" Is he any better?" " Come away from here, Lucy." " But, Mr Harvey..." " No going near the folks." "No taking risks." "But he's the third this voyage." "What is it?" "Sweet." " Sweet." " What's that?" "Sweet smell." "So lovely." "Oh, lovely." "He's wandering in his mind." "The only smell down here is them stinking wet hides in the hold." "That ain't sweet." "It's the same sickness, sir." " Same as the others?" " Seems to be." " Do you recognise it?" " No, sir." "A cargo with hides and bones ain't exactly the purest." "The maggots are probably playing leap-frog down there." "It's still two days to Liverpool, sir." "What do we do about the sick man?" "Bury him." "When he's dead." "In the midst of life, we are in death of whom we may seek for succour but of thee, oh Lord, who, for our sins, art justly displeased." "Thou knowest, Lord, the secrets of our hearts." "Shut not thy merciful ears to our prayer but spare us, Lord, most holy..." "You shouldn't be on this ship." "Your father shouldn't allow it." "I ain't got no home ashore." "No mother." "This is my home." "For as much as it doth please Almighty God of his great mercy, to take onto himself, the soul of our brother here departed." "We, therefore, commit his body to the deep to be turned into corruption, looking for the resurrection of the body when the sea shall give up her dead and the life in the world to come through our Lord Jesus Christ..." " What are they?" " They're his belongings." "They might be infected." "According to the mighty working whereby he's able to subdue all things to himself." "Right!" "Get the men back to work, Mr Harvey." "This ain't a holiday." "All hands to work." "Move!" "Get it through their thick skulls that no one's to breathe a word of this to the port authorities." "I ain't gonna get stuck in quarantine for six weeks." "Those three men died of natural causes." "Hello, Lucy." "Be in Liverpool tomorrow." "You'll be able to see all your friends." "Friends?" "He's the only friend I got." "Stupid animal." "Stupid, aren't you?" "But you have to tell the customs man when he comes aboard." "It'll be in the ship's log." ""Pneumonia", that's what he'll put, or "Lost overboard."" "Well, then we should report it." "If it is that stinking, rotten cargo causing the fever, we can't carry that into port." "It's the machinery." "Sailing ships, you never got nothing like this." "The infection comes out of the steam engine at night." "You mark my words." "I've never seen a disease like it, sir." "It strikes very quickly." "All three died within a day." "All of a sudden they felt very weak and then collapsed with fever." "There's no other sign apart from the smell." "The what?" "All of a sudden, the air has a sweet smell around them, sir." " No marks on the body?" " No, none." "The new health officer, sir, is very zealous and any attempts to conceal the cause of these men's..." " Do you know the cause?" " No, sir." "Well then, if we're stuck in quarantine for six weeks, we'll all be the losers." "No man will get a half penny more and their wives and children" " may well be starving on shore." " With respect, sir..." "You're about to take your master's ticket, Mr Harvey." "Now, what would you do?" "You don't know the cause." "You're only guessing." "Now, look, Matt, why complicate matters and lose your owner's money?" "You've a responsibility to yourself and your crew, too." " Time is money." " Your owner's money, yes." "Six complete shiploads of railway equipment to South Africa." "Aye, all in one sweep." "Aye, it's a high freight rate too for these times." "It's a rare contract, James." "Hurry up and sign it, will you?" "I've a lot to do this morning." "Well, just a minute now." "Three sailing ships and three steam." "Yet McCutters here specify two of the steam ships to have large hatchers and heavy-lift steam winches." "Aye, the sailing ships are good enough for the rail ends with a small ironwork and we need those special steamers for the rolling stock." " It's a damn sight more expensive." " All right." "And they're paying handsomely." "So three sailing and three special steamers, it shall be." "But we don't have three steamers of any type." "Well, we will have." " How?" " Well, I'll charter them." "Look, steamers with steam winches do not grow on trees." "Oh, come on, Robert." "Sign it." "No." "I think we ought to find them before we commit ourselves." "And risk losing the contract?" "Look, I can charter them within a week." "Now come on." "Sign." " Like an old woman." " Well, one of us has to be cautious." "Not what I'd call it." " And what happens if we can't fulfil?" " Well, our property will be distrained." " Our property..." "My property?" "My business?" "My warehouses?" "Nothing unusual about that." "Here, what do you make of this man?" " Dr Darling?" " Hmm." " Well, he's the