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This advertisement was not so incongruous as it seemed at first glance. It was an advertisement of the Fall River Line, whose ships ply through placid Long Island Sound and never far from the New England coast.
What effect the Vestris disaster might have on public confidence in deep-sea voyaging other steamship companies estimated as cheerfully as possible. From their standpoint nothing had changed, unless for the better. The sinking of one ship could not alter the seaworthiness of other ships. If anything, it should tend to make ship inspection, discipline and precautions more thoroughgoing than ever. By the law of averages, another great disaster among all the ships of the world was less likely now than a week before.
A few immediate cancellations and some diminution in passage bookings for a while had to be expected, but the carrying public had faith in the traveling public and in itself. Twelve survivors of the Vestris who at once re-engaged passages for South America were witnesses to the probability that most people are as conscious of life's risks before something happens as they are afterwards. The Vestris disaster lessened no one's chances of dying in his bed.
* Heavy machines in large cases constituted most of the cargo of the Vestris. Included were: 650 cases automobiles, 600 shipped by General Motors Co. to Montevideo: 240 cases automobile accessories; 68 cases typewriters: 86 cases cash registers: 31 cases truck chasses: 58 cases tractor parts; 66 tractors: and in varying amounts, railroad materials, furnaces, gas engines, steel office furniture, motorcycles, divers hardware. There was considerable mail, including diplomatic correspondence with U. S. consular agents.