207 



could. Incredible though it may seem, we believe it is true, 

 that nothing has been done to prevent a recurrence of a 

 like horrible catastrophe. Should it unhappily recur, there 

 would be once again the destruction of 700 lives ; weeping 

 and wailing among survivors ; the laying out and exposure 

 of the long lines of bloated corpses for identification ; an 

 unprecedentedly tedious coroner's inquest ; a stolid official 

 enquiry as to which vessel was to blame ; a farcical assess- 

 ment of damages ; the burial of the hecatomb of victims ; 

 the wrangle as to who should pay the costs of burial ; 

 and then da capo ! The way is again clear for a repetition 

 of the horrible drama ! 



Circumstances connected with the loss of the Teuton, 

 September 3, 1881, especially in relation to the perform- 

 ances of the boats, is painfully interesting. The follow- 

 ing is extracted from a message sent from Cape Town, 

 South Africa, to the Union Steamship Company's office 

 in London : 



" September 3, 7.20 P.M. Ship struck off Quoin Point ; 

 land apparently four miles distant ; moonlight ; fine, clear 

 over-head, hazy over-shore. Neither breakers nor beach 

 observed. Teuton stood off, then returned towards Simon'* 

 Bay. 



" 9 P.M. Boats lowered to rail and provisioned. 



" 10 P.M. Water was over 'tween decks hatch in No. 2 

 hold. Ship was stopped to lower boats. Seven boats 

 lowered ; only one loaded, women and children and two 

 sailors. Second boat commencing to load when ship 

 foundered at 10.50 P.M., sucking in everything. 



***** 



"Two boats reached Simon's Bay, one Table Bay. 

 Captain at dinner when ship struck ; thereafter remained 

 on bridge until ship foundered. 



