New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-09-16
SOME PROSE OF SEA LIFE.
PASSENGERS ON TRAMP STEAMERS
SAILORS AND Observation-Disclosures
ING HOUSE MOTHERS"

4ieannaaring She still pokes in and out of har-
bors, looking for chance cargoes, and drops out
of sight, even of her owners with great regular
tty Her cheap machinery breaks as often as
Iver leaving her a helpless hulk to drift untn
assistance comes to her. Careless and incom-
petent captains still the poor old tramps on
dangerous reefs or let them commit suicide in
midocean without leaving trace Of the dis
aster.
The average traveller knows little about tramp
steamers, because he seldom wants to use them
no one would take passage tramp If there
vas any other way Of making the voyage unless
he did 1t for experience The foreign tramp
steamer is not allowed to carry passengers OF
any kind. according to Government regulations.
The British navigation laws refuse the right to
carry passengers to any steamer which does not
have a surgeon on board and which has not
taken out q passenger license. German and
French steamers sail under practically the same
regulations American tramp vessels not al
lowed to land immigrant passengers at any port
in the United States. but restriction is placed
on the carrying Of cabin passengers.
Those who have found It necessary to travel on
British tramps. who have desired to do so
for the experience. have found way around the
law, They obtain permission from the captain
or owners to ship able seamen and such
they permitted to go board. OF course,
they live in the cabin and pay well for their pas
sage. They are liable to arrest for desertion
when they land the other side, but as no
complaint is made against them there IS never
any trouble. Cases known in this port
where were shanghaed in this manner
They offered to pay for their passage, and
shipped as common sailors to get around the
law. The captains. being shorthanded put their
passengers at work. The latter had absolutely
no redress, having signed papers in the reg
ular way and had to give their services for
nothing. The practice of carrying passengers
tramp steamers has almost ceased. as most
OF the tramp steamers afoat belong to or
Ganized companies. and the captains under
strict orders to obey the spirit as well as the
letter Of the law.
Even the sailors OF to-day are growing pro
sale. The young sailor cannot tell a good sea
yarn to his life and the "old salts Will
soon be gone The new sailing ships are so per
fecty built that there is little that is thrilling
in sailing them, and the modern man before the
mast does not have the experiences which built
up the imagination of the sailors of forty years
ago. Port regulations. laws for the protection
of sailors and the boarding house systems OF
the big ports combine to reegate the sailor to
the ranks Of the ordinary laborer He has
single neutrality-suspicious. to see the world.
but it does him little good
A sailor who is sick when his vessel comes
into port IS no longer dependent upon the mercy
OF MS captain or the charity OF his shpmatee
II he is an American sailor and can show dis
charge papers from American vessels the Ma
rlne Hospital, provided by the Government IS
at his service. If he is not an American the
consul OF his country is supposed to assist him.
MOST or the consulates have arrangements with
doctors TO examine sick sailors who come TO
theH. fee Is charged for this examination
ana II the man IS sick enough he is sent to
some hospital II the sailor has not money to
pay the consuls fee he depends upon one Of the
many charitable organizations
Sailors curious chaps and so,,a op ,bor,
nave strange ideas about hospitals They are
AFRAID TO go there for treatment A coal black
SAILOR from the SOudan deserted a British shin
at baltimore a few weeks ago. slowed away
On ship for this port and landed here nearly
starved. After wandering about the waterfront
TOR two days without eating he found the Sea
mems Legal Aid Society in Safest. He in
hsted that he had been General Lord Kitchener's
body servant in South Africa. He said he was
hck' but refused to go to hospital Money for
meal was given him. and he came back In an
nour with his face the picture OF suffering
1 eat and eat and eat" he said but it won't
stay down"
why won't you go to hospital?" asked the
attorney.
'They will hurt there and perhaps kill
me-" he answered.
The attorney used many arguments to con-
vince him that he would receive good treat
the and FINALLY, ,bo NO., ,o,l