§ Mr. Croker, in answer to a question put on a former night by an hon. gent. then present (Mr. Whitbread), begged leave to state the nature of the fund newly created by fines for the discharge of seamen. According to the old arrangement, when a seaman was permitted to procure a substitute in order to quit the service himself, his only course was to apply to persons called Crimps, who charged at the rate of 100 guineas for an able-bodied seaman, and 50 guineas for a landsman, and they insisted that the entire sum should be deposited in the first instance, often before they had obtained the substitute themselves. The consequence of this was, that months, and even years elapsed, before the substitute was found; and the individual, who paid his money, had often sailed to a foreign station, or, perhaps, died, before the object was accomplished, losing, to his distressed 308 family, the full amount of his discharge. The government, considering this a subject which called for its interference, resolved to interpose its authority, and put an end to the iniquitous trade of Crimps altogether. With this view it was determined by the Board of Admiralty, that the man should be discharged, the moment his discharge was paid for at the rate of 80 guineas for an able bodied seaman, in the place of 100, and 40 guineas for a landsman, in the place of 50, as charged by the crimps under all the casualties of imposition and delay. The money thus received, was carried into the fund for raising volunteer seamen; and he had the satisfaction to state to the House, that all the objects of the arrangement were fully answered. There was likewise an adequate security for the proper application of the money, there being no less than five checks upon the fund. This, he hoped, was a satisfactory answer to the question of the hon. gentleman.
§ Mr. Whitbreaddeclared himself perfectly satisfied with the explanation, and was confident the public would be perfectly satisfied also.