The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-26
CRUELTY TO SAILORS.
srEAMsHIP-THE SCOTCH GREYs AND LEE
CREWS suFFERINGs

FREEZING THE sEAMEN ON BOARD A BRITISH
sTEAMsHIp--THE SCOTCH GREYs AND LEE
CREWS sUFFERINGs.
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. Is. 1879.
British Vice Consul Crump several days ago re-
ccived an anonymous letter calling his attention to
the cruel treatment to which several sailors on the
British steamship Scotch Greys had been subjected
by the officers of the vessel The vessel lying ut
washington street wharf this city. and several per-
sons doing business in that vicinity corroborated the
truth OF the charges the Vice Consul found when
he began an investigation. -
1t appears that the Scotch Greys left Port Said on
DECEMBER a. i'll ballast for a Philadelphia firm and
on arriving at Gibraltar one OF the sailors deserted.
Captain Bruce, commanding the vessel not having
much time to spare. at proceeded to engage two
Maltese natives to take the place of the sea
ricnce scataring men, According ~ Fry
lish law, formal contract was drawn nm
between the master Of the vessel and the
shipped for. They We're to receive So 80 each per
month, and of this amount they drew SIS in advance
which was spent before sailing Only one of the
men could understand English, and hence they LETT
their homes unprepared to endure the rigors of
winters voyage.
All the clothing they possessed was a thin coat and
shirt aud pair of pants. and neither of them had
shoes or stockings Last Thursday week the steamer
arrived ut Washington street wharf and commenced
loading with grain for Antwerp. Notwithstanding
their thinly clad condition the boatswain, james
Mattnews Kept the Maltese at work. lie poor fell
lows, in their exposed condition, worked all day
while the thermometer below the freezing point.
They walked tho decks with bare feet and suffered
intensely from the cold
The vessel was to have departed on Thursday but
when these facts to the notice of the Vice Con-
SUI, he detained the ship and had the sufferers
moved to the Pennsylvania Hospital, where they
were round to be severely frost-bittcn. They
were ut once furnished with comfortable cloth
ing and are now receiving every possible
Mr.. Crump did not think that the offence
was grave enough to detain the vessel until
regular hearing could be had in the case, 40
the vessel was ready to sail and detention
would have caused an additional expense OF
several hundred dollars per day He does not, how
ever, exoncrate the captain from blame and thinks
that the latter should have taken proper precautions
to look after the welfare of the crew The vessel was
therefore allowed to proceed but not until the Vice
Consul had secured the pay due the men. The facts
i'll the will all be sent to the English Board of
Trade for their consideration.
Another of the Scotch Greys' crew, an Englishman
named William O'Conncll, is at the Pennsylvania
Hospital suffering from bronchitis He has made
several voyages the steamer, the present being the
first under Captain Bruce. He says this official
was brutal in his treatment of the sailors, making
them work night and day, and not giving them even
time to change their clothing when wet through.
O'Connell says he suit soaked through to the
skin for three days without getting time to change
and hence his present complaint. He says he would
rather die ut the hospital than go to again with
such men.