History of merchant shipping and ancient commerce, Volume 1 (of 4)Lindsay, W. S. (William Schaw)
History
History of merchant shipping and ancient commerce, Volume 1 (of 4)
Lindsay, W. S. (William Schaw)
Commerce -- History; Shipping -- History; Steam navigation -- History
By article sixth, drunkenness, quarrelling, and fighting, were
severally punishable, and mutinous mariners were compelled to refund
their wages. Mariners wounded in the service of the ship were provided
for. The seventh regulation stipulated that in the case of sickness
seizing any of the crew while in the service of the ship, they were
to be sent on shore with a ship’s boy to attend upon them. The eighth
prescribed the formalities to be observed in throwing goods overboard
to lighten the ship, which were much in the same way as had been laid
down in the Rhodian laws. Similarly the proportional average, pound for
pound, payable by each party so damnified, was framed upon the French
law, _livre à livre_. The ninth article applied to the destruction
of the masts and sails, in order to save the ship and cargo; and the
rules to be followed were nearly the same for collecting the averages
as those which are now adopted. The tenth article relates to damage
arising from imperfect dunage, for which the master and mariners were
liable to the merchant in the event of any injury, through neglect in
this respect, to his merchandise.
Article eleventh refers to damage of goods, or loss of wines or other
liquids, by the breaking in of the head of the cask, and generally
to all damage arising from improper stowage. It would appear that
persons, like the present Stevedores, who look to the stowage of the
cargo, existed at a remote period, with the title of _arrimeurs_, or
stowers. They were then paid by the merchant, and their business was
“to dispose the cargo properly, stowing it closely, and arranging the
several casks, bales, boxes, bundles, in such a manner as to balance
both sides, fill up the vacant spaces, and manage everything to the
best advantage.” There was also a class called Sacquiers, who were
very ancient officers. Their business was to load and unload vessels
with cargoes of salt, corn, and fish, to prevent the ship’s crew
defrauding the merchant by false tale, or otherwise cheating him of his
merchandise.
[Sidenote: Quarrels.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account