I once read an interesting statistic concerning ships transporting
slaves through the "Middle Passage". I believe the book was "The Slave
Trade". It said that the death rate among the sailors on these ships
was about 15-20% whereas the death rate of the slaves being transported
was normally lower than that. The reason was that slaves were
valueable cargo whereas seamen were considered expendable.

On 2 Nov 2005 08:18:12 -0800, wrote:

I once read an interesting statistic concerning ships transporting
slaves through the "Middle Passage". I believe the book was "The Slave
Trade". It said that the death rate among the sailors on these ships
was about 15-20% whereas the death rate of the slaves being transported
was normally lower than that. The reason was that slaves were
valueable cargo whereas seamen were considered expendable.

too bad all the sailors didn't die. maybe they would have learned a
lesson.



---------------------------
to see who "wf3h" is, go to "qrz.com"
and enter 'wf3h' in the field

Bob wrote:
On 2 Nov 2005 08:18:12 -0800, wrote:

I once read an interesting statistic concerning ships transporting
slaves through the "Middle Passage". I believe the book was "The Slave
Trade". It said that the death rate among the sailors on these ships
was about 15-20% whereas the death rate of the slaves being transported
was normally lower than that. The reason was that slaves were
valueable cargo whereas seamen were considered expendable.

too bad all the sailors didn't die. maybe they would have learned a
lesson.


It would be pretty tough to lay more than a portion the moral blame for
the slave trade at the feet of the sailors working the ships. In some
cases, these ships recruited a "crew" among natives on the Ivory Coast,
and after sailing to the West Indies these so-called "crewmen" were
sold into slavery as well.

Blame for slave trade must be shared, IMO, by:

Arab and African slavers who raided farms and villages to gather
prisoners to sell into slavery. (Forget the opening scenes of "Roots"
where a bunch of overweight Europeans are running alongside hounds to
catch the natives on their own turf.)

European "factory" traders who established trading posts and holding
pens
on the E coast of Africa and traded cheap muskets, fabrics, trinkets,
and tiny amounts of currency for captives.

European governments which profited from the trade.

European churches and other social agencies which failed to adequately
condemn it.

Colonial planters who depended upon it.

Consumers of cheap goods and agricultural produce that resulted from a
slave economy.

While the US gets the majority of attention for slavery in the American
SE, slavery was also common in the north during the earliest years of
the Republic. Slavery was legal in most corners of the British Empire
until some time around 1830, (or so). We now quite often mistakenly
view it as a particularly American disgrace, almost 150 years after the
Emancipation, but it was a world-wide economic model- and problem.

JimC,
Are you telling me your comments about my "sarcasm" is really that you find
me too conservative? It must be because you seem to fawn over Harry's barbs
and profanity, which outnumber mine 10 to 1.

Grow up Jim.


"Jim Carter" wrote in message
.. .

"Dr. Dr. Smithers" Ask Me about my Phd @ Diploma Mill .com wrote in
message . ..
Jim C,

I must have missed your rebuts when Harry makes sarcastic comments and
off
color degrading comments to anyone who disagrees with his political
philosophy. Since my sarcastic comments are 90% less than those made by
Harry, and I never use profanity to make a point, I know you must have
come
down very hard on poor Harry.
You must have majored in "sarcasm" in school. Grow up.
Jim

JimC
ps - Anyone who doesn't know that sailors lived a tough life in the 18th and
19th century is so brain dead, I doubt they know how to turn on a computer.

The deaths from disease and lack of proper nutrition alone was sky high,
forget the lack of OSHA laws. ; )



"Jim Carter" wrote in message
.. .

"Dr. Dr. Smithers" Ask Me about my Phd @ Diploma Mill .com wrote in
message . ..
Jim C,

I must have missed your rebuts when Harry makes sarcastic comments and
off
color degrading comments to anyone who disagrees with his political
philosophy. Since my sarcastic comments are 90% less than those made by
Harry, and I never use profanity to make a point, I know you must have
come
down very hard on poor Harry.
You must have majored in "sarcasm" in school. Grow up.
Jim

Bob wrote:
On 2 Nov 2005 08:18:12 -0800, wrote:


I once read an interesting statistic concerning ships transporting
slaves through the "Middle Passage". I believe the book was "The Slave
Trade". It said that the death rate among the sailors on these ships
was about 15-20% whereas the death rate of the slaves being transported
was normally lower than that. The reason was that slaves were
valueable cargo whereas seamen were considered expendable.


too bad all the sailors didn't die. maybe they would have learned a
lesson.


What about the boat owners who were profiting from that enterprise?
The poor sapless sailors probably weren't much better off than the slaves.

"Dr. Dr. Smithers" Ask Me about my Phd @ Diploma Mill .com wrote in
message ...
JimC,
Are you telling me your comments about my "sarcasm" is really that you
find
me too conservative? It must be because you seem to fawn over Harry's
barbs
and profanity, which outnumber mine 10 to 1.

Grow up Jim.

How would you ever think that I find you too conservative? You are very
liberal in your sarcastic remarks. I have not ever fawned over anyone's
remarks, least of all Harry's remarks. I find that his style of rebukes to
be entirely childish also. I wish the both of you would grow up and be
civilized in your comments and that you both would behave like gentlemen.

Jim

"Dr. Dr. Smithers" Ask Me about my Phd @ Diploma Mill .com wrote in
message . ..
JimC
ps - Anyone who doesn't know that sailors lived a tough life in the 18th
and
19th century is so brain dead, I doubt they know how to turn on a
computer.

The deaths from disease and lack of proper nutrition alone was sky high,
forget the lack of OSHA laws. ; )

Dr. Smithers, to whom are you referring these remarks? Surely, not to me.
I have never questioned the tough life of early sailors.

Jim

Jim Carter wrote:

I wish the both of you would grow up and be civilized in your
comments and that you both would behave like gentlemen.

If you find a "gentleman" in *this* NG, that would be a newsflash.

--
Skipper

JimC,
To point out that the 17th 18th Century ships were a tough place to live, is
like saying an atomic bomb can be very destructive. I was highlighting the
foolishness of Harry's statement, the same as you would if I made a
completely obvious statement, and assumed it was words of wisdom.

PS - Did you know there are sarcastic people in Usenet?


"Jim Carter" wrote in message
...

"Dr. Dr. Smithers" Ask Me about my Phd @ Diploma Mill .com wrote in
message . ..
JimC
ps - Anyone who doesn't know that sailors lived a tough life in the 18th
and
19th century is so brain dead, I doubt they know how to turn on a
computer.

The deaths from disease and lack of proper nutrition alone was sky high,
forget the lack of OSHA laws. ; )

Dr. Smithers, to whom are you referring these remarks? Surely, not to
me.
I have never questioned the tough life of early sailors.

Jim