The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-01


states the whole case for the land gang.
at once demonstrating its utility and
defining Its functions. Unconsciously
he does more. He echoes a cry that in
cessantly assailed the ears Of admiralty:
THE sailor has escaped! Send US war
rants and give US gangs. and We will
catch him yet"
1t was this call, the call Of the feet,
that dominated the situation and forced
order out Of chaos. The men must be
rose" and only one method could do II.
The demand was a heavy one to make
upon the most unsystematic system ever
known, yet It survived the ordeal. The
coast was mapped out. warrants were
despatched to this point and that. rem
devious were opened, gangs formed.
No effort or outlay was spared to take
the sailor the moment he got ashore.
or very soon after.
In this systematic setting Of land
traps that vast head centre Of the ma.
tons overseas trade. the metropolis.
naturally had hrst place. The streets.
and especially the waterside streets.
were infested with gangs. At times II
was unsafe for any able-bodied man to
venture abroad unless he had on him an
undeniable protection or wore a dress
that unmistakably proclaimed the
gentleman. The general rendezvous
was on Tower Hill, but as ships COM
pleting their complement nearly always
sent . gang or two to London. minor
rendezvous abounded. st. Katherine's
by the Tower was specially favored by
them. The Rotterdam Arms and the
Two Dutch Shippers. well known
taverns within that precinct, were sell
dom without the bit Of bunting that
proclaimed the headquarters Of the
gang. At Westminster the White
Swan in Kings street usually bore a
similar decoration. as did also the
Ship in Holborn.
A characteristic case of pressing by
q gang using the last named house oc-
CURED In 1905. Ransacking the town In
quest Of pressable subjects Of Her Ma
jesty. they came one day to the Cock
and RUNNER" in Bow street. where a
big dinner was In progress. Here moth
Ing would suit their tooth but mine
hosts apprentice. and as Ill luck would
have II the apprentice was cook to the
establishment and responsible for the
dinner. Him they nevertheless seized
and would have hurried away in spite
Of his masters supplications. protests
for the fact that q mob collected and
forcibly prevented them. Other gangs
hurryinR to the assista nee of their hard
pressed comrades-to the number, II Ia
said, of sixty men-a free fight ensued
in the course Of which a burly con-
stable. armed with q formidable long
STAFF. was singled out by the original
gang, doubtless on account Of the prom
inent part he took In the fray, as a Mt
ting substitute for the apprentice. BY
dint Of beating the poor fellow till he
was past resistance they at length got
him to the Ship" where they were in
the very act of bundling him into a
coach, with the intention OF carrying
him to the water side below bridge and
OF their putting him on board the press
smack. when in the general confusion
he somehow effected his escape. Such
incidents were common enough not only
at that time but long after.
Al Gravesend sailors came ashore In
such numbers from East India ant
other aims as Ia keen a brace of gang.
bmsv Another found enough TO do a,