Stowaways :: essays research papers fc

StowawaysStowaways capture been a problem to shipowners for about as long as there have beenships in the sea. In the early days of sailing ships and looser maritimelegislation, this was a relatively minor problem. This probably had to due withthe fact that the ships were smaller in comparison to todays standards, andwere relatively heavily crewed. Thus the chances for a stowaway to get onboard and go undiscovered for any length of time were fairly small. Also inthat age, the fantasy of "human rights" was not what it is today, and anystowaways that were found often became involuntary members of the crew. Therewas, therefore, little incentive to become an unpaying passenger on a merchantship. Today, however, ships have become ever larger, the maritime world hasbecome increasingly regulated, and the issue of stowaways has become a majorproblem.There be really several reasons wherefore stowaways have become more of a problem.The real driving factor is really an economic one (Wiener). With all of thepolitical and economic strife in the world today, there is a huge population ofpeople who are just tired of being on the rock bottom of the economic ladder,and are desperate for a better life in a different place. This is really thebasic reason why someone would want to spend a week or so crammed into a stuffycontainer or new(prenominal) similarly uncomfortable accommodations in order to get fromwherever they are to someplace else. It isnt because they just didnt have themoney for a plane ticket, but it is the fact that they are being lured by theprospect of a better life. They are spontaneous to leave their homelands and endureuncertain conditions in order to get there.There is, of course, the possibility of applying to another country, such as theUnited States or any other world economic superpower, for admission as animmigrant. This is a very long and difficult process, and the likelihood ofactually getting in is slim. Even if it was possible, few ti erce world citizenscan actually afford transportation overseas, let alone find and afford housing,meals, and so forth, once they get there. The fact of the matter is that maydesperately poor people who would like to immigrate to another country simplylack the resources to make the trip legally. Therefore, alternative measures,such as theft rides on merchant ships, become very attractive (Wiener).Another component is the ever increasing size of todays merchant ships, coupledwith the gradual decrease in the size of the crews sailing in them.