PUBLIC-HOUSES ON OCEAN LINERS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2580, 14 August 1909, Page 3 (Supplement)

PUBLIC-HOUSES ON OCEAN LINERS.

A LUCRATIVE BUSINESS. In the days of increasing demands on the National purse, and the widening of the field of new taxation, how is i. that the publican-shipowner escapes the notice of the Chancellor of the Exchequer? asks “Tit-Bits.” The owner of the coasting paesenger steamer has to'pay a licence for the •■vilege of selling excisable liquors aboard bis vessel, but wbat of the owner of the big ocean finer? It is not generally known that vessels making ocean voyages are supplied with .spirits and tobacco duty free, and this puts the owner in the enviable position of being able to make something like 100 per cent to 150 per cent profit on ail sales effected in the bar and smoke-room of his steamer. tobacco of an excellent quality costs the ship-owner Is per lb., and this is retailed at over 3s per lb to passengers and crew. Cigars and cigarettes are sold at proportionate profits. PROFITS OF THE* BAR.

Whisky of the best brands can be bought out of bond for 18s to 20s per case, and retailed at 48s per case. Brandy and wines are equally productive of handsome profits, while the returns on beer bought at 2s per dozen and retailed at 6s are not to be despised.

. Now a passenger steamer of average size carries at least 1,000 passengers and from 150 to 200 of a crew, and, as there are no rival public-houses, the thirsty ones, while at sea, must patronise the one bar, so it is not surprising to learn that the daily drawings there frequently exceed £IOO, of which nearly two-thirds are clear profit. - *

SPIRITS AND TOBACCO

Of the great number of steamers carrying passengers out of Great Britain, 00 per cent, are engaged in the North Atlantic trade, making, on an average, nine voyages in twelve months, a ncLci earing easily from£loCo to £I2OO per annum on their sales cf spirits and tobacco!

Nor is tbe owner the only one who makes a profit out of these items. The chief steward, who is usually in charge of the bar, contrives to work the business so as to pa- himself a nice little commission on his sales. STEWARD'S COMMISSION.

This has to be done very carefully, however. Some time ago an owner’s suspicions were aroused by the fact that the bar drawings for a twentyeight days’ voyage only amounted to

small sum. Only three cases of whisky were sold, but- 1800 bottles of beer and mineral waters were disposed of. Well, the inference was that the steward had been carrying a stock of whisky of his own for sale. Probably he had, although the large quantity of other liquor sold would seem to account for the small sale of whisky. Be that as it may, the steward was not ro-engaged on that boat. As the owner fixes the price of whisky at 4s per bottle, or 6d. per glass, it is a favorite dodge of the steward to sell by the, glass if possible. Usually ten glasses may be squeezed out of a bottle, thus returning os., of which 4s. goes to the owner and Is. to the steward. SAILORS' TOBACCO.

In cargo steamers it is not customary to sell liquor to the crew, but. as a rule, the captain is allowed the privilege of supplying the ship’s company with, tobacco.

However, his profits are small. He gives a lot of tobacco away to portofficials" abroad, who seem to think the captain gets his tobacco for nothing. Also, the cost of insuring his stock is no light item. And there are bad debts to be considered. Occasionally men desert, leaving behind them a debt cf several months’ supply of tobacco. Deserters’ wages are forfeited to the Hoard of Trade; so, unless the captain can show receipts from the men for all tobacco sold, he cannot recover the debt. Taking one thing with another, the game is hardly worth the candle to the captain.

ON LAND AND SEA

The publican ashore who draws £SO per day is doing good business. Out of that he contributes to the National Exchequer a fair amount as duty on his liquors: and his license to sell is no light item. Also lie has rents and taxes to pay, and still he contrives to become well off. . The passenger steamship owner pays no liquor license, no duty,, no rent or taxes, and has no competition to withstand in his public-house business. No wonder that a public-house' at sea is looked on by some owners, as a very profitable part of their business.