repair,  of  course.  That's 
what  it  was.  Personally,  and  supposing  we  managed  a 
dry  dock,  we  should  attach  more  importance  to  a  couple 
of  good  repair  jobs,  than  should  we  to  half  a  dozen  of 
those  tree  things,  yes ! 

STILL,  the  Channel  Dry  Docks  isn't  the  only  pebble 
on  the  shiprepairing  beach,  if  you'll  forgive  us  for  placing 
the  matter  in  that  somewhat  poetical  manner.  There  is 
the  Mountstuart  Dry  Docks,  for  example.  Keeping  to 
the  metaphorical  idea,  it  is  a  fairly  good  sort  of  pebble, 
don't  forget.  Jealous  folk  are  apt  to  say  things  up 
against  the  Mountstuart  Dry  Docks — especially  when 
dividends  are  the  subject  of  discussion.  But  that  is 
merely  human,  isn't  it  ?  If  you  were  managing  a  dry 
dock  which  never — even  in  the  "  boom"  — paid  more  than 
three  per  cent.,  and  at  the  same  time  had  to  consider  a 
dry  dock  which  paid  ten  per  cent.,  and  a  2,'g  per  cent. 
bonus  -well,  you'd  get  wrathy,  and  would  say  things, 
wouldn't  you?  Of  course,  you  would — unless  you  were 
a  sort  of  double-breasted  Christian,  in  which  case, 
you  might  find  a  difficulty  in  squaring  matters -but 

never  mind ! 

+  +  + 

BUT  reverting  to  "the  Mountstuart,"  which  has  paid 
out  that  "ten  and  two-and-a-half,"  more'n  once,  yes  - 
well,  it's  no  wonder  that  the  three-per-cents,  say  things 
up  against  it?  Never  mind  ;  just  you  read  the  following  : 
"The  directors' report  for  the  year  ended  June  30, 
showed  a  profit,  after  paying  interest  on  the  debentures, 
of  £21,169.  After  providing  for  the  interim  dividend, 
and  a  further  distribution  at  the  rate  of  six  per  cent,  per 
annum  on  the  preferred,  and  four  per  cent,  per  annum  on 
the  deferred  shares  ...  a  balance  remained  of  £4,518  to 
carry  forward."  Very  well  then.  The  foregoing  is  an 
excerpt  from  the  directors'  report  of  the  Mountstuart 
Dry  Docks,  Limited.  It's  good  enough— alongside  of  the 
old  three-per-cent,  isn't  it?  Certainly  ! 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


August  4,  1905 


SHIPMASTERS  IN  CONSULTATION. 


As  showing  the  wide  range  of  subjects  handled  by  the 
Mercantile  Marine  Service  Association,  the  following 
"  Quarterly  Report  "  should  prove  of  interest. 

THE  ALIENS  BILL  : — The  Association  has  been  in  frequent  corres- 
pondence with  Mr.  McArthur.  M.P.,  and  other  Members  have  been 
urged  to  support  the  amendments  moved  by  the  Member  for  the 
Exchange  Division,  on  behalf  of  the  shipmasters.  Unfortunately,  Mr. 
McArthur  was  only  able  to  carry  the  amendment  to  one  of  the  clauses 
of  the  Bill,  the  remaining  clauses  being  passed  by  the  Government  by 
the  aid  of  the  closure.  The  Home  Secretary  had  agi  eed  to  the  in- 
sertion of  the  words  "  Owner  or  Agent "  to  the  word  "Master"  in 
the  remaining  clauses  of  the  Bill,  but  these  were  not  moved  on  behalf 
of  the  Government,  and  consequently  the  Bill  passed  through  the 
Commons  without  the  desired  amendments.  The  Home  Secretary  has, 
however,  agreed  to  get  these  amendments  moved  in  the  House  of 
Lords,  and  steps  have  been  taken  to  obtain  the  support  of  some  of  the 
noble  lords,  so  that  when  the  Bill  passes  through  the  Upper  House,  it 
may  appear  in  a  slightly  different  form,  obviating  an  unjustifiable 
hardship  upon  shipmasters,  who,  alone,  are  responsible  (under  the 
Bill  as  at  present  drafted)  for  the  landing,  at  British  ports,  of  un- 
desirable aliens. 

Foe  SIGNALS  ON  THE  NEWFOUNDLAND  COAST  : — Representations  have 
been  made  to  the  Government  of  Newfoundland,  as  to  the  need  of  a 
fog  signal  at  Ferryland  Head,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Cape  Race.  The 
Deputy  Minister  of  Marine  in  reply,  states  that  "  a  fog  alarm  at 
Ferryland  Head  would  be  of  enormous  value  to  our  foreign  and 
coastwise  vessels,  as  also  to  many  ocean  steamers  who  desire  to 
make  and  take  a  departure  from  Cape  Race,  and  the  matter  will  no 
doubt  receive,  at  the  hands  of  the  Government  of  Newfoundland,  the 
attention  it  deserves."  Masters  of  vessels  in  the  North  Atlantic  trade 
will  doubtless  be  glad  to  hear,  that  there  is  some  prospect  of  a  warning 
signal  being  erected  in  this  important  locality,  and  which,  considering 
the  number  of  wrecks  near  Cape  Race,  is  a  much  needed  improvement. 

THE  LUNAR  PROBLEM  AND  NAVAL  ARCHITECTURE  : — The  notice  issued 
by  the  Board  of  Trade,  as  to  the  change  in  the  subjects  for  the  Extra 
Examination,  viz. ;  the  exclusion  of  the  Lunar  Problem,  and  the  sub- 
stitution of  a  knowledge  of  Naval  Architecture,  has  received  the 
consideration  of  the  Council.  It  was  felt  that  as  the  Nautical  Almanac 
Office  propose  to  discontinue  the  Lunar  Distances  in  the  Nautical 
Almanac  after  1906,  and  the  problem  is  seldom  of  practical  use  in 
present  day  navigation  (except  in  sailing  ships),  the  Council  approved 
of  its  omission  in  the  Extra  Certificate  Examination,  although  they 
recognise  that,  to  the  nautical  student  who  desires  to  excel  in  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  his  profession,  Lunars  should  not  be  unknown. 
The  Council  also  approve  of  Naval  Architecture  being  included  in  the 
Syllabus,  but  they  are  of  opinion  that  the  student  should  be  at  liberty 
to  select  any  recognised  work  on  the  subject,  as  a  text  book. 

THE  LIGHTING  OF  THE  ST.  GEORGE'S  CHANNEL  : — In  response  to 
many  requests,  representations  were  made  to  the  Trinity  House  as  to 
the  necessity  for  improvement  in  some  of  the  leading  lights  in  this 
much  frequented  Channel.  It  was  specially  urged  that  the  lights  on  the 
Smalls  and  Bardsey  Island,  should  be  altered  from  occulting  into 
powerful  quick  flashing  lights.  The  Elder  Brethren,  in  reply,  state  that 
they  note  with  satisfaction  the  expression  of  appreciation  as  to  the  new 
Skerries  Light,  and  the  improvements  which  have  been  effected  in 
several  of  the  principal  lights  guarding  the  English  Channel  ;  and  they 
were  at  all  times  glad  to  receive  suggestions  as  to  improvements  in,  or 
additions  to,  aids  in  navigation.  With  respect  to  the  Smalls,  South 
Bishop,  and  Bardsey,  it  was  pointed  out  that  the  power  of  these 
Lights  had  recently  been  very  considerably  increased,  the  Smalls 
white  sector  from  9,500  to  35.000  candle  power  ;  the  red  sector  from 
3,700  to  14,000;  the  South  Bishop  from  25,250  to  128,750; 
and  Bardsey  from  7,750  to  35.000.  The  Lights  are  still  of  the 
old  fashioned  occulting  order,  but  the  Trinity  Brethren  add  that 
the  suggestions  and  recommendations  of  this  Association  have 
been  duly  noted,  and  will  be  taken  into  consideration  when  the 
opportunity  occurs,  for  effecting  further  improvements  in  the  lights  on 
this  part  of  the  coast. 

GALLANTRY   AT   SEA  : — The   council  have    unanimously    voted    the. 
Association's  Silver  Medal   to   Mr.    George    Patterson,  M.M.S.A.   Chief 
Officer  of  the  steamer  "  Torrington  ",  for  his  seamanlike  services  in 
rescuing  the  survivors  of  the  Spanish  steamer  "  Uriate  No  2."  sunk  in 
collision,  off  Deal. 

FOG  SIGNAL  AT  CAPE  SPARTEL  :— The  need  for  a  fog  signal  in  con- 
nection with  this  light  having  been  brought  to  the  notice  of  the 
Association,  representations  have  been  made  to  the  Foreign  Office  to 
this  effect,  and  the  matter  is  now  under  the  consideration  of  the 
Authorities  at  Tangier. 


LEGAL  DEFENCE  :—  The  interests  of  Members  have  been  defended  by 
the  Association's  Solicitors  in  the  Board  of  Trade  Inquiries  into  the 
case  of  the  "  County  of  Anglesea"  (shifting  of  ballast);  "  Harcalo" 
(stranding)  ;  the  "  Eulomsne."  missing  ship  (on  behalf  of  the  relatives 
of  the  deceased  master);  and  in  an  overloading  .case,  (the  master 
being  absent  during  the  loading)-  all  with  successful  results.  Other 
cases  of  Members  were  receiving-  attention  in  the  event  of  Board  of 
Trade  Inquiries  oeing  held.  Among  general  matters  of  advice  given  were 
the  following  : — Master's  claim  for  medical  expenses,  maintenances 
and  passage  home  ;  pilot's  failure  to  answer  signals  ;  collision  between 
a  steamer  and  pilot  schooner ;  shipmaster  and  Income  Tax  ;  ship- 
master's investment  to  obtain  command,  &c.  &c. 

SUEZ  CANAL  PILOTS  :— The  question  of  the  appointment  of  Canal 
Pilots  and  the  comparatively  few  Englishmen  engaged,  has  come 
under  consideration,  and  representations  have  been  made  to  the 
directors  of  the  Canal  on  the  subject.  From  statements  recently 
published,  it  appears  that  the  pilots,  number  94,  of  whom  29  are 
Greek  ;  20  Italian  ;  16  French  ;  14  Austrian  ;  1 1  British  ;  2  German; 
1  Dutch  ;  and  1  Danish.  It  might  be  assumed  by  this,  that  British 
subjects  have  not  applied,  in  any  great  number,  for  these  positions  ; 
but  attention  was  drawn  to  the  case  of  a  member  of  this  Association. 
In  July  1903.  he  made  formal  application  for  an  appointment  as 
Canal  Pilot ;  was  interviewed  by  the  officials  ;  and  was  told  that  his 
application  would  be  considered  when  a  vacancy  occurred.  Since  that 
application  was  lodged  in  1903,  12  vacancies  have  been  filled  by  one 
Englishman,  two  or  three  French,  and  the  others,  mostly.  Greeks. 
No  satisfactory  reply  has  been  received,  although  attention  has  been 
repeatedly  drawn  to  the  application.  Taking  into  account  the 
preponderance  of  British  tonnage  paying  Canal  dues,  and  the 
'  considerable  financial  interest  Great  Britain  has  in  the  company,  it 
does  appear  unaccountable  why  applications  from  British  shipmasters 
should  be  passed  over  in  these  appointments  ;  and  this  Association 
trusts  that  the  English  directors  on  the  Board  of  the  Company  will 
investigate  the  matter  with  a  view  to  remedying  the  grievance 
complained  of. 

SHIPMASTERS'  INVESTMENTS:— Attention  has  been  called  to  one  or  two 
recent  cases  of  bankrupt  shipmanagers,  where  the  savings  of  ship- 
masters and  officers  have  been  taken  under  false  representations,  and 
the  money  lost.  The  practice  of  investing  to  obtain  command  is  not  to  be 
recommended  unless  under  exceptional  circumstances  ;  but  many 
masters,  through  the  promise  of  employment  have  been  induced  to  part 
with  their  money,  with  little  or  no  security  given.  Some  of  these  men 
have  lost  the  whole  of  their  investment,  and  have  been  obliged  to  seek 
the  aid  of  charity  in  their  latter  days.  The  practice  appears  to  be 
increasing  among  a  certain  class  of  shipmanagers,  and  the  circum- 
stances, in  one  case,  were  such  as  to  justify  calling  the  Public 
Prosecutor's  attention  to  the  matter. 

SHIPMASTER'S  SPECIAL  SERVICES: -Many  instances  have  come  under 
the  notice  of  this  Association,  where  shipmasters  have  rendered 
extraordinary  services  in  the  saving  of  ship  and  cargo,  and  the  matter 
has  passed  unnoticed  by  the  underwriters.  In  a  case  that  occurred  a 
few  years  ago,  a  ship  and  cargo  valued  at  £90,000  was  saved  from 
loss  by  fire,  through  the  special  exertions  of  the  master  after  many 
privations  and  risk  to  life.  Although  in  a  desperate  condition,  the 
captain  refused  to  ask  to  be  taken  off  by  passing  steamships,  or.  to  be 
towed  into  safety,  but,  with  the  aid  of  his  officers  and  crew,  most 
heroically  fought  the  flames,  and  succeeded  in  getting  the  vessel  into 
port.  Yet  no  communication  conveying  the  thanks  of  the  underwriters 
was  received  by  him,  although,  he  understands,  a  small  sum  (£20) 
has  been  voted  to  him.  The  case  was  brought  under  the  notice  of 
Lloyd's,  with  the  view  to  the  award  of  Lloyd's  Medal  for  these  special 
services,  but  without  result.  Shipmasters,  in  doing  their  duty,  are 
not  influenced  by  the  hope  of  any  reward :  but  in  these  days,  when 
interested  parties  may  endeavour  to  make  as  big  claims  as  possible 
upon  underwriters,  it  behoves  the  latter  to  give  every  encouragement 
to  masters  who  perform  extraordinary  services  in  their  interests. 
Virtue  may  be  its  own  reward,  but  no  master  can  be  called  upon  to 
risk  the  lives  of  himself,  officers  and  crew,  in  a  desperate  effort  to 
save  property,  when  other  means  are  at  hand  to  preserve  life  even 
at  the  sacrifice  of  property.  It  is  a  short-sighted  policy  on  the  part 
of  underwriters  to  ignore  facts,  and  assume  that  because  a  master 
has  brought  his  vessel  into  port,  no  matter  what  the  circumstances  are, 
he  has  only  done  his  duty. 

EMPLOYMENT  BUREAU  :— During  the  Quarter,  the  number  of 
Applications  from  Shipowners  for  Masters  and  Officers,  were  156; 
consisting  of  1 0  Masters,  1 42  Officers  and  4  Shore  appointments,, 
and  the  Members  on  the  list  seeking-employment  numbered  86, 
consisting  of  6  Masters  and  80  Officers. 


August  4,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


204 


PATENTS 


M2SRKS 


Relating    to    SHIPPING   and    the    COAL    TRADE. 


Specifications  published  on  July  20,  1905,  together 
with  an  indication  of  their  subject  matter,  the  title 
being  printed  in  Italics. 

11,767  04      MEHLHORN&von  KLITZl NU  —  Improvements 
in  floating  docks. 

This  invention  relates  to  the  provision  of  compart- 
ments or  chambers  in  floating  docks,  which  communicate 
by  means  of  valve  controlled  openings  with  the  external 
water,  in  such  a  manner  that,  the  air  enclosed  in  such 
chambers  is  compressed  by  the  water  on  sinking  the 
dock,  such  compressed  air  assisting  in  the  expulsion  of 
the  water  when  the  dock  is  again  raised. 

14,359  04— SUCDEN — Improvaments  in  safety  devices  for 
miners'  cages  and  the  like. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  device  for  arresting  the 
descent  of  a  mine  cage  on  breakage  of  the  hoisting  rope. 
Inside  the  guides  which  surround  the  guide  ropes,  a  pair 
of  blocks  are  provided.  The  faces  of  these  blocks  ad- 
jacent to  the  rope  are  roughened.  Between  the  blocks 
and  the  guide  are  a  pair  of  wedges:  these  wedges  are 
suspended  point  uppermost  from  cords  led  over  sheaves 
on  the  top  of  the  cage  and  their  other  ends  support  a 
plate  also  above  the  cage.  A  weight  is  suspended  from 
the  junction  of  the  hoisting  rope  with  the  hoisting  chains 
on  the  top  of  the  cage.  When  the  rope  breaks  the 
weight  falls  on  to  the  plate,  whereby  it  is  depressed  and 
draws  up  the  wedges  causing  the  blocks  to  grip  the 
guide  ropes. 

14.96904     NORTH EY     Improvements  in  submarine  sound 
signalling  apparatus. 

For  the  purpose  of  enabling  a  bell,  adapted  to  be 
operated  from  the  shore,  to  be  suspended,  submerged 
below  a  buoy,  without  requiring  a  plurality  of  anchors 
and  chains:  the  bell  is  suspended  from  a  ball  and  socket 
joint  within  a  cage.  The  cage  is  built  up  of  two  circular 
rings  which  cross  at  the  top  and  bottom,  where  eyes  are 
provided  for  attachment  to  the  buoy  and  anchor  cables 
respectively. 

17,205  04 -TUCKFIELD        AND         GARLAND      Improved 
portable  means  for  propelling  and  steering  boats. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  motor,  the  crank  shaft  of 
which  is  provided  with  a  screw  propeller,  which  is 
adapted  to  be  fitted  pivotally  over  the  stern  of  a  vessel 
in  the  place  of  a  rudder.  For  the  purpose  of  adjusting 
the  motor  to  varying  draughts,  the  bracket,  by  means  of 
which  it  is  supported,  slides  on  a  standard  with  a  number 
of  holes  and  is  secured  by  a  pin. 

18.I07'04— MILLER     Improvements  in  conveying  apparatus 
designed  more  particularly  for  coaling  ships  at  sea. 

This  invention  relates  to  improvements  in  coaling  ap- 
paratus of  the  type  in  which  the  load  is  conveyed  alonj*,,, 
cables  suspended  from  the  masts  of  two  vessels  ahead 
and  astern  of  each  other  respectively. 
18.612  04     von  SCHR6TTER     Improvements  in  and  relat- 
ing to  ship's  hatches. 

This  invention  relates  to  the  employment  of  channel 
section  curved  bars  for  hatchway  cover  supports.  These 
bars  are  reinforced  at  their  ends  with  angle  pieces  having 
double  flanges.  The  outer  flanges  engage  in  recesses 
formed  by  plates  secured  to  the  inner  face  of  the  hatch 
coaming.  The  inner  flanges  form  the  bearing  for  screws 
adapted  to  force  packing  pieces  against  the  joint. 
18.706  04  GOODWIN  Improvements  in  lubricating  axles, 
shafting  and  the  like. 

This  invention  relates  to  mdfrs  for  lubricating  the 
journals  of  the  axles  of  rolling  stock.  A  reservoir  for 
lubricant  is  arranged  below  the  journal.  Inside  the 
reservoir  and  below  the  journal  a  roller  in  contact  with 
the  journal  and  partially  immersed  in  the  lubricant, 
is  mounted  on  a  spindle  which  has  its  bearings  in  blocks 
which  are  urged  upwards  by  springs  within  guides. 


19,433/04— MOODY  &  CLEGG  -  Improvements  in  con- 
nection with  hoists,  mine  cages  and  the  like. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  device  for  arresting  the 
descent  of  a  mine  cage,  on  fracture  of  the  hoisting  cable. 
It  consists  of  a  series  of  earn  levers  pivoted,  one  on  each 
guide,  the  cam  surfaces  of  which  are  held  out  of  contact 
with  the  guide  rope  by  chains  connecting  the  hoisting 
chains  of  the  cage  with  the  ends  of  the  levers.  On 
fracture  of  the  hoisting  cable,  springs  draw  the  ends  of 
the  levers  downwards  and  their  cam  surfaces  jam  the 
guide  ropes. 

19,907/04— BULLIVANT  &  SELBY  -Improvements  in  ropes 
and  cords. 

A  rope  having  great  tensile  strength  which  is  also  re- 
sistant to  kinking  is  composed  of  an  untwisted  or  twisted 
metal  wire  core  and  a  plaited  or  braided  hemp  cover. 
Alternatively  a  hemp  inner  core  an  untwisted  or  twisted 
wire  second  core  and  a  plaited  or  braided  hemp 
cover. 

29.106/04— DAVIS  &  SIEFE,  GORMAN  &  Co.,  Ltd.— Im- 
provements in  diving  apparatus  and  in  apparatus  for  working 
in  irrespirable  gas. 

This  invention  relates  to  the  provision  of  lateral 
projections  on  both  ends  of  the  screw  of  a  diver's  air 
release  valve,  which,  by  butting  against  fixed  stops  on 
the  valve  casing  at  the  terminal  positions  of  the  valve 
screw,  prevent  the  screw  from  becoming  over  wound. 

508  05— AM  ICO — Improved  chair  for  the  prevention  of  sea- 
sickness. 

This  chair  consists  of  a  framework  provided  with  a 
rest  and  adjustable  back  and  leg  rests  supended  by 
overhead  springs  and  also  connected  by  springs  with  the 
deck  to  prevent  excessive  oscillation. 

575/05 — WlNZER-  Improvements  in  load  carriers  or 
hooks. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  hook  which  is  provided 
with  an  internal  counting  mechanism.  The  counter  is 
adapted  to  be  actuated  by  a  key  when  a  load  is  sustained 
by  a  hook  and  once  only  for  each  loading. 


These  applications  for  patents  are,  until  Sept.  5,  1905, 
open  to  opposition  by  any  person  having  a  statutory 
right  to  oppose. 

Copies  of  the  specifications  may  be  obtained  from  the 
Patent  Office  or  through  the  under-named. 


TRADE   MARKS. 


The  following  applications  for  the  registration  of  Trade 
Marks  relating  to  the  shipping  and  coal  trades  were 
advertised  on  July  26,  and  are  open  to  opposition  by 
interested  parties  within  the  period  ending  August  26th. 

CLASS  4 — Including  coal. 

NO.  273,879 -26th  June,  1905— CYANTHRENE  -for: 
all  goods  included  in  Class  4. 

The  Badishe  Anilin  &  Soda  Fabrik,  Friesenheimer- 
strasse,Ludwigshafen-on- Rhine, Germany,  manufaeturars 
of  dyes,  chemicals,  etc. 

CLASS  20  :   Explosives. 

NO.  273,796— 22nd  June,  1905— RECOI  LITE- For 
cartridges. 

Holland  &  Holland,  98,  New  Bond  Street,  London  W 
Gun  and  Rifle  Manufacturers. 


