SHIPPING INQUIRIES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 133, 5 June 1907, Page 8

SHIPPING INQUIRIES.

(To the Editor.! Sir,—l should like to offer some remarks based on the case of the ship Glenlui, which put into Port Chalmers last week in a disabled condition while on the voyage from Adelaide to South Africa. I suppose she was running in a heavy sea, and as far as the master •could judge almost sinking. The reason, I believe, was she had too much cargo on board, although possibly only loaded down to her Plimsoll mark. An alternative is she carried too much sail. Now, we old shipmasters had to trust to ourselves, not to lawmakers, and when our ship was getting dangerous or otit of our charge we used to shorten sail, and if that did not answer, heave too. When she arrived in Dunedin it would be quite unfair to condemn her simply if the mark was under water, because a great deal of moisture had got into the wheat, making it heavier. But I do know of cases where ships have been chartered, guaranteed to load to their mark, and wealthy men have made money by altering the marks. The unfortunate masters in such cases have to load down to the altered marks or leave. They go, knowing the ship is unsafe, but aware that the influences against them are too considerable to make any protest of avail. When there is trouble, the captain is often unable to get money to defend himself. In such inquiries there should be legislative provision for the proper representation of the master.—l am, etc.,, Park-road. G. FROST. i