"Steer south by west." "I'm going below." "Aye, aye, sir." " Seems to be easing, Mr Burnham." " Can't say that I noticed, sir." "I've just seen another seagull." "Hmm." "Well, the nearest land on the chart is a thousand miles off." "I know, but there was a gull all right." "And the watch report one seaweed in the water, sir." "I borrowed from you to extend my interests." "Buy property, ships, while the market's falling." "Yes, yes, I appreciate that, but you've borrowed so much." "Harris." "You can't talk about recalling a loan before business even starts to pick up." "Mr Onedin, you seem unable to grasp just how far you're over-extended." "Well, we're all caught in the slump, man." "Precisely, and times are hard for the bank, too." "Hmm..." "Aye, since the epidemic no one will send his cargos through this port." " Onedin." " Onedin." "Not at all." "So look around you." "Idle ships, idle men." "I can only afford to carry one major shipping company." "Then why not the Onedin Line?" "Business will pick up." "Captain Baines is on a voyage even now." " Yeah, what's he carrying?" " Coal to the Cape Verde island, sir." " And bringing back?" " Well, he'll find some cargo." " That's your only vessel out?" " Well, at the moment." "Well, you see, Mr Onedin, it's not good enough." "You've crippling outgoings with nothing coming in." "Why not sella couple of ships?" " On a falling market?" " You may soon have no choice." " Find trade and I can help you." " I could do nothing if you foreclose." "Well, Mr Onedin, I'll not make things more difficult for you by commencing distraint proceedings just yet." "But you must not move your ships out of port without consulting me first, is that understood?" "They're still my ships." "They are the security for your present credit." "There's been no sun to get a true sighting for four days now." "And you reckon we're off course." "What, a couple of hundred miles south?" "Maybe we could pick up the edges of the easterlies here and come out on the true course about there." "Well, you know what I think, sir?" "Those gulls and that weed indicate land." "And there's nothing there, you reckon, but empty sea." "Land ahoy!" "There, sir." "There's an island about 12 miles off." "Well, there was nothing on the chart, sir." "Oh, these parts are very poorly charted." " You notice anything about it?" " No, sir." "Hold the course, Mr Burnham." "We'll take a closer look." "Aye, sir." "Steer two points for port." "I've never seen anything like that, sir." "No." "How close do you want us to get, sir?" "Near enough to let me get ashore." "You can lower one of the ship's boats." "You want me to come with you, sir?" " No, I'm going alone." " Aye, aye, sir." "Looks like old cheese, doesn't it?" "What do you make of it?" "Ah." "It's just an old rock." "Hey, look." " Did you find something, sir?" " No." "Just making sure it was uninhabited." "Ah!" "Oh, get the hook up, Mr Burnham, and get the dory aboard." "Aye, aye, sir." "Hands on deck!" "Weigh the anchor." "Edward got out the servants' way, ma'am." "They didn't see him." "Well, I hope he takes the direct way to the police station." " Oh, yes, ma'am." "Oh, dear, they sound so angry." "Oh, they're so stupid, brawling outside people's houses." "If there's no work, there's no work." "I only hope your master doesn't find them waiting" " at the railway station for him." " Be quiet, you silly girl." "Now go downstairs and see what..." " Yes, ma'am." " Keep away from the window." " Oh, great!" " Yes, ma'am." " These men, these men are..." " It's the master, ma'am." " I cannot say how sorry I am." " Robert, how did you get in?" "Well, I came in through the back." "It's ridiculous!" "Has the whole world gone mad since I was away?" "They've been here every evening this week, wanting to see you." "Well, that's not the way to go about it." "Robert?" "Oh!" "Forgive me." "Allow me to introduce my wife, Mrs Onedin." " My dear, this is Miss Gladstone." " How do you do, Mrs Onedin?" "How do you do?" "Please come through into the sitting room." "We came up together on the train from London." " Really?" " Yes" "I cannot apologise enough for such an outrageous exhibition." "Oh, that's quite unnecessary." "I gather they are some of the idle we have been discussing." "Yes." "Edward's gone for the police, Robert." "Well, it's a scandal that they haven't been here before now." "Oh, please, do sit down." " Allow me to take your wrap." " Thank you." "Thank you." "Do..." "Sarah, where's the sherry?" "Come on." "Chivvy up the