Compiled  by  Messrs.  PHILLIPS  &  LEIGH,  Chartered  Patent 
Agents  22,  Southampton  Buildings,  Chancery  Lane,  London, 
WTC.  Local  Consultant:  Mr.  S.  W.  ALLEN,  Engineer,  of  Cardiff 
Exchange,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


August  4,  (905 


OUR  MARITIME  DIRECTORY. 


CARDIFF. 


Colliery   Proprietors. 


TORY  BROS.  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff  and 
London.    Dep6ts  at  all  the  principal 
oaling  Stations  in  the  World. 

"CORY.  CARDIFF"; 
Telegrams.    ••  CORY,  LONDON." 


TNSOLE,  GEORGE  &  SON,  Cardiff.   Sole 
Shippers  of   Cymmer   Steam    Goal, 
Windsor  Steam  Goal,  and  Insoles  No.  2 
Rhondda  Coal. 

Telegrams:  "INSOLES.  CARDIFF." 


[  EW1S    MERTHYR    CONSOLIDATED   COL- 
LIERIES,  LTD.,  Proprietors  and  Ship- 
aers    of    "Lewis  Merthyr"   Navigation 
Steam  Coal. 

T.I.,  "LEWIS  MERTHYR.  CARDIFF"  : 

15  '    "LEWIS  MERTHYR.  LONDON." 


[MARQUESS     OF     BUTE     COLLIERIES, 
Aberdare,  Hirwain,   and   Rhondda 
Valley.     Shipping  ports  : — Bute  Docks, 
ardiff :      Penarth     Dock  ;      Swansea ; 
Briton    Ferry  :     and    Newport    (Mon.) 

Telegrams  :  "  SEMA,  CARDIFF." 


f)CEAN    (MERTHYR)    GOAL   Co.,   LTD., 
11,  Bute  Crescent,  Cardiff,  proprie- 
tors of  Ocean  (Merthyr)  Steam  Coal. 


I  JN1VERSAL  STEAM   COAL  Go.,  LTD., 
Bute  Docks,  Cardiff.  Proprietors  of 
'  Universal  Steam  Goal." 

Telegrams  :   "  VERSATILE.  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF-  Continued. 


VIVIAN,'  H.   C.   &  Co.,    Bute   Docks, 
Cardiff.     Sole  European  Agents  for 
"  The  Puritan  Coal  Mining  Co.,  Phila- 
delphia, U.S.A." 

Telegrams:  "VIVIAN.  CARDIFF." 


WATTS,    WATTS  &  Co.,   Cardiff    and 
London.  Contractors  for  the  supplv 
of  Coals  at  all  Depots  abroad. 

Telegrams  :  "  WATTS,  CARDIFF." 


Dock   Owners. 


THE  CARDIFF  RAILWAY  COMPANY,  Bute 
Docks.  Cardiff. 

Ship  Repairers. 


CHEARMAN,  JOHN  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff, 
°     and  at  Barry  Dock. 


THE  BUTE   SHIPBUILDING,  ENGINEERING, 
AND  DRY   DOCK  COMPANY,   LIMITED, 
Roath  Basin,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:   "CAISSON,  CARDIFF." 

THE  CARDIFF  CHANNEL  DRY  DOCKS  ANP 
PONTOON    Go.,    LTD.,    Cardiff    and 
Barry  Dock. 

_  ,  "  Entrance,  Cardiff." 

Telegrams  .    „  channel,  Barry." 


VHE  MERCANTILE    PONTOON   Co.,  LTD., 
Roath  Dock,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams  :  "  MERCANTILE,  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF  -Continued 


Miscellaneous. 

[EWIS  &  TYLOR,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 

Sole  patentees  and  manufacturers 

of  "  Gripoly,"  a  patent  woven  belting  ; 

and  "  Burals,"  a  semi-metallic  packing. 

Telegrams  :  "  BELTING  CARDIFF."        Telephone,  Nat.  231. 


Steamship    Owners. 


D 


AN.   JENKINS    &     Co.,    Steamship 
Owners  and  Brokers,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "Stonewall,  Cardiff." 
Nat.  Telephone  :  1318. 


BARRY. 


Pock  Owners. 

THE  BARRY  RAILWAY  Co.,  Barry. 


Ship  Repairers. 

DARRY  GRAVING,  DOCK  &  ENGINEERING 
U     Co.,  LTD. 

Telegrams:  "  BARDOCK.  BARRY." 


National  Telephone  No.  7. 


Post  Office  Telephone  No.  7 


To    the    Proprietors    of 

"THE   MARITIME    REVIEW," 


DOCKS,     CARDIFF. 


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VOL.  VI  —No.  78. 


FRIDAY;  AUGUST    n,    ,905. 


THREEPENCE. 


THE    RIGHT    HON.    LORD    WINDSOR.  P.O.,  ETC. 
(Lord  Lieutenant  of  Glamorganshire.) 


206 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


August   ii,   1905 


*  * 


NOTICES.  *  >*  •* 


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Contributions  Cither  literary  or  pictorial*,  if  intended  for  the  next 
issue,  must  reach  the  EDITOR,  not  later  than  the  first  post  on  Monday. 
Neither  the  Editor  nor  the  Publishers  will  accept  responsibility  for  the 
accidental  loss  of  MMS.  or  illustrations  submitted,  but  every  effort 
will  be  made  to  return  unsuitable  contributions,  provided  stamped  and 
addressed  envelopes  are  sent. 

Correspondence  :  The  Editor  does  not  necessarily  identify  himself 
with  the  opinions  expressed  by  Correspondents,  whose  letters  must, 
in  every  instance,  be  accompanied  by  the  name  and  address  (if  not  for 
publication,  then  as  evidence  of  good  faith),  of  the  writer,  and  must  be 
written  on  one  side  of  the  paper  only. 


CONTENTS.  **  * 


THE  RIGHT  HON.  LORD  WINDSOR,  P.O.,  ETC. 

MARITIME  MURMURS          

SHIPBUILDING          

GOVERNMENTAL  MARINE  MAKESHIFTS    ... 
THE  PASSING  OF  THE  "  BRIT."    ... 
CARDIFF  (AND  OTHER)  COAL 

COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES 

MARITIME  (AND  OTHER)  MONEY  MATTERS 
CONCERNING  OUR  DAILY  BREAD 
PATENTS  AND  TRADE  MARKS      


PAGE. 
.  205 


...  206 
...  213 
...  214 
...  215 
...  216 
...  218 
...  219 
...  22O 
..  221 


MARlTfME    MURMURS. 


DOCKS,  CARDIFF, 

Thursday  Afternoon. 

THE  lack  of  originality  displayed  by  certain  Parliament- 
arians, must  be    disappointing  to  most  of  their  followers 
— and  admirers  ?     Appearances  would  warrant  the  belief, 
that    once    a    man    has    entered    Parliament,     and    has 
worked-up  a  certain  role  (even  supposing  it  is  but  a  second- 
hand  one !),   he  will  see    everybody   hanged,   drawn    and 
quartered,   before    he  will  relinquish  it    for    another  line 
of    alleged     argument.       As    an    exemplification    of    our 
contention,  consider  Mr.  Swift  MacNeill,  in  his  continued 
fussings    around    in     connection    with    flogging    in     the 
Navy.       When    this    worthy     M.P.    first     exploited    the 
flogging  dodge,    it  had  potentialities,  and  was  worthy   of 
attention   as  a  sensation-worker.      But  that  was  in   the 
vistas   of  the   past.      To-day,    the    whole    contraption   is 
calculated  to  raise  merely  a  flutter  on   the   combination 
which  is  supposed  to  make  the  nation's  laws.     You  see, 
when  Mr.  MacNeill  first  attempted  to  boom  himself  into 
fame  as  the  Great  Anti-Floggist,   the   remainder  of  his 
honourable  friends  had  but  a  tuppenny-ha'penny  knowledge 
•of  the  question.      Under  the  circumstances,  therefore,  it 
was  comparatively  easy  to  harrow   up  their  souls,  and  to 
get  them  to  back  up  this  modern  Don  Quixote.      But  the 
constant    repetition    which    has    been    indulged    in,    has 
convinced  those  same  honourable  friends— even  as  it  has 
you.  and  us— that  the  whole  shout  about  "  flogging   in   the 
Navy."  is  merely  apolitical  catch-phrase  ;  has  been  used  for 
contentious  purposes,  mainly :  and  as  a  phase  of  national 
life,  has  absolutely  nothing  to  recommend  it.     To  keep  to 
the  theme  which  Mr.  MacNeill  appears  to  have  close  to  his 
inward  portions,  we  are  of  opinion  that  the  gentleman  has 
been  engaging  on  the  pastime  which  the  sailor,  whom  he 
affects  to  champion,  would  style,   "  flogging  a  dead  horse." 

&  & 

Now.  you  cannot  get  much  fun  from  that  sort  of  play, 
and  we  are  surprised  to  note  that  originality  is  at  such  a 
low  ebb,  in  the  direction  indicated,  that  the  same  old  come- 
all-ye  must  be  tabled,  whenever  there  is  a  lull  in  the 
usually  heated  conversation  of  "  the  House."  A  few 
days  ago,  the  same  old  jape  was  resuscitated,  and  Mr. 
MacNeill  found  a  friend  to  back  him  up.  That  same  friend 


— a  Mr.  Bright,  which,  we  submit,  is  an  especially  fitting 
name  ?— asked  Mr.  Pretyman  (whose  painful  duty  it  is  to 
attend  to  the  welfare  of  the  Admiralty)  if  he  would  not 
"  take  steps  to  put  a  stop  to  the  brutal  practice  of  flogging 
in  the  Navy  ?"  Naturally  enough,  this  question  got  Mr. 
Pretyman's  "  tempy  "  up,  a  bit,  and  for  about  the  hundred- 
and-fiftieth  (there  or  thereabout)  time,  he  denied  that  there 
is  any  such  brutal  practice.  Moreover,  Mr.  Pretyman 
stated  that  in  talking  that  way,  the  hon.  (Bright)  member 
was  throwing  an  undeserved  slur  on  the  officers  of  the 
Navy.  But  what  will  you  ?  When  a  little  cheap  notoriety 
is  sought,  it  doesn't  much  matter  how  much  slur  you  throw, 
does  it  ?  The  officers  in  the  Navy  are  prepared  to  fight 
for  their  country — that  is  why  they  are  afloat :  hon. 
members  who  sit  at  home  at  their  ease,  are  merely 
prepared  to  shout  "Rule  Britannia"  for  their  country- 
that  is  why  they  sit  in  the  national  "  talking  shop  ?  "  The 
mere  fact  that  their  knowledge  of  flogging  is  of  the  most 
rudimentary  kind,  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  case.  Some- 
body has  told  them  that  the  poor  little  sailor-boy  is  birched 
— that  is  good  enough.  The  mere  fact  that  the  cane  is 
only  requisitioned  in  the  case  of  an  irrepressible,  counts  for 
nothing — as  far  as  talking  hon.  members  are  concerned. 
We  shall  not  be  surprised  to  hear,  that  when  the  Angel 
Gabriel  blows  his  last  toot,  some  MacNeill  or  another,  will 
still  be  seeking  a  postponement  of  the  final  burst-up,  that 
he  may  be  allowed  to  ask  the  then  keeper  of  the  Admiralty's 
conscience,  why  in  thunder  he  doesn't  discontinue  flogging 
in  the  Navy.  They  are  great  people— some  of  those 
hon.  members  ? 

fsO      G/" 

ES*    AS 
t&I       B? 

WITHOUT  wishing  to  say  that  the  neglect  for  the  suscep- 
tibilities of  the  House  of  Lords,  as  recently  shown  by  the 
Commons  is  by  way  of  retribution,  we  are  yet  of  opinion 
that  it  is  calculated  to  have  the  same  effect  on  those  noble 
gentlemen  who,  on  every  possible  occasion,  mete  out  the 
same  kind  of  treatment  to  the  champions  of  the  sailor. 
Rightly  or  wrongly,  the  Lords  are  sure  that  the  Commons 
are  dealing  with  them  and  their  recommendations  in  a 
cavalier  manner— exactly  as  the  former  are  wont  to  handle 
all  demands  for  fair  treatment  to  the  merchant  sailor.  Of 
course,  it  is  exceedingly  ill-bred,  on  the  part  of  the  Commons, 
and  they  ought  to  know  better  ;  but  it  might  be  taken  as  a 


August 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


207 


sign  of  the  times  ?  We  are  assured  that  even  the  measures 
introduced  by  the  Lord  Chancellor,  have  been  treated  as 
"  beneath  contempt "  (whatever  that  is)  when  it  is  laid  out 
in  an  ordinary  manner,  and  Lord  James  of  Hereford  sees 
no  excuse  for  such  a  state  of  things.  Think  of  it,  such 
nationally  important  Bills  as  that  dealing  with  the  Sale  of 
Intoxicants  to  Children,  and  the  Prevention  of  Corruption 
Bill,  have  been  ignored  by  the  Lower  House  ;  and  there  is 
trouble  in  the  Gilded  Chamber,  alas  !  Personally,  we  are 
sorry  for  the  Lords,  and  something  should  be  done  in  the 
matter. 

0*3 

BUT  after  all.  tney  are  having  meted  out  to  them,  exactly 
the  kind  of  treatment  which  they  have  measured  to  others. 
Think  of  the  flouted  Light  Dues  discussion  ;  the  Flag  Bill : 
the  Light  Load  Line  Bill  :  the  Winter  Deck  Load  sugges- 
tions :  the  Mariners'  Votes  affair :  and  a  dozen  other 
enactments  which  are  of  infinitely  more  national  importance, 
than  would  be  a  hundred  japes  concerning  the  inappreciable 
amount  of  whisky  or  beer  that  is  sold  to  children.  What 
was  the  fate  of  the  much-needed  legislation  to  which  we 
have  referred  ?  Well,  they  were  all  treated  as  if  they,  too. 
were  "  beneath  contempt."  It  is  all  very  well  for  Lord 
James  to  declare  that  the  Commons  were  given  "generous 
holidays "  at  Easter  and  Whitsuntide :  the  statement 
might  be  true  :  but  what  has  that  to  do  with  the  case  ?  If 
the  Lords  merely  sit  and  prattle,  when  grave  issues  are 
spread  before  them,  can  they  reasonably  object  if  the 
Commons  return  the  compliment,  when  Bills  of  "  a 
singularly  uncontroversial  character  "—and  therefore,  of 
little  or  no  importance— are  sent  down  for  the  consideration 
of  the  Lower  House?  We  should  think  not.  The  whole 
subject  appears  to  be  a  case  of :  If  the  Lords  will  not  take 
themselves  seriously,  how  can  they  expect  others  to  do  so  ? 


PERSONALLY,  we  have  no  concern  for  the  "contemptuous" 
manner  in  which  Bills,  generally,  are  received  by  the  Lords, 
as  our  mission  is  to  discuss  enactments  which  have  to  do 
with  the  shipping  industry.  And  as  suggested  above, 
most  of  those  enactments  are  treated  exactly  in  the  manner 
described  by  Lord  James  that  is.  as  if  they  were  beneath 
contempt.  It  is  ever  a  case  of  dump  the  sailor,  and  if  he 
cares  to.  let  him  drown.  In  like  manner,  the  shipowner 
may  do  as  he  will  as  long  as  he  antes  up  a  profit  on  the 
administration  of  an  antiquated  Lighthouse  Board.  Just 
inform  the  noble  lords  that  because  there  is  no  Flag  Bill— 
—or  an  Act  following  on  its  suggestions— any  two  cent 
foreigner  may  pass  an  examination  and  practice  as  a  ship- 
master, officer,  or  pilot  in  a  British  vessel,  and  what 
happens?  Well,  the  gentlemen  assume  a  wooden  look  ; 
appear  as  if  they  are  bored  :  frown  at  any  of  their  number 
who  has  pluck  enough  to  face  a  dangerous  situation  ;  a«4  ' 
in  the  end.  will  measure  out  a  few  well-chosen  words  which 
will  effectually  damn  all  hopes  of  redress  in  the  direction 
indicated.  Tell  us  some  more  about  "  beneath  contempt  " 
dodges,  please.  We  are  always  anxious  to  hear  of  affairs 
of  this  kind,  because  we  realise  that  the  British  Empire  is 
a  colossal  undertaking,  that  has  been  made  solely  by  the 

sailor. 

5?  $9 

IN  like  manner,  if  one  noble  lord  informs  his  colleagues 
that,  to  say  the  least,  it  is  unfair  to  expect  a  crowd  of 
seamen  to  obey  laws  which  have  been  made  by  a  number 
of  amateurs,  and  in  which  the  seaman  has  had  no  say,  and 
again,  what  happens  ?  Simply  the  same  wooden  look  and 
bored  attitude  comes  in  :  the  amateur  is  allowed  to  get  his 
fell  work  in ;  the  British  sailor,  because  he  has  been 
educated,  leaves  the  Mercantile  Marine,  and  his  place  is 
filled  by  a  non-English-speaking  foreigner.  Suggest  that 


if  the  mariner  is  given  an  opportunity  to  record  his  vote, 
although  away  from  home  engaged  on  the  vital  business  of 
bringing  the  nation  its  food,  and  what  are  you  told  ?  Just 
that  there  is  no  precedent  for  such  conduct  ;  that  for  ages, 
past,  the  sailor  was  satisfied  to  allow  anybody  to  legislate 
for  him  ;  and  that,  according  to  the  Constitution,  he  should 
be  satisfied  in  continuing  on  the  same  lay.  Give  the  noble 
lords  a  soul-harrowing  picture  —  or  description  —  of  the 
miseries  surrounding  a  tramp  steamer's  mid-winter  light- 
ship passage  :  animadvert  on  the  dangers,  and  sickening 
propensities  which  coruscate  around  a  steamer  that  will 
roll  to  an  angle  of  forty-five  degrees,  continuously,  for 
forty-eight  hours  on  a  stretch,  and  what  transpires  ? 


WELL,  a  set  of  aquiline  features  are  surprisedly  turned  in 
your  direction  ;  you  are  given  a  look  which  suggests 
that,  at  best,  you  are  a  natural  history  specimen  ;  you  are 
sized-up,  and  metaphorically  dissected,  while  your  moral 
character  is  a  subject  of  especial  doubt.  But  with  it  all, 
you  will  be  treated  as  if  your  pleadings  for  those  who 
cannot  help  themselves,  are  quite  "  beneath  contempt."  In 
effect,  it  will  be  insinuated  that  there  is  no  evidence  to 
support  your  claim  that  an  under-ballasted  steamer  is  a 
danger  to  herself,  and  to  every  ship  she  meets  ;  and  that  as 
there  are  dozens  —  nay  hundreds  —  of  under-ballasted 
steamers  at  sea,  they  cannot  be  such  a  menace  to  life,  as 
you  are  foolish  enough  to  state.  Besides,  the  noble  lords 
have  been  told  that  "  grandmotherly  legislation  "  is  ruining 
British  shipping  (and  it  is  the  truth)  :  and  that  as  some  of 
their  number  have  invested  in  this  class  of  property  —  well, 
you  cannot  expect  them  to  go  on  spoiling  their  own  chances 
of  prosperity  ?  But  the  noble  gentlemen  know  too  little  of 
the  subject,  to  be  e-nabled  to  differentiate  between  the 
actual  "grandmotherly  legislation."  and  that  which  is 
merely  apparently  so.  But  in  either  instance,  you  may 
depend  upon  receiving  your  mede  of  the  "beneath 
contempt"  particular. 

*?  $ 

IN  this  connection.  Lord  James  pathetically  asked  if  their 
Lordships  were  to  go  on  passing  Bills,  "  without  even  the 
courtesy  of  an  acknowledgment,"  and  as  far  as  we  can 
learn,  there  was  nobody  present  possessed  of  interest 
enough  to  make  them  hazard  a  reply.  There  was  another 
poetical  question  put  forth  by  the  same  noble  lord,  and  it 
lilted  along  as,  "  Are  those  measures  simply  to  be  regarded 
as  seed  thrown  by  the  wayside,  and  nothing  more  heard 
of  them?"  If  it  had  been  our  privilege  to  be  there,  at 
that  psychological  moment,  we  should  surely  have  said 
"  Ask  us  another,"  after  which  we  should  have  squared 
ourselves  up  in  readiness  for  the  sizing-up  process  to 
which  we  have  already  referred.  We  believe  with  Lord 
James,  when  he  remarked  that  "  I  certainly  think  we  have 
a  right  to  protest  against  our  power  of  legislation  being 
treated  as  a  nullity  by  the  House  of  Commons,  and  the 
degrading  and  humiliating  position  in  which  we  are  placed." 
The  noble  Lords  have  that  right  of  protest,  don't  forget  ; 
and  if  they  would  try  to  rise  to  the  understanding  that  this 
is  1905—  not  1705—  there  would  soon  be  an  end  to  the 
"  degrading  and  humiliating  "  idea,  so  there  would.  Lord 
Newton  was  of  opinion  that  "the  only  possible  remedy  was 
some  re-arrangement  of  the  session  and  of  the  method  of 
taking  Supply,"  and  that  is  where  we  are  sorry  for  Lord 

fi?  fc 

IF  the  "only  possible  remedy"  lays  in  the  direction 
plotted  out  by  Lord  Newton,  then,  the  House  of  Lords  is  in 
nearly  as  bad  a  predicament,  as  is  the  Mercantile  Marine. 
The  only  re-arrangement  that  is  calculated  to  help  stave 
off  further  degradation  and  humiliation,  is  for  the  House  of 
Lords  to  take  itself  seriously  ;  to  deal  with  the  various 


208 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


August   n,    1905 


subjects  which  are  brought  to  its  notice,  after  the  manner 
prevailing  with  live  men  of  the  present  generation.  If  the 
House  of  Lords  will  carry  on  its  alleged  business  in  the 
archaic  manner  which  has  obtained  to  date,  then,  it  must 
not  be  surprised  if  the  House  of  Commons— which  is  made 
up  of  fairly  'cute  business  men  —takes  liberties  (or  apparent 
liberties')  with  it.  The  noble  gentlemen  must  be  feeling  the 
unfortunate  situation  most  acutely,  for  the  Archbishop  of 
Canterbury  endorsed  most  of  what  had  been  said  concerning 
the  humiliation  that  was  about.  Here  is  the  endorsement  : 
"  It  is  certainly  not  fitting  that  we  should  be  deprived  of  the 
opportunity  of  making  our  voices  heard  upon  subjects  of 
great  importance."  This  might  not  mean  that  the  voices 
of  the  noble  lords  are  weak,  and  so  may  not  be  raised  above 
the  din  of  the  Common  folk  ;  it  might  only  mean  that,  up 
to  now,  they  have  been  satisfied  with  a  perfunctory  know- 
ledge of  events. 

tf'te 

IN  the  Commons,  a  man  has  to  hustle,  if  he  would  keep 
his  seat :  but  with  the  Lords,  it  is  a  decided  case  of  men 
may  come,  and  men  may  go,  but  we  go  on  for  ever — as  the 
poet  said.  Under  these  circumstances,  the  noble  lords  are 
so  sure  of  their  jobs,  that  they  see  no  reason  to  exert 
themselves,  with  the  only  natural  result ;  a  result  which. 
according  to  Lord  Spencer,  reduces  the  House  of  Lords  'to 
a  mere  court  of  record."  If  the  ill-used  gentlemen  would 
<io  a  little  more  for  the  sailor  of  all  grades,  we  should  be 
more  sorry  for  them  than  we  are  at  present.  But  in  the 
words  of  the  more  or  less  immortal  song  which  was  sup- 
posed to  deal  with  the  amours—or  the  lack  thereof— of  one 
'Liza.  "  You've  only  got  yourself  to  blame."  each  of  your 
lordships.  Take  yourselves  seriously,  and  the  world  will 
follow  suit ;  go  on  frivolling — well,  business  men  have  no 
time  to  frivol  in  public ;  the  best  brands  of  them  keep  it 
for  use  in  the  bosoms  of  their  own  families — where  there 
are  no  reporters,  yes  !  The  Tower  of  London  is  admitted 
to  be  the  best  resting-place  for  ancient  armour  and  weapons 
that  have  served  their  day ;  what  is  the  matter  with  putting 
the  old-time  House  of  Lords  methods  in  to  keep  the 
armour  company  ?  Nothing,  is  there  ? 

