New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-15

scale, and parliamentary legislation
against foreign seamen.
This born fighter is of middle
height, Square-hewn and powerful Of
frame, with a big head, an aggressive
beak OF nose, firm mouth, thrusting
chin and steely, fearless. blue-gray
wonderful organizer and tremendous
worker, who has put in on an average
sixteen hours a day throughout life
and is said TO have addressed more
meetings within twenty-four hours
than any other man in England. Final
ly, he has a sense of humor, which,
as a rule, the British labor leader
lacks.
The story of his career, as he told it
TO me, suggests one Of the nautical ro-
mances Of Clark Russell, and it all
has a special interest for Americans.
Wilson's paternal grandfather, he said,
was one Of the old collier captains,
whose wife always sailed with him as
chief mate, also acting as special navi-
gator when they went to toreign parts.
There is a character ready made Tor
whatever romancer of to-day cares 10
avail himself or her.
~ myself" said he, first drew the
breath Of life at Sunderland, famous
for its sailors and shipbuilding, and
ny connection with ships began in
1867, when ! was 'nipper' Of between
nine and ten. Those were the days
Of the beautiful American clippers,
many of which came 10 Sunderland 10
load coal, and, along with other boys
of about the same age, my spare time
was spent climbing the masts and
l. = Ana
how and where ] got my 'sea-legs.
"Chock Full of Salt Water"
~ fear was more often to be found
on these Yankee ships or bathing from
the sands close by than at school, and
from the first had strong inclination
20 be a sailor, which was only natural,
for all my uncles and cousins were sea
men, and one OF them, Captain Elliott,
who was master of his vessel, bark,
at twenty-one and owner OF her before
he was thirty, was the particular hero
of my boyish fancy. And so, 70 use a
sailors expression, / was clock full OF
salt water.
Il had a rather romantic start IN
my seafsring profession. From errand
boy was bound apprentice to litho-
graphic printer. But the sea was IN
my blood, and a couple of months later
I had started ny sailoring career as
steward, or messroom boy, 10 the engl-
neers Of a steamer. After making sew
eral voyages 10 Mediterranean ports,
resolved on being a proper sailor, and
was apprenticed 10 ship owner who
had a number OF barks engaged IN the
China trade.
u remember this old gentleman,
when binding me for four years, i'm
pressed the fact upon my mind that l
was entering a most noble and honor
able profession, one OF the finest in the
world. But years afterward, when l
had become an agitator, had occasion
TO meet this same old gentleman in con-
nection with an industrial dispute and
he then sought TO impress upon me that
seaInen were only common laborers and
very highly paid. I remembered his
words, however, and reminded him OF
them, 70 his great discontinue.
"The point at issue, remember, was
an improved food scale NOV, by the
way, embodied in the merchant ship
ping bill, and ! suggested the addition
of condensed milk TO the dietary. This
almost paralyzed the old man, who
patheticslly inquired whether l thought
all seamen were invalidsl
"I we'll remember my first night al
sea on the old bark. We had started
away under very favorable conditions
and amid great celebrations, for we
were off for a three years voyage, and
the tugboat had 20 make three trips to
take ashore all the people who came 20
see US OF, while there were fddlerss
and concertinas and much singing OF
'chanties' and drinking Of whiskey.
"But we hadn't gone very far before
il came on 20 blow fairly strong gale
and il became necessary to shorten sail.
/ didn't know much about the operation,
but thought if did as the men did /
should be all right. and so when they
hauled on a rome laid hold with them,
and thought | was doing well, although
already began 10 feel rather seasick.
II was suddenly reminded by the cap
tain, however, that there was more for