new town health officer." "Yes, he's written to me, too." "What's it all about then?" " Well, the new health rules." "How to molly coddle your seamen, make em' bone idle." "He has the effrontery to ask me, am I conforming to his new health rules, voluntarily?" "If not, may he come and see me about it?" " He's a formidable man, James." " Yeah, well, why write to you?" "He merely asked me, as an MP for Liverpool, if I'm aware of the disease incident in the port quarters." "He puts the blame, no doubt, on the ship owners for bringing it in." "No disease on my ship." "We can't afford it." " Good morning." " Good morning, Pilot." " Customs boarding officer aboard yet?" " He's below with the Captain." "All right, let's get on the way." "Name of the ship is the Prince Edward, owner's Frazer Line." " Master?" " Thomas Corcoran." "Corcoran." "Whence do you come?" "Place on the River Plate, bound for Liverpool." "Cargo of wet hides and fresh bones." " Do you have a clean bill of health?" " I do." "Hmm, signed Teal Tifferson, British Consul." "No infectious disease present in passengers when you sailed?" "That's right." "Did you touch any port or communicate with any vessel during your passage?" "No." "Has any person on board contacted any disease or sickness?" "No." " None at all?" " None at all." "Anything else you wish to tell me in the interests of good faith?" "Have I what?" "Well, that's a new question Dr Darling has added." "He's the new health officer." "Damn your Dr Darling." "I've answered your questions, haven't I?" " You've nothing to add then?" " No." "Very well." "Mr Onedin is here, ma'am." " Ask him to wait a moment, will you?" " Yes, ma'am." " James?" " Elizabeth." " This is a welcome surprise." " Hmm." "It isn't often we see you here in the Frazer office." "Yes, well, I was just passing and thought to see if I could help in any way." "Help?" "Well, shipping lies a heavy enough burden on a man's shoulder, let alone a woman." " They are Onedin shoulders." " Hey, that's true." "Hey, who would have thought it?" "An Onedin owning the Frazer Line." "Oh, poor, old Jack Frazer." "You know, I could never understand why he was so against me." "We could have worked side by side to our mutual benefit." " You mentioned "Help."" " Well, if you need my advice" " or the benefit of my experience." " Oh, how kind." "Success has mellowed you, James." "I have heard it said, but I didn't truly believe it." "You know, I could never understand why Jack went over to steam ships, a great mistake." "A most profitable mistake." "But there, my father-in-law was ever a man of vision." "I can see why he was so fond of you." "Elizabeth, I've never asked you this before, but..." "Yes, he left me everything." " This shipyard, ship..." "Everything?" " Lock, stock and barrel." "Ah." "Well, he knew it will all go to his grandson one day." "That is Albert's son." "Oh, how is young William by the way?" "I do have rather a busy day ahead of me, James, but thank you for the benefit of your experience." "I expect you find some difficulty finding specialised business." "Um, steam business that is." " Is that what you came to see me about?" " Oh, Elizabeth." "Would that be the contract you've been hawking around every steam ship line in Liverpool the last few days?" "Oh, that?" "Um, well..." "Hold her there." "Steady as she goes." "Steady as she goes, sir." "Be glad to get home, little lady?" "Fair trip for a wee thing like you." "I think she's caught a chill, Pilot." "I'm all right." "She should be in bed." "She's shivering." " She'll be all right." "It's just a chill." " Oh, sweet smell." "You've signed a contract for three special steam ships you've not been able to charter?" "I'm offering you an opportunity to do business." " To better yourself." " Most kind." "I'm interested." " What?" "In all three ships?" " Possibly, but not on those terms." " Well, you'll get nothing better." " I want 5% more on each ship." " Each ship?" " Take it or leave it." "Here, Elizabeth, let me give you a bit of advice." "In business, never say "Take it or leave it" unless you mean it." "But I do mean it." " Three per cent." " Four." "Good." "Oh, on condition we split the brokerage commission." "60-40, my way." "45-55." "All right." "Oh, by the way, you do have three such ships available, don't you?" " Of course." " Well, I saw only two in the berth." "Leave me to run me own business, James." "Do you mind?" "Unless I supply all six ships, I can't fulfil the contract." " I know." " Good." "Well, McCutters will have delivered by Monday." "I want those ships ready, loaded and to sail by Thursday." "Well, good afternoon." "Thank you for your brotherly concern for my welfare." "Do we have three ships available?" "Well, the Wilhelm and the Wildfire could start loading in a day, ma'am." "And the Prince Edward's