#  & 

IN  connection  with  some  of  the  Mediterranean  and  Black 
Sea  port  "  ship's  business  "  so-called,  there  is  a  delightful 
amount  of  wear-and-haul  on  the  part  of  the  agent  employed 
by  the  "  shipowner."  From  time  to  time,  the  latter 
gentleman  is  exhorted  to  set  his  house  in  order,  and  just  as 
frequently  he  essays  to  do  this,  by  supplying  his  steamers 
with  another  printed  "  form."  This  the  shipmaster  is 
expected  to  fill  and  return,  'fore  all  the  world  as  if  a 
41  statement "  sent  to  shipowner,  were  calculated  to  put  the 
hoodoo  on  any  sharks  ( metaphorical)  that  might  go  hanky- 
pankying,  around  the  business  belonging  to  the  tramp  of 
commerce.  The  latest  exponent  of  this  phase  of  nautical 
advice,  is  the  Vice-Consul  at  Sulina.  The  Danube  is. 
notoriously,  one  of  the  "  hardest  nuts  "  in  the  whole  gamut 
of  seafaring  adventure,  and  the  shipmaster  who  success- 
fully emerges  from  its  swampy  shores,  with  his  "ship's 
business "  in  anything  like  decent  order,  has  qualified  for 
inclusion  within  the  ranks  of  smart  business  men.  To  an 
impartial — and  disinterested — mind,  there  is  something  of 
the  "funny"  nature  surrounding  Danube  procedure,  as 
connected  with  the  British  tramp  and  all  her  varied  needs. 

#fc 

THE  Heathen  Chinee  is  cracked  up  as  being  a  don  hand 
for  everything  appertaining  to  ways  that  are  dark,  and  for 
tricks  that  are  vain ;  "  Dick  Dass,"  in  sundry  of  the 
Indian  ports,  is  supposed  to  be  the  re-incarnation  of  several 
of  the  shady  individuals  that  have  flourished  in  the  long 
ago ;  the  Yankee  "  sharp "  is  declared  to  be  a  man  on 


whom  flies  may  not  cling  in  overwhelming  numbers  ;  but 
the  whole  lot  of  them,  in  combination,  couldn't  stand  for 
five  minutes,  if  placed  in  competition  with  some  of  the 
web-footed  gentry  who  practice  on  the  shores  of  the  river 
which  has  been  handed  down  to  us,  as  reminiscent  of  a 
waltz  tune !  We  write  this  in  no  bad-tempered  frame  of 
mind.  On  the  contrary,  rather,  for  the  words  of  Vice- 
Consul  Sarell,  when  he  suggests  that  "  shipowners  "  should 
pay  more  attention  to  the  protection  of  their  interests  in 
sending  their  vessels  to  Sulina,  finds  an  echo  in  our  minds 
as  we  remember  past  dodges,  that  were  aimed  at  our 
undoing  in  that  same  salubrious  district.  But  then,  W3  are 
sure  that  shipowner  will  do  nothing  of  the  kind.  He  has 
been  exhorted  in  the  same  strain  for  the  past  twenty-five 
years;  has  promised  to  give  the  matter  his  careful  attention 
right  along  through  those  years  ;  has  made  a  feeble  effort 
in  the  direction  indicated  ;  and  has  failed  miserably — or 
there  would  be  no  necessity  for  Mr.  Sarell  to  again  call 
attention  to  the  wretched  state  of  affairs  thereaway  ? 

nO      Of 

px  Xs 

v&i    US 

As  far  as  a  practical  experience  of  the  district  is  calcu- 
lated to  teach,  we  are  of  opinion  that  any  would-be 
reformer  would  be  studying  his  own  interests,  if  he  decided 
to  say  nothing  on  the  subject  !  Any  attempts  to  cleanse 
the  business  methods  which  are  in  vogue  on  the  Danube's 
side,  are  doomed  to  failure,  and  for  reasons  that  have  been 
obvious  right  down  the  tale  of  years,  since  the  waterway 
became  open  to  the  British  tramp.  We  note  that  Mr. 
Sarell  is  divided  in  his  opinions  on  the  subject,  and  is  hardly 
clear  as  to  whether  the  feeling  of  security  brought  about  by 
the  latter-day  system  of  insurance  against  demurrage,  "and 
other  such  eventualities"  (which  is  a  beautifully  compre- 
hensive term  ?);  or  the  usual  indifference  to  detail  which 
exists  among  those  who  do  business  with  shipping ;  is 
responsible  for  the  rotten  state  which  certainly  exists. 
For  our  part,  we  are  somewhat  surprised  that  a  thinking 
individual  should  offer  any  such  reasons  as  the  foregoing. 
Insurance  of  any  kind,  or  indifference  worked  out  on  any 
basis,  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  case,  and  we  should  have 
thought  that  an  up-to-date  Consul  would  have  realised  the 
truth  of  our  statements,  within  three  days  of  practicing 

on  the  river  referred  to. 

g&  9u 

E6i     ie3 

IN  plain  language,  the  whole  muss-up  on  the  Danube  is 
resultant  from  two  causes.  The  first  —and  chief — is,  that 
the  gentlemen  who  engage  in  shipping  business  in  that  part 
of  the  world,  have  pre-empted  (if  we  may  write  it  thus) 
the  right  to  transact  the  business  of  the  tramp  of  commerce. 
by  investing  therein  to  that  end.  When  a  gentle  Greek 
merchant  puts  his  name  into  a  British  steamer's  share  list, 
it  is  fairly  certain  that  he  does  so  with  a  bit  of  string 
attached  to  the  essential  shekels.  That  bit  of  string  is 
kharki-coloured,  and  in  this  manner  is  hidden  from  the 
view  of  all  but  the  very  keen-sighted.  But  although  you 
cannot  see  that  bit  of  string  too  easily,  it  is  there  :  and 
when  the  dear  little  tramp  fusses  along  inside  of  the  Sulina 
pier-heads,  you  are  safe  in  assuming  that  until  she  gets 
into  the  same  position  outward-bound,  she  is  in  the  hands 
of  some  of  her  shareholders  who  mean  to  make  a  dividend 
on  their  own  ;  and  without  troubling  the  managing  owner 
who  stays  at  home  in  peace — of  a  sort.  And  very  capable 
hands  they  are  !  There  is  no  straining,  or  cavilling  at  the 
gifts  which  the  gods  send  them  :  for  they  just  pursue  the 
course  which  custom  has  prescribed,  and  if  there  isn't  the 
equivalent  of  a  big  dividend  over  and  above  ordinary 
expenses  squeezed  out,  then  we  should  like  to  hear  about 
it. 

K?*    ^3 

tw     a? 

ANOTHER  feature  in  the  business  is.  that  everything 
which  the  ship  may  possibly  need,  is  contracted  for  with 


August   1 1,   1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


209 


the  very  folk  who  have  invested  that  they  may  be  given  the 
right  to  contract     Does  the  festive  packet  need  bags  for 
her  cargo  ?     Contractor  supplies  them.     Is  it  a  few  planks 
ftmg     boards:     separation     cloths:      lightening- 
:  or  any  of  the  thousand-and-one  essentials  for 
•tious  handling  ?        Then,    along    comes    the    con- 
tmg  gentleman,  waves  that  piece  of  paper  wfiich  has 
signed  by  the   Boss,  and  there  you  are.      The  ship 
r.  generally  considered,  is  a  trusting  animal,  and  thus 
IBS  about   that  when   his  very    dear    friend    visits 
Britain  ,n  the  fall  of  the  year  :  lays  himself  out  to  spend 
myth.ng  up  to  £500  in  travelling,  hotel,  and  backsheesh 
:  and  premises  to  supply  by  contract,   anything 
rom  a  grain  shovel  or  basket,  to  a  new  set  of  engines  at 
0  per  cent,  below  cost,  and  a  25  per  cent,  rebate  to  the 
man  who  signs  the  contract .  well,  what  would  you  ?     You 
naturally     suppose    that     all    the    Danube    monkey-work 
commences  at  home  ?     And  your  supposition  is  right,  every 
time.     It  is  useless  for  any  consular  gentlemen  to  suggest 
"  more  attention  "  at  Sulina.     The  exact  spot  where  the 
attention  is  needed,  is  in  the  owner's  office  in  England,  yes. 

5?  ^9 

You  see.  this  phase  of  shipping  business  is  carried  out  on 
the  assumption  that  all  competition  is  bad  :  there  must  be 
none  of  it.   in    connection   with    "our  Hipsy  Fip."     Mr. 
Andros    Somethingofavitch.    the    genial    gentleman     who 
travels  to  bleak  Britain  when  the  autumn  leaves  have  been 
lately  swept  from  off  the  landscape,  is  a  plausible  alien. 
He  has  a  touch  of  the  smile  that  won't   come  off    and   a 
hide  thicker  than  most  of  the  outer  coverings  to  be  found 
on  the  rn.i  ccrros.     He   poses  as  the  "  very  tear  frendt  " 
of  "£hipo*r.c.  ":  enters  his  office  :  focusses  a  couple   of 
odd  eyes  on  the  gentleman  :  swears  he  isn't  a  low-down 
cuss  like  Georgios    Allofavitch :  and   with  an  amount  of 
humidity   and   greasiness  which  do   his    histrionic  powers 
credit,  produces  the  badly-printed  piece  of  paper  which  is 
dubbed  contract.     This  genial  guy  is  the   "shipsshandler," 
and  he  is  out  for  anything  not  altogether  appertaining  to 
the  business  of  "  broker."  The  latter  worthy  invests,  and  so 
works  his  little  dodge  in  a  more  lordly  manner.  But  both  of 
them   may  be  depended  on  to  square  the  circle,  once  the 
Hipsy  Fip  enters  within  their  radius  of  action.     Who  is  the 
circle  ?    That  is  as  may  be.  for  to  our  certain  knowledge. 
and  in  this  connection,  there  are  various  kinds.    Beside,  we 
are  not  going  to  give  you  too  many  points  for  one  solitary 
threepenny  piece,  not  us. 

§?  ^ 

HOWEVER,  there  is  no  competition  on  the  Danube -it  is 
all    done    at    home.      !f    Somethingofavitch    has    merely 
promised  25  per  cent,  off  the  bill,  and  the  contract  has  not 
been  signed  :  then.   Allofavitch  will  go   a   bit  better;  will 
offer  33 '  j  per  cent.  off.  and  the  assurance  that  Something—^ 
ofavitch    is    a    deep-dyed-villain-that-never-was-married  ; 
and  who.   in  consequence,  is  unfit  to  associate  with  (and 
probably  corrupt  the  morals  of )  the  child-like  master  who 
will  navigate  the  Hipsy  Fip  to  Sulina.    This  brings  us  down 
to  cause  No.  2  in  the  monkey-work  racquet.     The  ship- 
master,   usually    considered,    is   vetoed    as    incapable    of 
purchasing  to  anything   like   advantage,   a  daily  221b    of 
alleged  beef.     Andros  must  do  it  for  him— or  Georgios.  if 
he  has  blarnied  the  Boss  best !     Indeed,  in   every   instance 
where  "  ship's  business"  is  concerned,  the  Old  Man  must 
stand    aside,   until    it  is  all   finished.      If.  at  the  precise 
moment,   a  scapegoat   is    needed,    then    the  Old  Man   is 
graciously  allowed  to  fill  the  rdle.  and  thus  is  equity  brought 
about!     Shipowner    of    the    class  considered    here     will 
first  sign  away  all  power  from  the  shipmaster,  and  then. 
when  he  finds  that  the  steamer  is   being  exploited  for  all 
she  is  worth  (  and  a  bit  oven,  will  wire  to  that  same  ship- 


master, a  frantic  exhortation  that  he  will  see  "  our  interests 
fully  protected." 

#  & 

IF  the  whole  business  were   not  so  pitiful,  it  would  be 
amusing.     Mr.  Vice-Gonsul  Sarell  declares  that  the  major 
portion  of  the  trouble  materialises,  for  the  reason  that  most 
the    vessels   entering   the   Danube,  are  freighted   under 
loosely-worded  charter  parties.     The  loose-word  particular 
there   right  enough  ;  we   have   tried    to   interpret   them 
ourselves  :  but  in  the  general  sizing-up  of  the  situation,  the 
charter  plays  but  a  small  part  in  the  loss  which  results 
the  alleged  master  arrives  at  a  port  where,  to  all  intents 
d  purposes,  he  must  hand  his  vessel  over  to  the   enemy  ; 
where  he  is  met,   at  every  turn,  with   a   contract  for  this' 
that,  and  the  other  thing  :  is   it   of  any   real   use  to  cackle 
'out  the  state  of  affairs  which  follows  ?     Certainly  not 
hipowner   cannot   expect   to    get    his    ship    supplied    a'- 
ipparently  low   rates  ;  to   receive    in  return  for  a  signed 
contract,  anything  up  to  33  '3  per  cent,  off  the  face  value  of 
ilready  under-quoted  bill  ;  and  then  to  come  out  of  the 
leal  with  a  balance  on  the   right  side.     We  are  willing  to 
admit  that  a  poor  shipowner,  these  days,  should  be  allowed 
o  ride  to  business  in  a  "  classy  "  landau  ;  the  exigencies  of 
situation  demand  it.     But  if  such  tactics  spell  fizzle,  it 
is  useless  to  go  on  grumbling  about  it.     Even    the   modern 
"  shipowner  "  may  not  hope  to  have  both  the  penny  and  the 
bun  ? 

You  might  be  inclined  to  ask   why  such  assinine  tricks 
are  indulged  in  ?     If  so,  then  there  are  two  reasons  here, 
again.     One  is,  that  management  commissions,  of  a  legiti- 
mate   kind,    will     not     liquidate    the    constantly-growing 
responsibilities  of  "shipowners'  "  separate  establishments  — 
which  is  to   say  that  the  two  sealskin  sacques  cost  more 
than  one.  even  if  you  buy  them  at  contract  prices  and  get  a 
rebate  off  at  time  of  settlement :  the  other  reason  lays  in 
the  fact  that  "shipowner."  for  some  unaccountable  reason, 
has  worked  up  a  grand  disbelief  in  the  honesty  of  the  man 
who  makes  it  possible  for  him  to  indulge  in  those  separate 
establishments,  sealskin  sacque  touches,  and  landaus  with 
trimmings— the   shipmaster.     Rightly   or   wrongly  -in    all 
probability  the  latter-  the  shipmaster    has    come    to    be 
written  down  as  everything  that  is  dishonest.     He   may 
not   be  trusted,   anywhere.     Therefore,   the   nice,   honest 
alien   who   practices   by   the   Beautiful    Blue    (and  other  * 
coloured)    Danube  gets  the    preference.      See?     "  Ship- 
owner" cannot  realise  that  if  shipmaster  is  actually  the 
thief  that  some  of  his  detractors  allege,  it  is  still  better 
policy   to    place   all    business  transactions    in    his    hands. 
When  a  man  is  surrounded  by  light-fingered— and  lighter 
conscienced — gentry,  it  is  surely  the  correct  thing  to  keep 
the  possibilities  of  wrong-doing  narrowed  down  as  much  as 
^sossible  ? 

THAT  is  to  say,  if  you  are  so  unhappily  circumstanced, 
that  your  attention  is  -altogether  centred  on  sealskin 
sacques  and  other  things:  if  you  cannot  spare  the  time 
that  is  necessary  for  the  carrying  out  of  your  ostensible 
business  in  life  ;  if  you  feel  that  you  are  liable  to  be 
exploited  in  all  directions  ;  is  it  not  good  policy  to  work  the 
"  leaking  "  possibilities  to  as  narrow  a  limit  as  may  be  ?  Of 
course  it  is.  In  other  words,  if  the  Old  Man  is  a  wrong  'un, 
and  the  commercial  men  with  whom  he  mixes,  abroad,  are 
of  the  same  calibre  ;  isn't  it  good  business  to  see  that  you 
merely  enrich  one  man — the  shipmaster:  instead  of  enrich- 
ing him,  and  the  whole  herd  with  whom  he  has  to  do 
business?  For  if  the  Old  Man  is  really  a  wrong 'un.  you 
may  bet  your  last  ha'penny  that  he  will  not  get  "  left "  in 
the  general  scramble  ;  while  he  might  easily  turn  out  to  be 
a  honest  man  who  would  scorn  to  lower  his  dignity  by 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


August  1 1,   1905 


stooping  to  petty  larceny.  In  either  instance,  "  shipowner  " 
has  everything  to  gain  in  trusting  him-  and  everything  to 
lose  by  not  doing  so.  It  does  not  take  so  much  money  to 
enrich  one  schemer  -especially  if,  in  comparison  with  the 
crowd  among  whom  he  labours,  his  needs  are  of  a  modest 
kind—  as  it  does  to  enrich  a  mob  ? 

#& 

THEREFORE,  the  better  plan  for  "  shipowner  "  to  follow, 
is  not  to  bother  unduly  about  those  "  loosely  worded  charter 
parties  "  which  are  a  mere  circumstance  in  the  case. 
Trust  the  Old  Man  —  if  your  investments  will  admit  of  that 
trust—  and  by  doing  so,  you  will  have  removed  the  greater 
portion  of  the  sting  which  comes  about  through  loosely 
worded  charters,  yes.  If  the  Old  Man  is  master  of  the 
situation,  he  might  easily  remove  some  of  the  disabilities 
which  follow  upon  the  charters  referred  to  :  but  if  he  is  tied 
hand  and  foot  ;  if  he  is  merely  playing  in  the  drama,  the 
r61e  of  little  dog  :  well,  he  can  be  expected  to  bark, 
only  when  he  is  given  permission  by  those  gentlemanly 
Danube  Sonofavitches,  who  are  exploiting  the  British 
shipowner  in  more  ways  than  one.  Of  course,  if  the  latter 
worthy  has  signed  away  his  birthright  :  if  he  has  placed 
himself,  unreservedly,  in  the  not-  too-kindly  hands  of  his 
natural  enemy  ;  then,  there  is  precious  little  use  in  shout- 
ing. The  shouting  is  most  potential  before  the  signatures 
are  affixed.  We  have  given  this  extended  consideration  to 
an  old  sore,  because  the  time  approaches  when  the 
Variousavitches  are  packing  their  little  bags  ;  are  printing 
their  "gondracts  :  "  are  placing  therein,  all  the  little  odds- 
and-ends  which  are  used  on  shipboard,  but  are  "forgetting  " 
all  the  big  items  on  which  the  greatest  profit  may  be  made  ; 
and  soon,  they  will  be  swarming  around  the  office  of  "  ship- 
owner," even  as  they  have  done  for  years—  and  will  probably 
go  on  doing,  for  years  that  yet  may  come. 


IF  "  shipowner  "  will  take  the  tip  from  us  who  have  been 
where  he  has  not  —  that  is.  at  the  trinity  of  ports  which 
enable  the  European  Commission  to  wax  fat,  and  haughty  : 
if  he  will  not  consider  himself  too  clever  to  glean  a  point 
"irom  practical  —  as  against  theoretical—  experience  ;  he  will 
change  his  old-time  tricks.  That  is  to  say,  he  will  carry 
on  his  business  under  the  belief  that  the  shipmaster  is 
fully  as  honest  as  the  remainder  of  the  business  community  ; 
that  his  ranks  contain  no  greater  per  centage  of  rogues 
than  do  the  ranks  of  other  business  men  ;  that  if,  in  any 
case,  he  is  a  wrong  'un,  it  is  still  better  to  fatten  up  one  of 
the  breed,  than  it  can  possibly  be  to  swell  out  a  whole 
herd  of  the  same  genus  ;  well  in  that  case,  we  shall  not 
have  written  in  vain.  If  "shipowner"  will  but  remember 
that  "  forms  "  are  merely  a  delusion  and  a  snare  ;  that  a 
knave  can  easily  get  outside  of  them,  while  a  honest  man 
has  no  need  of  them  ;  that  the  mere  fact  that  all  accounts 
are  paid  from  the  home  office  is  no  reason  to  suppose  that 
the  said  accounts  are  of  the  nature  of  Caesar's  wife  ;  and 
that  taken  anyway,  the  average  "-shipowner"  of  to-day  is 
not  a  Sherlock  Holmes,  where  spying  out  discrepancies 
comes  in  :  then,  he  will  be  on  the  high  road  to  doing  away 
with  business  swindles  on  the  Danube. 


