New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-07-28
-.,,,, ,,o,,,rrprIAI. MARINE AND THE MER-
'"" CHANT SEAMEN or NETWORK.

,,,s ,.,ion for the sesmcn vary greatly in different
H.. though on the whole the food IN the American
h.n service both to quantity andquay exceeds
ar, q, h. snpd in vessels Of any other nation, the law
HAVING in this instance been careful OF the comforts OF
,h sailor hy enactus that every ship bound across the
Atlantic shsu have board at least sixty gallons OF
,r one hundred pounds of sated meat, and one hun
Ard mounds Of ship bread for every person on board
AMI in che same proportion Tor longer or shorter voy
ACES and as check the neglect of this regulation,
is further enacted that In the event of the crew OF
any vessel net sopro,idcd being put short allowance
during the VOYAGE the owner shall pay 10 each OF the
rr,~ one DAYS wages beyond the SUN agreed for
each day DUNG the continuance OF such limited supply
The rrpv ions lie the fhrecasties and deck houses,
differ very much from various causes but IN the ma
iclity the following is the usual scale OF diet allowed
vh, st sea- though in harbo, or wDen Only few days
e,t ereafer variety is 20 be met with such as fresh
meat vegetables sc On ordinary occasions, however
eae reand of sated beef threeuarers of pound OF
sAtta pork is served ont each alternate day; with the
beef given sue and pound of -four for pudding
and th ihe pork pint Of pease for soup Ship biscuit
Is allowed I'd 1faT likewise mush and mOlasses, for
breakfast While three quarts Of water are allotted for
al he purposes OF drink cooking, and cleanliness. la
many ships sailed on temperance principles, however, as
Is he case with most American vessels no grOg being
included in the diet. allowed on board, tea and
c,fte are given without regard 10 quantity though not
of strength to be dangerously affecting to the nervous
system Vinegar, great luxury at is also supplied
periodically; While on Sundays, puIns are frequently
added he suet occasioung grand feast rather We
should suppose from the variation OF the mOnotOny than
from the luxury Of the dish.
Many vessels enjoy more liberal allowance but the
sailors state that occasions when the owner is DIS
posed be liberal and pays for the first quality OF
goods his interiors will dishonesty put Interior articles
on board and pocket the difference aud in the same
manner with the quantity the being frequently sup
piled with less food than the proprietor Is willing to al
low Although undoubtedly true, these are only excep'
tOpal circumstances aud merely mentioned TO show
10 what priyatons the sailor is exposed with unjust OFF,
GERS over him.
The hOme of the sailor, when at sea- also varies much;
the comfort of the being taken largely into consider
alton in ships, especially the more newly butt,
while Ia Others il is quite neglected In the former
for instance in OF the best clippers the accOmmo
dauon for the is in every respect much better
than be found in that provided for secoDtcaon
passengers in some passeng ships the house where
the crew lodged beng built deck and OF hight of
from six to eight feet thus allowing the to stand
erect This place Is well lighted ami bttcd up WITH coin
forable berths good distances apart, while the ven
taOn effected by the best means that adopted on
shore Tables nd benches are provided and the entire
aspect Of the place is cheerful aud clearly and large
enough 10 accommodate the whole OF the crew al the
sane time if necessary and in cold weather good stove
IL added On board these vessels too the food better
than in the majority Of ships; while in the enght
eped owners have provided books for the Amusement OF
their men dr-,'@ snare hours on example we should
ke to see much more generally followed but one which,
90 far az private efforts concerned IS carried out on
but veTy limited scale
1t is not however by any means the rule that such
attention ia devoted to the Sailors comforts In other
chips the crew live in the tOpgalant Orecaste which
NAV be described follows: In the fore part OF the
vessel second deck is laid about five feet above the
main deck reaching back t. the wlndass, aud thus EN-
bracng that part included in the sweep OF the 0O"s
The length aud width of course depend on the size of
the ship but the hight often little exceeds five feet whe
on account Of its situation in the vessel II becomes
gradually narrower The entrance to this den Ia by
sliding door which alone admits air, II We except the
hawseholes which occasionally require to be kept open'
OH which occasions both wind aud water are freely al
mtted In bad weather, with doors closed, scarcely
any light penetrates if opened, frequent drenchlng Is
inevitable The births or hunks In vessels oil TINS class
are placed close together as TO show that storage ad
not comfort was most regarded in their construction
When the men get wet through as in bad weather they
frequently every watch they suspend their clothes on
nails 10 dry or Dip and the doors kept closed to
Keep out the spray may easily be conceived how un-
healthy must their abode be- with number OF men smut
up in this space among rocking habilimens, with
ventilation So imperfect as to be nears useless.
The evils in relation 10 certain of the boarding houses
Of which we spoke somewhat at length in former art
Gle are so notorious and Of such magnitude, as To have
led to various efforts both individual and united for
their extinction and with success which, II only par
tsl yet leaves hope that 10 the course OF few years
the present system will be deprived Of many II not ALL
of its most obnoxious features The gradual progress of
Temperance principles among certain OF the seaiatng
population induced the opening IN various parts OF the
CITY of boarding houses conducted strictly total an
stintnce regulations, and these offer all the accommo
datons desired, at a rate price, generally about
SO 80 week, they o. he most part not only sell
supporting but really emuneratIve to their propretors,
who opened them a means of gaining living Among
those established with view to profit but partakng
in considerable degree though not entirely OF CHAR
table institution is the Scamans Home, IN Cherry-st
which since s opening in 1872 has given 'omInOda
ton to nearly 10000 persons. Such are in cOnd
ton do So expected 10 pay at the usual rate with
the other Temperance houses (S3 5 Tor their board
and lodging; but all seaiaring men that have become
destitute from any misfortune, such shpwreck illness
or robbery, there ind grG.u0Us shelter, not less than
two hundred having been relieved last yearcOthng as
well as board being Literally provided IN all where
required. This place is capable of accommodating be-
tween 800 aud 400 men, and from the order cleanliness
and general regulations ma, BE- considered quite model
establishment A good library, containing works in all
the leading languages is provided, and there is likewise
Museum for the amusement and instruction of the
more inqnrirg. We may also here mention that there
is in this City Temperance Home exclusively for Col
orcd Seamen, where also the unfortunate RECEIVE gratu
itous relief
tutions some Of quite recent origin devoted to the tenn
moral and spiritual welfare Of iarng OF these
norton are exclusively sustained BY voluntary coatri
buttons; others like the Sailors Home are partly SELF
suppOrtipg while third class maintained by the
eyyiue Of tax on the sailors themselves entry into
the port which entities them ia Of their requiring
IT, the grauous of the institution 10 which they
contribute
Foremost among those dependent solely on the free
offerings Of the benevolent whether regarded for the
multiaous ecis to which IL devOteS Its attention the
extent Of the ed o. It's operations or the amount OF rs
resources, is the American Seamens Friend society,