THE "BRITISH" SAILOR.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 17 September 1913, Page 7

THE "BRITISH" SAILOR.

The Liverpool owned steamer Maiorese struck otf South Stack a. .few* weeks ago, and went down with the loss, of four lives (writes pur London ccs||sspfe{pdent). The Board of Trade inquiry snowed that the man at the helm at the time of the wreck was a Spaniard, Jose Alvarado, who simply could not understand English. He gave his evidence through an interpreter, and stated that when the ] articles were read over to him he did not understand them. One. of the assessors, with ftfeat temerity, 'askedAlvarado whether he would understand if he wero a«ked to steer a course "south-west by south" but Alvarado did not understand what wa-s being said, and the stipendiary remarked .in disgust, "Just fancy putting a man like this to steer a ship." Alvarado could not understand at all when he was asked to mark a certain course on the compass card, and the magistrate remarked: "He has no idea of it at all." The Board of Trade representative said that he must have known more than it seemed, for he had been so lon<* on these ships, and the owners' representative said the man had to pass a Board of Trade examination in English. The Court was plainly astonished at this evidence of foreign manning of British ship*.