The Wreck of the William Brown: A True Tale of Overcrowded Lifeboats and Murder at SeaA maritime disaster that shocked the world. Seventy-one years before the loss of the "Titanic," another ship sank in almost the same spot after striking an iceberg at maximum speed. Three-quarters of the passengers--poor, mostly Irish emigrants--were lost, including at least fourteen who were thrown from a lifeboat to lighten it. Not a single sailor died. When the tragedy of the "William Brown" threatened to expose the dangers of the profitable emigrant passenger trade, a collection of politicians, lawyers, and reporters on both sides of the Atlantic conspired to indict the only seaman who was a hero of the disaster. The trial gave rise to the concept of "lifeboat ethics": how to decide who gets saved when resources are limited. "A fascinating read."--"Chesapeake Bay Magazine" "A gripping tale of the sea. . . . You should make a place for this one on your bookshelf, nautical or otherwise."--"Burgee" "More than a horrifying tale . . . also a penetrating examination of the causes."--Denis Wood, author, "The Power of Maps" "Tom Koch's re-creation of a notorious 19th-century case of shipwreck and murder on the high seas makes absorbing reading."--Michael Phillips, maritime historian, Plymouth (England) Naval Base Museum "Gripping tale of a 19th-century shipwreck that should have been, but wasn't, a catalyst for major shipping reform."--"Quill & Quire" Tom Koch is a widely published writer and journalist and the author of fourteen books. A lifelong sailor, he skippers an aging 35-foot Beneteau sloop throughout the Pacific Northwest. |
Contents
The Second Strike | 7 |
The Last Watch | 20 |
Alone in the North Atlantic | 36 |
Copyright | |
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