The Liverpool Nautical Research Society (Founded in 1938) ! THE BULLETIN ! Volume 58 No.1, June, 2014 SS Captain Cook in Wellington Harbour See page 18 Courtesy F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand The Family Company Wins J G Payne Page 1 Book Review A Melling 4 Remember Those Days W A Ogle 5 The Loss of the s.s. Canadian H M Hignett 7 Marine Radio Museum Faces Closure Nautilus Telegraph 11 Anchor Handling/Towage in the N. Sea The Editor 13 Port of Liverpool The Editor 16 The New Life Fleet A J Barratt 18 19th Century Shipping Communications G Bodey 25 The Longest Day Captain G Cubbin 32 Shipbuilding and Trading 2013 MNA Circular 39 An Old Man of the Sea H M Hignett 41 Pamir See page 4 Courtesy de.wikepdia ! ! ss Canadian from a painting by William Clarke (1855) Courtesy Wikemedia Commons See page 6 The Liverpool Nautical Research Society ! President ! ! Mr. William J. Pape II ! ! Vice-Presidents: Captains G. Cubbin Mr. H.M. Hignett ! Chairman: Captain R. Settle ! ! ! Vice Chairman: Mr. W.G. Williamson Council: Mr. I.Duckett (Talks Secretary), Mr. D.K.C.Eccles, Mr. B. Groombridge, Ms. D.Littler (Representative N.M.L.), Mr. W.A.Ogle (Editor), Mr. J.P. Stokoe. ! Honorary Ofcers: Secretary: Mr. A. Melling Treasurer: Mr. V. Finn ! ! ! ! ! Web site: www.liverpoolnauticalresearchsociety.org ! ! ! Contact details: The Liverpool Nautical Research Society Maritime Archives and Library Merseyside Maritime Museum Albert Dock Liverpool L3 4AQ United Kingdom. ! ! [email protected] The Family Company Wins by Mr J G Payne, United Towing and Humber Tugs ! The following is the text of a speech made in Grimsby Town Hall on 5 December 1975 at a dinner given by United Towing and Humber Tugs (The author was Chairman of the company, and the Wilbraham family majority shareholders). It was originally published in the Blue Star ‘Gangway’ ! At a time when I suspect we are all scratching to keep our head above water or more definitively when we are trying to retain in our businesses a positive cash flow it is probably worth once again having a look at the basic elements which make a shipping company's profit and loss account good, bad or indifferent. On 1 April 1974 I gave the Reginald Grout Memorial lecture in the City of London and the subject was 'British Liner Shipping: Future Prospects and Problems'. I then said British Liner Shipping should have three principal objectives - these were: • that if we were to remain in business that we account on a replacement cost depreciation basis • next, that we must continue to improve the efciency of our ports and transport network • and last, that we must work closer than ever with our customers. These remarks were made at a time of economic boom—it does however seem to me that the remarks have even more force at a time of economic decline. I do not intend to dwell on accounting problems tonight as Mr Sandiland and others are tending to give us all mental indigestion at the moment, nor do I intend to talk about customer relations, despite the importance of good customer relations. It seems appropriate whilst here on Humberside to simply state the essentials of a good port from a shipowner's point of view. I make no apologies for stating the obvious because we tend to live in an era when the obvious or the truth, if you like, is clouded by other issues, at worst political issues or a genuine fear of the truth. Costs of ships and equipment escalate at a rate hitherto unknown—here may I illustrate that container ships which were delivered to us in 1969 should have cost us about four million pounds, will probably end up costing us eight million pounds because of the declining value of the pound and similar ships to be delivered in 1977 will probably leave us no change out of twenty-five million pounds. With tugs, supply boats, ferries, tramps, bulk carriers all costing two or three times the amount they would have done five to ten years ago the one thing that shipowners are all looking for more than ever before is maximum utilisation of their assets. Ships at sea make money, ships in port cost money. "1 In other words we all want our ships in and out of port in the shortest possible space of time. What, therefore, apart from an efficient tug service, makes a port work—probably three or four things only: • the right equipment, there is nothing more soul destroying than the wrong equipment • the right amount of space in which to operate • good management • and last but not least, the desire on the part of the men to work. Funnily enough, good management and good men working in harmony can overcome poor equipment and a shortage of space—therefore one must put the men in the port and their attitude to the job in hand as the essential ingredient of a successful port. What creates harmony in a management/ men relationship? Much has been written by so-called experts on this subject. To me the essential factors are: • an identifiable, accessible and respected boss who is not a faceless wonder • and men who desire to work and are willing to accept that some disciplines are necessary for a job to be done efficiently. Many of you will say 'what about the Trade Unions in all this?' Their role to me is a complementary one. The Unions should ensure that the men get a fair deal and protect the individual against bad management. Unions should negotiate agreements on behalf of the men—if that is necessary. But having negotiated an agreement, I do believe the Unions have a very real and ultimate responsibility of making sure that their members abide by that agreement. If an agreement simply becomes a basis for further negotiation then in simple terms 'all is lost'. Nothing will ever work efficiently on that basis. I do not accept however that Unions are essential, if for no other reason than that a Union which cannot or will not control its members is probably our worst enemy today. Unions require good management just as business requires good management. Might I liken a Union which has lost control of its members to business management which has lost control of its costs. The end result is chaotic. No doubt many of you will be sitting here tonight saying 'easier said than done', and I agree—most things are easier said than done. But has not the time arrived when each and every one of us, whether we be manager or clerk, director or crane driver, chairman or office boy, should ask ourselves one simple question—are we worth the money in our take home pay?— are we giving a day's work for a day's pay? If not, what is stopping us—is it indifferent management, lack of leadership, an undisciplined work force or the mistaken belief that 'she'll be right', to coin an Australian expression. One thing is certain, nothing will ever be right unless a lot of the nonsense which goes on at the present moment is very firmly sat on in all places in our society. We all have a responsibility in this regard and all I simply suggest is that unless we all "2 discharge that responsibility we are not playing our part. Gentlemen, if I sound like a politician I apologise. The simple fact is that good ports employ good men who do not tolerate nonsense. Men and management working in harmony dispose of nonsense quicker than any Union agreement, work procedure or terms of reference. We can have all the pieces of paper we like in the world, but none will ever be able to replace that very essential ingredient in life—all of us working as a team together. Nobody in the company which employs me works for me, I hope they all work with me for the company. May I just say one thing in conclusion, not with the deliberate intention of embarrassing Mr Wilbraham. My remarks are addressed to those who work with him. I have only known Mr Wilbraham about two years. During that period a friendship has grown up between us based on, I believe, mutual respect—for my part it is based on respect and admiration. Your companies, Tony, are essentially family companies where the boss is anything but a faceless wonder—I too work for a family company, but have had the opportunity to work in other environments. There is no comparison between working with a family company and working in other broader-based companies. The family company wins every time. This country was essentially built on family companies and it is in these great family companies that one observes the complete lack of nonsense. I consider myself privileged to work in a family company and also to be associated with other family companies such as yours. On behalf of all your guests may I not only once again say thank you, but also wish you personally, your family, and all your staff who work with you, every success for the future—thank you. ! ! Nautical Trivia Quiz 1. How many certificates are required to be a qualified Master these days? 2. There is a passenger ship now 63 years old, that potentially all seafarers have seen and certainly have heard of, what was her name and her current name? 3. What is the longest recorded launching of an ocean going ship, how long did it take and where did this occur? 4.