The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-08-20
Cruelty to Seamen.

A recent debate in the British Parliament
shows that the outrageous inhumanity with
which sailors are treated in the merchant
ships ct the two first commercial powers OF
the world, is attracting attention in high
quarters, and gives promise of some attempt
Mt the alienation of crying injustice and
wrong. 1t is undoubtedly essential TO the dis
charge OF their duties that shipmasters should
be clothed with great authority, and the pos
session of such authority may tempt them to a
Gespotic use of it. But there should be pre-
scribed system Of government and Of punish
ment and the commander should not be per-
mitted to act only upon the impulse of his own
brutal passions, and with such weapons as he
may see fit to lay hold of. What would be
thought of maste mechanic who, upon every
disobedience of orders, should snatch up a
hammer or mallet, and lay about him right
and left, or should cut one man down with a
bowie-knife and shoot another with pistol |,
1t is true, that shipmaste tiers must enforce dis
cipline; but it should be discipline upon pre-
.cribed system, as in the United States service.
where IL is considered disgracefu for an officer
to strike a seaman. In reforming the out
RACES now perpetrated upon sailors. it would
be we'll to begin at the beginning, and put a
stratagems, and sometimes actual force, by
which seamen are entrapped on board vessels,
induced to sign articles disagreement when they
are 80 drunk as not to know what they are
about and made drunk for that very purpose.
tits not to be wondered at that amongcrews OBJ
tanned by such means there should be occasion
al examples of dissatisfaction, disobedience,
and even mutiny, thus giving their command
pretext to inflict upon them the most
extraordinary and brutal punishments, often
resulting in the death of the unhappy VIC
Tins. 1t is in consequence OF frequent out
RACES of this kind, on board of American YES
sells, plying between the United States and
Liverpool, that an appeal has been made to
the British Government, and the subject has
been lately brought before the House OF Com
mons by Mr. MoNcKToN MILNEs, who made
an address to her Majesty, praying that steps
might be taken to prevent these assaults ana
cruelties He referred to the fact that the
number of American scamen admitted into
the Liverpool Hospital, TO be treated for
wound. and bruises inflicted upon them by
their officers, from June, 1857, to june ieoe was
no less than one hundred ana thirty-hye.
while from the latter month TO January, 1908,
the number had been eighty-the number IN
the work house from june 1855, to March, leos,
having been no less than twenty-three. The
Attorney General, while admitting the I'M
nortance Of the subject, said there was no ex-
istinr mower or jurisdiction over crimes by
which the evil could be remedied, but he hoped
that a the Government of the United States
Vas ready to unite with that of England In
.aontins any plan which wonld promote the
object in view, some means might be devised
that would overcome the difficulties which
oh1truct the proper adjudication Of this par
,,cnlsr class of men. Certainly, every friend
~ humanity in both countries must hope so,
too. and exert their utmost influence in bring
ing about the result.