The New York herald., 1871-12-24
THE "SHANGHAEING" PROCESS.
How IL IL Dene-NIcasures for It's Prevention.
UNITED STATES RECEIVING SHIP VERMONT
Dec %. lS7is I

How Il L. Dsne-Measures for Its Prevention.
UNITED STATES RECEIVING SHIP vERMoNT,l
Dec %, 1871. ]
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
As it may not be understandngly known TO the
readers OF the HERALD what the true and exact de-
fniMon OF the term 'Shanghaeing" Is when applied
to seamen, 1t may not be amss that brief expanar
tion OF its more prominent features should be made,
showing the manner In which seamen as q class
are duped and victimized by those eager to con-
vince them or what Is not the fact-that they are
their best friends, but who in reality are indeed
their most implacaDle and unrelenting foes to w.t.
the boarding house Keepers shipping masters and
others, depending upon them for precarious aud
villanous existence on shore.
A sailor comes on Shore with his pockets filed
with money the proceeds OF his hard labor which
may have extended for period olive Will say
three years. more or less. These boarding house
keepers, or land sharks, as they are iamiliarly
termed In nautical phrase have as many accom-.
pllces or runners, employed as they can well sup
port and whose duty Is to scour the strests night
and day, for the purpose OF picking up any un.
guarded sailor that comes In their way. They are
then induced, by all the trickery and device which
they are alone capable OF suggesting. to accompany
MIN to his house, which, as matter Of course, is
the best in the ward, where he would
slderauon which his case required. AS
proof Of this assertion he would not
would perform the task himself Is the eminent sat-
isfacton Of both On arriving at the house he unde-
goes the formally o. Of an introduction to all the
the ardor and affection OF devoted parent. All thus
having been accomplished satisfactorily and after
furnished ad A0dtum for the first night In order TO
make you talkauve-you are then intcrogated as to
where you have come from and how long You have
been away, so as TO furnish them with an idea az
70 now much money you ought to nave about you.
respect % and viii demand Is matter Of rixht ito to
know your exact pecunlary condition. Having as
certal6ed this the next and most important part
OF the programme IL to secure the prize, which
Which they Viii ~ use ali the sreacSesy ss; ana and % iD
Sy reprssenaS to you ~ the ea impro
priety OF carrying 80 much money about you
ing allowed 70 act as Guardian OF YOUR Spanc.s M %
giving you to understand In the most impressive
manner that You could draw upon them as occasion
required. This, OF course seems TO the nnintlated
reasonable demand accompanied, as 1t generally
Is. with the assurance that there were great many
roughs in the ward who would surely ease you OF It
II you carried 1t about you, but which In reality
they were determined to POSSESS themselves. Let
US proceed with our narrative.
The first night sailor Is on shore after long and
tedious voyage nc naturally repairs to some place OF
amusement for recreation, and whies away the
time IN other places best known to himself, which
generally consumes the little money he was allowed
to depart with. On arriving at his boarding house
replenish his pockets. The demand which he makes,
say S5, seems TO him the boss) to all intents and
purposes exoantant orr, ant ana after lecture lasting
represent to you the folly OF throwing away much
time ana money upon things which are
sum demande', with which you are
same indivldual who was so anxious to carry your
baggage TO the house now equally as soIicitous to
get you out Of IT, and Is using MS utmost endeavors
ckatS hInC
This Is not very hard matter, as they are olten
times asslsted d In this nefarious business by colu
sion with the shipping master and officers OF the
ship. The rest Is very soon told. You are allowed
to remain unmolested until night sets ln when they
necessary drug, or, as the Frenohman says, the
coup de grace You do not arrive to q state OF con-
sclousness until alter having been placed on board.
when you awaken from your deadly stupOr only to
be told Dy the mate or other officer of the ship
that $40 or $50 was the price that had Deen paid
Tor your apparently nanimate carcase. Instances
are known that III the event Of the patient mani.
testing any symptom OF returning consciousness
during lhe abduction process that resort Is had to
the club, which diabolcal expedient ut length ac-
complishes what the fatal drug failed to do. One
can easily imagine poor unfortunate wretch placed
under these circumstances, which Is really only the
beginning OF his rouoles for as soon as he RECEIVERS
from the eects Of the drug club he finds himself
tncapacltated to resume the duties imposed upon
hun by the unscrupuiou officers OF the snlp VINO,
IN many instances, are partcipators IN the crime.
him BY these villains is not calculated to
improve the physical condition or comfort Of
clotnes or Its equivalent, should accompany the
man before he would 90 accepted BY the cap.
tam. anu this obstacle is overcome by filing bag
with anything but the requisite articles leaving the
man with scarcely cnange Of clothing. He Is
next required by the officers OF the ship to 20 to
work. aud In the event OF his exhibiting any dis
inclination or reluctance, the process OF clubbing is
proves Tnus the uni man draSs
out miserable existence until the termination OF
What sad commentary upon human nature is
tins, occurring In The very midst OF civilized
munity And yet this IS only one instance OF many
thousands which occur annually.
Cannot means be devised, In the name OF every.
thing that Is sacred, lOr the suppression OF these
eviss win not those whose duty 1t is to look after
such matters stretch forth hand In assistance OF
class cursed, as 1t seems to be, by laws njudlclous
ana inoperatlves Is this state OF things to con-
lature 80 crush them2 And, finally, we, seamen,
to be LETT to the mercy OF set or INSCRIPTIONS per-
and motives Of seI.asrandizements The law at
present Is insufficient and injudiciously adminis-
tered, as IN almost every case Jack goes to
the wall With the knowledge Of these facts be-
lore US we ask, Cannot something be done to
relieve us OF thus thraldom? Will not Congress pass
sucn laws as Will enectuay prevent repetition OF
sucn pracucesS Why should not our mercantile
marine he held under the same restrictions as the
navy2 II such were the case much OF the misery
which we complain OF would cease, for no COM
mander Of man -oi-war Is permitted to ship man
who Is In the slightest degree under the influence OF
liquor. ii any commanding Ofhcer In the service
should so far forget himself as to do SO he would
De punished severely for 1t. NO person IN
may be, Is permitted to maltreat any one
under his command The punlshments which
he Is allowed to lniict are strictly defined by law
Some OF these punshments are lett to the discretion
OF commanding officers, while Others can only be
inflicted by sentence OF q court martial. Why can
not some such system be adopted IN the merchant
servceY Is 1t not possible 10 restrain the brutal
instincts OF mates anu tneir commanders Many
other suggestions might be made setting forth the
pr0prety of reform movement IN this direction,
but space will not admit OF 1t at present. Let us
hope, however, that those whose social position and
tn0ueUCe n n
matter will stretch forth a helping hand, and the
result, we fee vii! be our triumph.
Any one wishing to communicate upon the SUBJ
ject should address GEORGE TRAVELS.
Ilnited SIaiaa recetYinQ ynrmOnl.