# The Linaria Incident



## peter3807 (Oct 11, 2006)

Sheffield Independent February 22 1937
“NITRATE CARGO FOR SPAIN” British Crew Protest.
Portland Maine, Sunday.
The crew of the British steamer LINARIA, alleging they are scheduled to sail for Seville with a cargo of nitrates for use in high explosives have protested against “being made a party to fascists”. 
While the Master Captain J Robinson has agreed to meet the representatives of the crew to thrash the matter out Mr Johnson Robinson, one of the owners, denied the ship was to carry nitrates.
The LINARIA which arrived in Boston from Russia via Gibraltar is due to leave for Hopewell Virginia tomorrow. Pending that conference, the crew, exclusive of the officers and engineers, has elected a committee to negotiate with the officers and owners to whom they decided to forward a copy of the resolution of protest.


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## peter3807 (Oct 11, 2006)

Yorkshire Evening Post February 23 1937
NON-INTERVENTION IN SPAIN.
BRITISH SEAMEN PROTEST
NITRATE CARGO FOR REBEL PORT
Appeal to Roosevelt. Seeking prohibition of shipment.
A new development in the affair of the alleged preparations to load a British ship with nitrates for Seville is reported from Boston USA.
It is stated that the crew have appealed to President Roosevelt to prohibit the shipment. The spokesman for the crew declared “We do not want to help deliver nitrates because we do not want to be a party to the killing of women and children.
Boston Tuesday
The LINARIA is owned By Joseph Robinson and Sons (Stag Line Ltd) of North Shields.
The steamer arrived here with a cargo of Russian coal and the seamen learned that after unloading to coal they were scheduled to go to Hopewell Virginia to take in the nitrate which they were then to take to Seville which is in rebel hands.
When the plan became known the crew lodged a strong protest with the master and declared their intention of communicating with the British Consul in Boston.


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## peter3807 (Oct 11, 2006)

Sheffield Independent February 25 1937
“Nitrates for Spain” Storm Grows.
Boston (Mass) Wednesday
The refusal of the crew of the British steamer LINARIA to carry what they allege to be a cargo of nitrates intended for the manufacture of munitions to Seville threatened today to become an issue for Federal action.
The Portland League for Peace and Freedom at Portland (Maine) ordered copies of a resolution requesting prevention of the shipment to be sent to Mr Cordell Hull, United States Secretary of State.
Alleging that they had been offered “Blood money and bribes” the crew of the LINARIA, a vessel of 3385 tons owned by Joseph Robinson and Sons, Stag Line Ltd of North Shields have started a “stay in strike”.


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## peter3807 (Oct 11, 2006)

Lancashire Evening Post February 26 1937.
BRITISH SEAMEN AND SPANISH CARGO
No Ground to Support Crew Action.
Mr Attlee Leader of the opposition asked the Foreign Secretary in the House of Commons today whether he was aware that the crew of the British steamer LINARIA at Boston Massachusetts had refused to load a cargo of nitrate consigned to the Spanish insurgents and whether he had given instructions to the British Consul to support the crew in their actions.
Lord Cranborne (Under Secretary to the Foreign Office): The answer to the first part is “Yes”. I understand however that nitrate is not on the list of commodities prohibited by the Non-intervention committee and that the carriage of nitrate on British ships to Spain is not prohibited under the 
Merchant Shipping Carriage to Spain Act. There is therefore no ground on which the Government could intervene.
Mr Attlee; Here we have British subjects exercising their rights not to assist the enemies of a friendly power – a power which is in the league of nations and a power therefore which we are bound to protect and assist against any aggression. I am asking the Under Secretary what is the position of sailors who are asked to load supplies which are obviously war supplies.
Wider Issue;
The Right Honourable Gentleman is now raising a wider issue replied Lord Cranborne. “If he wishes to raise it, it cannot be raised on a private notice question at very short notice. If he wishes to raise it, the Foreign Secretary would be willing to give him an answer. I cannot do it on a limited question of this kind”.
Mr Attlee: May I ask what action the British Consul proposes to take in this matter, and what instructions he has.
Lord Cranborne: The British Consul will take no action in this matter. I have already explained that the carriage of nitrate is not prohibited under the British Merchant Shipping Act.
Cable to Mr Attlee;
Boston Mass. Friday
Mr Alex Watson, leader of the striking crew of the North Shields Steamer Linaria cabled Mr Attlee to the effect that the crew of the LINARIA appealed to him to rise in Parliament and protect them in their right not to ship war materials to Spain. Robson declares that the cargo of nitrate is intended for explosives not (as scheduled) as fertiliser for Olive Trees. -Reuter.


