Page:History of merchant shipping and ancient commerce (Volume 3).djvu/660

 has he lacked able and indefatigable colleagues, some of whom, as, for instance, the late Mr. William Tindall and Mr. Duncan Dunbar, and now Mr. George Marshall, Mr. W. H. Tindall, and others, have been active members of the Committee for a large portion of their lives. But not the least important secret of its success has been its complete system of organisation, and the competency of all persons connected with it for their respective duties, while the many checks upon its various branches tend to keep the working of the business of the society free from those temptations to which men holding responsible appointments are too frequently subjected. For instance, there is a chief surveyor, who has two assistants acting directly under him, and through whom all important reports from the different surveyors must pass, before being laid before the Committee, many of whom know quite as much about ship-building as the surveyors themselves—then all these surveyors are under the secretary, Mr. B. Waymouth, a gentleman of great practical knowledge and remarkable ability. If there is anything wrong, he will be sure soon to detect it; for, during the twenty-one years with which he has been connected with the society, he has gone through the different grades, from assistant-surveyor to chief-surveyor, acting as chief of the staff for some time before receiving the appointment of secretary. There are also annual visits of inspection made to all the principal building ports by the chairman and members of the Committee, the secretary, and chief surveyor. Moreover, the surveyors are not all located permanently, some being from time to time changed, and a feeling pervades the whole staff that if any one passes imperfect workmanship or materials, the fact is likely to be brought to light by the surveyors who follow, who are bound to report any apparent laxity, which is invariably inquired into by the Committee, and dealt with as circumstances require.

That the survey and classification of ships has been of immense advantage in saving life and property at sea may be seen by the following table. Here we see, that the losses of vessels classed at Lloyd's have not, during the last three years, been one-half of the unclassed, and that for the eighteen months ending 30th January, 1875, while the percentage of loss of all vessels from all causes classed at Lloyd's has been only 5·25 per cent., the losses of vessels unclassed, or not classed by that association, has been 12·32 per cent. These figures speak volumes in favour of the society.