Original subtitles

Keep those buckets going, lads, and get those cars filled.

An ocean of fresh water, all you can drink.

All hands to Bates and Shylock, owner's orders.

I want a sweet -smelling ship and a sweet -smelling crew.

The dugout.

I think there's someone in it.

Warm the lookout, will you?

Marshal!

some clear light from the galley, will you?

I wonder who she is.

She'll tell us as she lives.

You have to come straight to the point, Elizabeth. I've no time for small talk.

Money is the point.

Oh, then you've come to the wrong shop.

I want my share.

Of what?

The family profits.

There aren't any. I don't believe you.

James has left the entire conduct of the business in my hands.

Yes, he's been very neglectful of late.

I shall ignore that remark.

Oh, really, Robert? All I have is the house and Albert's income from his own

Eden Line shares.

I've spent the money he left me.

Hey, I don't know what the world's coming to.

A man can up and leave his wife and child and go running off to the far ends

the earth.

Albert has gone to make his fortune.

It's a very sensible arrangement.

It is the height of folly.

I want my share of the profits. I need it.

James will no doubt declare the dividend at the annual shareholders' meeting.

Shareholders? You mean you and James? I'll not see a penny piece.

You are also a shareholder now, Elizabeth.

Fifteen percent?

Well, you still have a right to be heard.

Yes, and go unheeded.

I want my dividends paid quarterly, starting from now. It can't be done.

I have a house to maintain.

Then why don't you sell it?

It's far too big for one.

You get a fair price for it. The house is not for sale. It is mine, and I

to keep it.

I'm afraid you have no other option, Elizabeth.

The husband is the breadwinner in every family. How much are my shares worth?

Oh, well, now, if you're thinking of selling... Oh, not to you or James.

Very unwise, Elizabeth. I'm only thinking of your best interest, you

You'd be selling on a falling market. Things is hard in shipping, very hard.

Father might be prepared to pay a fair price.

Fraser?

You wouldn't dream of selling to Fraser. The man's taken over Cullens. He's in

direct opposition to us. In which case, he should make a most generous offer.

No, wait, Elizabeth. Don't be so hasty, love.

I'm sure that in my capacity as managing director, I can manage a small interim

payment.

How much?

There are the wages for my staff.

But you need all that stuff now. I mean, living all alone in that... In that big

house? It's no use, Robert.

I am not going to sell my house to you and Sarah.

However much she wants it.

Don't move it.

Keep running.

Run.

Don't stop.

You mustn't stop.

No.

Quite so.

Now you're aboard a British ship, the Osiris, homeward bound for Liverpool.

Do you know Liverpool?

Let her drink this.

All right.

Come on. Let me

try.

There's a good girl.

If I may speak without offence, Mr. O 'Neden, I would have preferred to deal

directly with your brother. You may rest assured, Mr. Biddulph, there is no

facet of James's business with which I am not familiar.

No man can serve two masters.

I think you will find, Henry, that in matters of business, the adage does not

hold true.

Mr. O 'Neden here may very well serve two masters, himself as chandler and

O 'Neden as owner. That's a common enough practice. And one to be deployed.

was thinking of your brother James's taste for taking himself off to sea in

moments of crisis.

A man cannot keep his finger upon the parts of business from the other side of

the world.

In the coal fields, Mr. Dunedin. Here, in the coal fields. A man is worthy of

his hire.

There's scripture for you.

Pay them, Henry, pay them. Oh, yes, it's easy enough for you to be free with

other folks' money, but you'll sing a different tune when your potter is hit.

What a crisis.

The miners object to hacking out the owner's hundredweight. They demand,

mark you, higher wages and lower output.

Now, if the banks charge the guinea for every pound... I'll warrant there'd be

an outcry from the business community that would ring through the very

of heaven itself.

And yet the moment a miner objects to hacking out 2 ,100 weight for every ton,

you call him an ungrateful dog and close the doors in his face. But, gentlemen,

surely there is room for compromise.

There is, there is. Compromise means that I give and they take.

Never. We picked you up 90 miles east of the Amazon.

You weren't to know, but you were floating in an ocean of fresh water.

You don't need to dip the baler over the side.

What? Aye.

The Amazon pushes 200 miles out to the sea.

The Amazon?

Yeah,

now, come on, wake up.

