Odger's English Common Law

314 ACTS ENDANGERING HUMAN LIFE.
to property shall, whether any injury to person or property
has been actually caused or not, be guilty of felony, and on
conviction shall be liable to penal servitude for life," 1 Many
such acts are covered by the Malicious Damage Act, 1861, 2
such as destroying or rendering dangerous in the use any
bridge, viaduct or aqueduct, placing obstructions on a railway
line, masking or altering any light or signal with intent to
endanger any ship, &c. 3
The Factory Acts, which are now consolidated in the Act
of 1901, 4 contain numerous provisions insisting on the fencing
of dangerous machinery, the proper ventilation of workrooms,
&c. Ample provision for the safety of miners is made
by the Coal Mines Act, 1911. 5
Similarly the sale of poisons is regulated by the Pharmacy
Act, 1868, 6 and the Poisons and Pharmacy Act, 1908. 7
So again, " if any person sends or attempts to send, or is
party to sending or attempting to send, a British ship to sea in
such an unseaworthy state, that the life of any person is likely
to be thereby endangered," or " if the master of a British ship
knowingly takes the same to sea in such an unseaworthy state,
that the life of any person is likely to be thereby endangered,
he shall be guilty of a misdemeanour, unless he proves that
her going to sea in such an unseaworthy state was under the
circumstances reasonable and justifiable." 8
Again any one, who sends or attempts to send through the
post a packet containing any explosive or dangerous substance,
any sharp instrument not properly protected, any living
creature or other thing which is likely to injure either other
postal packets in course' of conveyance or an officer of the
Post Office, commits a misdemeanour. 9
Lastly, the Pistols Act, 1903, 10 contains several useful
1 The Explosive Substances Act, 1883 (46 & 47 Vict. c. 3), a. 2.
i 24 & 26 Vict. c. 97.
3 Jb.' ss. 33, 35, 36, 47. And see 24 & 26 Vict. c. 100, ss. 32 and 33.
* 1 Edw. VII. c. 22.
6 1 & 2 Geo. V. c. 50.
e 31 & 32 Vict. c. 121, ss. 1, 15—17.
7
8
8 Edw. VII. c. 55.
The Merchant Shipping Act, 1894 (57 & 58 Vict. c. 60), s. 457. As to overloading
ships, see s. 459.
8 The Post Office Act, 1908 (8 Edw. VII. c. 48). s. 63.
" 3 Edw. VII. c. 18.