servants." "That's the police now and not before time." "Well, I'll not talk to a mob." "Might it not be prudent at least to find out what it is they would like to discuss." "What?" "You really think so?" " Yes, I do." " It is the police at the door, Robert." "Well, of course, I'd..." "Better speak to them." "But no one else." "I'm sorry to have arrived at such a difficult time." "Oh, that's quite all right." "Are you stopping in Liverpool?" "Well, actually, your husband invited me to stay here." "Uh, may I ask in what connection you know my husband?" "Oh, through his work." "My uncle is deeply concerned with the idleness in this port and he asked me to undertake this visit." " Your uncle?" " Yes." "Mr Gladstone." "Not the..." "Oh, please..." "How silly of me." "Pray, excuse me." "Well, of course you must stay here, Miss Gladstone." " We wouldn't dream of anything else." " You're most kind." "Well, I've agreed to see a deputation." "Miss Gladstone did suggest that was the wise thing to do." "On condition that the others went home." "Five minutes." "That's all." "We've been waiting five days to see you." "Yes." "Well, I've been down to the House of Commons." "And, you know, shouting and carrying on outside my home is hardly likely to make me want to see you now, is it?" " Well, what it is that you want?" " Work, sir." "It's your duty as our Member of Parliament to provide work for this port." " No one can make work." " The Government can." "I see." "What did you have in mind?" "You get the Government to send the Navy contracts through this port for the next 12 months." "What?" "You see, you won't do anything." "You won't even try." "You don't want us to like to see people..." "Don't speak to Mr Onedin like that!" " What?" " You are old seamen, I take it." " Yes, ma'am." " Have you no other craft or skill?" " No, ma'am." " If you had, could you find employment?" "Well, I suppose so, ma'am." "But..." "We're seamen, that's all we know." "Is he all right?" "When did you men last eat?" "Three days, me." "Sarah, take these men down into the kitchen and get them some bread and cheese or something, anything." "We didn't come here for bread and cheese." "We will continue our talk later." "Come through here with me, please." "I'm sure we can find you something." "Thank you, sir." "Not eaten in three days." "It is appalling that they should have no other skill whatever to fall back upon." "But they are seamen." "What other skills should they acquire?" "Rope making, basketry." "Oh, I don't know." "There must be dozens of things." "Are there not times on a long voyage when the men have little to do and they could be taught some useful skill?" "The owners would never take to that though." "Why not?" "Well, an additional skill would give these men a lever." "It would mean that they no longer depended upon the owners for employment." "I see." "I mean, my brother for instance." "Why, he'd just laugh at the notion." "All right, sir." "I must confess I had no idea it cost so much for one's own vessels just to stand idle." "Well, in your position, madam, Mr Frazer would have borrowed." "Well, he is not in my position." "What else?" "Mr Harvey, madam." "He is still waiting." "Oh, yes." "I think we can show him in now." "Do come in, please, Mr Harvey." "Good morning, Mrs Frazer." "Thank you, Mr Dunwoody." " Well, Matt?" " I've come to ask you for a command." " A command?" " I sat my master's ticket." " You've passed it?" " With distinction." "Well, congratulations." "You're determined to return to sea then?" " What else is there for me?" " I thought we'd already discussed that." "And decided that the place for an ambitious man was on shore." "Congratulations." "We also decided that under the circumstances..." "Yes?" "Damn it, Elizabeth." "I said that as one of your employees," "I'd undertake to keep my feelings to myself in future." "Oh, I wasn't speaking of working in this office." "What?" "Well, there are other shipping companies greatly in need of men of your calibre." "If you were to approach one and obtain employment," "I mean a position of responsibility, then you'd no longer be my employee." "But we'll still be seeing each other in way of business and we'd be nearer equals." "And it could be excellent experience." "I want a command." "If I need a captain, I can take my pick of a dozen highly experienced men that have been in the Frazer Line for 10 or 12 years." "I have no need of anybody totally inexperienced as you are." "But you're not employing them." "You don't have any