sed an
expedient. The situation was met, not by a firm action that would affect
all merchant ships and seamen alike, but by a Defence of the Realm
regulation that operated only when ships were chartered directly by
Government. The opportunity to make the merchantmen's forecastle a place
for decent men to earn a living was passed by. While admitting, by their
concern, that the matter called for redress, Government could only take
action in cases where their bureaucratic interests were threatened.
Vessels on purely commercial voyages, including carriage of the mails
and millions in the nation's securities, were left without the
regulation: we had to carry on as best we could. It entailed hardship on
the better-disposed members of our ships' companies: in whatever
fashion, the work had to be carried on: we taxed our steady men to the
limit. The effect upon them may be judged when they realized that the
delinquency of their shipmates, whose duty they had undertaken, was
assessed at the price of a pound of 'Fair Maid' tobacco.

While the quality of our men was thus affected, we suffered in their
diminished numbers. Without a protest from our governing body, the Board
of Trade, the army took a toll of our seamen. Thus early, it was not
realized that we merchantmen would have to fight for our ships and our
lives at sea. The drums of field-war set up a note that was heard
outside of six fathoms of blue water; large numbers of our seamen and
many ships' officers joined up for military service. There was a certain
measure of compensation afforded by the industrial situation ashore. As
the magnitude of the world conflict was realized, nervous employers of
labour reduced their staffs. All workmen suffered, the building trades
being perhaps most affected. As needs must, we were open to recruit
able-bodied men: we had to make seamen, and that quickly. Masons,
brick-layers, tilers, slaters--they reached tide-mark in their quest for
employment. We were glad enough to sign them on to make up our
complements. At the first they were not of great value. Unused to the
sea and ship-life, they had to be nursed through stormy weather: a
source of anxiety to the watch-keeper when the seas were up. In time
they became moderately efficient. As good tradesmen, they had a
self-respect that could be encouraged: they were not difficult to
control.

Of these, perhaps 50 per cent. made a second voyage, but not more than
10 per cent. remained at sea p