A willing, healthy young fellow, who has gone through a course of training as outlined above, will, with two or three months of actual seafaring behind him, be well worth his keep and wages as a sailor. The experience he will then be daily gaining will soon fill up the gaps in his nautical education necessarily left by his hurried training ship instruction, till in another year or two he will have developed into a full-fledged able seaman. If he then chooses to take up with "fancy work"—and they usually do—all good and well. But safety first. And safety for a man before the mast lies in knowing how to perform in a shipshape manner the daily, prosaic, everyday routine duties of an able seaman.
The laws governing the American Seaman, in which are incorporated the laws known as the "Seamen's Act," follow. They are of interest to every one who is governed by them. Laws are made to provide for the proper regulation of our affairs, and no matter how wordy, the intent is to uphold recognized authority, and be just to all—+sea lawyers take notice+.
U. S. NAVIGATION LAWS GOVERNING MERCHANT SEAMEN
In the construction of this Title [R. S., 4501-4613], every person having the command of any vessel belonging to any citizen of the United States shall be deemed to be the "master" thereof; and every person (apprentices excepted) who shall be employed or engaged to serve in any capacity on board the same shall be deemed and taken to be a "seaman;" and the term "vessel" shall be understood to comprehend every description of vessel navigating on any sea or channel, lake or river, to which the provisions of this Title may be applicable, and the term "owner" shall be taken and understood to comprehend all the several persons, if more than one, to whom the vessel shall belong. (R. S., 4612.)
Pilots, mariners actually employed in the sea service of any citizen or merchant within the United States, and all persons who are exempted by the laws of the respective States or Territories shall be exempted from militia duty, without regard to age. (Jan. 26, 1903; sec. 2.)
(Date and place of first signature of agreement, including name of shipping-office.)
It is agreed between the master and seamen or mariners of the ———— ————, of which ———— ———— is at present master, or whoever shall go for master, now bound from the port of ————, ————, to ————, ————, (here the voyage is to be described, and the places named at which the vessel is to touch, or if that cannot be done, the general nature and probable length of the voyage is to be stated.)