480 INTERNATIONAL LAWS FOR THE 



altogether, the interests of shipowners are identical with 

 the fishing owner as regards desertions. The President 

 said : " With respect to the desertion of seamen, I under- 

 stand that there is only one change which can be satis- 

 factory to you, and that is, that the anomalous power which 

 was once possessed by shipowners alone of all employers of 

 labour, that of arbitrary arrest without warrant, should be re- 

 enacted. All I can say is, it will not be re-enacted by me, 

 and I will have no part in restoring legislation which I 

 think cannot by any possibility be justified." This being the 

 President's view of" the anomalous power possessed by ship- 

 owners alone of all employers of labour," why did he not 

 carry out his principles thoroughly when framing the Act of 

 1880 ? What other employer of labour has the power which 

 the Board of Trade still puts before owners as their remedy, 

 that of allowing an owner to appropriate a deserter's clothes 

 or effects, which he may leave on board, and which would 

 include a fisherman's oily clothes and sea boots, without which 

 he cannot go to sea, and which are in reality his tools ? 

 Suppose a workman left his work, or neglected to attend to it 

 for one day, and a coat, cap, slop or tools left in a factory 

 were seized by the master, the result would be that the 

 master would have to pay all damages in a court of law. 

 Again, in what trade would a man be liable to pay the excess 

 of wages paid by his master to another man whom the master 

 might engage in his place when he left his work ? Or in 

 what calling would a man be liable to four weeks' hard 

 labour for refusing to do as he was told by his master, and 

 to forfeit wages as well ? For assaulting his master, to be 

 liable to twelve weeks' hard labour without the option of a 

 fine ? For combining with others to neglect duty, twelve 

 weeks' hard labour ? For embezzlement or damage, to 

 twelve weeks' hard labour, in addition to paying for the 