in the Mersey, waiting for a berth." "She has all the necessary modifications." "That's all right then." " She's ill, isn't she?" " Could be." "The mate's looking after her." "Captain, what is the complement of this vessel?" "What?" "In your absence, I gave an order which could not be carried out." " Your compliment is 21, I believe?" " That's right." " And are you three under strength?" " Yes." "You've lost three men since leaving Paysandu?" "Of natural causes." "You failed to report this to the boarding officer." "I had no obligation to." "They inquired about illness." "They died of natural causes." "I shall report this to the Customs Service." "Until the chief health officer clears this vessel, you will remain at anchor and no one will leave it." "My daughter, she's ill." "Dr Darling will attend to your daughter, sir." "Sarah, I know all about slums." "It'll still look bad if you refuse to accompany Dr Darling, Robert." "Dr Darling is just trying to make trouble." "I mean, it's not his job to provide hospitals, merely to advise as to their suitability and necessity." "I mean, he's only been appointed three months and already he treats half Liverpool Town Council with open contempt." "He's a dedicated man." "He'll brook no opposition." " Well, he doesn't impress me." " You haven't met him." "I agree he's not a gentleman, but still." "Sarah..." "What would the electorate say if I were seen to be consorting with the Irish poor?" "They've poured into this town in their hundreds and thousands, diseased, ignorant, starving, and they expect my voters to look after them." "Why, some of them are not much better than animals." "You can still agree to meet Dr Darling." "He suggests a time is enough." "8:00 this evening." "I don't know as how I shall be free then." "You are free." "I've checked with your clerk." "Well, I don't know." "Sir?" "Have you been past the Frazer berth today?" "Yes, sir, At 7:00 this morning." " How many ships are loading there?" " Two, sir." " Both steam ships." " Hmm." "Taking on railway wagons." "Huge steel winches they've got, sir." " No sign of a third ship?" " No, sir, none." "Now, what is my sister up to?" "Well, there's talk she's crewing for two ships only, sir." "With us needing hands for three, that leaves precious little seas come adrift." "She assured me that she had three steam ships available." "Well, there's talk of a Frazer ship possibly being in quarantine, sir." "You know the Prince Edward." "Now the health officer has ordered that no vessel is to make contact until he's been out to clear." "That's not him." "That scarecrow?" "Aye, that's him." " Captain Corcoran." " Yes." "My name is Darling." "Where is your daughter?" " In hospital." " I beg your pardon." "I've sent her to the hospital in Liverpool." " By the jolly boat." " Sorry, sir." "I couldn't prevent it." "You do realise the gravity of what you have done?" " Yes, but she is my daughter." " Yes." "Yes." "The three men who died." "Natural causes." "I've already reported on that." "What natural causes?" "One of pneumonia." "The other two both washed overboard during the storm off the Azores." " That is not what your crew say." " My crew?" "So the Pilot informs me." "Mr Corcoran, I have 800,000 souls to protect." "I am not a fool." "I would remind you," "I have the power to send you back to your port of origin if I am not satisfied." " But now there's no..." " And I will use my powers, if necessary." "So I ask you once again, what was the cause of those men's deaths?" " What were your daughter's symptoms?" " That has nothing to do with it." "Very few doctors in this country have any knowledge of tropical diseases." "I have." "For her sake, tell me." "Weakness mainly." "Sudden prostration." "Voice, a whisper." " No marks on the skin?" " No." " No vomiting or cramps?" " No." "What else have you brought back from Paysandu other than cargo?" " Nothing." " Are you sure?" " Mementos, bits and pieces." " Such as?" "A shawl, a pair of shoes." "My daughter brought a doll." "I declare this vessel in quarantine, pending further investigation." "I am not satisfied, sir." "She will remain here for 40 days, during which time, no one will enter or leave her, except a medical officer." "On pain of being fired upon by her Majesty's Marines." " No one ever takes..." " You are to hoist the quarantine flag." "Forthwith." "You assured me that you had three steam ships available with special hatchers and steam winches." "So I did." "How was I to know the Prince Edward was going to be held in quarantine?" "In this business you do not count your chickens." "I count my chickens." "I like that." "At least I had two such vessels." "You signed that contract having none at all." "Oh, one steam ship." "Surely someone in the whole of Liverpool" " must have one suitable for charter." " No one." "Two