WE  do  not  aspire  to  Consular  infallibility-;  have  no 
leanings  toward  the  prophetic  r6le  ;  we  merely  write  as 
actual  experience  has  taught  us,  and  from  the  full  belief 
that  present-day  tricks  of  "  shipowner."  are  solely  calcu- 
lated to  put  a  premium  on  dishonesty.  It  is  a  human  trait 
which  has  existed  from  the  beginning  of  time—  that  which 
induces  a  man  to  have  the  game  as  well  as  the  blame. 
Moreover,  any  man  worth  his  salt,  will  surely  claim  that 
game,  providing  the  blame  is  forthcoming  ;  and  the  sporting 
element  is  not  confined  to  landau-running,  or  backing  the 


favourite  on  a  local  race-course.  By  this  we  mean,  that  if 
a  properly  constructed  man — one  who  has  not  been 
revivalled  into  a  caricature — finds  that  another  man  is 
trying  to  bull-dose  him  in  a  manner  that  is  painful  and 
several  other  kinds  of  particulars :  the  first-named  will 
surely  strive  to  be  "  up  sides  "  with  the  other  fellow.  Now 
although  "  shipowner  "  cannot  be  made  to  see  it,  the  fact 
remains  that  in  the  nautical  game  of  euchre  which  we  have 
been  discussing,  the  shipmaster  holds  the  "joker"  and 
both  "  bowers  ;  "  and  the  man  who  is  circumstanced  thusly. 
cannot  lose  the  "  trick  "  if  he  tries  to  !  When  a  man  starts 
off  with  the  whole  of  your  property,  your  best  policy  is  to 
trust  or  sack — him  ?  Here  we  leave  the  subject—  which 
is  a  good  one  for  holiday  time  ! 

0^ 

SOME  pessimistic  folk  are  for  ever  assuring  us  that  the 
times  are  out  of  joint.  Personally,  we  do  not  believe  it. 
If  there  is  any  out-of-jointedness  around,  it  is  in  connection 
with  the  working  man  who  has  been  coddled  and  wet- 
nursed,  until  he  is  unable  to  take  care  of  himself  :  and  is 
therefore  an  "  easy  mark  "  for  any  non-working  and  glib- 
tongued  national  danger  which  ambles  along,  under  the 
guise  of  uplifter-of-the-down-trodden  -  otherwise  agitator. 
In  our  last  week's  issue,  we  commented  on  the  latest  strike 
in  the  Bristol  Channel — that  of  the  labourers  who  cover 
steamers'  bottoms  with  the  composition  and  boot-topping 
of  commerce.  Locally,  they  have  been  styled  painters — 
much  to  the  disgust  of  the  genuine  article  which  has  served 
an  apprenticeship  at  the  business.  The  strike  continues, 
and  to  the  moment  of  writing,  nothing  of  a  startling 
character  has  transpired  in  connection  therewith.  The 
fact  is,  the  men  hardly  realise  why  they  are  on  strike,  and 
as  far  as  we  can  learn,  the  particular  "  union "  which  is 
affected,  is  by  way  of  being  taught  a  severe  lesson.  The 
pity  of  it  is.  that  the  actual  sufferers  are  in  no  need  of  any 
such  lesson  ;  and  the  wire-pullers  will  not  suffer. 


As  invariably  happens,  the  wire-pullers  will  advise  a  "  no 
surrender"  policy  as  long  as  the  funds  hold  out ;  when  they 
are  gone  up  the  flue — or  elsewhere — the  spirit  of  sweet 
reasonableness  will  manifest  itself;  the  men  will  meet 
their  employers  ;  a  little  snivelling  will  be  indulged  in,  eked 
out  with  the  usual  amount  of  fustian  ;  low  murmurings  will 
gradually  become  lower  :  and  as  many  of  the  striking  cult 
which  can  obtain  an  opportunity,  will  return  to  work 
wondering  what  'twas  all  about.  The  wire-puller  will  draw 
his  salary  during  the  strike — and  it  might  easily  run  into 
pounds  per  week;  the  strikers  will  draw  "strike  pay." 
which  will  just  as  easily  run  into  shillings.  The  pathos  in 
the  business  is,  that  the  strikers  will  have  made  the  "  fund," 
while  the  wire-puller  will  "administer"  it.  Yet  in  the 
midst  of  the  whole  conglomeration  of  misery,  the  deluded 
men  cannot  see  that  they  are  being  fooled  in  quite  a 
splendid  style.  They  never  can,  for  that  matter,  and  they 
are  living  proofs  that  a  little  knowledge  is  a  dangerous 
thing.  The  times  might  be  as  bad  as  possible  :  men  might 
be  hanging  around  on  half-,  or  three-quarter  "time:" 
women  and  bairns  might  be  living  on  half-,  or  three-quarter 
meals  in  consequence  ;  but  it  is  all  the  same  to  the  wire- 
pullers, who  are  sadly  in  need  of  drastic  legislation. 

.#  & 

WE  are  a  great  nation.  Nobody  dares  deny  it.  We 
make  all  manner  of  sacrifices  to  trace  the  cancer  microbe 
to  his  lair  with  hope  to  exterminate  him  ;  we  do  the  same 
with  other  bacilli ;  we  insist  on  anxious  workers  taking 
Act  of  Parliament  holidays  ;  of  being  shaved  and  shorn  on 
given  days:  establish  public  sanitoria  ;  feed,  clothe,  and 
educate  the  children  of  those  who  have  brought  them  into 
the  world  albeit  too  lazy  to  attend  to  them,  afterward  ;  in 


August   it,  i 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


short,  we  do   nearly   everything  that  is  essential   to  the 

-being  of  the  nation,   and   then   allow   an  irresponsible 

-agitator  to  coma  on  the  scene,  to  muss  the  whole 

You  know,  when  one  comes  to  size  the  situation 

the  Briton  should  feel  somewhat  humble? 

s  as  a  lion,  and  if  it  were  not  for  his  long  ears,  the 

on  his   back,   and    his    occasional    "hee-haw" 

>r  of  the  world  would  believe  him.     But  that 

'  hee-haw."  gives  him  away  on   each  occasion 

:  will  go  on  giving  him  away,  until  he  realises  that  cancer 

tuberculosis  bacilli,  are  not  the  only  menaces  to 

lealth.     In  our  opinion,  the  greatest  danger  of 

the  tonguey  individual  who  has  nothing  to  lose  from 

iflammatory  diatribes,  but  everything  to  gain  in  the 

matter  of  an  easy  livelihood,  if  they  take  due  effect 

S?& 

IN  connection  with  the  foregoing,  the  usual  nonsensical 

statements  are  current,   locally,  and  quite  an   eye-opener 

»  the  malcontents,   last  night.     It   came  about 

The  Cardiff  Channel  Dry   Docks  and  Pontoon 

smpany  had  a  steamer    the  Madura—on  their  pontoon. 

i  boat  belongs  to  good  customers,  and  it  was.  therefore, 

in  the  interest  of  the  company,  and  of  the  port,  that  she 

should  be  attended  to  in  Cardiff's    usual   style—  which   is 

written  "  with  efficiency  and  dispatch."     In  this  instance, 

the  work  necessitated  the  removal  of  a  few  plates  ;    this 

again    necessitated   the  removal   of  cement-work   wHich. 

according  to  "  union  "  ethics,  belongs  to  the  tank-cleaner, 

who  happens  to  be  "on   strike."     Well,  the   boilermakers, 

rather  than  see  a  good  job  hung  up  and  a  loss  incurred  to 

a  good  supporter,  undertook  to  remove  the  cement,  them- 

selves.    Then  arose  a  mighty  shout.     The   wicked   boiler- 

makers  had  positively  helped  the  more  wicked  employers. 

against  the  amiable  and  long-suffering  labourers  who   had 

nothing  but  a  day's  pay  at  stake.     The  latter  down-trodden 

babelets  are  hoping  that  the  matter  will  be  attended  to  in 

the    "  proper   quarter,"    after  which,   those   hard-hearted 

boilermakers  will  certainly  be  boiled  in  something  greasy, 

what? 

5?%5 

HEBE  you  have  a  typical  case  of  the  fat-headedness  of 
these  demagogues.  A  steamer  comes  to  port,  and  her 
owners  are  constant  supporters  of  the  ship-repairing  in- 
dustry :  never  a  man  among  the  strikers  have,  in  all 
probability,  ever  seen  the  owners  in  question  :  but  because 
they  were  good  enough  to  decide  on  sending  their 
vessel  to  Cardiff  for  any  necessary  repairs,  before 
this  tuppenny-ha'penny  strike  was  thought  of,  they  must 
be  penalised  by  delay  and  loss  for  the  benefit  of  the 
imaginary  Sacred  Cause.  Gives  you  the  pip.  doesn't  it  ? 
A  handful  of  labourers  —  a  mere,  inappreciable  portion  of 
the  community  wish  to  dictate  terms  to  the  vast  majority  - 
in  this  ridiculous  manner,  and  finding  they  are  incapable  of 
working  their  sweet  will,  raise  a  shout  to  high  heaven. 
Nobody  wishes  to  debar  these  labourers  the  excitement 
that  is  consequent  on  a  strike  :  they  may  go  on  striking 
indefinitely  :  but  every  sane  man  must  acknowledge  that 
they  have  no  right  to  interfere  with  the  action  of  other 
workmen  who  have  better  sense  ?  In  plain  words,  these 
men  are  engaging  in  the  not-over-pleasant  pastime  of 
jibbing  against  a  metaphorical  buck-saw.  Who  will  be  most 
hurt  in  the  end  well,  you  don't  need  a  prophet,  here  ? 


IN  the  case  of  the  Madura,  the  undertaking  was  excep- 
tional. although  we  fail  to  see  why  the  management  should 
apologise  for  th»»ir  prompt  action  on  that  account.  The 
vessel  pontooned  for  painting  and  other  small  work  ;  larger 
work  developed,  and  unless  the  vessel  were  to  lose  her 
charter,  that  work  had  to  be  fettled  off.  In  the  result,  the 


clerks,  officials  and  apprentices  exemplified  the  fact  that 
no  special  training  is  necessary  for  the  laying-on  of  bottom 
composition;  that  "hair-strokes"  are  an  inappreciable 
3uant,ty  ,n  the  deal  ;  and  that  true  to  promise,  the  steamer 
was  enabled  to  proceed  on  her  merry  way  this  (Friday) 
morning,  in  time  to  save  her  charter-and  the  credit  of  the 
Channel  Dry  Docks  and  Pontoon  Company,  Limited  as 
well  as,  incidentally,  of  the  Port  of  Cardiff.  Of  course  the 
matter  was  made  the  subject  of  discussion  at  the  meeting 
which  was  held  on  Thursday  night  ;  equally  of  course 
thing  definite  was  arrived  at.  There  never  is.  for  that 
matter.  The  men  hold  a  metaphorical  pistol  at  the 
employers'  heads;  say  "give  us  a  rise  of  Is.  6d.  per  day 
and  as  much  again  for  a  night,  or—  we're  off  home." 
Naturally,  the  public  has  no  sympathy  with  this  kind  of 
nonsense,  and  the  trade  of  the  port  must  not  be  played 
with  in  any  such  manner  ? 


WE  are  of  opinion  that  when  the  detonator  is  being  placed 
on  the  final  cartridge  that  is  to  make  a  new  world  of  poor 
old  Mother  Earth,  there  will  still  be  found  some  estimable 
persons  who  will  assert  that  the  British  seaman  is  a 
blackguard,  while  his  foreign  rival  is  everything-that-is-nice- 
and-good.  This,  too,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  we  are 
continually  treated  to  examples  which  go  to  prove  the 
contrary.  Last  week,  we  wrote  of  that  nice  gentlemanly 
Arab  seaman  who  "had  a  grudge"  against  the  captain  of 
the  vessel  which  had  brought  him  to  these  enlightened 
shores  :  and  who.  in  settlement  of  the  said  grudge,  quietly 
and  almost  unobtrusively,  inserted  the  major  portion  of  a 
knife  blade  into  that  captain's  back.  In  this  instance,  it 
might  have  been  another  case  of  "  Hate  and  fury  ill- 
supplied,"  for  the  cut,  although  a  serious  one,  was 
unattended  with  fatal  results.  The  splendid  Arab  person 
has  been  "  up  for  trial  ;  "  has  had  a  lovely  opportunity  of 
dilating  on  the  beauties  of  the  culinary  art  as  understood  on 
British  steamers  generally,  and'the  Falloden  in  particular  ; 
has  shown  entirely  to  his  own  satisfaction,  that  if  a  wicked 
shipmaster  doesn't  confine  his  progression  to  the  straight 
and  narrow  way  as  understood  by  the  Arabian,  well,  there 
is  likely  to  be  trouble  :  and  has  been  put  away  for  further 
consideration  at  the  Assizes—  by  which  time,  the  crime  will 
have  had  a  chance  to  mellow  down,  a  little  ? 

.5?  & 

OF  course,  there    is  every  sort  of  ameliorating  circum- 
stance in   the  case  of    this  free  child   of  nature  ?     His 
untutored,  and   un-revivalled   soul,  could  scarcely   be  ex- 
pected to   brook  the  continual  supply    of  mere  salt-beef 
that  was  good  enough   for  the    Old  Man.     The  gentleman 
should    have    had    ortolans,    say,  or  quails  on  toast.     But, 
however  the  matter  is-  ultimately  flogged  out,  we  are   not 
going  to  subscribe  to  any  belief  which  affects  that  an  Arab 
is  a  nice  kind  of  man  to  have  about  a  ship  —  unless  he   is  a 
dead    (and  thoroughly  embalmed)    Arab.     No!     We   have 
sailed  with   nice  seamen,  and  we  have  sailed  with  Arabs. 
The  last  time  we  sailed  with  Arabs  —  she  was  a   "  pilgrim 
ship"—  we  lost  most  of  our  earthly  goods,  and  our  belief  in 
the  breed.     In   return  for  that  loss,  we  had   a  gain.     At 
least,  a  gentleman   at  Port  Said  assured  us  that  such  was 
the  case,  and  if  he  were  right,  then,  our  gain  was  in  the 
plural  number.     We  are  disinclined,  at  this  late   date,  to 
particularise  too  much  about  the  said  gain  ;  but  we  feel 
that  the  circumstances  demand  our  admission  that  they 
were  young  and  lively  ;  also  that  they  appeared  to  have 
more  than  six  legs  —  and  sixteen  mouths.     It  might  appear, 
after  the  foregoing,  that    we    are    somewhat   prejudiced 
where   Arabs  are  concerned  ?     If  so,   we  will  leave  the 
theme,   and  turn   to  a  later  example  of  the  nice  foreign 
seamen. 


2[  ? 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


August 


SUPPOSE  we  consider  that  pretty  little  group  of  Chinamen 
who  are  said  to  have  mutinied  on  the  Dordogne.  That 
particular  group  was  picked  up  at  Cardiff,  where,  somehow 
or  other,  the  ruck  of  the  universal  world  that  has  to  do 
with  shipping,  is  apt  to  gravitate.  Those  Celestial  Beauties 
returned,  on  the  second  engineer,  the  compliment  which 
Bill  Nye  is  said  to  have  perpetrated  on  one  Ah  Sin.  That 
is  to  say,  they  "went  for"  that  second  engineer.  Incident- 
ally, it  might  be  remarked  that  the  engineer  appears  to 
have  got  in  an  upper  cut  on  one  of  the  gang,  and  being  true 
"unionists."  they  drew  their  knives,  and  made  nasty  over- 
tures in  return.  Mr.  Mueller,  the  engineer  in  question. 
shouted  out  some  words  of  disapproval,  at  this  turn  of 
events.  Personally,  we  are  not  going  to  blame  Mr. 
Mueller,  for  if  a  crowd  of  grinning  Chinamen  (they 
always  grin,  if  you  have  noticed  the  matter  :  they  do.  if 
you  haven't)  undertook  to  practice  their  carving  abilities 
on  ourselves,  well,  you  could  bet  that  we  should  shout- 
some  very  tasty  language,  even  as  we  undertook  a  divertis- 
sement, so  to  speak,  in  flank.  Anyhow  Mueller's  shout 
reached  the  ears  of  the  first  officer,  who  threw  in  his  bit  on 
the  side  of  law  and  order. 

&  & 

BUT  do  you  suppose  those  nice,  pig-tailey  Chinamen 
took  any  notice  of  a  mere  mate  ?  Well,  they  didn't,  and 
that  was  where  the  fun  waxed  fast  and  furious.  We  know, 
because  we  happened  to  get  into  a  similar  how-d'ye-do  on 
one  occasion  —  and  the  place  twitches  to  this  day  :  when  it 
rains,  yes.  But  'tis  Mueller's  seance  that  we  are  discussing, 
isn't  it  ?  Right,  then.  The  mate  said,  "  Go  below,  you 
gentlemanly  inhabitants  of.  a  Flowery.  Land,"  or  words  to 
that  effect,  but  never  a  go,  goed  the  mutineers.  At  this 
juncture  the  Old  Man  and  some  more  mates  intervened— 
incidentally,  with  revolvers  —when  the  knifey  pig-tailers 
were  quickly  corralled  until  the  New  York  police  boat 
arrived,  and  ultimately,  all  around  was  peace.  What  was 
the  trouble  with  the  Chings  ?  Well,  as  soon  as  they  found 
that  they  were  not  to  be  allowed  to  land  in  Free  America. 
and  add  more  competition  to  the.  local  dives  and  laundries, 
those  foolish  fellows  became  "  morose  and  threatening." 
When  a  Chinaman  gets  that  way.  he  isn't  a  nice  sort  of 
-Chinaman,  whatsoever  he  might  be  under  the  influence  of 
opium,  or  fear.  As  far  as  we  can  learn,  this  "  morose  and 
threatening"  feeling  led  to  the  outbreak,  and  the  outbreak 
led  to  chokee. 


VERY  well.  then.  It  is  here  that  a  seeming  joke  has  been 
worked  off.  Please  note  that  we  are  writing  the  word 
"seeming."  The  chief  officer  —  that's  the  mate,  you  know 

—told  the  American  Solon  (all  magistrates  in  America  are 
Solons.  you  might  have  noticed  ?)  that  it  was  impossible  to 
engage  a  British  crew  at  Cardiff,  and  he  was  right,  if.  it  be 
supposed  that  the  British  crew  be  asked  to  sail  for 
Chinese  wages.  Not  that  the  mate  put  it  that  way.  He 
was  a  man  possessed  of  too  imaginative  a  mind  for  that 

-unless  his  humour  was  of  the  subtle  kind,  which  we  are 
half-inclined  to  believe.  For  the^.mate  stated  that  you 
couldn't  get  a  British  crew  at  Cardiff.  "  owing  to  the 
religious  revival  conducted  by"  an  already  sufficiently 
advertised  gentleman.  Once  more  we  remark,  very  well, 
then.  In  addition  to  the  revival  jape,  the  mate  was  of 
opinion  —  according  to  the  story,  that  is  ;  personally,  we 
doubt  the  whole  hotch-potch  —  that  the  British  seamen 
referred  to,  didn't  seem  to  think  that  service  aboard  a  tramp, 
steamer  was  exactly  a  Christian  occupation.  Now  what 
about  the  subtle  humour  which  we  have  mentioned  ?  In 
our  opinion,  that  mate  was  full  of  it,  yes  !  However,  the 
subject  of  Christians  on  tramps,  is  too  good  an  one  for  the 
local  "daily  "  to  disregard—  in  the  silly  season. 

fi?    & 

THUS  it  canae  about  that  a  "  chapel  "-run  arrangement 
that  some  of  you  might  have  heard  of  (while  if  you  haven't, 


we  are  convinced  that  you  have  lost  nothing),  instituted 
inquiries  at  the  Docks,  here.  What  happened  ?  Well, 
"the  suggestion  was  ridiculed  and  laughed  at."  Fancy 
shipowners  positively  laughing  in  these  hard  times  !  Yea, 
lor'!  Anyhow,  "  Some  said  '  Bosh  !'  (which  is  an  express- 
ive word,  as  long  as  a  newspaper  man  doesn't  use  it  ?) 
What  utter  rot!"  (another  expressive  phrase,  and  one 
which  proves  that  the  revival  hasn't  done  much  good  at  the 
Docks  ?).  Others,  again,  contented  themselves  with  the 
remark,  "  Just  as  though  Evan  Roberts  and  the  revival 
would  effect  the  engagement  of  crews-"  This  is  all  very 
well,  and  might  be  good  enough  for  a  mere  daily  paper 
scribe.  For  ourselves — no.  you  can't  pull  our  leg  in  any 
such  ridiculous  and  simple  manner.  The  revival  might 
easily  have  had  a  lot  to  do  with  the  business — if  only 
indirectly.  You  know,  and  we  know,  that  sundry  of  the 
foreigner-employing  shipowners  in  the  district,  have  been 
giving  much  largess  to  the  chapel,  as  a  direct  tribute  to  the 
soul-moving  ministrations  of  the  revivalist  ?  Weak-headed 
persons  sometimes  act  in  that  unaccountable  manner  ? 
Right,  then.  What  happens? 


SIMPLY  that  the  additional  expenses  have  to  be  made  up 
some  way.  They  can't  be  made  up  from  freights  :  under- 
writers are  numbered  among  the  "  particular  ones."  just 
now  ;  investors  are  marking  time  :  so  cheap  labour  must 
square  the  deficit  ?  Clear  enough,  when  you  consider  the 
matter  in  a  proper  light,  isn't  it  ?  Of  course  it  is,  and  that 
is  mainly  why  we  suggested  that  the  mate  of  the  steamer 
in  question,  had  a  quantity  of  subtle  humour  concealed 
about  his  person.  All  the' same,  the  talent  at  the  Docks, 
told  "our  representative"  that  it  was  .difficult  to  get  a 
crew  composed  of  all  British  Seamen,  and  apparently,  "  our 
representative "  (confiding  person)  believed  it.  Not  the 
least  humorous  part  of  the  whole  contraption  lays  in  the 
fact,  that  the  secretary  of  the  British  Sailors'  and  Fire- 
men's Union  sends  a  letter  to  the  same  identical  "daily," 
wherein  the  gentleman  remarks,  "  I  am  prepared  to  prove 
that  this  Chinese  crew  was  shipped  in  preference  to  a 
British  crew."  Of  course,  he  is.  Who  doubted  the 
truth  of  the  situation  ?  Who.  that  is,  outside  of  the 
bottom  end  of  St.  Mary  Street  ?  Still,  a  nice  foreign  crew 
is  a  splendid  investment,  don't  you  think  ?  If  you  cannot 
get  any  work  out  of  it — work  that  is  calculated  to  pay 
your  shareholders,  that  is — the  Old  Man  may  still  depend 
on  getting  plenty  of  excitement,  and  a  few  jabs  under  his 
clothes,  in  return  for  his  kindness  in  patronising  the  gentle 
alien.  And  the  jabs  alluded  to,  are  a  splendid  dispeller  of 
the  monotony  that  is  about  on  occasion.  Sea-life  is  dref'fly 
monotonous,  at  times  ! 