Wake up!

What's your name?

Name? Aye.

What's your name?

Drink some more of this.

Then you can go to sleep again, eh?

No.

Won't?

Is that your name?

must prepare yourselves for a long battle.

Last year, the Yorkshire miners held out for six months.

Six months?

Yes, but our contract with you calls for us to reserve you six ships. You to

supply coal free on board and trim.

Oh, unless you keep your side of the bargain, those ships will lie idle. I

couldn't possibly find cargoes for them at short notice.

Now, perhaps we can begin to appreciate the far -reaching effects of one man's

obstinacy. My obstinacy?

Speak to those damned miners of obstinacy, sir. The first effect will be

shortage of coal. Then the laying up of ships.

Scores of British seamen out of work.

Are you of your business to consider?

As ship chandler, I'd be hard hit.

And a prospective candidate who hopes to draw on the support of the labouring

classes that can hardly afford to be associated with those who oppose their

demands for the right to earn an honest crust.

Oh.

Ah, well.

I'm sure there must be a penalty clause in that contract.

Yes, there is, Mr. O 'Neill, there is. And I had hoped to persuade you to waive

that obligation.

Ah.

Ah,

well, I think that while stocks last, there's no need to come to any

harsh decisions, which in any case would require the approval of my fellow

directors.

and have the makings of a fair politician, Robert.

Now, in the interests of the country, Mr. Pickle, don't you... My gates remain

closed until they come to their senses.

Do you not recall your name, madam?

I tried, but... More, you said.

No.

Not more.

Sorry, son.

The best our slot chest can offer.

It'll come.

It'll come.

He should not have come up on deck until the cool of the evening.

So I'm bearably stuffy down there.

We've not yet met the tropics.

Captain Baines, maybe we could get the carpenter to put up an awning.

It's a canvas.

A few lengths of rattan.

And in our charity, ladies, I think we might support a soup kitchen. For the

deserving, I say, and not for those lazy ne 'er -do -wells who infest our

streets with hands outstretched and by their immodest behaviour make our very

thoroughfares an embarrassment to the members of our sex.

I can, however, assure you that the moment my husband is elected to the

he will not spare himself, nor will he flinch from his duty until this riffraff

has been cleared from our streets.

I therefore confidently ask for your active support and...

Thank you kindly for your attention.

My very first speech, Elizabeth.

Do you think I adequately expressed the sentiments of the meeting?

Well, Sarah, it hardly adds to Robert's image of himself as a fire -eating

radical reformer.

Robert is no radical. Oh, politics bore me.

I thought it a very pretty speech, Mrs. O 'Neill. Oh, thank you, dear Miss

Beddow.

Such a markedly sweet name, don't you agree, O 'Needon? What?

This O 'Needon.

What was James's wife like?

One of the finest women who ever lived.

She always wore a brown dress and a little lacy shawl.

I found these garments in the chest. I hope you don't mind.

How dare you? Mr. Leedon, sir.

Please.

You must bear with him, ma 'am.

Mr. Leedon's knocked himself these last months.

He looked demented.

He reminded me of... It's them garments, you see.

It belonged to his wife.

She died in childbirth.

Oh, I didn't know.

Why should you?

I found them in the chest.

Yeah, that was hers.

He's kept it here ever since.

I shall replace them very carefully, then apologize.

No, ma 'am. If I were you, I'd just let it rest.

He's sort of...

Hiding from memory, is he?

That I can understand.

Miss Biddulph.

Come along, Miss Biddulph. No,

your left hand's too tight. Look, more like that. See,

just get the fingers a little bit higher.

Do we not have the pleasure of your wife's company this evening, Captain

Fogarty? She asked me to tender apologies and beg your indulgence for a

indisposition. Oh, sorry, sir.

Robert is the most considerate of husbands and would not dream of

function where I am the least inconvenienced.

I've never had a day's owner to my life.

You've heard of all the advantages.

Don't you agree, Robert?

Oh, you're quite right, Mr. Fraser. I quite agree.

Robert? Hmm?

I'd like a word.

Excuse me, my friend.

One or two other matters.

Oh?

Shipping's going through a bad patch, eh? Oh, terrible. I've never known

so bad.

The chundler side of the business is feeling the pinch. I'll not deny that.

No time for dog -eat -dog. More for share and share alike, wouldn't you say?

Eh?

With a little goodwill on both sides, you could supply my ships as well as

Orneedan's. Oh, well, if I can oblige you in any way, Mr. Fraser, you've only

got to say the word.

There's not much to gain from treading on one another's toes.

Our best interests lie in each company developing its own sphere of influence

without interference from the other.

If James will agree to keep his ships out of my orders, I'll keep mine out of

his.

A gentleman's agreement.

Well,

I'll do what I can, Mr. Fraser.

And there's my hand on it. Well done. Well done, Robert. Thank you. Thank you.

Ah, yes, my dear.

My turn?

You cannot yet tell us how you came to be adrift in a native canoe.

It's no use. I cannot remember.

Perhaps if you would concentrate more upon your upbringing, ma 'am.

England?

No, I cannot recall.

Well, move on to Liverpool.

Liverpool.

Now, that has a familiar ring.

Someone, somewhere... It'll come back, ma 'am.

Never fear.

He'll come back in time.

That's just a little of that left.

Coming into harbour within five days.

If you've come to her at the Lady Muck, you're in for a short welcome.

Oh, I have no wish to intrude, Eileen. I'm no longer a parlour maid in your

father's house.

My lawful wedded name is Mercy.

Mrs. Eric Mercy, if you please.

Oh, come now, Eileen. We were such good friends.

Servant and mistress.

Those days have gone, thank God.

You'll get no bobbing and curtsying in this house, let me tell you. But I only

want to help. You can best help by persuading your skim -slip father to

Colliery Gate. Yes, but he will, he will. I've heard him say so often.

The moment the men promise to go back to work, your husband could persuade them

to do that.

They'd listen to him, and he would listen to you.

I've told my husband, you go back before strikes one and I'll leave you.

You don't mean it.

Charity costs the rich nothing.

What right have you got to come down here?

You've no idea. You don't know what it's like.

What good's a loaf of bread?

Will you come round tomorrow when we've eaten that?

I've got four children to feed as well as me husband and meself.

Boiled vegetables picked up out of the gutter after the market.

You wouldn't throw it to a stray dog.

fighting to keep my children alive, but I won't do it on charity.

My husband can work and wants to work, but for a fair wage.

I'd rather starve than ask him to go back.

The devil, you say.

A coal strike on at Biddle's Pits.

What does the fool think he's doing? I've got six ships on standby waiting

his cargo of coal.

It's not Mr. Biddles' collars alone, you know. The entire St. Helens Coalfield

is at a standstill.

What are you doing about it?

Me? Yes, you.

I left you in charge, did I not? Well, what can I do?

Get cargo for six hungry ships, I hope.

They'll all be coming home to roost like so many hens, gobbling up the profits

in idleness.

Freight is hard to come by.

I know that. It's your business to find it. That's easier said than done.

All the regular trades are spoken for.

Look. You only hold the trade until somebody sharper comes along to take it

you.

Right.

So... We'll take up some of Cullen's old Swedish contracts. Now, that fool

Fogarty's let things run down.

I doubt if Fraser's yet got a tie to all the things.

We'll detach a couple of ships for Sweden.

Now, what business answers do we know there?

We can't do that, James.

Why not?

Well, during your absence, Mr Fraser and I came to a gentleman's agreement.

You did what?

It's Mr Fraser's contention, and one with which I wholeheartedly concur that

during this infernal trade recession, there's little to be gained and a great

deal to be lost if we waste time and energy by undercutting each other.

So we thought that, well, just for the interim...

It would be to our mutual advantage and profit if we agreed to keep to our own

established boundaries, as it were.

Spoken like a real politician.

All words and no purpose.

So it frees us to grow fat while we grow lean, eh?

Well, my words are deeds. There's coal in the ground. It ought to be in my

now, but it was a fool.

If he thinks that that strike can't be broken, then Fraser could whistle for a

cargo if an illegal ship could get to any point in the world before he does.

Now, think first, James. Think first and not in haste. There's a great deal at

stake. Oh, for whom?

Oh, now, be reasonable, James. In my considered opinion, this proposal of Mr

Fraser's is a very fair one, especially coming from him. After all, he is in the

stronger position.

How many ships do we have at hand?

Well, I know there's a Saratoga. She's discharged, I know.

