The Republican journal., 1882-03-23
On Board the Rocket.

rocket go on voyage to the moon, but a series
of blue water yarns, spun by an old sailor, who
makes as effective use of the pen as the mate of
a Liverpool liner. in the days when sails ruled
did of the Delaying pin. But Captain Robert c.
Adams of the bark Rocket uses his per to
show up abuses and pave the way for reforms
in the merchant service, while the Delaying pin
had only a row of broken heads to its score
The author says in his preface
All the incidents in this book are facts, occur
| ring in the writer's own experience. In few
| cases names have been changed, in accordance
with his desire, neither to give offence to the
living. nor to cast discredit on the dead He
makes no apology for its imperfections; for he
issues it, not as contribution to literature. but
AS a needed exposure of abuses on Shipboard,
which are too common, but too little known.
| He refers with dtfdence to his own methods
and discipline, believing that in the principles
which prompted them lie the means of promot-
ing the interests and good repute of our Mer-
chant Marine.
Our author is too modest. He has not only
the literary skill to make very readable book,
! but points a moral well as adorns a tale.
The work will interest the general reader, while
it abounds in practical suggestions to those in
the merchant seryice-to owners as well as Of
~ ",
says he takes the first opportunity to call the of
ticers together on the poop deck and privately
instruct them in his ideas of discipline. He
makes it rule that there shall be no cllr>ing or
blows used or given on board his ship; but sail
ors are not to be allowed to do as they like, and
! good discipline must be maintained. At the
| beginning of a voyage the crew are generally
| a l. less npIar tba inAu Of r,,5
it is an easy thing to find opportunity for row
but this is the advice Captain Adams gives his
/ officers "Shut your eyes and ears to instances
of personal disrespect. and do not use force to
exact the performance of duty, unless as a last
resort, when the interests of the ship positively
demand it. AS soon as you can spare men from
| their work, get into their hunks those who are
| so drunk as to be troublesome, and let them
sleep themselves sober. You will often, or in
deed. generally, find these are the best sailor
men i'll the ship 1t was the rum that made the
| trouble, and believe the only successful way
of lighting rum is before it gets inside of men.
| Drunken men are more easily controlled than
we think, but it requires tact to deal with them,
and above all, kindness"
| After we are fairly at sea things generally
go on smoothly for about fortnight, and then
the sailors begin to try experiments, to feel
their officers disposition, test their strctness,
and decide how much liberty they can take
| The first sign of this is the neglect to give an
answer to orders, or emitting the word sir
| from their reply. They watch to see if this is
noticed. and if it is not, they advance to other
liberties and the inch being granted they will
very soon take the ell.
When you find this state of affairs beginning"
| continues Capt. Adams land man ceases to
give respectful answer, check him for it in a
manly way, and give him to understand that
such things will not be allowed on board of this
vessel Do not curse him. nor strike him. nor
threaten him i'll way to make him ugly. but
rather seek while maintaining YOUR authority
to give an impression Of its justice. If he con-
tlnleS to repeat his offence after this then pun
lSh him for it, by keeping him up i'll his watch
below, by giving him disagreeable work, by
staioning him alott in the night, or by any lit
tie requirement which will make him feel that
he is controlled and compelled to do something
against his will. If this fails to subdue him,
after patient trial of it (for it is not to be sup
posed that every unruly spirit is to be conquered
i'll moment the thing to be done next is to re-
| port him to the captain. He is the only one to
whom the law gives power to in1ct punish
ment. If you undertake to force YOU are
in danger of prosecution when YOU arrive in
port. and you are we'll aware that our court.
are very jealous for the sailors rights. The
captain should then take the matter up and
adopt such measures of correction as. in his
Judgment, the case requires. Very often sim
pie reproof him will be all that is necessary,
as showing his decided e,pousa of his officers
cause. and determination to stand by them
When this is proved Jack will be apt to give in,
but in an obstinate ease irons may be the neceS-
sary resort
"Of COURSE says the captain, i'll concluding
his remarks to his officers. Il don't want to be
annoyed with The report of every little misde-
mcanor or sign of insubordination but when
you fail to suppress them by the means have re
ferred to, then let me know about it. If You
will adopt this course, although at first it may
be too slow method for YOU, will promise
| you that when we reach home YOU will say you
never got more work out of Il crew, and never
|
fort or which you remembered with so great
satisfaction"
| Capt. Adams practiced what he preached ''as
! he sailed. as he sailed, in the good bark Rock
ct, Il well known East India trader. He tells
also of his voyages in the Dublin, third and
second mate, and describes life in the forecastle
as well as in the cabin He also gives, with ac-
| pOmnHON n number of sailors
of which one of the most popular is
REUBEN RANzo.
| OH Reuben was no sailor
Oh, poor Reuben Ranzo, Ranzo, boys. Ranzo .
| On Reuben was no sailor,
Oh, poor Reuben RanZO, RanZO, bows, RanZo .
| He shipped ON board of whaer
Chorus, and repeat with chorus.
He could not do his duty.
Chorus, &c.
The captain was bad man!
Chorus, &c
| He put him in the rigging!
Chorus, &c.
He gave him six and thirty.
Chorus, &c.
| Oh, poor Reuben RanZO!
Chorus, &c.
Says Capt. Adams: "a good shantyman,
who with fitting pathos recounts the SORROWS of
poor Reuben never fails to send the topsail to
| the mast head at short notice, nor to create Il
passing interest in the listener to the touching
melody"
The testimony of an experienced master on
the ''three months extra pay" question is of es-
pecial interest at this time. Capt Adams gives
some facts in this connection, selected from a
multitude, to illustrate the assertion that the
| three months law is:
| Fuxt, An occasion for the exercise of much
cruelty to the sailor, and often obliges him to
have the disgrace of desertion attached to his
name, in order to secure the release from his
ship which his interests demand.
| Secondly, 1t obiges captains to resort to
wrong or questionable acts to secure their
owners interests, and involves them in very
unpleasant controversies.
| Ih'rify, 1t is heavy tax on the shipowner,
and is one among several causes of the decay of
our commerce.
| f,,r ebap 10,