THE  jubilations  in  the  Solent  are  being  carried  out  on  a 
magnificent  scale,  aren't  they  ?  Ganesha  must  be  taking 
in  the  spectacle  with  a  certain  amount  of  internal  misgiving! 
But  why  this  entente  thing  couldn't  have  come  about  fifty 
years  ago,  is  the  one  answer  that  most  Britons  would 
like  to  receive.  For  the  matter  of  that,  our  French  friends 
are,  no  doubt,  equally  inquisitive.  However,  better  late 
than  never,  and  if  the  good  feeling  is  allowed  to  continue  on 
both  sides  ;  nay,  to  increase  ;  then,  a  certain  toy  navy  of 
which  the  world  has  received  such  flattering  tales,  need 
never  keep  any  of  us  awake,  for  ten  minutes.  Personally, 
we  are  convinced  that  if  Napoleon  were  alive  to-day,  he 
could  not  succeed  in  running  amuck  as  he  did  in  his  own 
time  and  generation  ;  there  are  quite  a  number  of  French- 
men who  would  be  convinced  that  the  disposal  of  one 
tyrant  would  be  immeasureably  better  than  the  legalised 
murder  of  millions  of  hapless  humans,  who  happened  to 
live  at  the  same  time  as  the  tyrant.  The  moral  is  worthy 
of  consideration.  Although  possibly  more  wicked,  the 
world  is  considerably  wiser  than  it  was  in  Napoleon's  time, 
don't  you  think  ? 


August  ii.    11,05 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


213 


SHIPBUILDING. 


Work  in  the  shipbuilding  trade  is  steady,  even  brisk,  if 
one  is  to  judge  from  the  somewhat  startling  figures 
recorded  in  Lloyds'  Register  returns,  which  show  that 
there  is  a  very  great  increase  in  the  amount  of  work  in 
hand  in  most  of  the  yards,  as  compared  with  last  year. 
The  production  of  new  tonnage  on  the  Wear  for  July  has 
been  exceptionally  heavy,  amounting  to  eight  vessels,  of 
33.051  tons.  For  the  seven  months  of  the  year  now 
completed,  Wearside  builders  have  launched  51  vessels  of 
164.930  tons,  or  ten  vessels  of  39.959  gross  tons  more 
than  the  record  for  the  same  period  of  last  year.  If  the 
same  rate  of  production  is  continued  over  the  remaining 
five  months  of  the  year.  1905  will  register  a  tonnage 
output  which  will  compare  with  any  year  of  the  past. 

Messrs.  Philipps.  Philipps  and  Co..  of  London,  have 
placed  orders  on  the  North  East  Coast  for  ten  steamers,  to 
be  delivered  between  April  next  and  the  end  of  1906. 
The  steamers  are  all  to  be  of  the  single  deck  type,  and  will 
each  carry  about  6,000  tons  deadweight,  and  be  suitable 
for  the  grain  and  general  produce  trade  between  the  River 
Plate  and  Europe.  Of  these  ten  vessels.  Messrs.  J.  L. 
Thompson  and  Sons.  Sunderland.  are  to  build  four:  Messrs. 
Short  Brothers.  Sunderland.  two  :  Messrs.  W.  Pickersgill  & 
Sons.  Sunderland.  two :  and  Messrs.  John  Readhead  and 
Sons,  South  Shields,  two.  The  orders  constitute  a  very 
important  addition  to  the  work  in  hand  at  Sunderland, 
which  has  secured  eight  out  of  the  ten  vessels,  and  the 
outlook  for  the  future  at  that  centre  has  accordingly  been 
greatly  improved. 

Messrs.  Robert  Stephenson  and  Co..  Ltd.,  Hebburn-on- 
Tyne,  have  launched  a  steel  screw  hopper  barge,  built  to 
the  order  of  the  Cardiff  Railway  Company.  The  barge  is 
of  the  following  dimensions:  140ft.  x  33ft.  x  13ft.  2in. 
moulded.  The  machinery  which  will  be  supplied  by  the 
Shields  Engineering  Company,  Ltd.,  consists  of  a  set  of 
compound  surface-condensing  engines,  with  cylinders  21  in.. 
44in.  x  30in.  stroke,  supplied  with  steam  from  a  single 
ended  boiler  14ft.  x  10ft.  6in.,  which  is  being  built  by 
Messrs.  Robert  Stephenson  and  Co.,  Ltd..  the  working 
pressure  being  130  Ibs.  per  square  inch. 

•f  -f  + 

The  China  Navigation  Company,  Limited.  London,  have 
sold  three  of  their  old  steamers  :  the  Taiwan,  1 .734  tons 
gross,  built  and  engined  by  Messrs.  Scott  and  Co.. 
Greenock.  in  1882.  to  Messrs.  Diederichsen,  Jebson  and 
Co..  Hamburg:  the  Whampoa.  1.734  tons  gross,  built  and 
engined  by  Messrs.  Scott  and  Co..  Greenock.  in  1882,  to 
Mr.  H.  Robertson.  Shanghai:  and  the  Tungchow,  1.502 
tons  gross,  built  and  engined  by  Messrs.  Scott  *nd  Co.. 
Greenock.  in  1886.  to  Mr.  H.  J.  Craig. 

+  •»•  + 

The  iron  screw  trawlers  Tyne  Belle  and  Tyne  Castle, 
built  by  Messrs.  Edwards  Brothers.  North  Shields.jn  1893, 
the  Tyne  Meadows.  Tyne  Monarch  and  Tyne  Mouth,  built 
by  Messrs.  Sir  Raylton  Dixon  and  Co..  Middlesbrough,  in 
1882.  and  lately  owned  by  the  Tyne  Steam  Fishing  Com- 
pany. Limited.  North  Shields,  have  been  sold  to  Mr.  C. 
Planteijdt,  of  Ymuiden,  Holland. 

•f  *  + 

The  steel  screw  steamer  Mutual,  owned  by  Messrs.  T. 
Smailes  and  Son.  Whitby,  is  reported  sold  to  Japanese 
buyers,  at  about  £12.000.  She  was  built  by  Messrs.  T. 
Turnbulland  Son.  Whitby.  in  1892.  Dimensions  271ft. 
Sin  x  40ft.  8in.  x  19ft.  moulded.  2,128  tons  gross,  w.th 
engines  21  in..  54m.,  56in.  x  36in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  Bla.r 
and  Co..  Ltd. 


Messrs.  Sir  James  Laing  and  Sons,  Sunderland,  have 
received  an  order  from  a  South  American  firm  for  the 
construction  of  two  fast  light  draft  passenger  and  cargo 
steamers,  of  about  260  feet  in  length,  and  for  the  same 
firm  Messrs.  Gourlay  Brothers  and  Co.,  Dundee,  are  to 
build  a  fast  steamer  of  about  300  feet  in  length. 
,  +  +  + 

The  steel  screw  tug  Wolfhound,  built  last  year  by  Messrs. 
Willoughby  Brothers.  Ltd,  Plymouth,  for  Mr.  G.  F. 
Treleaven,  Plymouth,  has  been  sold  to  the  Alexandra  Dock 
Company.  Her  dimensions  are  80ft.  x  16ft.  6in.  x  10ft., 
with  engines  14)2111.,  30in.  x  20in.  stroke.  We  understand 
the  price  paid  is  about  £3,000. 

+  +  + 

The  steel  screw  steamer  Torpedo,  lately  owned  by 
Messrs.  Thomas  Wilson,  Sons,  and  Go.,  Ltd.,  Hull,  has  been 
sold  to  Greek  buyers  at  about  £3,000.  She  was  built  and 
engined  by  the  Earles  Company,  Limited,  Hull,  in  1885. 
Dimensions  150ft.  Sin.  x  25ft.  x  13ft,  487  tons  gross, 
with  engines  14'2in..  22in.,  36in.  x  24in.  stroke. 

+  +  + 

The  steel  screw  steamer  Prosper,  lately  owned  by 
Messrs.  Hans  Kiaer  and  Co.,  Drammen,  has  been  sold  to 
Japanese  buyers  at  about  £11,500.  She  was  built  at 
Gampbeltown  in. 1895.  Dimensions  230ft.  x  32ft.  6in.  x 
16ft.  4in.,  1,361  tons  gross,  with  engines  17,'2in-  27'2in., 
45in.  x  33in.  stroke,  by  Messrs.  Kincaid  and  Go. 

+  +  + 

The  steel  screw  steamer  Herakles.  lately  owned  by  Mr. 
J.  Drakenberg,  Stockholm,  has  been  sold  to  the  Japanese 
Admiralty.  She  was  built  in  Sweden  in  1897.  Dimensions 
182ft.  x  30ft.  x  16ft.,  592  tons  gross,  with  engines,  20in., 
32in.,  51  in.  x  30in.  stroke. 

+  +  + 

The  steel,  steam  trawler  Geres,  built  by  Messrs.  A.  Hall 
and  Co.,  Aberdeen,  in  1892,  and  lately  owned  by  the  Anglo 
Norwegian  Steam  Fishing  Company,  Ltd.,  Hull,  has  been 
sold  to  Spanish  buyers. 

The  steel  screw  steamer  Squall,  built  in  Holland  in  1904, 
for  the  Shipping  Investments,  Limited.  London,  has  been 
sold  to  Messrs.  Stewart  Brothers,  Auckland.  Dimensions 
140ft.  x  24ft.  2in.  x  10ft.  4in.,  369  tons  gross,  with  engines 
14in.,  32in.  x  24in.  stroke. 

+  +  + 

The  steel  steam  trawler  U.S.A.,  recently  managed  by 
Mr.  G.  Heron,  of  Swansea,  has  been  sold  to  a  Scotch  firm. 
She  was  built  by  the  Smiths  Dock  Company,  Ltd.,  North 

Shields,  in  1903. 

•f    +   + 

The  steamer  Falshaw,  recently  purchased  by  Messrs. 
Maclay  and  Mclntyre"of  Glasgow,  has  been  renamed 
Ivanhoe. 

Messrs.  Alfred  Holt  and  Co.,  Liverpool,  have  placed  an 
order  with  Scotts  Shipbuilding  and  Engineering  Company, 
Greenock,  for  the  construction  of  two  steamers. 

+  +  + 

The  steel,  steam  trawler  Sea  Gull,  lately  owned  by  Mr. 
T.  R.  Oswald,  of  Milford,  has  been  sold  to  Danish  buyers. 
She  was  built  at  Milford  by  the  late  owner  in  1894. 

+  +  + 

We  understand  that  a  firm  having  offices  in  London  and 
Glasgow,  are  about  to- order  eight  cargo  steamers  of  fairly 
large  size.  +  +  + 

The  steamer  A.  J.  Hocken,  recently  purchased  by  Mr. 
G.  O.  Wallenburg,  Stockholm,  has  been  renamed  Bur. 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


August  1 1,    1905 


FRIDAY.  AUGUST  11.   1905. 
GOVERNMENTAL    MARINE    MAKESHIFTS. 


^s> 


°TT 

II; 

f\  -*- 


cannot  be  denied  that,  on  occasion,  the  Govern- 
ment of  the  greatest  Navy  on  earth,  in    its  efforts 
to   dodge  its  legitimate  payments,    descends    to 
0   -~-     tactics  which,  at  best,  are  of  a  very  questionable 
nature.   If  the  same  economical  endeavour  were  apparent  in 
every  phase  of  Naval  expenditure,  there  would  be  room  for 
no  cavilling  when  the  cheeseparing  to  which  we  are  alluding 
was   in   evidence.     Unfortunately,    however,   there  is  but 
precious  little  economy  as  a  general  thing,  for   rank   waste 
is  the   order   of  the  day.  in  nearly  everything  where   the 
nation's  money  is  used  for  naval  purposes — the  only  ex- 
ceptions being,  where   blessings  which  have  been  derived 
at  the  expense  of  the   shipping  industry,  are   concerned. 
That  is  to  say.   in  the  matter  of  coastal  lights— which  are 
kept  going  solely  at  the  expense  of  mercantile  shipping— 
there  is  but  little  economy,  and  not  much  greater  efficiency. 
What  was.  is  good  enough,  and  the  mere   fact   that,  to-day 
—thanks  to   the   phenomenal   increase   in   the   Mercantile 
Marine—there   is.  a   large  surplus  over  expenditure  in  this 
direction,  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  case.     Everybody  that 
has  given  the  slightest  attention  to  the  subject,  knows  that 
the  shipping  industry  not   only  pays  for  the  coastal  lights, 
but  that  it  is  also  robbed  of  several  hundreds  of  thousands 
of   pounds  per  annum,  which  finds   its  way  into  the  Trea- 
sury, as  a  sort  of  unearned  increment :  an  indirect  tax  on 
shipping  enterprise.   Time  and  again,  this  matter  is  brought 
forward:    deputations   are   received;  promises   of  careful 
consideration  are  given  by  those   in    power  ;    polite  tarra- 
diddles    are    uttered  ;    and    again  the    whole    subject    is 
pigeon-holed— until  a  body  of  voters  come  along,  who  will 
insist  on  the  redress  which  is  their  due.     It  would  be  quite 
bad  enough  if  the  coastal  lights  were  run  at  cost ;  but  when 
a  thumping  big  profit  is  made,  even  while  a  number  of  the 
lights  supplied  are  hopelessly  out  of  keeping  with  the  times: 
then,  is  it  high  time  that  something  more  than  the  usual 
promises  -which  are  terribly   like   the  proverbial  pie-crust 
—were  to  the  'fore.     And.  as   it   is  with  the  lights,  so  is  it 
with    pilotage.       Warships    get    their    leading    lights    for 
nothing;  they  also  get  their  nautical   leaders  (the  pilots) 
on  the  same  remunerative  terms !     Seeing  that   it   is   the 
law,  we  suppose  that  no  one    should   jib  at  this  state  of 
affairs,  but  should  hustle   around  in   an   endeavour  to   get 
that  law  altered  ?     When,  however,  a  number  of  warships 
that  are  nothing  at  all   of  the   sort,  sneak   in   under  the 
conditions    which  obtain   in   the  ...matter  of    the    genuine 
article,  then,  is  it  anything  but  a  credit  to   those   who   are 
responsible?  In  all  probability,  the  pilot  of  commerce  would 
not  kick  unduly,  at  giving  a   portion  of  his  time  and  skill,  in 
guiding  a  bona  fide  battleship  into   safety.      That  he   is 
inclined  to  kick  when  he    is   being  "rushed"  in  the   same 
particular,  has  been  evidenced,  time  and  again.     The  most 
recent    example    herein,    was    supplied   by    the    steamer 
Kharki,  which  incurred  pilotage  expenses   to  the  extent  of 
four  guineas,  when    plying    between   Penarth    Roads    to 
Roath   Basin,  and    vice  versa,  on   several  occasions.     The 
Cardiff  stipendiary  magistrate  gave  it  as  his  opinion   that 
the    Kharki's  master  was  responsible  for  the  payment  of 
the  money,  and  for  £10  10s.  which  were  to  be  viewed  in  the 
light  of    costs   for   settling    the    matter ;  the   magistrate 
also  stated  a  case,  that  the  opinion  of  the  High  Court  might 
be  obtained  on  the  subject.      As  a  matter  of  course,   the 


appeal  was  heard,  and  the  Grown  undertook  to  show  that 
if  Kharki  wasn't  really  a  man-of-war,  then,  she  came  close 
enough  to  the  genus,  to  be  given  her  pilotages  for  nothing. 
First  of  all.  let  it  be  understood    that    this    insignificant 
collier  figures  in  the  Navy  List,  and  comes  under  the  "  List 
of  Small  Steam  Vessels,  Tugs,  etc.,  employed  on  Harbour 
Service."     In  the  list  referred  to,  the  steamer  is  scheduled 
as  "Kharki.  s..  coal  vessel  (steel),   1,465  tons."      All  the 
same,  she  is  as  much  a  tramp  steamer,  as  would  be,  say,  the 
F/apsy  Dapsy,  owned  by  any  fifth-rate  firm  of  ship-managers, 
anywhere.     Mind  you,  there  is  a  terrible  lot  of  ambiguity 
about  this  vessel,  for  although  she  figures  in  the  Navy  List, 
and  is  not  registered  under  the  Merchant  Shipping  Act, 
1894,  she  is  still  under  the  aegis  of  the    Board  of  Trade, 
who  surveys  her  under  Rule  1  of  that  same  Act ;  and  upon 
which  survey  her  seaworthiness,  or  otherwise,  is   estab- 
lished.    Moreover,  Kharki  doesn't  wear  the  Red  Ensign— 
in   which   respect,    she   is  hardly   to   be   considered   as  a 
merchant  vessel  ;    but  then,  she  doesn't  wear  the   White 
Ensign,  so  she  has  no  right  (or  reason)  to  be  considered  a 
man-of-war.     As  a  compromise  in  the  matter  of  bunting, 
she  wears — on  occasion — a  Devonport  Dockyard  flag,  and 
that  her    mission    may    be    unequivocally    considered    as 
peaceful,  she  carries  no  guns.     So  far,  so  good,  and  it  will 
probably   be   admitted   that  to   all  intents  and    purposes, 
Kharki  is  neither  fish,  flesh,  nor  good  red  herring,  if  we  may 
write  it  thus.     She  is  Government-owned,  but  masquerades 
along  under  a  dockyard  flag  ;  figures  in  the  Navy  List,  but 
is  under  the  administration  of  the  Board  of  Trade:    is  a 
warship  (for  pilotage  purposes)  but  couldn't  shoot  a  sea- 
gull, if  the  poor  bird  should  take  it  into  its  head  to  dispute 
Kharki's  right  of   way,  anywhere.     The     master    of   this 
semi-detached-man-of-war-collier-from-the-dockyard.    is 
just   the   common   or  garden  master    mariner  which  one 
meets  all  over  the  world.     That  is   to   say,   the  gentleman 
holds  a    Board  of  Trade  certificate   (even    as    does    his 
"  naval "  steamer),   and  is  by  no  manner  of  means  to  be 
considered    in    the    light   of  a  naval  officer,  although  he 
claims  the  privileges  of  the  cult,  in  getting  his  lights  and 
pilotages  for  nothing.     The  crew  of  the   Kharki,  too,  are 
of    the     Mercantile    Marine     persuasion-  although   some 
of   them   happen    to    be    Navy    pensioners  ;     and    taken 
altogether,  the  steamer  is  as  near  unto  the  festive  tramp, 
as  should  make  no  odds  to  anybody  ?      Anyhow,  the  man 
who  claimed  the  original  £4  4s.  for  services  rendered,  was 
—and  is — a  duly  licensed  Cardiff  Pilot,  and  he  had  supplied 
his  knowledge  of  local  nautical  difficulties,   at  the  request 
of  the   master   of  the  Kharki.     Moreover,  the  pilotage,  at 
Cardiff,  is  of  the   non-cumpulsory  sort.      Coming  along  to 
rates,  we  find  that  the  price  charged  was  in  accordance 
with  the  Bristol  Channel  Pilotage  Act.  and   the   registered 
tonnage  basis  as  provided  therein.     That  is  to  say,  Kharki 
was  assessed  for   pilotage,   exactly   as   would   any   other 
steam-collier  that  was  under  the  care  of  a  Board  of  Trade 
certificated  navigator,  and  why  the   "  registered  owners" 
of   this  vessel  endeavoured   to  screen  themselves  behind 
a  "courtesy"  admission,    is   among  those  things  which  no 
fellah   can  understand  ?     To  say  the   least,   it   is  uncon- 
scionably mean  to  attempt  to  put  a  constant  trader  on  the 
same  terms  as  the  ship  that  might  make  but  one  voyage  to  a 
given  port,  Jn  the  whole  of  her  fighting  life-time.     That  is, 
Kharki  is  continuously  employed  in  running  coals  from  the 
Bute   Docks  to  Devonport.    so  that  about  once  in  every 
week,    a  pilot  will   be   expected   to  give   his   tide's-work, 
inward  and  outward,  for  nothing.     As  already  stated,  the 
Cardiff  stipendiary  held,  that  Kharki  should  not  be  classed 
as  a  "  King's  ship,"  seeing  that  she  was  used  exclusively 
for  commercial  purposes,  and  was  known   to  those  with 
most  interest  therein,   as   a  "  yard   craft."     Furthermore, 
the  magistrate  was  of  opinion  that  the  immunity  enjoyed 
by     "  high    officers    and    direct    representatives    of     the 
Grown  in  their  official  capacity  as  agents  of  the  Grown," 
could  not  be  extended  to  the  Kharki's  master,  who   was 
merely  a  subordinate  of  the  coaling  officer,  at  Devonport. 


August    n,    1905 


THE    MARITIME     REVIEW. 