Waiting for call.

Then there's Our Lady Fair. You and Baines can go on the Saratoga. You're

for Gothenburg. You can go on this evening's tide.

Me? But, James, you don't mean that. Look, I've got business here.

But, James, you know the sea and I don't get on together.

Anyway, I gave Mr Fraser my word.

Did you sign anything?

No. Good, that's settled, then. Your word signifies nothing.

Oh.

Lots of warm clothing with it. Very cold there this time of year.

Now, madam.

How can we resolve the opera?

Aye, my son's been a sore disappointment to me.

He has promised to send for me.

When he's made his fortune, no doubt.

That day will come when Nelson gets his eye back.

Mrs. Fraser and I have had a close discussion about your, uh, predicament.

Oh?

Can't be good for you living in a great empty house all by yourself.

Everyone seems determined to relieve me of my own home.

Our conclusion was you'd be well advised to sell up and settle down with us.

We've plenty of room, far more than we need. I couldn't possibly accept such an

offer. And besides, you seem to forget I still have my own need -in -line chair.

Ah. Well, now, there I might be able to help you.

I could take them off your hands at a fair price, reinvest your capital

Oh, why, Jane, how providential. You can advise me.

How much are my shares worth?

Caroline, what are you doing here?

Caroline!

Don't touch me!

One of them touched me.

His hand on me.

I hit him and ran.

I ran and ran.

I can't stop running and don't look back.

I knew he was following me.

I couldn't bear to look.

I might have seen him.

My niece.

My wife's sister's eldest girl.

She's been out in Brazil for six years.

Married to Geoffrey Maudsley.

He's in the railway business out there.

How did you meet her?

Surveying the countryside for a railway link.

They asked me to go with him.

I'd seen so little of him these last few months.

We made camp on the... Bank of the Itapakuru River.

There's an inhospitable country, if you like.

Headhunters. I was awakened by the screaming of the others.

Terrible screaming.

Then... Geoffrey took his gun and went out.

When I went out...

And if them had taken hold of him...

Yes, Captain Pockety. What is it?

Robert Ornidian is to take the Saratoga to Gothenburg.

Robert gave me his word he'd keep the Ornidian ships out of my waters.

Damn James Ornidian!

There may be something I can do, sir. Do? What can you do?

I'll race the Saratoga to Gothenburg.

Robert Ornidian and Baines will be storm and tempest to each other on that ship.

First come, first served.

I should have several days to make firm our business contacts.

It's not enough.

If James is bent on filching my trade... Have the whole voice to contemplate

that problem, sir. Something will occur to me.

That's what I like about you, Captain Fogarty.

You're always ready and willing to fight James O 'Neill.

It's us.

Hurry in.

Good night, sir.

They crept up on the camp at night, hooting and howling... and painted in

likeness of bogeymen and devils.

And the whole company was massacred in the most revolting manner.

Aye. Her husband, decapitated.

Before her very eyes.

Oh, Robert, don't forget to take an extra pair of woolen mittens, will you?

I've heard the weather in those northern climates can be quite atrociously cold.

And is Mrs. Mawson now fully recovered?

Oh, aye.

You know, she's worth a pretty penny, Sarah.

Apparently, Maud, she was a man of very wide business interests.

Nothing can compensate for the loss of a loved one. She's related to the

Fraser's, I understand.

A niece on the distaff side, I believe.

Smelling salt and aspirin in case you get one of your headaches.

And a flask of brandy.

For medicinal purposes only.

Wintergreen for your chest.

And a jar of goose grease.

Now, don't forget, Robert, take a spoonful of goose grease every day. It's

sovereign remedy against pneumonia.

Red flannel.

And your nightshirt.

And don't forget to air before wearing.

I don't see why I have to go to Sweden. The voyage will do you good. Oh, but,

Sarah, I don't speak Swedish.

All educated foreigners speak English.

Where was she found?

Eh?

Oh, we found her adrift in an open canoe.

Half dead from thirst.

Quite exposed to the mercy of the elements.

Is she very old?

No, not very.

Pushing 30?

Oh, it's hard to tell, really.

When I saw her, she was dressed like a seaman.

Her hair was all matted and her face all blotchy.

Threw being at sea for too long.

So your husband has deserted you. Well, not exactly.

In truth, I refuse to go with him.

