Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-29
JACK As A CoNsuL MAN.
The Emoluments of shiPwreclEed Sea
man.


man.
The shipwrecked crew OF the brig Orazio.
which was lost in Mondays hurricane,
were an illustration, while they were
under the care of the Italian Consul here
OF what Jack is AS Consul man. Desti-
tute seamen are, as rule, deserving OF
sympathy and aid. Owing To the uncef-
tainIres of sea life, Jack Is liable almost al
ans time 10 find himself placed ia an I'M
pleasant predicament, II ne escapes with
his life. as is often the case, be feels that
ms mistortuues came upon him while try
ing 10 conserve the best interests OF COM
merce, and naturally. If he drifts into
port, be looks Tor aid to the representa-
tive OF the nationality under the nag OF
which he has recently sailed. IL is the
duty Of each Consul to aid all ship
wrecked or otherwise destitute seamen
who are entitled to claim the protection of
his tag. and he must either secure for
them berths on vessels OF their own
nationality, or send them to their homes
at the expense Of the government which
he represents.
The destitute seaman who is thus aided
by the representative OF the flag under
which he has recently sailed is properly
known as a Consul's man, but is usually
spoken OF as Consul man." Persons
nicalities would naturally expect to find
in the Consul man dignihed being OF
ample dimensions, with a passion Tor
official utterances, and with various
characteristics OF the Aldermanic type
But ia realty the Consul man Is persOn-
age OF almost startling simplicity. When
he enters the consulate in quest OF assist
ance his cOuntenance wears something
Of that uneasy expression which charac-
F.sr4 "a d iflr n q -
ment. He makes a mental inventory of
the various modes Of escape which would
he available in case the presence OF the
naughty Consul should prove more than
his simple nature could bear. His hat Is
evidently a burden to him, and be seems
TO wish that he had taken the precautlon
10 leave 10 outside When at length he
gets down to hard pan he is able TO state
his case in = few simple words. He receives
from the officials a card OF Introduction to
the proprietor Of some boarding house, at
which he is at liberty to reyel in shore
Injuries for the present. Then his self
confidence returns, aud without any AZ
tempt to lauuch out Into harangue of
gratitude be disposes Of his hat by placing
it on his head and hurries out into the
street, feeling as happy over the fact that
ne has gone through with the disagreed
BILE formalities OF q consular interview as
wreck.
When, after having been rescued from
what appeared 10 be certain death, Jack
finds himself safely in port, he does not
seem as proud as one would naturally eX-
pect TO be. He is willing to be stared at,
and will even consent to drink with
strangers who have morbid fondness for
the society of persons who have gone
through unusual experiences. But
ho1 rreI
dangers as any soldier who has just re-
turned from the war, he is rot, even
when partially under the influence
OF drink, overwhelmed with a de-
sire to boast of the fact
that he recently carried on a filtration
With death. Now only does he appar-
emily fan TO think that be has done any
thing very pralseworthy in running into
danger, but he looks back upon his trying
experience almost as calmly as he would
upon any ordinary occurrence. A few
years ago vessel fOundered al sea, just
after her crew had abandoned her IN two
small boats. subsequently one Of the
boats capslzed, drowning its occupants.
Two or three of the men in the second
boat died from exposure, but the others
were finally rescued and brought
into port. One OF the sufvi-
vOrs when questioned about his
LbfFlDi6 experience Ielaleu IL us II III hhO
been an affair hardly worth mentioning.
After telling how he had seen a boatload
OF shipmates perish before his very eyes.
how men in his own boat had died after
undergoing great suffering, and how he
was just thinking of making meal out
of the cOmrade nearest him when the
rescuing snip hove in sight, he wound up
his narrowing story with the following
philOsophic remark: "But l wouldn't
have cared only lost all my clothes when
the bloody ship went down.
Although modest as 10 the present, and
seemingly Indifferent as to the past, Jack,
in the capacity OfCOnsul man, thoroughly
appreciates the good things OF the lite
which he so narrowly escaped being re-
moved from. Although the crew of a
wrecked vessel are sent home by the Con-
sui, the Captain is expected to look out
for himself. Captains Of small vessels
and small means regard the rule as an I'M
fair one. They think themselves entitled
to the em0luments, as we'll rs the honOrs
which usually belong TO the shipwrecked
mariner.