The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-05-02
THE AMERICAN SAILOR.

The English people are turning their attention
to the condition Of their sailors. Official reports
have recently brought to light the cruelties and
priyatons to which that unfortunate class of men
is subject and facts are adduced to show that
poor wages, bad food, miserable accommodations,
and unkind treatment generally, are rapidly i'm
pairing its loyalty, and alternating its affections
from the country which has hitherto boosted
of its proves and devotion.
The American service is greatly preferred, and
wholesale assertions from the British navy to the
American are common. A seaman in the Brazil
ian trade expressed his deliberate conviction that
nothing but better wages, better food, and better
treatment, would arrest this evil.
The British Banner says
" 1t seems to be the settled determination of
these men, generally, that although they would
be unwilling to fight against England, they would
not fight for it, were the opposing power America.
Such, we repeat, was their unanimous and spon-
taneous testimony, One said
&C It's the opinion of plenty that know
"Another-
"' Many seamen say so;
"a third
@tThere's thousands OF us ,
A fourth
GO All the men are dissatisfied; >
"A fifth
"'Pd never fire shot -
"A sixth
"'lfa war broke out, would not fight against
America );
"'I could answer for myself and for hundreds
besides;'
"'rll never fight for short weights and stinting
in everything-pot
"And many expressions Of similar character.
"a ar-seeipg countryman from beyond the
Tweed, who has been five years In the American
7ervice declares that they have better wages,
better food, better ships-it Is altogether far
better service On this point he has well ex-
pressed the matter in q single sentence What
goes into an English ships cabin, goes into an
American ships 5orecaaIe9 and the result Of this
Is obvious--sT The Americans are fast getting the
pick of the English navy From what subse-
ouently comes out, II would seem that British
subjects already predominant in the American
navy-such, Mt least, was the opinion Of the ind-
vidual here referred to--and such the actual fact
in the ship he sailed in in which there were nine
teen seamen, only four Of whom were American
born, while no fewer than fourteen were British
subectslD
We know by experience something of the con-
diton of the American sailor in our mercantile
marine, and something OF life on board our
men-of-war through authentic reports
Neither is exactly Paradisaical condition
Very little regard is paid to the comfort or sub
stantial well-being Of the sailor. He is scarcely
recognised as a man, or treated as IL he were any
thing but part of the machinery of ship
There is less Of the discipline Of Despotism on
mercha( man, than on a man-ofwar, but we
should think there was more hard work, and per-
haps worse fare, on the former than in the latter
We do not speak now Of the packet ships be-
tween this country and Europe, but of our mer-
csntile marine generally. The accommodations
provided for sailors are abominable and their
food is hardly so good as that given to slaves
The least possible attention is paid to their CON-
fort, and none at all to the improvement Of their
character. At least such was the state of things
few years ago, and we presume it is little
changed for the better.
10 the Navy, if we may believe many credible
witnesses, the vilest abuses prevail. The sailor
lives under bloody code, and is constantly ex.
posed to the caprices and barbarities Of an ire
sponsible Dsspotism The -o'-nine- tails is the
favorite punishment being the most summary and
convenient means Of enforcing discipline. No
one can read the description by Herman Melville
Of the infiction Of this devilish mode of punish
ment, without horror.
And yet, as the facts above stated show, the
English sailors prefer our service to their own
What hell upon the waters thst service moss
be!
Philanthropic men are striving 70 arouse pop
ular sympathy for the sailor That grsss ABUSES