Mr. von Holleben to
Mr. Hay.
[Translation.]
Imperial German Embassy,
Washington, December 5,
1901.
Mr. Secretary of State: The Rickmers Reismühlen
Ship Owning and Building Stock Company, of Bremerhaven, has, in a
statement which I append hereto with a request that it be returned,
addressed under date of October 26 of this year to the foreign office at
Berlin, exposed the rapid increase of desertions of ship’s crews in
California, and asked that a remedy to this evil be sought by means of
representations through the diplomatic channel.
The union of Hamburg shipowners had also, as far back as 1899, brought up
the question of the abuses occasioned by the practices of the shipping
masters, in inciting seamen to desert in various foreign ports, and
especially at Portland, Oreg., and asked whether support might not be
given to the efforts for the removal of these abuses put forth by the
Portland Chamber of Commerce, by means of representations to the
Government of the United States of America, or of measures taken by the
imperial consul at Portland.
The imperial consul at Portland and the imperial consul-general at San
Francisco have not succeeded, in spite of their strenuous endeavors, in
bringing about any improvement in the condition of things above
mentioned.
By direction of the Imperial Government I now have the honor to bring the
foregoing to your excellency’s knowledge, and to add thereto the request
that the Government of the United States earnestly apply itself to
afford an effectual remedy for the grievances of the German
shipowners.
While awaiting your excellency’s obliging answer, etc.
[Inclosure.]
Rickmers Reismühlen Rhederei
& Schiffbau, A. G., to the German Foreign Office.
[Translation.]
Bremerhaven, October 26, 1901.
To the High Foreign
Office:
Desertion of ships’ crews in
California.
By these presents we take the liberty of drawing the attention of the
high foreign office to the desertions of ships’ crews in California.
These desertions have unfortunately assumed for many long years
wholly significant proportions, and, what is most
[Page 412]
to be deplored, the attending
circumstances are so objectionable and unprecedented that we address
with great respect to the high foreign office the request that it
will kindly take it into consideration whether these serious
conditions might not be somewhat improved through the diplomatic
channel. The most noticeable place in this respect is Portland,
Oreg., and in order to show what unheard-of conditions especially
prevail there, and, in particular, the expense to which ships are
put thereby, we take the liberty to append, in continuation of this
letter, a statement of the costs occasioned to two of our ships on
account of blood money, etc., in consequence of desertions.
It has now become so bad that Sullivan, a shipping master who
controls the situation, simply dictated how many substitutes should
be shipped to take the places of the deserters.
We are fully aware that the imperial German consul has—and for that
we owe him thanks—exerted himself to the utmost to check the evil
but without being able to improve matters, and that is the very
reason why we venture to bring the question before the high foreign
office. We believe that the new President of the United States is
quite the right man to take an interest in the matter and to wipe
out the blot that has been put on California ports by the toleration
of the evil.
In our opinion there is scarcely a matter which, by being
energetically taken up, would win for the foreign office from the
shipping interests in Germany, and in the whole world generally,
more thankful recognition than that here presented, and we trust
that we have not applied to the high foreign office in vain.
Should the high foreign office desire further particulars we shall be
in a position to supply them forthwith, as would, indeed, all German
or foreign shipowners whose vessels have been in Portland.
With high consideration, etc.,
Rickmers Reismühlen Rhederei &
Schiffbau, A. G.
[Subinclosure.]
Ship “Robert Rickmers”—Expenses in
Portland, August, 1900, incurred through the desertion of
crews.
| Shipping masters’ fees |
$75.00 |
| “Blood money” for ten men |
700.00 |
| B. H. Sullivan’s so-called compensation |
675.00 |
| Watchman |
24.10 |
|
1,474.10 |
|
Marks. |
| At 4.20 marks |
6,191.22 |
| Ten men for about five months, at 600 marks per month
higher wages |
3,000.00 |
|
9,191.22 |
Average per man, 919.12 marks.
Ship “Mabel Rickmers”—Expenses in
Portland, September, 1901, incurred through the desertion of
crews.
| Shipping masters’ fees |
$130.00 |
| “Blood money” for thirteen men |
425.00 |
| Extras for fares, etc |
48.00 |
| Watchmen |
75.00 |
|
678.00 |
|
Marks. |
| At 4.20 marks |
2,847.60 |
| Thirteen men for five months, at 400 marks per month
higher wages |
2,000.00 |
|
4,847.60 |
Average per man, 372.90 marks.
