All language subtitles for The Onedin Line S03e01 The Ship Devils

I name this ship the Anne O 'Needan, and
wish her Godspeed and a safe passage on

all her voyages.

May God bless and keep safe all who sail
in her.

To Albert.

To Albert.

To Albert.

I built a fine ship. A fine ship. I'll
give him that.

Quite beyond my expectations. It was a
splendid launch.

Albert would be so proud of you. My son
doesn't know on which side his bread is

buttered. Taking himself off on some
wild goose chase to the ends of the

Only to the Argentine. He'll be back in
good time for the ship's trials.

Who's to foot the bills in the meantime?

Well, the company, I imagine.

Not good enough.

She'll be at least three months in the
fitting -out basin. Not a penny piece

coming into my yards. James will settle.

Trade trade's appalling.

They've a long way to go before they
touch bottom.

There's no money about.

No new orders.

My yards are at a standstill.

James seems to keep his ships busy.

Ah, he's one of the few that do.

But at what cost?

Buying up old vessels only fit for the
knackers' yard, patching them up,

them out dangerous... Insolently
overloaded.

You take my advice. Pull out. Pull out
while you can.

Things are that serious?

A word to the wise.

Albert has a 15 % interest in the
Ornithian line.

Cash in, Maria.

Cash in while you can.

And how old might you be?

I am 10 years old.

Oh.

Oh, so this is your son, Mrs. Fraser.

Such a handsome boy.

He takes after his father.

Aye, but he does have the Oneiden nose.

Eh, William?

Yes, ma 'am.

Has God not yet blessed your union, Mrs.
Fogarty? My wife and I are in complete

accord on that subject, Mrs.

Oneiden. Without children, a man might
just as well not have been born.

Except for that sullen law of mine. He
doesn't care if his little mighty

daughter lives or dies.

Pardon, sir. I thought I'd shot and
saved him.

Is he dead?

If you please.

Leonora, go below, child.

Return below this instant, I say.

How do I thank you, sir?

You've obliged me, sir, by going below
and taking your daughter with you.

Thank you, my love.

I'm dead.

Captain Baines, may I suggest that we
shorten canvas?

you a debt of gratitude.

You owe me nothing.

Oh, on the contrary, sir.

My daughter is very dear to me.

She's all I have.

Ever since my dear wife passed over.

Believe me, sir, I too was inconsolable.

I believed my world to have come to an
end.

You will not at this moment accept my...
My word.

But I do assure you that the memory will
fade.

Now, please accept my condolences.

And those of my daughter.

She has a great admiration for you, Mr.
O 'Neill.

She's a child. On the contrary, sir.

Leonora is no longer a child.

She is a woman.

Daniel, it's past your clock.

I know.

These accounts won't settle themselves.

I need to go.

Whose bed?

Yours?

If you wish.

If I wish.

Don't you ever.

No, of course you don't.

Not once in our entire marriage have
you.

I've got to bed, Emma. I've work to do.

Well, let me help.

Really, Daniel, you're such a muddler.

These accounts go here and those there.

Incomings and outgoings.

Really, it's quite simple. Let me see
you simplify these.

What are they?

Phrasers, donning us for money.

Oh, they'll extend our credit.

Not for £32 ,000.

So much?

Six months ago, I placed an order for
two new bark and fiends at a cost of 15

,000 pounds apiece.

There's been a trade depression since
those fixed ships laid off before more

undergoing repair and refitting.

We don't have the cash, Emma. We're
running at a lot as it is.

But we still have 16 ships in
commission.

That should be profit enough. You don't
understand. I understand only too

clearly. When we were married, you took
over control of the company. And from

that day forth, we seem to have done
nothing but lose money.

Now, when my uncle was a little... When
Mr Callan died, the company was past its

peak. It was overextended. Too many
ships chasing too few cargo. Excuse it.

If you concentrated your mind upon the
business side of things instead of

furthering your idiotic quarrel with
James... James don't need it. It has

nothing to do with it. I only wish you
had one half his business acumen.

At least he manages to keep his ships in
service and at a profit I'll be bound.

So could I, but play this game. And what
might that be?