It  ,s  fa.rly  certain,  that  to  the  lay-mind,   the  magistrate's 
on  was  a  just  and  proper  one  ?     And   would   be  sub- 
to,  by  ninety-nine  men  out  of  every  hundred  ?     But 
3ng  the  odd  men.  is  ranked  the  Attorney-General,  who 
-on  behalf  of  Kharki-  that  her  case  came  clearly 
the  line  of  benefits  accorded  to  the  Kings  ships  in 
.tter  of  pilotage,  as  "  she  was  undoubtedly  one  of  his 
This  is  all  very  true.     Kharki  is  one 
»  Majesty's  vessels :    but  then.  Kharki  didn't  call  for 
srv.ces  :    it  was  Kharki's  master  who  did  this 
;hat  master  is  not  one  of  his  Majesty's  servants,  in  the 
sense  that  would  apply  to  a  bona  fide  naval  man?      As  we 
have   already  stated,   there   is    a    quantity    of    ambiguity 
to    Kharki.    which    is    Government-owned,    and 
cially  run :    but  there  is  no  such  ambiguity  about 
master,   who  is  just  an  ordinary   Mercantile   Marine 
is  nothing  of  a  naval  officer  :     is  not  on  the 
if  the  Navy  ;    is  not  eligible  for  pension  :  is,  in  short 
the  good   old  coasting  skipper  that  helps,  .maintain 
itain's    supremacy    on    the    waters.     The    Lord    Chief 
Justice,    in    working    up   his  decision,  started  out  on  the 
supposition^    tack.       Said   he:      "Supposing  she  were 
carrying  coal  as  tender  upon  a  battleship.     It  seems  to  me 
a  very  narrow  distinction  to  say  because   the   vessel   hap- 
pened to  be  carrying  coal  she  is  not  to  have  the  exemption 
the    battleship  would    have."       But   then.    Kharki  wasn't 
carrying  coal  as  tender  upon  a  battleship.     She  was  carry- 
ing coal  as  an  ordinary  trader,  and  although  we  have  no 
information  on  the  subject,  we   much  doubt   if  she  were 
franked  clear  of  dock  dues,  and  simply  because  she  was  flying 
a  dockyard  fhg  ?     Again,  it  is  highly  probable  that  Kharki 
had  to  ;  -ailors  for  their  muling  :    and   the  bunker 

people  for  her  fuel :    and  in   like  measure,  for  everything 
that  tended  towards  her  continuing  as  a  useful  unit  of  the 
national    fleet  ?    This  being  so.  why  should  the  pilotage 
service  be  picked  out  to  supply  a   number  of  free,   gratis 
and    for  nothing   portions  of  her  travelling  expenses,    so 
to  speak?     In  the  result,  the  pilotage  service  was  penalised 
in  the  manner  indicated,  for  in  giving  judgment,  the  Lord 
Chief  Justice  stated  that  the  case  was  one  of  considerable 
importance  and  of  some  difficulty    why.   we  must  beg  to 
be  excused  from  saying.    The  importance— to  the  pilot-- 
we  are  willing   to  admit:    but  where  the  difficulty  comes 
in     well,  we  give   it  up.     All  the   same,  the  appeal   was 
allowed,    and    the    semi-detached-man-of-war-collier,    for 
the  time  being,  will  have  her  pilotages  free.    Of  course,  the 
Lord  Chief  Justice  was  good  enough  to  admit  that  there 
were  strong  arguments  on  both  sides.  "  but  he  did  not  feel 
justified  in  going  against  the  view  that  a  King's  ship  was 
exempt  from  ordinary   pilotage  duties."     Neither  do   we, 
but  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  the  Kharki  is  not  a  King's 
ship  "  within  the  meaning  of  the  Act  :  "    nor  is  she  engaged 
on  "ordinary  pilotage  duties."  within  the  same  "meaning." 
In  plain  language,  she  is  "bumming  her  way"  along  over 
the  waters  which  she  is  employed  upon,  and  with  sanTg^  , 
what  poor  taste,  the  powers  that  be  are  aiding  and  abetting 
in    that    "bumming?"     Minr1   you.   his   Lordship  granted 
further  leave  to  appeal,  so  there  is  a  two-to-one  chance  of 
the  pilot  getting  his  money,  after  all.     That  is,  the  magis- 
trate who  first  tried   the   case,   was  of  opinion   that  the 
master  of  the  Kharki  was  liable  for  the  pilotage  expenses 
incurred  :    the  Lord  Chief  Justice  says.  "  No  :  "    the  Upper 
House     if   the   case  goes  that  far-  will   probably  decide 
with  the  magistrate,  and  mainly  on  the  assumption  that 
they  haven't  any  salary  to  justify.     But  the  whole  fit-out 
is  anything  save  edifying,  and  one  would  almost  be  inclined 
to  wager  that,  in  any  case     and  in  view  of  the  fact  that  it 
n   national    money   involved  — the  pilot  would   have  been 
paid  for  a  service  which  occurs  once  a  week  ?    Once  now 
and  then,  a  pilot  wouldn't  be  inclined  to  jib  at  giving  his 
services  to  a  genuine  warship  :  but  when  it  comes  down  to 
a  "constant  trader."  well,  the  injustice  of  the  finding  would 
appeal  to  nearly  anybody  outside  of  a  Lord  Chief  Justice. 
Again,    the  courtesy  wasn't  first  extended  to  a  "  King's 


ship:     ,t  was  a  warship,  pure  and  simple,  that  was  indicated 
1"  \heP'lots'  free  list."     It  is  shown,    very   conclusively, 
that  Kharki  is  anything  but  a  warship,  so   why    should  she 
be  mcluded  in  the  "list  "  referred  to  ?     Mind   you,  there  is 
)ther,   and  simpler  way  out   of   it.   and   we  are   rather 
surprised  to  note  that  the  Naval   powers  haven't  tumbled 
it,  by  this  time.     We  have  already  reminded  our  readers 
that  p,lotage  into  Cardiff  Docks   is  of   the   non-compulsory 
d  :  that  dozens  of  shipmasters-  and  in  charge  of  bigger 
ips  than  Kharki—  undertake  the  business  on  a  lone  hand 
o  write  it  :  so  what  is  the   matter  with    placing   Kharki 
under  the  care  of  a  man  who,  after  making  half-a-dozen 
weekly  trips  into  Cardiff,  would  be  bold  enough  to  bring  his 
ship  in,  without  an  eventual  appeal   to   the   law  ?    To  ^ur 
mmd.  this  is  the  simplest  way   out  of  the   imbroglio.     Not 
every  shipmaster,  under  the  circumstances,  would  ask  for 
pilotage  services   in   such  simple   navigation  as  is  found 
>etween   Penarth  Head   and  Roath  Basin   locks  ;  and  the 
ttle  "King's  ship  "  would  be  just  as  paying  a  concern,  we 
venture  to  submit,  if  skippered    by  a   man  who   didn't  find 
himself  in  the  position  of  having  to  impose  on   good  nature 
if  we  may  write  it  thus  ?     We  commend  our  suggestions  to 
the  careful  consideration   of  the   Lord  Chief  Justice.     By 
following  them,  the  country  will   be   saved    much   valuable 
time,   and    good    red    gold. 


THE   PASSING   OF   THE   "BRIT/ 


yiTH  the  commencement  of  the  summer  vacation 
\l\-i        granted  to  the  "  future   Nelsons"   of   England, 
W  W         synchronises  the  end  of  H.M.S.  Britannia—so 
far.  the  alma  mater  of  the    majority  of   Naval 
officers  at  present  afloat,  as  well   as  of  a  goodly  number 
thereof  who  are  rusting  away   in    an    enforced  retirement. 
There  can  be  no  gainsaying  the  fact  that   the   occurrence 
will  leave  a   big   mark  in    British   Naval   history,   for   the 
passing  of  the  old  ship  and  the  coming  of  the  new  college 
which  takes  its  place  as  the  home  for  the  "  bright  intelli- 
genced  "  lads  who  are  to  be  operated  on  in  future,  will  form 
the  dividing  line  between  two  distinct  eras.     To-day,  there 
is  a  bond  of  fellowship  between   one-time   pupils  of  the 
"  Brit."  wheresoever  they  meet.     The  oldsters  held  out   a 
helping  hand  to  the  youngsters,   more  because  both   had 
graduated  in  the  same  nautical  school,  than  for  any   other 
reason.     The  freemasonry  of  the  sea  was  intensified  by  the 
knowledge  that  both  had  put  in  similar  periods  on   the  old 
ship— aye.  had  probably   swung  from  the   same   hooks,    o' 
nights.     All  this  is  to  be  altered,  for  on  the  reassembling  of 
the  cadets,  the  Royal  Naval  College   will   be  the    forcing 
ground  of  all  future  Admirals,  and  whether  the  change  will 
,  be  productive  of  ultimate  good,  remains  to  be  seen.     Per- 
sonally, we  prefer  to  keep  an  open  mind  on  the  subject. 
But  of  one  thing  we  are  absolutely  sure  :    A   decade    will 
have  to  pass,  ere  the  oki  feeling  of  comradeship  will  spring 
up  between  Naval  officers  the   world  over  ;    between   men 
who  have  never  previously  met,  but  are  instinctively  drawn 
together,  because  their  first   bit  of   Naval  discipline  was 
received  on  the  "old  ship."     In  future,  the  inevitable  sniff 
of  doubt  will  obtrude,  when  two   Naval  men  meet  abroad. 
The  elder  will  hold  himself  in,  until  the  youngster  declares 
whether  he  is  "college  trained,"  or  is  a  "Brit."  boy  :    and 
the  younger  man  will  surely  affect  a  disdain   for  the  older 
man  who,  of  necessity,   was  trained   in  that   "  old  crock  ". 
--for  such  will  the  "Brit."   become    to   the    new    order! 
However,  temper/  parendum  is  as  true  to-day,  as  was  it 
ever :    and  the  worst  one  may   wish   the    Royal   College 
is.  that  it  may  ultimately  become    as    great    a    landmark 
and  rallying  word  as  (if  we  may  be  forgiven  the   mixing 
of  the  metaphor)   was  the    good    old    ship    which    it    has 
been  built  to  supersede.     Here  let  her  go. 


216 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


August   ii,   1905 


CARDIFF     (AND    OTHER)     COAL. 


CARDIFF.   August  9,  1905. 

BEST  CARDIFF  ADMIRALTYS  remain  at  their  late  standard 
of  steadiness—  although  the  fact  is  by  no  means  the  result 
of  any  overweening  desire  on  the  part  of  users,  to  make 
heavy  purchases.  On  the  contrary,  rather,  for  restriction 
of  output,  which  is  a  necessary  concomitant  to  holidaying,  is 
more  to  blame— if  you  care  to  put  it  that  way.  It  is  all  the 
same,  if  you  don't,  and  we  are  somewhat  of  opinion  that 
there  will  be  a  scarcity  of  the  commodity,  for  some  little 
time  ahead.  When  "  Dai  "  goes  off  on  a  proper  "  bendo," 
you  never  know  your  luck  in  getting  him  back  to  work, 
once  more. 

MOREOVER,  and  as  we  siated  in  our  last,  the  collieries  of 
this  group,  generally,  have  a  sufficiency  of  engagements 
with  which,  under  careful  management,  the  present  month 
will  be  fairly  dismissed.  As  our  own  young  man  naively 
remarks,  "  There  is  practically  nothing  new  to  record,  and 
there  is  a  scarcity  of  happenings ! "  If  that  isn't  good 
enough  for  most  of  you.  then,  we  should  like  to  hear  about 
it?  In  the  matter  of  figures,  BESTS  are  up  to  13s.-  which 
is  another  of  those  nominal  affairs.  That  is  to  say,  when 
there  is  but  little  free  coal  to  offer,  the  quotation  doesn't 
amount  to  much,  in  other  than  individual  instances  ? 

UNDER  the  circumstances,  therefore,  we  are  certain  that 
12s.  9d.  may  be  taken  as  actual  value,  although  we  are 
bound  to  admit  that  the  quotation  is  given  with  all  the 
firmness  incidental  to  a  loud  check  suit,  eked  out  with  a 
glaring  cummerbund  !  This  is  the  summer  season  :  it  is 
also  the  holiday  time  !  In  either  instance,  you  can  be  sure 
of  the  loud  checks,  and,  providing  the  gentlemanly  coal 
dealer  is  not  too  much  inclined  to  embonpoint,  the  cummer- 
bundish  affair,  yes.  However,  other  qualities  in  this  grade 
(qualities  that  do  not  admit  of  the  red  sash,  say)  are 
gravitating  around  the  12s.  6d.  mark,  which  price  (for 
reasons  already  stated)  is  being  maintained. 

SECONDS  have  undergone  no  startling  change.  They  are 
listed  for  sale,  and  that  is  a  point  that  is  worthy  of  remem- 
brance. Business  in  them  is,  at  the  same  time,  restricted 
within  the  limits  which  are  said  to  be  narrow,  and  judging 
by  present  appearances,  there  is  but  little  firmness  due  in 
this  particular  grade,  at  any  very  early  date.  Of  course,  a 
few  of  the  collieries  are  busy,  but  they  are  the  fortunate 
exceptions,  and  deserve  the  credit  which  is  their  due,  for 
keeping  this  department  of  the  Welsh  coal  trade  in  exis- 
tence. The  majority  of  collieries  have  too  much  coal  on 
hand— and  in  other  places — to  admit  of  any  stiffness,  when 
price  is  discussed. 

THE  seller  endeavours  to  keep  his  SECONDS  at  the  12s. 
notch.  Sometimes,  he  succeeds  :  but  more  frequently,  the 
reverse  transpires.  If  you  are  anxious  to  see  this  exponent 
of  the  art  and  mystery  of  coal  selling  come  down  a  bit,  just 
approach  him  with  a  vague  demand  for  something  prompt. 
What  will  happen  ?  Well,  you  may  safely  depend  on  work- 
ing that  12s.  quotation  down  to  the  extent  of  a  threepenny 
piece-  in  some  isolated  cases,  a  bit  lower  even  than  that. 
Still,  if  we  take  things  as  we  find  them,  and  strike  a  decent 
sort  of  average  all  'round,  we  shall  have  to  admit  that  the 
resultant  figures  will  work  out  to  about  12s..  as  stated 
above. 

ORDINARIES,  as  perhaps  you  will  have  supposed,  show  no 
improvement  over  last  week's  conditions,  for  stocks  largely 
exceed  the  demand- — if  the  limited  happenings  hereaway 
may  be  glorified  with  the  name  of  "demand."  With  stocks 
in  that  uncomfortable — to  the  seller — position,  it  is  useless 
to  expect  any  improvement,  what  ?  Anyhow,  there  are 
no  signs  of  any  such  thing,  and  buyers  are  blissfully  roping 
in  all  the  favours  !  Coming  to  value,  we  find  that  for  the 
top  sorts,  11s.  9d.  is  about  all  that  may  be  marked,  with 
others  ranging  along  at  a  nominal  1  Is.  6d.— which  figures 
are  being  adhered  to.  if  only  in  appearance. 


DRYS,  in  the  matter  of  new  business,  are  even  that ! 
Which  is  to  say,  the  dull  trait  which  appears  to  have 
become  of  a  perennial  nature  in  this  grade,  is  very  much 
in  evidence.  Sellers  are  disposed  to  satisfy  all  demands  of 
the  buyer,  on  a  1  Is.  9d.  basis  ;  but.  dear  us.  there  aren't 
many  buyers  about.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  lls.  9d. 
quotation  is  merely  by  way  of  "  bluff,"  for  if  a  parcel  is 
needed  for  an  early  date — well,  it  is  a  simple  matter  to 
improve  upon  the  quotation  which  we  have  given.  IN- 
FERIORS, too,  are  no  better,  although  the  figures  are 
written  as  lls.  6d.  Not  that  you  have  to  attach  much 
importance  to  figures,  always,  have  you  ?  If  a  dealer  is 
sure  that  nobody  wants  his  stuff,  he  is  fairly  safe  in  putting 
up  a  fancy  price. 

MONMOUTHSHIRE  GOALS.  These,  in  the  matter  of  price, 
are  unchanged,  so  it  will  be  understood  that  the  department 

as  some  of  the  younger  coal  hustlers  are  wont  to  remark 
--continues  to  manifest  that  firmness  of  which  we  told 
you,  in  our  last.  With  the  majority  of  the  collieries 
involved,  stems  are  very  satisfactory,  and  this  coupled  to 
the  holiday  restriction,  has  ieft  sellers  with  precious  little 
free  coal.  When  the  seller  is  in  this  (to  him)  happy 
position,  you  have  no  need  to  wonder  that  he  is  inclined  to 
chirpyness  ?  In  the  matter  of  actual  figures,  we  find  that 
BLACK  VEINS  are  selling  at  lls.  9d. — for  what  there  is 
available.  Moreover,  the  inquiry  (some  of  the  exponents 
of  the  art  write  the  word  "  enquiry,"  and  the  coal  goes  off 
just  the  same)  continues  up  to  the  average  of  what  has 
been  ruling  of  late. 

ORDINARY  SORTS  are  showing  a  steady  tone  (at  least, 
that  is  how  our  own  especial  one  writes  it,  and  we  don't 
care  to  argue  against  him),  although  outside  of  present 
commitments  of  the  collieries  implicated,  there  is  anything 
but  a  brisk  demand.  Still,  stems,  for  the  time  being,  are 
well-filled,  and  for  this  reason — mainly  there  is  a  certain 
well-defined  amount  of  "side  "  assumed,  by  those  who  are 
responsible  for  giving  the  quotation.  The  latter,  here  and 
there,  is  scheduled  as  lls.  6d.  :  but  the  actual  value  in  this 
section  lays  more  in  the  vicinity  of  lls.  3d. — with  a  range 
of  a  copper  or  so.  on  either  side.  Inquiries  for  this  month's 
shipments,  have  been  fair  :  but  inquiries  are  of  very  little 
use — unless  they  materialise  into  actual  business,  which,  in 
this  instance,  they  are  somewhat  reluctant  to  do. 

SECONDS  have  been  worked  into  some  small  show  of 
firmness,  thanks  to  holidays  and  a  somewhat  better  stem- 
ming propensity.  The  quotation  for  the  top  qualities,  has 
been  put  up  to  the  extent  of  a  threepenny  piece,  and  now 
stands  at  10s.  6d.  Other  Eastern  Valley  sorts  have  not 
secured  above  the  10s.  3d.,  but  the  position  of  SECONDS. 
generally,  is  certainly  an  improved  one.  May  it  long 
continue  so,  and  go  one  better,  is  the  soulful  wish  of  those 
who  handle  the  grade  ! 

RHONDDA  NUMBER  3's  continue  in  a  well-stemmed 
condition,  and  thus  the  gentle  seller  is  enabled  to  keep  the 
prices  at  near  recent  levels,  that  current  being  13s.  6d.  In 
some  few  instances,  a  slightly  increased  demand  is  enforced 

that  is  to  say.  where  the  position  of  the  colliery  is 
sufficiently  good  to  enable  the  selling  gentleman  to  ease 
himself  as  suggested.  All  the  same,  the  odd  sixpence  has 
secured  most  of  the  transactions,  and  this  is  a  matter  for 
congratulation.  Why  ?  Mainly  because  new  inquiry  is 
anything  but  pressingly  abundant,  so  that  you  will  under- 
stand that  NUMBER  3's  are  maintaining  themselves  per 
favour  of  present  (and  past)  engagements,  more  than 
because  there  is  anything  startling  doing  therein  at  the 
moment. 

RHONDDA  NUMBER  2's,  as  we  suggested  they  would  be,  at 
our  last  time  of  writing,  are  a  firm  section,  and  for  prompt 
shipment— for  which  position  stems  are  somewhat  tight— 
the  whole  of  10s.  3d.  is  being  demanded.  In  this  grade 


August   ii,    1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


217 


too.  the  request  continues  good — very  good,  we  might 
truthfully  write  :  but  owing  to  the  limited  quantity  offering, 
transactions  have  been  anything  but  numerous.  This  is 
where  the  irony  of  the  business  comes  in  !  When  the  stuff 
is  plentiful,  nobody  needs  it ;  when  the  contrary  obtains, 
then  everybody  is  keen  about  it !  In  fact,  at  times  such  as 
the  latter.  Welsh  coal  is  like  the  nice  little  girl  one  reads 
of :  you  know,  the  one  who  used  to  declare  something 
about.  "They're  after  me.  they're  after  me,  etc.  ?" 

SMALL  COALS  have  remained  a  sound  section,  the  firmness 
which  has  been  in  evidence  for  some  considerable  time, 
past,  being  retained.  Prices  have  not  varied,  appreciably. 
since  our  last,  which  is  easily  understandable,  in  view  of 
the  fact  that  supplies  are  quite  as  scarce  as  then.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  demand  is  exactly  the  reverse,  being  very 
free  :  much  more  so  than  is  good  for  the  mind  and  patience 
of  the  exponent  of  SMALL  GOAL.  He  is  tantalised  by 
seeing  a  fortune  held  out  to  him  — if  only  he  can  obtain 
enough  of  the  stuff  with  which  to  coin  the  shekels  which, 


he  feels,  should  be  his  !  We  have  suggested  that  there 
will  be  no  immediate  decline  in  value,  but  even  so,  there 
will  surely  be  an  easing  off  in  the  course  of  a  few  days. 

COMPARING  figures  in  connection  with  SMALLS,  we  find 
that  the  quotation  for  BESTS  is  from  9s.  to  9s.  3d. ;  but  in 
point  of  actual  value,  they  are  worth  no  more  than  the  9s. 
— which  is  high  enough,  in  view  of  other  values,  don't  you 
think  ?  SECONDS  are  marked  at  8s.  9d.,  and  even  here,  the 
superior  sorts  are  asking  9s.  This  latter  demand  is  more 
for  the  reason  that  they  have  none  to  spare,  than  for  the 
hope  that  anybody  will  pay  up  to  the  extent  indicated  ! 
ORDINARIES  are  swearing  (at  least,  their  exponents  are) 
that  they  will  accept  nothing  under  8s.  6d.  at  the  moment ; 
but  you  need  not  believe  them — unless  you  like.  Personally, 
we  do  not. 

PATENT  FUELS,  in  the  matter  of  price,  are  unchanged.  A 
fair  business  has  been  done,  but  altogether  insufficient  to 
influence  values  one  way  or  another,  that  current  being 
represented  by  the  figures  13,  and  the  letter  S. 


Al'I'KiiXIMATf        Fl'.il'KI-S        FOK        Till:        \YKKK,        ARK       AS       FOLLOW;  — 

(All  quotations  J.o.b.  at  the  respective  ports  of  shipment.; 


QUALITY. 

THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

TUESDAY. 

WEDNESDAY. 

Best  Cardiff  Ad'alty  Large 

Scicnd           Ditto. 

I2x  3(1. 

I2s.  6d.,  i3s.  CK|. 

133.  el. 

123.  0'!. 

133.  od. 
I2s.  od.,  us.  3d. 

I2S.  o  !.,  us.  3d. 

Other  Second  Cardiff 

1  1<  i/l. 

IIS.  61.,    I2S.  0(1. 

i  is.  gd. 

| 

us.  6d.,  us.  gd. 

lino 

1  1  -.  9d. 

lls.  6d.,  iis.  gd. 

us.  7id- 

us.  gd. 

Newport 
Ordinary  Bests 

us.  6d..  I2S.  od. 
i  i-.  3d. 
ios.  3d.,  ios.  fid. 

iis.  gd. 

i  is.  31!.,   us.  6(1. 
ios.  6d 

i  is.  gd. 

1  1  s.  3d. 
ios.  6d. 

us.  6d.,  i  is.  (jd. 
i  is.  od.,  i  is.  6d. 
ios.  3d.,  ios.  6d. 

Rest  House  Coal 

Od. 

145.  3d. 

MS.  3<1 

15 

143.  gd. 

No.  3  Rtiondda 

1  ',V    <|JI. 

133.  6d..  I4s.  od. 

I3s.  6d.,  13s.  9(1. 

c 

133.  7jd. 

No   2          Ditto. 

ios.  od. 

ios.  od.,  ios.  3d. 

ios.  i.V.l. 

E 

ios.  3d. 

Rhnniida  3  "  Thro." 
J        •• 

. 

us.  6d. 
gs.  od. 

iis.  6d. 
gs.  od. 

