Mr. Uhl to Mr.
Bayard.
Department of State,
Washington, April 5,
1895.
No. 651.]
Sir: I inclose herewith copy of a dispatch, No.
11, of November 19, 1894, from the United States commercial agent at
Swansea, in regard to the treatment of men employed to care for cattle
shipped on steamers plying between the United States and European ports;
also, copy of correspondence had with the Danish minister at this
capital1 and with the Treasury Department,
touching this subject.
You will bring this matter to the attention of the British Government,
expressing regret that our laws do not afford a means of remedying the
evil complained of, and suggesting that local regulations might be
invoked to prevent the landing of such men unless provision is made for
their temporary support or reshipment.
I am, etc.,
Edwin F. Uhl, Acting
Secretary.
[Page 729]
[Inclosure 1 in No.
651.]
Mr. Davies to
Mr. Uhl.
Commercial Agency of the United States,
Swansea, November 19, 1894.
No. 11.]
Sir: Three men, claiming American
citizenship, this morning applied to me for assistance to return to
the United States, and as their case seems typical of a large number
of others that have come under my notice, I beg to lay it before the
Department in the hope that what seems to be a growing evil may be
mitigated.
These men state that they, with some fifteen or twenty others, were
engaged at an office in Greenwich street, New York City, to take
care of cattle shipped on the steamship Monomoy, of the Hogan (New York) Line of steamers from
Hoboken to Havre. The steamers of this line, though sailing under
the British flag, are said to be owned in the United States. The men
say that they were promised $10 upon arrival at Havre. They also say
that they signed no papers of any kind before sailing. Upon their
arrival at Havre they say that the foreman who had charge of them
gave each of them a franc to pay for a night’s lodging, and promised
to meet them the following morning and give them the money due them.
This, they say, he failed to do and they received no money and no
tickets for their passage back to the United States. The captain of
the Monomoy allowed them to work their way
from Havre to Swansea, but would not allow them to work their way on
to the United States. The men are now here, ragged, penniless, and
hungry.
The captain of the Monomoy says that he can
not allow these men to work their passage to America except under
instructions to do so from the office of the owners at New York.
The number of destitute cattlemen applying to me for assistance is so
great (an average of half a dozen a week) as to indicate that men
are systematically deceived and cheated by the employees of the
shippers of live cattle from the United States, if the stories they
tell are true.
These men coming from New York have no papers of any kind. Cattlemen
coming from Baltimore and Newport News have, however, shown me
“cattlemen’s passports,” bearing the seal and signature of a
collector or deputy collector of customs.
I have in some cases been able, through the kindness of the local
agents and captains of lines of steamers trading from Swansea to the
United States, to secure opportunities for destitute cattlemen to
work their passage to America. But the cases deserving assistance
have become so numerous that my efforts in this direction are now
almost uniformly unsuccessful.
Perhaps the publication of a warning in the newspapers in the cities
from which live cattle are shipped, which might be effected through
the United Press or Associated Press, would put possible victims on
their guard.
I am, etc.,
David C. Davies,
United States Commercial Agent.
[Page 730]
[Inclosure 2 in No.
651.]
Mr. Hamlin to
Mr. Olney.
Treasury Department,
Washington, D. C., December 13, 1894.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your letter of the 7th instant, transmitting copy of a
dispatch from the commercial agent at Swansea reporting that there
are at that place three United States citizens who were employed on
the steamship Monomoy to take care of cattle
on the passage from Hoboken to Havre, and that these men are in a
destitute condition. It is noted that the commercial agent reports
further that on the average half a dozen destitute citizens apply to
him weekly for aid.
As these citizens were not shipped under the laws of the United
States, and as the vessels in this trade are mainly under the
British flag, I have the honor respectfully to suggest that a copy
of the dispatch be transmitted to the British ambassador at this
capital.
The matter has been referred to the Bureau of Navigation.
Respectfully, yours,
C. S. Hamlin, Acting Secretary.
