What is "sailormongering"

Sailormongering is the practice of boarding a ship approaching or newly arrived in port without the permission of its master, and inciting members of its crew to desert their posts and come ashore by tempting them with prostitutes and alcohol. The intention behind the activity might be to subject the unguarded vessel to piracy, hold the inebriated sailors hostage or simply drum up business for local taverns and brothels. At the time when the practice was common, it was often accomplished by sending prostitutes carrying large quantities of alcohol on to the targeted ships to serve as lures: those arranging for this to occur might be described as having committed the action in addition to those actually boarding the ships.

Although statutory prohibitions on the practice remain in jurisdictions such as the United States, the offence is effectively obsolete. The relevant law in that country dates from 1872, but the last successful prosecution under it occurred in 1890, in the case of United States v Sullivan.