ON SEAMEN. [By the Ancient Mariner ]

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXX, Issue 5135, 5 February 1874, Page 2

ON SEAMEN. [By the Ancient Mariner ]

Laqe melancholy circumstances have had the effect of rltawiug particular attention to matters maritime, and, with all due deference to PUmaoH's book, ono is npt to conclude there are two sides to the question at issue. During the past fen years there has been a manifest downward tendency of merchant ! aeanun — the character of the men seems to have completely changed. Physically we believe men are now quite as good as those who in the wooden walls of Old England fought under Nelson ; but socially their calibre lias palpably diminished. Circumstances of every-day occurrence now, were formerly only heard of once in a dozen years. Look fur instance, at a British sailor breaking the window of a haberdasher's shop, and deliberately stealing a bonnet, merely actuated by the desire to go to gaol and gpfc clear of his ship. If going to gaol ia Jack's recreation the sooner the system is changed the bettor. It is simply ridiculous to call iuc rceration punishment to Jack, if he is served with tobacco ad lib. and allowed to do much aa he pleases. It is a known fact at the Port that the period of three months in gaol is looked on as a kind of gentle relaxation from duty, and an easy way of getting rhi of responsibilities. To most shore-going people the bare fact of being under under lock and key is objectionable in every way, but to Jack it is a delight rather than otherwise, and it must bo re* membered that a seafaring man is accustomed to clc-e qu.it t^rs ; the ocean locks him into his ship as sccmcly as bolts or bars can confine him to the f^ol. Another evil is that abominable system of assault which has been initiated, because when committed to gaol for refusal of dutv or desertion, the master can take out tho delinquents under a warrant of deliveiance, and then the only course left is to pitch into the officers. The moment chosen is just as the ship is ready for aea, nnd it haa become a common occurrence for men at such a juncture to assault the officers simply for the sake of returning to gaol aud getting clear of their vessels. If men on shore sign agreements to serve for certain periods, there are very few but regard their bonds, and carry them out as strictly as possible ; but for a seaman to sign articles to serve the voyage from Htogland to the colonies aud back, simply means he server just as long as his c.iprice wills it, and then begins the old tale of refusal of duty, &c. A great deal may be traced to tho fact that men from England get £3 10s. a mouth, while from colonial ports they earn £5 ; but this is not the only incentive. In all our ports there are boarding-masters, who in general have been soamen, and therefore ought to have a fellow-feeling for " poor Jack." Such, however, is not the case, for he is looked on as simple otock-in tra<lo, and treated accordingly. The houses kept by these men are supposed to be Jack's harbour of refuge. There he remains till a week or two has passed, when he is shipped away, and the boarding-master has the benefit of the month's advance. In cases where a seaman has landed from a vessel, aud stayed three days at a boarding-house, the whole of a month's note has been absorbed. To deal with this evil is a very easy matter, because the houses and keepers should be licensed in the very same way as victuallers. The liberty of the subject has been raised as a howl of indignation against this course, but nothing else would hare such a good effect, especially if power to grant licences were vested in the Mai me Board. White this would be a highly beneficial step, there is ( another of yet more importance, which is thr total abolition of advauco-notes. It may b« urged that Jack wants clothes, and cannot go to sea without ; but tho head and front trf all offending is this— that Jack's impocu-^ niohity h traded upon by the boarding masters. The advance note is sequestrated,! Jack is fitted out with a donkey'a breakfastj (another name for a mattress), bottle of rum,, bar of soap, and off you go, my good fellow. In days of old all ships carried a slop chest, and even now somo are thus furnished, and if the sailor has made away with his clothes the master can supply him. The great object is to inbtil into Jack some slight amount of self re-pect, and take him out of the hands of the Kind-sharks Hitherto legis'ation has don3 nothing towards cither object, for it would almost seem to be purposed to act by contrary ; but tho evils of the past should be changed by experience, and future laws then would be in consequence more serviceable. The entire course of the last wheat season has been marked by outrages and irregularities on board ships. Siatnen have not been is creditable to the Union Jack as they should have been, but it requires no great amount of discrimination to observe that it is rather the serman's misfortune than hisfauit. And it belongs to legislators to enact such laws as will be of use in preventing in our port any recurrence of the lato atrocities. If. some steps are not taken, and that at an early date, we way expect to drift into the abominable system of treating sailors in San Francisco and New Orleans style, and to find sea captains armed with revolvers, bowie knives, &c, and nmtes with knuckle-dusters and slung shot. Ii would conduce much to the alteration of the system could the Imperial Act ielating to discharges be changed, so that on the conclusion of every voyage it should be optional to discharge or not as a man or master choose. At any rate, there are many competent nautical men in position which necessarily entitle them to great respect, and perhaps if appealed to the lnachiuery cuuld be set in motion to suggest some couioe of action wkieh would meet the case. At jju - peut Jack is as good as his master, and .-ometimes a great deal better ; but there is a u i lo field open to philanthropists, who would benefit a large section of tho community by - moving in the matter. It may also bo deli cately suggested that some of our most earnest missionaries to the heathen m forei^u parts would find quite as broad a held for their exertions much nearer home, and quite as much oalcula f ed to produce good results. — Adelaide Ohserra: