Several times a service has been attempted. but every effort has failed. because the rate of pay for carrying the mails was insufficient. Great Britain a few years ago established a mail service in 16knot steamers. corresponding to steamships of the second class. across the Pacific from British Columbia to Japan and China. These British steamships were paid $360 a nautical mile and were allowed to. carry coolies as a majority of their crews. The law of 1891 offers $2 a statute or $2.30 a nautical mile to 16knot American steamships-$1.30 less than the British rateand requires that a large and increasing proportion of the. crews shall be Americans. The present bill offers $4 a statute or- $4.60 a nautical mile. the crews must be white men at $25 to $40 a month instead of Asiatics at $S. There has been great loss of life in wrecks of passenger steamships. chargeable to the ignorance or panic of Chinese or Lascar sailors. It should be said that when the ocean mail law of 1891 was passed the rates of compensation which the Senate had fixed as. no more than adequate were seriously cut down by the House of Representatives.
Identified stereotypes
Asians are ignorant and cause loss of life in wrecks of passenger steamships.