240
PAPERS RELATIVE TO EMIGRATION OF CHINESE LABOURERS.
No. 26.
Copy of a LETTER from G. W. HOPE, Esq. to Messrs. CAVAN BROTHERS and Co.
Gentlemen,
Downing-street, November 3, 1843.
In compliance with the request contained in your letter of yesterday's date, I enclose a License from the Secretary of State authorizing you to convey 400 Chinese labourers from the British settlements in the Straits of Malacca, to be introduced into the colony of British Guiana.
Messrs. Cavan Brothers and Co.
I have, &c. (Signed)
G. W. HOPE.
Enclosure in No. 26.
MESSRS. CAVAN BROTHERS and Co., of London, having applied for my licence to convey 400 Chinese labourers from the British settlements in the Straits of Malacca, to be introduced into the colony of British Guiana; this is to certify, under my hand and seal, that I do hereby license the said Messrs. Cavan Brothers and Co. to introduce the said 400 Chinese labourers to the said colony of British Guiana.
Given under my hand and seal this 3rd day of November, 1843.
(Signed) J. R. G. GRAHAM.
No. 27.
LIST of LICENCES granted for the conveyance of Chinese Labourers from the British Settlements in the Straits of Malacca to Jamaica, British Guiana, and Trinidad.
Colony. Number of Labourers. Date of Licence. To whom granted. Trinidad 300 November 3, 1843 Messrs. Cavan Brothers and Co. British Guiana 400 4 Messrs. Reid, Irving, and Co. British Guiana 500 4 Neill Malcolm, Esq. Jamaica 400 13 Messrs. Cavan Brothers and Co. British Guiana 250 13 G. Labalmondiere. Ditto 500 30 H. Barkly, Esq. Ditto 250 37 Messrs. Bosanquet and Naghton Ditto 250 1 Total 2850No. 28.
Copy of a LETTER from R. F. DAVIS, Esq. to G. W. HOPE, Esq.
London, November 7, 1843.
Sir,
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 4th instant, addressed to Neill Malcolm, Esq., enclosing a Licence for that gentleman to convey 400 labourers from the Straits of Malacca to Jamaica.
In connexion with this subject, I take the liberty of calling your attention to clauses 13 and 18 of the Bounty Rules issued by Her Majesty's Land and Emigration Commissioners on the 27th ultimo.
Doubtless it was not so designed, but, in practical effect, I believe those rules will be found to prevent the capitalist giving that aid to the labourer to emigrate which, under other circumstances, he may be disposed to afford.
The bounty granted of 65 dollars will not, I beg to submit, be found sufficient to defray all the expenses of deporting a labourer from the East to the West, including the providing him warm clothing for the passage round the Cape of Good Hope.
Experience teaches that, as in the case of those who go to the Mauritius, the Chinese are willing to pay a portion of their outfit, if they can obtain the necessary funds upon loan.
I would beg, therefore, to suggest for your consideration the propriety of amending the Bounty Rules so that the present course of law may not be contravened; but that, if A advances B money in Singapore, he may recover it in Jamaica in the usual manner.
I have, &c.
(Signed) R. F. DAVIS.
G. W. Hope, Esq.,
&c. &c.
No. 29.
COPY of a LETTER from G. W. HOPE, Esq. to R. F. Davis, Esq.
Downing-street, November 30, 1843.
I AM directed by Lord Stanley to acquaint you, in reply to your letter of the 7th instant, that, upon a full consideration of the matter, his Lordship sees no reason for increasing the present rate of bounty upon Chinese labourers introduced into the West Indies, namely, 65 dollars for every adult, male or female.
With respect to the terms upon which contracts may be entered into with the Chinese, I am to acquaint you that the Land and Emigration Commissioners have, with Lord Stanley's sanction, published a notice, making certain modifications in the regulations which had been previously adopted.
R. F. Davis, Esq., &c. &c,
I have, &c.
(Signed) G. W. HOPE.
No. 30.
Copy of a LETTER from the COLONIAL LAND AND EMIGRATION COMMISSIONERS to JAMES STEPHEN, Esq.
Sir,
Colonial Land and Emigration Office, November 24, 1843.
WE have the honour to acknowledge your letter of the 20th instant, accompanied by one from Mr. Davis, dated the 7th of November, representing that the bounty of 65 dollars will not suffice to pay for the importation of a Chinese labourer into the West Indies, including a provision of warm clothing for his passage, and requesting that no objection may be offered to rendering advances of money in China repayable after arrival.
As this subject has been so repeatedly urged by Mr. Davis personally as well as in this letter, we must begin by submitting that we cannot fairly be held answerable for the bounties actually proving to cover all expenses. In the present, as in all other speculations, there must be uncertainty and some risk; many contingencies have to be considered, and the hazard of the business must be weighed by the same parties who look to the advantage. All we can undertake is to state correctly the effect of existing data. If indeed we were at liberty to make a mere conjecture, we might very probably wish to guess rather a higher than a lower sum than 65 dollars; but when the question was referred to us officially, we considered we were bound to proceed upon some evidence.
Now the proposed rate of bounty was known to Mr. Davis himself, as well as several other gentlemen interested in the question, some weeks before it was finally announced. All seemed to agree in its propriety beforehand, and none have complained of it since except Mr. Davis. He has taken exception to it on the ground that some of the provisions of the Rules were not foreseen.
We must, however, explain that Mr. Davis fell into a mistake in supposing that gratuities or other local disbursements had been left out of account in the estimates, and that this was a clear additional charge by the effect of the Bounty Rules. On the contrary, by the very estimate tendered on behalf of the West India body, 65 dollars would cover all charges, including the maximum gratuity of 15 dollars. By an estimate which we made on distinct grounds, the same result was arrived at. And such being the calculations beforehand, it next followed that when the offer was thrown into the market, several parties at once sent out to obtain labourers at this rate of bounty. It is difficult perhaps to conceive a more complete body of evidence that the amount was not ill considered, and that, as far as private persons' present information goes, they consider it one on which it is prudent to act.
But Mr. Davis further argued that the Bounty Rules introduced a novelty, by requiring a surgeon. We have pointed out to him that, under the Passengers Act, he could not have taken so many as 50 emigrants without a surgeon; and it certainly could not be seriously contended that persons contemplated the carriage of Chinese in petty numbers falling below that limit. Again, Mr. Davis alludes to the provision of warm clothing; but it has been distinctly explained by the authorities that the shippers are not to be necessarily required to furnish this article; and, from what is stated of the customs of the Chinese, it seems very probable that they will have a sufficient stock of their own.
278
CHINESE LABOURERS TO THE WEST INDIES.
279