To the Editor of the "Nonri-Cniwa Datty New!
SmI noticed the letter of "C" in your issue of the 27th instant and am pleased to sce that some one, apparently not of "the profes sion" is taking up the cudgels on our behalf. In case there should be those Who think he is exaggerating, and from what I know of shore people and passengers, I think there ave a large num-Ber who honestly, believe that we get paid for nothing, may I use your valuable space to give a brief Outline of the work a Chief Officer has to do for the princely sum of $278 per mensem, increasing at the Tate of about $1i per annum dur ing the time he holds that rank.
Take for example the river run which is considered the easiest of arrives in Shanghai turday "at noon and proceeds to discharge cargo, which moy continue far into Saturday night. Possibly, having @ home and wife ashore, he takes this opportunity of slipping away to seo them, though if anything went wrong on the ship, only the second officer being on duty, he would surely be accused of neglecting hhis duty and punished accordingly. He must be back by six or seven joining to sce his crew or should the Captain have "a liver" and send. for him about seven-thirty he will again do siccused of megieeting his duty. Ho: must be on duty all day innumerable people will require to see him or will telephone him from the: Company's offic, requiring' his professiona advice on matters connected with the ship.
The ship will start loading cargo inthe afternoon, probably about three: or four, "and will continu Joadinig: until she sails, during the whole-of- which time the Chief Officer is. obliged to be on duty' as his isthe responsibility for the safe handling and stowage of every package of cargo, and he will have all receipts for same to check and ign (and I have known them amount-to well over a thousand in a night).
During this time the second off-cer must go ashore if he so desires (and "he may also be a married man) for he will get no other opportunity, but he must be back before the ship sails at perhaps three or four a.m. when either he or the Chief Officer must go on watch, and continue on watch alternately during the remainder of the voyage, The ship's stay in Hankow repetition of Shanghai, except that she will probably load cargo during jute day and there may be one night on which no work is done. 'Add to this the fact that an exceedingly high standard of professional knowledge, requiring years' at sea to acquire, is necessary before one is considered a fit person to have the opportunity of earning this munificent salary, and then we enjoy the privilege of being' the first to be considered when economy is found necessary by the company. The "Hammer and Sickle' on Red" begins to look more attractive than the "Saint Andrew's Cross on Blue" though I em ultra anti-Bolshi Thanking you for your valuable' time and enclosing my card.
Tam, ete, Shanghai
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.