New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-11
SHYLOCKS OF THE SEA.
HOW "JACKIE"Is FLEECED BY UNSCRUPU-
LOUIS SHIPMATES


MANDrNG OFFICERS TO BLAME FOR VIOLA
TIoNs OF THE REGULATIoNs-THE GOV
ERNMENTs CONTRACTS NOT KEPT.
Sailor men have been considered legitimate prey
since there have been sailors. and the sharks
OF the shore have been almost unmerciful as
their namesakes OF the In their treatment or
those who go down to the sea In ships. When
Jackie shore after battle with the
powers OF the deep. he is exposed TO more dangers
than when he is safe in the "fo'ksle' OF vessei
ut sea. whether it be "lime- jucer." as East In
dian ships are sometimes called or a common
everyday 'coriwood coaster" or an 'oi! sled. FOR
when at sea he at least knows where his enemies
are and meet his dangers face TO face On
shore things are different He is beset on all sides
by those who banker after his money with long
ing that will not be denied long as there is the
slightest chance for it's qualification and devious
and generally successful are the methods adopted to
get hold OF the money.
This state Of affairs has existed so long un-
checked that It seems an almost impossible task
to change 1t at this late day. and, with some minor
remedies applied to the difficulty. perhaps 1t Is
likely to go unchecked to the end OF the cnap-
ter.
This much for the merchant marine win the
sailor OF the Navy however, things should De oii-
ferent. That they are not is the fault partly OF
the system under which he works and lives and Is
OF the sailor and his life to far greater extent
than is the case with captains in the merchant
service Only recently Paymaster OTIS Z. Illahy,
OF the receiving ship Vermont, was censurea' anu
two of his subordinates dismissed from the service
on account OF the illegal handling OF money due
the sailors the ship while Captain oias Casey'
In command OF the ship, was also censured' ana the
members OF the court of inquiry when was sup
posed to investigate the matter were also taken 10
task for not having fully performed their DUTY IN
the matter of settling on all who were Responsible
for the wrong-doing That the tars OF the navy
nave been feeced since there mas Deeh
NAVY Is we'll known but the fleeing has generally
heen done by people outside OF the pay office. and
that men who handle Government money shouid DE
implicated in practices Of this KIND Is shock 10
those who have always regarded an onicer OF the
NAVY as a man above suspicion. In the case men,
toned however the higher officers are guilty OF
sins OF omission rather than commission Tor their
chief fault lay In trusting to subordinates work
which they should have performed themselves.
HOW SCHEMES OF PROFIT ARE WORKED.
There are many ways In which forehanded man
or a shrewd and INSCRIPTIONS petty officer can rod
his less provident more needy shipmate' ana an-
vantage taken OF nearly every one OF them IN te
course OF a long cruise In foreign waters. especially
when a toplofty captain IS on the quarter geek
The mess cook who handles the money for each
mess seldom II ever makes an accounting, and when
he does there Is nothing to prevent MN charging
any profit which he thinks the sailors VIII slthu iof
the stuff which he has supplied TO the mess Announcer
way is to lend money to the sailor VINO mas Cd
tanned short shore leave and has failed IN MS
efforts 10 draw some of the money which may be
due him on the ships books. This is by far the most
common and easiest way OF connecting WIN
"Jackie's' pay account for, as the sailor poih'euy
remarks What's the good OF leave when you're
broken Jack wants money, and when ne rea'y
wants IL he is not prone TO consider how much IL
NAV cost him. He goes the ships barber or the
shin's writer or some one OF the yeomen or mates,
or other petty officers and negotates small osh'
and the lender takes order for double the amour.
advanced. to be collected on the next payday. Ana
It ia collected. too .
There are wise and saldtary regulations OF the
Navy Department governing ayments to the men.
which provide that all moneys due the men snail
be paid in the presence OF an officer, VINO snail see
that each who signs the roll receives inc
amount for which he receipts These rules also pro-
vide that no money shall be paid to any person eX
cept the one to whom it is due. unless on written
order from the commander of the ship, whose sigma
,ure is required every pay order On snips "here
the regulations strictly enforced the lender can
easily keep track OF payments MADE 10 those u
whom he has lent money. and the sailor cannot get
far away with his cash. on ships wnere disciphne
IS lax the money due the Shylocks may be de-
Quoted from the amount paid TO the sailor, with MS
consent which is never withheld, Tor tnat "ouiu
mean the cutting off Of future supplies IL Is Tish'
here that Captain Casey ana the pay oihceis o' .s
Vermont fell down." and Assistant-Secretary NC
Adoo in his decision in the Vermont cases scored
the offending officers in the following language:
THE manner in which these payments were MADE
the lack Of orderly and busresske methods, the
nat negeGt 70 ope3 n1st nrsctices in certain ndl
vdua cases among the supordinate oires can
conducted the payments, merit the seVerest cen
That the in the Navy suffer from affairs ,I6sb Of
stopped there 1t would be bad enough, put II does
kHowledee OF the unpieasantness cannot be kept
secret and enistments are checked. Men VINO rave
unjust treatment on the part OF their commanding
officers in refusing money to w s,rH erg y are are not
al all slow about expressing themselves in forcinee
The subject as soon as tnfy e eas WITH
a chance of few days in the brig looming up
I pay nc to Kick too hard while on board ship Their
stories lose nothing In the telling and the fact ina.
Coming forward in numbers sufficient keep the
crews OF vessels in commission up to ., me re-
ships properly result Of the experience Of the
cruiser Maine When is ali ready for commission.
but will hardly be able 10 take part IN me f
men, while a general scour is going on to get mt men
for the Lancaster. which is also realy 10; sea. ne
Boston recently is case in point on inls snip
shore leave were informed hat hey hey
in this case the excuse was given that me shlps
ayhes chance hse o G the fyCcks and they
,mnroved n to the cost OF the vh.n he pay
master once more SUPPLIED with Inns: one IN,
stance is told OF whore man pd'i No Tor Z loan
OF the same amount for less than 4 " eek while az
the same time here was to the credi; or the man
on the ship's books tie neat little sum ~ sla5.
A sailors life Is mari enough at the bes, bu. when
In addition 10 the insults and aouse which may
CAPTAINS are noted for heaping on their men Is
added the necessity - borrowing money L, cxtor-
Tomato rates OF inieres. for day outing II Is no
wonder that kc p clear or the Navy Il hey can
find anything TO d. on snore
WHERE CAPTAINS ARE AT FAULT.
This was on a ship constantly at anchor in her
home port But in foreign waters 1t is an en-
tirely different thing. The custom Is when shore
leave has been granted to squad for slip to be
sent around among the men, on which they name
the amount OF money they wish or think they