The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-01
OCEAN sTEERAGE ABUSES.


from "Observer.,
TO rHs BDrroR or rHEA
in this mornings HERALD quo, 70. 'ou 'ne British
Passenger act quite enough to she, ~. 'pi' WIN
which Great Britain protects emigrA ~ nun her
shores The Passenger act ID strIctss 'u'oiocu
upon all vessels carrying more than ~, adu><
passengers, and no vessel can depart from bit
Ism harbor with larger number OF steerage passed.
gers ON board without conforming to the provisions
OF the act so far as they can be enforced, before
she taxes her departure. II the ship should pro-
coed to British colonial port and vio-
late any OF the conditions OF the act during
her voyage the aggrieved passengers have their
remedy In an action before any two or more
Justices of the Peace OF the colony thus emigrants
from Great Britain or Ireland landing in Canada.
Nova Scotia or New Brunswick would find redress
at hand at their port ofarrval, while those landing
&C New York can seek redress only In the courts
OF the United Kingdom, and as very few steerage
passengers are in position to return to thai c0un
try to prosecute their claims the remedy OF an ap
peal to British courts through the British Emigra-
ton Board is practically imperative and useless to
the injured immigrant who may land in the United
States. Protection for the emgrant against viola
tons Of the passenger contract, either through in
sufficient accommodation or food or III treatment
during the voyage, only be secured by q
tribunal at the port OF arrival easily accessible to
plants and enforce redress for established wrongs
suffered upon the voyage. 1t Is suggested
wnd Lead to manv and
against the emigrant vessels, and might entail Sc
ri0us loss upon their owners, and incidentally IN
crease the rate of passage BY adding to the ex-
penses OF the steamers engaged In the trade. As.
any advance In the passage money infcts pen
atty upon the whole body OF emigrants, this is =
contingency which should be carefully guarded
against. The greatest boon which can be conferred
upon nine-renths OF the immigrants to our shores.
a
the opinion that no radical change can be made In
the system which now subsists, and, is faithfully
carried out on the leading German and British
steamship lines, without enhancing the price OF a.
steerage passage and to some extent discouraglng
the Interests OF the emigrants themseves-tO guard
the emigrapt carrier from the abuses OF unfair or
vexatious litigation or matchmaking threats OF
prosecution on frivolous or trumped-up charges.
Some arrangement which would fairly protect the
interests Of all parties can, no doubt, be devised
For example, let complaint against an 0ifending
ship be made In the first instance to the Commas
sloners of Emigration and empower those COM
missloners any two OF them, to sue for penalties
or damages before United States Commissioner,
with form OF appeal in cases involving consider.
able sums to the District Court OF the United
States. This or any better plan which may be de.
cided upon needs, as | mentioned yesterday, an
international agreement before It can be put into
parties, the emgrant as well az the steamship
owner. With very few exceptions, the steamship
the law calls for, and larger and better supply Of
food. They have nothing to fear from the fullest in
VeStlRaClOn. luIelllBeHuy anu uoucSciy Cohuuou0us
They cannot, OF course, afford to give steeraHe
passenger all the comforts OF saloon passenger,
who pays three times the steerage charge; but the
steerage passenger II he gets all that ne is legally
entitled TO, has the satisfaction OF crossing at
cheap fare and saving his money. Should he prefer
comfort to economy, saloon passage Is open TO
him at saloon fare. Choice or his needs alone
take him into the steerage rather than into the
saloon, and all extravaganC measures OF reform
must surely increase the price OF passage, and
severely tax the scanty means OF many emlgrants.
on the other hand, certain changes In favor OF the
emigrant can be made without sensibly increasing
the cost OF transportation, and all such abuses as
those described by Mr.. Mcdonnell can be guarded
against severely punished. Scenes revolving to
common decency and humanity should no longer
be tolerated even in the steerage OF q crowded
emgrant steamer, and the summary punishment =
OF the offenders at the port OF destination would
soon put an end to such brutalities as those re-
fcrred to. lam, &C., OBSERVER.
NEW YORK. Jan. 80, 1873.