The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-05-31
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There IS d great deal Of actiye hepeyolleneee
employed, and wisely and judiciouy applied in
ON, large commercial and tima ties hu5
yet it is . reproach, upon To, my epd t
christianity Of the age, thai ~has
beenf made Id ID most IF our tommef =
mites to meliprate the moral and
dition Of sailors. We have inl
people, what the missiogf 'woulA .sopee'
ful subjects rAsa}d rnle,A !ors,tf e
not innately vicious 'stltuf 'nally de,
praved-their faulty ~ ices e these Of
habit and associate 80. Developed and
s~trcngthedI byevlP lmA ons and maliggn
influence. They h.ye o-and distinctive
characteristics coz on 4$them as. a class az
every one knows, from readinAA books which
convey. about as qtic and %unreb., idea
traits and pecru Nhe aborigines Oh =
! 1 st5 J ~ ? "nal observation
We. nus ethe genuine sailor
in a wellI lined a, trio ~mp,
on a lonl 9, and Y" in q man
of-war. I " ind and duly appreciate
his char ebane Of a, sailor, as Of T
Indian .liquor,.- takes to it with the flu
of a & ,ished wolf; he, drinks not q
tableness. for. the poison with W. Is
drugged is nauseous and loathsome nor IL :
exhilarating effects, OIL, in a spirit of c~oDyiyl,
,ity, for q drinking sailor land Dine-teDths ar.
such), is not the character depicted BY sea
novelits-a rollicking, Jolly, glorious fellow,
with more fun and mischief than grog aboard ;
but in his cnps he knows no moderation. He
does not drink like a landman, but gorges his
liquor until he is full, until he loses all con-
seriousness and his faculties arc STEPPED in scottish
forgetfulness. The worst of it is, poor Jack is
not a free agent from the moment o land shark
nabs and takes him in tow. His besetting,
propensity is made the scourge with which his
treacherous and villainous gardian lashes him
into submission and his pleasant vices F" are
made the instruments of his ruin. Jack afoat
%fuences, he is what his noble profession has
made him, free, ingenious and oren-hearted /;
with elevated feeling and generous impulses,
possessing all the elements of a true and manly
character. The most marked popularity in a
sailors moral constitution is, his ingenious
ness. Possessing this trait, he is the most
credulous and impossible Of human beings, and
is thus a facile subject to operate upon either
for good or evil. 1t is a crying shame, and a
reproach upon christians and philanthropists.
that such good material for usefulness should.
by neglect, be pcrvc' made utterly
worthless and tla lber Of
human beings only, facul-
ties in g their home III, ave-"
while on land they are q. vel Of
the brute.
The redemption of the su.nr ..onl this bru-
talized condition. is in one and the most prom
inent phase Or bearing, the particular Office Of
the ministers of religion. It would be pre-
sumptuous in us to urge this subject upon
those who are so well acquainted with the
spiritual wants Of this class of people. 1t is
due to truth and justice to say. that the little
that has been done to improve the condition of
sailors, has been effected by the self sacrificing
exertions Of the ministers of the gospel, and
with but little aid Of encouragement from the
laity. We are looking at this matter ut this
time more in q business or practical point of
view, considering the interest involved, aud the
effects upon the commercial clements of the
country. The services of sailors are as little
appreciated by the public at large as their
characters are misunderstood. Despiscd and
neglected as they are, sailors constitute a class
to whom the world is indebted for the bless
ings and enjoyments that an extended and
increasing commerce. new discoveries, and
territorial acquisitions Invariably bring with
them. With the advance of civilization and
the growth. wealth aud prosperity of a country,
the commercial marine keeps corresponding
pace and the true interests Of the commercial
and business classes are closely identified with,
and Immediately dependent upon. the ability
and fidelity with which those upon whom such
immense responsibilities are imposed, perform
their work. and discharge the duties required
Of them. 1t is a well ascertaihed fact, that the
comparative immunity from accidents, ship
wrecks and loss enjoyed by our large steamers,
our packet ships and n%ationol vessels is owing
to the improved condition 4 who
are employed in such ves better
advised of the truth c. IN the
underwriters OF SCI the
prudent and discrcts ...ancc
Office will always, in Ia .weriminate
between vessels that habltlany have sober and
orderly crew. and those transient vessels that
ship their crews as they can pick them up.
The progress of the commercial marine Of a
prosperous, progressive and vigorous country
like our own, although not properly estimated,
is most wonderful. Nothing more sisnelly
illustrates the rapid growth Of our country in
all the arts of peace, than the astonishing ill.,
"S"7S VI o"A SoiuuiClCldl navy " Nltulll " COM
paratively short space of time.
In the year 1880 the tonnage of American
vessels was l,l9l,T ZIG tons the number of sea-
men and waterman under the American flag,
including those in the navy, a little over ninety
thousand: In 1855, only twenty-five years
afterwards, the tonnage had increased to
5,2l2,000 tons, and the number Of seamen to
nearly four hundred thousand, both having
more than quadruplcd in one-fourth of a cen,
tury.
In 1914 the tonnage of the British CONNER
cial Marine was 2,6l6,965 tons, employing
l12,776 men and boys. In 1854, forty years
afterwards, the tonnage had increased to
5,O43,27O, and her scamen, inclding $4,000 in
her Navy, to nearly 100000, both having
doubled in less than half a century.
The commerce, tonnage and seamen of the
world have much more than doubled during the
last forty years, and there is every indication
that the increase will continue in a still more
progressive ratio. 1t seems then to be q natu-
raj prompting of common humanity, if not of
religious and moral obligation, and the dicta.
ton Of a selfish pecuniary interest, to improve
by all practicable means, by conventional
agencies, such as Sailors Homes, Bethels.
Savings Banks, and other kindred institutions,
fhn n,OrOI social ,,l -l...1 - 49,. e.