The hydraulic press., 1860-10-27
THE MONSTER movopoLY.

Wnicn are cdIculateu 10 cna1e the spirit, II
not arouse it to actual revolution. Foryears
they have permitted monstrous steamship
maltreat their persons, and endanger their
lives, without resorting to means of redress.
The law of Congress seems powerless to
correct these outrages the remonstrances
of the travelling public have not succeeded
in abating them. The shameless swindles
and abuses still go on, and the public con.
tinue to endure.
We find, thatalthough expressly forbidden
to carry more than a specified number of
passengers, according to their tonnage and
capacity, these steamships transcend the
restriction in double, treble, aud'quadru-
pie degree. Cabin passengers areireeeived
on board under promises of comforts to be
provided, which premises are violated so
soon as the vessels get cleverly out to sea.
The. places appropriated for steerage passen-
gers, are given up to cattle, sheep and swine.
This class of innocent and comparably
defenceless people, are the worst imposed
upon and misused of all. From the humili-
ty of their position, they are not even privi-
legged to complain; or should they do So,
expose themselves to be placed in irons, or
leveled to the deck by blow from blud-
geon in the hands of some brutal officer.
If the law affords no satisfaction in such
cases-if the steamship proprietors know
ingly and wilfully violate'the law, and thus
place themselves outside the 'pale.of It's pro-
tection-who could blame the man, or sett
of men, who would undertake to protect
themselves by q summary enforcement of
their rights by the strong arm of self-con-
stituted and seif-exercised ipowerl
1t has often been matter of surpfise'to TO
us-a peaceable citizen; one who despises
mobs and unruly assemblages of any and
every kind, where there are good laws, and
regularly constituted authorities to enforce
them-how human nature could tamely SUBJ
nit to such outrages. And they are multi
plying and growing worse every deg. The
ships, which were formerly approved for
their capacity, speed and safety, have been
generally supplanted by miserable tubs,
unseaworthy, filthy and cramped in the
nature of their accommodations. No effort
is made to secure short voyages-no spirit
of generous courtesy exhibited by the off,
cers-the whole idea of the concern appears
to be founded upon o stupendouS project of
money making, aad in the greedy pursuit of
this object, human comfert, pleasure, and
even life itself, will be sacrificed whenever
occasion may require.
As an evidence that we speak by Che card,
we quote from an article just published in
the shape of remonstrance, signed by
portion of the cabin passengers who, few
weeks ago, sailed from New York to Aspin
wall on the ship Ariel, of the Vanderbilt
line. Among the names appended to it, we
find those of John Curry, Paul Morrill,, E
W. McKinstry, Austin E. Smith, Jacob Ish
and L. Wertheimer, respectable gentlemen,
well known to most of the people of Cali
fornia. Here arc a couple of extracts from
their bill of complaint, viz:
On leaving New York, it soon appeared that
of the number of passengers aboard, about l60
had first cabin tickets and about l6O second cab
in tickets, whilst the number of steerage passen-
gers embraced over one hundred, and that the
space usually allotted to the latter, on the deck
of the ship, was encountered with sheep, horses,
etc. Without any consultation with the first
cabin passengers, many OF whom had anticipated
their period of departure from New York, in order
to avail themselves of frst-class accommodation
with limited numbers, the second cabin passen-
gers were crowded IN the quarters of the first /;
and owing to the employment of the room usual
ly allotted to baggage with freight, every con-
ceivable space on the single deck possessed by
the ship, became crowded with passengers Of
every description, and their baggage.
clean tabie-cloth was rarity; and ice, ex-
cept at meal times, luxury which might be
bought, but could not be begged; whilst the pro-
visions for the voyage-to SUM all in a few words
whether reference be had to the quality of the
food or its mode of preparation, and the general
eqipment of the table, composed Of the odds and
ends of old steamboat furniture, was unquallif-
edly abominable, and unworthy fatboat, in the
early history of our country. And thus have
been, throughout the voyage to Aspinwall, the
entire accommodations on board. Filth, and
neglect of all cleanliness, have been the preva-
lent characteristics in the management of the
ship. Water for the steerage was often obtained
from pump located on the only deck allotted to
cabin passengers; and hour after hour-and
often minnie after minute-were they annoyed
by half-clothed menials, traversing the limited
space allowed them, with buckets of water, leak
ing and splashing in every direction. Everything
appeared to be directed by an eye to parsimony,
and the comfort of the passenger the last thing
considered. Anxious to form an acquaintance
with the officers of the ship, we have experienced
difficulty in finding any except the captain. The
first officer has been invisible since the first day,
owing, we learn, to fit of intoxication; while
the combined duties of baggage-master, physi-
clan, purser and chaplain, lat salary of $50
per month y all concentrated in one individual,
have rendered him myth, whom none could
locate, and none could find when he was wanted.
Fortunately kind Providence watched over US,
or the Inconsistency of the same individual being
sought by one passenger for trunk, and anoth-
er for relief from a fit of colic, or to dsburse
pork and beans to the cook, and to administer