The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-07-11
SEAMENSHOULD
STAY At HOME
AMERICAN CONSUL AT SOUTH
!, AMPToN SAYS THAT AMERl-
. CANS SHIPPING ON ENGLISH
! VESSELS HAVE A HARD TIME
WHEN DISCHARGED.

In an effort to stop American aeenie2
from shipping on English vessels and
being discharged upon arriving in Eng
land, where they suffer greatly, the re-
port Of the American consul at South
ampton is being given wide publicity
by the government. A copy of it has
been received in Pensacola and in it he
says:
1.-THE great burden Of the work of
this consulate is found in connection
with the care of the lalrge number OF
American seamen with which we have
to deal during the year. During the
year about 300 distressed American
seamen or claiming to be such came
under the care of the consulate in one
WED by the relief provisions Of the
law, and the ether is outside OF those
provisions and serves its purpose.
Most of those sea Migrants come
from one source and it is this: Men
are signed on in American ports, on
English ships, to fill vacancies caused
by assertions IF British seamen seek
ing a better job in the states. These
men are told that they can get a ship
back to the same port almost imme-
diately on discharge at the arriving
port. They are discharged with but a
few dollars in pocket and they find that
they are not wanted on English ships,
work In q land where every sea job has
two or three men waiting for it. Then
they eventually turn up at Southanp
ton, many of them walking all the way
from the far northern ports, to South
ampton, almost barefoot, ragged, more
than half starved, and in a wretched
condition. And these must be cared
for in some way, and have been, in the
past inclement winter. If some way
could be found to give notice Of this
sure condition of things in the several
ports under official warrant, much
misery and suffering on the part of
American citizens might be averted.
"At least the common lie of the
crimp or master seeking men and vic
tins combined might be fairly COM
batted. Nearly all Of this class of sea-
men cannot justify with papers for Of
fetal relief, and then comes the ques-
ton as to what shall be done, or can
be done am under many obligations
to the dock and shipping interest in
giving labor to many of these men,
and eventually working them into the
crews of the outgoing American ships.
But all those men should know that no
American discharged receive the recog-
milton Of the English Board of Trade
in filling up crews on English ships,
nor will those known as the half one
voyage" When they land in English
the bench" and they had much better
pound rock at home than take such
Journeys. And especially so should
this be impressed on colored sailor
men. For then there is no room on
any outgoing ships any flag, and on
them fall unavoidably so far as they
are concerned hardships of the most
trying nature. They get over on cotton
carriers or some lumber laden ships
and find themselves at once among the
despised and rejected, and places given
to others far below them in sea eff
cheney, and in steady, accomplishing
service. To take colored man from a
southern port to any outside port is
only one way Of applying "Shanghaing
to deceived men. 1t may be we'll to
note that the American line ships have
EARNED an average above 20 men on
each voyage over the so per cent Amer
lean crew required under the statutes
relating to the same"