Buying up rotten ships, patching them
up.

Lording him up to the gunwales and
sending him out to seek to found her in

first half -gale. And how many ships has
he lost?

He has the devil's own luck.

I doubt if luck plays much part in James
O 'Neill's calculations.

He concentrates his mind upon his
business. No one can work harder than

You allow yourself to be distracted.

Rushing hither and thither, trying to do
every task yourself.

Harassing everyone from Clark's to
Vichel's until there isn't anyone left

employ who isn't at his wit's end.

I know the cure for that.

You could have married Elizabeth and
gone to perdition together.

I'd sooner burn in hell than spend
another day in your presence.

And do you find mine so distasteful I
can marry soon for the cure for that as

well?

There, there.

My little suet dumpling.

There, there.

Give her to me.

Poor little mite.

I think she's cutting her tooth.

Aye, possibly.

But she's a weakly child, always ailing.
There, my precious.

There.

Fine father she's inherited.

Captain James who needed is no sooner
off one ship than he's aboard of

Couldn't even spare the time to attend
his own daughter's christening.

Aye, it's true he has little regard for
the child.

The man's inhuman.

I doubt he'll ever forgive her, poor
little man.

Forgive her for what?

For being born.

For Anne's death.

I warned Anne.

The moment she set her eyes on the
rogue.

All in your seats, girl, I said.

I'd run her for the wind.

But she took no heed, poor thing. Sarah!

What? Well, it's time for me touch.

Oh, all right.

Fair enough.

I've been accepted.

It's all here.

I've been adopted as prospective
candidate in the liberal interest for

council. Oh, Robert!

First a councillor, then an alderman and
a man.

Well, he's got to be elected first.

But I'll drink to it.

Well, it is a step in the right
direction, Captain Webster.

And not before time, either. Mr
Gladstone owes it to you. After all,

a lifelong supporter of his policies.
No, not specifically, Mr Gladstone.

No, it's Mr Plimsoll who's promised his
support.

You know of his lifelong interest in
shipping, of course.

Well, he has promised to pass a visit
and speak on my behalf.

Introduce me to the vault, as it were.

Mr. Plimsoll, here?

Oh, no, no. He'll probably stop at a
hotel.

But I have no doubt he will find time to
honour us with a visit. I thought we

might ask him to dinner.

When? The day after tomorrow.

Oh, Robert, that's too short notice.

So you're off to the hostings, eh, young
fellow?

Aye. And what constituency do you hope
to represent?

Garston. Garston.

You need all the good where you can lay
your hands on there.

Yes, miss?

Has Mr. O 'Neden always been such a foul
-faced old grouch boy?

Well, let me put it this way, miss. Mr.
O 'Neden was never the sort of man to

pick an argument with.

Oh, I would never dream of contradicting
any opinion held by Mr. O 'Neden, ever.

I wish to gain his approbation, not
otherwise.

Poor Kapar has almost abandoned hope of
ever expressing his gratitude.

If you want to find yourself in Mr. and
Eden's good books, I can only advise

that you, well, keep quiet, speak only
when you're spoke to, and pussyfoot

around as though walking on eggshell.

I was hoping for something more
positive.

What would please you most?

Oh.

Let's have a drink.

Coal? I am in a position to offer a long
-term contract.

Coal out of Bilbao, iron ore back.

You will appreciate that as a matter of
common business prudence, I must ask for

your assurance that your ships will be
able to deliver at regular and

intervals. You have it.

In writing, if you please. Put into the
contract, subject to the normal perils

and hazards of the sea. I know the
clause well.

Why?

Why this sudden act of generosity?

I'm not being overly generous, Mr. O
'Neill. The freight I offer will be at

seven and six a ton.

Well, I'll take it. But you know owners
that fight like cats in a sack for an

offer like that.

You know that. I know that. So I'll ask
you again. Why?

Well, that was my daughter's idea.

It seems to have taken quite a fancy to
you.

It's the best I cannot for the life of
me understand why.

Personally, I find you a rude, ill
-mannered boy, entirely devoted to self

-interest. Well, I never allow sentiment
to interrupt business.

