THE PASSING OF THE SAILING SHIP.
[To THE EDITOR OP TRH "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—I have read in the Spectator of May 7th Mr. Bullen's jeremiad as to the passing of the sailing ship. The vessel he speaks of was by his own showing shamefully undermanned. If the crew was incompetent, if the British deep-water sailor- man is going the way of the great auk, shipowners are alone to blame. Undermanning, foul feeding, sordid pay, and every device of " devil-take-the-hindmost " policy to secure dividends have compelled those whose natural bent would incline them to spend their lives in this occupation to look to any other trade for a livelihood. They are so important to the life of the nation, their stock is so enormously valuable to it, that it is a plain duty indicated by every circumstance of necessity to see to it that their conditions of work and being are at least
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