Ocean Outlaws: The Rise and Fall of British Stowaways (1895)
From global adventurers to desperate migrants, stowaways on British ships in the 19th century took enormous risks—some traveled across continents, while others met tragic fates at sea. Discover the true stories of maritime stowaways, the laws that tried to stop them, and the dangerous reality of illegal sea travel.
Stowaways Enter the Bedroom of a Saloon Class Passenger. GGA Image ID # 220c71b406
In the future, stowaways discovered on board British ships will be more adequately punished when taken before a magistrate than hitherto. It has been found that just as there are vagrants on land, they abound on the sea.
Under section two hundred and fifty-eight of the Merchant Shipping Act of 1854, it was provided that if a person secreted himself and went to sea in a ship without consent, he was liable to a penalty not exceeding twenty pounds, or to imprisonment, without or with hard labor, for any period not exceeding four weeks.
However, this short-term incarceration has no deterrent effect. If the matter is considered for one moment, it will readily be seen that light sentences for such an offense only tended to fit prisoners for another voyage under similar conditions.
Arriving in port after a long and probably stormy trip, the professional stowaway would hardly care to ship himself off again at once. His previous mode of obtaining a livelihood would unfit him for getting one so easily on shore, so Her Majesty's prison for a week or two was a perfect Eldorado to such a being. It prepared him to follow his peculiar calling with renewed vigor.
This is no fanciful picture, as shipowners have found their costs high. For years, complaints were continually being lodged by shipowners before the authorities in London, Southampton, Liverpool, and Greenock, respecting the lenient way in which persons who had defrauded them of their passage money were dealt with by law.
Many of the rogues were allowed to go free to avoid the expense of a prosecution that resulted in little. Not only did the shipowners have to pay the costs of the prosecution, but witnesses had to be brought from the ship at considerable trouble and expense. Even then, the magistrate was often not satisfied with the evidence of 'secretion,' in which case the prisoner was invariably discharged from custody.
Now, however, matters are improved in this respect. By section three hundred and thirteen of the Merchant Shipping Act of 1894, the powers of magistrates are extended, and, as one stowaway has already found to be the case, they can be sentenced to three months' hard labor. In this instance, the Castle Line was prosecuted, running steamships between London and the Cape.
They have suffered a lot at the hands of the free traveling fraternity for a long time. Indeed, only a few months ago, a stowaway who managed to escape the punishment he so well merited, on a technical point, had the audacity, two days after his dismissal, to apply to the same magistrate in London for a summons against the owners of the vessel, whom he had defrauded to the extent of sixteen guineas, plus the costs of the prosecution, for detaining a box of tools belonging to him. The applicant was referred to the County Court.
An excellent illustration is on record, showing how many voyages one stowaway can make within a comparatively short space of time. The individual began at Glasgow and concealed himself on a boat about to start for Liverpool.
Upon reaching that place, he jumped on a liner bound for Boston, Massachusetts. This vessel had to bring him back again, as directed by United States officials.
The cause of this will be explained later. Again, an Atlantic liner was patronized, but he was discovered at Queenstown. Some of the passengers, pitying his wretched appearance when brought on deck, subscribed sufficient money to pay the culprit's passage to New York. Two or three more times, he managed to reach Liverpool, subsequently having his fare paid, before again reaching American ports.
This game, however, was played out, and he set out for the Far West, traveling as usual, free of expense. Arriving in San Francisco, he stowed himself away on a ship loading for Melbourne. Thence, he got to Yokohama, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Calcutta, Bombay, Port Said, and Malta. At each place, he landed and traveled by another vessel.
At Malta, this enterprising stowaway concealed himself on board a British warship—H.M.S. Serapis. At Port Said, he was conveyed ashore and given to the British Consul, who instructed him to send him to England.
This was done, and eventually, the prisoner was brought up at a London police court, where, being remanded, all the foregoing facts were elicited. If the incidents were not authenticated so well, it would be very difficult to credit such a story.
In addition to being a nuisance and expense, stowaways incur great danger of a violent death; in one instance, a man hid himself away in a chain locker, and when the anchor was hove-up, the unfortunate creature was crushed to death, the noise made by the steam winch and the 'rattling of the chain drowning his cries.
Upon another occasion, a man was found dead under the main hatch of one of the National Line of steamers. He had concealed himself before the vessel left Liverpool and died of suffocation.
Curiously enough, a novel entitled Doomed on the Deep was found in his pocket. In a third case, a man hid in the forepart of a steamer bound for London. While proceeding up the river Thames, she collided with another steamer, and the stowaway was crushed to death.
About vessels in the American trade, the hardships that have to be borne by captains having the misfortune to be patronized by stowaways are very great.
