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Need of a public institution for merchant seamen. nations for securing the due qualifications of masters and seamen, or for providing institutions for their benefit in sickness and old age. With the exception of Greenwich Hospital, created for the benefit of seamen serving in the Royal Navy, England possesses no State institution appropriated exclusively for the education of our merchant seamen, or for their benefit in sickness or old age. The Merchant Seaman's Fund was abolished[1] in 1851; and I know of no institution in this country where the aged seaman can find refuge, except one which was recently established, and is maintained by voluntary subscriptions.[2] There are, of course, numerous charitable*
- ↑ The "Winding-up Act, 1851," enacted that compulsory contributions should cease from that date; that those who had paid up till then, should have the option of continuing these payments, but those seamen who had not contributed before 1851 should not be admitted. Thus the fund was practically "abolished," and is now only in operation for the purpose, as the Act names, of "winding-up." This well-intended Institution had become hopelessly insolvent through the grossest mismanagement. Its administration was vested in different irresponsible bodies at the different ports, and while the Legislature compelled contributions, it took no security for the just appropriation of these funds, and no security for solvency! The Winding-up Act of 1851 transferred its affairs to the Board of Trade for the purpose of paying all existing pensions, and to allow the then existing contributors to continue their annual payment should they wish to do so. It has cost the country upwards of 1,000,000l., and will probably cost 500,000l. more before all claims have been satisfied. The pensions granted by the Board of Trade until now (1875) have been 7528l. to masters and seamen, and 14,972l. to widows and children.
- ↑ The "Belvidere," or "Royal Alfred Aged Seaman's Institution." The "Belvidere," known as the "Royal Alfred Aged Seaman's Institution," was established, soon after the abolition of the "Merchant Seaman's Fund," mainly through the exertions of the late Mr. William Phillipps, Mr. George Marshall, and other philanthropic shipowners. The laudable object of this excellent institution is to provide for the "relief of aged and worn out merchant seamen of the United Kingdom." It was started by a grant of 5000l. from the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society, and is now maintained entirely by legacies, donations, and annual subscriptions from charitable persons. These