cargos." "So?" "If I was to find you a profitable cargo, would you give me the command of the shipping of it?" "You know of a cargo that is on contract?" "I said, "If." Would you then give me the appointment?" "Yes, I would." "I'm obliged." " Matt?" " Good day, Mrs Frazer." "The island is very small, sir." "I sketched the general shape of it here." " And a good deposit?" " Oh, very good, sir." "Very thick." "Hmm." "No doubt about what it is." "I was on the guano rum from Peru when I was a lad of 10, sir." "And I know guano when I see it." "Can I show you the position on the charts?" "Just there." " You have made a fine pace." " Yes, sir." "I mean pure guano's fetching 10-12 pounds a ton!" "I mean, it costs us nothing." "One load of that doubles the farmer's crops." "Vast profit here." "Well, Charlotte Rose can carry 400 tons." "I'll go and see Harris and see if I can raise enough finance to send the whole fleet out after you." "Though he may need a little bit of convincing, eh?" "Oh, those samples come from all over the island, sir." "Show him some of those." "It's a foolish man that tells the world he's found a gold mine." "It's extraordinary how nobody ever come across that position before though." "Well, it is well out of the shipping lane, sir." " Something sticks in my mind." " Sir?" "Something I heard in my father's shop." "About that position." "Ah, it'll come back to me." "Now, you're sure nobody else has heard about this?" "There's no way they could have, sir." "What's that?" " That's the position of the guano, sir." " You only sketched a reading." "I can't read, sir, so I had to guess at the position." "But it's near enough though." "We haven't come to no agreement yet, have we, Mr Harvey?" "How much?" "20 sovereigns and another 20 when you gets back." "All right." "Now, do let me get this straight." "You want to train seamen to make baskets while they're at sea?" "Well, not personally, you understand." "I think it's an incredible idea." "You do?" "Good." "And the owners..." "Are they to pay for this training out of their own pocket?" "Well, perhaps there should be a general fund." "Miss Gladstone, these men are seamen." "Yes." " They are seamen." " Yes." "I mean, an onboard training scheme in basketry?" "For heaven's sake." "In their spare time." "Miss Gladstone, you know as much about the sea as my shop-keeping brother here." "Good day, Mrs Frazer." ""I'm afraid I can't agree with you, Miss Gladstone"" "would have been quite sufficient." "But how can I possibly agree if I don't know what the cargo is?" "That I can tell nobody." "You are asking me to lay out an enormous sum of money for a secret cargo that you say will make you a fortune?" "Yes, Mr Harris." "I am." "It's a tremendous opportunity for making a rattling profit and immediately!" " But you won't say what it is." " No, I can't say." " And I haven't got any cash to spare." " Well, then raise it." "You've got your ships, James." "Borrow money against them." "Aye, well, I have a spot of bother to clear up there before they can leave harbour." "They haven't been distrained, have they?" "No, they haven't been distrained!" "Just that I need the cash now and Harris is being difficult." " There is one possibility." " What's that?" "You could agree to adopt Miss Gladstone's scheme for your seamen." "Oh, not that lunacy!" "Listen, James, there are certain wealthy MPs who would give a lot to shine in the eyes of Mr Gladstone." "Robert could put it around that they'd advanced you money" " if you adopt Miss Gladstone's scheme." " Oh, forget about it." " I'll get the money from Harris somehow." " He hasn't got it." "Eh?" "Elizabeth's taken up all Harris' credit." "Only this morning." "Yes, he extended it to the Frazer Line." "Has he turned you down then, James?" "No, no." "Well, I haven't asked him yet." "Perhaps he took pity on a woman in my position." "Ah, yeah, that's what it would be." "Yes." "Hmm." "Are you in need of some support yourself?" "Oh, no." "I just thought we might do a little business together, eh?" " Oh?" " I have a very good cargo." "And I just wondered if you'd like to come in with me?" " Come in?" " Aye." "With you?" "Well, you have the capital, I have the cargo." "Oh, but so have I." "The Warrior is vittling up for a quick departure at this very moment." "Under Captain Harvey." " Captain who?" " Matt Harvey." "It's his first command." "Oh, him..." "Him." "Yes." "Well, I'm delighted for you of course." "Thank you, James." "Well, I have to go down to the harbour." "Will you accompany