Yes, well, I too am a practical man,
sir, and it is my conclusion that this

transaction can be mutually profitable.

My pits can keep your ships busy, and
your ships can keep my pits working to

capacity. Well, that's clearly
understood. I'll accept your offer.

Subject to contract?

I'd have it no other way.

Yeah, but under the circumstances, I
have no choice.

I must call in all outstanding debts.

But we shall be bankrupt.

There's no need for you to bother your
pretty little head about business

matters. Mr. Fogarty has quite suddenly
decided to return to a seafaring life.

The devil he has.

And I'm such an income poop in money
matters.

Daniel says I cannot even keep household
accounts correctly.

The man's a fool.

There, there, my dear. Don't take on so.

We'll set ourselves down and see if we
can't talk this thing out.

You take a glass of sherry wine and dry
those tears.

Flying capsules pay all debts, they say.

But it's a poor -hearted man who'll run
away to sea rather than face up to his

obligations. I'm afraid my husband does
not have your business acumen, Mr

Fraser. He doesn't deserve you, and
that's a fact.

Only I had someone of your knowledge and
experience to advise me.

Poor Daniel.

He really has no business sense at all.

He's brought both of us to a pretty
pass.

He's left me with two brand -new vessels
just completed, four others undergoing

repair. And from what you've just told
me, I doubt if I shall ever see the

colour of his money.

Really, Daniel has behaved most
abominably.

Well, there's only one thing for it.

You must keep our ships in discharge of
debt.

Of no doubt, your offer is well
-intentioned, but even putting them up

auction wouldn't recover half the debt.

Well, then, would it not be more
profitable if you were to manage them

Oh, there's a sight more to trading than
owning a few ships, young lady, as your

husband has found to his cost. Well, we
still have the trading facilities.

What is lacking is a man of ability
capable of putting my poor affairs into

order.

Surely Elizabeth's not contemplating
running off to sea without leaving some

responsible person in charge.

He's sworn to wind up the company and
sell off all our holdings.

Say, on a falling market, the man's a
blockhead. I'm afraid he's quite made up

his mind.

My husband really is the most obstinate
of men, and I don't know to whom I can

turn.

I should consider it a privilege if you
would look upon me as your guide and

mentor.

You're so unkind.

Shipping, eh?

It'd be a new venture.

No, I couldn't afford to buy him out.

My yard at a standstill, ship's half
built upon the stocks.

By God, George Callum must be turning in
his grave.

The work of a lifetime gone to waste.

My late uncle thought very highly of
you, Mr Fraser.

Aye, we were good friends.

Good friends.

A man like that would keep your head
above financial waters.

Or indeed, yourself.

Me? Oh, no, no, no. Quite out of the
question.

For one thing, the capital investment
would be far too high.

Money? Yes, that's the commodity, young
lady.

Money. Oh, well, I thought... Yes?

Oh, perhaps I shouldn't propose it.

I don't really understand these things.

Oh, come now.

You've taken me into your confidence
thus far.

have control of the company, and say you
won't half, and in return you received

half the profits, which would only be
fair and just because you would be

into it your knowledge and experience,
and... Does that make any sense?

I'm afraid you must think me a fool.

No, no, no. Of course not. Your proposal
would make uncommon good sense, but...

Yes?

A fifth... 50 -50 holding would result
in a pull -devil, pull -baker situation.

Well, then, a 51 % holding in your
favour. Is that the correct phrase?

Mind you, I would only undertake it for
your sake and not to put nearly half the

profits into the pocket of that feckless
husband.

Surely papers could be drawn up ensuring
that the profits would be shared

between you and I. He would never agree.

Oh, I think he will.

And I think our first joint action
should be a change of name.

The Fraser Shipping Company.

Are you acquainted with that tin? Well,
all people.

The devil's that fellow, huh?

Taking a photographic likeness, I
reckon, sir.

Do I have the privilege of addressing
Mr. Needin, Mr.

James Needin? Yes, you do.

What is this contraption?

Tool of science in the aid of God's
work.

And what particular aspects of the
Almighty's duties have you taken on your

shoulders? A sacred trust, Mr. Needin, a
sacred trust.

