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that the shipmaster should ever be to their faults a little blind, but to their virtues ever kind, as though consideration for them had never had a chance!
The three simple remedies suggested by the leaders of the Seamen's and Firemen's Union are matters held entirely in the hands of shipowners and ship managers, with which shipmasters have little or nothing whatever to do. There may be a few, but a very few, seagoing shipmasters who have a pecuniary interest in the vessels they sail. It is the exception rather than the rule. Modern ship management is quite opposed to that sort of thing, except perhaps in vessels of a certain class. Shipmasters cannot make terms for themselves; they take what is offered, and are thankful it is no worse. The ordinary law of supply and demand rules in this, as in other cases. Sailors and firemen, in demanding higher wages, must ever be mindful of that salutary law, and remember that steamers, considered as factories, are not stationary. They are constantly on the move, and, so far as the Eastern fleets are concerned, to where labour is comparatively plentiful and cheap. Pay the men better is easily disposed of. Feed the men better is quite another matter. Much depends upon the ability of the cook to do his business properly. More depends upon the material put on board by the ship manager before the voyage commences, together with his instructions to whosoever has the immediate control of the commissariat. In many fine vessels even this devolves upon the shipmaster, and he of all men is the white-haired boy who can manage to save sixpence off the bill for mutton chops, and show his skill for management and business aptitude in this direction, regardless of his strictly professional ability. "God sends the grub and the devil sends the cooks," is an old-time saying quite familiar to the average seafarer. 'Now that there is a possibility of shipping a cook who is a cook, there 1s room for hope that the demand of "Feed the men better" can be accomplished without putting shipowners to much further expense over it. The number of men to cook for is a point to be considered, so that the cook may have a chance to do his business decently and cleanly. Some of the galleys, with the cooking pots and pans provided, would almost make a decently able cook lose heart as soon as he makes acquaintance with the place provided for his operations. In those vessels contracted out for the feeding of the crew there is not much to hope for. Those are the exceptions that give the men the right to urge their protest. Most other vessels provide food that can only be described as being much better than the
