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Glasgow,
30th March, 1838.
Captain John Craig,
Sir,
In consequence of a quantity of contraband goods
having been found on board of several of our ships, we deem it necessary
to alter and amend the condition of our former agreement for sailing our
ships, which in future shall be as follows:-
You engage for our safety as owners, as well as your
own safety as shipmaster and commander, to use the greatest vigilance in
your power, as also in the most particular manner to instruct your mate
and all other officers to prevent the possibility of any contraband goods,
even to the value of sixpence worth, being put on board of your ship for
the purpose of smuggling, and that you will not allow any traffick
whatever to be carried on, on board of your ship under the penalty of
forfeiting your wages and allowances as aforementioned. Your wages to be
at the rate of eighty-four pounds p. annum from and after this date—say £7
p. month. A puncheon of rum to be allowed as stores for each voyage, and
ten pounds each voyage for furnishing your cabin; with forty pounds
additional provided you accomplish your two voyages within the season,
that is to say, before the first day of the following year, and also
provided you do not allow any contraband goods, or any traffick of any
kind on board of your ship. So that if you do not arrive at your
discharging port the second voyage before the first of January next
following, or if you allow any contraband goods or any traffick whatever
to be carried on on board of your ship, you cannot demand the allowance of
£40, but to be satisfied with what under the circumstances of the case, we
may think proper to give even although no part of said £40 should be
allowed you. We have also occasionally found it unpleasant at settling
accounts to be obliged to make deductions from the charges made in some of
our ships' books. You know that the furnishing of the cabin and upholding
the cabin materials are done by you for the allowance of ten pounds per
voyage ; and that no board wages are to be allowed you at whatever port
you may go to discharge, and as a puncheon of rum is allowed for each
voyage, we allow no farther charge to be made for spirits whatever length
of voyage you may have. We also allow you to take a passenger or two in
the cabin by giving the ship credit for £8 for each ; but should you take
any passengers on board without putting the same to the credit of the ship
in the ship's book, we in that case charge you £20 for each passenger at
the settlement. We state these circumstances that nothing may appear in
the ship's book that may require to be deducted at settling accounts. We
have also taken a particular note of the quantity your ship should stow,
and every expence that should be incurred in navigating your vessel; and
by your increasing the stowage and diminishing the expences and every
charge that is possible, and having your vessel in such good order in the
fall that she can be fitted out very moderately next spring, you shall
receive from us every encouragement, and we hope to be able to continue to
you the foresaid wages and allowances, although we understand and have
been informed by many of the Captains of timber ships in the neighbourhood
of Whitby and Shields that they are not paid more than from ,7 to £8 p.
month, and that only while they .are at sea and discharging their ships,
without any additional allowances whatever. We, however, by no means
grudge the extra wages and allowances we give our Ship Masters while they
•do their duty. If you agree to sail the ship Faside agreeably .to the
before-mentioned terms and stipulations please say so.
We are, Sir,
Your most
obedient servants,
POLLOK, GILMOUR & Co.
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