My concern is with the safety and
welfare of that most unfortunate of

the British seaman.

Claptrap.

You have the politician's knack of never
answering questions.

Ah, the camera.

Well, that, sir, supplies
incontrovertible photographic evidence.

What of?

Of overloading, Mr. O 'Neill.

The carrying of deck cargo to the hazard
of life and limb.

To say nothing of the safety of your
ship.

On freight so low, a man must make his
profits where he can.

Ah, Mr.

Bedoff, good day to you, sir. How is the
campaign going?

Ah, well, I make more enemies than
friends.

And that, I think...

is a measure of its success, eh?

Right, my good fellows.

Number two key.

Carefully now, carefully, careful.

And that.

Must away, sir. Busy times.

Busy times.

Got anything?

Good.

Who is he?

Samuel Plimthole.

You can do better than this, James. I'm
content.

You can afford the best.

Never had your taste of a fanciful
living, Elizabeth.

Oh, leave off your hair shirt, James.
I'm not impressed.

However, I did think that with Albert
away... Albert away?

Where the devil is Albert?

Buenos Aires in the Argentine.

I've a house full of idle servants. The
Argentine. It's a large house, plenty of

room. What the devil's he doing in the
Argentine? I thought you could come and

stay with me until Albert's returned.
Come and stay with you?

Think of the money you'd save.

Stop chattering about money and houses
and tell me what the devil is doing in

the Argentine. Business.

Business? It's business if he had
overseen work on the steamship, not

off to the ends of the earth. It's to do
with the steamship. Ah, so.

He left a letter.

housekeeper, cooks as she cleans. You'll
eat more than the proverbial peck of

dust before you die.

Refrigerated meat.

It's absolute nonsense to imagine you
could live alone in such an

You'll simply sit here all day brooding
like a hen under a bucket.

Your husband's a dreamer.

Well, if practical men like you and
Daniel Fogarty had backed his ideas

of bickering like schoolchildren, that
ship would by now be on the high seas

earning good money.

Building ships takes cash, not dreams.

Now the fool's taken himself off on some
fool's errand to investigate the

possibility of shipping refrigerated
meat.

Whatever the devil that means.

Well, it's a sort of ice -making
machine.

Why? And it means once perfected... Once
perfected? ...we'll be able to import

prime meat from all over the world.
Well, that day may very well come, but

know something?

Albert will not be the innovator.

Not the man I took him for.

Nor are you these days, James.

You're not one half the man you once
were.

You've lost your spirit.

Those worthy and honest yeomen who earn
their bread by the sweat of their brow

and do not disrupt the commerce of the
country with stoppages of work and

incessant demands for more pay.

For make no mistake, gentlemen, commerce
is the live blood of this country.

Oh, bravo, Robert. Well said.

Express those sentiments to a meeting of
the lower deck and they'll hang you

from the nearest yard hub.

Oh, I've pitched it too strong, have I?
I think you've pitched it in the wrong

direction, Robert.

You'll be speaking to a crowd of seamen,
not a meeting at the Chamber of

Commerce. Oh, well, perhaps I should
reword that passage.

Why? I think it's a very brave speech
and about time somebody stood up and

the labouring classes a few home truths,
no matter what the consequences.

No, no, Sarah.

I'm always ready to listen to reasoned
criticism, no? The lectures are what

were in my day, luckily for you. We were
through a pompous idiot into a cesspit.

Well, anyway, I've deleted that passage.

And I'll say something like this.

I'll criticise the owners.

And I'll call a plague upon the houses
of those owners, those villainous

who, for the sake of quick profits...

Jeopardize the lives of honest British
seamen.

That should bring the house down. Papal
hypocrisy. You're a trimmer, sir, a

trimmer. Really, Captain Webster, try
and remember you are a guest in this

house. And under sufferance. I'm seldom
allowed to forget it.

You still have one problem to surmount,
Robert.

What might that be?

Living down the family name.

Only din.

These are the latest estimates.

More money.

Costs are rising.

Freights are falling.

I'm well aware of that, Mr. O 'Neill.

Which is why I must press for settlement
of the account.