Very sensible.

The effect is the same.

May I?

Of course.

Under the circumstances, the best advice I can give to you, my dear, is to take

a lover.

Lock your gates. No.

Locked gates serve as an excuse for obstinacy. Throw your gates open and

soon come drifting. You don't know miners. They're a clannish community.

How many men are out?

700. They can't all be leaders.

But at rest, one or another steps in to take his place.

Do you imagine this to be a new situation, that we masters hadn't

that? Well, it's no use picking them off one by one. I suggest we make a clean

sweep, say 10%, eh?

70 men.

But isn't a fourth strong enough to arrest them? Or a lock -up big enough to

hold them?

Right, what are their demands?

As always, higher wages and improved conditions of employment.

Right, then.

They shall have their wish.

Who wants to

burrow under the ground like a rabbit, eh?

When is the opportunity?

Breathing God's own fresh air.

employer. Regular wages.

An allotment for your wives.

And three square meals a day.

Feed full and plenty.

Whatever's happening?

He signed on for a sailor.

Now, here's his advance note.

You can crack that the moment he says, eh?

Come along, Collie, up with you now. Come on.

There we go.

I will send him back safe and sound.

Then, with you, then, Caroline is the most delightful companion imaginable.

Though I must say she does hold with the most outrageous opinions.

Really? And what is more, she smokes cigars and cigarettes as bold as any

Then she must have very common tastes, for cigarettes are strictly for the

classes.

Caroline said the fashion is catching among society ladies.

Would you care to try one?

The gentlemen are very welcome to their vices.

Perhaps we should have started with cigars.

Breathe in this air.

Tastes like wine.

Oh, yeah, it does.

As pretty a path of ships as you'll ever behold.

Looks like a Fraser ship birth of the jetty.

I reckon Captain Pockety's beaten us to it.

I doubt he'd be pleased to see you, sir.

Well, kindly leave the conduct of the business to me, Captain Baines.

Here, have another one.

Good for your stomach.

Now, I thought it was clearly understood that this was to be our trading area.

Well, I put Mr Fraser's proposal to James, but he would have none of it.

You and Mr Fraser shook hands on it.

I know.

Well, you know James.

Oh, I do.

A gentleman's agreement means nothing to him.

Well... I could hardly order him to keep his ships out.

No.

Well, you can take a bite of that Chandler's contract Mr Fraser offered

That would have been worth a bob or two.

Unless,

of course... Oh, no, you're... You're not the kind of person who would put

own interest above your brother James.

Unless what?

Oh, I have another one.

Keep the cold out in these parts.

What?

What did you have in mind, Daniel?

Why should you do James' dirty work and suffer into the bargain?

Well, hardly dirty work. What cargo are you carrying?

Timber, I suppose.

There are other cargoes.

I know.

Wood pulp.

Cargoes where you wouldn't be treading on Fraser's toes. I mean, cargoes that

would enable you to keep that Chandler's contract Mr. Fraser offered you.

Such as?

Well, let's say... Orts and Lucifers.

Oats.

Oats. And Lucifer.

Oats and Lucifer's.

Taken to prison?

Yes, I'm sorry.

It seems that he and a few others have refused to sail.

How long?

Three months.

With hard labour.

What's to become of me?

Oh, it's a terrible thing to be sent to prison, I know.

But there's no disgrace in your husband's case. There's no disgrace.

You poor, innocent idiot, with your educated notions of what's right and

wrong.

Disgrace, indeed.

Oh, no, you mustn't worry about him.

I don't worry about him. I worry about me.

I've no man, no money coming in, no food, and in a day or two, no house.

Do you understand what your fine friends have done?

They've destroyed a village.

All the able -bodied men have gone to sea, and they're working the mines with

wagon lords of flat legs.

And my Eric's rotting in jail.

Yes. And who's to blame but himself?

Mr. O 'Neill came to this village and of his charity offered food and work.

Had your husband stuck to his part of the bargain, freely entered Matthew, he

would not be in the straits he finds himself in now. And you would be in

receipt of his allowance of wages just as though he were here.

Just as though he were here.

Why are you so intent on springing to the defense of this paragon of virtue?

Because he is the man I plan to marry.

Oh, Sir Lucifer.

Well, the freight will just about cover the cost of the voyage.

