During the last war with America, the Americans hit upon a very good plan as regarded the English seamen whom they had captured in our vessels. In the daytime the prison doors were shot and the prisoners were harshly treated; but at night, the doors were left open: the consequence was, that the prisoners whom they had taken added to their strength, for the men walked out, and entered on board their men-of-war and privateers.
This fact alone proves that I have not been too severe in my remarks upon the character of the English seamen; and since our seamen prove to be such “Dugald Dalgettys,” it is to be hoped that, should we be so unfortunate as again to come in collision with America, the same plan may be adopted in this country.
Now, from the above remarks, three points are clearly deducible:—
1. That America always has obtained, and for a long period to come will obtain, her seamen altogether from Great Britain.
2. That those seamen can be naturalised immediately, and become American seamen by law.
3. That, under present circumstances, England is under the necessity of raising seamen, not only for her own navy, but also for the Americans; and that, in proportion as the commerce and shipping of America shall increase, so will the demand upon us become more onerous; and that should we fail in producing the number of seamen necessary for both services, the Americans will always be full manned, whilst any defalcation must fall upon ourselves.
And it may be added that, in all cases, the Americans have the choice and refusal of our men; and, therefore, they have invariably all the prime and best seamen which we have raised.
The cause of this is as simple as it is notorious; it is the difference between the wages paid in the navies and merchant vessels of the two nations:
| pounds shils pounds shils | |
| American ships per month | 3 10 |
| British ships ditto | 2 2 to 2 10 |
| American men-of-war ditto | 2 0 |
| British men-of-war ditto | 1 14 |
It will be observed, that in the American men-of-war the able-seaman’s pay is only 2 pounds; the consequence is that they remain for months in port without being able to obtain men.