As the crews of these ships are not paid off till the end of the voyage, or at the end of three years-if the ship is out so longthey cannot legally touch any of their wages until they finally are paid off, when the various bills they have contracted during the voyage are deducted, and they are given the balance as previously stated. They cannot touch any of their money in a foreign port, except at the goodwill of the captain and owners. They cannot run up a bill except at places arranged for them by the captain. If they choose their own shops and make purchases unauthorized by the captain, the bills will not be paid.

Then arose the tailor's opportunity. The sailor's need, necessity, and helplessness in the matter proved a blessing for the tailors. Several of these gentry, whose places of business are near the 'aristocratic' regions of Barbary Coast in San Francisco, saw the sailors' dilemma, and sprang to the rescue. The sailors wanted clothes. At all costs these wanderers over the trackless ocean must be supplied. Then these 'philanthropic' tailors, moved with pity for the sad plight of the sailor wanting clothes, and though earning wages, yet unable to draw or touch them,

went to the captain of the ship, and said: 'Your men want clothes, captain; let us have the supplying of them, and they can run up a bill, and you shall pay it to us before the ship sails.' With eloquence and 'pathos' they urged their plea on behalf of the sailors, and finally one of them was selected to supply the crew with the things they might require, and the men were duly informed of the fact.

It was not mentioned to the sailors that in addition to paying full price for their clothes, they would also be charged a little extra sum in order that various friends of the tailors might receive their share in the profits, and so the sailor, instead of paying four shillings for his suit of dungarees, was charged five shillings and six shillings, and everything else in proportion; and by degrees it came to pass that it was the custom to pay commission, and put it down in the sailor's bill for clothing supplied; and the whole business of supplying the sailor with clothes passed into the hands of those, not only in San Francisco, but other ports as well, who vie with one another in 'getting ships,' and giving drinks, etc. Some stores in San Francisco are more just and respectable than

others--one especially so. They keep a pricelist. Others price their goods on the spot, as landspeople, as well as sailors, might come in, and if they had to pay the extras the sailors are forced to pay, they would not be likely to come again. If there was a pricelist of the charges made to sailors, no landspeople would ever come, so it is thought better for business' in some stores to have no price-list, but price the article accordingly as a sailor or a landsman comes in, for the one has to pay commission for the 'privilege' of being allowed to buy clothes, and the other has not!

One of these tailors, in case the sailors have not run up big enough bills in clothes, and if they have much wages due them, knows that there are sailors on some ships who have no great objection to something stronger than water, and in playing on this weakness sees a further opportunity to enlarge his fortune.

At Porta Costa, some thirty miles from San Francisco, where ships load cargoes of grain, sailors, as a rule being allowed no pocketmoney at all, can purchase nothing except at the goodwill of others.

One of these tradesmen, in his consuming

wish, not only that he might be of some little use in clothing the outward frame of sailors during the few short years that life is allotted them in this mysterious world, but also assist their thorny and often hard path through life in any way he could, saw with sorrow this great omission in the internal welfare of seamen at Porta Costa.

'These men,' he said in righteous indignation to his runner, 'have no money given them wherewith to buy beer. Poor fellows, think of their hardship and toil on the mighty deep! Think of the cold they suffer, which I have done so much to obviate for the voyage home, by supplying them with clothing at such moderate cost, only charging from 20 to 30 per cent. in addition to the usual price of the clothing, to insure my "friends" getting their proper share of the profits, and no right-minded sailor could ever have any objection to that! But shall my kindness stop with clothing the outward man? Most unhesitatingly do I say "No." If no one else will do so, I shall see to the comfort of their internal arrangements. At any rate, when they are at Porta Costa, they shall have beer-good steam beer-large "schooners" for the inward man.

I have-after putting myself to very great trouble, though I do it willingly, so great is my affection for the sailor-succeeded in arranging with the Saloon at to let them drink as much as they please up to a certain amount, as, having no cash, the poor fellows can't pay anything, but I will just put it down in their bill for clothing supplied. People may find fault with me if they choose, but I am determined as long as life lasts to try and look after the "true" interests of sailor-men.'

Thus this gentleman extorts money from the sailors—first, by obtaining the exclusive custom of the ship, and having done so, charging abnormal prices; and secondly, by arranging with a saloon to play on the passions of sailors not of a sober temperament, by letting them have their fill of drink, and putting it down in his bill as clothing. It is easy to see that any amount can be put down in a bill for drinks, as seamen, if they happen to have had too much, can never determine how many glasses they had, or did not have; but gentry with the tendency of our tailor in compiling his bill are always able with ease to settle that question.