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## peter3807 (Oct 11, 2006)

The Scotsman February 26 1937
BRITISH STEAMER DISPUTE
Consul at Boston Intervenes.
Boston February 25 1937
Mr Hugh Ford, the British Consul General in Boston intervened today in the dispute affecting the North Shields steamer LINARIA. Giving orders that that the Linaria should not leave on her scheduled sailing date pending a definite decision on points at issue – a decision which is expected soon. Mr Ford stated that he would address the entire crew in his office to seek an amicable adjustment of the difficulties.
Mr Ford is now in communication with the Board of Trade to ascertain whether the seamen are acting within their rights in refusing to sail the vessel and whether the nitrate cargo should be considered as munitions. – Reuter


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## peter3807 (Oct 11, 2006)

Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail. March 3 1937
THE SS LINARIA
STRIKING SEAMEN MAY BE DEPORTED
Boston (Mass) Tuesday (Reuter).
Captain Joseph Robinson, Master of the North Shields Steamer LINARIA has cabled to owners that negotiations with the striking seamen have failed and he will need a new crew. The strikers will be beached here to face deportation by the immigration authorities unless the British Board of Trade issues a conveyance order for their return to England.
It is questionable whether a new crew can be recruited in Boston. If not they may have to be imported from Halifax, Nova Scotia or from England. Meanwhile wharfage and demurrage charges for the LINARIA are rapidly mounting.
The LINARIA crew refuse to carry what they allege to be a cargo of nitrates intended for the manufacture of munitions to Seville although they have been informed by Mr Ford, the British Consul General at Boston that shipment scheduled as fertilisers for Olive Trees, was legal under the British-American neutrality laws. The agents for the LINARIA yesterday announced that the ship owners have asked that legal measures be taken against the strikers


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## peter3807 (Oct 11, 2006)

Hull Daily Mail March 5 1937.
THREATS TO PICKET BRITISH CONSULATE.
Boston
Fresh complications have arisen in connection with the North Shields steamer LINARIA, the crew of which are being sent to England following refusal to sail a cargo of nitrates to Spain. International seamen’s union at Boston announce that local members would picket the British Consulates in New York and Philadelphia if the Linaria were allowed to sail to Spain with a new crew.


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## peter3807 (Oct 11, 2006)

Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette March 5 1937.
Sequel to Strike on Tyne Steamer.
The old crew of nineteen men quitted the ship yesterday, they called off their “stay on board” strike after the Consul General Mr Hugh Ford had told them that the shipment of nitrates to Spain was not illegal under British or American neutrality statutes.
They will probably leave for England in the steamer Samaria.


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## peter3807 (Oct 11, 2006)

Dundee Courier March 8 1937
SEQUAL TO DISPUTE OVER CARGO FOR INSURGENTS
SHIP FOR SPAIN SAILS SHORTHANDED
The North Shields steamer LINARIA (3385 tons) which has been held up at Boston for some time owing to the refusal of her crew to sail to Spain with a cargo of nitrates for the insurgents sailed yesterday shorthanded.
Her old crew of nineteen left the ship on Thursday and are being sent home to Britain.
The LINARIA sailed with a crew of eight for New York where she will pick up the remainder of the crew needed.


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## peter3807 (Oct 11, 2006)

Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette March 13 1937
SUPPORT FOR CREW OF LINARIA
REFUSED TO TAKE CARGO TO SPAIN
Speech by member of arms family.
Miss Zara Dupont, cousin of the three brothers heading the great armaments firm was the chief speaker at Boston (Mass) in support of the discharged members of the crew of the North Shields steamer Linaria.
The members of the crew sat in the front row of the platform, says Reuter.
Miss Dupont moved a resolution protesting against discrimination against the Spanish Government. She always remembered that in family discussions nitrate was always associated with explosives and not with fertilisers.
The resolution declared that a British court had upheld the action of a crew which had refused to take supplies from Malta to Government territory but the British authorities had penalised the crew of the Linaria for their refusal to take a cargo to insurgent territory.


