The Plimsoll Sensation, The Great Campaign to Save Lives at Sea by N icolette Jo nes (Little, Brown, London, 2006; in the USA by Trafal gar Square Pub!., 200 8, 4 l 6pp, illus, appen, notes, biblio, index, ISBN 978-0-3 1672612-5 ; $32hc)
In well known lays we sing the praise of men renown'd in war, How heroes brave, on land and wave, have fought for us of yore; But I will sing for one who fought, though not in deadly strife, The noble object that he sought was saving human life. - Verse from 'A Cheer fo r Pfimsoll, " Music Half song by F A lbert, 1876
So begins N icolette Jones's 1he Pfimsoff Sensation, the story of the man remembered most fo r his namesake mark, the load line. The pages which foll ow tell, in well-researched detail , the epic tale of Samuel Plimsoll and the fi ght for legislation through the British parliament to protect lives at sea. In the history of the labor movement and early attempts to hold shipowners to a standard of safe operation, the nam e "Samuel Plimsoll" is well wo rth remembering. Mariners, who may not know much of the man, know his legacy through th eir work around "The M ark" o r "Plimsoll's Eye," notable for its resemblance to an eye but more particularly for Plimsoll 's fa r reaching watchfulness. During the las t half of the 1800s at a time when G reat Britain ruled the waves, the country's record for loss of life at sea was lamentable. Few regulatio ns existed to prevent unscrupul ous shipowners from sending overloaded and unseaworthy vessels to sea. Such vessels came to be known as "coffin ships," and there were few alternatives within th e law to a sa ilor who suspected he sailed in such . Regulati ons were in place to protect passengers, but the fate of the m erchant seamen was solely in th e hands of the shipowner. By the time Plimsoll entered the scene, one in five British sailors who worked at sea, died at sea. D espite improvements in navigation and technical advances in ship design, sea-related deaths were on the increase. C learly something was amiss. Refo rm was in the air. Enter Samuel Plimsoll. Already a veteran of relief efforts to ease th e lot of coal miners' fam ilies, Plimsoll had learned the effectiveness of appealing to the public when confronting the cold shoulder of "The Establishment." SEA HISTORY 124, AUTUMN 2008
Unique Whale Art Cube Now available only from the W ha ling Museum: The Richard Ellis wha le art cube created exclusively for the New Bedford W haling Museum. Vis it www.whalingm useum .org to see more unusual gifts. Fully access ib le. Interactive displays for kids. Unique Museum store. Open da ily. Plan your visit on line - www.whalingmuseum .org
NEW BEDFORD WHALING MU SEUM 18 johnny Cake Hill • New Bedford, Massachusetts 02740-6398 508 997-()().16 • www.whal ingmuseum.org
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CRUISE ABOARD THE WWII LIBERTY SHIP JOHN W. BROWN
featuring music of the 40's by a live "Big Band!" See reenactors demonstrating military equipment and vehicles. Watch an exciting air show with flybys by several WWII aircraft !weather permitting I. Enjoy a continental breakfast and a great all-you-can-eat buffet lunch. Tour the whole ship, including the engine room, museums, ca rgo holds, crew's quarters and bridge.
OUR2008 DAY CRUISES September 6, October 4 All cruises depart from Baltimore, Maryland
Cost for each guest - $125. Inquire about Group Discounts. Restrictions & penalties apply to cancellations. Mai l ticket orders to P.O. Box 25846, High land Station, Baltimore, MD 21224·0546. (Please inc lude name, address and phone number.)
Phone Orders: (410) 558-0164 •Fax Orders (410) 558-1737
www.liberty-ship.com We accept VISA, MasterCard and Discover. Cruise profits maintain this Liberty Ship Mem orial. A portion of your payment may be tax dedu ctib le. Officers and crew licensed and documented by the U.S. Coa st Guard .
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