The sun., 1878-07-21
room JACKS FRIEND, OR NOTs
Capt. Duncap's Admini.tration as Seen by
ship brokers and Oyncrs

u
do not coincide with the complacont opinion on
tcrtained Of himself and his work by Capt c. G.
Duncan. United States Shipping Commissioner
Tor the port Of New York. Tho law authorizes
the Circuit Courts in seaport towns where there
are ports of entry 30 appoint Shipping Commits
sioners for each port clothes such commissions
ers with power TO supervise contracts between
captains and crows in order to protect scnmen
from the land sharks. and requires them to
keep registry Of seamen. to facilitate apron
ticing. and to perform other like duties. Mr.
Gustavus A. Brett President of the Ship own
ers' Association snys that his yiows Of tho law
under which Capt Duncan acts. and his con-
duct under IT, were expressed In what was
known as the Ward bill. which was introduced
In Congress in 1876. amended and passed by
the lower House. but whose further progress
was arrested there by tho Prcsdcnt-maklng
fever. and since by the consequent invcsti-
cations. This bill proposed to transfer the
appointing power. and the powor to fix fecs and
make regulations from the Circuit Courts to the
Secretary Of the Treasury. The old law re-
uuires the Shipping Commissioner to pay his
surplus fees into the Treasury OF the United
States. Application has several times boon
made to the power that appointed Capt. Duncan
to have his accounts investigated. but in vain.
and as by his own showing. he collects t5O000
or 500 900 in addition 10 his fees II is felt to he
desirable to have him amonablo to the same
power ~ the Custom Houses. and to have his
accounts made n matter of record Although
he Is only authorized by law to retain $1,000
year for his services. there is no record Of his
ever having paid n cont Of this largo sum into
the Treasury. Tho now bill also proposes to
transfer his Office to tho Custom House or It's
vicinity. to ohviale acaus" OF COMPLAINT by own
crs and mnsi-rs IN travelling thence uu 20 Capt
Duncan. uagnii. .'nt pugrers in Cherry! street
Another important amendment UrOpoe ID to rn-
move one great bone OF contention between the
shipping Commis-luner and shipmn-tcrs. 10y
prohibiting the Commissioner or his clerks
from engaging IN procuring seamcn. and dis
criminuiing IN their selection 10y mnsters; nnd
to rodu' tho present cNaction Of oncrous fees
by the Commissioner from soamen.
This bin. Mr.. Brou says, was favored by
nearly AT the shin owners. brokers. and mas
tors. Tho only opposition To- ~ rnmr from off
GERS of The American Snnmen'- Friend Society
n which Mr.. Richard +. Buck Is lr, sdent. md
Mr.. Jnmrs W. Elwell and Cnpi Snow. OF Snow
the laW under which Cant. Duncan was ap-
noinl"d and they still maintain that II is al bcne-
Nj iiinckcn. Of the firm Of Boyd 4 Hipckcn.
another well known authority ma the shipping
interests, sny~ No doubt ihnrc were some
abuses which required To I've remedied when
Capt bunrau's law WIS passed. aud he. being
an Old ahipm0sicr, many of u. hoped that he
would 80 "a" right way about It, Instead OF
mnk klug wnr upon ull the ~hiumasicis ae body.
and branding tlpm al as thieves and pickpoek
dishonest shipma-fer- Your house H. hot n
reputable house. II YOU do not do better. Will
tnkc away yuur license. s1 that you cannot shin
men hero he would thon have had all the
good men IN the shipping business - support
him, and might have weeded out the disrcputa.
hlc ones. But be- made war ON the whole VI
them Ms n class from tho very first Thcy were
ala branded as robbers aud aS taking blood
money Tie result wns that W. could not got
our crows through Can't Duncan. our ships
lny here day aii.r day waiting Tor him To- ship
them; and We couldn't rieAr al the Custom
House with Iu' his clearance.
ON ono oecasion w. had a vessel lying here
with euEe 90 Stii 90 su IA % day. Capt. lun-
cam -a, W Wl. gc' you rrw IN q day gr
two ! sent word 90 him chat We must haNe the
cr'w in imr i,rtne shin To sail IN the day
lN' % II -lIi ca ~ ih' river ana VIII ilNk
ur % rr. 1855 40 Nnc' New'nt IN tho river. ami
uc sont u- q man 9r two Al last b" gave 10 an.
and -uli hc would LlNc u- % list, so that We
c"uld s"lnt onr own crow ANA We could eenr
uI ihr tu-t,ni House at On'' with a u'NiluuS
'r"w li~i. NtNin am hour aii"r he gave rs
rer4i--i"r iu ship ayr own crew she Wa- sail,
INK down ihr bay. I.cr, WAS Boston vessel
thut 40 tie same time had t0 wait longer than
we, nat Ihr trouble wi- ihM Capt; nuh. au
hai gone riEni 10 every landlord good AMI hHl
alike. AMI Charged them with taking blood
=. t. b ID