"RISK MONEY" FOR SHIPS CREWS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2419, 26 March 1915, Page 6

"RISK MONEY" FOR SHIPS CREWS

CLAIM FOR PAYMENT

A claim by the crew of the s.s. Carpathian for "risk money" in the course of a voyage during the war was mentioned in a 0366 heard in London recently, when Alexander Listen, formerly boatswain of the Carpathian, and six other members of the crew, claimed i*c4 from the owners, alleging that the captain promised them the sum as "risk money" to return home from Toxas after the war broke out;

Counsel for the plaintiffs, told how the "Carpathian," a London ship, went to Texas shortly before the outbreak of war. At a port in Texas she was loaded with oil for 'Rotterdam. There wero then rumours of the presence of German cruisers which had sunk some merchant vessels, and members of the crow broke their agreement to sail again. The plaintiffs in this case offered to do so for extra pay, and on August- 16 the master of the ship, it was stated, agreed that they should each have £12 extra, and a document to this effect was signed by the master, the mate, and the plaintiffs. Before starting her return voyage the ship's boats were provisioned, and all lights wore dimmed. The Menace of the Karlsruhe. Lieton, the boatswain, gave evidence, and said the crew heard that the German warship Karlsruhe was cruising outside the porl/ in Texas, and they told the captair. they wanted "risk money." 'They said the ship was loaded with oil, and if she went to sea they would stand no chance at all if a shot struck her. On beiug promised the extra £12 they agreed to stand by him "through thick and thin." When they were coming up the English Channel a cruiser stopped them. They were sent to the Downs, and thence to London. Later, at the shipping office, the captaiu offered them £1. This they refused, and told him ho was "no gentleman." The captain replied that the.v knew the owners would not pay each of them £12. Counsel for the owners (cross-exam-ing): You were not frightened to come across with a cargo of black oil, were you? You aro a Scotsman, I believe? —We were not afraid to carry cil, but we were afraid of being fired at or torpedoed with oil on board. For the owners counsel argued that under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, a seaman was not entitled to wages beyond those stipulated in the articles he had signed. The ship arrived home safely and that disposed of the element of risk. A Creat Admiral. His Lordship: No,.it shows that Jellicoe is a great Admiral. If he had sent his ships where they were not wanted things might have been different. _ Counsel said they were not in a position to speculate on the reason, but he submitted the men were under no risk to life apart from the ordinary dangers of the sea. His Lordship: What about submarines? Am I bound to place confidence in the German Admiralty? Counsel for the plaintiffs: Black oil is used at Krupp's works for lubrication, and I am told it is so valuable to them that they cannot get enough of it. Counsel went on to say the combatants could not be expectcd to violate international law.

His Lordship: "Scraps of paper." When tliis. crew heard that war was declared and that the Karlsruhe was outside the port they were to leave, they would reasonably contemplate the ordinary risks of war with a maritime Power. He accordingly entered judgment for the plaintiffs for the amount claimed, with costs, but granted a stay of execution with a view to a possible appeal.