The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-09-21
FROM WATER FRONT
SEVERAL NATIONS REPRESENTED
BY CREWS IN PORT.
CHINESE AND COOLIES HERE.
EMIGRATION LAWS MAKES 1T
NECESSARY TO GUARD CHINESE.

They Are Brought Up to the City
From the ship Daily and Kept In
der Guard Until the Following
Day-Big Transfer Business Being
Done in HarbOr-Matters of Inter
est to shippers and Mariners.
In the crews of foreign tramp steam
ships now in port are represented peo-
pie of many nationalities. The crews
attracting most attention are on the
German steamship Hohenfels, which
has a large number of coolies or ma
lives of the East Indies, and on the
steamship Lustleigh, which has Chi
nese.
These crews have attracted atten-
ton along the Bay. where they pass
every afternoon on their way from the
steamers TO their lodging houses up
Town. because of their peculiar dress.
The coolies wear very light clothing,
and this has the effect of bringing out
more prominently their small stature.
They are a unique class, and aave
many customs from which they never
depart The rules of their religion are
strictly adhered 10 at all times, and
among these is the slaughtering OF an
animals eaten by them in accordance
with prescribed religious rules, which
are carried out by officers brought from
the East 4ndies. Their food must De
cooked a certain way, and while eat
ing nothing must occur around to pol
lutte it, Persons must not pass be-
tween the diner and the sun, causing
a shadow to fall upon the food, for
with such a mishap it is cast over
board as unfit to eat.
Coolies make an orderly crew, and
rarely ever give the officers of the ship
. any trouble. OF all seamen, they are
known to mind their business strictly,
and do not like interference, even from
the officers of the vessel. Orders must
come to them through their leaders,
to whom the ships officers give their
orders.
The Cinnamon are not seen on the
streets much, for as soon as they I'M
ish their days work they are taken in
the custody of police officers to their
lodging place, uptown, and there kept
under guard until the following day.
The reason for this is that the emf
grafton laws do not allow them to land
unless the master of the vessel be-
comes personally responsible for them,
and gives bond TO take them out of the
country on sailing.
When the Lustleigh arrived an ac-
count appeared in the Morning News
of the delay in arranging to land the
Chinese. The city ordinance forbid
their sleeping aboard at nights, While
the government emigration laws would
not allow them to land. The master
was at d loss TO know the right action
TO take until he sought legal advice,
when the arrangement to guard them
ashore was made.
THE Chinese make a quiet and serv-
iceable crew." said an old captain yes
terday, but they are dangerous when
aroused They have been known to
murder the ships officers at sea,
though il was said this was on account
of bad treatment Of them by the Off
GERS. / knew once of mutiny aboard
a ship on the Tyne whose crew were
Chinese. Three policemen and a num-
Der of the crew were killed before Or
der was restored. While they are not
easy to stir up, they are hard to quiet
when excited"
Among the crews of the different
steam and sailing vessels now in port
many nations are represented, includ-
ing Spanish, German, Norwegians.
Italians, Dutch and others.
The transfer tugs are kept moving
now to do the large amount of work
required of them. Much of the cotton,
naval stores and lumber coming to Sa-
vannah for export, either foreign or
domestic. must be lightered about the
harbor from place to place, which is
done by the Savannah Lighterage and
Transfer Company. The tug Regis
does the work. She was kept going
until late last night. AS the active
season for export is now on. the
chances are the transfer company will
do good business for several months
to come. Capt. George Clark is the
efficient superintendent of the COM
pany's river operations.
The steamship Nab, which cleared
yesterday, will probably sail to-day