of my clerks have scoured Liverpool this very morning." "There's nothing in London or Cardiff either." " You sound almost pleased." " Resigned, that's all." "Unlike you, James, the impossible is beyond my feminine capabilities." " Well, I'm not gonna lose this contract." " Looks as if you'll have to." " We, Elizabeth." "We!" " Yes, I do understand that, James." "What I can't understand is why you're so desperate about this contract." " There'll be others." "It's all very well for you to take this attitude." "You haven't had to fight for every length of rope, for every yard of canvas." "You've had it all fall into your lap." "I had no idea you were so jealous of me, James." "I'm flattered." "You've got a lot to learn, Elizabeth." "Yes, I do agree, James, and you've taught me much already." "But I do know that I lack your tenacity and I will try and do better in the future." "Now." "You say we're not going to lose this contract in spite of my having let you down." "Well, James, I'm waiting to hear what you have to suggest." "You'd enjoy seeing me go to McCatters cap in hand, wouldn't you?" "Begging them to release me from the contract because I cannot fulfil its terms." "You wouldn't have to beg McCatters to release you from the contract, would you?" "What have you heard?" "That McCatters would be only too pleased to release you from it." "They're looking for an excuse to drop us." " Maybe they've had a lower offer." " Maybe." "You know they have." "Who from?" "Look, Elizabeth, we've got to keep up a face while we keep looking for the ship." "There is also the small matter of a crew." "I understand you've taken every available man for your sailing ships." "Oh, well, that's your problem." "You signed the contract saying that you'd supply three steam ships and crew." "And due to an unforeseen circumstance, I cannot do so." "That won't go in your favour in a court of law." " Court of law?" " Hmm." "If I lose this contract, you'll be deemed responsible." "I can sue you for default." "You'd sue me?" "Well, I'd be bound to try to recover my losses somehow." "Me own brother." "Oh, well, I'd be unwilling to, of course, but business is business, you see, Elizabeth." "If I lose this contract, you have a little more to lose that I have." "Well, we cannot fulfil this contract, so McCatters can get his lower offer and you can sue me for default." "Damn you." "Elizabeth, you've given me heart." "I think you're as determined as I am now to find our third ship." "There isn't one to be found." "We can't conjure one up out of the air." "Right, well, I'd better be going." "Well, let's both carry on looking." "We'll let each other know if we find one." "Goodbye." "Yes, ma'am." "My brother is threatening to sue me because I cannot fulfil the McCatter contract." "What do you think of that?" "Well, he'd be perfectly justified, ma'am, in law, I mean." "Me own brother." "I want you to go round to McCatters, find out who's been offering to undercut the Onedin Line and tell them I'm prepared to discuss terms." "It is not just the appalling housing difficulties, the slums, the disease, the sewerage and drainage system of the entire town should be remodelled." "Proper lazarettos should be built in the Mersey for ships in quarantine." "Medicine should be provided free for the poor." "Forgive me, Doctor, but you'll not find much civic backing for such a charity." "It is not charity." "It is self-interest, self-preservation." "It is only by the merest chance that the whole dunghill hasn't erupted into a major epidemic already." "Houses are so crowded that every room and cellar is occupied by at least four families lying in filth, indescribable." "No heating, no sanitation." "Women who have just given birth lying on rotting straw, without fire or food." "And no hope of getting them." "And every tide floating in, a new importation of Irish misery." " Then why do they still come?" " Because, God help them, they are fleeing from conditions worse still." "But, Doctor, we've done everything we can." "I myself I'm the member of the league of purity..." "This particular hospital that you're taking us to." "One of the few OAC's." "But desperately in need of funds." "That is where you come in." "Shall I lead the way?" "And there are six more in here." "Four children." "And there's just yourself to look after all these patients?" "Well, Dr Daniels calls daily, he's the local practitioner, and I have two assistants, but they are unqualified." " Unqualified?" " I'm a Nightingale nurse, Mrs Onedin." "Oh, I see." "So the way this hospital is laid out..." "All space and air..." " It's Miss Nightingale's method." " Remarkable." "But it is only a converted stable." "Miss McNeil needs properly constructed premises." "And I need money in any case to continue this establishment." "But surely, Miss