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## peter3807 (Oct 11, 2006)

Sheffield Daily Independent March 24 1937
Strike Crew Home to Summonses.
Police officers boarded the Cunard Liner Samaria as she steamed into Liverpool docks yesterday and served summonses on seventeen members of the British crew of the North Shields freighter Linaria which was held up in Boston through a dispute as to whether it should carry a cargo of nitrate to Seville.
The men are to appear at Liverpool Police Court tomorrow. They have been summoned for disobeying the lawful command of the master, neglecting duty on various dates, impeding the navigation of the Linaria and continually and wilfully disobeying the master. After the men had paid off in Boston they were shipped home in the Samaria.
Church Support.
Mr Alec Robson, one of the members of the committee which the men have elected, said yesterday “We conducted a strike in Boston and the American seamen picketed the boat and the American seamen’s union forbade its members to serve on her. We had a great deal of support from American peace organisations and churches. In one they collected eighty dollars for us and our American friends paid for our keep while we were living at the Seaman’s home in Boston. None of the men had any money when they arrived in Liverpool and they were informed that the passage which had been arranged to take them to their home town had been cancelled because of the legal proceedings which had begun.
A Board of Trade official gave them their tram fare to his office. They are to meet officials of the seaman’s union and arrangements will probably be made for them to stay in the Seaman’s home in Liverpool until after the proceedings.
The Linaria has obtained a crew in New York and Montreal and has proceeded to Spain.


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## peter3807 (Oct 11, 2006)

Portsmouth Evening News 5 May 1937
MAGISTRATE CLEARS STEAMER APPRENTICES
When the Liverpool Stipendiary Magistrate concluded his hearing of summonses against seventeen North Shields firemen and seamen of the Stag Line steamer Linaria he discharged from the court two apprentices named Bray and Walter Lake.


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## peter3807 (Oct 11, 2006)

Hull DAILY Mail May 11 1937
An appeal is to be lodged against the fines impose by the Liverpool Stipendiary on 15 members of the crew of the North Shields steamer Linaria


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## peter3807 (Oct 11, 2006)

Aberdeen Press and Journal June 8 1837
Appeal Succeeds
SEAMEN WHO DID NOT SAIL ON NITRATE SHIP
Seventeen of the crew of the North Shields steamer Linaria appealed successfully before the Liverpool recorder M F G Hemmerde KC yesterday against their conviction by the Liverpool stipendiary magistrate and a fine of £2 for what was held to be a breach of the Merchant Shipping Act by refusing to sail from Boston USA to Spain.
Mt Maxwell Fyfe KC , said that Linaria was a happy ship until the crew learned that a cargo of nitrate was to be loaded for Spain. Alexander Robson one of the crew told the Captain on behalf of the crew that they would not be party to killing women and children in Spain and they refused to sail.
Captain Joseph Robinson, Master of the Linaria said he went to Spain with another crew but on the way his vessel was diverted from Seville to San Sebastian.
Mr Rice Jones for the appellants said that the men were justified. The articles they signed were for an ordinary commercial voyage and the owners of the vessel had no right to ask the crew to go to a war zone.
The Recorder allowing the appeal with costs said the contract was for a peaceful voyage. He thought the decision not to sail was made in good faith. They acted with justification.


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## peter3807 (Oct 11, 2006)

The prosecutor Maxwell Fyfe was David Patrick Maxwell Fyfe MP KC. In 1924, he was knighted and in 1954 elevated to the Peerage as Viscount Kilmuir and later Lord Chancellor of England. He was the one of the prosecutors of the major Nazi leaders at the Nuremburg war trials. It is said that his cross-examination of Hermann Goering is one of the most noted cross-examinations in history. "Faced with sustained and methodical competence rather than brilliance, Goering crumbled". From Geordie sailors to Herman Goering.


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## D1566 (Sep 7, 2009)

Fascinating piece of history, thanks.


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