Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-03-13
JACKS HARD LOT
81. ABOARD SHIP
6nefS e;g.s
Keeps Boys From Going to Sea
.r5a in Cruisers.
on Shore They Are Victims of Boarding
House Keepers and Wharf DwelIers
desert Abroad to Escape
(By a Well-kpQwn Sea Captain.)


TO many inquiring statisticians it is
snatter. Of marvel that so few young
Americans follow the sea for a living.
In our. .scanty fleet of deep-sea merchant
men only a small percentage of the
crews is Of American birth. 1t is true
that the. captains and. officers are gen
orally natives. of the United States, and
this applies not only to the few foreign
going Vessels7thatf1y the stars and stripes
butkalsos to our c6asting and fishing
fleets. That Americans are the Smartest
and best sailors is shown by the ease
apidity.With which they rise to the
command of vessels leaving behind on
the. lower trungs of the ladder of promo
a ton naturahzed citizens or foreigners
that, seek a living in Yankee ships.
X, A man who has made a study of the
shfeVaaoat and ashore of a Jack Tar in
our merchant marine, wonders not that
so few Americans are to be found en-
joying its blessings, but rather that a
solitary inhabitant of these free states is
fool enough to follow a calling with in
ducements so. meagre and hardships so
:. severe.
It is not the purpose of this article to
touch upon the veXed topic of ships
fronlaan owners point of VieW-whether
or not the shipping industry should be
encoufa ged by bounties in order that it
may. again become thriving and profit
able-but simply to narrate the plain
reasons why an American ship is shun-
ned bys ans American boy in the pursuit
of freedom and happiness.
The average vessel sailing under an
American registry is undermanned. Life
aboard Her is worse than in the poor
house, especially in the winter time,
when the hardship of exposure to our
inciement climate is added to the misery
of the coarse and wretched fare pro-
videdo for the slstenance- of the crew.
The wages. considering the hard labor
-- to- be gone through and which cannot be
ayofded.fcar lower than in any other
walk oftlifn, and, moreover, whether at
sea orr ON land, sharks are perpetually
preyings on poor Jack and seeking to
takes sfporn him his few hard-earned
dollars.
Tf0w wHsHB RUNNERS GET THEM.
No Sooner has a ,homeward-bou YES
~seLspassed through the hands Of the
healtheofficer than she is boarded by as
rascallX a crew of pirates as ever walked
the deck of craft flying the Jolly
!. Roger. They are. the boarding house
,Tpgn ers,aand, their mission is to lure to
1 certain houses enear South and West
streets as many of the crew as they can
induce to follew them Many of these
: parasites bring rum aboard with them,
and, in spite of the watchful eyes of the
: captains and mates, manage to ply the
Sailors with rfiery liquor until they be-
come The willing slaves of the dispens-
ers Of the, drink, following in a willing
string to their den.
The. successful clearinghouse runner
is an oily, plausible fellow, who wags a
false pair of jaws. In order to earn a
living in New York, where there is much
competition he has to be clever in his
way. IA thorough knowledge OF the
genus sailor is indispensable. A blum,
hearty fellow slaps Jack on the back,
( With. a CHEEKY cry of Hello old ship
:. mate, back again, are you, from long
voyage Amt i glad to see you! The
+ sight OF YOU is good for sore eyes. Come
! with me under the lee of the galley ana
Z I'll give you a tot of rum that will make
vonr hair curl Bear hand, my lad, be-
: fore the mate tvigs you, Drink hearty;
. there's more where. that came from!
Now Johnny, after the ships made
. fast to the dock you Just come ashore
with me and I'll plant you in the snug
.gest little crib in New York, where you
I. will. livesHke a. fighting cock on the fat
/. az the. land. All for 81 a day, too, and
no, extras And, say, Jack, II tell you
what III dos Eli Introduce you to my
y y ~ cousin Kitty. fresh. from the country.
She just dotes on sailors, and would IKE