me?" "Hmm..." "What sort of cargo have you got there then, eh?" " Farming supplies." " Hmm." "Well, I think she's on to it." "Well, she's on to something." " Here, are all the crew back yet?" " Aye." "All except Gill." "Thomson told me he saw him blind drunk in the Admiral Hawkins." "Gill, I know him." "Sly little devil." "And he said he wasn't signing on." "Baines, what seaman can afford to turn down a berth, eh, nowadays?" "You just leave this to me, sir." "Hmm." " Good evening." " Good evening, Captain." "It suits you." "What?" "Oh, yes." "A rather hasty fit, I thought." " Thank you, ma'am." " Ma'am?" "We are alone." " Yes, so we are, Elizabeth." " That's better." "If your first command is a success, there may be advantages in discussing a more permanent arrangement." " I see." " Good." "Matt, where is the exact location of the guano island?" "Well, you have your command, but so far you've only told me roughly where it is." "Don't you trust me?" "It would seem you don't trust me." "Thank you, Matt." "Well..." "What position did you give up?" "Position?" "I don't know what you're talking about." " Who did you sell this to?" " No one." "You lying scab!" "You little weevil," "I'll throttle you if you don't tell me the truth." " Matt Harvey." " Who else?" "No one." "You blab this to any other order and I'll tear your head off." "The position of the hands on the chronometer is not quite right." "And he's a bit out in the sextant region as well, sir." "So if he sold just this to the Frazer Line, there's a chance that they won't have found it." " Right, sir." " Where do you want this, sir?" "Uh, Thank you." "That's all." "Right." " You know how to use this." " Yes, I do, sir." "Well, I'd better get ashore." "Baines, let's hope this is a profitable voyage for both of us." "Thank you, sir." "Raise the jammer." "Uncheck the grand pan." "I want a full head of steam in five minutes." "Prepare to cast off." "Aye, aye, sir." "The committee's work for the idle continues to be much in demand." "Last week, 8,816 persons availed themselves of the soup kitchens and 2,519 of the haven of rest for the destitute." "Thank you, Ada." "This was a further advance on the previous week." "Members have before them copies of last week's accounts." "Yes, thank you, Mrs Harris." "Now, Mr Watson, Mr Heathcote, do you have any comments?" "Well, we are always grateful for charity, ma'am, but it's doing nothing to get us work." "That is in the hands of the Almighty." "We are aware that our soup kitchens provide only temporary relief." "Yes indeed." "And you've heard of the scheme that Miss Gladstone is pressing to train seamen in other crafts." "It's rubbish." "You'd never get the owners to accept it." "Yeah, well, he has a point there, of course." "Miss Gladstone and I approached the Frazer Line..." "And we were sent away by Mrs Frazer with a mighty flee in our ears." "However, we have made some progress." "The Board of Trade and the Guardian of the Poor have both agreed to contribute towards the funding of such a scheme here in Liverpool." "Not much, but it's a start." "Look, this is all in the future." "I mean, this is gonna take years." "What you don't realise is that people are starving now." "We do realise it, Heathcote, believe me." "What we wish to show you here is that we're attempting a long-term cure." "As well as immediate relief." "That is highly understood." "Come on, men." "Well, that concludes the agenda, ladies and gentlemen." "Thank you all for your attendance." " Mrs Mayor, thank you." " Goodbye." "Goodbye." "We'll let you know when the next meeting is of course." "Goodbye, Mrs Linda." "Thank you for coming." "Ada, will you see the ladies out for me, please?" "Great mistake inviting those two." "It may take time to give them belief in what we're trying to do." "There is one way we might get the owners to accept the scheme." "Oh?" "By making it a condition of something else." "In what way?" "Well, your husband, for example, Mrs Harris." "He's the only maritime banker of any note in this port." "Yes." "Well, if some important company came to him for a loan, he could make the adoption of Miss Gladstone's scheme a condition of that loan." " What an interesting idea." " Very good." "Robert mentioned to me that two of the most humane members of parliament happened to be on your husband's board of directors." "Yes, I believe there are." "Well, now that could be a real possibility." "Well, I'll discuss it with my husband." " I wish you would, Mrs Harris." " I really must be going