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- vented from being plundered by depraved persons,
whose chief occupation consists in getting what they can out of him. Although Jack may still desire to retain from his wages enough for the proverbial "spree" or jollification after a long sea-voyage, too large a portion of his earnings still go to crimps and other depraved persons; but as a considerable amount is now either deposited at the savings-bank or remitted home, the crimp has less inducement to offer his very questionable services to the sailor than he had before this excellent Act came into operation.[1]
- ↑ During the year ending 20th November, 1874, 50,182l. 15s. 6d. was received at the Seaman's Savings-banks, and 45,964l. 9s. 10d. paid away, leaving to the credit of the seamen depositors, with interest, 81,116l. 1s. Since the money-order offices were opened in 1855, there has been received through these offices at ports in the United Kingdom and ports abroad, up to the close of 1874, 4,827,093l. 1s. 11d., and remitted to 804,208 persons the sum of 4,822,338l. 14s. 8d. See Parl. Papers, Seaman's Savings-banks and Money-orders, 161, 21st April, 1875. I most sincerely trust that Government will do everything in its power to encourage and induce seamen to make more use than they now do of these most valuable offices. These and education, more than stringent legislative enactments, are the instruments whereby the power of the crimp is to be crushed, and our seamen elevated to the position of our mechanics.
