PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O._885
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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some ships the mates will back the Master to any extent by word and deed, and this is called "loyalty to the skipper ").
The Surgeon Superintendent should make himself ac- quainted with all the provisions of the charter party, a copy of which with " Appendix to East Indian Emigrant Ships Charter Party""will be furnished to him by the Crown Agents with his letter of appointment, and which he will have a good opportunity of studying on his passage out to Calcutta.
He should have a distinct understanding with the Master as to the duties of the third mate, who is generally appointed to take charge of the coolic stores (pars. 91 and 97, pp. 28, 29 of the Rules), and tell him that some other officer, at his discretion, must be appointed for all other issues. This is especially necessary when the crew is com- posed of lascars, whose food is the same as the coolies, but cabin stores should also be stowed in a separate store room from the medical comforts for the coolies, and be issued separately and not by the third mate, who should be held strictly responsible that this is complied with.
IIe should also call the Master's attention to, and ask his co-operation in enforcing par. 21 of the charter party relating to interference with the coolie women by the Officers and crew; it is his own duty to prevent it among the coolies themselves. Some may feel inclined to smile at this, but I can assure him he will find it no laughing matter, as most of the serious trouble and all suicides, or attempted suicides, can be traced to this one cause.
He should never interfere in any, even the slightest way, with the management or discipline of the ship, as the Master is naturally and very properly jealous of any attempt in that direction, and, with a little common sense, and a few mutual concessions, there is no reason why the relations between him and the Master should be at all strained in ordinary circumstances, especially if official and personal matters are kept, as they always ought to be, quite distinct. He should! call freely on the first or second mate during his watch, to spread awnings, make the sailors coil up ropes if left on the deck, and generally do anything necessary for the comfort of the coolies, and prevent his men from behaving roughly to the coolies, or shoving them out of the way, and in fact allow no intercourse of any kind between his men and the people as such is sure sooner or later to lead to mischief. It is to eulist the mates' good offices that they are paid gratuities at the end of the voyage if the Surgeon Super- intendent can certify that their conduct and general behaviour to the coolies has been satiefactory. These gratuities are
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one dollar divided among the officers of the ship; viz, 35 cents to the captain, 20 cents each to the first and second mates, and 25 cents to the third for every soul landed alive.
COMPOUNDERS AND INTERPRETERS,
To ships carrying more than 500 souls two are appointed Of these, one, generally the Senior, takes charge of the Hospital and Dispensary, dispenses and administers the medi- cines to the sick, superintends the preparation and issue of the hospital diets, and of the extra diets and milk to the patients in hospital, to the weakly and convalescents, and to the nursing women and children on the quarter-deck, and is present at the issue of meals to the coolies generally. The duties of the other Compounder are to take charge of the galley, and see that the Bandharries are present and at work, and that the Topazes keep the decks, both main and coolie, clean and dry,--to detail and direct the men required to holystone or wash down the decks, or to pump water for drinking and cooking,-to muster and detail the Sirdars for duty, and generally to assist in maintaining the discipline and cleanliness of the ship. I think it will be allowed that either of these duties, properly performed, will take up a man's whole time, and therefore am of opinion that two Compounders and Interpreters should be appointed to each ship irrespective of the number of coolies on board. The duties of the first require some amount of professional education or training, and of the second, "go" enough to get the work required out of the people, and it is for these qualities and not seniority that I employ them in one or other capacity. The relations of the Surgeon Superintendent with the former are in some respects peculiar and even intimate, and, as a rule, the men I have had to deal with are worthy of every consideration, but I would caution the Surgeon Superintendent against making pets of them. He should treat them with every regard for their comfort and support their authority in every legitimate way, but remember the closeness of contact on board ship, and that harriers are broken down there in a way not dreamt of by those on shore. I do not say that many would presume, but I will say that all will do their duty none the worse for being kept in their proper place. I always make out for my own use and that of the first Compounder an alphabetical list of the coolies, as looking over 500 names to find the onc wanted becomes rather tedious work.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE'
Reference :-
C.O. 885 / 5
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE