A Speech

Delivered in the House of Commons, March 4, 1873.

If I were as competent to speak as I am to work for and to sympathize with the maritime population of this country, I should make a speech which would not be unworthy even of this House; unfortunately, however, I am not, and am even less able to speak in this presence than to assemblies in other places.

I trust, therefore, Sir, that the House will accord to me its indulgence whilst I endeavour to lay before it a few facts, out of many, upon which I shall found a motion for an Address to the Crown, even though my statement of facts and arguments should not be as clear as other statements to which it is accustomed to listen.

I will do my best to avoid, on the one hand, leaving my statements unsupported, and, on the other hand, overlaying my subject with a redundancy of proof.

Before I proceed, one observation further. I wish to guard myself against being understood, in any strictures or remarks which I may use, as applying them to the whole of the ship-owners of this kingdom—nothing can be further from my intention than that. I simply wish to describe practices which prevail amongst a part, and, as I believe, but a small part, of those ship-owners.

Sir, considering the amount of general knowledge which prevails now on this important subject, I shall not consider it necessary to arrange my subject into as many divisions as a full treatment of it would require, and then support each by appropriate proof: I shall rest my case upon a general statement of the law as it affects this matter—supported by quotations from letters.

My statement is that the law will not prevent mo nor any one else from building a ship of any dimensions which fancy or caprice may dictate.

That the law will not prevent me from using timber altogether insufficient in scantling and unsuitable in quality in building that ship.

That the law will not prevent me from building an iron ship in any way I please, and of so-called steel plates of such a quality that a strong man with page 20 a heavy hammer could knock a hole in them—plates, in point of fact, little better than cast metal.

That the law will not prevent me, having selected a design for a flush-deck iron steamer, and having had the ship so constructed, from building upon her, after she is launched, a poop, 120 feet long, then adding a top-gallant forecastle 50 feet long, then uniting the two roofs and calling it a hurricane-deck, and then putting upon the latter donkey-engines, steam-cranes, and other gear, in such a way as to provoke the strongest representations that I had simply built one ship upon another, and that the whole must certainly founder the first time she encounters half a gale of wind and a beam sea.

That the law will not prevent me, urged by competition, from cutting a vessel in two, adding 50 or 70 or any other number of feet to her length amidships, without any diagonal bracing, any doubling of plates, any additional bulkheads, or any of those appliances which a competent naval architect would think necessary.

That the law will not prevent me from keeping my ship at sea in a state of unrepair, fraught with the highest peril to those on board—keeping her at sea until she is 70, 80, 90, 100, or even more years old—from keeping her at sea in fact when she is so utterly rotten that if she takes the ground or touches a rock she must inevitably go to pieces with quick and sudden destruction.

That the law will not interfere to prevent my loading a ship, no matter of what class or kind, with an amount of cargo that shall sink her deck within a couple of feet of the water, and sending her to sea in a condition which not merely excites the forebodings of all on board, but gives rise to many condemnatory remarks on the part of those who see her set forth.

That the law will not interfere to prevent me, having built steamers for what is called canal and general cargo traffic, from sending them across the Atlantic and loading them with grain in bulk, a most dangerous cargo, and requiring ships of extraordinary tightness and strength to carry in safety; because, should there be the slightest leakage, the grain absorbs the moisture and swells, and the bursting force thus accumulated beneath the superincumbent weight of the cargo may be easily judged of when we consider the familiar illustration that is afforded in the fact, that, if you lay a flag-stone upon a stool of crocuses or snowdrops in the spring, the vital forces which the spring sets in operation will lift the stone so as to enable them to get forth.

That the law will not prevent me from so overtasking the engine-power of my vessel as to load from 17 to 19 tons cargo per horse-power, a fair load per horse-power not being more than from 12 to 13 tons; and so overtasking the human power on board as to sail a steam-vessel of over 2,000 tons from a foreign port for England with only eight deck-hands on board, three only of whom were able seamen and competent to understand the orders which were given to them.

And, lastly, that the law provides for the measurement of ships in such a way as distinctly to encourage the building of ships of an unsafe character, inasmuch as, if you cover your ship from end to end with a hurricane-deck, which will enable the vessel to throw off the seas, you make her liable to considerably increased charges—as tonnages, dues, &c.; which additional charges page 21 you altogether escape if you build merely a long poop and a forecastle, thus leaving the engine-hatches and apertures leading to the fire-hole open like a funnel to receive every sea which washes on board.

If then, Sir, all this is true, and the law does not interfere to prevent practices like these, the state of things which might be anticipated, even without experience of their effects, would be ample reason why an inquiry should be instituted, with a view to the establishment of a better system.

But, Sir, we are not left to à priori reasoning on this subject. We have a great mass of evidence of the saddest and most melancholy character to show that the results which might have been anticipated have followed.

The statements which occur with such distressing frequency in the Board of Trade Returns, and the statements which have been so repeatedly made in the Magazine of the Lifeboat Institution, and those which are repeated on every hand by papers published in our seaport towns, constitute what I may call general proof in support of my statement.

I should, however, I think, make a mistake if I did not submit to the House one or two special instances which have come to my knowledge even within the past few days.

Then the next letter I would submit to the House is as follows :—"The British steamer________, 305 tons gross, 193 tons net, 35 horse-power, launched August, 1872, owned by_________. Left_________ for_________, 27th December, 1872, with 360 tons pig-iron. Arrived at _________with difficulty. Left Sunday, 2nd February last, with about 415 tons of wheat on board. Barely got out of the port, the weather being stormy, when she became disabled in her machinery, got down her anchors, and hung on them till they parted in a few hours, and about 3 P.M. (Sunday) went ashore and was broken up. Of the crew (eleven in number) three only were saved. When the captain's body came ashore it had two wounds near the heart, which, being examined by a surgeon, led to the conclusion that he had committed suicide in his cabin before the completion of the wreck."

Lloyd's agent at_________, writes, under date February, 1873:—"I was informed by_________, an Englishman, representative of Messrs._________, the shippers of the cargo, that the master appeared to be vexed by a letter received, on arriving to load, from the owners of the vessel_________, as to the length of time of the passage. He explained to _________that the engines were entirely the cause of the delay. The vessel and engines being new, he said that the latter required an entire overhauling to be cleaned out, as the valves were probably choked, and that they had experienced a good deal of difficulty with them on starting from_________, but that the vessel was never sufficiently long in port to give a proper overhauling. Again, putting to sea on the Sunday when storm signals were hoisted at the head of the harbour, knowing the engines to be defective, must have been considered a most imprudent act. But had he remained in port the vessel would have been neaped (detained by neap tides) for about ten days, to the prejudice of the owners and shippers, and for which he probably would have lost the command of the vessel. I think, therefore, that these reasons, with the fearful position of the moment, may possibly have instigated the act."

I will now read part of another letter: "A few months ago a crew refused to go to sea, alleging the unseaworthiness of the ship as their reason—they were sentenced to three months' imprisonment; another crew was obtained, and the ship left, and went as far as Milford, when the second crew refused to go any further; a survey was ordered, and the ship condemned. Of course the first crew was then released, but, I presume, no compensation was given them for their unjust imprisonment, and I am told that they lost their clothes, page 23 which remained in the ship, when they went to prison. I presume this fact can he obtained from the records of the Board of Trade. I hesitate to burden you with these statements, as I fear you have similar cases ad nauseam; should it, however, be in my power in any way to help in putting a stop to the fearful state of things now existing, I shall only be too glad to do so."

Then the next letter is: "My dear Sir—You have made a move in the cause of humanity for which you deserve immortal credit. I have not seen your book, but I read a review of it in the Times with the deepest interest. Cases have occurred where delinquents have been executed for murder who deserved the gallows less than the monied barbarians who have sent overladen ships to sea. I send you enclosed an illustration of the justice of my statement. But to judge accurately of the disgraceful case, you shall read the evidence on the inquiry. It was proved that the decks were so laden with bales of cotton that the crew had to stand and walk on the top of them so as to manage the ship, and Mr.——, a ship-owner, examined for the defence, swore that the higher the bales were piled the more it conduced to safety, as if the ship went down the crew and passengers would have a better chance of escaping."

The next letter, which I will read a portion of, describes a case which in magnitude is of frequent and in character of every-day occurrence:—

"Scarcely a second day passes but the Police Court here encounters cases of 'refusing to proceed to sea.' Many occur through the vice of local crimps, but as many perhaps result from the resolve of seamen not to be hastened to a sure and certain death in rotten or overladen ships. Some three weeks since some men were charged with 'refusing to proceed;' a local shipbuilder and owner surveyed, no doubt for the purpose of conviction, and swore the ship was fit for sea. The men were all but sentenced, but justice happened to halt; a remand occurred; a qualified person surveyed immediately; swore the vessel was not fit for sea, and, lo! the men escaped the punishment which perjury or incompetence, perhaps both, would have inflicted upon them, and probably, in the then state of the weather, they escaped the inevitable doom so often forced upon seamen. The other fact is this—a local iron firm of brothers were engaged to remove and repair the shaft of a large steamer; it had been bent, and cracked, and was totally unfit for use. Being removed and examined, nothing could be done but cutting off the injured part, but the authorities of the ship would not hear of it; it was patched up, but the wound was dangerous as ever. These brothers remarked that it was a scandal to take a ship to sea with such a shaft—'they would not go to sea in her for all the world.' She was bound for America, and they remarked 'if she does get there she will never return.' She did get there, but never returned, and her history was obliterated in the dark and secret sea. No inquiry followed! no record of her fate! no sympathy! her crew, I believe, were erased from life as if they had never lived, but the widow and the orphan's moans were heard in Heaven, where these Pharisees will some day be called to judgment! As to evidence, these gentlemen, the officers of Customs, pilots, and men who stow the coal and iron cargoes, could give invaluable and conclusive testimony. page 24 and should be called throughout the kingdom, while the gentlemen who related the incident of the broken shaft are prepared to swear to its truth."

That extract, Sir, will complete my statement of the case. It will be seen by the House, that, as now stated by me, I have limited myself to extracts from official documents and eases which have come to my knowledge within the last few days.

I have done this advisedly, for the purpose of avoiding the introduction of controversial matter.

I will now ask the House to consider with me for a moment the extent of the mischief which has resulted from the state of things which I have endeavoured to describe.

or 2,754 per annum on the average.

I will next ask the House to consider with me for a moment the king of men that are thus drowned in such appalling numbers; and will, for this purpose, confine myself to entries which I find in the Blue Books issued by the Board of Trade-of opinions not uttered by Eglishmen, but by the agents of foreign goverments, who have been struck with admiration at the heroism and self-denial and humane feeling of our seamen at various times.

The Blue Books of each year are crowded with instances of the same character as those of which I will read to the House a very few.

In the Blue Book for the year 1861, at page 81, it will be found that 12 Englishmen, whose names are given, were rewarded by the French government each with a silver medal, for rescuing, at great risk, the crew of the French galleot L Anemone, of Nantes.

The same page records that a gold medal was given to an Englishman for resucing, with much risk, the survivor of the ship Courier, of Dieppe.

The very next entry is that of the master of the Perthshire Lassie, who was rewarded with a gold medal for rescuing, with much difficulty, the crew of a French ship.

Further down we find that an Englishman was rewarded with a binocular glass for rscuing the crew of a French ship, L' Aimable Virginie, and treating them with much kindness for thirteen days.

In the same page fourteen Englishmen were each rewarded by the French Goverment with a siver medal for attempting, at the risk of their lives, to rescue the crew of the French ship Trois SŒurs.

These instances might be quoted ad infinitum.

In the Wreck Register of 1865 it is recorded that two Englishmen were rewarded by the Government of the Netherlands for their gallant and humane conduct in rescuing the crew of a steamer which was in danger.

I should weary the House if I were merely to attempt to read a tithe of these cases; to read them in the Blue Books is deeply interesting, and makes us very proud of our countrymen; but, although I will not trouble the House with any more special instances, I wish to guard against these being supposed to be at all singular, by stating that in the year 1861 thirty instances are recorded where a British subject or subjects, as the case might be, were rewarded by foreign governments for conspicuous gallantry in rescuing and saving imperilled life.

In many of these instances, of course, very considerable numbers of men were included in the rewards and commendation of foreign governments, and we may fairly assume that the cases of courage and self-devotion exhibited are vastly more numerous than those which were brought to the notice of the authorities and followed by reward.

Does not the reading of these testimonies to the gallantry and self-devotion of our fellow-countrymen at sea, cause all our hearts to beat high with pride that the fame of England is thus upheld in the eyes of other nations? Brave, tender-hearted, courageous, we yet suffer them to be drowned by the dozen and score at once, or to suffer torments worse than death, to add to the ill-gotten gains of a few bad men.

Now, Sir, let us see who they are who mourn the loss of these men.

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"Dear Sir,

"I trust that the disappointment you have encountered in the outset of your gallant undertaking will in nowise deter you from what you propose doing. Only be bold enough and consistent, and you will find supporters everywhere. How little true patriotism there is—the base greed of gain swallows up every honourable thought and Christian principle. If I were a man I would uphold the cause publicly. Ah! it makes my heart burn to think that English lads by scores, like my own son, are sent out to perish in rotten tubs, while the 'honest' ship-owner sits complacently in his Sunday pew and lays by his guineas with untroubled conscience. So, onward I say for the sake of England's name, which is growing fast a by-word among nations.

"An English Mother,"

Take another case:—

page 26

"Dear Sir,

"It is with feelings of deep deep gratitude that I address you, and trust you will pardon my seeming intrusion. I am simply doing what a vast number of widows and fatherless would endorse. Thank you for taking the part of the sailors, to whom the nation at large owe so much and care for so little. Two years ago I lost my dear husband; he left me to join a splendid steamer called the________, and there were on that same vessel men of tender loving hearts, and upright minds—thirty-seven of the men went into eternity. God only knows how bitter it is to part from those dear as life itself, waiting to hear the old step again, waiting to see the happy manly face, and to hear the voice once more, but waiting in vain, for they have had the bright eyes closed in death, not by loving hands at home, but amid the angry billows, far from those who would gladly have saved them from such a cruel end.

