The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1901-08-08
AMERICAN SHIPS AND SAILORS.

The condition of the seamen who man
the American ships of to-day, in CON-
parison with the days agone, or with
those of other nations of the present
day, show most conclusively how far
ahead we are as nation in the way of
treating the sailors who sail. under the
Stars and Stripes, and how their COM
fort and health is looked after by the
national legislators.
1t is fixed by law the number of
square feet the seamen shall be allowed
in the forecastle, and his bill of fare is
such as to be the subject of envy on the
part of other Seamen, and is one great
incentive for foreign sailors to procure
positions on board of American ves-
sells. Here is the bill of fare which an
American shipmaster must supply each
one of his crew every day in the week,
which we find in the n. Y. Marine
Journal, and certainly it is all that is
required for the hardy sons of the
ocean:
-Four quarts of water, one half pound
of biscuits, pound and half of fresh
bread, one pound of potatoes, coffee,
tea, three ounces of sugar, an ounce of
butter, mustard, pepper and salt. Salt
beef and salt pork are required on al
ternate days, and some kind of fish on
Friday. Canned peas, tomatoes and
beans serve alternate turns. MOlaSSeS,
dried fruit, pickles and onions must be
served three times week. Cornmeal,
rice and canned meats appear on the
schedule semi-weekly. There is a long
list of substitutes, such as desiccated
vegetables i'll place of potatoes, and
supplies for emergencies.
This is very much in excess of what
foreign ship-owners provide, and espec
tally Norwegians; hence the reason
that the crews of American vessels are
made up of Norwegians and Swedes."
Then again, the fOrecaStle of the
present day is above deck in almost
every foreign-going American vessel
and is heated in winter and properly
ventilated in summer, all of which adds
to the cost of operation over that of
foreign ships in the same line of trade.
To this may be added at least one-third
more wages, and taking into account
the difference i'll the cost of the ship,
the necessity of government protection
for the American merchant marine is
apparent to every one who will take the
pains to investigate the subject.
If Congress had been in earnest in
protecting the American ship in the
foreign trade against foreign subsidized
vessels as it has been wise in protecting
the seamen who man our ships, the
bulk of our exports would not be going
abroad III foreign vessels as is the case
today. The American merchant would
dot the ocean with its ships, giving an
impetus to maritime business, filling
our shipyards, rigging and sail lofts
with crowds of busy workmen, and the
United States would obtain a good
share of the carrying trade of her own
exports which is consummation de-
voutly to be wished.
The Next Congress will probably deal
with this important question, and it is
hoped that something will be done to
give us at least share of this immense
business and once more have the grand
old Stars and Stripes wave from the
masthead of American vessels laden
with American products and manned
by American seamen, bound for foreign
ports. We want revival of the clip
per ship days when the United States
was to the front with the fastest and
ablest ships atloat. If sailing vessels
will not fill the bill, let us have fleet
of merchant steamers which will beat
the world in comfort, speed and safety.