2. WAGES ON BRITISH VESSELS. The following tables show comprehensively and accurately the monthly wages paid on British vessels. For ready understanding and convenience of comparison these rates have been converted into dollars and cents, the British shilling, in which such wages are expressed, being reckoned at 24.3 cents. Like our own law, the British law makes the wages of every sailor in foreign trade on vessels under the national flag a matter of official record, signed by the master and the sailor and attested by an officer of the Government. There is, therefore, no opportunity for differences of opinion, as in most lines of industry, as to what rates of wages are actually paid in the merchant marine of the United States or Great Britain; reference to official records of each Government shows the facts. The statistics are converted from the "tables showing the progress of British merchant shipping," a return made annually for a number of years to the House of Commons, compiled from records of shipping offices. While this Bureau has been reluctant to devote so much space to them, it has nevertheless regarded it as desirable to present a statement, so comprehensive and exact, that any American ship owner can ascertain on precisely what terms, so far as wages enter into cost of operation, the carrying trade is conducted by Great Britain, our natural commercial rival, in any kind or size of vessel, making any voyage that may be selected. The infor mation is believed to be so complete that the owner of any American vessel can compute, at least approximately, the labor cost of operation of a corresponding British vessel in the same trade. While general averages do not have precise scientific value, they are of some popular interest. Thus qualified, the average wages of able seamen on British vessels trading to all parts of the world for the years named, from the 5 ports named in Tables 3 and 4 may thus be stated: The specific, though more intricate, Tables 1 and 2 are truer guides for purposes requiring exact statement. It will be noted generally that the wages on sailing vessels to the United States have fallen to the average of wages paid on British sailing vessels the world round, while the average wages paid on steamships to the United States remain considerably above the average paid on British steamships trading elsewhere, which apparently indicates the employment of a higher grade of seamen in the North-Atlantic trade. The high class of steamships employed in that service is familiar to all. It is noted as significant of the changed conditions of employment on the sea that able seamen are uniformly paid lower wages than firemen, stokers, and trimmers on the same vessels, the higher intelligence and longer training required of sailors being more than offset in wages by the greater physical strain to which firemen and trimmers are subjected. Very little difference in the wages of seamen is made on account of increased tonnage, but the increase for obvious reasons in the wages of petty officers, engineers, etc., with the increase in the size of the vessel is marked. Wages on sailing vessels as a rule appear to be about 20 per cent lower than on steam vessels, and if wages were a controlling or conspicuous factor in cost of operation, steam vessels would not be so rapidly supplanting sailing vessels in the carrying trade of the world. The efficiency of labor employed on steam vessels-in other words, the better tool of commerce with which the sailor works-more than offsets the higher wages, and in proportion to the product of his labor—the actual amount of cargo-carrying done within a month-the sailor on the steamship, though paid more wages, is cheaper labor than the sailor of the ship, bark, or schooner. Table 1 shows the maximum, minimum, and ordinary rates of wages paid to able seamen, first mates, second mates and boatswains, who are to be found on both sailing and steam vessels, noting separately the rates paid to each on sailing vessels, cargo steamers, or passenger steamers, and classifying these again, according to the voyage, whether it be across the Atlantic, to South America, and the West Indies, to Australia, to Asia, to the Mediterranean, the Pacific coast of the United States, etc. The wages paid on sailing vessels and steamships of different tonnage are also noted. Wages of able seamen on British sailing vessels to the United States ranged in 1893 from $12.15 to $17, while on both cargo and passenger steamships the range was from $17 to $23 in round numbers. First mates on sailing vessels to the United States were paid from $24.30 to $48.60, according to the size of the vessel, which is a rough measure of pecuniary trust reposed; on steamships the pay ranged from $43.75 to $72.90, the pay on passenger steamships naturally ruling higher than on cargo boats, within which are included freight steamers often called "tramps." Table 2 relates wholly to steamships and shows wages to first and second engineers, leading firemen, firemen, and trimmers, who are classified as in Table 1. The pay of first engineers, like the compensation of masters, depends so much on individual ability that no generalizations are possible. The maximum wages of ordinary firemen are $25. By turning to the tables of American wages it will be noted that the maximum pay of this class of labor is $40. It should be observed, however, that except head firemen and water tenders, the firemen of a steamship, while the most numerous portion of its crew, contribute less to the maritime strength of a nation than able seamen, who are the fighting force, as no long training, slowly acquired skill, or special qualities are required for the work. Its difficulties and drawbacks are well known. Table 3 shows the average monthly wages paid to able seamen on both steamships and sailing vessels at the five ports with which the great bulk of the carrying tradeexcluding express passenger trade to Southampton-between the United States and Great Britain is carried on. The figures are given for 1870, 1880, and for 1891, 1892, and 1893 to show the fluctuations and tendencies of wages on the sea. The steady rise in wages up to 1892 and 1893 is in part to be explained by the greater efficiency of labor. In 1870 the average number of men employed per 100 tons on British sailing vessels in foreign trade was 2.79, and in 1893 it was 2.23. In other words, a sailing vessel of 1,000 tons manned by 28 men in 1870 can now be manned, through improved · mechanical appliances, by 22 or 23 men; but as higher intelligence is required, higher wages follow, not inconsistent also with greater profit. On British steamships the average number of men per 100 tons in foreign trade in 1870 was 4.35, and in 1893 was 2.47, a reduction of over 40 per cent in the number, corresponding, presumably, to the more effective use of labor. The tables show a noteworthy decline in wages for 1892 and 1893. There can be no better test of the general condition of the world's industry than the averages wages of British sailors, which are based in the last analysis on the state of the trade of the whole world; and it is submitted that these tables have a value, outside their direct purpose, in demonstrating the extent of the world's business depression in 1892 and 1893, which was shared by the United States with other nations, though, as has been customary in previous periods of depression, it reached this country somewhat later than it reached others less highly endowed by nature with the means of resisting adverse conditions. Table 4 shows the wages of first and second mates, boatswains, carpenters, and sailmakers and quartermasters, wherever these are carried, on steam vessels and sailing vessels. First, second, and third engineers, leading firemen and firemen, of course, ship only on steam vessels. As in Table 3, the figures collated for a period of years illustrate tendencies. TABLE 1.-Maximum, minimum, and ordinary wages (expressed in dollars and cents) paid on British vessels in 18.9%. 7325 NAV TABLE 2.—Maximum, minimum, and ordinary wages (expressed in dollars and cents) paid on British steam vessels in 1893. North America, east coast. South America and West Indies.. Australia and New Zealand East Indies and China... Cape, Natal, and east Mediterranean...st coast of Africa. West coast of America.. TABLE 3.-Average monthly wages (expressed in dollars and cents) paid to able seamen on British vessels. Port. Steamships. Sailing vessels. 1870. 1880. 1890. 1891. 1892. 1893. 1870. 1880. 1890. 1891. 1892. 1893. I.-Bound to North Amer ica. Bristol..... $17.01 $24.30 $24. 30 $23.08 $18. 22 $13.36 $13. 36 $17.01 $17.01 $17.01 $14.58 London 17.01 15.79 21.87 21.87 19. 44 19. 44 13.36 19.44 17.01 21.87 17.01 Newcastle and Shields... 17.01 17.01 21.87 23.08 20. 65 19.44 14.58 13.36 15. 79 14.58 23.08 23.08 17.01 15. 79 17.73 17.01 14.58 13.36 Average.. II.-Bound to the Medi terranean, 18.47 17.18 24.55 22.27 22. 17, 19. 19 15.90 14. 12 17.53 17.81 15.79 13.97 Bristol.... Glasgow, Liverpool... London Newcastle and Shields... 17.01 17.01 21.87 23.08 19.44 18. 22 14.58 15.79 21.87 21.87 20.65 18. 22 13.36 13. 36 14.58 Average 15. 96 16.09 21.00 21.05 20.04 18. 05 13. 26 13. 18 17.41 17.01 15.79 15.06 15. 79 13.36 21.28 20.65 20.65 17.01 13.36 12. 15 17.01 17.01 14.58 13.36 14.58 13.36 19. 44 17.01 19.44 17.01 12.15 12. 15 14. 58 14. 58 14. 58 13.36 15.18 14.82 20.96 20.39 20.45 17.98 12.90 12.49 16. 52 16. 40 15. 64 13.85 14.58 15.79 21.87 13.36 12.15 17.01 14.58 11.58 14.58 19. 44 17.01 21.87 23.08 23.08 13.36 12.15 17.01 17.01 15. 79 14.58 13.36 13.36 17.01 14.58 12. 15 12. 15 14. 58 14.58 14.58, 14. 58 12.15 12.15 17.01 17.01 14.58 13.36 17.01 14.57 15. 17 20.45 19.03 17.92 14.58 13.45 12.66 16. 52 16.40 15. 49 14.58 Glasgow Liverpool.. London.. 12.15 12.15 17.01 17.01 15. 79 14.58 20. 65 19.44 19.44 15.79 13.36 12.15 17.01 17.01 14.58 13.36 17.01 21.87 21.87 13.36 17.01 13.36 13.36 19,44 19.44 19.44 17.01 12.15 12.15 14.58 14.58 14.58 13.36 14.58 14.58 19,44 19.44 17.01 17.01 12.15 12.15 17.01 17.01 14.58 13.36 15.79 15.79 20.65 20.65 17.01 14.58 Newcastle and Shields... 14.58 17.01 21.87 23.08 23.08 19.44 12. 15 12. 15 17.01 17.01 13.36 23.08 14.82 15.38 20.85 20.65 20.24 17.31 12.55 12.35 16.52 16.52 15.55 13.66 12.75 15.79 21.14 20. 65 19.64 17. 25 12.39 12. 14 16.40 16.52 15.18 13.66 |