The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-12-21

produced 10 the COLLECTOR
Cd The death of the seaman;
| 3D. Ills absconding or desertion; and
| 4th His impressment into other service
In the three latter he is bound to exhibit to the
collector satisfactory proof OF the alleged facts
The consent Of HE consul to the Seamans discharge
Whilst il is the duty Of the United States, any event
TO provide Tor the relief of their distressed in for
egn countries and Tor their return home, isnot Just tina
me government should bear the expense OF performing
this duty when Is imposed for the accommodation
advantage OF the masters OF vessels He who receives
he oeneht ought TO bear the charge. Ii was therefore
provided by the act OF February 1sO3 that no consu
should consent TO the discharge OF a in foregT
country and thereby relieve the master of vessel from
ms bond until such master should first to the consul
NC! 'ior every seaman or mariner so discharged benl
designated on such list a citizen of the United States
hree months pay over and above the wages which may
men DC due 70 such mariner or seaman wothrds there
OIL 10 De paid by such consul commercial agent TO each
seaman or mariner so discharged, upon his engagement
ON board oil any vessel To return to the United States
and the other remaining third 10 be retained for the pu
pose OF creating fund for the payment OF the passages
OF seamen or mariners, citizens OF the United States
who may be desrous of returning TO the United States
and for the maintenance of American seamen who may
be destitute, and may be in such foreign port"
BY the provisions OF this act could be law
fully discharged abroad, under any circumstances with
out this payment OF the three months wages The con-
sui could not consent his discharge on any other cond
hon And this was no hardship the master OF the
vessel He was bound by his bond to return his seamen
to the United States, and the payment OF these three
months wages relieved him from this obligation.
Thus the law remained until after the passage of the
Act IN addition to the several acts regulating the ship
ment and discharge OF and the duties OF consu
approved July 20, 1910 Under this act our consuls
authorized they deem it expedent, to discharge
men In any foreign port upon the Joint application OF the
master and seamen, without requiring this payment
This provision has proved alike injurious to the
man. and unusty expensive to the United States 1t has
diminished the fund provided by law for the support OF
destitute in foreign countries and for their return
to the United States and has the burden upon the
public treasury 1t has benefited person but the ship
owner in relieving him from the obligation justly imposed
upon him OF restoring the which navlgated his
sci to their country and their home.
Should Congress deem expedlent TO repeal this pro-
vision OF the act OF lS4O and indeed any event. may
be proper 10 place whaers by positive enactment upon
the same footing with other vessels regard to the pay
ment OF the three months wages Whaling voyages are
often undertaken upon an agreement between all persons
on board to share the profits of the adventure and hence
II has been conended that specific wages in
such cases stipulated the master is not bound pay
equivalent for the three months wages upon the discharge
OF seaman Although the decision at the treasury has
been against such exemption, it is submitted whether the
point should not be placed beyond doubt OF dispute
Equal justice requires that the masters OF such whaers
should be placed the same footing in this respect with
the masters of other vessels
II may be stated that under the act OF July, $780, it has
been left to the discretion of the consul whether he will
allow the discharge OF seaman without the payment o
the three months wages; but Yet it is difficult for him
when both the master and the mariner insist upon it, to
resist their joint application The consequence has been
that great numbers OF our seamen, discharged chiefly
from whaling vessels, left destitute on the distant
islands and shores OF the Pacific charge TO the govern
ment Whilst this law has thus aggravated the suffer
mgs OF seamen and delayed their return TO their country
has entaed on the treasury heavy additional expense
for their relief and their passage to the United States
Opportunities offer but seldom in those remote regions or
sending them home and they often remain there long
time In charge OF our consuls The money expended fol-
the relief OF American seamen at the Sandwich islands
the Society Islands, Valparaiso Cape OF Good Hope, Ii
ma Paita and Tacahuano has increased more than three
fold since the passage of the act OF 1910. The amount
dIsbursed Tor that year was Sl4 5s9 o. whilst for the
year 1885, the last for which full returns have been re
ceiyel. 4 Amounted To Sll 49, wide No
), attached to this report
AS before observed it is not intended to convey the
idea that the whole of this increase of expenditure
trbutabe to that act The extension of whale fish
cries. with which all must be grahfed, is of its eg
mate causes Moreover, the hospital and medical eX.
penses and the charge for boarding these ports
to be eyravagant though possibly they may be
ry wide statement No 6, attached to this repol Oul
consus receive hVe per cent as compensation for the
direct interest in increasing the amount Whilst it nigh,
be unjust TO nsnuae that this interest has interior
ed with the discharge OF their duty yet is submitted that
they ought to be compensated by fixed salary instead OF
commissions for the performance of this service
Some legislation is necessary to enforce compliance
with the conditions of the bond required to be executed
by masters of vessels under the first section OF the act
1903 From all that can be learned, this bond has, III
practice, become nearly dead letter Although seamer
are often discharged in foreign ports without compliance
with OF the provisions OF the law yet suits have rare
ly been brought upon these bonds.
1t respectfully suggested that it be made by law thu
duty of the collector to cause suit to be instituted on eve
ry such bond, after limited PERIOD unless in the NEAR
time the evidence required by the act to prove compl
with its condition shall be exhibited by the master
the vessel Some such provision is necessary, both TO
the protection of seamen from injustice and illheatmen
and the United States from imposition.
| Consular Correspondence.
The bill properly requires consus and vice consuls t.
furnish to the department, at stated periods, such nto
nation may be rendered useful to the country, ant
imposes upon it the corresponding duty of cornmunicat
ing this information annually to Congress in dgestet
form The secretary has already had occasion to state
his opinion this subject the 10th March last, II
his 10 the inquiries of the Committee on the Ju
dietary of the House. reference to the reorganization
the State Department, to which he respectfully re-
fers REPORT No 5j2, of the last session OF Congress
He entertans not doubt that mass of information
might be procured through the agency of properly
constituted consular system which would be OF great ad
vantage to the navigating commercial, agricultural and
manufacturing interests of the country But in order
render this available, it is Indispensable that compe
tent person should be employed as the bill proposes,
digest arrange and publish the information thus obtained
for the OF Congress and the people is impossible
that the two consular clerks now IN the department
should besides their present duty of corresponding witt
one hundred and sxtyeght consuls the current bus
ness of their consulaes, perform this additional service
Indeed these clerks sufficient for the proper dis
charge of the business of the branch on which
they are employed.
Consular certificates 10 tnuoices Of foreign goods.
The Secretary would merely glance at the subject,
one more properly belonging to the Treasury Department
He is convinced however that under proper regulations
consular certificates the places of expectation, TO al
invoices of foreign goods might be rendered an eclen
means of ascertaning their true value and thereby pre-
would, at the same time, secure the honest merchan
against fraudulent competition. Further legislation OF
this subject has become the necessary since the alb
clifton of all specific duties under the present tariff