The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1886-11-07
CLASSES OF SEAMEN.
EACH MAN, WHEN HE SHIPS, Is Al
LOWED TO RATE HIMSELF.
The Unpleasant Results to the sailor
Who Overrates Himself-Able Seamen,
Ordinary Seamen and Boys-Work OF
the Latter.


An ordinary ships crew may be divided
into three classes-able seamen, ordinary sea-
men AMI boys, WHICH latter term signifies any
seafaring novice irrespective of age or size
Each man, when he ships, rates himself, III
luenced by nothing but his own conscience
or. rather, reason. And yet with all this free
dom, it is rarity for any take advantage OF
the license by fraudulently shipping higher
rate for higher pay. 1t should also be sfld
that if found out after clearing from port
and they are certain to be so-they find no
sympathy fore or aft. 1t is not only decelV-
ing the captain and officers, but also, and even
more SO, the men, who find their number, al
ready small enough, reduced by one ana lur-
Their burdened by his share OF the work. 90
well are the consequences understood thao
sailors prefer undertaking themselves rather
than stand the risk Of mourning them.
Formerly, a sailor in want of ship came
TO the docks. where he made his choice, much
to the advantage of both himself and the cap
tain. Now he is required to present himself
before the shipping commissioner OF the
port where he joins ship that lies per
haps three miles off, and which ne mas
never seen. A captain comes down WIN
his chief officer They select their com
plement OF men from among the crowd stand
ing outside tho office, who are then brought
before the commissioner, by whose side the
captain takes a seat. while the articles are
read TO the crew in n loud voice, which they
are afterward compelled to sign, giving at
the same time their name, residence ana
place of birth
SIGNING FOR A VOYAGE
1t is customary to sign articles for voy-
age ont and home not exceeding three years.
When signing his name he is asked whether
he wishes for any advance, to which he re
plies in the affirmative, and gets one months
wages in the shape of an advance note rep
resenting value only after the ship
has sailed, but which he gets dis
counted at usurious rates. If joining
ship through tie shipping office breeds
ultimate dissatisfaction aboard, the advance
note system is answcrable for half the casual
ties and crimes which take place on leaving
the docks prior TO sailing Thanks 70 ~
whole crews are carried aboard dead drunk,
who show their first signs OF life by rlotng'
and sometimes by mutiny. As for the plea
that a sailor requires his advance note 70
buy clothing with, it is fallacy. a
respectable seaman, when paid off from a
voyage of average duration, has more than
enough not only to renew his outfit, but to
spend few comfortable weeks ashore.
Beside this, some regularly put by their
savings, of which tidy balance very often
remains after settling for all expenses. The
writer met at Congress street wharf little
colored seaman who had thus accumulated
500 i'm the Brooklyn Savings bank
An aDle seaman must be equal to any emer-
gency aboard ship. lie is expected to be able
to hand, reef and steer and do work upon the
rigging neatly. BY the term "a good sea
man. sailors mean smart hand at working
on the rigging. Ordinary seamen are those
who have not the experience qualifying them
as A. b. The third Of a crew is generally
formed of ordinary seamen. They are eN-
pected to hand, reef and steer and do small
repairs OH the rigging. The ordinary seamcn
in each watch take turn about i'll fetching the
food from the galley to the forcastle, washing
up the plates and cleaning out the forecastle;
they also help the apprentices OF boys tosweep
up the decks of al evening.
APPRENTICES OR BOYS.
Next come the apprentices or boys. Almost
all "blue water ships carry them. Formerly,
in the British service apprenticeship was
forced upon all lads going to sea indiscrln-
inately; now the privilege" as 1t IS called, Is
reserved for those whose parents can afford
to pay a premium ranging from thirty to
sixty guineas, and even more, for term OF
wears, generally four The whole thing is a
farce. The only advantage gained-if so 1t
can be called-is living apart from the crew.
Directly he steps aboard his ship he is boy"
no matter what his age may be, for four
years. and he must do boys work-an I'M
happy disappointment TO many a genteel
youth fresh from the outfitters, in his dark
blue suit and gilt buttons, not forgetting the
badge on the cap, "braSS bound and copper
fastened, as sailors say. OF course, this lions
skin is soon "doused" and packed away i'll his
chip chest, being replaced by those articles
for which he was the least thankful at the
outftter's-a coarse wooden singlet and shirt,
blue serge pants and Jumper" and Scotch cap
His first job is invariably to sweep up the
mud on deck and shovel it overheard
Whether British apprentice" or an Ameri-
can boy" it makes no difference in the
lreatment-all the most mental duties fall TO
him They have to clean all the lamps aboard
and trim them every day, the side lights
being particularly dirty job. No distinc-
ton is is made aboard ship between an APP
prentice and forecastle boy; their duties are
Identical and their food the same; in fact, the
latter would learn his profession quicker,
being continually with the mep. The only
difficulty with lad who first goes to sea in a
forecaStle, is his getting out of it. Although
with good education, perhaps, if not very
steady, he finds his ambition to rise soon die
out under the influence Of his shipmates -
Cor Brooklyn Eagle
French Jewel Cloth"