THE ALAMEDA AND THE SEAMENS UNION. How it was Setted.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 282, 18 July 1888, Page 4

THE ALAMEDA AND THE SEAMENS UNION. How it was Setted.

The "Sidney Morning Herald ' says: Tin's afternoon, it ib expected, the Alameda will start foe San Fianciseo bearing her Chinese crew and the twenty seamen who it is proposed shall take their place when the Amoiican port in readied. It was unfortunate, to begin with, that this American vessel should have been fixed upon as the firnt object of the attentions of the Maritime Council. It was more unfortunate still that th<j move should have been made when, by an accident, it was impossible foi Captain jSJorse to communicate w ith hin company. The Seamen's Union can hardly be called to account for looking after theii own interests, ami objecting to Asiatic cheap labour being employed on subsidised mail vessels ; but the extension of this privilege to the point at first proposed would ha\e been an abuse of a right, that is, that only Austialian labour should be employed on the Alameda. The arrangement mutually agreed upon now is much moie f-atis-factoiy. The men go to iSan Francisco at the expense of the Seamen's Union, and if not employed by Spieckles and Co they are to be leturned at the co&b of the firm. To this Cantain Xlorse has agreed, because he could not communicate with his firm owing to the iutenupted cable, and under the circumstances ltishaid to see what else hecould have done. The Chinese agitation was iunninghigh here, the seamen weie determined to pur&ucana«fgiessivecour&e, and there was no certainty as to when the cable would be repaired. Ib is fortunate that so much tact was shown by (he captain, 01 the vessel mig-ht yet be out in the harboui, with her cargo undischarged, and with no chance of coaling her. i\ T ow she has got lid of her cargo, her outward shipment it well under the hatches and she i*, coaled. By the airangement the expense is in any case evenly divided, and Sprecldes and Co. can lose but little. Had the Seamen*- Union persisted in its first demands, the result might have been anything but pleasant or profitable The policy of concession ib the wisest in all labour tiouble.s, and its success in this instance it, a proof of the fact. It is quite possible that the present move will result in a clause being inserted in the mail contracts requiring 1 mail vessels to omploy only white labour. If this is done, of course the conveyance of mails would cost us moie, so that we shoald pa&s fiom one difficulty to another. However, that is> in the future. The outcome of the present experiment will be watched with considerable interest. It is to be hoped that the owncis of the Alameda will regard the matter troin the standpoint of the seamen as well as troin theirown, and that nonewdifticulty willaiise from the temporary settlement.