McNeil, it's customary for a gentlewoman's family to assist in philanthropy of this kind." "Well, my family don't approve of my work and I can only afford to take in the most serious cases." "One has no idea." "And you have lived here all your lives." "Oh, is this a special ward?" "Yes, in a way." "It is my home." "Oh, do please sit down." "Do you mind sitting on the bed, Mr Onedin?" "Oh, no please, no matter." "I'm very glad you called, Doctor." "I've had three deaths since yesterday." "Identical symptoms, but I could not identify the disease." "Sudden prostration, fever, death within 24 hours." " And no marks on the skin." " Well, that is correct." "I have heard reports of other cases in the town." "When did your patient first show these symptoms?" "Yesterday, a little girl of ten, called Lucy Corcoran, off a ship." "I admitted her in an advanced condition, but she died within the hour." " Was she delirious?" " No, perfectly clear headed." "Though distressed because her pet had died." " Her pet?" " A cavy." "A guinea pig." "I was going to return this to her father with the brooch." "It has been disinfected." "I burnt her clothes of course." " And the animal?" " Burnt, too." "Hmm." " I'll return this." " Thank you." "I did write to Lucy's father." "A letter, sir." "Ships' agents threw them aboard." " Thank you." "Stay here, please, Matt." " Sir." " 39 to go." " 39 what?" " Days." " Well, provided no one else dies." " What happens then?" " You start the 40 days all over again." "My sister says there's an outbreak of disease in the port quarter." "Well, there's not much point us stuck here, sir, if it's already ashore." " Is there any news of Lucy?" " This is from the hospital." "I had her body removed to Dr Daniels' house." "I believe he is trying to identify the disease." " Please, miss." " Well, excuse me." "Yes, Oliver, I'm here." "I understood that there were ample hospitals." "Patients from this district won't go to them." "They are too far away." " Then why hasn't one been built here?" " Why indeed." "Doctor, could you come, please?" "Now then, young fellow." " And what is this, eh?" " Sick." "Oh, yes, let's push you up." "He came in this morning, the same symptoms." "Mmm-hmm." "Now then, lad, where do you live?" "Rockingham Close, sir." " Oh-ho, how many?" " 19, my family." " Mmm-hmm." " In how many rooms?" "Oh, excuse me." "Now then, lad, has anything bitten you?" "Bitten?" "Let's feel under your arms, eh?" "Tender, hmm?" " Could you help, please?" " What?" " If you could help?" " Oh, yes, yes, of course." "Bring her to the bed." " Robert." " This way." "But that's your bed." "Somehow I don't think I'll be using it tonight." " Robert, you touched that creature." " Well, what else could I do?" "Mrs Onedin, would you help me, please?" "Will you, as my MP, support me in an application to the council for the severest and most urgent methods to be taken to stop the spread of this?" "Oh, yes." "Poor souls." "You tried all the crimps?" "I've tried every possible source of men." "We got a mate and three seamen and that's scraping the bottom of the barrel." " So we need a..." " A cook, engineer, stokers..." " And a ship." " Aye, sir, and a ship." "I'm not gonna lose this contract, Baines." "No, sir." "Eh..." "Did you say it was the Beech Line that was trying to undercut us, sir?" "Yeah." "'Cause I saw one of Mrs Frazer's clerks coming out of their office towards midnight last night." "I'd been doing rounds of the gin halls looking for men." "I just thought I'd mention it." " Mr Baines." " Sir." " We have found our ship." " Where, sir?" " Out there, the Prince Edward." " But she's in quarantine, sir." "Thank you." "If anybody wants me I shall be at the Beech Line office." "Very well, ma'am." "Good afternoon, Mr Onedin." "I'm just leaving, James, so unless it's urgent..." "It is urgent." "More urgent than your appointment I think." " Afternoon, ma'am." " Good afternoon, Mr Baines." "Here, that was clever of you trying to throw in your hand with George Beech." " Give me that, please." " I've got good news for you, Elizabeth." "We've found our ship." " What ship is that?" " The Prince Edward." "But she is in quarantine." "There's fever onboard." "Ah, there's fever in the port, that we know." "People dying of it within one day of the Prince Edward coming up the Mersey." "Now one day." "Do you know of any disease that can be gestated within one day?" "Of course you don't." "Must have been here already." " But if this fever..." " Ah, if, if..." "Now that ambitious, new health officer of ours puts the ship under quarantine without one ounce of cast iron proof." "James, three men died on that voyage." "Could have been for a multitude of reasons." "You know that as well as I do." "Don't you see?" "This town council's trying to foist the blame for this disease on us