The new era. (Walden, Colo.) 1906-19??, 1911-08-10
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is out of commission. The pay of sea
men on ships belonging to other ma
lions, except the United States. 70
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. 1t is said, the class OF
seamen has deteriorated. officers as
we'll 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 IL lin
tied.
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 is years ago and tied up every
steamship from the Persian gulf
round to Shanghai The vessels re-
NAMED in port for days, costing the
company thousands Of dollars, until
the officers pay was increased 80 per
cent. and their demands were granted.
During that time the strikers were en-
tertained and assisted by wealthy res
ldents 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 d.
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 1t in their power. ow-
ing to the confidential report system
in vogue, to mas 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 big
liners ranges from $35 for juniors to
500 for chief officers on the biggest
mail steamers. Out Of this their uni
form, gold lace and badges must be
paid, 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 Off Ger, 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 $4,000
to $4,000 a year. An exception Is
Commodore E. c. Smith Of the White
Star liner Olympic, whose pay has
been increased to $4,000. 1t is said. to
mark the advent of the biggest liner
of the mercantile marine into the
service. These men have In their
charge vessels valued, with freight.
at $4,000 900 to 100000. in addition
to 5000 lives on board.
Risks the Captains Run.
Although a captain may be in COM
mand for 20 years without an acct
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 witt accidents must resign
The underwr 1'-lso keep the record
of captains and even when the COM
pany might feel inclined to give an
old and tried employee 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 ton
wears because 1t has become more
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 adoat In the mercantile
marine.