examined, and conversation with many of them, a critical examination of the accommodations and equipments of the vessels, and a collation of various reports and statistics for the past ten years furnish the data from which the inference is drawn that much of the cruelty, ill-usage, and general discomfort of the steerage passage belong to the history of the past a time when the Tapscott or Blackball liner was the representative passenger-carrying vessel.

With the gradual supplanting of sailing-vessels by steamers have come shorter voyages, increased space, improved accommodations, more light, better ventilation, more abundant supplies of more wholesome food and water, and a superior morâle of officers and crews; though in this latter respect there is still much to be desired.

As a direct result of these changes the mortality among steeragepassengers has been reduced over 50 per cent. in five years, the respective per millages for the two periods and for each class of vessels being

On sailing-vessels.
On steamships..

*

This reduction is due, undoubtedly, to the improved administration. of the immigrant service, an improvement for which, it must be confessed, the United States is entitled to little if any credit. For while, in the language of ex-Secretary Boutwell, "the interest of the United States lies in the character and health of the emigrants this country receives, and, therefore, it is deemed of the utmost importance to hold foreign vessels to such regulations as will give greatest security to the life and health of the emigrants," the fact is that, owing to the interpretation of existing emigration laws, with the single exception of collecting a penalty of $10 for every immigrant-passenger over eight years of age who dies on the voyage, we do not hold foreign vessels to any regulation at all; and the examinations of such vessels by our inspectors of customs to ascertain "whether the requirements of law have been complied with," (sec. 9, act March 3, 1855, 10 Stat., 718,) are made as a matter of form only, so far as the exaction of any penalties for non-compliance with the requirements of law is concerned.

While this improvement in the immigration service has thus reduced the general mortality, the effect of the competition of steamships in driving sailing-vessels out of the service has also had much to do with lessening the death-rate. This is shown by the fact that where the service is to any great extent still performed by sailing-vessels, the mortality rises in direct ratio to the proportion of passengers carried by them. Thus, during the five years above quoted, while the mortality on sailing-vessels was reduced over 50 per cent., only about 8 per cent. of the total number of immigrants was carried on them in 1872, while nearly 25 per cent. was so carried in 1867.

A striking proof of the connection between these two facts, as cause and effect, was found in the statistics at the port of Baltimore, during the spring of 1873. At this port for the quarter ending March 31 there arrived 1,602 steerage-immigrants, of whom 711 were brought by sail and 954 by steam. Of the former, 32 died on the voyage, and only two of the latter, being in the ratios of one death to every 477 steam-passengers and one to every 22.2 sail-passengers.

The usual mode of stating mortality on shipboard misleads the general reader who is not careful to distinguish between per annum mortal

ity and the mortality per voyage. Through this oversight a mortality of 261 in 228,722 passengers is quoted in a recent report to the Secretary of the Treasury as a most favorable showing," and, inferentially, as indicating little room for improvement in the immigration service.

As a matter of fact, this mortality represented an annual death-rate of over 35 per thousand, or very nearly three times as great as the annual death-rate in the United States according to the last census. The real discrepancy is even greater than this, since immigrants are, generally, in the prime of life, the most enterprising and the most viable of the class to which they belong, and, before being allowed to go aboard, are inspected by a medical officer to prevent those unlikely to stand the voyage from embarking; so that they represent "selected lives" in a measure, while the census returns include all ages and conditions, and, during the last decade, covered the mortality of the war. During the last six months of 1872, however, the per annum mortality of steam-passengers was, as it should be, from the causes above enumerated, a little less than the United States per annum mortality, and may be justly cited as a "most favorable showing" for steamships when compared with the mortality on sailing vessels for the same period-a mortality which equaled a per millage of 44.8 per annum.

With the exception of certain measures looking to protecting passengers from contact with the crew, there would seem, from the general testimony, little to be desired in the treatment of immigrants on steamships, while as to sailing-vessels it is believed that competition is driving them out of the passenger-carrying trade so rapidly as to render it unnecessary to recommend any specific action with regard to them.

The subject of the re-establishment of the National Bureau of Immigration has been carefully considered in connection with the clause in the Senate resolution asking for suggestions of "alterations in existing laws," &c. The history of the Bureau created by the act of July 4, 1864,(13 Stat., 385,) and abolished by act of March 30, 1868, (15 Stat., 58,) has been obtained, (partly by correspondence with two of the commissioners of the Bureau, the Hons. H. N. Congar and R. S. Chilton,) and the conclusion arrived at that such an agency is inexpedient and unnecessary, since it would be the occasion for renewed protests from, and hostility of, State organizations, and could only be effective after subverting a repeated decision of the Supreme Court to the effect that the States have paramount authority in all that is essential to the operation of such a Bureau. In this connection the language of Ex-Commissioner Congar would seem to be conclusive: "The pregnant fact that it [the Bureau of Immigration] was a failure was the actual cause of its summary abolishment."

In preparing the draught of a bill embodying "such alterations in existing laws" as the investigation seems to indicate " may be necessary to secure effectual protection to steerage-immigrants," the aim has been to make it simple, concise, and equitable; avoiding the creation of new and unnecessary machinery for its execution; studiously refraining from meddlesome interference with existing organizations, some of which are conducted with exceptional fidelity and thoroughness; defining its requirements as directly and clearly as the conditions of the service will allow, and where such conditions are vague or variable, seeking to secure the necessary flexibility and comprehensiveness without voluminous detail; and, finally, recognizing the rights of capital already invested, by assimilating the proposed enactment to the existing laws of other countries, so far as this may be done without sacrificing the interests and welfare of the immigrant.

