[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] SIP.,--I am grateful to
Mr. Coombs for his correction of my slight error regarding seamen's wages, but in fairness to myself must point out that the error was passed on to me by an R.N.R. commander. It is appalling enough, however, to know that the wages of British ships' officers are amongst the lowest in the world, some being considerably less than those of apprentices and natives.
It is equally appalling to know that such wages are coun- tenanced by the National Maritime Board, of whose existence Sir Archibald Hurd for some reason thinks I am unaware, and thereupon, with the perhaps unconscious arrogance of an authority on the subject,, charges me with ignorance. I am as equally aware of the existence of this board as I am of the harsh reputation of the Shipping Federation and shipowners represented on it,, whose treatment of seamen has long been a by-word in this and other countries : a fact which Sir Archibald does not and cannot deny and which any lands- man can prove for himself. They have continually and callously fought seamen's interests, some of their latest de- vices to cut costs and to make money, being : (1) To condemn (as above mentioned) our officers to nearly the lowest wages in the world. (2) To force down seamen's wages, the latest cut being an approximate In per cent. reduction in 1932. (3) Drastically to cut down the number of deck hands to the point of undermanning. (1) To dismiss Able Seamen and replace to an ever-increasing extent by Ordinary Seamen paid only half their wages. (3) To carry increasingly larger num- bers of apprentices (paid a beggarly pittance a month) who although ostensibly supposed to be learning seamanship and navigation, are instead put to doing rough deck work, painting, scraping, &c., all of which should be rightly done by the fully paid deck hands who have been dismissed wholesale. (6) To cut down allowances, store lists, &c., and supply the cheapest and worst kinds of food to the underfed crews. (7) To dismiss British seamen and to replace ever increasingly by foreign and coloured labour. (8) To transfer their flags to foreign vessels with not an Englishman on board. (0) To point the pistol at the heart of Britain's carrying trade by selling old vessels (many bought at greatly inflated prices) dirt cheap to foreigners who use them to compete against and threaten to drive British tonnage from the seas. (10) Finally to deceive seamen and officers with hard luck tales and vain promises into accepting hardships, wage cuts, long hours, semi-starvation and infamous conditions afloat. Seamen, however, are becoming rapidly disillusioned, as the latest annual report published last week of the Officers Merchant Navy Federation shows. They see now—especially after the publication of the wills of the many wealthy ship- owners who pleaded ruin—that they have been deceived and their many sacrifices made in vain.
For these and many other reasons (which space prevents me from mentioning) I adhere to my condemnation, however, violent, both of the beastly conditions in many of Britain's floating slums, and the mentality of the owners responsible, many of whom are now asking for State aid.—I am, Sir
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