|
The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser (NSW : 1843-1893) (about)
|
Cite: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article669045
No comments yet.
2 corrections, most recently by Valmay2380 - Show corrections
STEAM NAVIGATION ON THE HUNTER
SECURITY OF LIFE AND PROPERTY.
LETTER III.
To the Editor of the Maitland Mercury.
SIR-If there is any one sentiment more strongly implanted in our nature than another, or one more calculated to awaken the energies of an individual, or a community, it is-self preservation, and next to that, security to our property. It is not necessary to indulge in any exaggerated picture of our dangers, to persuade those who may take the trouble to read these letters, that their lives are constantly exposed, on this boisterous coast, to imminent risk from the overloading of steamers, or more properly speaking, from the cramming into them of two or three cargoes in place of one. It would be unfair to suppose that a grasping desire for in- ordinate profits has been the sole cause of this the company are anxious to do all they can for the public, but an equal or rather a more un- pardonable fault lies with the capitalists of the Hunter, who have allowed this absurd monopoly to force so deplorable a state of things upon us.
And I may here, in passing, remark, that it has often during the last few years, been to me a matter of wonderment, that men who have capital to employ, should pass by such an in- vestment as that of steamers for this district, with the enormous profits of the old company staring them in the face. Is there anything on the Hunter in mercantile pursuits-in grazing -in agriculture that can approach the profits of such an investment? Even supposing these profits to be very much reduced by the introduc- tion of additional steamers- I know of nothing; because, supposing their dividends by this means to become reduced, the freight and fares would also be reduced, which would be to shippers and pas- sengers a dividend in another firm. However there is a reluctance to invest in steam on the Hunter, from whatever cause it may arise, but the sooner people look to this fallacy the better.
Then as to the danger to life in making pas- sages to Sydney in boats thus laden. The worst feature in this matter is the culpable neglect of the Inspecting Board, appointed by the govern- ment, to visit and examine all the appointments and management of steamers, which, of course, does, or should comprehend within its duties this most important department of the loading. If these gentlemen who compose this board had ever made a voyage from Newcastle to Syd- ney in a southerly gale, with four men kept con- stantly at the chain-box, to prevent the steamer from getting a sudden lurch to one side, from which she might not be able to recover herself, having thirty tons of cargo on her DECK-then their nerves might have been so awakened, as to see that some attention was called for in this part of their business. It might indeed have oc- curred to them that a steamer so dispropor- tionately top-heavy getting once fairly into the trough of the sea might go clean over-seeing that similar results have taken place a hundred times in other parts of the world. That they have not taken place here we know, but it is from the judgment and attention of the com- manders and their officers alone that we have been saved this misfortune.
Passing from this amiable board to ourselves, one may fairly conclude that there are many nervous gentlemen on the Hunter who make this passage by steam, and men too of consider- able means. One would also think that such hints as the above, might have told them that it is this monopoly of our steam navigation alone which occasions these hair breadth escapes, and that a very small portion of every man's capital would place him in a position to go to Sydney in moderate weather, when we do not prefer going in a gale.
It would be most easy to amplify this picture, but it is not necessary to do so. Every one knows the danger he has run, and is familiar with those which he must inevitably encounter, before a remedy can be applied. If any calami- tous accident should overtake us, from the over- running of the present steamers, then every one will say-"I expected as much."
To come however to the question at issue, namely, the necessity for more steamers on the Hunter, the people of this district must not lose sight of one fact, and that is that, the old com- pany have, at last, put an end to the farce which was so long kept up, and without any further disguise have adopted a new name, which, how- ever much that new one may be unsuited to their means, shows at least one thing, that they do not think the trade of the Hunter alone sufficient for them ; indeed, the only voyage the new boat, the Waratah, has made to the Hunter, occu pying eight days, shows that she was not
brought to this colony for the trade of the
Hunter.
To whom then are we turn for the means of
putting new steamers on our splendid river and its branches ? We can hardly expect the specu- lating part of any community to come forward and introduce steam for us. They would no doubt do so if they were assured of our trade and support, and knew their extent, but this they can neither know nor expect. We must therefore appeal to ourselves, and if we have not energy and spirit enough to seize the advantage and the profit which now present themselves, we deserve to suffer as we are now doing at this
moment.
I propose in my next letter to touch on the subject of the profits to any new company that may start with a capital equal to the old one say from twenty to thirty thousand pounds, and the employment which exists for five or six
additional steamers.
I am, sir, your obedient
servant,
EDWIN HICKEY.
Osterley, May 17.