The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-04
HOW SHALL OUR MER.
CHANT MARINE BE
RESTORED?
4 Veteran American Shipbulldcr on
the Blunders Of Congress.

or utter destruction of our family
fiutterinG maritime interests. both
naval and commercial, my patriotism
and love of flag, together with a prac-
tical experience Of over twenty years
in ship construction and operation.
tcmpts me to contribute my small
share toward your splendid campaign
Of education on matters maritime.
The late Charles II. Cramp, with
whom I had the honor of being assoc
ciated for many years. remarked in
the later years Of his life. when he
was nearing the fourscore mark. that
he had been in the shipbulding bust
ness since his birth and that a large
sized library could he filed with what
he didn't know about the business.
To the lay mind a strange remark
from the lips of the man who in his
day was acknowledged without n
peer in this or any other country in
the most diversified and complex craft
in which the human being engages.
\ ship complete is a world self-con-
tanned from a push button which
transmits its message through hum
dreds of miles Of copper wire and
which summons common pin or
wireless blank on which a message
may he transmitted to the uttermost
ends OF the earth the chronometer,
the boiler. the dynamo. the elevator,
the artist the hrickmaker. the fireman
and the orchestra leader are all in
tegral units If our floating world.
I, would not ne misstatcmcnt 20
remark that there Is nothing obtain
able ashore that cannot he found on
board modern steamship.
Some brain has provided all these
details and some hand has put them
TO place.
with this thought before No Il IL
not 20 strange that our lawmakers.
no matter how honestly inclined
blunder so pitcously and ludicrously
when they attempt 20 regulate our
floating worlds.
They are most hlameworthy, how
ever. IN framing laws unaided. which
affect art sans of every trade. on mat
ters Of which the lawmakers are pro-
foundiy ignorant.
Tie recently enacted and most
nidut,us measure known in popular
parlaucc As nc "seaman's hill' calls
I. our attention to tho kind Of men who
90 down to sea on ships
Property speaking there are no
able bodied seamen needed on the ves-
seis that plough the seas to-day and
none are being made.
The deckhands on "A modern steamer
handle lines. stand lookout watch.
,.can. scrapc. polish bright work ami
paint
This is unskil,ed work and requires
no education or apprenticeship.
For this service probably the most
efficient so-cal,ed sailor is the Swede
WHO cannot read or write and who az
SIS month performs twice the work
Of the same class Of man the Amer.-
can ship owner is compelled to employ
at $40 wages and an elaborate menu
which averages 80 cents day man
rs arains, 90 cents for the food pro-
vided FOR tho seaman under foreign
fars
The situation in the engine depart
m"nt is in proportion the same as
, above.
It is NJ. the purpose ~ this letter
70 deal with statistics hut 10 urge
: with al, my heart and strength the
cessation az this brainless. harGm-
scarum. crimlnallv ignorant lecisla-
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