New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-07-08

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lowcroWned bit which be is continually tsirling. and
spotless white ducks externally being hitched" Such
characters fever they existed Of the past and the
present knows them not though We have lately been
amused seeing the wharfs innovation Indeed
revoutOn) n several instances OF sailor In fall dress
not adopting the view the Feeee Islander whose
anti DOrsay notion Of full evening costume consisted 10
sshircolsr and pair Of strapsbut with snowy gold
broach in the shirt 'front.' decidedly tight pants and hair
80 if fresh from the skill of some river ee,fsxr.
Ii 10 always an eusracioas task 20 break through
pleasing dssion but the truth told the better
and we enthusiastically SAP that il would be impossible 70
find any other body Of equally numerous, N what
ever capacity ignorant and unsnteigeot and so 10
tally given up to all kinds OF sensussy and 10y ndat
rences 80 are the great body Of the men before the
mast We know from experience how dIfhcnlt n Is.
in q sweeping censure Of class, 70 svosd unntcn-
tionay uoundine the feelings Of such as happen TO nnd
themselves among body indicated as io the present IN
stance but We must leave IL 70 the good scnseot sScn
shese who are az least web aware OF the bets IS
ourselves 20 that are compelled 20 speak sne
prevailing rule. and in general terms and must not 81
low ourselves tn be diverted from exposure OF grew
and abuses because there are minority 70 wncm
cur remarks will not justly apply
To Illustrate position 90 the ignorance wanto IN
tegesee hepessness and addiction TO the lowest Pca-
observable in sesmen lee suppose the arysl Of
vessel from distant India, China or Caforuia
for instance No does she reach Quarantine ground
than she is boarded by from the various sea-
have home in the city (Of course impossblity In
most cases he induced accompany these soaters
to their hotel" situated in the lowest psrtS Of the
town the worst Of those the East River ocng ia
Water and Cherry-s SITS. and their vicnity-thos tho
North River in Washngton-st, although they nS %
found scattered pretty thickly throughout all
tricts sc all near the shipping From the mousm tao
victim first sets his foot in any o. these dens tll bus
forced departure, he is systematically pueked 49,
proprietors of these respectable abodes have sss
and disrraet dsfrusf of In cco'~
tonal sailors costume, and hence Is very dfee Ssa
tain access to the sleeping apartments they prcsHe "A
description by former inhabitant Of one OF them -
means conveys the idea that they would bed12sna
for the bridal chamber at any of our large In
deed Of the two they would probably rather remind one
of a maDger But. as, for the efecual means OF
carrying out the nefarous system Of the landlord bar
10 attached to most of these places IL Is mp ec 70
exclude the public from sights which il would p.cssoy
be conducive TO the interests of the propreto 70
conceal though the impuny with which their practices
have hitherto been tolerated, has perhaps tended ~
make them torgetul Of the possibility that public aten
tiOn might by such means be attracted 10 them and
their transactions.
We have recently visited several Of the b'rooms
connected with the sailors clearinghouse in ys,ioas
parts of the town. and description OF any Que OF then
would tor ALL Situated in the lowest istricts,
frequently down in Easements in rooms apparently never
swept or ceansed, these bars at all tines from
early morning till many hours after midnight surrounded
by men dressed generally in q costume denoting tho
wearer either to be sailor or following some Que OF tho
numerous cangs which seaport town calls into exist
ence All degrees of ntOxcaon may there be studied,
the benches being often literally covered with men
either nsensiby drunk or trying TO sleep ell the effects
of their deep potations At the dirty tables two
oyal parties seated the only dispute at first being
No 20 who shall stand drinks round each insisting
his own privilege to do The harmony With which
these entertainments commence il generally Of short
duration only lasting till the maddenlng liquor with
which the customers are supplied begins to have an IN
uence and the frequent quarres which occur too often
terminate in a leading 10 an announcement In
the public journals of Another Fatal Afiy in Por-
teriIouse" and the matter ends usually by the for
mary COrontrs Inquest Still no active steps have
ever been taken to eradicate system which brings
about these and similar atrocities with such appalling
frequency.
ANY place aflOat or ashore seems with many 10 DO
considered good enough for a saOr-but the cramped,
dark dirty unyentilaed foecastes of Of the old
vessels are not so bad the lodgings provided for him
ashore without the advantage OF the tine bracng seaalr
aud the habits Of temperance necessarily enforced at
sea Some of the yiest and fthes sites appear have
been selected for sailors lodgings; cellars with little
light and less air being quite ayoe spots wththe land
lords and this yanOus accommodation and worse food
and drink, if possible is provided at cost somewhat
more extayagant than would be paid at respectable city
hotels-a fact perfectly well known TO merchants aud
sbipowners though perhaps hardly credible 70 such
have DO acquaintance with the subject. The method
adopted is very simple and highly effective. As az
The have introduced the raOr 20 MS DDhrdlng
house he is at well soaked with liquor aud kept In
a state of entire partial ntOxicatOn till he IL re-
shipped On his arrival ashore previous to getting paid
off be il generally quite out Of cash. and the generous
landlord advances him few dollars and gives him IN
limited liquor credit When settlement is made by
the owners the landlord contryes 10 get possession Of
The whole of the wages sometimes under the plea othe
debts contracted but frequently OF the request OF
rhe sailor himself who bewidered by his constant In
ebrety requests him TO take charge of il, which tho
landlord very eTectually does In some instances tho
farce of keeppR an account gone through but in such
CAGES that method of book keeping popularity known ~
the doublecbalk system, differing fundamentally from
the Italian being kind OF double entry unrecopzsd by
Good accountants is the most generally adopted, bat in
the minority cases still more simple ways pracficed;
Jack draws FIVE o. dollars every now and then, az 10
NAV require them for bis qualification ashore, has HE
hoard and lodging supplied him, and Ia allowed
uncontrolled sway over the various barrels Of
poson in the cellars for his use and 70 "treat"
bis friends till the landlord, thinking be has nov had
CROUCH for his money tells him he has oyeriragn his
account, makes him very drunk, and again ships him
board an outWardbouBd vessel, making further profit
Nv that transaction, in way shall hereafter show
II /, impCssble % magnify the yainy Of this SYSTEM
nor is there any need tor t speaks for itself These
men Who in the words OF one OF Themselves have 70
do the work Of an elephant upon the keep and lodging
"of pig" are perhaps the most hard-worked Of any
class who have 10 gain their living by the sweat Of tho
brow vet all experience seems lost upOn them and an
tguated prOverb suggesting that they earn their money
ike horses and spend like asses is a. applicable TO
the present race 70 that for which It Was written
Those men who have been absent long cruise often
have 10 draw as much az S20 due 10 them for services
and vet this SUM- which they might put 10 such good
count il frequently squandered in the Of month
AZ low boarding house den and in these few weeks the
lme man is put aboard another vessel isensiby drunk,
, begpar without even change Of clothes-a months
advance already expended and all bis property vested
in shoUv red shirt and bundle Of tobacco under bis