Suppose one succeeds in landing upon arriving at any United States port. In that case, the captain is liable to a one thousand-dollar fine. When a stowaway is found, the authorities must be informed that the port is reached directly.
He is then taken ashore and maintained at the vessel's expense until she is ready to return when he is conveyed on board again. He has to be taken whence the lie comes.
The singular number is used in the foregoing, but that is usually exceeded. In August 1891, forty-five stowaways were discovered on board the steamer Hirjhington when on a voyage from Liverpool to Galveston.
Fortunately, this was done in time to enable the part to be landed in the Mersey and the remainder at Waterford—for they were found in two batches. Last November, several sets, varying from five to sixteen in number, were returned from America in the manner already described.
Stowaways are very common in the East, and many, as well as curious dodges, are resorted to by natives—well able to pay the passage money—to obtain a trip for nothing.
Thus, in June last year, six Japanese girls packed up in matting were removed from the Japan mail steamer before leaving Nagasaki for Shanghai. In April of the same year, nine Japanese men and one woman stowed themselves away on a vessel sailing from Yokohama to San Francisco and, of course, had to be taken back again.
Eight Chinamen concealed themselves on a steamer trading between Penang and Rangoon. When found, the captain had them all well flogged; upon reaching port, each one received a month's 'rigorous' imprisonment from the magistrate.
The days of the stowaway—so far as this country is concerned—are numbered. Three months' hard labor is too long a spell of industry for such folk. Gradually, they will become extinct, and the sooner this comes to pass, the better.
“Stowaways,” in the Chamber’s Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art, Fifth Series, W. & R. Chambers, Limited: London, No. 605, Vol. XII, Saturday, 3 August 1895:489-90
Recap and Summary of "Stowaways on British Ships (1895)" 🚢⚖️🔍
This fascinating historical account sheds light on the persistent problem of stowaways on British ships in the 19th century, detailing the legal, financial, and humanitarian challenges posed by these individuals. The article discusses how some stowaways traveled across the world without paying a fare, evading immigration laws and port regulations while costing shipping companies enormous sums. The British government eventually responded with stricter penalties—increasing prison sentences and labor requirements to discourage these illegal travelers.
What makes this article so engaging and historically relevant is that it presents stowaways as more than just desperate individuals—some were repeat offenders, others exploited legal loopholes, and some tragically perished while hiding on ships.
Relevance to Ocean Travel and Historical Significance 🌊🚢
This detailed examination of maritime stowaways is particularly useful for:
Teachers & Students 📚 – Explores the economic impact of illegal travel, the evolution of maritime law, and the dangers of transatlantic stowaways.
Genealogists 🧬 – Highlights hidden immigration stories, especially for families with seafaring ancestors or unrecorded migrations.
Historians 🏛️ – Offers a firsthand look at 19th-century immigration policies, global shipping challenges, and the growing authority of the Merchant Shipping Acts.
Maritime Enthusiasts ⚓ – Chronicles the various methods and motivations of stowaways, including criminals, opportunists, and adventurers.
Most Engaging Content ✨
🔹 The Global Stowaway’s Journey 🌍 – One infamous stowaway traveled across five continents, sneaking aboard ships to New York, Melbourne, Shanghai, Bombay, Malta, and London. His incredible ability to evade capture made him a legend of sorts among seafarers.
🔹 Deadly Risks of Hiding on Ships ⚠️ – Some stowaways met tragic fates—one was crushed to death in a chain locker, another suffocated under a ship’s hatch, and yet another died in a collision on the Thames. These grim tales emphasize the extreme dangers of illicit sea travel.
🔹 Legal Reforms: A Turning Point ⚖️ – The Merchant Shipping Act of 1894 increased stowaway prison sentences to three months of hard labor, marking a shift toward stricter enforcement against illegal travelers.
🔹 Mass Stowaway Incidents ⛴️ – Some ships were overwhelmed by dozens of hidden passengers—45 were found aboard a Liverpool-to-Galveston steamer in 1891, while another ship carried 16 illegal travelers attempting to reach America.
🔹 Clever Tactics of Eastern Stowaways 🎭 – In Japan and China, many wealthy passengers disguised themselves as stowaways to avoid paying fares. Some hid inside matting, others disguised themselves as cargo, while a captain resorted to flogging those caught.
Noteworthy Images 🖼️
📷 "Stowaways Enter the Bedroom of a Saloon Class Passenger." – A rare and intriguing glimpse into the dangers posed by stowaways, showing that they sometimes intruded into high-class cabins, raising security concerns for travelers.
This richly detailed article provides a fascinating look at maritime crime, travel restrictions, and the perils of unauthorized migration—a must-read for history buffs, maritime scholars, and genealogy researchers alike. 🌍🚢📜