ship owners instead of onto their own rotten sewers." "James, whether there's fever onboard or not," "I can't bring her into port for loading." "We can bring her into Chetney Creek, ma'am, six miles east." "And how will you get the iron railings there?" "Oh, there's a road down to the creek, ma'am." "No, James, it's too great a risk." "Well, you have no other choice, Elizabeth." "Yes, I have, so if you'll excuse me." "You're wasting your time if you're thinking of going to see George Beech." "I've already seen him and told him that you cancelled your appointment." "You did what?" "Well, he agreed with me, there was little point in meeting you after he'd heard I've found my third steam ship." "You have not found your third steam ship." " Excuse me." " Oh." "Oh, by the way, I saw my solicitor." "He assures me that I'd win hands down if I was to sue you for breach of contract." "You expect me to break the law?" "Well, technically you wouldn't be breaking." "Anyway, it's up to the men." "Now this Corcoran I don't know very well, but his first mate, I do." "Hmm, Matt Harvey." " Yes, I know him." " Well, then let's go and talk to them." "No harm in it." "Start shifting that stuff down to Chetney Creek, will you?" "Yes." "Does this committee have the necessary executive powers?" "Oh yes, and you'll find it receptive to any kind of arguments so long as you base it on money." "Not too much liberalism, gentlemen." "The hardship of the poor cuts very little ice here." "Doctor, what is it exactly that you want?" "Complete closing of the port for a month at least." "A military and police cordon to seal off the entire infected centre of the town." "A string of emergency hospitals to be set up within the infected areas." " How much would all that cost?" " 220,000 pounds." "My dear doctor, that is patently impossible." "Insane." "Oh, they're ready for us." "Shall we go in?" "She looks deserted." "Ships in quarantine always look like that." "Crews lose heart." "But you can't seriously expect us to close the entire port." "I see no alternative." "No ships to move in and out of the Mersey for a month?" "The catastrophe that will strike if you do not take these measures will be far worse." "But owners will refuse to pay their rates." "Many will be ruined." "I'm surprised to find you associated with this, Mr Onedin." "And this other proposal of yours to spend this vast sum of money" " on emergency hospitals..." " Aye." "We did have disease here before you appeared on the scene, Doctor." "Nevertheless, the situation is so acute on this occasion that public opinion will run us out of office unless some decisive action is taken, and soon." " Have you identified the disease?" " No, I have not, but I'm certain it came from the Prince Edward." "I have telegraphed the Home Office for help in identification." " But that's our decision." " I had to act immediately." "Well, even so..." "Can the health officer go over our heads, Mr Fowler?" "Yes, sir, they can take extreme measures if they see fit, according to the Prevention of Infectious Diseases Act of..." "How much is the closure of this port going to cost?" "Well, that will take me few moments to work out." "Very well then." "Gentlemen, if you will withdraw, we will consider our decision." "The town clerk will remain, if you please." "Right, it's a straight offer." "Start earning this very night or sit here rotting for another month, earning not a penny." "But what about our families?" "With this fever in the port, we should be with them." "Well, you won't help them by sitting around here." "Any man who tries to break this quarantine's a dead man, you know that." "Well, that's just what we would be doing, sir." "No, you won't." "You won't set foot on shore." "Just touch the old wharf at Chetney Creek." "My old woman will be frightened by the illness." "I should be with her." "I haven't been home for six months." "Me wife's had a baby long since I ain't never seen." "Well then, if you're that concerned for them, you'll sign on now." "Put money in their pockets." "Good, hot food in their mouths." "Now." "You see these little fellas?" "I am prepared to pay an extra wage for any man who signs on right now." "Hmm, two extra guineas." " Special bonus." " You'll make this offer, sir." " Uh-huh." " This is a Frazer ship." "Ah, yes." "Well, I shall throw you on the mercies of Mrs Frazer's generosity." "I agree." "Two extra sovereigns per man." "There you see." "An owner who knows the worth of her men." " Plus an extra guinea." " Eh?" "No stevedores will unload this vessel in a remote creek." "It's an extra guinea for that, I believe." "Eh, you've got a rare crew here." "Men who know their own minds." "All right." "Another guinea for unloading." "And I shall allow you to pay that one, James." "How about you, Mr Corcoran?" "No comments?" "Forgive