The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-05-13
THE REPUBLIC.

Americans who have 1rst gone To sea to escape
a prison on shore.
Great Britain has recently adopted new
system in relation to her merchant marine that
will have the effect to greatly elevate the char
acter of the British tar, and lessen the perils
and difficulties of navigation-the "Mercan-
tile Marine act, which has only been in opera
ton since the beginning of the present year; the
professed object of the bill is to Improve the con-
diton of Masters, Mates, and Seamen, and main
tain discipline in the merchant service;" and, al
though the new regulations it imposes have not
been very well received, there is no doubt of
its being as beneficial to the seamen themselves
as those who are interested in'maritime affairs
By this act the Board of Trade is invested
with admiralty powers, and bears the same re-
lation TO the merchant service that the admi-
rally does to the navy. We have no Board
of Trade nor any thing in the machinery Of
our Government that bears any relation to one
But there are provisions in the new "Mercan-
tile Marine Act" which are very suggestive OF
improvement in our own admiralty laws. The
act is carried into force by means Of local
boards at sixteen Of the principal seaports of the
United Kingdom. Shipping offices are by this
act all made directly comfortable by the Board
of Trade, and are, in fact, government offices.
The local boards are composed Of the mayor Of
the town, stipendiary magistrate, four mem
bers nominated by the Board Of Trade, and
six members elected by the voters of the town.
So that the democratic and representative prin-
ciple is strongly infused into the new measure.
Every sailor is duly registered, and without
certificate of his registration and discharge
from his last ship, he cannot be shipped on
board another vessel. This effectually prevents
an incompetent or vicious man from being en-
ployed a second time. Captains are required
to keep regular log Of the conduct of the
sailors under their charge, and these logs
are deposited with the local boards, SO that
the character of seaman may be examin-
ed when any doubt exists on that point. AS
to masters and mates, they are subjected to
a more rigorous treatment than seamen; before
they can go to sea in either capacity they have
to undergo strict examination in reference to
their competency; and, without certificate of
their fitness, they are not allowed to go to sea.
These regulations may appear harassing,
and, to us who are so accustomed to the most
liberal construction of the principle of laisseS
fare in all matters pertaining to ships and
their crews, unnecessary; but it must be ac-
knowledged that they will elevate the charac-
ter of the merchant service, and greatly lessen
the perils and dangers of sea voyages.
We may justly boast of the superiority of our
ships, and the high character Of their officers;
but in the great contest now going on between
England and the United States for supremacy
on the, ocean, it stands us in hand to keep
our eyes open to every improvement possible to
be made in manning as we'll as in constructing
our merchant ships. The stringent exactions
of the new Mercantile Marine act of Great Bri-
tain will necessarily winnow the good from the
bad of the crews which man the ships, and the
bad being rejected from their own ships will be
very likely to find their way on board our own.
One great preservative from such danger is the
high wages we pay to sailors, higher than is
paid by any other nation in the world and
this will always secure us an abundant supply
of European seamen, but will also tempt the
vicious and incompetent, from whom we need
some regulation to protect us.