shanghai

n.

a catapult. Some saybecause used against Chinamen. The reason seemsinadequate.

1863. `The Leader,' Oct. 24, p. 17, col. 1:

«Turn, turn thy shanghay dread aside,

Nor touch that little bird.»

1875. `Spectator' (Melbourne), May 15, p. 22, col. 1:

«The lads had with them a couple of pistols, powder, shot,bullets, and a shanghai.»

1875. Ibid. July 17, p. 123, col. 3:

«The shanghai, which, as a secret instrument of mischief, isonly less dangerous than the air-gun.»

1884. `Police Offences Act, New Zealand,' sec. 4, subsec. 23:

«Rolls any cask, beats any carpet, flies any kite, uses anybows and arrows, or catapult, or shanghai, or plays at any gameto the annoyance of any person in any public place.»

1893. `The Age,' Sept. 15, p. 6, col. 7:

«The magistrate who presided on the Carlton bench yesterday,has a decided objection to the use of shanghais, and in dealingwith three little boys, the eldest of whom was but eleven ortwelve years of age, charged with the use of these weapons inthe Prince's Park, denounced their conduct in very strongterms. He said that he looked upon this crime as one of theworst that a lad could be guilty of, and if he had his own wayin the matter he would order each of them to be lashed.»

1895. C. French, Letter to `Argus,' Nov. 29:

«Wood swallows are somewhat sluggish and slow in their flight,and thus fall an easy prey to either the gun or the murderousand detestable `shanghai.'»