New-York tribune., 1896-08-25
ENGLlND'S MERCHANT MiRTNE.


Mr.. Clark Russell and Mr. Laws have through
their pens been enlighcning the English peo-
pie. and, incidentally the whole world. rs to the
condition Of the British mercantile marine and
IT'S personnel The letters that have passed be-
tween the two. ns published in "The London
Telegraph" are highly interesting and character
lstic Mr. Russell as the champion of "the for
lorn and chlldlike British seaman has assalled
his antagonist with whlrling words. and holds
that the British seaman is ill-fed. that Brltlsh
merchant ships are undermanncd, and that
preference is given TO aliens. He adds that
there never yet was measure introduced INTO
"Parliament for the amcoration Of the sailors
condition and for the better safeguarding of his
"shp but that it was strenuousy opposed by
"thc shlpowners" Mr. Laws. the Legislative
representative of the British shipowners. whose
letters exhibit n studied calmness and n good
supply Of statistics. rcfutes Mr.. Russell by citing
the charitable works done by shipowncrs. and
gives reasons for opposing manning scale based
upon tonnage He also maintains that, in spite
of legislation. and owing 10 the enterprise OF
shipbudcrs and shpowners. "the sailor was
'never in better ships. he Is much better fed
"and he was never better paid" The contro-
versy thus far goes to show that both men have
similar desires at heart and it has drawn ont
from Mr. Laws and others interested an en-
phatic pronounccmcnt in favor of an ncrna
tional conference on these and other questions
affecting the shipping interests of the w0rlG
In report recently made to committee OF
which Sir T.. ]. Reed is chairman. these words
are used. "The foreign element employed in our
merchant service demands consideration. There
"is selfish and unpariotic employment OF
"aliens by our shipping firms, the proportion
being one 10 three" The report shows that the
percentage Of aliens employed in 1856 was II
per cent; in 1894 it had risen to 1868 per cent
Although no statistics are given for 1885, the
percentage Of aliens is declared to be even
larger, the principal natonalites being Germans
Russians. Scandnavians Portuguese. Greeks
Dutch Spanards, Italians, French, Chinese
japanese. and even Lascars. Emphasis Is laid
on the employment Of foreigners by reference
TO the sinking of the steamship Ailsa In New
York Harbor, by collision with the steamship
La BourgOgne, on February % last. when "her
"crew, a mixture of SpaniardS and Italians
seized the only available llfeboat; the cowardly
"scoundrels prevented even the women going
Into the llfeboat. and threatened to knife the
men and women attempting TO save them
Selves" Comment is made on this by Mr. Al
derman Tilett that British passengers might
profit by the lesson. and stipulate for their own
"countrymen being employed"
The British returns of the register of seamen
for December 81 1894. give the total number
employed as 233. 800. and out OF this enormous
total Ii + estimated that in ease Of war England
could not command more than 1000 or 5000 re-
serve men. Mr. Tllet says on this point:
"Coinpare these figures with the actual readiness
"of France having 5000 reserve men always
with the fleet. with a nominal force Of 114.OOO,
"the French mercantile marine employing only
zone to three employed in the British merchant
Service. and the most inveterate lingo Eng
'lsh should considerably modify his ignorance
"and contempt of foreign power In the old
days. when England's naval supremacy was
established, she claimed to have what no other
country had-an lnexhaustibe supply of men
from her great fisheries. her merchant service.
from every port and hamlet on the coast; but, If
confidence is to be given TO the "facts' brought
out through the Russell-Laws letters. nll these
things have changed. 1t would SEEM also, that
the merchant. the shipOwner and the broker who
are loudest in the demands for powerful navy,
themselves deliberately leopard the safety Of
the commerce they are owners of and the So
curity Of the country for which they protest their
love, by the employment Of aliens. 1t Is asserted
also that the Government itself is worthy of inn
peachment because II encourages the shipowner
in his wllfulness by giving contracts TO ives
"ses in which Lascars and coolies, or foreign
"ers, predominate." All this lis startling, il
true" and the spectacle of n relocating Lascar
coolie or other "cheap foreigner" being called
upon to stand up and fight for the glory Of Great
Britain would make Nelson turn in his grave or
a Trafalgar veteran die again if 1t were possible
10 resurrect him
Some members Of the New-YorIi police force