TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 139. 



in search of whatever may conduce to civilization and to the wealth of the country 

 which is the centre of this vast and important combination. Nor is the port of 

 Liverpool, although the largest (representing one-thu-d of the commerce of Eng- 

 land), the only one to which a similar remark is applicable ; and it therefore becomes 

 a question worthy of consideration — How is it that such a vast staff of enterprising 

 men, constantly sailing to all parts of the globe, do so little to add to om* Know- 

 ledge of the natural productions, which they, of all men, are in the best position to 

 explore and to provide for the investigations of scieutiiic natm-alists at home P 

 "VN ny do these men, confining their attention to the immediately useful results of 

 the trade in which they are engaged, altogether pass by natiu-al objects, the collec- 

 tion of which coidd not fail to be a source of interest, and which, to men with a 

 moderate degree of education, would, it might be imagined, aflbrd the stimidus of 

 a rational pride ? One thing is certain, namely, that no accessions of importance 

 are derived to our museums and collections from the labours of seafaring men. A 

 piece of coral, a shell or two, or something which has received attention from its 

 oddity, is occasionally brought by the sailor from the rich and interesting regions 

 which he has visited ; but, as a general rule, auj-thing of value or importance is not 

 even to be looked for. There are, however, a few, a very few, honom^able excep- 

 tions, in men whose intelligence leads them to see the value of the opportunities 

 they enjoy, and to make use of them, as far as in them lies, for the improvement 

 and advancement of knowledge. But the willingness of these gentlemen to render 

 then- assistance in any direction in which their scientific friends ashore point out 

 that they can be usefid, only serves to place in the strongest possible li|fht the 

 immense value which would accrue to science were a large body of such men, instead 

 of one or two, constantly employing themselves in a similar manner. We cannot 

 expect all captains of vessels, or, indeed, perhaps any, to use in this direction the 

 intelligence of a Darwin or a Huxley ; but it is not, perhaps, too much to look for 

 that they should exercise a moderate degree of interest in the acquisition of rudi- 

 mentary infonuation, and a certain amoimt of capacity in the selection and collec- 

 tion of the midtifarious objects which daUy come under their notice. The difficul- 

 ties which are umformly brought fonvard against the idea of seamen turning their 

 attention to natural history are chiefly on the score of want of time to attend to 

 anj'thing except their own business. But those who are best competent to judge 

 give a diflerent accoimt. They teU us, indeed, that the seaman, dm-ing his passage 

 through subordinate grades, has his hands full, and his attention fully occupied by 

 his ship duties. But when he is entrusted with a command, the case is diflerent. 

 He is no longer a servant on board his vessel, but a master. His life of active 

 employment is changed for one of comparative idleness, and it is well if the time thus 

 left on his hands is not put to an evil use. Sailors have not the advantages which 

 the mechanic enjoys upon shore. None of the ordinary rational modes of spending 

 his hom's of leism'e are open to him. He is dependent vipon himself for amuse- 

 ment, and this is more particularly the case with the captain. How often, unfor- 

 tunately, do we hear of captains of vessels being charged with intemperance, cruelty, 

 and the long train of e^'ils resulting from an imoccupied mind, and an absence of 

 sufficient emplojTuent for the energies of mind and body. The ship is not alicays 

 in a gale — she does not always require the close supervision which is doubtless often 

 necessaiy. There are abundant seasons of repose, and ample time which might be 

 employed in the pm'suit of those rational amusements or studies which woidd be of 

 so vast a benefit to science. Again, a captain naturally feels that, should he devote 

 any attention to natural history, he may lay himself open to the charge of neglectr 

 iug his ship's duties. His owner may possibly be naiTow-minded enough to con- 

 demn him for allowing anything to occupy his mind besides the routine of his ship 

 work ; or he may even be shortsighted enough to imagine that a man vrith an object 

 in his moments of leisure is less fitted to occupy a place of trust than a mere ma- 

 chine who has no idea beyond the mechanical duties of his profession. And not 

 without reason has the seaman this fear— a fear which, I know, weighs considerably 

 with conscientious captains, who would, if they received the sanction of their owners, 

 do great service to science, without abating one jot of their vigilance and activity 

 in their primary duties. The main point, then, to be considered is — how shipowners 

 generally can be induced to sanction in their masters the cidtivation of those tastes 

 which they often possess, and which cannot but have a beneficial efiect upon their 



