The San Francisco call., 1899-05-04

ciation of Portland. These two men are
equally as well armed as the watchmen,
and there is sure to be a cash when the
attempt is made to put the sailors aboard
the Troop at Astoria.
The trouble began on February 20 last
when the new law passed b. Congress
went into effect. According to rs pro-
visions, the captain of any vessel, Amer
lean or foreign, is only allowed to give
one months advance TO a sailor. Before
the law went into effect the rate in
oregon for a sailor was $40 two months
pay) advance, $40 ''plood money and IS
$50 went into the pocket Of the shipping
master, and When Congress cut the sum
down to $40 there was an outcry. The
boarding masters got together and deter
mined to attack the law through the
pockets of the British ship-owners. They
reasoned, that if the price of sailor was
twist to the lions tail would be more
than he could bear, and that he would do
something to make the United States
more put 1t in poor Jacks"
The boarding masters now assert that
they We're correct in their surmise, and
bear on Congress by the British ship
owners that next November or December
boarding masters will win their point and
the way they say remains to be seen.
One thing is certain-they are power
in Portland politics. At the last session
ish blood money was introduced, but
it was pigeon-holed through the influence
of the water front, so It's said.
When the new law went into effect the
boarding masters held a consultation, and
then issued their ultimatum. They re-
fused to accept an advance in any shape or
form. They controlled the supply of sail
ors and told the captains that men would
be supplied their vessels at a uniform rate
The captain Of the British ship Balmoral
was ready for sea and wanted a crew.
He laughed at the idea of 800 blood
money" but the boarding masters only
remarked He laughs best who laughs
last" Not man could be got for the
Balmoral,. and in despair the captain
wrote to San Francisco.
In port here and lying at the seawall is
the British ship Dunstaffnage. She and the
Balmoral belong to the same owners, and
to Captain Forbes of the Dunstaffnage
Captain Campbell of the Balmoral made
his appeal. Now the Dunstaffnage only
arrived from Calcutta a short time ago
tain Forbes at once took them before the
British Consul and paid them off. He
then shipped them on the Balmorai each
man getting a "gift" over and above his
pay. The men were shipped to Portland
on the State of California in charge of a
watchman, but the boarding masters rep
resentative also went along, and the result
was that the men from the Dunstaffnage
refused point blank to go aboard the
Balmoral. They made all kinds of ex-
cuses, and finally in despair Captain
of keeping his own men.
Then came the Howard D. Troop, the
source of the present trouble. The can
tain wanted thirteen men, and a cook and
the boarding masters asked $1400 blood
money for them. Captain Corning Of
fered SIS a man with "a piece back" and
the boarding masters promptly replied by
raising the "blood money" to SIP a man
Then Captain Corning sent his mate and
an agent to San Francisco to gather IN
a crew, but the boarding masters followed
the sailors from San Francisco to Astoria,
took them off the steamer, in spite of
captain corning's protests. ,7ttS. and shipped
blood money for each man.
Now comes the tug of war. Captain
Balfour, Guthrie & Co. of this city. The
firm is agent for the Troop, and it was
decided to get crew for her. The lob
was intrusted to Thomas Chandler and
Charles Mccarthy and they secured the
men-eght from the Sailors Home and
five from Tom Murray. These men were
signed before the British Consul at the
rate of 500 a month, and each man got his
months advance and "a gift" of $25 be-
sides.
The men were now secured and it be-