The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-06-06

The Committee OF Commerce and Manufactures
fubmit their Report on the Memorial of the
Citizens and Mariners of Baltimore on the fuf-
ferinSs OF American Sailors at home, referred
ON the stl infant. 49,
The memorialifts fate as grievance requir-
ing remedy, that feamen of the United States
taken flick or becoming difabled AFTER their grri-
7'al IN Port and before yrbibment u32n a1o-
tier 4'oyage are refufed adnittance into the mfr
mary and denied the benefit CT the mariners
fund, although fuch applicants may have here
tofore PAID hofpital money conformablv to law.
ne diitrefs experienced by many feamen by
this contribution and execution of the law. is
loudly complained of and the nterpoEtion of
Congrefs is folicited to fave the wretched from
their prefent difreis, and to avert 6nilar calani-
ties for the future.
The feroufnefs of this complaint proceeding
from the fuifering ieamen of our country, has
been contemplated with anxiety and concern by
the committee. Their helplefs and unfriended
mutation has been beheld not only with pity, but
with an active benevolence, which at the infant
1t hnds that fucCOur is necenary, exerts itft If
promptly and without hehtation to afford il.
The tpectacle of thele ufeful citizens, who nayi
gate the 1nips of our country on all their vova-
seS III which national glory and national wealth,
are concerned, turned out Of doors, becaufs
they are iick and INDECENT, is too painful to be
beheld without emotion.
The cautc of thefe exhibitions of woe, 70 un-
pleafant to the feelings of individuals, and 20
calculated to afe6t the public fenEbility, is wor-
Thy OF being Investigated. And the committee
believe that much of the evil complained of will
be found 10 proceed from the generalization of
the feamen's fund, by the act of May Sd, 1909.
a reference to the different ftatutes DaiIed on
this fublect viii iatsfy the enquirer that this is
the cafe. By the prudent and fautary proviiion
OF an act patied July 9Th, 1898, it is made the
duty OF the matter Or owner every flip or vef-
iel ot the United States arriving from a foreign
port, and before ihe fhall be admitted to entry,
TO render to the collector true account of the
number oFfaamcn employed on board the venel
hnce her lait entry in any port of the United
States, and to pay to the faid collector at the
rate OF twenty cents month for every feaman
10 employed. The captain is authorized TO de-
due this out oftle failor's wages.-The like re-
gulation was extended to the crews of vefTels
enrolled or hcenfed for the coating trade.
The money thus paid by the Ceamen was de
rotted to be accounted for TO the fecrctary of the
trealury. And the Prcfdcnt of the United
States was authorized 90 provide for the tempo
rary relief OF flick and difabled fcamen. II qyoi
an eFbycfJ condition offbiJ cabifaE fbaf IL Bonld
be eEpeaded Only in the diRria in qobirb il aoas
cotefffd. And as 1t was Judged that in fome diff
tTltt5 furplus would remain over and above
the needful expenditure, it was directed that
tuch iurplus fhould be vCfed in the national
flock, for the purpofe Of accumulation and OF
being enlarged by charitable donations until
proper marine hofpitaIs could be procured for
the permanent accommodation of fcL and difa.
bled ieamen, or what was better, until pcnGon,
could be aligned them.
10 theie excellent regulations another inpor
tant oneiwas added by the tafute of March cd
1899. BY one Of the fe1ions Of this, the rcre
| tary Of the navy was directed to retain in hi
hands twenty cents month from the wages O
officers, icamen, and marines in tie navy, to b.
paid into the treafuIy and expended for the fam,
purpofes rs the money PAID By ftamen in thu
merchants iervice, whether on foreign voyage
or IN the coating trade. But in that very fla
J tute An unhappy diverhon was made of thief
funds from tl.eir original deRination. In fs1n,