New-York tribune., 1895-08-03
SAILORS NOT I'LL TREATED.
COMPARATIVELY FEW Or THEM DESERT
FROM THEIR SHIPS.
WHAT THEY GET TO EFT on THE HIGH SEAS
STORY OF MUTINY IN THE DIAMOND
HARBOR OF CALCUTTA TOLD BY

STORY OF a MUTINY IN THE DIAMOND
HARBoR OF CALCUTTA TOLD BY
JACK TAR.
There has been a report recently that IT Is the
| common habit OF certain ship masters to make the
| lives OF their unbearable that the men
desert their ships when they reach port. thus for
| feiting the wages they have earned. The United
States Bureau OF Navigation has given the matter
| attention by ordering thorough investigation at
| this city. San Francisco and Port Townsend, where.
II is said "glaring cases of the kind have just been
reported" 1t TO investigate this alleged coh-
d!ton OF things that Tribune reporter yesterday
| visited Acting Shipping Commissioner keenan,. at
the Barge Office. and asked him II he knew OF any
| "glaring cases" OF the investigation mentioned
| Mr.. keenan, said that he had heard nothhg OF the
investigation nor was he aware OF any particularly
| nagrant Instances OF ill-treatment OF seamen on
American vessels that have docked here recently.
| IL ls hardly probable that such cases could nave
occurred at this port without acton oy ,he "'''s
Commissioner. on coasters ana exempt 'eSs'is'
which do not come within his jurisdiction, the sail
| ors are almost all Americans. wages ana rare are
good. descrtOns are uncommon anu "'"'i"'S oi'
board hardly ever occur
on the decp-water American merchant Vessels
under both sail and steam. desertions sometimes
occur here Dessrtions and disputes between mas
ter and crew when the cases occur at or are
brought TO This port, eventually come TO the snip
| ming Commissioners Office. Sometimes they are
| taken to the United states Court but In almost
every instance they are referred back TO he 'o"'-
missioner who Is thus Judge. jury ana hna' court
q, auneol He has several cases every day. buy
| Mr. Keenan, said that nothing sensational had oc-
Cured here recently. Occasionally dispute ne
| ,yeon a cap,aln and his crew Is submitted to ar
hl,ration bu, all the pass through the COM
mlssiorcr's once. Once In a while a dissius''i
sailor will run away from his ship here. out IL F"
a. often the faut OF the sailor himself as IL Is OIL 'ne
ships captain.
e. ts..,o, s,d Yesterday that "of course II
ma, leaves his ship before the term OF service for
which he has shipped expires he breaks MS con-
tract which Is Ike other simple contract ana
n he deserts without waiting for his pay ne loses
f. II he wants to recover It. try the case on the
merits OF the testimony and render an appropriate
decision.
80 BAD CASES LATELY.
Il haven't heard" said Mr.. Keenan,. "of any
,.-v hat cases lately I have difficulties to adjust
every isv Recently hal cas-" In which iouhi
ngains' the ships master. because h" 'id n'' i@@"
| the ratons schedule IN Al American snlp aruc'e'
The IFS, ~ food articles which the ships masters
M. ~. p.lei 10 issue 10 the men shows the OH OF
fare vhlch tho average American salorman enjoys
,ou,s,vs II f. hardly mp TO Delmoncos standard.
Ian, a. - undoubtedly better than the rations issued
a hals century ago.
| f. f. hcadcI. scale OF provisions to be a"o"ei
and served on. 20 the crew during IN" Voy"e" III
addition 10 the daily issue OF HIl' anu '''"'' -
or other antl.~rorbu,ics In any case required py
law. The scale ~ varied FOR dif'eren, days OF tns
week 1890 -. r.or
WelresAav's hi ~ fare j. ~ follows one ponnn
%, ,-e,1 one and one-half pounds OF beef. one and
on.auari.r pounds OF pork one half-iound of Hour'
one eighth OF pint Of peas. oneeishh OF an ounce
., o., one.hef ounce OF coffee. TWO ounces OK sugar
and three quarts ~ water one ounce OF 'o"'''
cocoa or chorolai. may b" substituted Tor one qua"
,.r ounce Of tea moasscs for sugar. and 80 forth'
When fresh meat IL issued the proportion - 10 DE
two pounds per man each day. In li"u "i SAX "''''
and there arr several other substitutes
The wages Of able seamen IN American deep
water vessels range from 81 to ss month. and IN
coas,wlse vessels from Sls TO 81
The reporter visited the Sailors Home IN 'h'rrS
g., 20 learn what was known there OF the allesei
frequency Of deserilons superintendent freh A''N-
,n.ler IL on, Of town. bu; another officer OF the
It,pe sall. .'When a man on sh.pboarl doesn't ANY
and chcerfuliy perform the duties Tor "hi'h ne "'S
signed they DOg' him. that H. th"S h"'" MS -
mi sSness In the logbook and dock MS wages VI,
pay day know OF few cases Of deserton caused
hy c,u.v or ul-trcatment that have taken place IN
| this nor, lately IL sometimes happens. however
that American seamen IN a foreign port WI" he'
drunk ashore. fail to report ana desert "S' ga
foreign vessels occur more frequently anu "' "o
English shipping Office the cSnsu. sotf Of men
In the merchant servi,e II n nJt @ns' sscept in the
the seamen are mo'y ar. paid on here II
from foreign ports. they have rsh, 70 uem' wsase
taat touch here paid on here too don ,I xnoM
~ any naQrant cases OF ill-treatment tha' "ou'n
call for the Investigation you SPEAK Oh
HOW THE SEAMAN Is PROTECTED
II seems that. az a seaman u pro'ec''" ~ -"
articles under which he has shipped. ana mas ''
oh,, of y.ttnr Justice II they have been V'olated
~. b,s captaln IT would b- folly for him 10 desert
here and leave his pay. Desertons when occur ~
,hts ,,r, generally ;axe place from foreign vessels
or when he dcsertcr has been afraid 10 iavt VIZ m
music before the impartih uos''S'"' "''' "
w~ather beaten sailorman who entered , th9
sailors Home while the reporter ""F EnslIsh shin
hr was one OF the crew oi IN. 49, a liz
calrnrhi burned oil THURSDAY IN ne nhirS T., he
had remained on the ship after IN. n inst nv the
crew had received their pay anu III n1' ,sle "S
nr. his wages and his clothes he told a taie @ o,
the mutiny that took pace n on,,ca on t. oSscures OF
Calcutta which; dNes'e" oi """'e''
Twas in Diamond Harbor, Calcutta, tha' ra .ne
| men I'm the foc'sie mutined against captain lar
r.Lav who was I'm command there. ana ms orhcers'
The crew he had consisted OF twelve Scandinavians
cairn!ehi made Calcutta the captain refused to
allow ScandInavans to have shore hpcr'y Dc or Dr
| to paw them OF. ana wheh th'y 'eiuS'" W WI"
| they put In jail
MARCHED ABOARD IN IRONS.
"Af,er the shin had taken on a cargo and the
matches were closed. the twelve men were marched
| aboard her in irons. Before she got out or the
| harbor the irons were taken OF and the men, VINO
| were In the .ocs.e. were ordered to WORK snip
| They refused do 1t. Then the captain; mate
| second mate, carpenter and steward-wno hai
pistols and guns-began firing AT the men VINO We're
| Ia the foe sle The steward tried to shoot one OF
the hands, missed him and shot the captain IN tne
| wrist one OF the saormen was wounded In the
hip and when the fight was eyer nns brs me win Wers
new under Captain Jones
MRS. WALLER DESTITUTE IN PORT LOUIS.