now." "Goodbye, Miss Gladstone." "It's been delightful to have met you." " Mrs Harris." " Mr Onedin." " Mrs Harris." " This way, Mrs Harris." "It's very novel." "Well, if you speak to him about it." " Ada, see Mrs Harris out, please." " Goodbye." "Goodbye, Mrs Harris." "Did I not hear that your brother-in-law is seeking a substantial loan at the moment, Mrs Onedin?" "Oh, I know nothing of his affairs." "Why didn't you say that it was guano you were after in the first place?" "Because I knew it would have been all over Liverpool within the hour." "Thank you." "Matt Harvey could still find that island, you know." "Ah, the position Gill sold him was way off." " He botched copying it." " How far off?" " Oh, a couple of hundred miles." " That's not far!" "He'll soon find it if he searched hard enough." "Hmm." "Look, the Warrior is a fast steamer." "If she gets back with that cargo of guano before our vessel does, then she has the pick of the backers and there'll be a fleet out there in no time." "That's what I like about you, Robert." "You're such an optimist." "What I mean is, why don't you make a deal with Elizabeth?" "By way of insurance." "Mr Onedin is here, ma'am." " James?" " Hello, Elizabeth." "Thank you, Mr Dunwoody." "More propositions to share a little business?" "More a safeguard for the business that we already have." " Oh, you mean my guano?" " No, my guano." "I wasn't aware at first that you were after it, too." "Yeah, well, be that as it may." "Look, I think we should get together." "Stop the whereabouts of this island becoming known." "I don't see why." "Well, since we're since both after it, I think we should close ranks, otherwise every ship in England will be rushing out there after it." "I see no advantage in that." "Mr Harris has offered me as much backing as I require." "Uh-huh." "If he can raise it." "Well, I will consider your request, James." "Wasn't a request, you know." "More an offer of help." "Right, now we're here, we'll start a systematic search of the area." "You do realise, sir, that at the speed we've been travelling, we've only got about five days' coal." "So?" "So we should put in to Cape Verde to coal up." "Then we could keep going for weeks." "We'll keep going now, Mr Fowler, under sail if necessary." "Aye, aye, sir." " Tell the helmsman to stay at 2-4-0." " All right, sir." "Keep her to the lower." "Well, looks like a better anchorage to the south, sir." "I know, but I'm anchoring to the north." "All stops surveyed." " And you get the loading set up." " Aye, sir." "There's no sign of anybody else." " Sir?" " Yes." "We either turnabout now, sir, or we'll be totally without fuel." "I reckon this position's all wrong." "Yes, sir." "And we could search for weeks under sail alone." "Set a course for Cape Verde, Mr Fowler, we'll bunk her and then we'll come back here." "All right, sir." "Yeah." "Well, come on." "Get on with it." "Start digging." "Coal coming aboard now, sir." "Take care of her, Mr Fowler." "I'm going ashore." "Very good, sir." "Bom dia." "Watch the mayor's cat." "Shame to spoil your nice new uniform." " English, huh?" " Yes." " Anchoring?" " That's right." "Arrange a cargo for you?" " Can you?" " For money, sure." "There's an American whaler just been condemned." "Full of cargo for Liverpool." "Plenty of whalebone." "Good, huh?" "Whalebone?" "Yeah, it might come to that." "Don't tell me you got something arranged already." " Do you still deal in fertilisers?" " No." "No, I gave that up, oh, 30 years ago." "That was my father's time." "General trader now." "Buckle." "That's my name." "British, you know." "Yes, but you know about fertilisers." "Manure, that kind of stuff." "Sure, I know." " Guano?" " That all went out, 1840-1850." "Gold dust, you know." "No, guano left now." "What a pity." "About 700 miles over there, there's a white island." "Oh, that one." " You know it?" " Sure I know it." "It's a joke." "A bad joke." "My father lost his shirt over that place." " What?" " Sure, a famous..." "No, you're too young." "Tell me more, Mr Buckle." "And the two of them came up to me in the members' lobby." "Who?" "These two MPs?" "Yes, who are on Harris' board of directors." "And they said that they could guarantee that Harris could put up the money for any special venture, providing you adopted the Gladstone scheme." " Maybe there's still time." " Right." "I mean, there's just a chance that Matt Harvey hasn't found this place." "We may still be in a monopoly position." "But whatever happens," "Harris will only put up the