The following is a brief summary of the proposed act:

By the use of the term migrant, covering both "emigrant" and “immigrant" passengers, much verbiage is dispensed with in the first section, defining the application of the act, without sacrificing clearness or comprehensiveness.

Section 2 requires 100 cubic feet of clear space to be furnished throughout the entire voyage for each statute-passenger on the uppermost between-decks, and 120 cubic feet in the second between-decks; no passenger to be berthed in a sailing-vessel below the uppermost betweendecks, nor in a steamship below the second between-decks, nor in any vessel in any space where the vertical height is less than 6 feet, nor upon any orlop or temporary deck or platform.

Section 3 provides for decent privacy for the sexes by berthing single male passengers forward, families next, and single female passengers aft-the respective compartments to have separate means of light and ventilation, and of communication with the deck.

Section 4 prescribes the mode of construction and the arrangement of berths, their size, location, &c.

Section 5, instead of lengthy detailed diet-tables, directs that each passenger shall be supplied daily with water and cooked food, "equal in quality and quantity to the ration of the United States Navy."

Section 6 regulates the hospital accommodations, their capacity, location, ventilation, light, and equipment; directs the employment of physicians on vessels of a given capacity, and requires from them certain reports on vital statistics, hygiene, &c., now called for from the captain. Section 7 authorizes an experienced matron to be engaged as steeragestewardess on vessels of a given capacity and upward, who shall be employed in "assisting to maintain cleanliness, order, and discipline among the female passengers."

Section 8 orders suitable lavatories and water-closets-one basin and one space for each fifty passengers-distinct sets for each sex, and those for women and children to be easily and safely accessible in all weathers. Section 9, in enjoining the carriage of life-buoys or preservers and of boats sufficient in number and capacity to float or carry the largest number of persons-passengers and crew-the vessel may be rated to carry, provides that "suitably constructed life-rafts or floats may be substituted for a portion of the boats, in the discretion of the examiner."

Section 10 directs a sufficient number of portable fire-extinguishers to be carried in readily accessible places, in addition to the usual means of extinguishing fires by pumps, engines, &c.

Section 11 requires descriptive diagrams of passenger-carrying ves sels to be furnished to collectors of customs, in order to facilitate the inspection of such vessels by the examiners.

Section 12 modifies the penalty of $10 for the death, during a voyage, of each person over eight years of age-prescribed by section 14, act March 3, 1855, (10 Stat., 715)-so as to apply only to deaths of persons over twelve years of age; but provides that a penalty of $5 shall also be paid for the death, during the voyage, of each person under twelve years of age.

Section 13 extends the provisions, requirements, and penalties of the act for the better protection of female passengers," (March 24, 1860, 12 Stat., 3,) and of the eighth section of the "act further to regulate the carriage of passengers," &c., (July 4, 1864, 13 Stat., 961,) to all passenger-carrying vessels under the proposed act.

Section 14 recognizes the interest of the citizens of the port in the character and condition of its immigrants, by authorizing boards of

health or kindred bodies to prescribe the necessary sanitary regulations, which regulations are to be submitted to the Secretary of the Treasury, through the various collectors, who will make appropriate indorsements. Section 15 makes the approval of the Secretary essential before such regulations can be construed and enforced as provisions of the act.

Section 16 entitles informers, other than officers or persons charged with the execution of the act, to a reward of one-half of any sum or sums forfeited under the act and paid upon their information.

Section 17 charges collectors or other chief officers of customs with the execution of the act, and provides for the appointment of examiners of vessels and defines their duties.

Section 18 empowers collectors to refuse clearance to any vessel reported by an examiner for violation of the provisions of the act, until her master shall have deposited an amount equal to the penalty prescribed for the alleged violation.

Section 19 orders a report of such deposit to be made to the Secretary of the Treasury within twenty-four hours after its receipt, accompanied by a certified copy of the examiner's report upon which the deposit was exacted, and directs the forfeiture of the deposit to the United States, unless appeal be made within thirty days after its payment.

Section 20 provides for the formation of a board of appeal, consisting of the collector, surveyor, and naval officer of the port, which board shall have power to administer oaths and to compel the attendance of witnesses, and shall, upon the evidence adduced before it, in any case of appeal by the master of a vessel from the report of an examiner, prepare a statement of the facts as proven in such case, which statement, signed by the members of the board, or a majority of them, is to be forwarded to the Secretary of the Treasury, who, thereupon, may, in his discretion, confirm the forfeiture of the deposit to the United States, or may order its repayment or the repayment of any portion of it, and may direct the suspension or dismissal of any examiner making an incorrect or false report.

Section 21 gives the board of appeal discretionary power to inflict an additional penalty, not exceeding in amount the amount of the expense of the session of the board, upon any master making an unsustained or frivolous appeal.

Section 22 prohibits an examiner from pleading his official function under the act in defense or in bar of any action for damages resulting from an incorrect or false report.

Section 23 recognizes the compliance, by a steamship of any other nationality, with the kindred legal provisions and requirements of said nationality, as a compliance with the provisions and requirements of sections 2, 4, 5, and 8 of the act; but excludes from such favor the vessels of any country which discriminates against the vessels of the United States.

Sections 24, 25, and 27 are the entitling, defining, and repealing sections, respectively.

In directing, in section 26, the various periods after its passage when the act shall take effect, ports on the Pacific coast of the United States are purposely omitted, since it is not known how far the provisions of such an act are applicable to the peculiar conditions of the immigration service between China and Japan and this country.