New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-11-16
Unite0 states Shipping commissioner

We are indebted to the shipping commits
sioner of the port Of New OrleansR for q
copv of his report. 1t is 80 concise, prao-
| teal and withal shows his office TO have
been so satisfac torily conducted, that We
| publish it entire:
| OFFICE UNITED STATES SHIPPING ConMIsslosER,>
| No. | Marigny Buildings !
New Orleans, September 30, 1873
| To the honorable judges OF the United States Cir
cult Court:
| have the honor to submit the following
! report of the working of this office, from the
| first day of April, 1873, to the thrtieth OF
| September, 1873, inclusive.
With regard to the shipment OF seamen,a
lust equality of distribution between the
various houses engaged in the business has
! been the chief aim of this office; hv this
ueans perform my duties impartialy.
The Office remains in the same building.
The working Of the law in this port has
had most salutary effect.
Sailors are never shipped wilhelm state
of intoxicatiOn, neither are they paid off
while under the influence of liquor, thus
carrying out one Of the most important
features of the law. After careful c0nsid-
GRAFTON, deem it my duty to call special
attention to what seems to me to be the
primary cause OF most OF the sailors
troubles. The pernicious system of paying
the sailor his wages before they are yet
earned, that is allowing an advance, is, in
my opinion, the great cause OF nearly all
his misfortunes. The absolute necessity of
devising some plan whereby the sailor may
be induced to draw his pay only when act
ually earned is the necessity OF the hour.
A class of sailors known as Liverpool "Buc-
CO.'S" "the roughs of the sea-" have been
almost driven from the service in this port.
Desertions have almost disappeared. This
| attribute to the sending of American mer-
chant ships to sea in day time.
A large majority of the sailor boarding
house keepers have assisted me in the
proper execution of the law, and / am
gratifed to say that in no port in the world
is there more upright class of men than
are those of New Orleans now engaged in
the business.
Since entered upon the discharge of the
duties of this office, but four complaints
have been made to me, by the sailor in per-
son, of any attempt to defraud him in any
manner. On investigation, the guilty par
ties were forced to disgosge-the sailor re-
covering his rights
The number OF seamen shipped in this
office from the first day of April. 1873. to
the thirtieth day of September, 1873, is 784,
receiving as advance wages $33,42l 80.
The number discharged during the same
period is 677, receiving as wages earned
SIS, 322 81.
The number of seamen reported as having
died is four, report of which was officially
furnished the honorable the Circuit Court,
as required by law.
The amount of fees collected is S1906 so.
The disbursements, which include all ex-
penses OF the office, are much greater.
However, in this connection l will state
that the expenses in the future will be
much less, as the Office is now supplied with
everything necessary tn IT'S cOrraot yorkipu
Very respectfully. your obedient servant,
WILLIAM WRIGHT,
United States Shipping Commissioner, pore
Of New Orleans.