DEBITS AND CREDITS 251 



Net Amount of Slops and Goods Sold to Crew. . $1273.30 

 Net Amount of Slops and Goods Sold for Re- 

 cruiting 1869.12 



Total Sales 314242 



Invoice (Cost Price) of Slops and Goods Sold I559-59 



Net Profit (slightly over 100%) 1582.83 



Slops Not Sold and Appropriated to Ship's Use. . 487.61 

 Invoice of Slops Remaining on Board 7^*34 



The owners considered average slop-chest profits of 100% 

 by no means extortionate, nor even unreasonable. The return 

 was calculated for the entire voyage of two to four years, and 

 not annually. The risks were undoubtedly great, and were 

 further increased by the common practice of desertion, which 

 made it impossible to secure payment for the supplies which 

 had been advanced. Another source of loss existed in the form 

 of unsold goods j for articles which had reposed in the hold 

 of a whaler for many months could be disposed of only at a 

 heavy discount, and in many instances constituted a total loss. 

 In fact, most agents instructed their captains to sell surplus 

 slop-chest supplies at cost, or even at a net loss, rather than to 

 bring them back to the home port. And finally, the position 

 of the master as seller and disciplinarian formed such a com- 

 plete monopoly that the temptation to sell above the competi- 

 tive prices prevailing on shore was well-nigh irresistible. 



The resulting high prices, often combined with grossly in- 

 ferior quality, made the average foremast hand regard the 

 slop-chest as a necessary but iniquitous institution, through 

 which the owners and master profiteered outrageously at his 

 expense. But in addition to this double indictment, the fore- 

 castle also nourished more specific slop-chest grievances, gen- 

 erally incited by the less scrupulous masters. Noteworthy 

 among the causes of such grievances were the refusal to ad- 

 vance cash when in port, thus compelling the men to buy arti- 

 cles on credit from the slop-chest and to sell them ashore at a 

 loss in order to secure a small amount of spending-moneyj ar- 

 bitrary raising of prices j failure or refusal to quote exact prices 

 at the time of sale, so that a man would not know how much he 

 had been charged until the final settlement was made^ months 



