The Holbrook news., 1911-09-22

1 ts out of commission. The pay of sea men on ships belonging to other na- tions. except the United States. is lower than the British ships.
 Cause of Recent Strike.
 To remedy these conditions seamen struck for a minimum rate of wages at all ports and board of arbitration to which they can appeal against the Ship Owners federation, which is the trust the humble mariner now has to fight singlehanded. Owing to the poor pay and generally uncomfortable surroundings, it is said, the class of seamen has deteriorated, officers as well as men. Modern education has caused even sailors to think and per ceive that there is no future in sea faring career except to rise to the rank of bo'sun, which pays $50 to $40 per month. and their number is Him. ited
 The only successful strike in the mercantile marine was that by the officers of the British India company, in the East Indian coastal service, who struck 15 years ago and tied up every steamship from the Persian gulf round to Shanghai. The vessels re- mained in port for days. costing the company thousands of dollars. until the officers pay was increased 30 per cent. and their demands were granted. During that time the strikers were en- tertained and assisted by wealthy res idents at various ports and by pas sengers who had to wait in hotels to go on the ships.
 Officers of Atlantic liners are dis satisfied also with their pay, and be- cause of lack of recognition by officers of the company until they attain a commanders rank. It is said that di- rectors of the biggest steamship lines out of Liverpool will ignore the chief officers standing at the gangway and shake hands with the chief steward standing beside him. Old fashioned shippers have it in their power, ow- ing to the confidential report system In vogue, to mar the career of any junior officer, who may never know what has kept him back.
 Pay of Steamship Officers.
 The pay of the officers on the biz liners ranges from $35 for Juniors to Si00 for chief officers on the biggest nail steamers. Out of this their uni form, gold lace and badges must be piid, and, with washing added. the junior officers has little left at the end of a three weeks voyage. When officers are unattached, which hap pens not infrequently, they are put on half pay.
 In the last five years many officers, some of whom have attained the rank of first officer, have left the Atlantic liners to take positions ashore in the United States. and others now in service are on the alert to get start in any business that holds out some hope for the future to avoid spending the rest of their lives at sea
 The average pay for captains of the fastest and largest mail steamships in the Atlantic trade ranges from $4.OOO to S4,500 a year. An exception is Commodore E. c. Smith of the White Star liner Olympic. whose pay has been increased to $6,0OO. it Is said. to mark the advent of the biggest liner
 
 service. These men have in their charge vessels valued. with freight, at $8.O0O 900 to $9.O0O 900. in addition to 5000 lives on board.
 Risks the Captains Run.
 Although a captain may be in com mand for 20 years without an acci- dent. an error in judgment. even when not entirely his own fault, may cost him his position and end his career at sea. Most of the big lines have a hard and fast rule that commanders who meet with accidents must resign. The underwriters also keep the record of captains and even when the com pany might feel inclined to give an old and tried employe another chance the underwriters will decline to take the risk of the ship, except at very high rates
 The employment of Chinese and Japanese crews on British vessels has increased very rapidly in the last ten years because 1t has become mora difficult each year to get European sailors of the standard that went to sea a quarter of century ago. The opinion of experienced captains of to- day is that the scarcity of officers and men will continue to increase unless some improvement Is made in the pay and conditions af1oat in the mercantile