Page:The Blight of Insubordination.djvu/36

28 Who then is to blame? Be it remembered always that a shipmaster is merely an instrument required in the management of a ship at sea in the same way as the seaman—of the seaman rating—is; both are employed by the shipowner for a common purpose, even though one commands the whole show while the other has to serve. Neither one or the other is taken on for the mere purpose of employing him—the cult of the shipowner is not philanthropy—but for the very excellent reason that he cannot do without him. The successful prosecution of the voyages where the ship finds employment for purely commercial purposes is the raison d'étre of all such service.

The constitution and administration of the Local Marine Boards at the various seaports of the United Kingdom, which came 'about 1854, are provided for by enactment and remain quite properly under the control of the Board of Trade. The most prominent public men, the Mayor or Provost or stipendiary magistrate (if more than one the Board of Trade appoint) are ex officio the recognised heads of the Board, four members being nominated by the Board of Trade; six others are elected by shipowners of the port. These should become by virtue of their office the actual rulers of things nautical so far as the merchant service is concerned; their administration, however, appears to be chiefly directed to conducting the examinations for the unlimited production of masters, mates and engineers. for which a permanent staff is maintained and the examinations conducted unremittingly all the year round. What other business do they transact? What does the average shipowner do in the matter when a vacancy occurs on a Local Marine Board? He takes good care that the right men occupy the seats on the Board, and he intimates at the same time to the Board of Trade that any proposals to raise the standard of education, in proportion to the march of education and events, for the examination of masters and mates will not be entertained, and he takes care to defeat any such project by only voting for persons for seats on the Board who are after their own heart and can be depended on to continue the policy that the men who are required shall be at once "cheap, efficient, and that sufficient are available." Who then shall blame the shipowner when fairness demands that the man who pays the piper calls the tune? At the present time on the Local Marine Board at Liverpool there is only one name among the members of the Board elected by the shipowners who can claim any practical acquaintance with the sea; even of that one we are not sure, but give it the benefit of the doubt, while of those nominated