18 



The Florists^ Review 



August 2, 1917. 



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NIEUW AMSTERDAM CLAIMS i 



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A COMPROMISE IN PROSPECT. 



All Branches of Trade Involved. 



Of all the losses that have occurred 

 to importers since the war began, and 

 they are well known to have been many, 

 nothing has hit the trade like the claims 

 growing out of the Nieuw Amsterdam, 

 but there seems to be a probability, or 

 at least a possibility, that they will be 

 settled out of court, by compromise. 



All branches of the trade are in- 

 volved, for the Nieuw Amsterdam car- 

 ried what probably was the largest 

 cargo of horticultural goods ever stored 

 in the hold of a steamer. Whether or 

 not the Holland shippers had a tip that 

 this would be their one chance to get 

 their stock away to America, they acted 

 with promptness and unanimity; they 

 got an enormous quantity of stock ready 

 for this sailing, consigned to florists, 

 seedsmen and nurserymen in all parts 

 of America. 



To Freshen Memory. 



Those of the hundreds directly con- 

 cerned will not require to have their 

 memories refreshed and readers of The 

 Eeview probably will recall the circum- 

 stances, but it may be noted that the 

 Nieuw Amsterdam, with many millions 

 of gladiolus bulbs, hundreds of cases of 

 boxwoods, scores of cases of dormant 

 roses and hundreds of cases of general 

 nursery stock on board, sailed for New 

 York late in January and in the course 

 of a few days returned to Rotterdam. 

 Report had it that the steamer was re- 

 called by wireless, but this now is de- 

 nied — it is said tlie master returned be- 

 cause the perils of navigation endan- 

 gered his vessel. 



At any rate, after a while the cargo 

 of the Nieuw Amsterdam was transfer- 

 red, about February 7, to two smaller 

 boats, the Maartensdyk and Wester- 

 dyk. Those lay at Rotterdam week 

 after week, re})eatedly announced to 

 sail "in a few days," until April, when 

 the Ilolland-xVnierica line accepted the 

 trade's representation that the stock 

 would not now be worth the United 

 States tariff duties, unloaded the 

 steamers and returned the stock to the 

 shippers if they would take it, as most 

 of them did. 



Slow Getting Through. 



It took some little time for tlie mean- 

 ing of tliis to penetrate the mind of the 

 average consignee, Init one by one the 

 men to whom this shipload of stock had 

 been sold awakened to the fact that 

 they might have to pay for something 

 they never got, that, indeed, they might 

 in addition liave to pay the freight on 

 it. Might even have to pay for the 

 cases the goods were packed in! 



No specially active imagination is 

 needed to conceive the extent of the 

 shock! At first sight, it seemed impos- 

 sible; those wlio read the notes in The 

 Review were incredulous, but gradu- 

 ally it came to Ije recognized that the 

 trade was confronted with a quite un- 

 usual but not unprecedented situation. 



The Shippers' Responsibility. 



A couple of seasons ago one of the 



trade organizations adopted resolutions 

 pledging its members to place orders 

 only on the basis of freight and duty 

 paid, but nearly all of the Nieuw Am- 

 sterdam's cargo was sold f. o. b. nursery, 

 packing extra. That seemed to let the 

 shipper out. 



But the stock was returned. What 

 bearing had that? The shippers claim 

 that in receiving stock back they acted 

 only as the agent of their customers, for 

 the purpose of stopping warehouse 

 charges, insurance fees, etc., and in the 

 hope of salvaging some of the stock. 

 Not many consignees have been able to 

 get an exact statement of what was 

 saved. With the gladiolus bulbs the 

 salvage should have been considerable, 

 as a shortage existed and the stock 

 should have been in condition to re- 

 plant. With boxwoods, so-called 2-year- 

 old dormant roses and other nursery 

 stock it is a different matter; the shipper 

 probably had no place or need for the 

 stock if it was in condition to replant 

 and no doubt practically all of it was 

 burned. 



Also, the shipper had guaranteed the 

 freight and in most cases was required 

 to pay when the stock was returned. 

 Most American consignees have re- 

 ceived memoranda of the expense in- 

 curred under this head. 



-The Carrier and Insurer. 



The Holland-America line gets its 

 money whether or not the boat arrives 

 at its destination. It is not res^nsible 

 for cargo under any conceivable circum- 

 stances unless negligence can be proven. 

