[233] See the Minutes and Evidence before the Commission, p. 877.
[234] “Ne cherchant pas à faire des fortunes d’armateur.”—See Minutes of Evidence, p. 166.
[235] See Minutes of Evidence, p. 632, note. Matters have materially changed in this respect during the last forty years. While French shipmasters have deteriorated, the English have been greatly improved by education and competition.
[236] It may be remembered that when the Assembly rejected certain important clauses of this foolish Bill, M. Thiers resigned. He, however, knew full well that at that moment the Assembly would submit to his wishes sooner than let itself be deprived of his services. It was only, therefore, in subserviency to him, that the retrogressive law of 1872 passed the Assembly. It may have been the case that, at this period of disorder and financial pressure, there was a rush of Protectionists to propound their schemes for raising revenues—schemes for making other people pay these debts—the cherished but delusive theories of bygone ages; but the main spring of action was the influence of M. Thiers. He was the Government of the day. He abhorred any opinions different from his own well-known principles in favour of Protection, which he urged with all his might, and, being then all-powerful, he carried the Assembly with him; and, that such was the case, is clearly evident from the fact that, immediately after his overthrow, the laws he had forced upon France were changed, and the limited liberties of its people, which he had removed, were again restored.
[237] The fact, as I learn from my friend M. Michel Chevalier, connected with this Committee of Inquiry—the evidence before which was made the basis of Thiers’ measure—was that Pouyer-quertier, though not a member of it, exercised so much influence with its chairman, M. Paulmier, a deputy of Calvados, that he, being constantly in attendance with witnesses of strong Protectionist views, prevailed on him to put such questions to them, as would make it appear that Free-trade was ruining France. Witnesses of Liberal views, as I have shown, could hardly be heard. Nevertheless, the Committee, as I have already observed, came to no conclusion, and no report was made beyond the informal one of M. Ancel.
[238] M. Thiers, it may be remembered, was thrown out of office May 24, 1873, and, as this Bill was passed on the 31st of July, or only two months after his fall, his political opinions cannot have left much impression on the Assembly which had so recently been under his dictatorship.
CHAPTER XVI.
Recent legislation relating to the loss of life and property at sea in British vessels—Committee on shipwrecks, 1836—Estimated loss of life at sea between 1818 and 1836—Recommendations of the Committee—Committee of 1843, loss of lives and ships at that period—First official return of wrecks, 1856—Loss of lives and ships, 1862 and 1873—Further recommendations—Various laws for the protection of seamen, 1846 to 1854—Agitation about “unseaworthy ships,” 1855—Further provisions for the benefit of seamen, 1867-69-70—Mr. Samuel Plimsoll, M.P.—His first resolution, 1870—Introduces a Bill, 1871—Government measure of that year—Mr. Plimsoll publishes a book, ‘Our Seamen,’ 1873—An extension of the principle applied to testing chain-cables strongly urged—Mr. Plimsoll moves an Address for a Commission of Inquiry, which was unanimously granted—Royal Commission on unseaworthy ships 1873-74—Its members—Their order of reference—And mode of thorough investigation—Their reports—Load-line—Deck loads—Government survey—Its extension undesirable—Shipowners already harassed by over-legislation—Mode of inquiry into losses at sea, examined and condemned—Recommendations—Examination of masters and mates, and shipping officers approved—Power of masters—Scheme for training boys for sea—Marine Insurances—Report as a whole most valuable.
Recent legislation relating to the loss of life and property at sea in British vessels.
Committee on shipwrecks of 1836.