me, sir, I'm not feeling very well." " Oh." " Well, come on now, lads." "Every word Mr Onedin has spoken is sound, so who will be the first to mark his name, eh?" "Gentlemen, we have considered your request and we have concluded, reluctantly, that there is nothing to be done." " Nothing?" " Nothing." "Except that we shall be examining the conditions of your employment by us, sir." "Have any of you..." "Any of you see the conditions that the doctor here has been describing?" "Mr Onedin, I don't think we need go into any of this here..." "Look, I stand to lose everything." "Business interests, present investments, everything, unless ships can move freely in and out of this port." "Yet I still think that the doctor's proposal should be implemented." "And damn you all for putting your pockets before your daughters." "Do we really have to listen to this tradesman's spleen?" "Tradesman?" "Yes, sir, I am a tradesman." "And therefore, sir..." "Therefore, I think I know what is going on in the minds of the people of this town far better than you will ever in a thousand years!" "And I'll tell you all that when your indifference and your greed and your irresponsibility are made known, public opinion will pitch you out of this council chamber neck and crop." "Why, you won't even make a feeble gesture to show that you're prepared to do anything for these poor unfortunate folk." "I am disgusted." "I'm profoundly ashamed." "Come along, sir." "We know what we must do." "Gentlemen, the Marine Guard reports that the Prince Edward is breaking her quarantine." "She's weighed anchor and is attempting to reach the shore under cover of darkness." "They ask for our instructions." " We should prevent it." " There is no point." "The disease is too firmly established on shore already." "But the law is the law." "We can't have people just flouting the law." "What powers are open to us, Mr Fowler?" "Under the Quarantine Act of 1836, you can use any kind of force to prevent this vessel..." "What?" "Fire on her, you mean?" "Yes, even that." "Or you can arrest those responsible and bring them to trial." "Aye, that's it, a trial." " Make an example of those responsible." "Very well then." "Mr Fowler." "Yes." "Now, we're coming into Chetney Creek." "Easy to starboard." "Ah." " Matt?" " It's the Master." "He's not very well." "Uh, you can't go in there, Elizabeth." "Is it the fever?" "James, we can't go on with this plan of yours." "Look to your course, man." "The Master, Mr Corcoran, is sick with the fever." "I'll sail as Master myself." "You can't be serious?" "Ease her in gently, man, gently." "James, listen to me." "This ship is still harbouring the disease." "You can't take her out to sea." "Don't you understand, James, you've lost this time." "Admit it." "Do not attempt to land your rig." "This vessel is under arrest." "Her Majesty's Marines have orders to fire upon any man attempting to leave this vessel." "Seems you're right, Elizabeth." "Uh, this time I have lost." "Yes, James." "Thank God." "Home Office physicians have established beyond doubt that it is Septicaemic plague." "It strikes at great speed, gestation a mere hour or so and death occurs too rapidly for the classic plague symptoms to appear." "I am certain it was caused by fleas on the cavy that young girl brought back with her." "Well, thank heavens you summoned the Home Office when you did, Doctor." "Mr Onedin, I did not expect to find you here so early, sir." " I'm just doing whatever I can to help." " Hmm." "Well, now we can take the most urgent steps to combat the disease." "I cannot." "I'm dismissed." "What?" "For calling in the Home Office over their heads." "The letter was delivered by hand to my home this morning." "Well, that is absolutely scandalous." "Well, rest assured, I shall do everything in my power to see..." "That is very kind of you, Mr Onedin, but they are within their powers." "They will not retract." "I am dismissed." "Quarantine, the whole of Liverpool?" "Once they knew what the illness was, and the port is closed, sir." "No shipping to move in or out for a month." "Blast their little, little souls." "No, sir, listen." "The Captain of Marines explained." "It's what they calla force majeure, a government action." "Well, don't you see, sir?" "You're legally absolved from blame." "No one can sue you." "No one can move that cargo." "So, you haven't lost the contract after all." "Oh, I'll be damned." "Where is Elizabeth?" "Have you nothing to say to me after four months?" "What should I say?" "I was hoping to see you before you sailed." "I know." "I saw you on the quay." "Have you thought any more about working in the office?" "I thought that we'd decided that I was too ambitious." "I've never been against ambition." "I'll get my Master's ticket soon and I might come knocking at your door."