"I have not read your book, but have heard about it; it would only intensify a sorrow bitter enough at times. I can only say I know the truth and justice of the cause you set forth, and hope it will meet with the sympathy it demands. One could more fully submit to the loss of friends when all has been done for them, when no fault of carelessness is left to haunt the soul after; but England has permitted men to go to sea in rotten vessels. What is the consequence? Every winter numbers of brave strong men find a watery grave, and all that is left for the poor widows and children is a little sympathy, unless it be in the case of a Captain or Northfleet—then it goes far enough to help as well as pity. How do we act on shore when danger or disease overtakes us? We take every precaution, use the means, then leave the rest to God. But people are in the habit of speaking as if all the loss of life at sea ought to be expected. We know that God holds the waters in the hollow of His hands. He raiseth the stormy wind; but are we to charge Him with what man does? I do not, and how much pain it would save the childless mother, the widow and fatherless, did they but know that all care had been taken of the loved and lost. Your work cannot recall those who are gone, cannot bring back my husband and home, but there are others now on the deep who will thank you for spared lives, and many a tender woman will unite with me in thanking you. May God grant that the interest now awakened may not subside as it has before! For two years I have prayed that some one would come forth, and I have faith to believe that not only something may be done, but all that will ensure the safety of those who leave homo and loved ones to ply the great deep. If they are taken, then we as a nation could say the Lord hath taken.

"Pardon my writing. God knows what I feel; may He bless and help you in your work is the prayer of

"Yours respectfully,

"_________"

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Sir, I ask this House to put a stop to this wanton and wicked waste of precious human life, and I gather that that is their will.

I will now proceed to consider the steps necessary to give effect to that will.

I trust her Majesty's Government will see that the Commission consists of the very best men that can be found for the purpose, and that it is sufficiently numerous, after prosecuting the inquiry, so far as it can be prosecuted with advantage in London, to divide itself into two sections, one of which might take the East Coast and Scotland, and the other the West Coast and Ireland, so as to lose as little time as possible in completing their investigations.

In the meantime I trust this House will pass a Bill dealing with the most obvious and easily-remediable sources of disaster, which Bill can give place to the more perfect and thoroughly-considered measure which we may anticipate as the result of their Report.

We may, also, in the meantime, avail ourselves of the ample information possessed by the Board of Trade, to compile a series of Tables or Returns which shall greatly aid the Commission when they come to frame the recommendations which they will lay before the House.

I find that the Board of Trade has the most ample records, and the fullest details on this subject—details sufficiently extensive and exhaustive, with the aid of such particulars as we may easily obtain from the Register of British and Foreign Ships, to compile the Returns, which I will now suggest to the House should be ordered forthwith. The Returns I suggest are—

1st.

Debiting all wrecks to the various ports. 2nd. Debiting them to the various kinds of cargo. 3rd. Showing lengths; other dimensions. 4th. Showing proportion of man power to ship's tonnage. 5th. Man power to the weight of cargo. 6th. Showing the proportion of engine power to ship's tonnage. The 7th should show the proportion of engine power to the height of cargo. For the 8th. Use water draught line for deep loading. And 9th. An alphabetical list of page 28 owners, showing the losses of each individual ship-owner. And then, 10th. Arranged so as to show first those who have lost none for the ten years (a large proportion of the whole). Then those who have lost fewest, and so on.

And at the end of this list the country will see what they will see.

The records of the Board of Trade are amply sufficient to furnish the whole of this information—they are like the still waters of Bethesda's pool, full of latent capability of blessing, and like them only waiting to be troubled by the spirit of inquiry, to give forth healing and life. And, Sir, I am satisfied that when the Commission, which I trust this House will appoint this evening, has completed its work and reported thereon, and this House has adopted such measures, in consequence, as the exigencies of the case may require, so great a change will ensue, that, whereas our fellow-subjects at sea have hitherto pursued their most beneficent calling in constant and imminent peril of their lives, they shall in the future pursue that calling with as much as, or even greater safety than, that in which we travel by railway ashore; and as to the homes of those who are dependent upon them, of those they love, so great will be the change, that, whereas in the past their homes have been like those of the Egyptians on that dread night when the angel of death went from house to house throughout all the land taking his toll of dead, they shall in the future be like the homes of the Israelites on that same night, which, when the angel of death sought to enter, he could not, because they bore upon them the symbol of His loving and protecting care.

I move that an humble Address be presented to her Majesty, praying that she will be pleased to issue a Royal Commission to inquire into the condition of, and certain practices connected with, the Mercantile Marine of the United Kingdom.