Well, you'll be paid on completion.

Stage payment, Mr. O 'Neill. And I drew
up that contract myself.

Which is why I inserted a penalty clause
against delay.

The Anne O 'Neill will be ready on time.

£15 ,000.

For an engine.

She'll not sail far without one.

But the original estimate was for 10
,000 pounds.

Improvements in engineering move apace,
Mr. O 'Neill.

This is an even more powerful engine
than my son had first envisaged. The

greater the power, the greater the
speed.

And the greater the cost.

Look, you attend to designer
specification, and I'll attend to the

employment.

I can't afford the loss of cargo space
and tell by a larger engine.

Come now, 50 ,000 pounds was a tribe.

I am spent.

That never went through my book.

Have you been playing ducks and drakes
with your company account, using

steamship money to keep your sailing
ships running? Unless those sailing

keep running, the ammunition will be
just so much scrap iron.

May I remind you that that is
shareholders' money?

My money.

My son has a 15 % holding.

A small step on the road to insolvency.

Look, you keep within your estimates,
Fraser.

All those shares won't be worth the
paper they're written.

So I'm to hand over half the company to
Fraser, just like that.

In return for a 49 % holding, we are
relieved from our obligations.

You'll get a far better price by selling
out everything, lock, stock and barrel.

I intend to live off income, not
capital. Capital can be invested. I am

investing it.

With Mr Fraser.

Our money.

My money?

That's always been a sore point with
you, hasn't it?

Not with me, Daniel.

With you.

I do not need your money.

Then sign.

Here, here and here.

Then you will be free.

What are you doing aboard this ship?

Get off this ship!

Hold down that house flag, will you?

Yes, I heard you were going back to sea.

Aye. And I'm master of this ship.

I heard that too.

You see, this is an Aeneid ship.

An uninsured ship is the safest ship.

It's the quickest way to bankruptcy.

Exactly, sir.

Therefore, it is in the owner's best
interest to see that his vessels are

and seaworthy.

Now, before insurance was adopted, every
ship was most carefully overhauled. But

since the advent of insurance, this
great care has relaxed because now the

owner's property is safe, whatever the
outcome.

Plausible but untrue. Pressure to insure
comes from the merchant. No question of

it. If a ship is lost, I expect to
recover the value of my cargo.

Well, there is as yet no means of
preventing your fully insured

being shipped aboard some rotten old
scow ready to fall apart at the first

And that is the purpose of my proposed
bill, gentlemen.

Put an end once and for all to this
disgraceful situation.

Hear, hear.

I'm against it. It smacks of government
interference.

The rule of law, sir, subjects us all to
government interference.

With the exception of ship owners, it
would seem.

Well spoken, Mrs. Fraser.

I know of no ship owner who counts
himself above the law.

If Mr.

O 'Neden here were to slit a man's
throat for gain, would you account him

the law?

No. And yet, should he knowingly send an
unseaworthy ship to sea and thereby

cause all aboard to drown like so many
rats, there is no authority in the

United Kingdom which can hold him
culpable.

That, sir, is a situation which I say
can no longer be borne. Hear, hear.

Well, so much for theory.

What a practice, eh?

Mr. Plimsoll, for my part, I'm prepared
to accept Mr. O 'Neill's assurance that

his ships are sound and seaworthy.
Accept because you must.

You can have no better guarantor than
Fraser here.

Fraser's yards refit and overhaul my
ships at regular intervals.

Well, you will acquire a much larger
house in the near future.

The shop and premises are so encroached
on the domestic side as to make it

positively embarrassing.

And we do so miss the use of a
withdrawing room.

Is yours a large house, Leonora?

Well, we have two houses, actually.

A small town residence and a great
drafty barn of a place at St. Helens.

Very old and spooky.

People say that it's haunted.

I've never seen anything, but I have
felt a presence.

No doubt the shade of an owner crying
for lost profits.

I'm sure my brother will find it
excellent company.

Should he accept your invitation?

Oh, he will.

He must?

Every ship that leaves my yard is as
sound as a bell.

You have my word for it.

And then you have no further control.

