468 Loss of Life at Sea. (October, 
inspection would have been intolerable ; and if this army of 
Inspectors were not more capable than some of those now 
employed, the results would have been most injurious to the 
trade and dangerous to the sailor. If Mr. Plimsoll would 
benefit the sailor and his country he must seek other support 
than Mr. E. J. Reed’s exaggerated statements about vessels 
being loaded till the water washed over their decks. Mr. 
Reed joins Mr. Plimsoll in his attempts to prevent deck 
loads being carried, because of raising the centre of gravity 
of ships, which is the occasion of their capsizing, and this 
top weight is further added to in the winter months by 
the seas that then come over their bulwarks. It requires, 
however, but a small acquaintance with every-day facts on 
the Thames to have known that barges and yachts are to be 
seen with the gunwhales immersed and inclining almost 
with the water up to their masts, and without a shadow of 
danger. So, also, the Dutch galliots, on the high seas, 
allow the water to have free access to many parts of their 
decks amidships, and this because they have wisely supplied 
a sufficiency of the cardinal element of safety, viz., stability. 
The Commissioners come to the conclusion that ‘‘ the 
reserve of buoyancy,” which they define to be “‘ the propor- 
tion which the capacity of the water-tight and solidly- 
constructed part of the ship which is above water bears to 
the capacity of the part immersed,” should ‘‘ mainly guide 
in the settlement of.a load-line.” Further on they add— 
“‘ Any rule of freeboard founded on surplus buoyancy gives 
to a vessel of light scantling an advantage over a stronger 
vessel. Thus the inferior ship would by law be allowed to 
carry the heavier cargo. Such an enactment would not 
contribute to the safety of life at sea.” 
‘‘ There is no general agreement as to a rate by which the 
requisite amount of reserve buoyancy could be determined, 
and it appears that, except under definite circumstances, 
it is not a determinable problem.” 
“The proper load-line in each particular case depends 
not only upon the principal dimensions of the ship, but also 
upon her form and structural strength, the nature of her 
cargo, the voyage, and the season of the year.” Again, 
they say—‘ Discretion as to the proper loading of his ship 
must be left to the ship-owner, or, under his dire¢tions, to 
the manager, on whom the responsibility rests for sending 
the ship to sea in a seaworthy condition, which responsibility 
it is inexpedient to diminish. ‘They have therefore come to 
the conclusion, not without regret, that we cannot prescribe 
