New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-02-26

We referred, the other dsy, TO the comments o
the Liverpool press upon the condition Of the Amr-
lean mercantile marine, as developed in judicial
proceedings occurring in that city. Those ebser-
vations have led to the passage, at meeting Of
American shipuasters held in Liverpool of a series
of resolutions Of very significant character, and
the moIe worthy Of attention as from their phrase
oloey, they were evidently got up by the ship
masters themselves. Not more than ten years ago
so these resolutions s.ate-American vessels lay
in the docks Of Liverpool, patterns of order aud
cleanliness, with happy aud well-clad crews of
effcien. seanen on board and if any vacancy hap.
pened, there were abundant applicants, and those
good. substantial seamen, to fill it.
Within ten years there has sprung up class Of
American shipping. masters' as they style them
selves, through whose agency alone sailors now
be obtained and who are represented as conspira-
tors with the sailor landlords, to plumber the sailors
and to cheat the shipown These landlords, not
content with draining the sailors of the last penny
Of their wages by some former voyage, bring them
into debt, and to pay that debt sell them, as were,
to the shipping masters, who send them on board in
q
of their more fortunate shipmates or the emigran.
passengers in order to procure clothes to protect
them against the cold. "By this means, say these
resolutions "most particularly in the Atlantic trade,
'al well disposed seamen have been driven out of our
"ships, through fear of losing their all, and given
"place to gang of desperadoes who depend upon
1.-THE chance of stealing as compensation for a pas
that all the money they are to receive has gone,
in payment Of advances to the landlords and ship
ping SCENTS, it is only the opportunity Of stealing
that oers to these desperadoes any chance of gain
ing anything by the voyage. cit is lamenta-
81 Bile fact that both masters and seamen have BEEN
"equslly the dupes of land 'harks-we can find no
better name for them-the one paying good
"gocd money for spurious material, and the other
being robbed Of his wages both at the commence
"ment of the voyage and the end of it,
The remedy suggested is treaty of reci-
proci'y," under which may be appointed some
responsible shipping agent, or some action of the
authorities constituting the masters their own ship
ping SCENTS, so that they may have some opportu-
bity to test the qualifications Of those who are to
constitute their crews. But, as we understand the
matter, there ia no obligation on the part Of our
ship-owners and ship. masters at Liverpool, any
more than at home, b employ the agency Of
shipping masters in providing crew; and
these resolutions confess that this usage is
not confined to Liverpool and other English
ports, but exists, also, and with equally bad
consequences, throughout the United States.
The only really valuable suggestion contained in the
resolutions is, the abandonment by ship-owners Of
the system of advance pay which, instead Of being
q means, as it used to be- to enable the sailor to
fuInish himself for the voyage, has become so much
bloOd.money paid to the landlords and shipping
masters TO buy crew. For the springing up Of
this abuse with all its evil consequence, among
others, the evil consequence TO themselves Of hav-
ing often very bad article pamed off upon them,
sbip-owners are themselves in great degree re-
.pOpsible. Hiring crews, chafering with the men
for wages, and picking them up one BY one, was
too slow process. Keeping on good terms with
the men so as to attach them to the vessel,
by comfortable quarters, good provisions, &c, was
thought too troublesome and expensive. It was
deemed shorter and cheaper to buy crew outrgh.
of a landlord through shipping master, and to
take them on board, drunk or sober, with an outfit
or without just as the landlord might choose to
deliver them. The owners Of vessels, under the
idea of saving time and trouble and getting sailor,
a. such wages as they might choose to offer, them
selves introduced this detestable shipping system,
allowed it to spring up. 1t is for them to take steps
for its suppression. Already it has brought the
boosted superiority of American ships into danger.
A year or two ago, afamily quarrel, originally