There is nothing in this whole wide
world to prevent Mr. Needham from

that sound ship down to the gunnels and
then topping off with cumbered deck

cargo. Now, my proposals will put an end
to this pernicious practice.

I'm not quite so addicted to losing
ships as you imagine.

I am proposing to remove the temptation.

How? By painting a line along the ship's
side?

Beyond which mark? No ship will be
permitted to load.

That's quite impracticable.

Can you see those profits slipping
through your fingers already, eh? Aye, I

If that proposal ever finds its way onto
the statute books, we shall be at the

mercy of our foreign competitors.

They'll not be daubing Mr. Plimsoll's
mark along the sides of their ships. You

can't legislate for wind and sea.

You must agree, gentlemen, that a well
-found ship is more likely to ride out a

tempest than one with its decks awash.

You can pattern down an empty ship tight
as a cask.

And she'll still go to the...

Devil.

Devil!

Shit devils.

That's what we call them, gentlemen.

That's why the minstrel went down like a
stone. No warning. She broke in half

and went straight to the bottom.

Ship devils.

This timber's rotten.

Oh, it's not just the timber that should
concern us, gentlemen, but the bolts.

Sham bolts.

They're the ship devils.

The purpose is to pin the outer planking
to the vertical ribs. A ship is

literally stitched together by means of
these bolts.

Specifications demand that they be
fashioned of copper. But whereas copper

expensive, iron is cheap.

Copper is impervious to the action of
seawater.

Iron rapidly corrodes.

Well, the head is of copper.

No, in order that the bolts may pass
inspection, the shaft is of iron.

Are you saying, Captain Fogarty, that
this ship was fastened together with

shambles with full knowledge of the
inevitable consequences?

They certainly didn't find their way
there by chance.

But this is criminal, sir. Criminal.

Is this practice widespread?

Some ship owners never buy a new ship.
They simply buy an old vessel, whirl

its prime, send it to the shipyards for
the cheapest possible repairs, and then

send it out to sea to take its chances.

Namey names, sir.

Namey names.

And I give you my word that I will not
rest until these scoundrels are brought

to justice.

You will appreciate, Mr. O 'Neill, that
under the circumstances, I can no longer

sustain my offer of a contract.

Ships are lost at sea almost daily.

And for many, many reasons. But the most
common of all is faulty seamanship. Now

think upon it, Mr. Biddle.

Here's a man, Captain Fogarty, returns
to sea after a long stay ashore.

His ship is wrecked.

He finds himself the sole survivor and
promptly pours out a tale of a ship

by devils. I have seen the evidence.

Evidence?

What you saw was a bit of rotten
planking, a couple of sheared -off

Now, your friend, Mr. Plimsoll, will
have to do better than that or he'll get

short -stripped from Mr. Fraser. That I
can promise you.

They never came from my yard.

Will you not deny that the vessel was
sent to you for repair? I have no

intention of affirming or denying
anything to you, sir, beyond repeating

yards are not responsible.

I'm afraid that a simple denial of
responsibility will not satisfy a

inquiry. To the devil with you and your
tomfoolery!

Have you no eyes on your head?

Look at that timber!

It's riddled with rot, sir. Does it not
tell you anything?

Certainly. It reinforces my argument
that that ship should never have put the

sea in the first place.

And I hold you and the needy to be
equally culpable.

Public! And I intend to make my findings
public, sir.

But ain't you?

It came by packet, straight from Buenos
Aires.

Albert handed it to the ship's master
for safekeeping.

The monster!

He says he's been offered a position by
an Argentine meatpacking company.

Excellent prospects, house and servants,
an extremely generous salary.

Oh, with that...

Splendid. Splendid?

What's so splendid about it? He must
have taken leave of his senses.

He has the effrontery to imagine that I
will pack up immediately and transport

myself to take up residence among a lot
of wild Patagonians.

But Elizabeth, it's a wife's duty to
follow her husband.

Duty? To give up all my friends and
spend the rest of my days in some

plague spot at the other end of the
earth?

Speak to Albert of duty, not me. His
place is here, at home.

Come now, Elizabeth. I've heard the
Argentine is quite civilized. They do

speak English.

