APPENDIX 313 



from both sea and monster) separated from family and country at the rate of 

 five dollars and twenty-two cents ($5^%oo) P^^ month. Yet such is the 

 case. 



I grant as the Owners and Masters contend that this is his first voyage, 

 that he had no experience — that if he conducted himself properly and felt 

 disposed he can take advantage of knowledge he has now gained and demand 

 from the Owners a much better lay and perhaps if recommended by the 

 Master, a better position such as boatsteerer — but before he can reap the 

 benefit of these advantages we must be assured that he has really obtained 

 them, we must know whether he is not entirely destitute or even in debt to 

 the ship and thereby compelled to reship almost immediately; we must know 

 what class of Masters and Mates he has had over him — whether they have 

 treated him kindly, whether they have been willing to advise or instruct or 

 whether they have (which I am sorry to say is generally the case) left him to 

 himself and that sink of immorality the forecastle. 



It is very clear no matter what may be the amount of his instruction or 

 what the sum of knowledge gained on the voyage the pecuniary benefit is 

 merged into the hands of the owners. 



But there are other and more serious results springing from this System of 

 small pay (which by the way is almost too mild a term) to the country at 

 large. 



The vast amount of uncultivated and unpopulated territory at home would 

 naturally lead us to discourage in every possible way the emigration of our 

 native born citizens. Every arm is useful and when we find that three or 

 four thousand young men yearly sail from the United States in whalers and 

 becoming disgusted desert and either from shame or moral corruption never 

 return or if they do return in after years are no credit to their country, we 

 are naturally led into the reflection that the cause which produced this must 

 bfc of the most serious nature. And I am satisfied on my own mind that the 

 small profit as the result of labour is more the cause than the bad treatment 

 which they sometimes receive at the hands of the Masters and Mates. 



It is almost impossible to expect that twenty five or thirty men can exist at 

 sea for the length of six months without some slight disagreement and when 

 we take into consideration on the one hand that men may be obstinate self- 

 willed or perverse or that on the other the Master or Mate may be too exact- 

 ing or prone to tyrannize it is not at all astonishing that there should be com- 

 plaints of minor or greater character frequently entered at the diff^erent 

 Consulates. 



But I must defer to a future occasion observations upon the personal ill 

 treatment of Seamen and its causes and should the Department desire and 

 approve of it I will with pleasure place before it several cases of an exag- 

 gerated character that have come under my official and personal knowledge. 

 And in conclusion I will now place in tabular form the number of whale 

 vessels sailing out of the United States with their tonnage average number of 

 men, average amount of oil, etc. Also a table showing the amount of profit 

 derived by the owners from these voyages from which last it will be seen 

 that it would be very easy for them to largely increase the pay of their men 

 and still make an enormous interest on their money. 

 I have the honor to be. Sir 



with great respect, Your obedient Servant 



Fayette M. Ringgoli? 