You have the whole of Sweden's resources to choose from.

Timber, wood pulp.

Paper, iron ore, copper, zinc, and you've come back with oats and loaves.

there's too much competition, James.

Goldenburg is full of shipping. You ask Captain Baines. So, we'll leave the

entire Baltic and the North Sea to Fraser, do we? Well, it never was one of

trading areas.

Oh, perhaps you're right.

So long as one of us is turning a profit, I suppose it doesn't matter.

Well, this will be my market.

Right, let's see now.

Call to Bilbao.

Braganza's wines from Lisbon, by Madeira, Cape Verde, Tretill, cocoa,

high, wet Indies for sugar.

That is mine.

You can tell Fraser that he's welcome to the Baltic and the North Sea and

squeezes profits from where he can. Ah, you're as ambitious as ever, James.

I treat the world the way the world treats me.

No conscience to hold me back now.

Good morning, Mr. O 'Neill.

Good morning.

Mr.

O 'Neill!

You are a scoundrel, sir, a scoundrel!

For finding work for starving men.

Those men went hungry of toys.

So I'm supposed to go hungry along with them, am I? Well, that's not my choice,

nor that of my seamen. Your seamen have much to think before.

Fill their places with abducted miners and expect their gratitude? You are a

hypocrite, Mr. Reneed, and a hypocrite.

Abducted? They signed articles without coercion. Without coercion? My

understanding is you plied these unfortunate men with drink.

until they were insensible as to what nonsense they were putting their names.

They signed articles, then, Mr. Plimsoll, they will go to sea.

Aye. Only because if they refuse, they'll be hunted down like common

prosecuted with all the rigor of the law, and sent to prison for a term of at

least three months. Now that, Mr. O 'Neill, I call coercion. And coercion of

worst kind. No point in arguing with a man like you, sir. You have your

opinions, I have mine. Oh, good day to you.

Day to you, ma 'am.

Hey, Mr. Plimsoll.

No, no, wait.

What's all this about?

I hope I'm not intruding, Mr. Ronegan.

I've yet to thank you for your timely assistance.

Well, that was more good luck than good intent.

You are too modest, Mr. Ronegan.

My recollection is that you nursed me back to life.

We did what was necessary.

And to think that Mr. Plimsoll described you as a scoundrel.

And did you agree with him?

Yes.

How?

How else would you describe a man who, for no other motive than that of private

gain, abducts a few score half -starved wretches whose only crime was in

demanding a decent return for their labour?

Well, they're earning a fair living at this very moment.

But not of their own choosing.

And certainly not one I should care to recommend.

During my stay aboard your ship, Mr. O 'Neill, I could not help but observe

your men were ill -clothed and ill -used, driven to work like so many dogs,

with food and accommodation not fit for farmyard animals.

I also noticed that you and your officers ate of the best and slept

clean sheets.

I think those miners are in for a rude awakening. I think that you speak from

ignorance. Any ship's master will tell you.

He thinks himself fortunate if...

Half his crew have ever set foot aboard a ship before. Now, where do you think

we get them from, eh?

The crimping houses.

Your miners can think themselves lucky that they didn't have to give a month's

wages in advance for blood money.

Blood money?

It's a custom. Not one I care for, but not one I could change.

Have you ever tried?

No, I have not.

But if it's change you want, I suggest that you address yourself to Brother

Robert. Now, he is the politician of the family. I'm going to show you, Mrs.

Mortley, that Mr. Plimsoll and myself are in complete accord on this subject.

said as much in a recent speech to my constituents... I see I have an ally.

Well, don't question his motives too closely.

Robert is in charge of all the ship's fittlings.

The welfare of one's workers should be a charge upon all.

Why do you think men go to work, eh? For pleasure? For the company that they

keep? Work is ours, always has been.

Better than pauperism. Are you wicked? Like their misery.

They deserve better.

A man doesn't get what he deserves.

He gets what he earns.

You are a man entirely without compassion.

Good day to you, Mr. O 'Neill.

Mrs. Arthur?

Ah, James, there goes a woman of spirit.

Aye.

More than the sea could douse, eh?

She likes to put her oar in and all. And she's not without influence.

Not with me.

Strikes me. You hauled out more than you can handle when you fished her out of

the sea.

Well, if she's any trouble.

We can always throw her back again.