The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-07-18
IMMIGRATION.
A Grand Phenomenon.

Cruet,es They Endure-7he limited <t1ies
LoaCs on hm'grdtton-Ho,o They are Regis
tered Uhen They Land Ho1 Then Get Their
G0td EIchdnged-HoW 7hey Commence Life
atresh-Ho,o They Laue ana Sleep at Cdsae
G0Tden-Ihe Questions Put to Them There
HoW f1W me Books are Kept and accounts Mdde,
Etc. Etc. Etc.
In recent numbers of our paper we have laid
before the public some interesting statistics on
immigration, which doubtless have informed
our readers OF the quality and NUMBER of emf
grants who have arrived at this port during the
me last ten or twelve years, as also their ma
honalihes and destinations.
These unprovided.for hordes must have work
to do and land to cultivate, and here they find
both readily available in our Southern and
Western States. They hear of this, and learn
the way across the water.
HOW THE MIGRANTS EMBARK.
The courage displayed, and necessarily DOS.
sessed, oy these teemlng mutitudes OF adven-
turers, IS rather signal, yet agreeable, contrast
With the dispos tions OF many who never lea We
their land OF nativity, but remain domesdcated
within the mural confines of their towns.
Taking retrospect OF our bygone times and
reviewing our experiences when we drst Quilted
tne Old country, ana crossed that treacherous
stormy irish Channel, or the remarkably capri
cious German Ocean, when storms and gales
had sprung up, aud declared the majesty of
Him who holds them in His hand, what faith
We were COerCed to exercise,
They encounter their first trying ordeal their
initiatory irritanL In the robberies committed
on them in their EN- barkat,on, and IN the transit
of their baggage and BEDDING BY the yacht that
conveys them to the vessel's side Some OF them
never see Their property from the time it is
removed from their county towns till they
reach Castle Garden, and then even they are
not allowed to get at their boxes on the same
day they la0d and often not for q whole week.
Frequently their boxes are lett behind, and
never heard OF more. Many never receive COM
penSatIOn for these losses sustained. Change of
clolh,ng ON the voyage, therefore, is compare
1--WE rarity. The dress they wear on the yacht
is the same in which they are removed by the
barge in the river. They are crowded by hun
oreds, and frequently over a thousand in but
one ship, and they reach her sides in the Mer-
sey, like SO many head OF oxen deported for
slaughter.
HOW THEY ARE TREATED ON BOARD SHIP.
To term the treatment emigrants in the ma.
1ority OF cases, receive on board ship "brutaln
would be using but mild ;erm. Acts the most
shocking ana degrading to humanity are too
frequently INDUCED in at the expense OF the
supersutlous and deluded women. No master
or owner OF a vessel is allowed to take on board
a greater number OF passengers than in proper
tion OF one TO every two tons OF such ship, not
including children under the age of one year in
the computation and computing the children
over one and under eight years of age as pas
senger; yet, notwithstanding, vessels frequently
arrive at this port carrying 1000, 1870, and 1850
passengers. nearly double the established legal
lied proportion. They are slowed away like
slaves from the Coast of Africa, while the law
says, ON the man ana poop decks, and in the
deck houses, one passenger Tor each xeen clear
superficial feet OF deck' is to be allowed. 1t IS
notorious fact that the cabins are crowded
with berths, running some three, four, and tive
tiers, and they are not so constructed as to con-
duce to propriety, while on this point the la is
most explicit At section 2 OF the act it is
written, "That no such vessel shall have
more than two tiers of berths and the in.
between
the deck or platform beneath, shall not
be less than nine inches; and the berths shall be
well constructed, parallel with the sides OF the
vessel, and separated from each other by parti.
tons, as beIths ordinarily are separated, and
shall be at least six feet in length and two feet
in width, and each birth shall be occupied by
no more than one passenger" They suffer, TOO,
from an insuficienc ventilation and want OF
water. Cleanliness among passengers on board
of crowded emigrant ship, habit tending to
the preservation and promotion of health, is
most seriously, crlnlnally neglected. Tn cir
bodies are allowed to remain in dirt aud filth the
entire voyage The apartments they occupy are
In most unhealthy state, while the convenience
OF water closets is a scarce commodity. No DIS
infectant, such as chloride of lime, is used, and
thus IL is That cholera is bred and nurtured on
board, the results being nov manifested IN our
land. The emigrants are excluded from the
cabooses or cooking ranges, and thus they are
denied the possibility OF furnishing themselves
with proper and adequate pabulum. II they
complain they are marked, and treated all the
WOI5e ueAI udy. luCy are SOmeUlIneS Deaten by
the crew. and hogged by and through the insti-
CATION OF the captain. They have no redress
against such tyranny. They endure it all the
passage through, but when they land their at
tenuated forms proclaim loudly the ill treatment
they have received.
VICE VS.. VIRTUE AND CHASTITY
is still the rage on board the majority of the
emigrant ships. This demon of woe raVished
many family, and ruined so many Young
unsuspecting girls that it became necessary
to pass an act amending an act then already
rage OF passengers IN steamships and other
vessels,n which was approved on the Sd of
Marcn 1855, tor the better protection OF female
passengers, and for other purposes. But il is
very much to be doubted Ii this gigantic evil
this evil above all other evils--has been dbdted
we don't say cured. We do not believe it can be
cured under the present mlsmanagement of
rests of the numerous innocent young women
that quit their mendicant homes to seek a
living In this prosperous and free country.
The very master, officers, and seamen who are
expected to see that certain immoral deeds are
lett undone, are the guilty parties themselves
In mostlnstances criminallyguilty of sensualism
in its worst forms.
The very people employed on the ship to
guide her course acrcss the wide Atlantic are
the very individuals who, during the voyage
of such ship or vessel, under a verbal. or
Writtenit may be, promise of marriage or nv
threats, or by the exercise of their authority.
or by solicitation, or by the making of gifts or
presents, seduce and have Illicit connection
with the female passengers. Women are weak
creatures, and 1t IS an inglorous triumph Tor
the edIcer, be he who he may, to take adyan-
tage of his position on ship, whether as cap
tain, mate, or cook or issuer, to barter with a
hungry young woman her Virgnity against the
miserable iunk of salt beet or pork and few