The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-02-05
THE SEAMEN'S STRIKE.
Meeting of the Tars Last Evening-2evela-
iious About American Ships-The Ruies of
the Scale OF Wages Reduced.

Meeting of the Tars Last Evening-Revela-
iious About American Ships-The Rates of
the Scale of Wages Reduced.
The seanen's Benevolent and Protective Union
Association held special meeting last evening at
No. lS5 Canal street, After organizing Mr.. Leslie
the treasurer, in absence OF the president, was
elected chairman.
Mr. Leslie said that all the seamen were well aware
for what object the Union had been organized It
might not be powerful enough Just now TO do the
sailor much good but 1t certainly would be of benefit
10 the tar In the future and that future was at no
distant day.
Mr.. Church remarked that the sailors had done
wrong In the start striking for higher wages be-
fore the society had been thoroughly organized The
merchants would not support any movement which
would greatly interfere with their business
but they would sustain the sailors IN
their rights when they struggled for them in
. rnanfnl and not undetermined way. He had con-
snlied with Captain samuels on the subject and he
had advised the distribution OF circulars on board Of
ships a. they arrive In port, in which the seamen
should he invited TO Join the society," The great work
before the society was 70 do away with the blood
money which Is now extorted from seamen for the
privilege Of shipping certain vessels. In the ship
West. which lett this port day or two ago. one OF
the reamen. who had been chosen by the captain
himsei from hundred men, was told by his
boar dinx house shark on going to the house to
get his clothes that he would have to pay I'VE dollars
for tne privilege Of going the ship. The sailor re-
fused. ana another man took his place.
Captain LOOMS said that the sailors should not.
haye struck Tor 80 high rate as they had. As a
snd The owners were not making money ye a.
present. and the sailors should therefore be
s.,,. ns,le &C., eonsiderass. He knew that 4
make contracts directly with the sailors they would
~ very glad 70 avail themselves Of the opportun-
ties that would be offered 10 them. There was no
1000 NNltuWufr who willing tnirfy-
i've, twenty-five and twenty dollars n month to the
overcome. ami no blood money should be paid to
any one.
CAPTAIN Duncan. who was enthusiastically re-
a. = general thing. thousand sailors had right
~ combine and say they would not work for less
tnan certain sun. but they had right TO prevent
others from working. for less than they were willing
10 ~0rk Tor. The saors' best friends were the ship
owners. and their enemies were the shipping
onces ana the boarding masters. II sailor wanted
~ sop ami he had plenty OF money In order to &c;
vessel, be had 70 pay the bonus out OF his own
pocset u he had not plenty the bonus was paid BY
the ship. Nut matter who paid the money IT always
went i1tO the pockets Of the boardlng-hou sharks
o. Shipping o,cer The soclety's great duty there
fore. Wa 10 shake or these vampires, and ff the
society did u duty well the sailors could easily do
awss with them. little initiation fee would sup.
pm u. ana ne felf that The movement inaugurated
y promote the condition Of the sailor was one In
We fi.h direction. NO class Of workmen
lad ~ many temptations 70 combat as the
ashore, IN tue company Of bad Characters aud
AZ The society could change this state
good. TIE men should get married and have their
families m this port, aud get on some good ship
s na 49, =, arf aans ner voysges 70 ana lro pc.
means become attached 10 the officers and the on
GERS 20 them. and there would be no squabbling or
One % TIE sailors remarked that he didnr think
for'y dollars a month was cent TOO much. He had
to1d thai the Insurance people would have yerv
little 20 % win Amencsn ships for the reason
lhat they were never hall manned rhe SAN
llago Dc Cuba, he SAID, had left the port the
otaer asy with q crew consisting OF two boys
add encklayer. besldss the captain and nrss
and tae klbeEnare nad len aiso with q crew OF six
nen each, lnciadinr The captains and mates These
.hps ne sac. bad zen thus manned because they
wvnd nut pay the advanced rate OF wages. lie
sanied 70 NOV 4 the proper authorities would allow
se..eis - cave or long Voyages such manner,
seaman rscsa~cied tbe winning ~ tne shlr Raleigh
snd oid . Dot happen through carelessnexs ana was
man employca on her lie knew thai American
sieatAers ef thus por eyery day with a crew Of
e.essn men. where's kngish sA'ps of tue same ton
Anosner sailor remArked thAi he thought n was
fooiisa - hot oui W forty doiArA. The beat thing
and thsn might ~ an easy matter Ia ct ihsi,
wa0sr raised. Tbere were pcnty 81 owners VINO
wonld eve thirty-nte dollars q month. buf inc
nlo0d money snouid - done away viii ami maj
sboalf - tns pfsarual object ~ the society m tne
men I'D oni 80 ior.s dollars month ior month
y TO advance was NOT granieds "a solcc-~so ~
Iaackseii's isanf.f
taplnin duncan saia thet be ncllcvea thai b,sore
long there ~ogid - government Shipping Oface
established ~ which sailors. after tne fngusn
faslion, cOuld - shipped nom al ports. The United
states Canaul a. Lu1nun had advised that should
- established. for ahe reason thai American sailors
cost ts rpxerun0ni great deal abroad hospital
care yoynres houewsfd. A.. THIS caassel by
captains tAAfnr tsliorw tnker~ And al sorts ~ men
a. sailofN WHO kuow notAinn IT ni " seAiannr ns.
SAILOR reninFked thai NJ fioaght the sIrlke was
lrstlaAD.e bat Ne iet n c0ld not bs slccessfu nov
btca8te fe seor m the tnisr1 states had no pOlitl.
/ rai inaueate. Notofy was hls frleaa and every.
/ lsp,y Ne~ MS abarsF. Three saiyrs hat been
turned ont ~ The new eaiiofs Home IN Franklin
square and refused their clothes because they would
act pny fe harding master eight dollars for q
ehnncs l0F = ship fDf twenty-five collars mouth.
1hey vent 20 ths Mayor about sctuDg t1elr clothes.
| and NE dafur sent them 20 Ms Marshal The Mar
l shA ssnt them 10 TIE tniie1 states Marshal and.
| hnainw ont re n@i nothing 10 Do Win their case,
.ey injured ~ . gentleman. VINO nenf them 70 the
| f1Afu ~ kxrsc and In that way they were seni
| Aboai ~ shos du. iark was me butt for evefy-
4 WniyN lNke gife aud malice.
| y "aA thea moved aud seconded that the rate oi
| NNRss should frffeluced nom the standard n,cd n
previous mertng. the rates 70 he ta5 $40 and $40
| lof shippinE Nrt4es aud $50 or eteADcrs The
mt'hn4 tAsn. alter aIpyiutlDva committee 20 select
candidates TOT me POSITIONS ~ permanent oglIeers
and sish4 ttfee .heers ~ captains Duncan and
! LVOnir, aaIoarnsL