An Over=lnsured Ship.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 15, 12 October 1907, Page 15

An Over=lnsured Ship.

111SVJ5LAT10NS AT AN INQUIRY. The Board of Trade inquiry into the loss of the steamship Powis, concluded at Cardiff on 'August 23,- brought to light some peculiar facts; The vessol foundorcd in fair weather three hours out front Serphos, in the Grecian archipelago. The Court-found that when thePowis left Sorphos she was in good and seaworthy condition. When water, was found in the vessel the master, Captain John Phillips, toot no steps to ascertain the cause, Jiis excuse being that he thought she would go down under him; His. conduct revealed absence of desiro to save tho ship, which ho prematurely abandoned. There was no direct evidence that the Powis was scuttled, but tho vessel was nineteen years old and could only be iusured at enhanced premiums.' She was deeply in debt, and it was. stated in evidence that her value afloat was £12,000 and £24,000 at tho bottom of the sea. The relation of borrower and lender existed between the master and the managing owner, Mr. James Jenkins, and the master had pecuniary interest in the Powis. Tho managing owner had falsely stated that ho had no monetary transactions with the master, and he concealed from ,the Receiver of Wrecks insurances on the vessel ' which - exceeded her valut, by at least £9000. Thero was some evidence of motivo against the master, and strong evidence against tho managing owner for throwing the vessel away. Tho inrush of 'water was due to human agency, but by whose it would be for a. criminal court to decide. Tho captain's certificate was suspended for eighteen months, and tho Court ordered all the documents to bo impounded and handed t-p tho solicitor of the Board of Trade, with the request that the judgment should be laid before tho Public. Prosecutor, whoso particular attention should also be directed to the doliberato and repeated misrepresentations of Mr. James Jenkins in his cridonco during the inquiry. Whore a vessel was over-in-sured one of the most poworful motives for keeping her in a condition of seaworthiness was removed. Tho clFectual prevention of this unnecessary peril to seafaring men was worthy of the attention of the Legislature. That tho evil was not a small one was shown by the fact that in Cardiff alono this was tho_ third inquiry within two years in which tho vessels lost had boon insured for many thousands of pounds in excess of their value.