emptations that formerly assailed him; besides this he is entirely
free from any attempts to swindle him, as the authorities are always
prepared to cash his advance notes for a small fee. This change has
proved to be the greatest boon that could have been conferred on the
sailors coming to Calcutta.

Since writing the above, I have been furnished by my friend Willie
Bryant, Branch Pilot of the Bengal Pilot Service, with the following
particulars of incidents that occurred in the days that I am writing
of, for the correctness of which he can thoroughly vouch. I feel sure
they will be read with the greatest interest.

Many men were shanghied on board ships in the 80's and 90's, more
especially American ships; in fact there was in Calcutta a recognised
American boarding master, or otherwise known as a crimp.

In '87 they shanghied a padre on board an American vessel, and when he
awoke in the morning found the vessel on her way down the river. On
his expostulating with the captain, the reply was: "Well, I guess you
are down as J.B. Smith and Sonny, you are bound to Salem or h----"

[Illustration: _Photo. by Bourne & Shepherd_. Writers' Buildings and
Holwell Monument]

On 6th December, 1887, the _Alpheus Marshall_, an American vessel, had
a salemaker shanghied on board; he, poor fellow, had been only on
shore once from a ship called the _Terpsichore_ and was buying soap,
matches, etc., when some man offered to stand him a drink, which he
accepted. The next thing he remembered he was outward bound for
Boston, Mss.

On the _Bolan_, on the 17th February, 1888, a soldier was shanghied,
or at least he said so, and when interviewed on the way down the
river, came to the salute as he had been taught. He went on to
Liverpool where he was arrested.

The renowned boarding master, after the Government stopped these
houses and methods, went to America as bos'un of a brigantine called
the _Curlew_, and a very fine sailor he was too.

On 24th July, 1890, a case occurred of a woman being shanghied. Of
course when she proved her sex she was landed at Diamond Harbour.

There was also a case of a dead man being taken on board as drunk and
shanghied; this was discovered after the ship had started for sea.

CALCUTTA TRAMWAYS.

The first attempt to introduce horse traction tramways in the city was
made as far back as 1873, when the Corporation constructed a line
commencing at Sealdah. It ran along Baitakhana, Bow Bazaar, and
Dalh