Note 65 — Chapter VI

Taking a hypothetical calculation of the result of a voyage of twelve months’ duration of a British ship of 500 tons, and of a ship of equal tonnage of the above-mentioned nations respectively, and taking the items of wages, insurance, interest on capital, calculated at 5 per cent., and depreciation of the property, which experience warrants at 10 per cent. per annum, the total amount of those items, on a ship of 500 tons built in England, and costing 8750l., would be 2623l. 10s. on such a voyage; on a ship of the United States, costing, as estimated, 7250l., it would be 2191l. 10s.; that on a Dutch ship, costing 7000l., it would be 2110l.; that on a Bremen ship, costing 5500l., it would be 1626l.; that on a Swedish ship, costing the same amount, it would be 1550l.; and that on a Prussian ship, costing 4720l., it would be 1329l.; making a difference in favour of an American ship of 432l.; of a Dutch ship of 513l. 10s.; of a Bremen ship of 997l. 10s.; of a Swedish ship of 1073l. 10s.; and of a Prussian ship of 1294l. 10s. These gross disbursements resolved into their elements, as regards wages, stood thus. The wages on a British ship were calculated at 786l.; the wages of an American ship of the same size, viz., 500 tons, 669l.; in a Dutch ship, 640l.; in a Bremen ship, 471l.; in a Swedish ship, 395l.; and in a Prussian ship, 331l. 10s. The items of these wages, as regards British ships, were, an English captain, 10l. a month [that is the amount of wages, but the emoluments of a British captain would be very much more than that]; chief mate, 6l. per month; second mate, 4l. per month; boatswain, 3l. 10s. per month; carpenter, 5l. per month; cook, 2l. 10s.; nine able seamen, at 45s. each, 20l. 5s.; eight ordinary seamen, at 30s. each, 12l.; and three apprentices, at 15s. each, 2l. 5s.; making a monthly amount of 65l. 10s., which multiplied by 12, gives the amount stated, 786l.