A grand total of 412 tons, ladies and
gentlemen, on a ship of 300

tons gross tonnage.

Now, Captain Fogarty states that in his
professional opinion, the ship was

overloaded. He continues.

We sailed in half a gale.

At dawn the following morning...

The carpenter sounded and found that we
were taking water rapidly.

I ordered the ship to return to port.

In carrying out the manoeuvre, the ship,
completely without warning, broke in

two, literally falling to pieces.

I think she's settled at last.

Surely Robert could well afford to pay a
woman to come and sit with the child.

The child is James's responsibility, not
Robert's.

Poor little mind.

Oh? And since when were you so fond of
children?

I have always wanted children.

It's Albert who's been... reluctant.

Elizabeth, if there's been a coldness
between you and Albert, what better

opportunity of starting a press than by
joining him abroad?

Nothing will persuade me to go and live
among the heathens of Patagonia.

Oh, I do wish you'd stop calling it
Patagonia.

Robert and I have looked it up on
Samuel's full atlas.

The town of Buenos Aires lies on the
River Plate.

It has a very salubrious climate and a
well -established English colony, so

there should be no language difficulty
either.

There certainly will not be, for I'm not
going.

I've told you before, Elizabeth, it's
your wifely duty.

I am not leaving England.

Be reasonable, Elizabeth.

You say you want children.

Well, yes, but... And surely Albert
wants a son of his own.

Albert's been very good to William. But
it isn't the same.

Oh, I know he'd love a son of his own,
but... Well, he doesn't... I mean...

Things will change, you see.

I've heard that tropic climes tend to
overheat the blood and inflame the

passions. Well, he certainly hasn't
written a very passionate letter.

Fondest regards to yourself and William.

You must learn to read between the
lines, Elizabeth.

A moon -loving letter will follow,
you'll see.

Well, if such a letter should arrive,
then I'll make my decision.

But you can wait no longer, Elizabeth.

You'll soon make new friends.

And you should be able to live in
considerable style, certainly better

you're able to do here.

My lovely house.

Now there, we may be able to help you.
Oh?

Well, Robert has decided it's time we
started looking for a new situation.

New situation?

Well, naturally, family come first, as
I'm sure you'll agree.

First for what?

Well, your establishment, whatever your
decision, will now be completely beyond

your means. I can manage, Sarah.

Albert is sending me a sufficient
allowance.

Stay here and he'll not remit you
another penny -pee.

I know why you're so anxious for me to
go, both of you.

You want my house.

The secretary of Lloyd's told me that he
does not know of a single ship that has

been voluntarily broken up by its
owners.

Worn -out vessels are bought up by
reckless speculators.

He's using the case of the minstrel as a
peg on which to hang his argument.

Perhaps we can take him down a peg until
later. Brave men are sent to their

deaths, their wives made widows, their
children fatherless, in order that a few

speculative scoundrels, in whose hearts
there is neither fear of God or love of

man, may make unhallowed gain.

And I tell you, my friends, that until a
load line is established by act of

Parliament and enforced with all the
rigor of the law, The tragedy of the

minstrel will be repeated again and
again until those sorrowing widows and

orphans of our seaports rise up and cry
vengeance upon those grasping avaricious

men.

Are you now claiming,

sir, in direct contradiction to our
yesterday's conversation, that the

found it because she was overloaded?

The ship sank, sir, because she was
unseaworthy. Or because she was ill

-commanded.

Where's Captain Fogarty, eh?

There's a question or two that I should
like to put to him.

Captain Fogarty is recuperating, sir,
from his recent unfortunate experience

having taken command of a needy ship.

For a taste of your oratory is more than
he can stomach. Well, that I can quite

understand.

May I now have a straight answer to my
question, sir?

Certainly, sir.

The ship sank with grievous loss of life
on two counts.

One, she was grossly overloaded.

Rubbish! And two, she was ill -repaired
with sham boats from your

yards, Mr. Fraser.

Prove it!

That is a deliberate misrepresentation
and false vacation of fact.

A function masquerading as evident.

Yes, prove it.

