Reading the interesting article entitled ‘Poor Jack’ in the _Journal_ of the 7th November, I venture to send you a few notes, thinking that an excerpt from them may possibly be of interest to your readers. As the writer states, Jack is, thanks to the Board of Trade, much better off than he used to be. At all ports where there is not a separate Mercantile Marine Office, the custom-house is used as one, and the customs officials discharge the necessary duties. It is only at large ports that sailors are enabled to proceed home at once, if they _do_ reside—as is generally the case—at a seaport town. They receive a document from the Board of Trade officer, which they present to the officer at the port where they live; and he, being advised through post by the officer at the arrival port, pays the amount of wages due. Here Jack is protected thoroughly from all temptations, and usually arrives at home sober, with his hard-earned wages safe in his pocket. This beneficial system, however, is not extended to the middle-class and small ports, and at these places Jack too often falls a ready prey to the land-sharks. Usually, when a foreign-going ship arrives in port, some hours—or perhaps a day or two—elapse before Jack is paid off. In the meantime he has his liberty, and it is then that the land-sharks are on the lookout for him. They entice him to their houses and give him drink, and so manage matters that, when the ship is paid off and he receives his wages, he is already considerably indebted to them, and perhaps is in such a muddled condition as to be incapable of taking care of his money. Seamen’s Money Orders are of great service in rescuing Jack’s wages from the clutches of these plunderers. They are obtained free of charge and for any amount at the time the ship is paid off, and steady seamen generally make use of them. They can be drawn on any Mercantile Marine Office; and as the seaman can make them payable to himself if he is not married, they enable him to get a good portion of his wages home in safety without any expense or risk. What is wanted in many places is that some one concerned in the mission-work amongst sailors should be on the lookout when a ship arrives in port with a crew to pay off, and see the men lodged in respectable boarding-houses or sailors’ homes, so that they can send their wages home by means of the Money Orders; and also to see them safely to the railway station. It is grievous to think that the wages of many of our sailors, who have perhaps been out on a voyage of many months’ duration, should be dissipated in a few days, and most of it fall into the hands of the worthless creatures who live by this species of plunder. A DESERTED GARDEN.