The Safety of Seamen The judgement given on 'Wednesday by
Lord Al kTrivale, as Wreck CommisSioner, in the ease of the oil-tanker Crescenta,' leaves no doubt about the gravity •)1' if, The ship disappeared last December while on a %.'o■ age from California- to' Japan, and the crew Of 20 AN -lost-. The evidence showed clearly that the ship was 111-:1\ ily overloaded " in disobedience of the law " and that a - tions prescribed by Lloyd's had not been carried out. That the 'disaster should have occurred as the testa or the desire of the owners to secure as large a return as pos,,ilde from the vessel's employment in times when profit .was hard to obtain makes it the more shocking. The forces Of nature alone, or an error of judgement on the 'part of one of the crew, has unfortunately often caused loss of life at sea, but when even part of the cause is deliberate neg- lect, as it appears to have been in this'case, thoSe responsi- ble rightly deserve the strictures of both judge and the pubhe. One of the most unhappy aspects of the "whole business was that the captain knew the danger but re- frained from protest because he feared unemployment might result. '- The existing regulations and 'means of enforcing them do not now command proper compliance with'the law," said- Lord Merrivale. There should bee .no delay on the part of the authorities'in providing itremedy.
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