Year: 1860

w NatCh@uhu- w aIcns


Shipmasters when on shore frequently converse
about their system of discipline at sea, the char
acter of their crews, and the outfits of their ships
by the owners 1t is not unusual to hear some of
the smart ones say" We never give watch-and-
watch, blow high or blow low, except on Sunday
we can always find something for the sailors to do
to keep the devil out of their minds and the scurvy
out of their bones" This, they think, sounds
" SMART, and shows them to be ever the alert;
but they do not reflect that such system carried
out, often loses suit of sails sometimes spars,
and not unirequently ships with all on board.


Sailors know as well as captains when ship is
put to rights and then they do not receive watch
and-watch they naturally adopt the conclusion that
they are to be humbugged out of their rest Nine
tenths of all the work is undoing what has been
well done before or in working up Junk into spun
yarn which will probably be sold in port the first
opportunity. Settings and serving that would last
for years, often taken off and new put in their
places, not because the change was necessary, but
for the purpose of keeping the men employed.
Sailors know this, and by way of revenge frequent
ly dig the points of their marlinspikes into the
rigging under the settings service, thereby seri
Ousy injuring it, because these openings not only
cut the yarns, but receive and retain water, which
in time produces rot. Enter a loft on shore where
old gang of rigging is being reftted, and there
the effects of marlinsikes and knives will be read
lily detected Keeping all hands deck works
the sailors up, and gratifes the malignant feelings
Ofignorant commanders, but it is at the owners
expense, and at the increal ed risk of the under
writers.


After men have been humbugged out of their
rest all day, it is not likely they will move very
quickly at night, either to make or take in sail
If squall strike the ship the captain may halloa
in vain for the men to bear Il hand-they will not
move an inch faster, even to the ship from de-
structOn. The very fear of the captain is often to
them n of Sfapfion Iatt tha StS rn
over the side," We have often heard men say
60 then we shall have something useful to do-any-
thing is better than humbugging." There
many well known cases, where seamen have moved
so slowly to shorten sail, that vessels have been
dismasted


But the common sailors are not the only suffer-
ers the mates have to endure more, because they
are the drivers-they must be ever on the alert to
keep the men on the move. Mates are but men,
and require rest to enable them to discharge their
duties. If kept on their feet all day, they cannot
keep good lookout at night-they will snOoze even
if, like horse, they do 1t standing up. With
worn out crew and officers on deck at night, what
can be expected Of them but listlessness, if not
sleep! Even the man at the wheel can hardly keep
his eyes open, and the lookout forward, if not
watched, will be In the same condition, while the
captain, the of all this neglect of duty takes
all night in.


Suppose ship springs leak, where this feud-
sh system is carried out, the men will avail them
selves of the first opportunity to abandon her.
Many ship, we have no doubt, has been abandon
ed by her crew out of sheer revenge to the captain
How is it that sails and running rigging are often
found cut at the end of voyage! Let the gentle
men who never give watch-and- watch answer.


But there is another important consideration so
far the owners are concerned, involved in keep
ing all hands deck all day, that may not be
generally known by the superficial. We allude to
fha Of oA II rE-all
known that the more men work the more they will
eat. A crew kept on deck all day will consume
fifty per cent. more provisions than one which has
watch watch This any shipowner can test by
his own experience. If actively employed in the
open air for evera days in succession he will soon
discover that he will require more food to sustain
him than if he were regularly at work, with fair
seasons Of repOse This fact is always acted on in
whalers. The men have watch-and-wateh and
consequently consume little food but when busy
among whales, they receive extra allowance, to en-
able them to perform extra work.


Shipowners discontinued the use of rum on board
their vessels-frst, from moral considerations, we
suppose, but afterwards rom reasons of economy.
1t was a large item saved in ships stores. Now,
if they wish to another large item, and at the
same time, be humane to their Sc men, let them
compel their captains to give their officers and men
watch and watch whenever the duty of the ship
will permit.


Some time since We saw a long account OF bully
who was at Issue with his this very point.
His fiendish nature delighted in tormenting them
by depriving them of their rest-that is, he would
not give them watch-and- watch, and the conse-
quence was mutny. He triumphed, and some of
his friends made great spread of it in the news
papers. telling how he presented his pistols, and
all such trash, because it was his pleasure to rob
poor men of their rest But this same tyrant may
yet live to learn that humanity and fair dealing are
IL, a.. 9
ceamen than pistols. He has been quite successful
thus far, though an infamous bully, and may be so
to the end of the chapter, still his example is un-
worthy Of imitation.