Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-07-10
THE SEA LAWYER.
LABoRiNG NOT FOR HIRE BUT FOR
THE GOOD OF HIS sHIPMATEs.
The Education and Practice Of Maritime
Lawyers-Arsuing n Case Before the
Captain - Making the Com
mandc-'s Life Unhappy.
New York Times.

New York Timesl
In nearly every ships crew is at least one
sailor who is well versed in maritime law,
SO far as it pertains to the rights of himself
| and his shipfoates The sailor who makes
pretensions 10 legal knowledge Of this de-
scription is very properly called a sea law
yer. Unlike his legal contemporary Of the
land, the sea lawyer scorns 10 work for h.re.
BE labors only for the good Of his shipmates
and whatever personal glory may fall to
him for having championed their cause.
The sea lawyer never he>itates to take up
the cause of saIpmate who imagines that
be has suffered wrongs at the hands Of his
superiors The threats OF the officers have
no terror for him He is always willing to
lay down nj, brief and assume a crown Of
martyrdom, and as long as he has breath in
his body the sea lawyer VIII Continue 70
argue the cause of his client.
Sea captains, as a rule regard sea lawyers
with intense dislike The captain does not
wish to he unreasonable. He is perfectly
willing that his men should do as they
please, provided that they are pleased to
conduct themselves in accordance with his
wishes. As long as the men are contentel
with the treatment which they receive at
the hands If the captain and his officers
every thing goes smoothly on board the ship.
But when tho men obstinately refuse to
pretend that they are contented and happy
there i, apt to be more or less trouble. The
captain entertains no decided dislike for tho
clustering sailor who tries to inaugurate a
mutiny on the slig htest provocation- He
knows that by means Of the moral influence
Of cooked revolver, followed by few
days confinement on biscuit and water, he
sxIlt 10 ah 40 Il, lrtn =, nrfo oil fha
lamb-like features Of the agitator's char
acter.
But the expert sea lawyer will refuse in
the most unfeeling manner to conduct him
self violently. He cannot he induced to loss
his temper. He will not give the captain
the slightest excuse to put him in irons The
aggravating sea lawyer insists that he pas
sionateiy loves law and orier. With a calm
smile he begs the captain To- SO far overstep
his authority as to place his law-abiding
wrists in chains, or if this is too much
trouble. 10 kindly knock him down, in order
to give him a chance Of appealing to the
courts when the ship arrives in port By
this course he worries his captain TO the
verge Of madness That is one OF tine reasons
why the captain hates the sea lawyer
The sailor who feels that he has a turn for
tie law acquires his legal education in a
careful and systematic manner. He begins
by sitting at the feet of some forecastle
Gamaliel who is willing to impart 10 his
juniors. not only his knowledge OF the laws
which have been made for the protection Of
the sailor while on board ship. but also the
methods which have been found mot eff
fective in inducing ryrannical officers to re-
spect these laws The student al 80 learns
by heart tie ships articles a copy of which is
posted in the forecastle. At length he &C.
quires such grip on legal knowledge that
he considers himself full-dedged sea law
yer, and he proceeds to argue points with
the professors who have superintendent his
education. Then he is allowed to graduate,
and on the next voyage he set mp n reg
uiar practitioner.
The newly fledged lawyer begins by win
ming the confidence of his shipmates. Hav-
ing aroused his shipmates TO a realization Of
the fact that they have certain legal rights.
even on board ship, he gives himself over to
the observation of the conduct Of his su-
periors. Any little fracture Of the law by
one OF his shipmates does not worry him.
as this does not count But he makes a
note of each and every transgression on the
part Of the officers. II none OF tho latter
will go so far a. to actually maltreat any of
the sailors, the sea lawyer endeavors by
pooling all the petty grievances to make out
one apparent case which will rank as a re-
spectacle wrong. II the cook insists on CIV
ing the men good food and plenty II it, the
sea lawyer patiently wati for some mishap
in the galley which will result in u meal
considerably below the standard required
by the ships articles
The sea lawyer Is reasonably sure of fni-
ing something which he can induce his ship