money, providing you adopt the scheme." "Robert, did I ever tell you..." "I lie awake at night, worrying about those sailors." "The least I can do is to see that they are properly trained under this scheme." "At my expense." "My brother's conscience has been greatly troubled by this, Mr Harris." "Yes, yes, I'm sure." "And this immediate venture of yours..." "Oh!" "Give employment to hundreds of these poor fellows." "But I've already told you my credit is fully extended." "The Frazer Line won't be needing it, so why not transfer it to me?" "I'm sure my sister, Elizabeth, won't mind." "Look..." "Why not talk to your directors, eh?" "Think of the starving idle." "And I'll give you six per cent." "Well, Mr Onedin, if you adopt the scheme, and provided your cargo of guano comes back first," "I'll finance you at six per cent." "How did you know it was guano?" "My dear sir, everyone in Liverpool knows it." "And I have no option but to withdraw the facility previously agreed." "It's signed by Mr Harris himself, ma'am." " When did this letter arrive?" " Oh, not half an hour since." "Mr Harris' head clerk brought it round in person." "And, one other thing, ma'am." "The Charlotte Rose, she's just docked." "405 tons of guano, sir, and a full survey." "Now I reckon there's about 18,000 tons of the stuff there." "Well..." " We can send the entire fleet out there." " Yes, we can, sir." "Man to see you, sir." "Can he come down?" "Yes, come on down." "Yes, what is it?" "There's a rumour, that you've secured enough trade to send out your whole line, sir." " That's right." "It's the Warrior, sir!" "She's coming in now." "Well?" "Does that mean I can tell the men there'll be work for them, sir?" " Yes, yes, you can tell them." " Thank you, sir." "Well, at least our new captain's found his way home." "Yeah, but I wonder what he's carrying, sir." "Whale oil and bone!" "It's a full load, Elizabeth." "There's a bill of lading." "Where's the guano I sent you for?" "Look, will you listen to me?" "Just listen to me!" "There was a miniature guano rush to the island when it was first discovered in 1841." "There was an enormous investment involved, but it wasn't until they got the stuff back and they sold it and it was used by their farmers, that they found out it was worse than useless." "It has too high an acid content." "The crops not only fail to grow strong, it actually kills them." "But you can't tell that until you have chemical tests." "And me brother?" "I don't think that he knows." "You realise the extent to which you are involving yourself?" "No risk." "Six per cent." "Everything's mortgaged, James." "Mr Harris, my uncle has spoken of this in the House." "I feel sure he will have mentioned your name, Mr Onedin." "Thank you, Mr Dunwoody." "Well?" "I will confess I had no idea whalebone was fetching such a high price." "It's only temporary while there's a shortage." "At least you took the trouble to find the best alternative cargo." " I call that resourceful." " Yeah, well, I'd call that common sense." "And I shall be even more resourceful when I have dinner with you tonight." "Perhaps." "But first, we must go down to the quay." "I can't wait to see James' face when I tell him the news." "All right, swing her out." "James!" " Have you seen this morning's paper?" " No." "What's happened?" "Well, it's the report of Gladstone's speech at the House last night." " About the training scheme for seamen." " Oh, that." "Well, his name is mentioned 16 times and Miss Gladstone's seven." "Mine, not once." "You know, I'm sorry you agreed to adopt that training scheme." "Well, served our purpose, didn't it?" "'Course it won't work." "Oh, ay-up." " Good morning, Robert." " Good morning, Elizabeth." "Good morning, James." "I thought I must come down and see some of the unloading." " Ah!" " Your famous cargo." "Yeah, it's a pity Captain Harvey couldn't find it." "I didn't bother." " No?" " No, the cargo is worthless." "Oh, really?" "You see, the guano on your little island has too high an acid content." "Only three-quarters of it." "You see Captain Baines sent me back some samples and I had them analysed." "You're right, three-quarters of it is too acid, but the rest is good." "It's a job to know the difference, of course, unless you've got the right scientific equipment." "1841." "The false guano rush." "I remember Father telling us about it when we were children." "Anyway, there's enough good guano there for one round trip for the whole of my fleet." " Thank you, Harris." " Oh, are you not stopping?"