 In this case the ship put to sea and there 

 encountered dangers such as to cause 

 its captain, so it is said, exercising the 

 discretion shipping laws place with the 

 master of the vessel, to return to port. 

 The company had done its part; it 

 claimed its charges and denied all re- 

 sponsibility. 



Most, if not all, the bulbs and plants 

 in the Nieuw Amsterdam were fully 

 covered by marine and war risk insur- 

 ance, including insurance against heat- 

 ing to destination, and they were re- 

 insured at an increased rate when the 

 shipments were transferred to other 

 steamers, but the insurance company 

 disclaims liability for damage through 

 delay. Attorneys to whom tlie policies 

 have been submitted for opinion say 

 that the insurance company can not be 

 held liable unless it is proven that the 

 damage was caused by heating or usual 

 marine or war risk causes. 



Action to Defend the Trade. 



The nurserymen were quicker to take 

 action than the bulb importers or flo- 

 rists. On a call issued by Thomas B. 

 Meehan, Dresher, Pa., a committee was 

 formed which invites all interested par- 

 ties to place claims in its hands. An 

 agreement form has been prepared and 

 a large number of consignees have 

 signed it. Mr. Meehan says the com- 

 mittee docs not care to give out any 

 information at this time, but that it 

 will be glad to hear from anyone who 

 had goods on this boat. 



Apparently, concerted action was not 

 wholly to tiie liking of the exporters. 



Usually, in case of numerous losses from 

 any cause, the Dutch exporters of bulbs 

 or nursery stock do not stand on their 

 legal rights, fearing to kill the business. 

 Instead, they settle with each man as 

 best they may. From some they got 

 the money; from others, part of it; from 

 a few, none at all; but they keep the 

 business. 



A Basis for Compromise. 



Concerted action may result in a law- 

 suit to test the liability of the trade. 

 Or it may result in a compromise. 

 There is an attorney here from Hollaml 

 who claims to represent the shippers 

 and the insurers, although the extent 

 of his authority has not become ap- 

 parent. 



One man who had close to $1,000 

 worth of goods on the boat ventures 

 the opinion that if it is decided that the 

 Hollanders are right on the law points, 

 it still will be possible to effect a 

 compromise, perhaps one even better 

 than the proverbial fifty-fifty. He says 

 when the disposition of his stock is 

 shown he expects the shipper will stand 

 one-third, the insurance company wilt 

 pay one-third and the American who 

 got nothing but trouble will pay the re- 

 maining third. The most doubtful fac- 

 tor is the insurance company. 



To forestall a probable shortage of 

 forcing bulbs, S. J. Goddard, of Fram- 

 ingham, Mass., is planning to follow his 

 chrysanthemums with stocks and snap- 

 dragons. 



William Vert, president of the Chrys- 

 anthemum Society of America, has left 

 Castlegould, Port Washington, L. I., 

 and ■ become superintendent at The 

 Elms, the home of C. V. Brokaw, at Gleu 

 Cove. 



Automobilists always are welcome 

 at flower stores, but when a car driven 

 by a woman skidded and crashed 

 through the display Avindow of The 

 Rosery, at Bridgeport, Conn., George 

 Pflomni remarked that he "would 

 rather they left their cars outside." 



It is good news to hear that Frederick 

 J. Michell, of the H. F. Michell Co., 

 Philadelphia, who was severely injured 

 four weeks ago when struck by an auto- 

 mobile, is on the "highroad" to com- 

 plete recovery. It is to be hoped that 

 there are no speed maniacs on that high- 

 road. 



The biblical pronoimcement that 

 "the first shall be last and tlie last 

 first" does not apply to the selective 

 draft, and in all probability John 

 Walch, of H. Bayersdorfer & Co., 

 Philadelphia, is glad of it. Mr. Walch 's 

 "red ink" draft number was the last 

 one drawn at \Vashington, and in this 

 case the first shall be first and the last 

 last. 



While jnany growers are complaining 

 about the rise in the price of coal, 

 Blowitt & Pickett, of Des I'laines, 111., 

 came near having a record rise in that 

 precious commodity. Two dynamite 

 bombs were found July 25 in a car of 

 coal consigned to the firm, according to 

 a report, and delivered at the range. 

 Federal agents are investigating the 

 case. 



