Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-03-23
$4,000
$4,000
1900
Tons, 1,217,O00

II. The number of seamen required for the ra-
Yigatlon OF American vessels, may be computed
from the crews, which they usually shI.. ,nclud.
ing oflcer and boys, at an average of nearly SIX
Tor every hundred tons EMPLOYED in The E,re, Or,
and coastlng trade, and Of about eight for eve,v
hundred ions employed iii the fisheries. rms
computation will pace he whole number of sea.
nie'' required ioc me nav CATION Of American
vessels, at about 10000.
III. and Nv. The number of American sesm.,
native or naturaliZed citizens, and the nu,,,er &c
ioreign seamen, who are employed in The NOR
chant service of the u. States. canno, h. sa.o.
tanned from any documents in the treasury IL
partment. 1t is believed, indeed, that ,be,e a,
hot exist any where, the means of chasing he
seamen according TO that discrlm mai ion . S,r 81
ascertain nS their humber, except IN the erne~oI
mode OF computation, which has been In, -
upon me present occasion. The acIs f,r the 20
iiei and protection OF American seamen. nrovida
that the collector of every district s,,iI go
Dook' III which at the request of any seamaa. be-
n6 clCzeh oi Tue United States, aud Or .duc,ne
proof OF has Citizenship authenticated m !, -
ner winch the &C has ON tied TO define he sbau
enter the name of Tie appl, cant: and ,hat -
collector Shall return a list of the seamen nc
SIS'efed, once every three months. 10 The Sscr.-
'afy on State, VINO 5 required to Iay before O..
49, q" a'inual stat nlent or the re urns ia
"'o Pto'iueu ina before a clearance be granted
Wa"J 'sSsSlI OOufu On u lure gn voyage, tie mas.
ter shall deliver 10 inc COLLECTOR oflbe cu.fo"a-
LIST containing, as far as he can ascer,a;, IL
names, places OF birth and residence. and a des.
criptioh OF the persons who Compose ms shi,Is
Company, Tor "hom lie IS bound 20 account in
on ms return 10 The United States. But exner,-
encs has shown, that nen her the register ,vb,c,
only includes the names If cit zens who ,barn-
selves request 10 be re- Istored nor the .re,u-
lists furnished by the masIer- OF vessels eonIoy-
ed IN the foreign trade, upon gene. al ,nformatinn.
aiioro a satisfactory test, to q stingu,sli the NO
tive from the naturalIzed se4men. nor even IN Il q
thguIsh the Citizen from he alien and mar ne
dler can be relied on, to establisi. the arrrega,s
number OF seamen, employed IN tie mepcnan,s
service
IN ne year 1907, an attempt was made IN es,i.
mate the propor ion Of for gi 10 American CO.
men on board Of American v ssels but he r. :
OF he estimate vas to- unseUled and bypo,b !.
ucai, 20 conman confidence ia tle result It
was then supposed, ha, nee. l. one sIxtIl of tine
Whole humbe' Of seamen employed in nsv.e,t,ng
american vessels were tore gn seamen , and m q
particularly Ilat IF the number OF seamen ,m-
Ployed IN the foreign trade, a least on,. f,,r,,
were foreigners. There are reasons to nre-,,.a
tlat the proportion OF foreign " American se,,
men IS less at this time than il was IN tie year
loO1 and that it will become les, siuI "a Is
nations OF Europe, in conseque &c of the .ener,I
peace, become more and more lhe carrier. IS
their own imports and exports
L have the honor to be, &c.
A. j. DALLAS.