Q 

0 

c 

us.  6d.,  i  is.  gd. 
8s.  lo^d. 

Smalls: 
Best  Cardiff 
Seconds 
Ordinaries 
Best  Newport 
Seconds 
Rhondda  No.  2 
No.  3 

-  !..  <)-.  6d. 

od. 

8s.  6.1 
•,d. 
O<1. 

od. 
93.  6cL,  to*,  od. 

gs.  3d. 
gs.  od. 
8s.  3d.,  8s.  6d. 
-   6d. 
8s.  od. 
73.  gd. 
od. 

gs.  3d. 
gs.  od. 
8s.  4.U1. 
8s.  3d. 
75.  gd. 
8s.  od. 
9s-  7^d. 

J 
O 

X 

• 

0 
CO 

c 
o 

QS.  oil.,  gs.  3d. 
8s.  gd. 
8s.  6d. 
8s.  3d. 
73.  gd. 
8s.  od. 
gs.  6d. 

Foundry  Coke  : 
Special 

2OS.  9d. 

1  7».  oil. 

20*.  6(1.,   2  IS.  Od. 

iSs.  od. 

2  IS.  Oil. 

i8s.  od. 

2os.  gd. 

iys.  Od..  iSs.  od. 

Furnace  Coke 
Patent  Fuel 
Pit  »  nod    e«  ship 

6(1. 

us.  9<1..  13*.  3'l. 

i6s.  3(1. 
135.  od. 

I  if.,  qd. 

i6s.  3d. 
13s.  od..  i3s.  31!. 
igs.  6d. 

1  6s.  od.,  i6s.  6d. 
133.  od. 
igs.  6d.,  igs.  gd. 

All    less  21,  p«r  cent,  discount,  with  payment  at  thirty  days,  except  where  otherwise  stated. 
All  quotation*  for  large  Coals  imply  Colliery  Screened. 


SWANSEA.  August  9.  I90S. 

BUSINESS,  here  has  undergone  no  improvement,  and  the  market 
continue,  dull  and  unprofitable.  ANTHRAC.TE  COALS  are,  quotably.  at 
recent  figures  ;  DUFF  show,  no  change  :  MACHINE  MADE  COALS  are 


easy  throughout ;  but  STEAMS,  as  suggested  in  our  last,  are  steady. 
In  the  latter,  BESTS  are  quoted  up  to  13s.  3d.,  with  3d.  off  as  actual 
value,  while  SECONDS  are  fairly  well  maintained  at  1  2s.  PATENT  FUELS 
are  quoting  at  lls.  6d.  to  lls.  9d.,  at  which  they  are  steady. 


BELOW,  we  give  _1»he  average  prices  for  the  week  :— 


========= 
QUALITY. 

===  
THURSDAY. 

FRIDAY. 

SATURDAY. 

MONDAY. 

Anthracite: 

Best    Hand    Picked 
Mailing  Ur*e 
Seconds    do. 
Bl*  Vein  Urite 
Red     .. 
Machine  Made  Cobbles 
..     N«t» 
..     Pea* 
Ruhhly  culm 

llHlt 

i8s.  od..  i8s.  6d. 
178.0:!. 
us.  od. 
9S.  6-1.,  los.  o:l. 
169.  od.,  16*.  6d. 
its.  od..  17"-  «'• 
los.  6d. 
5-*.  6d. 
39-  3d. 

is-.  3d. 
H  s.  gd. 
IDS.  gd. 
9s.  9(1. 
i6s.  3d. 
i6s.  6d. 
los.  od.,  los.  6d. 
53.  6d. 
3*.  od.,  33.  6d. 

iSs.  3d. 
i6s.  gd. 
ios.  gd. 
gs.  gd. 
i6s.  3d. 
i6s.  6d. 
ios.  3d. 
53.  3d.,  53.  6J. 
3».  3d- 

•Avanoj 

Patent  Fuel. 

us.  M.  us.  9d. 

us.  7jd. 

us.  6d. 

UH 

Steam: 
BeM     l.«r>(e 
Seconds  ,, 
Bunker    ,. 
Thro'  and  Thro 

119.  9d. 

us.  gd. 
los.  6d. 
8s.  9(1. 

133.  od. 

123.  Od. 

ios.  3d. 
8s.  6d.,  9S.  od. 

133.  od. 

I2S.  od. 

ios.  od.,  ios.  6d. 
8s.  gd.,  93.  od. 

TUESDAY. 


rt 

I 

o 


C 

o 
u> 
o 

1 

O 


WEDNESDAY. 


1  8s.  od. 
i6s.  6d.,  173.  od. 

us.  o.l.    , 

gs.  6d.,  los.  o.l. 

i6s.  od.,  i6s.  3d. 

i6s.  6d.,  173.  od. 

los.  od.,  IDS.  3d. 

5s.  4id. 
33.  od.,  35.  6d. 


us.  6d. 


133.  od.,  133.  3-.!. 

us.  gd.,  12S.  od. 

IDS.  6d. 

8s.  gd. 


II  ! 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


August   n,    1905 


COAL  FREIGHTS  AND  FIXTURES. 


CARDIFF.  August  9,  1905. 

SEEING  that,  since  our  last  time  of  writing,  the  holiday 
insect  has  been  pretty  much  in  evidence,  it  naturally 
follows  that  any  list  of  freights  for  that  period,  will  be 
anything  but  indicative  of  the  condition  of  the  freight 
market.  Toward  the  end  of  last  week,  business  was 
very  quiet,  and  rates— with  the  exception  of  those  to 
the  Westward-- were  steady.  In  the  case  of  those  on 
Western  account,  there  was  a  firmer  tone,  although  in  very 
truth,  it  didn't  amount  to  much. 

MONDAY  was  a  more  or  less  holy  blank.  Tuesday  was  the 
sarr.o  with  a  half-day's  pretence  hanging  over  the  horizon. 
Indeed.  Wednesday  was  no  whit  better,  for  when  the 
Bristol  Channel  man  elects  to  go  in  for  a  holiday,  he  usually 
carries  out  his  election  even  as  does  he  in  other  directions. 
We  don't  exactly  mean  that  he  "  goes  the  whole  hog  :  " 
but  he  does  "go"  the  half  day.  As  far  as  the  matter  is 
connected  with  chartering,  he  might  easily  have  followed 
suit  on  Thursday,  for  all  the  good  his  efforts  have  brought. 

HOWEVER,  at  the  tirr.e  of  writing,  the  insect  has  ceased 
to  bite,  and  for  what  little  business  really  transpired,  the 
following  is  a  fair  indication  : 

Week  Ending,  (Wednesday),  August  9,  1905 

(N)   denotes    Newport,    (S)  Swansea,    fP.  T.}   Port    Tnlbot,    loading. 

EASTERN. 

Bombay,      Istrar,    6,000  tons,    iis. 

WESTWARD,     Etc. 

River  Plate,     Emfirtss.    3,400  tons,    8s.  gd. 
Buenos  Ayres,     fnrringford,    8s.  7^d.      (N). 

Gloaniin,     ios.  9d.    (Rails).   (N). 
Las  Pal  mas,     Westlands,    4,500  tons,   6s.  3d. 

Redntth,  3,200  tons,    6s.  3d.    option    Maderia. 

Onslow,    3,200  tons,    6s.  3d. 
Bahia  Blanca,     Marie,  4,700  tons,    gs.  4^d.  (N). 

Steamer,    -;s.  6d. 
Rio  de  Janeiro,     Pinewood,    \  o * . , 

Steamer,    ios.  6d. 

MEDITERRANEAN,     Etc. 

Port  Said,     Groeswen,    5,000  tons,   =;s.   spit. 

Harrovian,  4, 500  tons,    43.  9d. 

Whatelev  Hall,   5,ooT  tons,    43.  gd.    ppt. 
Genoa,     Morpfth,    3.400/3,600  tons,   5=.  i£d. 

Teutonic,    1,000  tons,    53.  3d. 

Coranian,  1.400  tons,    (private  terms.)    (s). 
Alexandria,     Sir  Richard  Grenville,  3,500  tons,    53.  y|d. 
Venice 'Ancona,     Steamer.      3,500  tons,    6s.     option 

Brindisi,   58. 

Oporto.    Scoresbv,  1,200  tons,    53. 
Pauillac,     Seran/es.  2,600  tons,  4-10  fcs. 
Beyrout,     Magda,  3,000  tons,  6s.  fid.  coal,  73.  3d.  fuel,   (s). 
Spezzia.    Diineric,    2,^00  tons,    ss.  gd.    (s). 
Bona,     Isle  of  Anglesey,     1,700  tons    8  fcs.  coal,    9  fcs. 

fuel.  (s). 

Mersyn,     Erminie,  2,300  tons,   75.  6d.  coal,    8s.  3d.  fuel,  (s). 
Algiers,     Port  Darwin,   3,000  tons,    6-75   fcs. 

Crimea,   2.000  tons,    7  fcs.    (N). 
Gibraltar,     Kilwalio.    3,200  tons,    33.  6d.   (Admiralty). 

Porthcawl,  2,300  tons,  33.  6d. 
Lisbon,     lolo  Morganwg,   1,000  tons,   43.  gd. 

BAY,     Etc. 

St.  Nazaire,     Steamer,   i, 800  tons,    4-50  fcs.    (s). 

Abertawe,     1,200  tons,    4-25  fcs. 

Steamer.   1.800  tons,   4-50  fcs.  (s;. 
Chantenay,     L,Aveuir,  750  tons,    4'52.j  francs. 

Deusto.   2,200  tons,    4-624  fcs. 
La  Rochelle,     Steamer,     1,500    tons,    4-12^  fcs.    option 

Rocheforte,  4-37^  fcs. 
Sables,     Steamer,   1,500  tons,   4-50  fcs. 
La  Pallice,     Steamer,  2,800  tons,   4  fcs. 

BALTIC,  Etc. 

Carlscrona,    Eva,   1,600  tons,    43.  6d. 
Cronstadt,     A7A-,  3,000  tons,   45.  6d. 


Kcenigsberg,  (above  bridges),    Juno,    750  tons,    55.  fid.   (s). 
Nordenham,     Mlaivka,    750  tons,    45.  6d. 

COASTING,     Etc. 

Plymouth,     Steamer,    330   tons,    33.  gd. 
Dublin,     Surprise,    33.  gd. 
Belfast,     Watchful,  340  tons,    35.   (s). 
London,     Prndhoe  Castle,    33.  74d. 
Portland,     Steamer,    25.  3d.     (Admiralty). 

Gransha.   1,600  tons,    2s.  4d.       ,, 
Depots,    Jacinth,     500  tons,     35.  gd. 
St.  Malo,     tfar/ow,   1,100  tons,  33.  iod.    (s). 
Honfleur,     S/.  Kevin,  750  tens,    /s.    (s). 

Vigilant,   700  tons,    43.   (s). 
Rouen,     Queens  Channel,  400  ions,    43.  $d.   (s). 

Raloo,  350  tons,  43.  6d.    (s). 

Havre,     Steamer,   700  tons,   43.  option   Dieppe,  (s). 
Trouville,     Harrington,    380  tons,    45.  3d.    (s). 

HOMEWARD. 

Bilbao  to  Cardiff,    Belgica,   3,100  tons,   43.  Md.  ppt. 

Manu,  3,000  tons,    43.  i|d. 

Pasages  to  Newport,    Abertawe,   Sisn.    43.  Cd. 
Bilbao      „         „  Aclivo,   1,600  tons,    43.  4^d.   ppt. 

Bayonne  to  Cardiff  or  Barry,  Steamer,  1,600  tons,  53.  gd. 
Freijo         ,,         ,,       Lionel,   64^  n,    73. 


GREAT  SCOTT  !  There  is  another  jeremiad  about,  con- 
cerning the  "Decline  and  Fall  of  the  British  Empire."  and 
if  there  is  nothing  exactly  new  in  the  idea  which  has  brought 
it  forth,  or  in  the  manner  of  dealing  with  that  idea,  there  is 
still  room  for  a  little  quiet  consideration  after  reading  it. 
The  booklet  is  from  the  pen  of  an  Oxford  University 
man,  and  he  has  "  declined  "  poor  old  Britain,  in  a  most 
masterful  manner.  The  whole  of  India  has  gone  to  Russia : 
Germany  gets  South  Africa  :  the  "  Sick  Man  of  Europe  " 
ropes  in  Egypt ;  and  Uncle  Sam  marries  Canada.  As  for 
the  thoughts  of  a  "  White  Australia,"  that  is  tabooed 
altogether,  for  the  whole  caboodle  is  romped  in  under  the 
paternal  wing  of  the  Mikado.  Without  going  too  far  into 
detail,  we  might  remark  'that  the  author  of  this  book- 
let, drags  in  Lord  Rosebery  and  the  "  Derby  winner '' 
Cicero.  With  this  for  a  peg-  and  a  very  decent  one — the 
"  Declining "  gentleman  hangs  a  pretty  little  tale  about 
talk.  He  remarks  that  "  Cicero  was  a  great  talker.  He 
talked  incessantly  and  on  all  subjects.  He  talked  of  old 
age  and  virtue  (they  usually  go  together,  don't  they  ?)  :  he 
talked  of  books  and  politics  (you  can't  have  one  without 
the  other,  these  days,  judging  by  these  "  Declinations  "  !)  : 
he  talked  of  Pompey  (but  left  out  all  mention  of  Pompey 
Green)  who  was  the  Kitchener  of  the  Italian  '  man 
in  the  street':  but  above  all  things,  he  talked  of 
the  Roman  Empire."  But,  land  sakes,  there  is  a 
man  across  the  Channel,  who  is  always  talking  about 
the  Roman  Empire,  these  days,  isn't  there  ?  Anyhow,  the 
Oxford  gentleman  whom  we  have  quoted,  remarks  that 
"  Shortly  after  Cicero  talked  about  it.  the  Roman  Empire 
began  to  decline.  Empires  do  not  ask  for  orators  (it  gets 
'em  all  the  same  ?).  They  ask  for  men  of  action  (how 
could  these  act,  if  they  had  never  been  "  talked  at  ")?,  who 
are  prepared  to  do  their  duty."  But  somehow  we  are  not 
taking  this  latest  writer  too  seriously.  The  German 
Empire  hasn't  done  so  badly  on  talk,  we're  sure.  And  if  it 
does  ultimately  get  that  South  African  bit  already  referred 
to,  our  Oxford  friend  may  take  it  as  a  dead  snip,  that  she 
talked  herself  into  it !  Still,  there  is  a  terrible  quantity  of 
good  solid  home  truth  about  this  "Decline"  book,  and  we 
can  recommend  it  for  your  perusal,  at  any  time  when  you 
are  getting  a  "  cocky  "  sort  of  feeling  on  your  hearth-stone. 
If  the  little  booklet  doesn't  take  it  all  out  of  you,  then, 
you'll  have  the  feeling  very  badly. 


August   n,  190- 


THE    MARITIME    REVIEW. 


219 


maritime 

(AND  OTHER) 

monep 
matters. 


ERE  can  be  no 
getting  away 
from  ,the  fact 
that  trade  de- 
pression in  this 
country  is  very  real. 
Especially  is  it  notice- 
able in  the  Welsh  coal 
trade,  and  if  our  alleged 
friends,  the  Germans, 
are  really  inclined  to 
put  any  of  their  own 
money  into  the  Whit- 
worth  coal  deal,  then,  they  stand  more  than  a  sporting 
chance  of  losing  the  major  portion  thereof.  Personally, 
we  have  serious  doubts  about  the  investment  of  German 
money  in  this  direction;  viewed  dispassionately,  the 
Teuton  would  appear  to  have  too  much  sense  ;  and  if  he 
can  "  bounce  "  those  London  "financiers"  into  supplying 
the  needful,  he  is  considerably  smarter  than  most  of  us 

are  inclined  to  admit. 

•f   -f  + 

OF  course,  there  are  still  a  few  Welsh  colliery  com- 
panies which  manage  to  hold  their  heads  up,  so  to 
speak :  concerns  which,  from  one  favourable  condition 
and  another,  find  life  anything  but  the  bare  and  boring 
affair  which  many  of  their  competitors  experience.  But 
then,  one  swallow  is  of  precious  little  account  in  the 
making  of  a  summer  so  is  one  successful  colliery 
company  i.-i  the  making  of  a  successful  coal  trade. 
However,  tiicre  are  a  few  which  maintain  the  credit  of 
the  bunch,  and  the  Great  Western  Colliery  Company, 
Limited,  is  among  the  number.  Time  was — and  that 
not  so  very  long  ago  when  this  exponent  of  Welsh 
coal  loomed  large  in  the  public  eye. 

•f  ••••»• 

INDEED,  there  was  talk  about  the  advisability  of 
"  swopping  horses  while  crossing  the  brook."  Neverthe- 
less, the  swopping  took  place,  and  the  results  have  fully 
justified  the  exchange?  That  is  to  say,  a  dividend  at 
the  rate  of  8  per  cent,  per  annum  has  been  paid,  and  the 
colliery  company  which  is  in  a  position  to  pass  out  the 
shekels  to  this  extent — in  these  dolorous  times — is  to 
be  congratulated  ?  Moreover,  there  must  be  some  very 
good  management  in  evidence,  or  the  commodity  dealt 
with  is  an  exceptionally  good  one?  In  this  instance,  it 
is  probably  a  happy  combination  of  both  particulars,  so 
that,  after  all.  no  undue  surprise  need  be  expressed  at 

the  joyful  circumstances  ? 

•«•  -f   + 

WE  have,  ere  this,  commented  on  the  good  manage- 
ment which  crystallises  around  the  Cardiff  Exchange 
and  Office  Company,  Limited.  That  same  manage- 
ment continues,  for  we  note  that  with  the  close  of  the 
last  financial  year,  the  earnings  have  been  sufficient  to 
stand  a  dividend  of  7  per  cent,  per  annum  ;  to  add  a 
further  sum  of  £400  to  general  reserve  :  and  to  leave"  a~* 
balance  of  £452  8s.  to  be  carried  forward  to  the  next 
account.  In  this  connection,  the  sinking  fund,  which 
amounts  to  £2,382  Is.  3d.,  is  a  real  affair,  seeing  that  it 
is  invested  in  Consols.  Especially  in  view  of  the  fact 
that  the  whole  of  the  buildings  are  in  thorough  repair, 

and  are,  moreover.  "  well  let." 

•f  -f  -f 

THE  directors  of  the  Cardiff  Railway  Company  have 
issued  their  report  and  accounts  for  the  half-year  ended 
June  30.  1905  the  thirty-seventh  half-year  of  the 
company's  existence.  With  reference  to  the  depression 
in  the  coal  trade,  the  directors  state  that  "the  ship- 
ments at  the  Bute  Docks,  as  well  as  the  neighbouring 
ports  in  the  Bristol  Channel,  have  fallen  far  below  the 
shipping  capacity  at  the  various  docks."  Yet  in  face 
of  this,  the  district  is  treated  to  all  manner  of  mutterings 
of  threatened  industrial  strife,  'fore  all  the  world  as  if 
the  trade  of  the  country  were  in  the  enjoyment  of  a 
big  "boom."  instead  of  the  opposite. 


To  make  ends  meet,  big  undertakings  nave  to  keep 
expenses  at  the  lowest  possible  mark  that  is  consistent 
with  efficiency;  but  meanwhile,  the  "labour  leader" 
prattles  of  increases,  as  if  the  employer  had  but  to  shake 
the  tree,  when  down  will  fall  a  choice  assortment  of 
golden  fruit!  It  is  interesting  tojiote  that  in  connection 
with  the  Cardiff  Railway  Company's  business,  and  in 
s.pite,of  the  fact  that  it  is  an  ever-increasing  one,  ex- 
penses over  the  past  financial  year  show  a  saving  of 
£5,241  over  those  of  the  preceding  year.  The  totals 
were:  For  the  year  1904,  £137,891;  and  for  1905 
£132,650. 

+  +  + 

"THE  balance  available  for  dividend  for  the  half-year 
to  dune  30,  1905,  is  £77,982  4s.  8d.  The  directors 
recommend  that  this  balance  should  be  appropriated  as 
follows :  Dividend  at  4  per  cent,  per  annum  on  preference 
shares,  £20,000  ;  dividend  on  preferred  ordinary  stock  of 
1896  at  4  per  cent,  per  annum,  £10,000;  dividend  on 
second  preferred  ordinary  shares  of  1901  at  3  per  cent. 
per  annum,  £3,000  ;  dividend  on  ordinary  shares  at  3 
per  cent,  per  annum,  £21,000  ;  and  to  be  carried  to  con- 
tingency account,  £8,000,  leaving  a  balance  to  next  half- 
year  of  £15,982  4s.  8d."  Thus  the  report  of  the  Cardiff 
Railway  Company's  directors. 

+    -r    + 

AT  an  extraordinary  meeting  of  the  South  Wales  Elec- 
trical Power  Distribution  Company,  held  at  Cardiff,  on 
Saturday  last,  Mr.  R.  Forrest  presiding,  the  following 
resolution  was  unanimously  passed:  "That  it  shall  be  law- 
ful for  the  directors,  in  exercise  of  the  borrowing  powers 
conferred  upon  the  company  by  the  South  Wales 
Electrical  Power  Distribution  Company  Act,  1 900,  arid 
subject  to  the  restrictions  imposed  by  the  said  Act,  to 
create  £100,000  additional  debenture  stock  of  the  com- 
pany, bearing  interest  at  the  rate  of  5  per  cent,  per 
annum  (being  the  fourth  and  fifth  instalments  of  £50,000 
each,  part  of  the  £250,000  which  the  company  are  em- 
powered to  borrow  under  Section  26  of  the  said  Act),  and 
to  issue  the  same  to  persons  j,t  such  times,  in  such 
amounts  and  manner,  on  such  terms,  and  subject  to 
such  conditions,  and  with  rights  and  privileges  as  the 
directors  think  fit."  ; 

+  +  + 

THE  Rhondda  and  Swansea  Bay  Railway  Company's 
report  for  the  past  half-year,  shows  a  gross  receipt  of 
£1,731  better  than  for  the  preceding  half-year.  In  figures, 
the  receipts  are  £54,743,  while  the  working  expenses 
have  also  increased  to  the  extent  of  £322.  The  net 
result,  is  a  profit  of  £24,389— an  increase  of  £  1 ,409.  After 
providing  for  interest  on  debenture  stock  and  other 
fixed  charges,  there  is  a  balance  of  £15,801,  from  which 
the  directors  recommend  a  dividend  upon  the  preference 
capital  for  the  half-year,  at  the  rate  of  5  per  cent,  per 
^nnum,  which  leaves  £3,167  to  be  carried  forward.  The 
company  would  hardly  appear  to  be  ultra-progressive,  in 
view  of  the  fact  that  the  expenditure  on  capital  account 
amounted  to  but  £2,197? 

+  +  + 

THE  pinch  of  trade  depression  is  affecting  the  Great 
Western  Railway  Company,  for  it  has  reverted  to  a  3| 
per  cent,  per  annum  dividend  over  the  past  half  year,  as 
compared  with  a  4  per  cent,  per  annum  dividend  over 
the  preceding  half  year.  "  Times  are  hard,  and  the 
wages  low,"  but  that  is  no  reason  to  suppose  that  the 
remainder  of  the  sailor's  chant  fits  in?  Even  as  bad 
times  follow  those  of  the  good  variety,  so  must  the  good 
times  follow  bad.  Viewed  in  the  light  of  present-day 
happenings,  however,  it  takes  a  terrible  pile  of  faith  to 
subscribe  to  the  belief,  doesn't  it?  The  only  profession 
which  appears  to  be  making  a  livelihood  with  no  risk,  is 
that  of  the  agitator  to  whose  peculiar  tricks,  most  of  the 
present  depression  must  be  attributed.  With  uncertainty 
in  the  labour  market,  it  is  useless  to  expect  good  trade. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


August  ii,   1905 


Concerning  our  2)aily  gread. 


JT  the  present  moment,  when  the  rain  is  falling 
in  torrents,  and  when  the  gentle  farmer  is  rais- 
ing his  voice  aloud,  concerning  the  ultimate  ruin 
which  will  be  his--and  the  country's— providing  "the 
weather  doesn't  mend,"  it  will  not  come  amiss  if  we  give 
a  little  consideration,  to  the  subject  of  the  national 
wheat  supply?  Generally  considered,  the  farmer  is 
supposed  to  be  the  backbone  of  the  country,  and  that 
without  his  kindly  offices,  we  should  incontinently 
starve.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  this  is  one  of  the  pious 
shams  which  have  been  handed  down  to  us  from  a 
remote  age,  and  about  which,  but  a  very  few  Britons 
have  taken  the  trouble  to  give  a  fair  amount  of 
attention. 

TIME  was,  that  the  farmer  was  a  very  real  factor  in 
the  national  development,  but  his  position  has  been 
usurped  by  the  merchant  sailor.  Prejudices  die  hard  ; 
the  fact  is  universally  admitted ;  and  for  this  reason, 
there  are  a  number  of  good  people  who  are  prepared  to 
fuss  around  over  the  miseries  of  the  farmer,,  even  as 
they  totally  disregard  those  which  gather  around  the 
the  path  of  the  farmer's  latter-day  representative  -the 
sailorman.  At  the  first  glance,  it  might  appear  in- 
credible that  the  modern  sailor  has  ousted  the  farmer 
in  the  matter  of  food  supply;  but  che  fact  remains,  and 
may  not  be  successfully  gainsaid.  Possibly  it  is  because 
of  this  incredibility,  that  Merchant  Jack  receives  such  a 
small  portion  of  the  nation's  consideration  ? 

FOR  the  purposes  of  comparison,  let  us  take  the 
figures  for  the  year  1904,  in  as  far  as  they  are  connected 
with  the  national  wheat  supply.  We  find  that  from  a 
printed  reply  given  by  the  Secretary  to  the  Board  of 
Trade,  to  Dr.  Shipman,  M.P.,  the  estimated  total  produc- 
tion of  wheat  in  the  United  Kingdom  over  the  period 
indicated,  amounted  to  4,740,000  imperial  quarters.  In 
itself,  this  quantity  appears  to  be  a  fairly  large  one  ;  but 
when  compared  with  the  amount  which  Jack  has  brought 
us,  it  is  practically  of  a  negligible  character?  For 
instance,  the  total  quantity  of  foreign  wheat  imported 
into  the  United  Kingdom  during  the  same  period, 
amounted  to  12,924,567  imperial  quarters. 

THE  foregoing  figures  are  startling  enough,  in  all 
conscience,  seeing  that  in  round  numbers,  the  foreigner 
supplies  us  with-  about  three  times  as  much  wheat,  as 
does  the  farmer.  But  there  is  more  to  come,  for  we 
find  that  from  British  Colonies  and  possessions,  a  further 
9,891,350  imperial  quarters  came  to  hand— or  altogether 
from  outside,  a  total  of  22,815,917  imperial  quarters, 
against  the  4,740,000  quarters  raised  by  the  "distressful 
farmer,"  of  whom  we  are  constantly  hearing  so  much. 
Putting  the  matter  on  a  per  centage  basis,  we  find  that 
imported  wheat  in  the  total  supply,  amounts  to  82  per 
cent. ;  and  that,  consequently,  the  farmer  is  responsible 
for  a  mere  18  per  cent  of  the  whole. 

THE  showing  is  by  no  means  reassuring,  is  it  ?  We 
are  willing  to  admit  that  this  condition  ought  not  to  be 
countenanced — especially  when  there  are  such  vast 
tracts  of  unworked,  but  what  should  be  profitable  land, 
in  the  country.  All  the  same,  it  is  useless  to  dodge  facts, 
and  the  better  plan — while  these  conditions  prevail  — is 
to  search  around  for  some  method  which  will  be  calcu- 
lated to  ensure  a  continuous  supply  of  the  "  staff  of 


life."  As  things  are,  to-day,  this  method  is  conspicuous 
by  its  absence,  and  when  the  long-talked-of  war  is  with 
us,  it  might  easily  be  then  too  late,  to  attempt  to  put  the 
national  house  in  order?  If  to  the  horrors  of  war,  is 
added  swift  and  sudden  starvation,  because  the  foreign 
hordes  that  man  our  vessels  have  decided  to  run  off 
with  our  grain  cargoes  — 

IT  must  also  be  admitted  that  the  suggestion  is  by  no 
means  far-fetched,  for  in  the  average  tramp  steamer 
(and  it  is  the  "  tramp  "  which  poses  as  the  grain  wagon) 
where  but  three  officers  are  British,  the  remaining  six 
or  eight  seamen  being  foreigners,  it  would  not  be  a  big 
undertaking  to  rush  the  after-guards  —  so-called—and 
enact  a  sail-away  dodge  without  any  further  rehearsal  ? 
The  same  trick  has  been  worked  out  of  sheer  eussedness, 
and  when  no  possible  gain — other  than  an  immediate 
"drunk" — was  in  view.  How  much  more  readily  will 
this  be  likely  to  happen,  if  the  nice  foreign  seamen  know 
that  they  will  have  a  ready  sale  for  the  pirated  ship  and 
cargo,  with  no  questions  asked?  The  subject  is  much 
more  serious  than  most  of  us  arc  inclined  to  think. 

SELF-PRESERVATION  is  said  to  be  nature's  first  law, 
but  for  our  part  we  are  inclined  to  doubt  it.  If  such  a 
law  ever  existed,  we  are  of  opinion  that  it  has  been 
honoured  more  in  the  breach,  than  in  the  observance 
thereof.  It  is  most  certainly  disregarded  to-day  ;  and 
blatantly  so.  The  British  Government  will  spend  an 
annual  £40,000,000  in  warships  and  incidentals;  but  it 
will  not  spend  a  penny  in  assuring  a  sufficient  supply  of 
bread  to  the  nation,  when  those  warships  are  called  upon 
to  justify  their  existence.  Loss,  or  capture,  no  Govern- 
ment may  altogether  guard  against ;  but  it  will  not  take 
a  considerable  amount  of  forethought  to  guard  against 
traitors  from  within — the  foreign  riff-raff  which  at 
present  poses  as  "  British  seamen."  Of  all  the  nations 
of  the  world,  Britain  is  worse-served  in  this  connection. 

THE  land  which  owns  the  vaulting  ambition  which 
appears  to  be  o'er-leaping  itself— Germany,  to  wit  -  is 
badly  off  in  the  matter  of  daily-bread  ;  but  not  half  so 
bad  as  Britain.  The  actual  figures  in  the  case  of 
Germany,  are  expressed  by  37'2  per  cent,  of  foreign 
wheat.  In  other  words,  while  Britain  would  practically 
be  altogether  starved  if  her  foreign  supply  failed  her, 
Germany  would  merely  be  one-third  starved.  That  is, 
while  the  Teuton  would  get  two  square  meals  per  diem, 
the  Briton  would  get  but  a  portion  of  one.  In  the  case 
of  France,  the  per  centage  of  foreign  wheat  imported,  is 
but  2'9  per  cent,  of  the  whole  — and  yet  France  has  a 
Navy  which  is  second  only  to  Britain's  ! 

To  continually  increase  a  Navy  is  an  expensive  job, 
and  when  its  increase  is  assure'd,  but  one  side  of  the 
question  of  defence  has  been  provided  for.  To  see  to  it 
that  the  nation's  food  supply  is  in  the  hands  of  the 
nation,  only,  is  not  such  an  expensive  item.  The  trouble 
is,  that  those  who  are  entrusted  with  the  business  of 
defence,  can  only  look  at  the  question  from  one  point  of 
view.  As  fighters,  they  are  second-to-none  ;  but 
unfortunately  for  the  nation,  they  can  only  look  at  the 
question  from  a  fighting  point  of  view.  They  dream  in 
ships,  and  think  in  guns  and  ammunition — even  as  they 
leave  the  food  question  to  anybody,  which  is  merely 
another  method  of  writing  nobody. 


August   ii,   1905 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


221 


PATENTS  &  TRSDE  MZSRKS 

Relating    to    SHIPPING   and    the    COAL    TRADE. 


Specifications  published  on  July  27,  1905,  together 
with  an  indication  of  their  subject  matter,  the  title 
being  printed  in  Italics. 

18.788  04— FLEMING  &  GALE— Improvements  in  or  relat- 
ing to  otter  boards  for  use  in  connection  with  trawl  nets. 

For  the  purpose  of  enabling  the  wooden  portions  of  an 
otter  board  to  be  easily  renewed,  the  otter  board  is  com- 
posed of  an  iron  frame  built  up  of  bars  of  channel 
section  secured  together  by  bolts  and  nuts.  The  wooden 
planks  are  held  in  place  by  the  flanges  of  the  channel 
bars. 
18,876  04  WILLIAMSON  Improvements  in  conveyors. 

This  invention  relates  to  conveyors  of  the  type  in 
which  a  reciprocating  horizontal  motion  is  imparted  to 
the  trough  by  a  connecting  rod  and  crank,  and  a  vertical 
vibrating  motion  is  set  up  during  the  course  of  the  hori- 
zontal motion  by  irregular  surfaces  arranged  beneath 
the  trough  or.  the  supporting  rollers.  The  invention 
consists  in  employing  inclined  surfaces  beneath  the 
trough,  which  bear  on  the  peripheries  of  rollers  arranged 
on  fixed  supports  below  same.  In  a  modification  the 
trough  is  suspended  by  brackets  having  inclined  surfaces 
which  rest  on  the  peripheries  of  rollers  arranged  above 
the  trough. 

19,124  04  TAYLOR— .4  new  or  improved  fan  apparatus 
adapted  for  circulating  and  cooling  the  air  in  the  compart- 
ments of  railway,  tramway  and  other  vehicles,  and  the 
compartments  of  ships. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  fan  apparatus  for  ventilating 
a  compartment  of  a  moving  vehicle,  but  it  is  also  stated 
to  be  applicable  to  ships.  It  consists  of  a  pair  of  fans 
arranged  above  one  another  on  a  vertical  spindle.  The 
upper  fan  which  has  radial  flat  blades  lying  in  radial 
planes  through  the  axis  of  the  shaft,  is  arranged  in  a 
casing  above  the  compartment.  This  casing  is  provided 
with  shutters  whereby  either  of  its  sides  may  be  opened 
to  allow  a  current  of  air,  induced  by  the  moving  vehicle 
to  impinge  on  the  blades  of  the  upper  fan  and  rotate 
same.  The  lower  fan  has  screw  blades  and  being 
mounted  on  same  spindle  partakes  of  the  rotation  of  the 
motor  fan.  It  acts  to  exhaust  or  induce  a  current  of 
air  in  the  compartment  in  accordance  with  its  direction 
of  rotation,  and  it  may  be  enclosed  in  a  wire  gauze  casing. 
19.204/04--BROWN  Improvements  in  and  connected  with 
steam  steering  gears  for  vessels. 

This  invention  relates  to  improvements  in  the  type  of 
steering  engine  valve  gear,  in  which  a  single  rotating 
valve  is  employed  to  control  the  supply  of  steam  to  the 
engines,  which  valve  is  adapted  as  usual  to  be  placed  in 
the  operative  position  by  the  endways  movement  of  its 
spindle  by  the  operator  and  returned  to  the  inoperative 
position  by  the  action  of  the  engines. 
19.257/04— OCILVY  &  ARMSTRONG  Improvements,  m 
apparatus  for  holding  ships'  boats  in  their  chocks  and  auto- 
matically releasing  them  in  the  case  of  emergency. 

This  invention  relates  to  a  device  for  automatically 
releasing  a  ship's  boat  on  the  ship  foundering.  The  boat 
is  held  down  on  its  chocks  by  claws  hooked  over  the 
gunwale,  chains  are  led  from  these  claws  through  eyes 
secured  to  the  deck,  to  a  pin  pivoted  to  the  deck,  over 
which  their  ends  are  passed.  This  pin  is  held  vertical 
by  its  end  being  held  in  a  notch  of  a  horizontal  lever 
pivoted  in  a  bracket  secured  to  the  deck.  The  free  end 
of  this  lever  is  provided  with  a  ball  float.  On  the  vessel 
foundering,  the  lever  will  be  lifted  by  the  ball  floating, 
and  the  vertical  pin  will  collapse  and  release  the  chains 
and  boat. 

2258504  HOGG-  Improvements  in  or  connected  with  the 
hoppers  of  hopper  barges,  dredgers,  or  like  vessels  or  hoppers 
on  land. 

This  invent.on  relates  to  a  syphon  apparatus  for  dis- 
charging the  effluent  liquid  overflowing  when  filling 
barges  or  dredging,  by  means  of  which  the  finer  particles 


of  spoil  more  readily  settle.  This  is  effected  by  dis- 
charging the  overflow  through  an  open-mouthed  bell- 
like  vessel,  which  dips  below  the  level  of  the  liquid  in  the 
barge.  The  discharge  pipe  is  led  from  the  top  of -the 
bell  with  its  outlet  below  the  level  in  the  barge,  so  that 
a  quantity  of  liquid  is  supported  above  that  level  in  the 
bell  by  atmospheric  pressure. 

7,203/05 — BEN  NET — A  new  or  improved  system  oj  lining 
railway  and  other  tubular  tunnels. 

This  invention  relates  to  lining  tubular  tunnels  with 
hollow  bricks,  moulded  to  fit  the  flanges  and  curvature 
of  the  segments  of  the  metal  lining  of  the  tunnel. 

7,581/05 — GROUVAT— Improvements  in  and  connected  with 
hats  for  miners. 

A  hat  stated  to  be  suitable  for  miners  is  composed  of  a 
felt  crown  of  dome  shape  and  a  metal  brim.  The  outer 
edge  of  the  brim  is  stiffened  by  being  turned  over  to  form 
a  beading.  The  inner  edge  is  turned  upwards  to  form  a 
flange,  the  upper  edge  of  which  is  likewise  beaded.  The 
felt  crown  is  rivetted  between  the  flange  and  a  leather 

liner. 
i 

8,284/05  — NOAH  AT  &  FOURNIER— Improvements  in 
automotor  torpedoes. 

A  torpedo  is  driven  by  the  action  of  three  flywheels 
arranged  so  that  on  the  commencement  of  its  journey, 
all  flywheels  are  started  at  equal  speeds  but  one  only 
exerts  a  driving  effort  at  the  commencement.  When 
the  velocity  of  this  flywheel  has  decreased  below  a 
definite  limit  the  second  partakes  in  the  driving  and 
subsequently  the  third.  This  is  effected  by  coupling  the 
flywheels  to  the  driven  shaft  by  bevel  gearing  of  different 
ratios  and  by  the  use  of  free  wheel  clutches.  The  pro- 
pulsion may  be  assisted  by  a  turbine.  The  flywheels 
also  keep  the  direction  of  the  torpedo  constant  by  their 
gyroscopic  action. 


These  applications  for  patents  are,  until  Sept.  12,  1905, 
open  to  opposition  by  any  person  having  a  statutory 
right  to  oppose. 

Copies  of  the  specifications  may  be  obtained  from  the 
Patent  Office  or  through  the  under-named. 


TRADE   MARKS. 


The  following  applications  for  the  registration  of  Trade 
Marks  relating  to  the  shipping  and  coal  trades  were 
advertised  on  August  2,  and  are  open  to  opposition  by 
interested  parties  within  the  period  ending  September  2. 

CLASS  8  — Including  nautical  instruments. 

No.  273,415  -  June  6th,  1905— THE  CHAMELEON  for: 
Binocular  field  glasses,  Telescopes,  Spectacles,  Opera 
glasses,  Photographic  Cameras  and  general  Photographic 
apparatus  included  in  Class  8.  Sydney  Lawrence, 
trading  as  Lawrence  &  Mayo,  67  &  69,  Chancery  Lane, 
London,  and  India,  Ophthalmic  Optician. 

No.  273,783— June  22nd,  1905— IMRIS  for:  All  goods 
included  in  Class  8.  Sydney  Hambrook  Imrie-Smith, 
2,  Via  Nicolo,  Maechiavelli,  Milan,  Italy,  Photo  and 
Phono  Dealer. 

No.  273,939-June  28th,  1905— CELEVOX  for:  All 
goods  included  in  Class  8.  The  firm  trading  as  the 
Berliner  Telephone  Manufacturing  Company,  200,  Upper 
Thames  Street,  London,  E.G.,  Telephone  Manufacturers. 

Compiled  by  Messrs.  PHILLIPS  &  LEIGH,  Chartered  Patent 
Agents,  22,  Southampton  Buildings,  Chancery  Lane,  London, 
W.C.  Local  Consultant:  Mr.  S.  W.  ALLEN,  Engineer,  of  Cardiff 
Exchange,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 


THE     MARITIME     REVIEW. 


August   1 1,  1905 


% 


OUR  MARITIME  DIRECTORY. 


in • 


CARDIFF. 


Colliery  Proprietors. 


("DRY  BROS.  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff  and 
London.    Depdts  at  all  the  principal 
ioaling  Stations  in  the  World. 

T.I.,™  "  CORY,  CARDIFF  ": 

Telegrams.    ••  CORY.  LONDON." 


TNSOLE,  GEORGE  &  SON,  Cardiff.   Sole 
Shippers  of   Cymmer   Steam    Coal, 
Windsor  Steam  Goal,  and  Insoles  No.  2 
Rhondda  Coal. 

Telegrams:  "INSOLES.  CARDIFF." 


T  EWIS  MERTHYR  CONSOLIDATED  COL- 
LIERIES,  LTD.,  Proprietors  and  Ship- 
pers of  "  Lewis  Merthyr "  Navigation 
Steam  Goal. 

"LEWIS  MERTHYR,  CARDIFF"; 
"LEWIS  MERTHYR.  LONDON." 


Telegrams 


[MARQUESS     OF     BUTE     COLLIERIES, 
Aberdare,  Hirwain,   and  Rhondda 
Valley.     Shipping  ports  : — Bute  Docks, 
Cardiff ;      Penarth    Dock  ;      Swansea ; 
Briton    Ferry ;    and    Newport    (Mon.) 

Telegrams:  "  SEMA.  CARDIFF." 


QCEAN    (MERTHYR)    GOAL   Co.,    LTD., 
11,  Bute  Crescent,  Cardiff,  proprie- 
tors of  Ocean  (Merthyr)  Steam  Goal. 

[  JNIVERSAL  STEAM   GOAL  Co.,  LTD., 
Bute  Docks,  Cardiff.  Proprietors  of 
'  Universal  Steam  Goal." 

Telegrams  :   "  VERSATILE,  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF     Continued. 


VIVIAN,   H.    C.    &  Co.,    Bute   Docks, 
Cardiff.     Sole  European  Agents  for 
"  The  Puritan  Goal  Mining  Co.,  Phila- 
delphia, U.S.A." 

Telegrams  :  "VIVIAN.  CARDIFF." 


WATTS,    WATTS  &  Co.,   Cardiff    and 
London.  Contractors  for  the  supply 
of  Goals  at  all  Dep6ts  abroad. 

Telegrams  :  "  WATTS,  CARDIFF." 


Dock    Owners. 


CARDIFF  RAILWAY  COMPANY,  Bute 
Docks.  Cardiff. 


Ship  Repairers. 


CHEARMAN,  JOHN  &  Co.,  LTD.,  Cardiff, 
and  at  Barry  Dock. 

'THE  BUTE  SHIPBUILDING,  ENGINEERING, 
AND  DRY   DOCK  COMPANY,   LIMITED, 
Roath  Basin,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:   "CAISSON,  CARDIFF." 


CARDIFF  CHANNEL  DRY  DOCKS  AND 


CARDIFF    Continued. 


Miscellaneous. 

J^EWIS  &  TYLOR,  Bute  Docks,  Cardiff. 

Sole  patentees  and  manufacturers 

of  "Gripoly,"  a  patent  woven  belting; 

and  "  Burals,"  a  semi-metallic  packing. 

Telegrams  :  "  BELTING  CARDIFF."        Telephone.  Nat.  231. 


Steamship    Owners. 


F)AN.    JENKINS    &     Co..    Steamship 
Owners  and  Brokers,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams:  "Stonewall,  Cardiff." 
Nat.  Telephone:  1318. 


BARRY. 


Dock  Owners. 


Co.,    LTD.,    Cardiff    and  j  T^HE  BARRY  RAILWAY  Co.,  Barry. 


PONTOON 
Barry  Dock. 

T-,-_r.m,  .    "  Entrance,  Cardiff." 
Telegrams  .    ,.  c^,,,,^  Barry." 


'THE   MERCANTILE   PONTOON  Go.,  LTD., 
Roath  Dock,  Cardiff. 

Telegrams  :   "  MERCANTILE,  CARDIFF." 


Ship  Repairers. 

DARRY  GRAVING   DOCK  &  ENGINEERING 
Go.,  LTD. 

Telegrams  :  "  BARDOCK,  BARRY." 
National  Telephone  No.  7.         Post  Office  Telephone  No.  7 


To    the    Proprietors    of 

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