You who speak so freely of sham bolts
will be better advised not to make sham

speeches. Veracity and yourself, sir,
would appear to be strangers.

This world, sir, tells its own story.

Hey, you!

Come here!

Now, I'll pay a penny apiece for every
one of these boats you find.

Now carried out a thorough
investigation.

Here's a copy of the report.

Thank you.

I'll summarize it for you.

Mr. O 'Neill inboard the millstool at
auction.

Because these sham bolts have copper
heads, they're deceived, as they were

intended to, both Mr. O 'Neill and
myself, when the ship was brought to my

for repair and refitting.

Once the ship was dry docked, my yard
foreman and myself...

followed the customary practice of chalk
marking all timber requiring

replacement. Am I to understand that
you're now seeking to shift the burden

responsibility to some other
unidentified shipbuilder who repaired

the past?

I've no doubt there are as many artful
dodgers among shipbuilders as there are

among parliamentarians.

My carpenters ripped out all the suspect
timbers, replaced them with sound, and

pinned them with these new copper bolts.

some of which Captain Baines found among
the wreckage.

But these rotten bolts also came from
the vessel and caused it to founder.

Now, why were they not replaced?

Because no one was aware of their
existence.

At some time in the past, the whole
midship section had been repaired with

timbers, but with these sham bolts.

But this timber is rotten.

But that timber comes from the bullocks.

Aye, above the waterline, no danger to
the ship at all if Captain Fogarty knew

his business.

He never represented this as evidence.

Is this true, Captain Fogarty? For if it
is, by God!

I didn't know.

I swear, I didn't know!

Well, good day, gentlemen.

I shall read this report fully at home.

But I do assure you of one thing, Mr.
Fraser, whether you be right or wrong,

someone shall bleed for it.

Good day to you. Good day.

Captain Fogarty.

I accept your word.

Thank you.

You were quick to assess the reason for
the loss of your ship. Sean Vault.

Aye. And that was sharp thinking,
Captain Fogarty.

Sharp thinking.

Are you still set on the command of a
ship?

I am.

Would you consider sailing under a new
flyer?

Fraser and Company?

You would offer me command.

I'm now in competition with O 'Neill.

You come with the highest
recommendation.

You'll not go, of course.

Well, thank you. I felt sure you'd
lecture me in my duty.

A man's a witless fool.

Look, a failure carries failure with
him. Change of country doesn't make for

success. A man who can design a
steamship like the Anno need in is no

James. He's a dreamer. Like the rest of
us can't expect everybody else to do his

bidding. Well, at least he has the
courage to start anew. The need to start

is the sure mark of a lack of past
success. Now, look, don't do likewise.

Stay here.

Take my advice, eh? Now, look, sell your
house and your furniture. Get a more

modest establishment and try to live
within your means.

I shall keep my house.

You can't afford it.

That's your son to consider. How about
his school fees?

Your extravagant taste, a dwindling
income, a sure recipe for disaster.

Now, I've been considering your
proposal.

What proposal? Well, that we should...

Set up residence together. I'm looking
for a trustworthy housekeeper, somebody

that I can trust. I understand.

Well, think about it.

No. I shall not give up my house. How
will you manage? Are you really so

concerned on my behalf, James?

You are my sister.

Oh, be honest, James.

Sarah's been complaining about looking
after your daughter.

Now you want me to come and live here so
that I can look after her. I can...

Oh, am I interrupting?

No, I was just leaving.

Not on my account, Mrs. Fraser.

Oh, no, Miss Biddulph.

My interview is at a conclusion.

However, should you wish to apply for
the position of unpaid housekeeper and

drudge, I'm sure my brother will give
you a sympathetic hearing.

Goodbye, James.

Oh, I should love to apply.

I'm a most excellent cook.

Miss Biddulph, my sister has a somewhat
acid sense of humour.

It's a family trait.

Oh.

I called to tell you the news of the
coal contract. My father has changed his

mind. Yes, I'd heard.

Led me to gather that he could no longer
sustain his offer.

No, what I meant was he's been persuaded
to change it again.

You ought to have the contract.

Persuaded?

By whom?

I always get my own way, Mr. O 'Neill.

Oh?